"The Zhou clan ancestor and grandson have come to pay our respects to the mountain!"
Zhou Yunshen's calm voice, amplified by his vast magic power, rolled forth like a surging tide.
Across the immense Tiannan Dao Palace, every soul heard it clearly.
One powerful aura after another soared into the sky, among which five were the most conspicuous.
Five streaks of light shot up, all turning their gaze in this direction.
Standing behind Zhou Yunshen, Zhou Fuyou looked at the five figures—one woman and four men. Naturally, the lone woman caught his eye immediately.
She wore a flowing silk gown that shimmered like misty clouds.
A hairpin slanted into her hair, its dangling pendants swaying gently.
Her jet-black tresses set off skin as fair as snow, and her entire bearing was as aloof and unyielding as a snow lotus atop Mount Tian.
Most striking were her vivid facial features; none seemed flawless in isolation, yet together they possessed a breathtaking beauty.
*Rumor has it that the Dao Palace is currently divided into one temple and four halls, and the master of Houtu Hall is a female cultivator. This must be her—Fairy Qinglan!*
Fu Qinglan had originally focused her attention on Zhou Yunshen, just like the others.
Yet her keen divine sense caught someone's probing gaze, prompting her to glance toward the young man from the corner of her eye.
With that single glance, an inexplicable sense of familiarity and closeness flickered in her heart.
However, in the very next instant, that strange feeling vanished.
A subtle frown touched her brow.
A hearty laugh rang out from nearby.
"So it is Brother Zhou! Four decades have passed since we last met. Have you been well?"
"Elder Hui—oh no, I suppose I should address you as Hall Master Hui now," Zhou Yunshen replied with a smile, sighing softly. "You of all people should know my condition best. How could I possibly be well?"
Hui Yuanhong laughed aloud. "You still look full of vigor, Brother Zhou. Why pity yourself so?"
Seeing the confusion among the other four, Hui Yuanhong sent a brief voice transmission through his divine sense:
*"His lifespan is nearly exhausted. He is not far from his demise!"*
Understanding dawned on their faces.
When it came to knowing Zhou Yunshen, Hui Yuanhong—a former elder of the Star Gate—was indeed the most knowledgeable among the five.
After all, in those days, Zhou Yunshen had merely been an ordinary guest elder within the Star Gate.
With his strength, he could easily have attained the higher rank of consecrated elder. However, because he had joined the Star Gate so late and had so few years left to live, he had remained an ordinary guest elder.
Amid their brief exchange, more and more gazes from across the Dao Palace turned toward the sky.
Zhan Bingtao, the Master of Tianyuan Temple, stepped forward.
He asked in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist, what brings you here today?"
Zhou Yunshen put away his smile and glanced at Zhou Fuyou beside him.
"Naturally, to send my Zhou clan's prodigy into the Dao Palace to cultivate."
At this, the five Perfected Cultivators all shifted their gazes to Zhou Fuyou.
The young man possessed striking looks and a refined, delicate grace, yet his slender frame seemed to harbor boundless energy.
Facing the scrutiny of five Nascent Soul cultivators, he stood quietly, neither servile nor haughty, his composure as steady as ever.
That poise alone—remaining unruffled under immense pressure—was enough to win praise.
More importantly, they all recalled the report the Yuheng Courtyard had brought back nine years ago.
A youth blessed with earth-shattering talent had emerged from the Zhou clan of Bailu Marsh, possessing aptitude rivaling that of the Shi clan's prodigy, Shi Ju, from back in the day!
In an instant, every gaze turned fervent.
Exhaling a breath of turbid air, Zhan Bingtao smiled for the first time. "That you are willing to send your clan's prized scion to the Tiannan Dao Palace is truly commendable and shows noble ambition. The grand display earlier led us to misunderstand your intent."
Yet Zhou Yunshen shook his head. "No need to rush."
Everyone paused in surprise.
Zhou Yunshen swept his wide sleeves. His red-coral-adorned white robes billowed without any wind as an immense Nascent Soul domain slowly expanded from him, pressing down upon the five.
"Before that, I must see whether you fellow Daoists truly possess the ability to instruct my clan's prized scion. If not, it would be better for him to stay by my side and receive my personal tutelage."
Faced with such blatant provocation, Zhan Bingtao made no effort to hide his fury.
This was the pride of someone belonging to what had once been the greatest sacred ground under heaven!
He disdained concealing his emotions and was enraged by Zhou Yunshen's insolence.
In days past, whenever the Tianyuan Dao Sect extended an invitation, people would prostrate themselves in gratitude rather than dare to question or provoke them. How could they allow someone to act so presumptuously?
"Hall Master Hui!"
Hui Yuanhong gave a slight nod and likewise released his own Nascent Soul domain.
He was one of only two grand cultivators among the five masters of the Dao Palace.
The moment his late Nascent Soul domain unfurled, its momentum was in no way inferior to Zhou Yunshen's.
Yet upon the very first clash, Hui Yuanhong's expression drastically shifted.
He felt his control over the ambient worldly spiritual energy severely suppressed, retreating at a speed visible to the naked eye. He simply could not withstand the pressure of Zhou Yunshen's domain.
"You have broken through to the late Nascent Soul stage?"
At the same time, a melodious voice rang out in startled realization.
"True intent of laws, the power of Origin!"
Zhou Yunshen turned to Fu Qinglan, his eyes flashing with approval.
"Rumor has it that under the protection of the Desolate Hermit, Fairy Qinglan comprehended the true intent of laws in the Mirage Dragon Grotto-Heaven and even claimed the top rank in the Five-Hundred-Year Grand Tournament. Seeing you today, while your capabilities remain to be seen, your discernment is indeed genuine!"
As he spoke, his previously unremarkable Nascent Soul domain suddenly surged with the roaring sound of a colossal ocean tide.
Boundless spiritual energy swept forward, condensing into brilliant coral formations that clustered together and spread outward until they seemed to blot out the sky.
Projecting physical imagery through a domain was not considered an exceedingly delicate technique.
Yet those across the world capable of achieving it were exceedingly rare.
Moreover, unlike an ordinary domain, Zhou Yunshen's elevated domain faintly resonated with the surrounding heaven and earth, sending a tremor of awe through everyone present.
Under this immense pressure, Hui Yuanhong was forced to compress his entire domain around his own body to keep from being overwhelmed.
The other two hall masters fared even worse, their faces pale with shock.
Fu Qinglan sighed softly. Without any visible movement, a wisp of emerald radiance gently unfurled from her, barring the coral forged of spiritual energy from encroaching.
"Humph!"
Right then, a cold snort broke the stalemate.
Zhan Bingtao took a stride forward. His majestic aura coalesced into a sharp war halberd that pierced through the vast ocean and shattered the boundless coral.
The war halberd advanced with unstoppable momentum, driving straight ahead.
Coral rose and fell, disintegrating only to reform instantly, continually strangling the war halberd.
To outside observers, this bizarre spectacle appeared utterly breathtaking, but in truth, it was the purest clash of domains!
When the war halberd reached three feet before Zhou Yunshen, a solemn look finally appeared on the old man's face.
With a flick of his wide sleeve, the war halberd dissolved into mist.
Opposite him, Zhan Bingtao took a measured step back, returning to his original stance.
The two stared at each other in silence before finally exchanging a smile.
"As expected of the patriarch of the Zhan clan, the foremost in combat strength among the great houses. It is said that you once survived a blow from the ascended mighty figure, Divine Lord Youli. Seeing you today, your reputation is well deserved."
"You overpraise me. That was merely an indiscriminate attack from Divine Lord Youli; it hardly counts as withstanding a direct blow. On the other hand, Brother Zhou, your prowess, your realm... it is truly a pity."
Zhou Yunshen gave a helpless smile. He knew what the other meant by "a pity."
By watching Zhou Fuyou grow, he had built upon his profound accumulation and finally comprehended the Water Origin, yet his dwindling lifespan ultimately prevented him from advancing any further.
"With Brother Zhan presiding over the Tiannan Continent, I can rest easy."
Zhan Bingtao waved it aside, his gaze falling once more upon Zhou Fuyou.
"And now, Brother Zhou, do you believe my Tiannan Dao Palace is qualified to instruct your clan's prized scion?"
Zhou Yunshen nodded with a smile. "More than qualified."
The immense domains dissipated into nothingness.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhan Bingtao gestured invitingly. "Please!"
The Zhou clan ancestor and grandson did not decline. Flanked by the five Perfected Cultivators, they drifted gracefully into the Tiannan Dao Palace.
Behind them followed countless gazes.
Those looks carried various meanings, but most settled on Zhou Fuyou.
That old man who had overpowered four Perfected Cultivators and contested evenly with the temple master had made such a grand entrance not to flaunt his might. Everyone could see his true purpose—to pave the way for Zhou Fuyou!
With this, Zhou Fuyou's future cultivation in the Dao Palace would surely be smooth sailing, granting him whatever he desired!
***
Inside the Tianyuan Temple of the Tiannan Dao Palace.
Six Nascent Soul cultivators sat together, while Zhou Fuyou stood quietly in attendance behind his old ancestor.
He remained silent, peacefully listening to the six casually converse.
This was not dull in the slightest, for the six Nascent Soul cultivators were not exchanging cultivation insights. Rather, they discussed current affairs across the Tiannan Continent, as well as the Libei and Dongyuan Continents.
Or more accurately, affairs concerning the "Central Plains"!
"That battle back then was truly horrific. The immense Central Plains was shattered into pieces, reduced to what it is today. Even Nascent Soul powerhouses like us were utterly powerless in a conflict of that level. Barely two or three out of ten survived."
"Indeed. Had I not been on the Northern Sea battlefield, I fear I would not have escaped that calamity either."
"The same goes for me. It was only because I was stationed on the Eastern Desolation battlefield that I managed to preserve my life."
"You all had it relatively easy. Sect Master Lian and I were in the Southern Border, where the peril was no less than that of the Central Plains catastrophe. That Divine Lord Youli had kept a low profile for over a millennium, yet his realm was inconceivably profound. With a single strike, he resolved the crisis of the Life and Death Gate, while leaving this seat severely wounded. It took me a full forty years of convalescence just to recover."
"None of you were in the Central Plains, so you never faced the demon phoenix's might directly, but this old man witnessed it firsthand. The scene back then is etched into my memory forever! Flanked by four desolate beasts and commanding nine ghost-gods, it made landfall in the Central Plains. Wherever it passed, mountains crumbled and the earth fractured, with cultivators falling from the sky like rain. The previous sect master, the mighty Mo, joined forces with the nineteen elders of our Star Gate to forcefully activate the Star Gate and plead for aid from the upper realm. Yet no matter how many clone projections of Deity Transformation powerhouses descended, none could halt the demon phoenix's advance. Not until the Severing Heaven and Earth Formation was broken and Heaven and Earth Peak collapsed!"
***
Standing behind, Zhou Fuyou felt his heart surge with overwhelming emotions.
In Bailu Marsh, surrounded entirely by Zhou clansmen, his status was as lofty as the old ancestor's. His aptitude was enough to look down upon all his peers. Especially after slaying his seventh uncle across realms with ease, a sense of conceit had naturally taken root.
Yet after witnessing his old ancestor obliterate Hanjiang Valley with a wave of his hand and Zhan Bingtao withstand the old ancestor's domain through his profound cultivation, he had realized that there was always someone stronger, always a higher heaven beyond the sky.
Even so, that was still not the summit!
Beyond the Tiannan Continent, there were ascended mighty figures who could rout an army of millions with a wave of their hands.
In the boundless Northern Sea, there were array grandmasters capable of refining mountains and seas, roaming without restraint.
Deep in the mountains of the Eastern Desolation, there was the peerless fiend Monarch Qixia, who had withstood the attacks of the Tianyuan Dao Sect and forcefully seized the Star Gate, one of the Dao Sect's three treasures.
These legendary deeds, recounted by seniors within arm's reach, felt as though they were unfolding right before his eyes.
All of Zhou Fuyou's conceit vanished, replaced by an innate, surging ambition.
With his talent, one day, he could do the same!
Zhan Bingtao's voice resonated from the dais, clear and brimming with heroic fervor.
"Though Li Canghai's array dao was consummate, he was held in check by the two ancient demons of the Northern Sea. As strong as Divine Lord Youli was, he has already ascended, leaving the Life and Death Gate as nothing more than dry bones in a tomb. The brutal demon phoenix possessed methods reaching the heavens, virtually unmatched under the sky. Yet after participating in several fierce battles in succession, and facing our Five Elders of Tianyuan who gave their lives to battle it, it was finally grievously wounded, losing all power to meddle in the Central Plains."
"Now, the Eastern Desolation has no sacred grounds, the Southern Border has no mighty figures, the Western Desert's Buddhist sects are sealed, and the Northern Sea is a scattered mess. Though our Tianyuan Dao Sect suffered grievous wounds, we remain the strongest sacred ground in the Mountain Sea Realm!"
"Relying on our profound heritage and the tireless efforts of our generation, we will ultimately reclaim our lost lands and restore the glory of the Dao Sect!"
"When that day comes, we shall fulfill our predecessors' ambitions—unify the Mountain Sea, and trample Mount Cangwu!"
His words fell like thunder, echoing ceaselessly through the temple.
Three of the four hall masters chimed in without hesitation:
"Reclaim our lost lands, restore the Dao Sect's glory!"
"Unify the Mountain Sea, and trample Mount Cangwu!"
Though Hui Yuanhong, the master of All-Stars Hall, was half a beat slower, he quickly added, "This hall master shall strive alongside you!"
Zhou Yunshen stroked his beard. "Alas, this old man's spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak. I fear I will not live to see that day."
Knowing the state of his lifespan, everyone understood he was speaking the truth.
Zhan Bingtao laughed aloud. "Though you may not see it, Brother Zhou, your descendant possesses supreme talent and will surely outshine previous generations. When the time comes, he will certainly become a banner figure among the Tianyuan Dao Sect's younger generation, leading both the Zhou clan and our Tianyuan youth to forge ahead invincibly!"
Their gazes converged on Zhou Fuyou behind him.
Zhou Yunshen beckoned, and Zhou Fuyou stepped forward obediently.
"It just so happens that while this old man is still around, let us settle his master and lineage today!"
Silence fell over the hall.
Zhou Yunshen gave Zhou Fuyou a nod.
Casting aside all hesitation, the young man released his magic power fluctuations on the spot.
In that instant, everyone was astonished.
"Golden Core?"
"No, it is the Foundation Establishment stage!"
"So fast?"
Stroking his beard, Zhou Yunshen said, "As you can see, Fuyou's progress is astonishingly rapid. He can bypass the basic study phase of the Seven Stars Courtyards entirely and enter the four halls directly. I do not want him wasting time, which is why we came here today. I wonder which fellow Daoist is willing to take him as a disciple?"
The current Tianyuan Dao Sect was far from its zenith.
With so many talents having fallen—even the Twelve Great Houses reduced to only nine—the sect was virtually starved for talent.
Relying solely on the traditional clan system could not cultivate enough powerhouses quickly.
Thus, the master-disciple system, which had once waned, naturally rose in prominence.
The establishment of the Tiannan Dao Palace and the rule permitting the four hall masters to select the finest disciples were specifically devised by the Tianyuan Dao Sect to swiftly restore its vitality.
Disregarding clan origins and unfettered by past traditions, they concentrated resources to nurture talent wholeheartedly!
Such a system was being implemented not only in the Tiannan Continent, but in Libei and Dongyuan as well.
If anyone had previously harbored reservations regarding the new rules set by the ancestral court in the Lanke Mountain Range, those vanished the moment Zhou Fuyou revealed a cultivation level completely defying his age. The four hall masters in the temple cast all caution to the wind.
Such defying talent had to be taken under their wing!
Hui Yuanhong was the first to speak.
"My All-Stars Hall is willing to take Zhou Fuyou as a disciple!"
The other three halls were not about to be left behind, each voicing their eagerness.
Seeing this, Zhou Yunshen smiled with satisfaction.
"You all wish to take Fuyou as your disciple, but there is only one of him!"
That was indeed an issue.
Zhan Bingtao raised an eyebrow. "Zhou Fuyou, what do you think?"
He was leaving the decision to this twenty-one-year-old youth.
Zhou Fuyou replied calmly, "I am unaware of the four seniors' cultivation paths, teaching philosophies, and respective capabilities. Junior does not know who is best suited for me, so I wish to consider the matter further."
*Consider the matter further?*
Everyone was taken aback, then looked at the young man with amused interest.
*He is setting conditions!*
Faced with the favor of four Nascent Soul cultivators, he dared to demand terms.
Yet remarkably, no one grew angry; instead, they grew even more pleased with Zhou Fuyou.
In cultivation, talent and aptitude alone were insufficient; one also needed the mindset of a powerhouse.
From his poised demeanor upon their first meeting to his boldness in negotiating with Nascent Soul masters now, his temperament was undeniably exceptional.
Hui Yuanhong spoke up again: "I am the Master of All-Stars Hall, specializing in the Earth element. While that may seem unsuited to you on the surface, my All-Stars Hall inherited the majority of the Star Gate's former essence. Inside are countless classic scriptures spanning the five continents of the world. Once you enter All-Stars Hall, there will always be something suitable for you!"
Another person followed closely behind: "This old man is Long Ting, Master of Changsheng Hall and Supreme Elder of the Long clan. As long as you are willing to take me as your master, the Great Dao of Longevity is within your grasp. I can even pass down my Long clan's True Dragon Divine Technique to you, an outsider."
Clad in purple robes, Zhang Bairen coughed softly. "Though the four halls are nominally equal, Ziwei Hall stands foremost. I possess the most orthodox cultivation methods of the Tianyuan Dao Sect. As a disciple of the Dao Sect, you naturally belong in my Ziwei Hall."
Fairy Qinglan, who had rarely spoken earlier, brushed back a strand of hair from her cheek and stated calmly, "I took first place in the Five-Hundred-Year Grand Tournament, studied under the mighty Chunyuan, and comprehended the true intent of laws early on. If your ambition reaches beyond the Nascent Soul realm, you should choose me."
Before Zhou Fuyou could respond to their offers, the four began sniping at one another.
"Inherited the majority of the Star Gate's essence? Fellow Daoist Hui, you overestimate yourself! I know full well that you were the last to join the council of elders, taking over the seat vacated by the Alchemy Saint after his ascension. Just how much of the Star Gate's heritage do you truly grasp?"
"The True Dragon Divine Technique merely possesses the form, nothing more. Lacking true divine ability substance, its threshold is absurdly high."
"The orthodox methods of the Tianyuan Dao Sect? Which of our four halls does not possess them?"
"Fairy Qinglan is also far too arrogant. You are merely in the mid Nascent Soul stage yourself; how dare you speak of the path to Deity Transformation!"
***
Amid the growing chaos, Zhan Bingtao coughed heavily.
"What a disgrace!"
The hall fell utterly silent in an instant.
Then, Zhan Bingtao looked toward Zhou Fuyou.
"The four halls of the Dao Palace are none of them ordinary. With your aptitude, receiving guidance from any of them will allow you to smoothly form a core and condense a nascent soul. As for Deity Transformation, that will require even greater effort on your own part."
"How do you choose? Give us your answer!"
Chapter 1041