What is an immortal?

Yuan Ming's initially anxious heart finally eased a bit upon hearing Daoist Mu speak up.

"The Bright Moon Palace is the foremost Soul Cultivator sect in Chuyun. Being accepted as a disciple there will undoubtedly bring great benefits to your future cultivation. You need not rush back; I have nothing urgent here, so focus on your cultivation with peace of mind," Yuan Ming said with a smile, genuinely happy for Xi Ying.

"I haven't forgotten my promise to you. However, the Bright Moon Palace is very strict, and I may need to find a way to teach you the mnemonic of the Eighth Layer of the Moonlight Technique," Xi Ying said with a bright smile.

Yuan Ming waved his hand, indicating she need not worry too much, "I need to focus all my efforts on breaking through to Mahayana, and I cannot spare the time for soul and body cultivation. Even if you give me the mnemonic, I wouldn't be able to divide my focus to practice it concurrently."

"Then let it be as you wish. If you need anything, do not hesitate to tell me," Xi Ying responded decisively with a nod.

After chatting for a while longer, they ended their communication.

Yuan Ming stood in the courtyard of the City Lord Mansion, gazing at the drifting clouds in the sky, his thoughts churning as he pondered something.

...

Three days later.

The inaugural ceremony of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals was grandly held at the central grand hall of White Emperor City.

Yuan Ming, the newly appointed Alliance Hierarch of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, slowly ascended the jade stone-paved steps and entered the grand hall under the gaze of countless cultivators.

As he took his seat on the throne that symbolized the position of the Alliance Hierarch, the atmosphere of the entire hall instantly became solemn and respectful.

Below him, eighteen city lords stood in two rows. Once Yuan Ming was seated, they all turned and bowed deeply towards him.

"Welcome, Alliance Hierarch!"

Their voices boomed like thunder throughout the hall, reverberating beyond the towering eaves, echoing across the universe.

Even though they were not physically present, those who were privileged to witness the ceremony understood the weight and significance of such a gathering.

Yuan Ming's gaze swept over the city lords and then towards everyone present, calmly announcing, "From today onward, the Ten Thousand Demon Nineteen Cities unite as one. Together, we form the Immortal Alliance, guarding the Ten Thousand Demons, suppressing the hordes of demons, safeguarding the Human Clan, and becoming the barrier of Chuyun."

His voice was not loud, but it resonated crystal clear in the ears of all present, like metals striking against stones, resonant and powerful.

Upon hearing this, the eighteen city lords called out once again, "Alliance Hierarch's noble spirit, we will unite our efforts, becoming the barrier of the Human Clan and the shield of Chuyun!"

Their voices intertwined with Yuan Ming's words, forming a powerful surge that reverberated throughout the hall.

This surge seemed to carry a magical energy, making everyone present feel their hearts surge with passion and their blood boil with excitement.

"For the barrier of the Human Clan, for the shield of Chuyun!"

"For the barrier of the Human Clan, for the shield of Chuyun!"

"For the barrier of the Human Clan, for the shield of Chuyun!"

The Returning Void cultivators of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals also joined in, their voices merging into a torrent, roaring like ocean waves, instantly spreading throughout the entire city.

The rest of the cultivators in White Emperor City, hearing these voices, were even more thrilled, stepping out of their cave mansions and into the streets, looking up at the towering hall, filled with reverence and pride.

In that moment, all their voices transformed into earth-shaking howls: "May the Immortal Alliance prosper forever, may Chuyun flourish forever!"

The howling surged like a fierce storm across White Emperor City, even causing the distant mountain ranges to seem to tremble.

The representatives from various forces who came to witness the ceremony felt the overwhelming aura of fervor, and couldn't help but slightly change their expressions.

Some were secretly shocked, marveling at the cohesion and influence of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, while others sneered, considering it merely the blind fervor of a disorganized crowd.

But regardless, in this situation, none dared to voice opposition.

Even a sound of doubt would likely be drowned out by this fervent atmosphere and besieged by the masses.

Soon, the ceremony proclaiming the establishment of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals concluded.

Each major force stepped forward in turn, presenting long-prepared congratulatory gifts.

Whether precious or unique, these gifts all displayed the goodwill and respect towards the establishment of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals.

The order of gift presentation was based on the size of the force.

Those appearing first were minor forces with only a single or a couple of Dharma cultivators in charge.

Although their gifts weren't particularly outstanding, they were nonetheless heartfelt.

Yuan Ming showed little concern for these gifts, as his gaze remained fixed on the not too distant Swordsman Qing Ping.

The man dressed in a plain cyan robe, with a serene face, had been meditating with eyes closed since the beginning, seemingly unconcerned about everything around him.

His presence, like a clear stream, was particularly striking in the bustling grand hall.

Just then, a familiar voice suddenly rose from below, drawing Yuan Ming's attention as he looked over.

"Extreme East Sea Domain, Dongji Palace, congratulates the establishment of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, presenting three ten-thousand-year-old spiritual medicines, wishing the Immortal Alliance prosperity forever, wishing Chuyun flourishing forever."

In the grand hall, Huangfu Jue spoke the congratulatory words respectfully, handing a jade box to Wang Fulong, who was in charge of accepting gifts.

Even after all these years, Huangfu Jue had yet to break through the Dharma Manifestation Realm. His cultivation was not even noteworthy in the grand hall, lacking the qualifications to sit with the Dharma representatives of other forces.

After Huangfu Jue, the representatives of Luo Jia Mountain and Azure Dragon Pond also came forward to present their gifts one by one.

Yuan Ming glanced at them, not very familiar, so he did not pay much attention.

In his heart, he kept thinking about the Qing Ping swordsman who was sitting with eyes closed, resting.

And Huangfu Jue never dared to lift his head to look at Yuan Ming.

His heart was filled with trepidation and remorse, afraid to remind Yuan Ming of the encounter in the Extreme East Sea Domain back then.

After all, in terms of geographic location, the Extreme East Sea Domain borders the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range. With the current scale of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, they could easily crush the three major forces of the Extreme East Sea Domain with a mere gesture.

If Yuan Ming remembered the past enmity of being hunted, and anger arose, those three major forces would be in great jeopardy.

But with the formation of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, they could not refuse to come, or else it would be a self-destructive path.

Huangfu Jue sat in his position, his mind incessantly flashing with scenes of meeting Yuan Ming back then, filled with trepidation, remorse, and a mix of envy and jealousy.

At the upper seat, Yuan Ming's gaze quickly shifted from the Qing Ping swordsman.

With his current cultivation and status, he no longer bothered with the minor issues like those of the Extreme East Sea Domain.

In fact, he benefitted from the events of that time.

Furthermore, his enemies now were far beyond the level of early-stage Dharma manifestation. Bickering with these small forces would only make him seem narrow-minded.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, most of the forces present had already offered their gifts, leaving only the Taixuan Sect, Bright Moon Palace, and Heavenly Saint Academy, the three top-tier forces, yet to make a move.

Heavenly Saint Academy sent an elderly man with white hair and beard, who, seeing everyone's gaze gathered, coughed lightly, about to rise.

"Wait." At this moment, the Qing Ping swordsman, who had been resting with closed eyes, suddenly spoke, slowly opening his eyes, looking directly at Yuan Ming.

He supported his sword with one hand, stood tall, and slowly rose, bowing towards Yuan Ming: "I've heard of Fellow Daoist Yuan's exceptional skill, with unmatched swordsmanship. Qing Ping humbly wishes to seek guidance with the sword in his hand, may I have the honor?"

Upon these words, the hall erupted in astonishment.

The crowd's expressions varied, looking at Yuan Ming, eager for his response.

Yuan Ming smiled slightly, and stood up unhurriedly, a glint of battle intent in his eyes: "How could I, Yuan, refuse Fellow Daoist Qing Ping's invitation?"

Their eyes met, sparks seemed to fly.

The next moment, their figures almost simultaneously vanished into thin air, leaving only a silhouette behind.

Beyond the hall, suddenly came several deafening explosive sounds.

Everyone hurried out of the hall, only to see countless tree vines emerging from the void in the distant sky, like giant dragons twisting in the air, attempting to cover the whole firmament.

Beneath those tree vines, countless sword lights shot upwards like meteors across the sky, instantly severing the vines, turning them into flecks of green light dispersing in the air.

Red and green spirit lights whirled and circled in the air, transforming into countless spells falling like rain.

And those numerous sword lights converged into a gigantic sword of blue light, striking head-on.

In just a few breaths, Yuan Ming and the Qing Ping swordsman crossed swords several times.

The aftershocks of their battle spread out, causing the void for a hundred miles around to vibrate, forcing even Dharma manifestation strong practitioners within hundred feet nearby to keep their distance.

The whole sky was filled with interlacing spirit lights and sword lights, dazzling beyond compare, so much so that even their figures became indistinguishable.

The crowd could only infer the development of the situation through the traces of their exchanges and the characteristics of their moves.

As time passed, the great sun in the sky gradually sank westward, dusk quietly arrived.

The once stalemated battle suddenly shifted.

A thunderous crash was heard, and the sword lights in the sky instantly vanished without a trace, as if the verdict had been decided.

Immediately after, the figures of Yuan Ming and the Qing Ping swordsman reappeared before everyone.

Yuan Ming's clothes were slightly tattered, yet his stance remained as firm as a pine tree, whereas the Qing Ping swordsman's breath was chaotic, and a thin line of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He saluted towards Yuan Ming, his voice slightly hoarse: "I lost."

Upon these words, the hall erupted in astonishment once more.

The crowd's eyes widened, hardly believing their ears.

The Qing Ping swordsman's name resounded like thunder in the Cultivation World, having achieved the peak of Dharma manifestation, he challenged various major sects alone, asking for sword duels, rarely defeated.

Yet today, at this grand opening of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, the myth of invincibility was finally shattered.

Although the crowd did not witness every detail of the battle personally, this result alone spoke volumes.

That night, representatives of various forces sent messages back to their sects, detailing the shocking scenes that unfolded at the ceremony.

At the end of these messages, they all unanimously added a sentence—

"First under Mahayana, Yuan Ming, rightfully deserves the title!"