Chapter 2
At the summit of the Immortal Palace's Sacred Mountain within a secret, ethereal realm, the mist was vast and boundless. The mountain ranges were majestic and imposing. In the night sky, the myriad stars, glittering with light, seemed to descend upon the peaks. From a distance, it looked like a celestial paradise touching the heavens.
"A meeting summoned by Father in the middle of the night?"
In a grand hall of the Immortal Palace, with walls of white jade and gold, a young man with magnificent red hair sat at a desk in a study. Looking at the youth who had come to notify him, he said with surprise. This man appeared to be around 18 years old, but his striking red hair was elegant and flowing. He had a high-bridged nose, slightly upturned lips, and a rather fresh and handsome appearance. A charming and handsome young man.
The youth who had come to deliver the message, however, had black hair and was clearly younger than the handsome young man. He had fair, tender skin and a clever, well-behaved look, but his figure was slightly short and rather thin, like a little monkey. At this moment, he hurried to the desk of the red-haired youth and said, panting, "Yes, yes, yes! It's a decree from His Majesty, the Divine Emperor! We must be there within half an hour!"
With his father urgently calling a meeting in the dead of night, the red-haired youth knew this was no ordinary matter. His expression turned serious, and he said in a deep voice, "Since it is Father's command, there must be an important matter. Let's go."
He rose, straightening his robes with swift, crisp movements, and strode out of the study. The black-haired youth followed closely behind him.
This red-haired, handsome young man was named Wei Yufeng. He had just turned 18 and was the son of the Divine Emperor of the Tianxing Immortal Palace, Wei Wuyuan, and his former wife. The thin, small youth following him was named Wei Yuming, aged 16, Wei Yufeng's cousin and the son of the Divine Emperor Wei Wuyuan's younger brother.
Wei Yufeng's mother was from the Jiang clan, and had died from complications during his birth. Because of this, the Divine Emperor Wei Wuyuan doted on this son exceptionally, allowing him to enjoy a life of wealth and luxury. From a young age, he was groomed as the heir to the Tianxing Immortal Palace. Wei Yuming, his childhood companion, was close to him in age. The two grew up together, sharing a deep bond, and he was also the designated member of the royal clan who would assist Wei Yufeng when he came of age.
The Tianxing Immortal Palace's Divine Emperor, Wei Wuyuan, was the number one expert of the current era. It was said that he had faintly glimpsed the path to the Immortal Realm, but due to his noble status, he rarely took action against others. Eighteen years ago, his forced marriage to Ning Xuefei, the "Number One Beauty of Longyue," was known to all. Outsiders did not know the state of their relationship, but in the second year of their union, Ning Xuefei gave birth to a daughter for Wei Wuyuan, named Wei Miaoshu.
Wei Yufeng was clever and intelligent. Raised as the heir from a young age, he was the recipient of immense adoration. He was naturally talented, serious in his conduct, and though young, he possessed a great sense of responsibility. He handlined the Immortal Palace's affairs meticulously and was highly regarded by his elders.
In the dark night, a light rain drizzled on the mountaintop of the Immortal Palace. The solemn and majestic main hall of the palace stood tall upon the mountain range. Its walls were built of white jade and gold bricks, with pavilions, towers, carved beams, and painted rafters, presenting an extraordinary and magnificent sight.
The Divine Emperor had never summoned anyone in the middle of the night. Although Wei Yufeng was mischievous and didn't like to meddle in the palace's affairs, he knew something significant must have happened. He hurried to the inner hall of the Immortal Palace. From afar, he saw the hall was brightly lit. The palace guards at the entrance saw Wei Yufeng and his cousin Wei Yuming arrive and immediately led them inside.
Upon entering the inner hall, which usually served as the Divine Emperor's study and was therefore not overly large, they saw that several people had already arrived besides them. Wei Yufeng glanced around. The Divine Emperor was seated behind a large, luxurious desk, and the palace's subordinates were all standing in the hall. He walked in and performed a kneeling salute to the Divine Emperor.
Wei Yufeng took a look at the Divine Emperor seated behind the large desk. The Tianxing Immortal Palace's Divine Emperor, Wei Wuyuan, sat with a solemn expression. His exceptionally elegant red hair was neatly tied behind his head. He had thick eyebrows, large eyes, a commanding presence, and a heroic and majestic bearing. He was tall and powerfully built. At this moment, he was full of vigor, his eyes sharp and bright. Though he wore a loose-fitting robe, one could still discern his robust physique beneath it. His bulging temples indicated profound internal energy.
Besides Wei Yufeng and the Divine Emperor, there were five others attending the meeting.
Closest to the Divine Emperor was a white-bearded old man in a purple robe. This was Elder Ning Yuanlong. He was over 70 years old, the younger brother of Ning Yuanhong, the former master of the Immortal Palace before the "Tianxing Rebellion." He was also the representative of the Ning clan, who had surrendered to Wei Wuyuan.
Next to him stood a tall, sturdy man with a square, imposing face. This was Wei Wuyuan's younger brother, Wei Wuxin. He was fiercely loyal to his brother and had made numerous contributions over the years. He was the leading figure of the Wei clan within the original Tianxing Sect and also Wei Yuming's father.
Opposite him, the first person was a middle-aged man who was short, fat, and ugly-looking, with a round belly. However, he was dressed in rich attire. This man was named Liu Ji, a guest from the Western Regions who had pledged allegiance to the Tianxing Immortal Palace. He was a capable schemer with exceptional intelligence, eloquent, and a master of social maneuvering. He was the Divine Emperor's capable strategist and lobbyist.
Beside him was a middle-aged man with a cold, stern, and ugly, sinister appearance. His name was Xiao Guang. Although unremarkable in looks, his martial arts were extremely sinister and cunning. He acted ruthlessly and decisively, excelling at dirty, underhanded conspiracies, and was deeply trusted by the Divine Emperor.
The last person stood at the end of the line. He was an extraordinarily handsome, dashing young man. He had elegant long hair, a slender figure, and a magnificent appearance, standing tall and straight like a jade tree. His face was as handsome as jade, his complexion as fair as the hibiscus flower. His two sword-like eyebrows added a touch of heroic spirit, making him a thoroughly handsome and dashing young man. He was dressed in a styish and elegant white long gown, fanning himself with a paper fan. However, the faint, hard lines visible beneath his long shirt indicated that this man was no easy mark.
This man was Hu Hong, the son of the Lord of Hundred Flowers Island, who bore the beautiful title "Jade of the Hundred Flowers."
Hundred Flowers Island was a mysterious island in the remote eastern seas. Legend said it was also the descendant of seven heroic immortals. The island's lord, Song Xuanyue, was one of the three great beauties of the current era, on par with the "Immortal Palace's Holy Consort" Ning Xuefei and the "Xuanmei Demon Queen" of the Evil Moon Sect. Her son, Hu Hong, had long been active in the martial world. He was born heroic and extraordinary, and was a well-known handsome man throughout the martial world.
However, he had been a guest at the Immortal Palace for a long time recently, and no one knew what he was here for.
When everyone saw Wei Yufeng enter the hall, they all cupped their hands in salute. As the Divine Emperor's only son, Wei Yufeng was the undisputed heir, so his status was naturally revered. He returned the salute with a nod. His gaze swept across the crowd, and seeing everyone's grave expressions, as if they were troubled, his heart couldn't help but tighten. Though young, he was meticulous and knew that something big was bound to happen tonight.
The Divine Emperor waved a large hand and said in a thick, firm voice, "Wuxin, everyone is here. You may speak."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Wei Wuxin cleared his throat and said in a loud voice, "Since the beginning of this year, the Evil Moon Demon Cult has been stirring. Not only have they assassinated our Immortal Palace's disciples several times, but they have also committed vile acts like intercepting and killing innocent civilians and slaughtering their righteous counterparts. Currently, I have received a secret report that the Evil Moon Cult has secretly joined forces with the northern barbarian tribe, the 'Shituo.' They will soon launch a secret attack on the Qiyan Palace, intending to seize the secret treasure of the Imperial Sword Sect kept there."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present's expression turned grave. The Qiyan Palace was the Immortal Palace's largest branch in the outside world. It housed the secret treasure of the former master of the Imperial Sword Sect, and many relatives of the Wei clan and the Immortal Palace's disciples resided there.
The northern barbarian tribe, the 'Shituo,' were uncivilized barbarians and mortal enemies of the Central Plains. The fact that the Evil Moon Cult had allied with them showed their sinister ambition to unleash a bloody storm across the Central Plains.
"Divine Emperor, the Evil Moon Demon Cult has always been our Immortal Palace's mortal enemy. Its cultists are proficient in all sorts of insidious arts. We are in the open, and they are in the dark. Now that they have also allied with the 'Shituo,' this old minister suggests we expand our scope, send more subordinates out to scout the enemy's movements, and learn more about the situation before making a decision. We should not act rashly immediately."
At this point, the purple-robed Elder Ning Yuanlong stepped forward. He had always been mature and prudent.
For a moment, the others did not express their opinions. The Divine Emperor's face was grim as he asked the others, "You are all my right and left arms. What do you think?"
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