Fairy, I am truly a virtuous gentleman!

Dark clouds loom over the city, threatening to crush it.

A gigantic head slowly emerged from the Heavenly Gate, like a fallen island, blocking out the endless light and pressing down with an immense sense of oppression.

The Heavenly Gate was already magnificent and unfathomable, yet it could barely accommodate the giant creature's head sticking out, which shows its powerful and terrifyingly large body.

Judging from its shape, it resembles a dragon or snake, with ferocious dragon horns and a snake-like snout. Its body is slender, and its scales are arranged in a dense and tight pattern, as black as ink, alternating with light and dark lines, making it majestic and sacred.

Those single, round eyes, comparable to the full moon, seemed like a merciless god, judging the cloud chariot and precious carriage directly below.

Faced with such a terrifying existence, the eight crimson-gold dragons, suppressed by their bloodline, appeared to cower in fear. However, Qiao Shuang manipulated the contract seal to force them to maintain their form.

Qiao Shuang remained composed and clear-voiced, saying, "Disciple Qiao Shuang, accompanied by the Second Young Master Ning Yuan, has come to the Heavenly Gate to see the Imperial Preceptor. I humbly request Senior Ying's permission to pass!"

The dragon-snake monster seemed to only just realize what was happening.

"Oh, it's Lingyin... Wait, who else did you say there was?"

The originally booming sound quickly subsided and turned into one of surprise.

Ning Yuan pulled back the curtain, stepped onto the carriage frame, and, facing the biting wind, gracefully gave a bow.

"Senior Ying Cang, it's been a long time."

"Oh my, I never expected it would be Your Highness in person."

The aloof and majestic aura of the dragon-serpent monster vanished instantly, replaced by a personified and passionate demeanor.

In an instant, a strong wind arose, and white clouds surged in all directions.

After everything dissipated, a young man with a burly and robust build, wildly flowing black hair, and a bewitching appearance appeared.

Ning Yuan smiled and remained respectful, without losing any of his manners.

Ying Cang's true form is an ancient, innate divine monster, the Teng Snake.

The Teng bird is good at water and can fly without feet.

Its ability to swallow clouds and spit out mist, and to bring rain, is no less than that of the Heavenly Dragon and the Yinglong. After passing the Heavenly Tribulation, it flies straight to the eight wastelands.

Such innate deities are often born at the beginning of the universe, before chaos was created. They possess the power of heaven and earth, are born sacred, and have noble bloodlines, making them extremely rare in the world.

Unless a powerful being intervenes, it can wreak havoc at will, traversing the starry sky, drinking blood when thirsty, and devouring flesh when hungry. Ordinary minor realms, even with the full power of an entire world, are no match for it.

Ying Cang was the same; he was once a fearsome beast with a formidable reputation.

It was just lucky that it encountered Ning Muxian, who was traveling, and was captured by him and brought back to the Daoist temple to become a guardian spirit beast.

Upon seeing Ning Yuan, Ying Cang seemed very happy and exclaimed, "When we last met, you were still an infant. I never imagined you would grow up so much now, and that you would even remember me. That's quite remarkable."

For beings like these, a single nap can last for years, hundreds or even thousands of years, which is normal. A few decades would truly pass in the blink of an eye.

Upon hearing this, Ning Yuan immediately flattered him, saying, "Senior Ying Cang's name is known throughout the Great Xuan Heaven. Everyone knows him and he guards the Heavenly Gate. His hard work and merits are immense. I will remember him. Senior, there is no need to be so formal. Just call me by my name."

Ying Cang's smile grew even more amiable, clearly pleased by Ning Yuan's words, and his tone became much more casual.

"Hehe, you're not only handsome, but you also have a very pleasant voice. In that case, you don't need to call me senior anymore. Just call me Uncle."

"Then I shall respectfully comply."

Ning Yuan, true to his manners, bowed again.

"Greetings, Uncle."

Ying Cang laughed loudly, "Good, good! I can't let you call me Uncle for nothing, so I'll give you a gift."

He plucked a hair from his head, which instantly transformed into a huge, dark scale. With a flick of his finger, it became a stream of light that merged into Ning Yuan's body.

Ning Yuan was not surprised, nor did he ask what it was.

"Thank you so much, Uncle!"

Ying Cang nodded in satisfaction. "That's enough of our chat. I won't bother you any longer as you go to see the Dao Venerable. Go now, and let me see you off a little further."

After saying that, he raised his hand and waved it. A beam of spiritual light shot into the sky from the Heavenly Gate, engulfing Ning Yuan and Qiao Shuang, and they disappeared.

...

...

Heaven and earth are dark yellow, the universe is prehistoric.

In the beginning of time, when heaven and earth were first created, the pure air rose and the turbid air sank, and the universe was formed.

The forces of wind, thunder, water, and fire revolve endlessly, refining matter from the void and condensing into the myriad realms over countless years.

Just as humans divide themselves into three classes and nine ranks, the realm also has its own hierarchy.

The Great Heaven, the Earthly Realm, the Mysterious Star, the Yellow Realm.

The greatest number is the rarest, following the mysterious secrets of heaven, and never exceeding forty-nine.

There are many territories, with hundreds of known powerful territories, where civilizations flourish and beings can break through the void on their own.

Xuan Chen is the most common heaven in the universe, scattered among countless stars, covering the void, numbering in the tens of millions, and mostly subordinate to the earthly realm and the great heaven.

As for the Yellow Realm Lesser Heavens, they are like secret realms and blessed lands, like tiny bubbles attached to higher-level heavens.

The true Imperial Preceptor's Mansion, which is Ning Muxian's Daoist practice site, is not merely a mansion in the conventional sense.

Instead, this Grand Preceptor of the Great Li Kingdom used extraordinary means to collect and refine a fragment of a territory in the Outer Heavens!

Although it is said to be fragments, it spans hundreds of thousands of miles, including natural terrain such as seas, mountains, and land.

Just like the scene that appeared before Ning Yuan after he calmed his mind.

He stood in an exquisite pavilion floating in the sky, facing outwards, his gaze fixed on the distance below.

Countless giant peaks were scattered across the landscape, varying in height, majestic and imposing, with divine trees standing tall, precious herbs scattered everywhere, spiritual energy soaring into the sky, and auspicious clouds everywhere.

The primal energy of the wilderness permeated the land, where ferocious beasts and birds of prey fought each other. Occasionally, a giant beast would move through the mountains and forests, leaving behind a scene of devastation and scaring away a group of animals.

The mighty river flows for thousands of miles, in harmony with nature, magnificent yet imbued with a mystical aura, rich in resources, making it a rare and blessed land for cultivation!

Even more extravagant is...

A silent, illusory star hangs high in the sky, serving as fuel to ignite all things and bring life to this world.

"Truly...breathtaking."

Ning Yuan couldn't help but sigh.

Just then, a calm voice sounded from behind.

"Why is there a hint of melancholy in your voice? Isn't it good that your father is powerful?"

Ning Yuan's body trembled slightly.

Although he hadn't heard it in a long time, he knew clearly that it was his father's voice.

Why did Ning Yuan develop a frivolous and arrogant personality in the past?

Part of it was because of his father's deliberate indulgence.

But more importantly, his father is Ning Muxian!

In fact, you can tell how formidable this Grand Preceptor of Dali is just from his name.

Mu Immortal, Mu Immortal, herd the immortals!

When immortals do not appear, the Daoist master governs the world.

Ning Muxian is the number one pure Yang Dao Venerable of the Great Xuantian!

This title wasn't given out of thin air; he earned it himself.

I don't know which rank it is in the universe, after all, order has been nonexistent since the collapse of the ancient Heavenly Court, and the waters are too deep.

Who knows if there are ancient monsters who have lived for several eras lurking outside, secretly watching fate?

However, Ning Muxian still managed to single-handedly elevate the Great Li Kingdom to a realm that did not belong to it.

Before Ning Muxian appeared, Da Li was just Da Li.

After Ning Muxian descended to earth, Dali became the Dali Immortal Dynasty!

Rumors circulate that Ning Muxian intends to reshape the Heavenly Court, unify all ages, and reach the very edge of the universe and the origin of time.

Even though he is still far from being able to achieve his goal, the current Dali, as the only immortal dynasty in the Daxuan Heaven, is able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the thirteen great cultivation holy lands of Daxuan that span all heavens, all thanks to Ning Muxian's efforts. Such ability is evident.

Suppressing his inner excitement, Ning Yuan took a deep breath and slowly turned around.

Then he froze, and after a long while, he murmured, "Why is Father turning his back to me? Am I really that despicable?"