"City Lord, these are the official documents submitted from below."
A subordinate cradled a stack of documents and set them onto the desk before the City Lord, dividing them into two neat piles.
The City Lord was a female cultivator of rare, striking beauty, but no one dared question her authority, nor did anyone dare make casual remarks about her appearance.
To hold the position of City Lord in a city teeming with male cultivators was proof enough of her formidable methods and cultivation.
"Three whole days have already passed. Why hasn't he come down yet?"
Luo Hong sat in the grand hall of the City Lord Manor on the third floor. The identity she had given herself was that of the City Lord.
Having wrapped up the city's affairs, she looked up toward the sky as she routinely did—toward the fourth floor.
Suddenly, a breach opened in the firmament. Three figures darted out from the rift, vanishing in a flash before reappearing right inside the City Lord Manor's hall.
"Senior Luo Hong, we meet again," Lu Yang greeted with a grin.
Luo Hong was speechless.
*If I remember correctly, you went up alone. How did one person turn into three coming back down?*
Moreover, Luo Hong found the two women behind Lu Yang unfathomably deep and terrifyingly powerful.
As the spirit of the mystic realm, Luo Hong could mobilize all the realm's power. It contained countless treasures, yet not a single prodigy of the demon race had ever dared force their way back in after growing into a mighty figure, which spoke volumes about her terrifying strength.
Even so, she had a distinct feeling that she was no match for the two figures behind Lu Yang.
In fact, she felt an instinctive sense of reverence toward the woman dressed in red.
"Luo Hong pays respects to the Mistress!"
Luo Hong immediately dropped to her knees and kowtowed before Jiang Lianyi.
"Wait a moment. Who are you?"
Jiang Lianyi stepped aside, unwilling to have someone kneel to her without rhyme or reason.
"I am the spirit of the mystic realm created by the Master."
"Who is your master?"
"Shihe. Master bade me address him as Immortal Kirin."
Shihe was Immortal Kirin's true name.
"Master created this mystic realm and declared that if anyone answered all the questions on the third floor correctly, they were to be permitted into the fourth floor. Mistress dwelt within the fourth floor, and once Mistress appeared, everything in this mystic realm, including myself, would belong to her."
A complex immortal seal surfaced on Luo Hong's forehead. Cupping the seal in both hands, she respectfully presented it to Jiang Lianyi.
"It is indeed the imprint left by my husband."
Jiang Lianyi accepted the seal. It was the Realm Seal; holding it granted control over everything in the mystic realm.
In an instant, Jiang Lianyi sensed the entire structure of the realm. A single thought from her could command Luo Hong to do anything, and the realm's treasury could now be opened at will.
With a casual sweep of her hand, Jiang Lianyi tore open a spatial rift, revealing mountains of treasures piled high inside.
These treasures, which would drive even the mighty figures of the demon race mad with envy, were nothing remarkable in Jiang Lianyi's eyes.
"Is there anything you need?" Jiang Lianyi turned to ask Lu Yang. If he wanted them, she was willing to give him all these treasures.
Lu Yang felt a bit conflicted. The treasures were undeniably valuable, but he did not lack wealth. He had no need for spirit stones, and as for magical treasures, nothing in the hoard was likely more precious than the Green Blade Sword. When it came to cultivation insights and techniques, with the Scripture Pavilion and Eldest Senior Sister backing him, he had no reason to consult the notes left by demon experts.
"I heard a prodigy of the demon race once found an immortal herb here that could advance one's cultivation by an entire major realm with zero side effects. Is that true?"
Jiang Lianyi reached across space and pulled a spirit herb from the second floor. It bore seven leaves, each sparkling like starlight.
"You are referring to the Seven Star Moon Chasing Grass. Its growth requirements are extraordinarily harsh, and it can indeed raise one's cultivation by a full realm—for instance, taking someone from the late Golden Core stage straight to the late Nascent Soul stage. Calling it an immortal herb, however, greatly overstates its worth. Once consumed, one can never break through to the Tribulation Transcendence stage."
"Forget it then." Lu Yang believed cultivation required steady, gradual progression; there was no need to rush.
Jiang Lianyi planted the Seven Star Moon Chasing Grass back where it came from.
"Could I pick a few swords to form a sword formation?" Lu Yang asked suddenly.
"Of course."
Jiang Lianyi beckoned with a finger, and seven precious swords of distinct designs, each exceptionally rare and valuable, floated out from the heap of treasures, glinting with chilly radiance.
"All seven are yours."
These were every single sword within the Ancient Realm of Good Fortune, and each was a growth-type dharma treasure.
Names were engraved on their hilts: Tianshu, Tianxuan, Tianji...
Being the most familiar with these items, Luo Hong introduced them, "These names correspond to the ancient Big Dipper. This set of swords is known as the Seven Stars Sword Set."
Above each blade floated the numeral "two."
"Fine items indeed!"
Lu Yang was, after all, a sword cultivator. Receiving seven distinctive, exquisite swords brought a grin to his face that stretched from ear to ear.
"How do I make them recognize me as their master? Through blood bonding?"
Luo Hong replied solemnly, "It is not that simple. These seven swords possess spirituality. Taming them requires nurturing the swords with your body, your heart, and your blood. It is a lengthy process—at best a month, at worst a whole year."
The Seven Stars Sword Set let out a series of resonant hums, as if confirming Luo Hong's words.
Sword cultivators possessed pride, but the precious swords had an arrogance of their own. Not just anyone could wield them at will. At their creation, three rules had been established for their use:
None but an extraordinary sword cultivator could wield them; none but a peerless genius could wield them; none could wield them without moving them through utter sincerity.
Though the Seven Stars swords had not developed full sentience, they possessed profound spirituality.
The Immortal Fairy stepped forward. Whichever sword hummed the loudest, she gave it a sound thump. Once the Seven Stars Sword Set fell completely silent, she pointed at Lu Yang and barked, "Follow him from now on, understand?!"
The Seven Stars swords let out tremulous hums, shivering and trembling.
Casual though those thumps appeared, they were strikes aimed directly at their spiritual nature. Had the Immortal Fairy wished it, a few light taps would have wiped away their spirituality entirely.
Immediately after, they floated over to Lu Yang, rubbing against him with eager affection.
Lu Yang quickly backed away. Having a fluffy little bunny nuzzle up to him was one thing, but seven sharp blades rubbing against him? Did they want to slice him into ribbons?
Lu Yang dashed ahead while the Seven Stars Sword Set pursued him with relentless determination, hot on his heels. In the end, Lu Yang simply stored them inside his identity jade pendant, which finally restored peace and quiet.
Jiang Lianyi turned back to Luo Hong. "Continue performing your previous duties in the mystic realm. Carry on as usual."
"Yes!"
"Also, do not breathe a word about me or Sister Immortal to anyone outside."
"Understood!"
On their way down from the fourth floor, the Immortal Fairy had cautioned Jiang Lianyi against speaking of her presence to outsiders, as doing so might alert the enemy prematurely.
"Let us depart. It is high time to see what today's cultivation world looks like."
Three hundred thousand years had passed; undoubtedly, old friends were gone, and the world had completely changed.
"Speaking of old acquaintances, there actually is one lately," Lu Yang said, stroking his chin. By now, the Immortal Fairy had already returned to his spiritual space.
"Who?"
"Ancient Dijiang. He slumbered from the ancient era until recently. After waking up, he set out to unify the Demon Domain and establish a Demon Empire. If we leave now, we might just arrive in time for his founding ceremony."
Jiang Lianyi froze for a moment before realizing which Ancient Dijiang Lu Yang was talking about. Truly, the world had changed beyond recognition.
"He can establish a Demon Empire now? Grown quite capable, has he?"
"There is one more matter on which I would like your guidance."
"You are the one who revived Sister Immortal, so there is no need for such restraint before me. Speak freely."
"Have you ever heard of the Heavenly Court?"
Chapter 599