Mountain Venerable and Sea Immortal

In the warm spring sunshine, people thronged from all directions, cloud boats shuttled back and forth, and even mythical birds and beasts traveled together. All kinds of cultivators gathered here, making it a lively and extraordinary place.

From afar, the main gate tower of Haodu stands majestic and magnificent, with the two ancient seal script characters "Haodu" inlaid with gold shining brightly.

As you approach, the main gate, the Vermilion Bird double-eaved city tower, stands majestically, its three gates arranged in a neat and orderly fashion. The central main gate is tall and imposing, its wooden door covered in red copper and densely studded with gilded copper nails. The bronze beast-head door knockers are imposing and heavy, and the ancient bronze script of the Eastern Yi people, engraved on the inner wall of the gate, gleams faintly in the warm sunlight. The three-story pavilion on the city gate platform is covered with red and gold glazed tiles, and bronze wind chimes hang from its upturned eaves. The top floor has a golden plaque with seal script characters, exuding a spiritual aura. Arrow slits are neatly arranged on both sides of the city platform, and golden-armored guards stand solemnly on duty with long spears in hand, fully demonstrating the sacredness and inviolability of this ancient holy city.

Lin Yan followed True Person Xuan Yang to this unfamiliar ancient land and finally saw the true face of the Hao Clan's ancestral city. This was by no means an ordinary immortal cultivation sect's villa, nor a mortal county town's mansion, but the Shao Hao Ruins - Hao Du, rooted in the core of the Eastern Yi ancestral lineage and passed down for ten thousand years.

The city wall, stretching for hundreds of miles, was constructed from ancient basalt buried deep beneath the Qi-Lu land. Its mottled surface is etched with the indelible totems of Shao Hao—a black bird spreading its wings, a golden crow bathing in the sun, mountains and seas crisscrossing—ancient runes hidden in the cracks of the bricks, shimmering with a pale golden light. Seemingly serene, it exudes a powerful, oppressive aura, suppressing the dragon veins of heaven and earth. The wall extends to the depths of the clouds and mist, merging with the distant, continuous ancient mountains, seemingly without end. Its sheer grandeur far surpasses the territory of the Taiqing Palace on Laoshan Mountain, fully displaying the supreme majesty of the ancient royal lineage.

Ten miles outside the city, the area was already shrouded in an ancient restriction set up by the Hao Clan. The spiritual energy in the world was orderly and orderly, and the aura of the formation that prohibited flight was pervasive. Even Nascent Soul cultivators with profound cultivation had to restrain their spiritual power and proceed on foot. On the open field, cultivators gathered in large numbers, their densely packed figures spread across the wide official road paved with bluestone slabs. There were major sects from Qilu, powerful immortal cultivation families that had established themselves in their respective regions, as well as lone high-level rogue cultivators, and even small clan forces that had come from the surrounding areas.

All the cultivators consciously restrained their auras, their gazes towards Haodu filled with awe and apprehension. Being invited by the Hao Clan to participate in the Dongyi Mountain and Sea Alliance was an honor, but more importantly, it was a game concerning the future of the Qilu cultivation world. No one dared to act recklessly here.

Just as everyone arrived at the welcoming platform of Haodu, two figures dressed in black robes with gold patterns slowly walked out from behind the platform.

The newcomer was a direct descendant of the Hao clan, whose cultivation was unfathomable. He possessed a refined and gentle aura, yet exuded an inherent dignity. His face was upright, and his brows revealed the composed demeanor of an ancient great clan. Upon seeing True Person Xuan Yang and Lin Yan, the two immediately stepped forward, bowing respectfully with impeccable manners, yet remaining neither servile nor arrogant.

"The head of the Laoshan Sect has come in person. The Hao Clan has failed to greet you properly. Please forgive us." The head steward held a jade name card and spoke in a clear voice that could be heard for several feet around him. "Our clan leader has prepared the alliance tokens and has been waiting for you for a long time."

Having said that, he presented the white jade token engraved with the Black Bird totem with both hands. The token was warm to the touch and contained pure ancient spiritual energy; it was the credential for entering and leaving Haodu and participating in the Mountain and Sea Alliance. True Person Xuanyang raised his hand to accept the token and nodded slightly: "Thank you for your trouble, Steward."

"The three sects' extermination of the evil cultivators near the sea and protection of the local people is a righteous act. My lord often mentions it and greatly admires you all." The Hao Clan steward spoke with much praise, then changed the subject slightly and said in a low voice, "This alliance meeting is of great importance. The ley lines in many parts of Qi and Lu are showing signs of abnormality, and monsters are frequently appearing. Furthermore, there are traces of evil cultivators hiding within the territory. I hope that you will all be more cautious after entering the capital."

These few words have already revealed the turbulent undercurrents at this Mountain and Sea Alliance meeting.

Lin Yan stood to the side, listening intently, and pondered to himself.

Since the Blood Fiend Sect was able to escape unscathed from Black Abyss Fog Island, they will certainly not let this go. Now that Haodu has gathered all the top forces in Qilu, Mo Tu is cunning and may have already secretly sent people to infiltrate this place.

The thought had barely formed when his heart tightened. His meridian-guarding technique activated spontaneously, and a faint, almost imperceptible aura of cold, bloodthirsty energy flashed through the gaps in the crowd in the distance, so fast it was like an illusion. In an instant, it was swallowed up by the complex aura of the cultivators and disappeared without a trace.

Lin Yan's eyes darkened slightly, and his fingers quietly clenched.

The Blood Fiend Sect members have indeed arrived.

The Hao clan steward, unaware of this subtle anomaly, immediately stepped aside to lead the way, gesturing with his hand: "Gentlemen, please enter Hao Capital."

Within the heavy city gates, the spiritual energy was so dense it was almost misty. Ancient palaces and pavilions were built against the mountain, their upturned eaves hidden in the sea of ​​clouds. A series of bluestone avenues crisscrossed, with ancient trees reaching for the sky on both sides, all of which were spiritual plants containing ancient spiritual energy. This was Haodu, the core area of ​​the Eastern Yi cultivation world.

The city gates were wide open, and cultivators came and went in an endless stream, some riding on swords at a leisurely pace, others strolling on foot, their robes fluttering with spiritual energy; spirit steeds pulled carved wooden carts steadily through the crowd, and low-flying cloud boats glided by slowly… Among the crowd were members of the Hao and Hao clans, dressed in their finest attire, and various independent cultivators and disciples from smaller forces coming and going. The sounds of people, carriages, horses, and the cries of spirit birds blended together, showcasing the prosperous scene of this core holy city of Dongyi. The ancient charm of the Qilu land was profound, and the spiritual energy of the earth's veins flowed like a hundred rivers into the sea, all converging on this ancient castle that stood between heaven and earth.

Lin Yan followed the crowd and stepped into this magnificent city.

The moment his feet touched the soil of Haodu, a surge of warmth suddenly welled up within his body, resonating with the ancestral energy deep within the city. He looked up into the misty depths of the city, where the ancestral land of the Hao clan and the meeting place of the alliance were located, and also the core node of the Qilu ley lineage.

Before the smoke of battle had completely cleared, new storms were already brewing.

The unresolved issues on Black Abyss Fog Island are still unresolved, while the game of the Eastern Yi Mountain and Sea Alliance has already officially begun.

Lin Yan took a deep breath, a resolute glint in his eyes.

He knew that from the moment he stepped into Haodu, a power struggle far more complex than the battle between good and evil was waiting for him, for Laoshan, and for all those who came to the meeting.

Lin Yan silently followed behind the sect leader, his inner energy concealed, hiding his aura among the crowd. However, his spiritual sea was vast, and as the energy circulated, it became increasingly smooth and transparent. The barrier between the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment and the Initial Nascent Soul stage was becoming increasingly thin, and it would be able to be completely broken through with just one opportunity.

The fingertips of Lin Yan hanging by his side occasionally emitted a faint spiritual light, resonating with the spiritual energy of the Qilu land beneath his feet. As a disciple guarding the Laoshan land vein, he had an innate and keen perception of the flow of spiritual energy in this land.

He subtly scanned his surroundings, clearly noticing numerous subtle glances directed at him.

The news that the three sects—Laoshan, Qingyun, and Shuiyue Pavilion—had joined forces to besiege the Burning Heaven Sect and severely damage the Blood Fiend Sect had already spread throughout the surrounding areas of Qilu through the cultivators' communications. Although the three sects failed to capture Mo Tu, the leader of the Blood Fiend Sect, they had eliminated the evil cultivators' stronghold in the coastal waters of Dongyi. This achievement had already made them the focus of attention for all forces in this Mountain and Sea Alliance meeting.

The gazes of the crowd held probing, apprehension, friendliness, and also hidden disdain and hostility, but Lin Yan ignored them all, his mind as calm as a still well. Having experienced several battles between good and evil, he was no longer the naive disciple he was when he first entered the sect; he was well aware of the rules of the cultivation world, where the strong were respected and power struggles were fierce.

Master Xuanyang looked at Lin Yan, who stood quietly before him, and spoke with a calm expression:

With the Blood Fiend Sect now in hiding, the Qilu landforms are stirring with undercurrents. The Qufu Hao Clan, in the name of legitimacy, has initiated the Dongyi Mountain and Sea Alliance, inviting only the Hao Clan, Hao Clan, and Laoshan, three ancient powers, to the meeting.

Therefore, he took only Lin Yan with him, bid farewell to the disciples of Laoshan, left the Laoshan sect, and went straight to Qufu City—the ancestral home of the Dongyi Hao clan, which was also the venue for this Mountain and Sea Alliance meeting, to discuss the safety of the Qilu cultivation world and resolve the current undercurrent crisis.