“Who is he?”
“I don’t recognize him. I’ve never seen him on Southmoon Island.”
“Does anyone know who he is?” The hundreds of cultivators gathered at the open-air banquet hall on the water discussed in soft murmurs.
No one could identify Wu Yuan.
“Li Xia.” Zhuo Haiyue spoke quietly from the host seat. No one other than Wu Yuan could hear her voice. “Southmoon Island is teeming with Amethyst Cradle cultivators.”
Wu Yuan acknowledged her words with a slight nod.
The opulence of the banquet hall was not lost on him, but the pressure exerted by the attendees did not cause his soul much discomfort. Though he was a first-stage Golden Core cultivator, his soul strength matched, if not surpassed, that of the average Amethyst Cradle cultivator. freēwebnovel.com
The gazes of this crowd paled in comparison to Zhuo Haiyue’s. Whether in terms of status or combat strength, Zhuo Haiyue was certainly the most powerful individual at the gathering.
These Amethyst Cradle cultivators are certainly stronger than those of Fengchuan City who struggle to break through even after centuries, but they are far inferior to Zhuo Haiyue. Wu Yuan reflected.
The more he observed, the more he marveled at Zhuo Haiyue’s power. She was a true peerless genius.
“Of course, each one of these cultivators hails from an influential background, whether it be a core disciple of a large sect, or direct descendent of a powerful lineage” Zhuo Haiyue explained, “Ordinary Void Refiner cultivators would hesitate to cause trouble for any one of them.”
Wu Yuan understood now.
In summary, those who could gain entry to Southmoon Island either had significant backing or formidable personal strength.
“But being a friend of mine is the greatest background one can have. I am your backer,” Zhuo Haiyue said with a slight smile, “You need not fear them.”
Wu Yuan was rendered speechless by her words.
Friend? Background? Wu Yuan had to admit that Zhuo Haiyue talked big, but she had the strength to back it up.
“I have brought you here to acquaint you with this elite circle,” Zhuo Haiyue continued, “Those gathered here come from various sects and factions. If you make a name for yourself here, word of your performance will swiftly reach the ears of the inspection halls of the large sects.”
Wu Yuan gave a small nod of acknowledgment.
The large sects on the immortal continent were all mighty forces in their own right, each with their own systems and special intelligence personnel collecting all manner of intelligence from far and wide.
One earned their reputation through the recognition of others, not through self-proclamations.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Zhuo Haiyue’s melodic but cold voice rang out clearly, echoing through the aquatic banquet hall. A hush fell over the hall as all eyes turned to her.
“The person next to me is called Li Xia,” Zhuo Haiyue gestured toward Wu Yuan with a hint of indifference. “He is a friend that I, Zhuo Haiyue, acknowledge. I ask that you treat him kindly during his future visits to Southmoon Island.”
The impact of her words was immediate, like a boulder throwing the surface of a tranquil pond in disarray. The hall erupted into whispers and gasps of surprise.
“A friend that Her Highness Haiyue personally acknowledges?”
“Heavens!”
Wu Yuan could sense the shift in attitude towards him. He instantly understood that being labeled ‘Zhuo Haiyue’s friend’ carried no ordinary weight and significance.
Moreover, Wu Yuan understood that Zhuo Haiyue’s words were a sincere vouch for him, and she was treating him as a true friend.
“Haha, Daoist Li Xia, greetings. I am Beibo Tao of the Great Yan Immortal Sect,” a young man in black armor took the initiative to introduce himself. He was handsome, with an extraordinary temperament.
“Greetings,” Wu Yuan cupped his hands. Necessary etiquette and manners were indispensable in such circles. Moreover, the Great Yan Immortal Sect was a first-rate sect, and a widely renowned one.
“Li Xia, Beibo Tao is a highly talented cultivator who reached the ninth-stage Amethyst Cradle phase in just a few hundred years of cultivation. He is not only a core disciple of his sect but also a core disciple of the esteemed Marquis Beibo,” Zhuo Haiyue provided additional context. “He may one day inherit the title of Marquis Beibo.”
“Your Highness is too kind,” Beibo Tao humbly replied.
“Daoist Beibo Tao is truly impressive,” Wu Yuan remarked, genuinely taken aback.
On the immortal continent, sects were categorized as first-rate, second-rate, and third-rate, with even the weakest third-rate sects being overseen by a Divided Soul Earth Immortal. How else could they establish a sect?
Like sects, many cultivators established families of varying strengths, driven by the innate desire in all living beings to continue their bloodline lineage. The Redmoon Immortal Hall did not place overly strict limitations on this practice.
The truly powerful cultivator families were able to earn recognition from the Redmoon Immortal Hall in the form of noble titles and fiefs.
The Immortal Hall granted only three ranks of noble titles: prince, marquis, and earl. Even the lowest rank of earl was highly influential. According to immortal slips Wu Yuan had read in the library, being conferred the title of earl was a challenging feat, with 99% of Divided Soul Earth Immortals failing to receive it.
And as for prince and marquis? Without question, they were all individuals who were Tribulation High Immortals. Prince-rank families were scarce in number, while marquis-rank families, though more common, remained rare.
“Brother Li Xia, which sect or family do you belong to?” Beibo Tao inquired with a light chuckle, replacing the formal address of ‘Fellow Daoist’ with the more endearing term of ‘Brother’.
“I am not affiliated with any sect,” Wu Yuan responded with a smile. There was no reason to conceal this.
“Ah, not from any sect? Brother Li Xia, which prince or marquis’ family do you hail from?” Beibo Tao asked curiously, slightly taken aback by Wu Yuan’s answer. “I have not heard of a Li Family holding either rank on our immortal continent.”
“He just entered the voidrealm for the first time a few days ago,” Zhuo Haiyue interjected, frowning slightly. “Beibo Tao, that’s enough probing.”
“My apologies, Your Highness. I was merely curious,” Beibo Tao chuckled before addressing Wu Yuan once more. “Brother Li Xia, I hope you can forgive me.”
Swiftly, Beibo Tao and Wu Yuan added each other as contacts, setting them as ‘Ordinary Fellow Daoist’ status, before promptly excusing themselves.
This was because a line had formed behind Beibo Tao. The banquet attendees were eager to introduce themselves and offer a toast to Wu Yuan, exuding overwhelming enthusiasm as they approached.
Responding to each one with a smile, Wu Yuan swiftly took note of each person’s identity, adding them to his list of voidrealm contacts with practiced ease.
Despite his relatively hands-off approach as the emperor of the Wu Empire for over a decade, Wu Yuan still made occasional public appearances. While the two were not on the same level, the fundamental etiquette rules remained unchanged.
As each guest engaged with Wu Yuan, his mysterious background became a topic of hot discussion among the young Amethyst Cradle cultivators.
“Does this Li Xia hail from other immortal continents?”
“It is a possibility.”
“He’s also an Amethyst Cradle cultivator. He just entered the voidrealm for the first time a few days ago? How can that be? He must be a prodigy from another immortal continent, and his status is far from ordinary.”
“Indeed, I’ve heard of a prominent prince-rank family from the Hunjiu Immortal Continent with the surname ‘Li’.”
“Given that Her Highness Haiyue treats him as her equal, his status cannot be ordinary.”
The Amethyst Cradle cultivators from various sects and families quickly drew their own conclusions about his identity.
Naturally, their gossip was heard by both Wu Yuan and Zhao Haiyue.
They think I’m from a prince-rank family of another immortal continent? Wu Yuan found himself at a loss for words. Imagination could sometimes be a dangerous thing.
Zhuo Haiyue merely chuckled, offering no further commentary.
Just as the festivities were gaining momentum, a thunderous boom echoed through the sky, heralding the arrival of a golden chariot soaring overhead.
Pulled by four golden jiaolongs, the chariot exuded an undeniable aura of distinction. At one glance, it was evident that the newcomer held a special status.
“His Highness Sixing has arrived.”
“He’s also here?”
“He must be here for Her Highness Haiyue. His Highness seldom visits Southmoon Island on normal days.” Excitement rippled through the banquet hall as whispers spread.
Several female cultivators couldn’t help but show a hint of adoration.
His Highness? Wu Yuan felt he was beginning to grasp the extraordinary significance of such a title on the immortal continent.
Simultaneously, he noticed a change in Zhuo Haiyue’s countenance, her once-pleasant expression morphing into one of cold detachment.
“The newcomer, known as Gu Sixing, is a member of the Gu Family, one of the four prince-rank families on the immortal continent. Among the younger generation of the Gu family, he ranks within the top three,” Zhuo Haiyue’s voice echoed in Wu Yuan’s mind.
Wu Yuan was inwardly startled. Indeed, when one joined different circles, the type of people one met was also different. While spending the past few months exploring the Redmoon Immortal Realm, Wu Yuan had primarily interacted with Amethyst Cradle cultivators. Yet upon arriving at Southmoon Island, he found himself surrounded by elite disciples from large factions.
The chariot descended and disappeared from sight. Stepping out onto the air was a man clad in gleaming golden armor, his face chiseled like a work of art, and his eyes unwavering like that of a war deity. It was his boots, however, that drew the most attention.
Each stride he took in the air sent shivers through the hearts of the onlookers, as if he stepped on their very hearts.
Wu Yuan found himself secretly shaken by this display. After all, this was the Redmoon Immortal Realm!
Gu Sixing was undoubtedly a super powerhouse in reality.
Even if he were only at the Amethyst Cradle realm, Gu Sixing would be one of the top figures in that cultivation phase.
“Haha, Haiyue, what a pleasant surprise to see you here,” Gu Sixing greeted with a smile. “Back then in the Silvermist Immortal Realm, I invited you to join me in the mundane world trial as my Mortal Daoist Companion. Alas, you declined, leaving me heartbroken for quite some time.”
Silvermist Immortal Realm? Wu Yuan had never heard of it. But he was familiar with the term ‘Mortal Daoist Companion’. It was a trial that allowed one to temper their heart by temporarily blocking their memories and allowing one to experience different lives of mortals in the voidrealm, including growing up, marriage, having children, and aging.
It was likely that this Gu Sixing had a romantic interest in Zhuo Haiyue.
He dares to court Zhuo Haiyue? Wu Yuan inwardly shook his head, wholeheartedly admiring the man’s guts.
“Gu Sixing, if your Dao Heart is fragile, go ahead and undergo more mundane world trials to strengthen it by yourself. Don’t involve me,” Zhuo Haiyue stated coolly, her words creating a noticeable rift between them. She was obviously not interested in reciprocating his advances.
“Haha,” Gu Sixing appeared not to mind, shifting his attention to Wu Yuan.
“Haiyue, I have heard rumors about your new friend, Li Xia. But based on my information, it seems he is not affiliated with the Li Family of the Hunjiu Immortal Continent. You are still young, I hope you don’t get misled by others,” Gu Sixing warned nonchalantly.
His words instantly sparked a commotion among the gathering. The hundreds of guests in the banquet hall looked at each other. They thought they had guessed Wu Yuan’s identity, but now it seemed something was off.
Wu Yuan remained composed. It was clear that Gu Sixing harbored animosity towards him, a sentiment not lost on the observing crowd. Yet, none dared to intervene in the brewing conflict between the two nobles.
Zhuo Haiyue remained seated at the head of the banquet hall, speaking calmly, “Did I ever claim that Li Xia hailed from the Hunjiu Immortal Continent? He did not make such assertions either. He is simply my friend.”
Gu Sixing’s gaze bore into Wu Yuan, assessing him critically. “To earn your recognition, Haiyue, is no small feat,” he remarked. “But I am curious about the abilities of this Daoist Li Xia. His background or lineage? It doesn’t appear remarkable. Strength? Judging by his soul, he is lacking compared to a typical Amethyst Cradle cultivator. Could he be your new toy?”
With a dismissive shake of his head, Gu Sixing continued, “Haiyue, to amuse yourself with a lowly plaything is one thing, but why subject yourself to embarrassment by parading him around?”