Gift-Giving
There stood an old man and a young boy.
The elder wore a yellow robe, his hair white as snow.
The younger looked only seven or eight years old, dressed properly in brocade garments.
The arrivals were none other than Bai Gufeng, the patriarch of the Treasure Gathering Hall, and his grandson Bai Xiaochun.
Their appearance left the crowd below shaken once more.
Bai Gufeng's cultivation aura was equally staggering.
The envoys from the Empire instantly recognized Bai Gufeng.
Wasn't he the head patriarch of the Treasure Gathering Hall?
Of course, they also noticed the young boy beside him.
At a glance, they were stunned.
Core Formation stage!
Such a young Core Formation cultivator was truly terrifying!
Earlier upon arrival, they had witnessed the cultivation levels of Murong Xue and others.
Their prowess had left the envoys in awe.
They had thought this sect emerged from nowhere.
Only after seeing the young cultivators' abilities did they realize their mistake.
This sect was no ordinary place.
With talents like the young Murong Xue, even in the mainland, they would rank among the top geniuses!
After Bai Gufeng's arrival, his gaze first fell upon Zhen Dangteng in the sky.
His brows furrowed slightly.
Then he shifted his gaze downwards, landing on Long Aotian before Murong's palace.
His eyes narrowed to slits.
Ah, so these old fellows knew of that eminent figure too.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have come in person!
He scanned everyone below.
His gaze swept over them like a scanner, even glancing at the giant snake and black flood dragon.
Finally, his eyes settled on the three envoys from the Qian Yu Empire.
He noticed their grim expressions.
Ah, so that explained it.
Not long ago, he had wondered why the Celestial Emperor's Pavilion suddenly pressured the Qian Yu Empire.
He had sent people to inquire.
The answer was that the empire had offended an existence.
Putting everything together now, he understood who that existence was.
Bai Gufeng flashed down and landed on the ground.
Just as he landed, Zhen Dangteng appeared beside him.
Thus, the three peak experts of the mainland stood together.
The three scrutinized each other, their gazes solemn.
With their experience, a single thought revealed the truth.
The other two had come in person because of that figure.
It was just unclear when each of them had met that personage.
And whose relationship with that one was closer.
"What a coincidence, my friends," Bai Gufeng smiled at Zhen Dangteng and Long Aotian.
Long Aotian smiled too, "Indeed, quite a coincidence."
"Yes, I didn't expect you would also come here," Zhen Dangteng said with a smile.
Their words carried hidden meanings.
Others thought they spoke of coming to this place.
Only they knew what they truly referred to.
Murong watched the three, swallowing hard.
Good heavens!
Three top experts had arrived!
He could stake his life that the predecessor had invited them to make a grand occasion of this!
Haha, with these three here, wouldn't the sect's opening ceremony gain the entire mainland's attention?
"My three seniors, please forgive any disrespect!" Murong hurriedly greeted them.
He felt the three were connected to the predecessor, and as someone who had helped establish a sect for the predecessor, he saw no need to be modest about his standing. He aimed to engage them as peers.
Upon Murong's words, Long Aotian and the others no longer probed each other's ties. They all turned to Murong with polite smiles.
"Friend, I am Bai Gufeng of the Treasure Gathering Hall. If you don't mind, you can call me Elder Bai," Bai Gufeng spoke first, beaming amiably.
Murong, his heart blossoming like a flower, happily addressed him as "Elder Bai."
Not to be outdone, Zhen Dangteng stepped forward, "Friend, I am Zhen Dangteng, dean of the Book Mountain Academy. You can call me Elder Zhen if you don't mind."
Murong blinked, feeling an unrealistic sense as the two peak experts addressed him so. But with his strong mentality, he quickly accepted it. In his view, his relationship with the predecessor might even surpass theirs, so in terms of status, he was no lesser man.
After the introductions, Murong prepared to personally lead them into the plaza. Yet at that moment, Long Aotian smiled, "Before we enter, Brother Murong, please accept this gift first."
With that, he opened the box directly.
Suddenly, a majestic spiritual aura, like a mist, gushed forth.
The surroundings instantly filled with spiritual energy!
"This... this is a supreme spiritual vein!!" Murong's eyes widened, his hands trembling slightly.
Spiritual veins were ranked from low-grade, mid-grade, high-grade, supreme-grade, to ultimate-grade!
The high-grade vein gifted earlier by the Qian Yu Empire was worth a million spirit stones.
But this ultimate spiritual vein was priceless!
At this moment, Murong and the others felt an utter sense of dreaminess.
This gift was too precious!
"Brother Murong, I noticed your sect's mountains lack spiritual energy, which hinders your disciples' cultivation. So I brought out this ultimate spiritual vein from the Celestial Emperor's Pavilion's deepest reserves," Long Aotian smiled warmly.
Although this vein seemed a gift for Murong, Long Aotian's true intention was to honor the predecessor.
Murong's hands trembled slightly, hesitant to accept something so invaluable.
"This is too much, too precious!" Murong tried to wave it away.
Had the Qian Yu Empire gifted it, he would have accepted without hesitation.
Seeing Murong's refusal, Long Aotian approached and said quietly, "Brother Murong, this is also a gesture for the predecessor. Please accept it."
Murong blinked, pondered briefly, then nodded in agreement.
"Thank you, Elder Long!" Murong expressed his gratitude with cupped fists.
Long Aotian smiled, brushing off such formalities.
To the watching crowd, this scene struck like thunderbolts, ringing in their heads.
This... this was too much!
Surely not real, right?
In the Qian Yu Empire's camp, Liu Guangpu's mouth twitched uncontrollably.
Truly a case of one man's meat being another's poison!
He regretted gifting only a spiritual vein now.
The contrast made their gift look pitiful in comparison.
He had no face left!
After Long Aotian presented his gift, Zhen Dangteng stepped forward next.
Smiling at Murong, he said, "Brother Murong, it was rude of this old man to arrive uninvited. Please accept this small token."
With a wave of his hand, a painting box a zhang long, three inches wide, and two inches tall appeared.
Exquisite patterns adorned the box, quite eye-catching.
Long Aotian's brow furrowed slightly upon seeing it.
Surely not that item!
After summoning the box, Zhen Dangteng opened it directly.
In an instant, a painting floated out.
It unfurled and hovered motionlessly in the sky.
The painting depicted three objects:
A dragon.
A phoenix.
And the sun.
"This painting, named 'Dragon and Phoenix Auspicious Omen', is a treasure of our Book Mountain Academy. But for your newly established sect, I shall part with it willingly," Zhen Dangteng smiled.