The Golden Core Grand Ceremony

The next morning, as the first ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds, seventy-two tolls of a bell resounded softly from the depths of the mountains.

The Golden Core Grand Ceremony commenced as scheduled.

The vast formation barrier of light shrouding the sect slowly faded, revealing a towering stairway paved with clouds and mist.

The long stairway bore no hint of stone; instead, it seemed to have been distilled from the essence of the morning glow, coalesced with the spiritual mist of heaven and earth, radiating with flowing light and vibrant colors.

Stepping upon it, one found it ethereal yet substantial, each step revealing a new vista, as though lotuses bloomed beneath one’s feet, leading directly to the white jade cloud platform suspended high in the nine heavens.

Immortal cranes cried out clearly, carrying auspicious Ganoderma lucidum and spiritual herbs in their beaks, sweeping across the azure sky in flocks, their wings gilded by the morning light.

Standing on the cloud platform, awaiting the assembly, a twitch appeared at the corner of Mo Tingbei’s eye.

These disciples had certainly gone a bit overboard with their preparations.

The Golden Core Grand Ceremony was not a celebration to be jointly enjoyed, but rather a ceremony to display martial might.

Such an extravagant welcoming spectacle, to the eyes of discerning guests, would likely suggest a different meaning.

Mo Tingbei’s gaze swept over the cultivators quietly waiting below the cloud platform.

Each of them was clad in splendid attire, their expressions ranging from respectful to fawning, while others rested with closed eyes or maintained a composed demeanor.

Rather than cultivators seeking the Dao, they bore a stronger resemblance to the court officials he had encountered in the mortal realm.

‘Cultivators are still human, after all.’

A certain thought in his heart seemed to find a measure of solace.

Ever since witnessing the scene of that boundless sea of blood, he had carried a subtle, gnawing pain, like a swarm of ants devouring his heart.

Seeing the myriad expressions of humanity at this moment, however, brought him a measure of relief.

The thought flashed through his mind in an instant.

As Mo Tingbei nodded in signal to the Elder of Affairs below the platform, guests from various sects officially began to make their entrance.

With each announcement, the sect leaders from the Western Desert, Northern Abyss, Southern Sea, and Central Plains stepped in sequence onto the towering stairway, which shimmered with flowing light.

The cultivators ascended the steps with steady strides, exchanging nods and quiet pleasantries with familiar sects along the way, creating a momentarily harmonious scene.

Yet, the moment they set foot on the cloud platform, the faint, almost imperceptible smiles vanished from their faces.

Without exception, their gazes were drawn to the figure clad in a simple robe and bearing a sword, standing just below the highest cloud platform.

Merely by standing there, he made everyone present feel as though a towering mountain pressed down on their hearts.

“Mo… Mo Tingbei?!” a Central Plains sect elder, whose words carried a distinctly icy Northern Abyss accent, exclaimed in a hushed, astonished tone.

“He actually…”

His nearby friend, seeing him about to blurt out something inappropriate, quickly and discreetly delivered an elbow to his chest, muffling the unwise words that were about to escape his lips.

The elder with the Northern Abyss accent, having received the elbow, instead cast a grateful look at his friend.

Among those who had broken through to the Purple Mansion realm in the past century, who among them had not heard of the notorious reputation and eccentricities of this ‘Clear World Calamity-Quelling Sword Venerable’?

Even when he was in the Foundation Establishment realm, he dared to forcefully enter a secret realm to seize an opportunity, using the excuse that a certain prodigy disciple had offended him, all under the watchful eyes of Purple Mansion cultivators.

Yet, not a single Foundation Establishment prodigy could stand against him.

This fiend’s cultivation had reached the peak Purple Mansion realm many years ago.

Given that most Golden Core cultivators did not emerge, he was already among the strongest in the world.

‘If I were to speak carelessly in such a setting and he seized upon a weakness, who knows what untold disaster I might bring upon the sect.’

The other Purple Mansion cultivators from the four regions were all profoundly shaken.

This malevolent star, who had seized all opportunities from the prodigies of his generation, had been the first to break through to the Purple Mansion realm after a mere fifty years of cultivation, amidst the pursuit of various sects.

He had then single-handedly guarded the Nine Nether, slaying enough to keep the border free of demonic incursions for a decade.

And he was actually relegated to the second position!

What did this signify?

Everyone’s gaze struggled to move away from the figure in the green robe.

At the highest point of the cloud platform, the main seat, wreathed in misty Dao essence, hung empty.

A chill rose from the depths of their hearts, instantly freezing the blood in their veins.

The existence capable of making this malevolent star willingly take the second seat and personally welcome guests…

Immortal Sue had most likely truly broken through to that profound and ultimate supreme realm!

The few who had secretly mocked the Three-Unity Sword Sect’s extravagant arrangements were now drenched in sweat, having lost all courage, even that to meet Mo Tingbei’s gaze.

Mo Tingbei took in all their reactions, his expression remaining calm, as he raised a hand in a gesture of invitation.

“Esteemed guests, please be seated.”

His words were calm, devoid of almost any emotional inflection.

Yet, as if commanded, everyone very quickly found their seats and sat down.

Once everyone was seated, Mo Tingbei began: “Recently, our sect’s Immortal Sue has achieved complete mastery and attained the Golden Core realm.”

“In accordance with the ancient Immortal Alliance pact, we have specially invited you all to witness the ceremony.”

However, the assembly below looked up at the cloud platform with some confusion.

Logically speaking, Mo Tingbei’s announcement at this moment marked the official commencement of the ceremony, yet there seemed to be no sign of Immortal Sue on the cloud platform.

On the cloud platform, a single prayer mat hung suspended.

Upon the prayer mat, there was nothing.

However, in the very next instant, they suddenly felt as though something profound filled that space.

It was impossible to describe what it was.

Neither real nor illusory, without form or shape, yet it seemed to encompass all phenomena, brimming with profound Dao Rhythm.

This profound mystery compelled everyone to forcibly gaze upon it.

However, the moment they sought to comprehend it, the space they perceived seemed to vanish completely, replaced by an existence that was incomprehensible, indescribable, and unbearable.

That indescribable existence was like a black hole devouring all existence, yet also like a singularity giving birth to all creation.

Its mere presence caused the surrounding laws of nature to wail, twist, and submit.

Several sect masters with profound cultivation let out a muffled groan, stumbling backward, as blood actually seeped from the corners of their eyes.

They frantically squeezed their eyes shut, daring not to glance at it again for even an instant.

The others were even more disheveled; some had faces ashen as joss paper, while others found their souls violently shaking, almost on the verge of collapsing.

They all moved their gazes away in utter terror.

Some even found their Dao foundations unstable, their spiritual energy coursing wildly through their bodies, almost sliding off their jade seats on the spot, presenting a multitude of unsightly appearances.

At this point, no one harbored any doubt.

Upon that prayer mat, an existence had been seated all along.

A being who had truly transcended the boundary between heaven and man, whose very life essence was fundamentally different—

A Golden Core Dao Lord!

A profound silence fell over the cloud platform.

Only heavy, suppressed breaths could be heard, along with the terrifying, omnipresent Dao Rhythm that compelled worship yet caused tremors due to its unbearable nature.

Mo Tingbei seemed oblivious to the discomfiture of the assembly below.

He turned slightly, facing the empty prayer mat with utmost reverence, his voice remaining steady.

“Junior Sister, the hour has arrived.”

Suddenly, a chilling sensation swept over the hearts of all Purple Mansion cultivators, causing everyone to shiver involuntarily.

They felt as though they had been seen through, inside and out; every secret, every cultivation base, even the most minute thoughts within their hearts, had been laid bare.

No one dared to move, no one dared to speak.

In the hazy spiritual mist, it felt as though a century had passed for everyone present.

A clear, calm, and utterly emotionless voice, yet one that seemed to contain the ultimate truths of heaven and earth, resonated directly in the deepest part of everyone’s soul.

“Granted.”

Just one word.

The next moment, the terrifying pressure that had enveloped the highest part of the cloud platform slowly receded like a tide.

Everyone felt their bodies lighten, the crushing pressure that had almost shattered their primordial spirits now gone.

Radiant clouds flowed, auspicious energy streamed, and the immortal cranes once again circled and cried out clearly.

The Golden Core Grand Ceremony had truly begun.

Mo Tingbei turned around, facing the still-shaken assembly below, a faint, almost imperceptible curve seeming to play at the corner of his lips.

“The ceremony, continue.”

His gaze swept over the assembly below; the sect leaders from the Northern Abyss, Western Desert, Southern Sea, and Central Plains all had lowered eyes and submissive expressions, more deferential than the most obedient disciples.

This, naturally, included the few inconspicuous Immortal Alliance envoys who had been hiding in a corner.

He knew that from this day forward, the structure of the Three-Unity Sword Sect, and indeed the entire world, would be completely transformed by the existence on that cloud platform.

And all of this was merely the beginning.