I forge immortality with a pagoda.

On Starfall Plain, the sky was clear and bright, and all the cultivators involuntarily held their breath.

As if drawn by a tide, countless eyes focused on the white jade platform standing tall on the water in the center of Guanghu Lake.

Under the clear sunlight, the graceful figure in a simple white robe on the stage resembled a newly blossoming jade lotus, pure and ethereal.

Qiu Junhao stroked his beard and smiled, his gentle yet clear voice carrying throughout the room: "My dear daughter, the auspicious time has arrived."

The four distinguished individuals below the stage are all outstanding figures in the world. You may choose one of them as your ideal partner and together they will witness the path to enlightenment.

Qiu Yunzhi smiled sweetly and nodded gently.

Having said that, he turned to the four young cultivators standing side by side on the stage, his gaze sweeping over them, "My four young friends, do you have anything else to say? If not, then I must make a decision."

As soon as he finished speaking, a cultivator in a black Taoist robe standing on the left stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said loudly, "I am Shi Yuan of the Guangji Sect in Dongqi Prefecture. If I am fortunate enough to be favored by Fairy Qiu, I am willing to offer 100,000 spirit stones and more than 100 volumes of sect Taoist books as a dowry to express my sincerity."

His aura was deep and composed, clearly indicating that he possessed considerable cultivation.

Qiu Junhao showed a hint of satisfaction, nodded slightly, and turned his gaze to the next person.

Qin Yang, standing to the side, let out a cold laugh that was hard to decipher. His blood-red robe fluttered without wind, and a faint aura of killing intent emanated from it.

"If Yunzhi is willing to become my Daoist partner, my Blood Shadow Cave is willing to cede two Gui-grade spiritual veins to Liexing Valley, thus forging an eternal bond between our two families!"

"hiss--"

Upon hearing this, a collective gasp of astonishment erupted from the audience.

Spiritual veins! Those are the foundation that sustains the sect's heritage and nourishes the disciples' cultivation.

Although the spirit stones and Daoist books that Shi Yuan had given earlier were plentiful, compared to the two real spiritual veins, they were like fireflies compared to the bright moon.

Even Shen Yu, who had remained calm throughout, was slightly taken aback and muttered to himself, "This Blood Shadow Cave is truly a grand undertaking."

Zhu Jianda, standing beside him, also clicked his tongue in amazement and chimed in, "What Senior Brother says is absolutely right. The Blood Shadow Cave's wealth is unparalleled in the Southern Region, especially after True Person Qin took that Crimson Jade Daoist under his wing. It has become even more powerful, and in recent years it has been subtly surpassing the other two sects."

"The Crimson Jade Daoist?" Shen Yu's eyes flickered slightly.

Zhu Jianda lowered his voice even further: "This matter is a long story. Senior Brother, you only need to know that this person is now Qin Zhenren's most capable subordinate. His cultivation has reached the third level of Foundation Establishment, and his methods are extraordinary. I will explain the details in detail later."

Shen Yu nodded naturally, made a note of the matter, and returned her attention to the high platform.

Following Qin Yang, Feng Jinhong was not to be outdone, and stepped forward with an elegant and composed demeanor.

"If Fairy Qiu takes a liking to us, my Feng Clan is willing to offer three family heirlooms, three hundred thousand coins, and also to bestow upon Valley Master Qiu the annual tribute from the fifteen kingdoms under the jurisdiction of the Flying Cloud Sect for the next ten years, as a testament to the amicable alliance between our two families!"

This gift list, while not as fundamental as the spiritual veins, is still a substantial sum and enough to tempt any power.

Qiu Junhao remained noncommittal, a cryptic smile on his face. After Feng Jinhong finished speaking, his gaze finally fell on the last person.

The person was standing on the far right, and Shen Yu found him to be a complete stranger.

He was tall and slender, dressed in an ordinary blue cloth robe, and had an unremarkable appearance; he was the kind of person who would be hard to spot in a crowd.

But there was a serene and tranquil air about him in his eyes.

His eyes, in particular, were as clear as a cold autumn pool, seemingly reflecting the light of the sky and the shadows of the clouds, yet unfathomable, and he exuded an aura of profound and majestic grandeur.

The cultivator in plain clothes slowly stepped forward. Unlike the three who had made a loud announcement, he walked to Qiu Junhao's side, leaned slightly, and whispered a few words into the ear of the Lord of the Star Valley.

The next moment, Qiu Junhao's expression changed drastically, his pupils contracted sharply, and an almost uncontrollable ecstasy burst forth from his eyes.

Even though he was quite shrewd, his facial muscles twitched slightly from extreme excitement, and it took him a great deal of effort to maintain his composure.

He did not announce Xiyao immediately, but instead fell silent, his eyes slightly lowered, clearly communicating with his daughter in secret.

The cultivators below the stage were not fools; Qiu Junhao's momentary loss of composure, though swift, did not escape the notice of many.

Speculation and curiosity spread through the crowd.

On the high platform, Shi Yuan frowned slightly, Qin Yang's eyes were sinister, and Feng Jinhong's smile was stiff, their faces turning somewhat ugly.

They were clearly wary of this monk in plain clothes.

This moment of silence felt exceptionally long.

Finally, Qiu Yunzhi, who had been keeping her head down and silent, slowly raised her slender hand.

The wide sleeves slid down her arms, revealing a section of her fair and smooth wrist.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, she stepped past the three people in front of her without hesitation and pointed firmly at the monk in plain clothes.

"It really was him!"

"Who exactly is this person? And what did he say?"

Similar questions instantly arose in the minds of all the spectators.

Shen Yu was also suddenly curious, but he quickly suppressed this feeling.

What will become of Liexing Valley in the future? What are the inside stories of the Qiu family's recruitment of a son-in-law? What does it have to do with Shen Yu? The path to immortality is long, and everyone has their own destiny.

Suppressing his excitement, Qiu Junhao said a few more polite words of thanks to the fellow Daoists for attending the ceremony, and then somewhat hastily announced the successful conclusion of the event.

The others were quite dissatisfied, but there was nothing they could do but force themselves to hold back and not lash out on the spot.

The grand event ended in this unexpected manner.

...

As the crowd dispersed and they left Liexing Valley, Shen Yu and his companion walked to a quiet cliff outside the valley.

"Let's stay here." Shen Yu stopped and turned to inform Zhu Jianda.

"I will obey your orders, Senior Brother," Zhu Jianda said respectfully.

Shen Yu didn't delay any longer. With a flick of his sleeve, the Luan Hua Ling appeared as he commanded.

As Shen Yu channeled his vital energy, the feather shone with a brilliant blue light, instantly transforming into a giant feather over ten feet long.

The feather shaft of this talisman is pure white and warm like jade, while the fine feathers above it turn from blue to green.

Shen Yu leaped onto the middle of the feathers, stood firmly, and gave Zhu Jian a brief signal.

Upon seeing this, Zhu Jianda quickly responded and clumsily climbed up, carefully standing behind Shen Yu, his hands unconsciously grasping at Shen Yu's robes.

"Hold on tight."

Shen Yu gave a reminder, his mind stirred slightly, and his vital energy was slightly activated.

Luan Hua Ling let out a barely audible chirp, its body swirling with azure light. Like a true black bird, it glided silently along the treetops of the mountain forest, its speed gradually increasing.

At first, the rapidly receding trees below could still be seen clearly, but after a few breaths, the scenery on both sides began to blur. The biting mountain wind rushed towards them, but it was mostly blocked by an invisible shield of energy naturally generated by the talisman, leaving only the whistling sound of the wind in their ears.

Zhu Jianda was experiencing such speed for the first time, his face turned slightly pale, and he couldn't help but let out a soft cry, gripping Shen Yu's robes even tighter.

Shen Yu remained unmoved, his green robe fluttering in the wind as he stood firmly atop the feathers like a nail.

The two transformed into a streak of light, but instead of flying towards the kingdoms of Yu and Xian, they headed west.

...

...