Chapter 300 The Heaven Stele Grand Gathering
Just like that, another day passed plainly on the flying vessel.
Until the morning of the third day, when the bow of the ship pierced through the final layer of clouds, the entire Celestial Capital City unfolded before everyone's eyes like a scroll painting.
"This is..."
Xiao Chen stood at the bow of the ship, his black robe flapping loudly in the high-altitude fierce wind, his voice carrying a rare shock.
This always steady Immortal Spirit Sect Master, with the light bursting from his eyes at this moment, caused the disciples behind him to involuntarily hold their breath.
Meanwhile, Ji Lingxiu beside him revealed a complex expression.
Celestial Capital City—although it was once the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty, it seemed as if it had never truly belonged to Great Zhou.
This majestic city, which had stood in Central State since ancient times, was now like a prehistoric giant beast awakening, unfolding its shocking silhouette before everyone.
The thousand-zhang-high city wall was cast entirely from Starfall Steel, and every brick was engraved with ancient defensive formation patterns.
Under the reflection of the morning sun, the entire wall glowed with a dark golden metallic luster; those flowing formation patterns moved like living creatures on the surface of the wall, guiding the spiritual energy within a radius of a hundred miles into vortex shapes.
The giant guardian statues at the four corners of the city wall suddenly opened their stone eyes, swept across the group of flying vessels in the sky, and then slowly closed again.
But what was most suffocating was the grand sight suspended above the city.
Thousands of flying vessels covered half of the firmament.
The Nine-Dragon Flying Chariot dragged a ten-mile stretch of rosy light, with nine flood dragon phantoms churning within the sea of clouds; the Red Flame Giant Vessel spewed unextinguishable Nirvana Fire, scorching the passing clouds into distorted ripples; the Ice Crystal Flying City refracted seven-colored auroras, causing crystal snow to drift down wherever it passed.
Every flag fluttering on the flying vessels represented a massive entity on the Xuan Ying Continent with an inheritance of over a thousand years.
"This is the Heaven Stele!?"
Jiang Che suddenly looked toward the center of the city.
On his handsome face, which was usually cynical, a rare solemn expression appeared at this moment.
The Heaven Stele Pavilion—that ancient building where the Heaven Stele was said to be enshrined—was currently surrounded by three hundred and sixty-five gigantic pavilions.
These pavilions were arranged according to the heavenly stars; the outermost two hundred or so presented the posture of stars surrounding the moon, the twelve slightly smaller pavilions in the inner circle flowed like the twelve earthly branches, and the eight main pavilions at the very core were like eight scorching suns, guarding the Heaven Stele Pavilion in the center.
That pillar of light piercing heaven and earth at the top of the pavilion could be felt even a hundred miles away for the vast Dao rhyme it contained, as if even time and space were distorted around it.
Han Yu suddenly said softly: "The Lingzhou Zhao Family's flying vessel has arrived."
As soon as his voice fell, a massive eight-hundred-zhang-long Cold Iron Vessel broke through the clouds, its hull shaped like an unsheathed sharp sword, the blade radiating a chilling cold light.
On the deck, hundreds of Zhao Family disciples, all in white and carrying swords on their backs; as they passed the Grand Void Crossing Tribulation Boat, the leading elders solemnly cupped their hands in the direction of Xiao Chen and the others—this was a courtesy between peers only shown to forces of equal standing.
At the tail of the Sword Vessel, the Zhao family's unique "Nine Stars in a Row" flag flapped loudly in the fierce wind.
The corner of Xiao Chen's mouth rose slightly; after the ancestor of the Hong family fell, the Hong family lost its qualification as a top family, and now the Zhao family was clearly the supreme ruler in Lingzhou.
And since Lingzhou bordered Qingzhou, and the Immortal Spirit City monopolized more than half of the spiritual herb market, the two families had quite a few dealings in private and were considered neighbors with good relations.
So Xiao Chen and the others happily returned the courtesy; since they were out here, their identities naturally represented the entire Immortal Spirit Sacred Land.
"Prepare to descend."
Lin Wan's voice came from behind.
Her plain white sleeves moved automatically without wind, and the spiritual power flowing at her fingertips resonated perfectly with the flying vessel's great array.
As the distance from the Immortal Spirit Valley grew, the cultivation realm of this avatar had broken through the shackles of the Saint Realm, reaching a level that made people's hearts tremble.
It was just that the avatar could not use the power of rules, so it could only be considered a half-baked Immortal Venerable.
A dull roar suddenly came from the bottom of the flying vessel, and the bronze dragon head slowly opened its eyes, the gilded vertical pupils reflecting the landing platform that was getting closer.
The twelve pairs of bronze wings on both sides of the hull unfolded simultaneously, and the ferocious beast totems on every feather came to life, issuing a roar that shook the soul.
The entire defensive grand formation of the Celestial Capital City trembled slightly because of this, and several streaks of probing divine sense swept from various main pavilions.
And when the Grand Void Crossing Tribulation Boat turned into a stream of light and entered Lin Wan's sleeve, the people of the Immortal Spirit Sacred Land had steadily landed on the "Warm Spirit Jade" ground unique to the Celestial Capital City.
This spirit jade, produced in the abyss of ten thousand zhang in the East Sea, was currently emitting a soft moon-white glow, plating everyone's robes with a layer of moist immortal light.
"Friends of the Immortal Spirit Sacred Land!"
An old man with white hair and beard quickly welcomed them, accompanied by eight disciples in black clothes.
On the azure robe he wore, the heavenly stars flowed endlessly with his steps, and the Eight Trigrams jade pendant hanging at his waist collided to produce a clear, melodious sound—this was exactly the unique attire of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion.
"To actually be Elder Mo coming to greet them personally, what a huge background!"
"No need for you to say it; just looking at their flying vessel, one can guess, surely another top-tier force!"
In the pavilions in the distance, the peeping gazes immediately restrained themselves quite a bit.
"I am Elder Mo Yandao of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, here specifically to welcome you all."
When he cupped his hands and bowed, his gaze nonchalantly swept over Xiao Chen and the others.
When his sight touched upon Lin Wan, he first paused, then as if thinking of something, his pupils suddenly shrank.
Lin Wan nodded slightly, her plain white veil moving lightly with the wind.
The faintly visible contours under the veil caused fine sweat to instantly seep from Mo Yandao's forehead.
"Please follow this old man to where your sect will be staying."
The old man hastily stepped aside to lead the way, his voice unconsciously lowering a few degrees.
Everyone walked forward along the main road.
"The three hundred and sixty-five pavilions surrounding the Heaven Stele Pavilion,"
Mo Yandao introduced as he walked, his finger pointing at the pillar of light that pierced the heavens and earth in the distance, "correspond to the number of the Heavenly Cycle."
"The Heaven Stele Pavilion at the very center is located at the position of the sun star, with eight main pavilions arranged in the eight directions, forming an inner circle."
"Next is the outer circle formed by twelve slightly smaller pavilions. Beyond these inner and outer circles, the remaining three hundred and forty-five pavilions are arranged according to the star chart; of course, the closer they are to the Heaven Stele Pavilion, the more noble and luxurious they are."
After saying this, he pointed to a nearby seven-story gilded pavilion in the outer circle:
"This 'Immortal Spirit Pavilion' is prepared for your sect..."
Before his words had finished, Xiao Chen suddenly let out a cold snort.
His gaze did not even stay for a moment on that seven-story gilded pavilion called 'Immortal Spirit Pavilion', but instead he led the people of the Immortal Spirit Sacred Land to continue walking forward.
Mo Yandao's face changed drastically:
"Sect Master Xiao, the eight main pavilions have long been arranged."
"Make way."
Lin Wan suddenly spoke.
Just two simple words, yet they caused the spiritual energy within a radius of a hundred zhang to stagnate.
She lightly raised her plain hand, and a breeze brushed past; Mo Yandao was actually pushed three zhang away by an invisible force.
The old man staggered a few steps before steadying his body, his face already filled with shock.
Subsequently, the people of the Immortal Spirit Sacred Land walked straight toward the inner circle...
Xiao Chen led the people of the Immortal Spirit Sacred Land through layers of pavilions and soon arrived before the pavilion shaped like a fierce tiger, red as blood, in the deepest part—this was one of the main pavilions closest to the Heaven Stele Pavilion, and the bronze bells hanging from the eaves were chiming with the spiritual wind.
"This one is not bad."
Xiao Chen nodded slightly, his tone as plain as if he were choosing an ordinary inn.
He tapped his fingertip lightly, and the gilded paint of the words "Heaven Severing" on the pavilion's plaque suddenly wriggled like a living creature, and in the blink of an eye, reorganized into the words "Immortal Spirit".
The sound of gasping in cold air came from several pavilions in the distance.
Mo Yandao stood in place, his lips trembling as they opened and closed.
He looked toward Lin Wan's back—that woman in the plain skirt was just standing quietly before the pavilion.
The old man finally lowered his head in dejection, swallowing the words of dissuasion that had reached his lips.
But just at this moment—
"Immortal Spirit Sacred Land?"
A gloomy voice suddenly came from the side.
Everyone turned their heads and saw an old man in a purple robe standing in the air, the blood-colored sword patterns embroidered on his cuffs indicating his status as an elder of the Heaven Severing Sacred Land.
Floating behind him were twelve blood-colored small swords, each emitting a dense killing intent.
"Your sect has quite a lot of nerve."
The old man narrowed his eyes, his gaze staying on Lin Wan for a moment, before finally landing on Xiao Chen:
"You want to occupy my Heaven Severing Sacred Land's pavilion as soon as you arrive?"
Xiao Chen sneered:
"Do you have an objection?"
"Of course."
The purple-robed old man waved his sleeve, and the twelve blood swords let out piercing whistles simultaneously.
"Even though we are both Sacred Lands, your sect has only risen in recent years."
He swept his gaze over everyone, "In terms of foundation, how can you compare to my Heaven Severing Sacred Land, an old-brand Sacred Land with an inheritance of ten thousand years?"
In the air, invisible pressure began to surge like a tide.
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