The Central Continent.
Immortal Emperors—figures of legend rarely seen even once in a lifetime—were gathered at the Tianyi Sect.
Six men and three women stood together in a secluded valley known as Severance Ravine.
This ravine was the residence and cultivation retreat of Guan Song, the patriarch of the Tianyi Sect. Normally a place of isolation and silence, it now buzzed with the suppressed tension of unparalleled power.
"Brother Guan, Sister Wen, are you certain about this?" asked Beiye Xun, the dignified-looking patriarch of the Lingxiao Academy, one of the Sacred Grounds.
"It's absolutely true," Guan Song replied with a calm nod. "If you don't believe us, you may search her soul yourselves."
As he spoke, Guan Song casually waved his hand. A figure, limp as a rag doll, was flung before the group.
It was Yue Ran.
Her face was hauntingly beautiful, but her eyes were vacant. Drool leaked from the corner of her mouth as she giggled senselessly, a silvery thread trailing down her chin.
None of the nine Immortal Emperors showed the slightest hint of pity. Instead, they urged impatiently, "Then get on with the soul search."
Beiye Xun stepped forward.
Under normal circumstances, Yue Ran's cultivation level would not have withstood even one such soul search, let alone multiple attempts. But Guan Song had administered a secret elixir that temporarily raised her cultivation by two entire realms.
The cost? Her cultivation would slowly disintegrate over the next two years.
Even with that enhancement, the resulting soul image was faint and blurry—an ephemeral painting that seemed ready to dissolve at any moment.
The nine stared unblinking at the painting.
In it, they saw a lightning tribulation—fierce and terrifying—halted not by force, but by a single cold command. The thunderclouds recoiled like a frightened beast.
Not one of them could do that.
Not even when they were at the God General or God King stages.
No one ever had.
It wasn't uncommon for cultivators of higher realms to forcibly assist others in surviving tribulations through sheer might. But this? A single word?
And what's more, the lightning itself had acted as if... wronged. It whimpered.
That was beyond anything they had seen or even imagined.
"Brother Guan, are you sure this figure is from the Outer Tower?" Beiye Xun broke the heavy silence.
"I can't say for sure," Guan Song admitted. "But we found a sect token on one of their group. It was engraved with the character 'Outer.'"
"Outer… That is the mark of the Outer Tower," nodded Wen Xin, matriarch of the Wen Clan.
"Then we must pay them a visit," said Fu Yishu of the Fu Clan, her tone resolute.
"I agree," Guan Song responded.
"Prepare generous gifts. We leave in three days," suggested Zhuo Xiyan, matriarch of the Haoran Sect.
"I recommend we depart today," Guan Song countered. "When someone of such power reveals themselves, sooner is better than later."
"I don't know…" murmured Wenren Jiu, patriarch of the Wenren Clan, who had remained silent until now. His brow furrowed deeply. "Someone who can disperse a tribulation with a mere word… What kind of being would that be?"
"Have any of you ever seen such a thing?"
"And even if such a being exists, why would they come to the Wastelands?"
"This place is desolate. Even dogs wouldn't bother."
"We cultivate our entire lives just for the chance to escape this place. Why would someone that powerful choose to come here?"
"Could it be a trick?"
"Besides, the soul image is too faint. We can't make out many of the details."
"You make a good point," Beiye Xun said with a nod. "Perhaps it's best we visit the Yue Clan in Heng City first."
"Their clan head is at the Immortal General stage—he might have clearer insight," Guan Song agreed.
With the decision made, the nine Immortal Emperors activated a teleportation array and vanished.
Moments later, they appeared before the grand gates of the Yue Clan estate.
Nine Immortal Emperors arriving unannounced nearly gave Yue Dekong a heart attack. The clan's patriarch began walking with mismatched steps out of sheer panic. Even Yue Qingqian, the clan's reclusive ancestor, abandoned his seclusion and rushed to greet them.
"Esteemed ones, your presence graces our humble estate," Yue Qingqian said with a wide, ingratiating smile. The wrinkles on his old face folded like blooming flowers. He bowed so low it looked like he might fall over.
Today, the Yue Clan's fortunes had turned.
Entertaining nine Immortal Emperors? Tomorrow, they'd be the uncontested leaders of Heng City.
No—of the entire southeastern quadrant of the Central Continent!
If he played this right, the Yue Clan could become the top family under the Nine Great Powers.
The thought alone made Yue Qingqian's eyes gleam with green ambition.
"Who is the head of the Yue Clan?" Guan Song asked.
He had been told the Yue Clan patriarch was at the Immortal General level, but his spiritual perception didn't detect such a presence. The two highest cultivators here were only at the Immortal King and Immortal Spirit levels.
Had there been a breakthrough?
Yue Dekong opened his mouth to speak, but Yue Qingqian beat him to it. "Esteemed Immortals, I am the current patriarch of the Yue Clan."
Guan Song nodded. "Then find us a quiet place. We have questions."
So he had broken through to the Immortal King stage.
It was a surprising development.
In truth, Yue Qingqian had made that breakthrough years ago. But the tribulation nearly killed him. The Heavenly Dao's rewards had barely been enough to save his life and repair some of the damage.
He had spent years in seclusion, healing—draining almost all of the clan's resources in the process.
Fortunately, Yue Ran had managed to win favor with the Tianyi Sect and bring back precious cultivation aids.
Only recently had Yue Qingqian stabilized at the early Immortal King stage.
"Yes, of course," he said, nodding eagerly. "Please, this way."
Yue Dekong quickly stepped aside. "Honored guests, this way."
Yue Qingqian frowned slightly, then instructed, "Ah Kong, go prepare refreshments for our guests."
Yue Dekong looked displeased, but nodded obediently. "Understood."
He too wanted to bask in the presence of the Immortal Emperors—it would be the bragging point of a lifetime.
Still, with the old ancestor here, his role was limited. Despite being the official patriarch, his seniority was too low to challenge orders.
But preparing tea for Immortal Emperors? That was still something to boast about.
With a lighter step, he headed off.
Soon, Yue Qingqian led the nine Emperors into a private building known as the Hidden Pavilion.
Lavish in design, but quiet and refined—it was his own residence.
"I apologize for the humble surroundings," Yue Qingqian said, bowing and scraping.
"So much talking," Wenren Jiu sneered. "Enough wasting time."
"I'll do it," said Fu Yishu. She stepped forward and flicked a thread of spiritual energy from her fingertip. It shot into Yue Qingqian's forehead.
There was no time to dodge. Yue Qingqian, being only a first-level Immortal King, could do nothing.
But he didn't collapse into mindless stupor either.
Which meant he retained full awareness—and that terrified him.
"P-please… have mercy…" he trembled. The soul-searching art was notorious for leaving cultivators as husks.
Even with his current cultivation, he wouldn't last long.
"Quiet," Fu Yishu snapped, her fingers weaving a seal.
A soul image unfolded before them—much clearer and far more detailed than Yue Ran's had been.
It even carried the sensation of being physically present in the scene.
But—
What it depicted was completely different from Yue Ran's vision.
All they saw was a luxurious chamber. Nothing more.