Fairy, I am truly a virtuous gentleman!

High above the nine heavens, a magnificent palace floats among the clouds, overlooking the grand assembly of all things.

The hall was filled with an ethereal atmosphere, and maids and servants carried wine and dishes, moving between the tables.

Two figures were sitting on the ground.

One of them withdrew his gaze, smiled, clapped his hands, and praised, "Princess Liuli has extraordinary talent, possessing the rudiments of divine fire. Given time, she will surely be able to refine the true fire of the sun."

This person was covered in fine scales and silver armor, tall and robust, with countless runes on his body and a constantly flickering spiritual light. His face was majestic, and although he was sitting cross-legged, he still exuded an incomparably heroic aura, just like a divine general!

However, his eyes were exceptionally clear, and he smiled as he raised a cup of spirit wine in a toast, then drank it all in one gulp, displaying a gentle, refined, and dashing demeanor.

"Haha, Xuanjian is joking. Even if she really refines the True Fire of the Sun, it doesn't necessarily mean she can stir up trouble across the land."

The other person chuckled first, then sighed, "Our elders once divined the celestial cycle for Dao Yun and learned that although my younger sister is exceptionally talented and possesses the supreme destiny of 'purple aura coming from the east,' she was born at a time when our Great Li Immortal Dynasty was renowned and striving for advancement. These two factors clash, and she may face a great calamity in the future. If she can overcome it, she will naturally ascend straight to the heavens; if she cannot..."

The person who said these words was none other than Ji Changhong, the Crown Prince of Dali.

His speech was casual and natural, and he didn't care at all even when he subtly revealed that he had a secret method to refine the true fire of the sun.

Because the silver-armored general in front of him was of a similarly high status.

Xuan Gu was Ning Muxian's first disciple and also the eldest of his five nominal disciples.

He and his second junior brother, Li Yuanqing, served as the left and right supervisors of the Observatory under Ning Muxian's command, respectively, managing government affairs and handling cases for their master.

Among them, Xuan Gu possessed unfathomable talisman skills, was adept at warfare, and had considerable military talent. He gathered the remnants of enemies from beyond the heavens, raised his own Daoist army, and, as the supervisor of the Heavenly Bureau, frequently patrolled the world beyond the boundaries opened up by the Great Li Immortal Dynasty to suppress unrest.

Li Yuanqing inherited one of Ning Muxian's five unique immortal arts, the Way of Formations, and was ordered to take charge of the headquarters of the Luodu Observatory, commanding all within its territory and issuing orders.

It was because of these two disciples that Ning Muxian was able to escape worldly affairs, reside high in the Heavenly Gate, and devote himself to cultivation.

Upon hearing Ji Changhong's words, Xuan Gu's eyes flickered.

As the most beloved offspring of the Holy Emperor of Dali, Ji Daoyun was bestowed with a title by the emperor himself and was also a symbol of the nation's destiny. If she were to suffer a calamity, it would be as if Dali were to suffer a calamity.

I cannot comment further on this matter.

Xuan Gu chuckled, put down his wine cup, and said, "Speaking of which, I think this person from the Golden Lotus Sect is quite capable. However, when facing Princess Liuli's Great Sun Flame, he misjudged its power. In his haste, he was seriously injured without even using his trump card. In my opinion, he will have difficulty recovering in a short time and will completely lose his qualification for the Crimson Abyss trip."

Ji Changhong smiled smugly, tacitly avoiding mentioning the past, and replied, "Dharma companions, wealth, and land are indispensable for cultivators. Dao Yun uses the grand Dao, so what's wrong with overcoming it with force?"

Xuan Gu also sighed slightly.

"That's right. The Heavenly Fire extracted and refined from the core of the Xuan Chen Blazing Sun is such a divine object that even ordinary Golden Core cultivators and Nascent Soul True Monarchs can only dream of it and feel envious. If it weren't for the geniuses of major sects, Princess Liuli would have been the undisputed champion of this grand event. However..."

"but?"

Ji Changhong looked at Xuan Gu, who had a smile on his face, and waited for what would happen next.

The latter, however, pointed downwards.

...

...

Ji Daoyun watched as the Golden Lotus Sect's holy son, charred black as charcoal, took a spiritual pill with the help of others, which resonated with the Dao, and gradually regained a glimmer of life before being carried away. Then she withdrew her gaze.

The golden flames that filled the sky gradually converged in one direction, covering the girl's soft, full, slender, and graceful body.

The swirling flames made the already ornate long dress seem to be draped in a dazzling and luxurious feather robe, making its wearer radiate a divine light.

Beneath the lapis lazuli crown, Ji Daoyun's black hair cascaded down like a waterfall. Her hands were crossed and pressed against her smooth abdomen. With her snow-white skin and flower-like face, she possessed an elegant and graceful demeanor, as light as clouds emerging from a mountain peak.

At this moment, the situation of the other ninety-nine arenas, as well as the gazes and expressions of the surrounding crowd, were all taken into view.

Faced with such a dazzling display of attention, even the proud Ji Daoyun couldn't help but feel a slight stirring in her heart.

My father, my elder brother, and many other elders have placed high hopes on me. I must not let them down. I will make a name for my Great Li Dynasty from this day forward!

Thinking of this, Ji Daoyun suddenly raised her eyebrows and turned around.

Suddenly, a simply dressed girl, wearing only rough cloth, appeared behind her.

Ji Daoyun glanced up and saw that although the girl's expression was indifferent, her bright eyes, white teeth, and pure and elegant appearance were still somewhat stunning.

Ji Daoyun's clear eyes reflected the girl's upright figure as she asked in a deep voice, "Are you from the Taiyi Sword Sect?"

The girl nodded slightly and bowed gently with her hands clasped.

"Chu Lingci of the Taiyi Sword Sect, please enlighten me."

Ji Daoyun frowned slightly, lost in thought.

Chu Ling Ci?

I haven't heard of this name much. He must be a true disciple who joined the Immortal Sect in recent years, and he is worlds apart from those top-tier monsters.

Moreover, the fact that this woman did not defend her title continuously like the previous one proves that she is not confident enough and is probably only slightly stronger than the previous person.

Although she thought this way, Ji Daoyun did not let her guard down; instead, she became fully focused.

No successor from any immortal sect or holy land should be underestimated!

Moreover, this person is from the Taiyi Sword Sect.

Recalling the earth-shattering battle that took place outside Luodu City two days ago, Ji Daoyun's heart burned even hotter!

In fact, Chu Lingci was still young and had not been a member of the Taiyi Sword Sect for very long.

Although he has already made a name for himself within the sect, Chu Lingci is not well-known to most people in the world. Few people know him, and even fewer understand the true value of his position as the chief disciple.

The reason everyone paid attention to her was simply because of the lingering warmth from the personal intervention of Yu Shu Daozun of the Taiyi Sword Sect the day before.

Therefore, for Chu Lingci, this grand gathering of myriad laws was her first real battle after her birth.

Ji Daoyun first returned the greeting, showing due respect, before declaring, word by word, with firm conviction, "Ji Daoyun of the Great Li Immortal Dynasty!"

Just as the two women were about to make their move.

A melodious and grand musical sound drifted in from the horizon, seemingly out of place.

Many people have also noticed this commotion.

A shimmering, ever-burning light was the first thing to catch everyone's eye.

Immediately afterwards, a magnificent and exquisitely crafted carriage, led by five hundred powerful warriors with yellow talismans riding on clouds, accompanied by dozens of beautiful maidens playing string and wind instruments, and pulled by eight wild and savage beasts, including azure-gold and crimson dragons, slowly appeared from the clouds.

Just then, a handsome young man gently pulled back a corner of the jade curtain and glimpsed Ji Daoyun and Chu Lingci facing off on the arena.

"Ah, just in time."

he laughed.