Starting as a Grandmaster, all of my cultivation techniques are at max level.

Just one day before the Wolf Lord and the others were about to enter the Azure Lotus Secret Realm, Xia Jin had already arrived in Yongning City, the capital of the Lieyang Dynasty.

Unfortunately, after his investigation, he did not obtain any useful information.

Why did the Great Qian Dynasty and the three kingdoms of the Northern Frontier suddenly join forces to invade Lieyang? Surprisingly, no one in the Lieyang Dynasty knew about this, and there were very few people even discussing it.

"Does this mean we have to wait a few more days in Yongning City?!" Xia Jin sat in a private room on the second floor of a teahouse, looking out the window with some boredom.

The invasion of the Lieyang Dynasty's border by the Great Qian and the Northern Frontier has only been happening for the past two days, perhaps because the news has not yet spread widely to Yongning City.

Just as he was about to leave the teahouse, he suddenly heard a slightly excited conversation coming from the innermost private room. An ordinary person might not be able to hear it clearly, but to Xia Jin, every word was crystal clear.

"...This time, the allied forces of the Great Qian and the three northern border states have come with overwhelming force. In just two days, I heard that three cities have been lost on the border! Uncle, I am truly uneasy. Perhaps we should leave this imperial city for the time being and go south to take refuge!" A young man's voice rang out, clearly carrying a hint of worry.

"What's the panic!" Another, slightly more composed voice rang out, seemingly deliberately lowering its volume. "Don't forget, we in Lieyang have those two patriarchs from Qingfeng Temple overseeing us! True Person Ziyang and True Person Xuanming are both terrestrial immortals; if they join forces, who in the world can defeat them?"

"Myna is right!" another voice rang out, tinged with obsequiousness. "With our two patriarchs around, the Great Qian Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms of the Northern Frontier are nothing but clowns!"

"That's right. So we don't need to worry too much. Come, have some tea."

A low chuckle immediately filled the private room, indicating a sense of relaxation.

"Qingfeng Temple? Two patriarchs at the Land Immortal Realm?"

Xia Jin frowned after hearing this. He wasn't surprised that the Lieyang Dynasty also had experts at the Land Immortal Realm. However, he became somewhat interested in the statement these people made later: "With the two ancestors joining forces, who in the world can stand against them!"

Could those two, even working together, possibly be stronger than that black dragon?!

Xia Jin couldn't help but scoff. He simply didn't believe it; he had experienced firsthand the power of that black dragon.

However, he still planned to go and inquire about the whereabouts of those two so-called ancestors.

Xia Jin walked to the door, but did not use force; she simply raised her hand and gently pushed forward.

"Bang!"

The heavy wooden door of the private room seemed to be hit by an invisible force, instantly detaching from the door frame and slamming hard against the wall inside, sending wood chips flying everywhere!

"Who?!"

The people in the private room stood up in shock, their eyes fixed on the door. The eighth prince of the Lieyang Dynasty, sitting in the center, also looked towards the door with a mixture of shock and anger, and smashed his teacup on the ground with a loud "crack".

"How dare you!" The Eighth Prince's face was ashen as he looked at Xia Jin as she entered. "Who are you? How dare you disturb the royal family! You deserve death! Guards, seize her!"

Upon hearing the Eighth Prince's words, the two guards behind him reacted swiftly, drawing their swords instantly and lunging at Xia Jin from the left and right!

"The royal family of the Lieyang Dynasty!?" Xia Jin sneered, glancing indifferently at the two figures rushing towards her, noticing that space seemed to become somewhat distorted.

"Ugh~!"

The two guards froze in mid-air, let out a wail, rolled their eyes back, and collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

"You...you actually dare to..." Everyone in the private room stared at each other, their faces turning pale with fright. The Eighth Prince even raised his hand, pointing at Xia Jin, his eyes trembling.

Xia Jin casually flicked her sleeve.

A force swept through the entire private room, and everyone except the Eighth Prince, who stood frozen in place, fell to the ground and fainted.

The Eighth Prince felt as if he were bound by an invisible force, and a deep fear appeared in his eyes.

"Relax! I just wanted to ask you about something!" Xia Jin walked over with a smile, then sat down, poured herself a cup of tea, took a small sip, and then looked at the Eighth Prince.

"What...what do you want to ask?" The Eighth Prince gritted his teeth and asked quickly.

"Qing, Feng, Guan," Xia Jin put down her teacup, "explain clearly what happened to those two ancestors of your Lieyang Dynasty."

"Don't even think about it... I, Your Highness, will never betray you..." The Eighth Prince's expression changed immediately upon hearing the words "Qingfeng Temple".

Xia Jin did not answer, but her gaze narrowed slightly.

The Eighth Prince immediately felt an immense pressure pressing down on him, and his knees buckled, almost causing him to kneel down.

"I'll talk... I'll talk!!"

"Qingfeng Temple is... located on the peak of Piaomiao Peak, three hundred miles northwest of Yongning City... It is the sacred temple protecting the nation of our Lieyang Dynasty... The two ancestors, Ziyang and Xuanming... have been in seclusion in this temple for a long time, but... but whenever the country faces a great calamity, they will appear... Regarding this border matter, my father said... that the ancestors have their own arrangements, and that we need not worry... I... that's all I know... really..."

At this moment, the Eighth Prince was somewhat incoherent, and his previous arrogance had long since vanished.

"So that's how it is, on that Misty Peak!" After hearing this, Xia Jin slowly stood up, walked to the Eighth Prince, and gently patted his shoulder.

"Thank you for your cooperation."

As soon as she finished speaking, the Eighth Prince's eyes widened, and he too fainted to the ground. Xia Jin's figure then faded away.

At the foot of Misty Peak.

Outside a small village.

Xia Jin suppressed her aura and sat down under an old locust tree outside the village.

He held a pot of wine in his hand, pouring and drinking it by himself, his gaze occasionally piercing through the thick clouds and mist, landing on the mountaintop.

Under his deliberate spiritual probing, he could indeed sense two vast and powerful auras emanating from the mountaintop. Presumably, those were the two ancestors the Eighth Prince had mentioned.

"Judging from their aura alone, these two are indeed much stronger than Lu Tiancheng! But compared to that black dragon, they are not even in the same league!" Xia Jin swallowed the wine in her mouth and couldn't help but shake her head.

"Little brother, look! There's someone over there!!"

Xia Jin heard a melodious child's voice and looked up at the village entrance. She saw two little children, about six or seven years old, wearing patched hemp clothes and trousers, with rosy cheeks, looking at her from a distance.

No, to be more precise, it was looking at the two plates of beautiful pastries in front of her that she hadn't yet tasted that made her unconsciously swallow.

He couldn't help but smile and waved to the two dolls.

"What, want some?"

The two children nodded vigorously, then shrank back a little in fear.

"Take it and eat it if you like." Xia Jin pushed the plate forward.

The girl, being the bolder one, carefully reached out and took a piece of osmanthus cake, then helped her younger brother take another. Holding the cakes, the two of them looked like they had received some great treasure, their smiles radiant as they turned to run back to the village.

After running a few steps, the little girl suddenly stopped and tugged at her younger brother. She remembered her mother saying that you should thank others when you receive something from them. She quickly pulled her brother back around, ready to thank the handsome older brother.

But just as they turned around,

The area under the tree was empty.

On the bluestone, the wine pot and saucer are still there, but the person has disappeared.

"A deity... little brother, was that a deity just now?" The girl rubbed her eyes and looked blankly at her little brother beside her.

Almost at the same moment.

At the summit of Misty Peak, a spatial fluctuation suddenly emanated, though slight, it did not escape Xia Jin's divine sense.

Under the locust tree, Xia Jin's figure had long since disappeared without a trace.

"Finally... out?"