Inside the main hall of Tiance Palace, white jade pillars stood in solemn rows, and the atmosphere was as tense as a fully drawn bow.
Elders from various sects sat opposite one another, their verbal battles raging on without pause. Their spiritual auras clashed and intertwined in chaos. Every argument was delivered with resounding force, carrying the heavy weight of their respective sects' survival.
Some sternly and vehemently argued against venturing out to sea rashly, fearing that the Merfolk had laid a death trap that would wipe out the delegation entirely. Others pleaded urgently, stating that with the supply of spiritual materials cut off and the Dao of alchemy at a standstill, any further delay would be self-destructive. Still others advocated for a cautious step-by-step approach, insisting on preparing backup plans and dual strategies rather than betting all their hopes on an uncertain negotiation.
Amidst the noisy clamor of the hall, only Xiao Sheng, seated at the head, remained calm and composed.
Seated upright on the highest jade throne, his posture was straight and dignified, his expression indifferent and unperturbed. The aura around him was as deep and still as an ancient well in the abyss.
Regardless of how fiercely the various sects argued and clashed, he remained silent, patiently listening to the pros, cons, and countless concerns of every side, sitting steadily for the better part of an hour.
Only when everyone had fully vented their emotions and the arguments gradually died down did the noisy hall finally fall quiet. In the still-warm air, only the faint sound of breathing remained.
Only then did Xiao Sheng slowly raise his eyes and part his lips.
His voice was neither loud nor harsh, but gentle and deep, carrying an innate, awe-inspiring majesty that steadily pierced through the remaining chaotic energy in the hall. It fell into everyone's ears, clear, powerful, and brooking no argument.
“I am well aware of all your concerns and worries,” he said. “The safety of our disciples and the survival of our sects are both of paramount importance. There is no need to stubbornly cling to one side and neglect the other.”
His gaze slowly swept across the room, passing over faces that were solemn, anxious, or cautious, before he finally stated his ultimate decision, each word ringing with resolve:
“The current situation is clear. Delaying is useless, and avoiding conflict is futile. I have decided to unite the strength of all sects under heaven to form a joint human delegation. Led by Tiance Palace, each sect will dispatch elite personnel to set off immediately for the border of the Wudu Sea. We will confront the Merfolk leadership directly, investigate the root cause of the sea blockade, and negotiate the lifting of the ban on spiritual material trade, so we may resolve the deadlock between our two races as soon as possible.”
As his words fell, the hall was not entirely convinced, and quiet murmurs of dissent rose once more.
Everyone had different thoughts and countless worries.
Some worried that the Merfolk were erratic and resolute in their blockade, making the delegation's journey fraught with unpredictable dangers. Others feared that instead of reaching a resolution, the negotiations would completely escalate the conflict between the two races, triggering a large-scale war across the immortal seas. Furthermore, some elders repeatedly urged that they must secretly open temporary channels for spiritual materials to secure a safe fallback, lest the negotiations fail and leave them entirely stranded without any hope of survival.
A new round of weighing options, arguing, and debating began, lasting for a full two hours.
After repeatedly weighing the pros and cons and smoothing over their differences, they finally reached a unified consensus.
The joint delegation would be formed immediately.
Led by Tiance Palace, supported by all sects.
They would depart the next day to negotiate at sea.
With the grand plan decided, the atmosphere in the hall completely settled.
Xiao Sheng immediately drafted the list of delegation members and finalized the detailed itinerary. He sent orders to all sects: the complete roster, departure time, and coastal meeting point would be distributed in the afternoon, ensuring that all chosen disciples and accompanying elders were fully informed, ready to pack their gear, and await the signal to assemble and depart.
At that moment, Lin Zhiyue was alone in her alchemy chamber, organizing various spiritual herbs and pills, completely unaware of the intense discussion in the grand hall and the heavyweight decision that had just been finalized.
Her fingertips gently brushed over rows of neatly sealed pill bottles. With a meticulous and serious gaze, she sorted through various pills for healing, consolidating essence, protecting meridians, warding off cold, and neutralizing cold toxins, carefully counting and classifying them.
Cold Marrow Meridian-Protecting Pill, Clear Cold Mind-Focusing Pill, Heat-Dispersing Miasma-Warding Pill... She picked out every single pill that could be useful for coastal travel, sea crossing, or healing during confrontations, packing them methodically into her storage bag.
She had already made her plans.
The Merfolk had suddenly sealed off the sea for unknown reasons. Rather than sitting around waiting for the results of the sects' negotiations and passively waiting for the ban on spiritual materials to be lifted, she might as well use the excuse of a trial to head to the coastal waters herself, secretly test the Merfolk's strength, and uncover the true root cause of the blockade.
After verifying the grades and quantities of all the pills and packing everything up, Lin Zhiyue slowly walked out of the alchemy chamber.
A gentle mountain breeze swept through the forest, carrying a faint spiritual aura of vegetation, dispersing the dense medicinal fragrance of the alchemy chamber.
She turned and walked down the blue stone steps one by one. Just as she stepped into the courtyard, she saw several figures dressed in sect robes standing silently, waiting for her.
...
In the afternoon, the complete roster of the delegation officially spread through all the participating sects.
For this expedition, Tiance Palace dispatched five people: Lin Zhiyue, Cen Xi'er, Jiang Yuezhan, Senior Brother Zhou, and Senior Sister Qiao.
Senior Brother Zhou and Senior Sister Qiao possessed single Water Spiritual Roots. Since the selection criteria for this delegation primarily favored those with Water and Ice Spiritual Roots, Jiang Yuezhan, who happened to have dual Gold and Water Spiritual Roots, was also included in the selection.
As for Cen Xi'er—though she possessed a single Gold Spiritual Root, she had gone to the Palace Master herself and stubbornly pestered him until she secured a spot. Originally, this spot belonged to another senior sister, Senior Sister Han, but she happened to be entering secluded cultivation recently.
The other major sects, including the Qingling Sect, Biluo Immortal Sect, and Sacred Sword Pavilion, also selected elite disciples to accompany them, along with eight experienced leading elders to oversee and anchor the group. The entire delegation totaled over forty people.
The departure time was set for the next morning at daybreak, when they would assemble and set off on time.
...
The moment she heard the news, Lin Zhiyue raised her eyebrows slightly, a trace of subtle surprise flashing in her eyes.
What a coincidence.
She had just planned to head to the coastal waters on her own initiative to investigate, and now the sect delegation's order had landed right on her head.
After returning to her residence, Lin Zhiyue packed her bags carefully once more.
As before, she entrusted Yuetuan to Liu Fengyao's care in advance.
Before she left, little Yuetuan squatted obediently at the courtyard gate, his fluffy tail gently curled around his front paws. His round eyes gazed at her silently, quiet and docile, without acting spoiled or clingy.
Lin Zhiyue gently rubbed his head, feeling much more at ease, and turned to make a swift departure.
...
The journey after departure was exceptionally smooth, far exceeding everyone's expectations.
The spirit boat sailed through the clouds. Along the way, the sea of clouds was clear, without wind or waves, and completely undisturbed by any anomalies.
The entire delegation traveled at full speed day and night, making incredibly smooth progress.
As twilight fell and the setting sun sank in the west, the fleet of spirit boats landed steadily on the coastal wasteland—the last land boundary connecting the human territory to the Wudu Sea.
This place was barren and remote, far from the hustle and bustle of the mortal world. There were no towns, villages, pavilions, or post stations; as far as the eye could see, there was only a vast and empty wasteland.
A salty, biting sea breeze blew from the boundless ocean, carrying the chilly moisture unique to the deep sea. It swept through the withered grass of the wasteland, making a whistling sound.
The disciples of various sects disembarked from the spirit boats one after another, dispersing to settle down.
Some spread out cold-resistant spiritual blankets, sitting quietly to regulate their breathing and rest their minds. Some leaned against the hulls of the spirit boats, closing their eyes to stabilize their spiritual energy. Others banded together to scout the surrounding terrain, staying alert for any unusual movements. The entire wasteland was quiet but orderly, filled with the solemn atmosphere of cultivators ready for action.
Only Lin Zhiyue stood alone. With a slight twitch of her fingertips, a flash of spiritual light appeared in her palm.
A palm-sized, warm, and translucent jade model of a courtyard floated in her palm, its surface shimmering with a faint glow.
In the next instant, the compact model flew into the air and landed on the ground. A burst of spiritual light bloomed, rapidly expanding and stretching.
In a brief moment, an elegant and quiet private courtyard with green tiles and white walls materialized, resting steadily on the empty wasteland.
The low, elegant walls blocked out the howling sea wind. Inside the courtyard, the spiritual energy was warm and abundant. A lush green spiritual plant stood tall and graceful, its branches and leaves stretching out. It was none other than the core spiritual plant she had obtained from the Luoshuang Secret Realm, which absorbed and expelled spiritual energy year-round to soothe the mind and calm the spirit.
Seeing this clearly from the side, Cen Xi'er couldn't help but chuckle, her tone carrying a hint of envy and admiration. “Master is truly generous.”
Before her voice could fade, Jiang Yuezhan, clad in a plain sword robe, walked in with his sword on his back. Taking light, slow steps, he went straight to a flat blue stone under the corridor, sat down quietly, and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.
“Come in and rest, everyone,” Lin Zhiyue said softly.
The quiet rooms in the courtyard were clean and stable, with spiritual energy shielding them from the harsh sea winds, making it far more comfortable and secure than open-air tents.
The others stepped into the courtyard in response, each finding a quiet room to settle down and rest.
Lin Zhiyue remained in the courtyard. She bent down to carefully tend to the spiritual plants along the edge and stabilized the courtyard-protecting restriction of the Sifang Courtyard before stepping over the threshold and gently closing the gate.
Twilight fell completely, and a heavy darkness slowly rolled in from the vast sea, swallowing the last glow of the setting sun.
Inside the Sifang Courtyard, warm yellow spiritual lamps lit up one by one. Their soft glow filled the entire courtyard, dispersing the coldness and desolation of the coastal wasteland.
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