The Immortal Alliance’s Visit

A hurried sword light streaked across the sky, resembling a meteor tearing through the firmament. Upon landing, it materialized into an outer sect Elder of Affairs, whose expression was fraught with urgency.

“Reporting to Grand Elder! Outside the mountain gate… Immortal Alliance Envoys have arrived! Leading them is the Hall Master of Heaven’s Mirror Hall, True Person Yujizi! And… Elders from the Heavenly Might Sect and Flowing Cloud Sword Sect are accompanying them! They claim to be acting on the Immortal Alliance’s decree, here to congratulate our sect on eliminating the fiendish beast, and to discuss the future plans for the cultivation world!”

The Elder of Affairs’ voice carried an undeniable tension.

True Person Yujizi, Hall Master of Heaven’s Mirror Hall, whose secular name was Zhao Lichun, was renowned within the Immortal Alliance for his harshness, lack of compassion, and iron-fisted methods.

The ‘Heaven’s Mirror’ in the name of the Heaven’s Mirror Hall, which he presided over, was a self-proclaimed assertion of their ability to see everything clearly, specializing in investigating various sects for ‘overstepping their bounds.’

Many sects under the Immortal Alliance dared not speak out against him, despite their anger. This was solely because his jade ruler measured ‘rules,’ yet struck down those who defied him, not just those who broke the law.

The Heavenly Might Sect, the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect…

A century ago, these two sects had sworn brotherhood with the Three-Unity Sword Sect. However, after Mo Tingbei’s master sacrificed himself, they brazenly turned hostile, seizing a massive order of spiritual materials for which payment was still outstanding.

Exploiting the sect master’s recent death and the ensuing turmoil, they allied with numerous other sects to monopolize nearly all of the Three-Unity Sword Sect’s trade channels. This left the Three-Unity Sword Sect, which should have remained formidable even after its leader’s demise, instantly struggling with cash flow, plunging it into a vicious cycle of robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Furthermore, after that, these two sects, which had previously ranked at the bottom of the Class B sects within the Immortal Alliance, swiftly ascended to the upper echelons of Class B. This promotion came with the strong recommendation of Yujizi, who was then still the ‘acting’ Hall Master, even before they had fully digested the Three-Unity Sword Sect’s ‘inheritance.’ Yet, the Immortal Alliance tasks they were required to undertake remained at the lower end of Class B, or even Class C levels.

The blatant cronyism and exchange of benefits during this period were obvious to anyone who wasn’t a fool.

However, constrained by the authority of the Heaven’s Mirror Hall, and since the matter didn’t directly concern them, most people chose to let it be.

Now, with the three of them arriving together, their intentions were glaringly obvious.

Mo Tingbei’s gaze suddenly turned cold.

‘The Immortal Alliance… they came so swiftly.’

‘The cheers for the fiendish beast’s demise had barely faded, when the jackals, under the guise of “congratulations,” were already knocking at the gate!’

‘They must have been lurking in the shadows all along, waiting for the Three-Unity Sword Sect to exhaust all its strength in slaying the fiendish beast. Their intent was to seize this opportunity, while the sect’s vital energy was unrecovered and its resources depleted, to exert pressure and extract benefits!’

‘However… it seems they’ve misunderstood something.’

‘I slew the fiendish beast too quickly, and the news of Junior Sister’s Golden Core advancement hasn’t reached them yet…’

Numerous thoughts flashed through Mo Tingbei’s mind. By the time he spoke, a third of his strategy was already formed.

“Understood,” Mo Tingbei said, his voice regaining its composure. “Open the mountain gate wide and invite the envoys to the Stargazing Terrace for tea. Inform Han Yu to receive them with the highest protocol; we must not neglect proper etiquette. I will follow shortly.”

“Yes!” The Elder of Affairs, as if granted a great pardon, immediately flew off on his sword.

The Stargazing Terrace hung high beside the main peak, surrounded by a sea of clouds. It was originally an elegant place for the sect to receive foreign guests and gaze upon the mountains and rivers.

At this moment, sandalwood incense curled gently on the terrace, and the fragrance of immortal tea wafted through the air. Yet, an invisible chill and undercurrent of tension permeated the atmosphere.

The Immortal Alliance envoys had already taken their seats.

True Person Yujizi, who led the group, was clad in a dark, cloud-patterned Daoist robe, his face gaunt, his long beard split into three strands. He held a jade ruler. His demeanor appeared serene, yet his eyes were as sharp as an eagle’s. He subtly surveyed the entire Stargazing Terrace, his gaze lingering particularly on the Three-Unity Sword Sect disciples standing by, as if assessing something.

From the Heavenly Might Sect came a burly, robust man with a face the color of dark jujube. His aura was as profound and steady as a mountain, and a pair of gilded short maces, faintly etched with lightning patterns, were visible on his back.

He sat with his eyes closed, seemingly cultivating his spirit. Yet, from his gently rising and falling chest, the faint sound of wind and thunder emanated, revealing an undisguised dominance.

The Elder from the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect was a middle-aged scholar with a soft, effeminate air. His complexion was fair, his fingers slender, and he was idly toying with a green jade thumb ring.

A faint, elusive smile played on his lips. His eyes flickered and shifted, making it impossible to discern his true thoughts.

The moment Mo Tingbei’s figure appeared at the entrance of the Stargazing Terrace, the atmosphere on the platform instantly solidified.

All eyes immediately converged upon him.

There was scrutiny, probing, apprehension. And, even a deeply hidden hint of… greed.

Yujizi was the first to rise, a perfectly cordial smile gracing his face as he cupped his hands in greeting. “Fellow Daoist Mo! It has been many years, and your demeanor is even more outstanding than before! This time, you single-handedly slew the ten-thousand-year fiendish beast, eliminating a great scourge for the world—your merits are immense! This humble Daoist, acting on the Immortal Alliance’s decree, specifically led my fellow Daoists here to congratulate you and present a congratulatory gift on behalf of the Immortal Alliance!”

His voice was resonant, and his posture impeccable.

However, though he spoke of “presenting a congratulatory gift,” no gift list was offered in the slightest.

“Fellow Daoist Yujizi exaggerates,” Mo Tingbei replied, his steps unhurried as he walked to the main seat and settled down calmly. His face bore his usual gentle smile, distant yet courteous. “Slaying the fiendish beast is the accumulated effort of generations of our sect’s ancestors, who fought valiantly and without hesitation. I merely happened to be present and fulfilled my duty. The Immortal Alliance has traveled a long distance, showing such profound goodwill. The Three-Unity Sword Sect, from top to bottom, is deeply grateful.”

His gaze calmly swept over the other two. “Fellow Daoist Xiong of the Heavenly Might Sect, Fellow Daoist Liu of the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect, I trust you have been well.”

The burly Elder Xiong grunted a sound like muffled thunder from his nostrils, offering it as an acknowledgment. Yet, his eyes flickered, avoiding Mo Tingbei’s gaze.

The scholar, Elder Liu, offered a slight smile, his tone smooth and respectful. “Fellow Daoist Mo, you are too modest. We heard of your esteemed sect’s great joyous occasion and specifically came to partake in the good fortune of this ‘fiend-slaying.'” His smile was amiable, as if reuniting with an old friend.

‘Mo Tingbei’s heart, however, remained cold.’

‘This Scholar Liu, back then, was a revered guest of his master, and constantly proclaimed himself a bosom friend.’

‘After his master fell in battle, it was this very “close friend,” who was the first to come forward, under the pretext of “managing on behalf, to prevent aiding the enemy,” to “fairly” dismantle and distribute a large number of the Three-Unity Sword Sect’s properties and trade channels among the various sects present.’

‘His “smooth” methods and cold, hard heart had truly opened the eyes of Mo Tingbei, whose own methods were still nascent at the time.’

Yujizi chuckled, then resettled himself. His tone, however, was like a needle hidden in cotton, subtly shifting. “Fellow Daoist Mo, you are too modest. With a pillar like you overseeing the Three-Unity Sword Sect, and with all your disciples possessing such divine talent, the signs of a revival are already apparent. This is truly a blessing for our cultivation world.”

He stroked his long beard, his tone suddenly becoming profound and earnest. “However, while the world today appears peaceful, undercurrents are in fact surging. Ancient demonic traces are faintly appearing, and the remnants of Nine Nether are stirring restlessly. The Immortal Alliance governs all directions, maintaining the order of heaven and earth, and deeply feels the weighty responsibility, treading as if on thin ice…”

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed piercingly on Mo Tingbei. His voice lowered, yet it became even clearer.

“I wonder, Fellow Daoist Mo, with your thunderous methods, after eradicating that ancient fiend… did you perhaps… find anything? Perhaps within it, there might be crucial clues concerning the stability of the world?”

His words slowly descended.

On the Stargazing Terrace, the sound of the wind, the surging clouds, and even breathing itself, seemed to be instantly sucked away.

Elder Xiong of the Heavenly Might Sect, his arms crossed, had his muscles subtly tense. A cold curve formed at the corner of his mouth.

The green jade thumb ring that Scholar Liu of the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect had been turning in his hand abruptly ceased. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

All gazes, whether overt or covert, were like invisible grappling hooks, firmly pinned to the main seat.

The smile on Mo Tingbei’s face faded slightly. It was as if a thin layer of frost had settled upon it.

‘These hyenas!’

‘Did they not know that a True Dragon Scion must not be insulted?’

‘Even a demonized True Dragon Scion would not leave a single shred of spoils for an enemy.’

‘No, wait!’

‘This old scoundrel is extorting a bribe!’

Mo Tingbei was on the verge of drawing his sword. Yet, as his peripheral vision caught the few disciples beside him, feigning composure, his anger subsided.

At present, the Three-Unity Sword Sect had only one Dao Monarch who had just broken through to the Golden Core realm. In contrast, the Immortal Alliance was founded by several cultivators who were among the first to reach the Golden Core realm, with each Hall Master representing one or even several Golden Core cultivators.

‘Even using the incident a few days ago, where the patrol envoys clashed with Junior Sister’s Golden Core advancement, would likely yield little effect.’

Mo Tingbei weighed his options, ultimately sighing inwardly. It was truly inconvenient to openly break ties with the Immortal Alliance right now.

He did not immediately respond. Instead, he reached for the teacup beside him, his well-defined fingers gently stirring the emerald leaves that floated and sank within the white jade cup. His gaze was lowered, as if a separate world of heaven and earth existed within the tea.

The emerald leaves in the cup unfurled, like miniature verdant swords, floating erratically in the clear tea. They mirrored his unfathomably deep pupils.

After a long moment, he slowly raised his eyelids, his gaze calmly meeting Yujizi’s. His voice remained gentle, yet carried a hint of imperceptible detachment.

“Fellow Daoist Yujizi’s concern for the world is admirable, and I, Mo, am truly impressed. However… the Three-Unity Sword Sect is secluded in the borderlands, relying on the legacy of our ancestors. Slaying a fiendish beast was merely fulfilling our duty to protect our territory; how dare we speak of clues or merits? As for the grand affairs of the world, the Immortal Alliance possesses foresight and governs the whole. We, a humble mountain sect, can only respectfully abide by your decrees and uphold our responsibilities.”

Though his words contained no explicit deference, he had lowered his own stance immensely, while simultaneously elevating the Immortal Alliance. His underlying meaning was perfectly clear: the Immortal Alliance is vast and powerful, overseeing everything, so why bother coming to our impoverished ‘countryside sect’ to demand benefits?

A flicker of displeasure crossed Yujizi’s eyes, though the smile on his face remained unchanged. “Fellow Daoist Mo, you are too modest. To reach your cultivation realm is already rare in the world, let alone daring to face that fiend, which has plagued us for years, at the risk of your own life and Dao. Fellow Daoist Mo’s noble character is truly admirable to this humble Daoist.”

‘The old scoundrel,’ Mo Tingbei scoffed inwardly, though not a trace of it showed on his face, ‘seeing that I wasn’t falling for his trap, has started to flatter me.’

‘If he continues to be so presumptuous, I wouldn’t mind having a confrontation.’

In just the span of an incense stick burning, he felt his own power grow by another sliver. Though it was only a sliver, it was enough to grant him ample room to protect his sect disciples, whereas before he only had enough confidence to defeat the three in front of him.

‘Junior Sister’s appearance should be saved for later, when we can use that star-skiff full of sealed patrol envoys to cause trouble for the Immortal Alliance.’

He secretly transmitted a comforting message to Jiang Jinyue, who was stirring restlessly in the shadows. Mo Tingbei then gently tapped the teacup with his knuckles, the bottom of the white jade cup meeting the cloud-patterned stone table with a clear, lingering chime.

The sound was not loud, yet it rippled outwards like an invisible wave, causing the flowing cloud qi on the terrace to momentarily stagnate.

“Fellow Daoist Zhao,” his voice remained calm, yet it was like an undercurrent of cold beneath a spring ice surface, “Do not push your luck.”

At the instant his words fell, an indescribable pressure—not vast and mighty, but extremely condensed and sharp—silently emanated from his body. It was not a deliberate display, but rather as if he had slightly loosened an invisible sword sheath that perpetually enveloped him, allowing a trace of his true brilliance to leak out.

Yujizi’s smile instantly stiffened a few degrees.

The jade ruler in his hand, rumored to be able to measure all rules in the world, emitted an extremely subtle, almost inaudible hum. The spiritual light on its body dimmed slightly, as if intimidated by an unseen sharpness.

Behind him, Elder Xiong of the Heavenly Might Sect’s shoulders abruptly sank. A flash of lightning flickered and vanished in his pupils, and his already dark jujube-colored face became even more solemn. His broad, mountain-like back unconsciously tensed slightly.

As for Scholar Liu of the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect, who had been toying with his thumb ring, the green jade ring in his fingertips suddenly stopped rotating, gripped tightly in his palm, causing the veins on the back of his hand to bulge slightly.

They suddenly recalled something they had deliberately pushed to the back of their minds before setting out:

This man before them was a once-in-a-millennium prodigy in the entire cultivation world. In just fifty years, he had already ascended to the Purple Mansion realm. He had even single-handedly guarded Nine Nether, ensuring peace in the borderlands for thirty years, and was revered by the world as the ‘Clear World Calamity-Slaying Sword Venerable’—the strongest Purple Mansion cultivator of the current era!

Originally, they had all assumed that after slaying that terrifying fiendish beast, Mo Tingbei, if not on his last breath, would at least be severely wounded. His seemingly yielding posture earlier had been secretly interpreted by them as a sign of a guilty conscience and weakened spirit.

Yet now, it seemed that behind his seemingly peaceful figure, a half-drawn azure blade hung ready! He simply stood there, but the three-inch-three area around him felt like a self-contained domain. Even the starlight passing through seemed to slightly pause, and an invisible sword intent silently permeated the air—not overbearing, but utterly piercing, as if a single thought could sever karma and cleave the sea of clouds!

Where were the signs of severe injury?! He had clearly achieved enlightenment in battle and made another breakthrough!

His earlier polite words were merely a dragon retracting its claws, a fierce tiger closing its eyes, temporarily sheathing its edge!

Mo Tingbei’s gaze swept over the three, taking in their subtle reactions, and he sneered inwardly. This slight release of power was just right.

Jiang Jinyue, who had been secretly observing from afar with a thread of divine sense, had, however, left a few small ‘gifts’ on the three of them. Her Senior Disciple Brother was a gentleman; she, however, was not.

He no longer looked at Yujizi. Instead, he raised his hand to pour himself a cup of tea, filling it seven-tenths full. The steam blurred the expression in his eyes, and his tone, though casual, was clear in every word.

“The Immortal Alliance’s congratulatory gift, the Three-Unity Sword Sect gratefully accepts. As for the fiendish beast’s remains and demonic essence, they have all been refined by this Venerable One with true flame, leaving not a trace, to prevent defiling heaven and earth and disturbing the peace of all directions. However…”

He paused slightly, then looked up at Yujizi, a faint, unreadable smile playing on his lips. “A few days ago, several patrol envoys, piloting a star-skiff, inadvertently trespassed into our sect’s forbidden area. They were temporarily ‘invited’ by my disciples to rest. They claimed to be acting on the orders of the Heaven’s Mirror Hall. Fellow Daoist Zhao… are you aware of this matter?”

These words were half-truth, half-fabrication, yet they had inadvertently struck a hidden secret deep within Yujizi’s heart!

Yujizi’s eye twitched violently. The forced cordial smile completely vanished, and his face instantly darkened.

On the Stargazing Terrace, the sea of clouds churned, and the fragrance of tea still lingered. Yet, the dynamic of offense and defense had, imperceptibly, quietly reversed.