Chen Qingyuan’s consciousness scanned around, and his soul couldn’t help but tremble.
Buzz!
A tide of laws surged, and in front of Chen Qingyuan appeared a tightly closed white umbrella.
The appearance of the white umbrella triggered a certain restriction within the jade bracelet, and a cold voice came, “Chen Qingyuan, Your first agreement is to gift this beautiful umbrella to your sweetheart at her wedding.”
‘Giving a white umbrella as a wedding gift, isn’t that cursing someone else?’
Hearing this voice, could it be that she was jealous?
Chen Qingyuan felt embarrassed. He thought the first task of the agreement would be challenging, but he didn’t expect it to be like this.
When Chen Qingyuan entered the Heavenly Abyss, the girl in the red dress wanted to become his Dao companion and often teased him. In response, Chen Qingyuan mentioned he already had a fiancée and declined directly.
It was not that the woman in red was unattractive; on the contrary, she possessed an incredibly beautiful appearance, unlike an ordinary mortal, indescribable in words. Although Bai Xixue from the Dongyi Palace was considered stunning, she couldn’t compare to the girl in the red dress by far.
Their temperaments alone made a world of difference.
“Why do I feel like she’s a bit cunning?” Chen Qingyuan murmured softly.
Initially, Chen Qingyuan had already severed the karmic ties with Bai Xixue, leaving everything in the past. Who would have thought that the girl in red would pull off such a move, making Chen Qingyuan attend her marriage whether he wanted to or not.
*********************
After resting for a few days, Chen Qingyuan planned to leave Mingyue City and return to the Mystical Azure Dao Sect.
Calculating the time, there was still half a year until the day of the alliance between Tianyu Sect and Dongyi Palace.
“Senior, I should take my leave,” Chen Qingyuan said, clasping his fists toward Li Muyang, who was sitting in the courtyard.
“If you encounter any difficulties in the future, you can come here to find me,” Li Muyang.
“Alright,” Chen Qingyuan replied without hesitation; it was like a life-saving talisman.
Once Chen Qingyuan left, Li Muyang gazed into the distance, deep in thought.
************************************
Mystical Azure Dao Sect, Hall of Discussion.
The crowd was discussing the normal affairs within the sect when they brought up the matter of the alliance between Tianyu Sect and Dongyi Palace, intending to send an elder to participate perfunctorily.
As the day of the alliance approached, many representatives from various forces had already set out, and Dongyi Palace was becoming livelier.
“The junior Elder has returned!”
As Chen Qingyuan arrived at the entrance of Mystical Azure Dao Sect, the disciples guarding the gate immediately reported this.
To avoid trouble, Chen Qingyuan concealed his cultivation. As long as he carried the jade bracelet, he could trigger the restriction inside to hide his spiritual fluctuations.
The Eternal Star Sword Immortal had repeatedly warned him not to tell anyone about the matter of the Golden Physique, as it could lead to terrifying karmic consequences and harm the people around him.
Moreover, the Eternal Star Sword Immortal didn’t want his whereabouts exposed, so Chen Qingyuan couldn’t explain that his spiritual roots had been restored. He decided to find a suitable opportunity to tell his senior brothers later.
“Junior Brother, where have you been for the past half year?” Elder Dong Wenjun, the Elder of the sect, put aside all his tasks and hurriedly came out to greet Chen Qingyuan.
“Just went out to clear my mind,” Chen Qingyuan replied with a faint smile.
Other elders also came to the backyard and chatted with Chen Qingyuan. The last time he returned, he didn’t stay long before going out again. They hadn’t had a chance to sit together and have a cup of tea.
When Chen Qingyuan had just returned last time, it caused quite a stir, and many sects wanted to meet him to gather information about the Heavenly Abyss Forbidden Area.
However, they heard that Chen Qingyuan had become a waste, feigned death, and escaped. Coupled with the firm attitude of the Mystical Azure Dao Sect, other sects refrained from pressing him for answers.
Now, with the alliance between the two sects, the attention of the forces in the Flowing Star Domain shifted to the Mystical Azure Dao Sect.
In the vast Northern Wasteland, there were countless star domains. The Flowing Star Domain alone had tens of thousands of sects.
The Mystical Azure Dao Sect was considered a top power in this region, carrying significant prestige.
“Junior Brother, that woman from Dongyi Palace regrets breaking off the marriage. It’s her loss, don’t be overly concerned. We will surely come up with a good plan to restore your spiritual roots and bring back your former glory,” a white-bearded senior brother assumed that Chen Qingyuan’s recent moodiness was due to the alliance between the two sects and quickly tried to comfort him.
“Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother Xu,” Chen Qingyuan expressed his gratitude.
Chen Qingyuan’s heart warmed, and he smiled.
“Today, we rarely gather like this. Let’s not talk about these troublesome matters. Let’s raise our cups and drink together,” said Sect Master Lin Changsheng, sitting in the middle, as he stood up and lifted his cup.
“Cheers.”
Everyone stood up and drank from their cups, whether it was filled with wine or tea.
The internal unity of the Mystical Azure Dao Sect was strong, unlike other forces that schemed and pursued personal gain. Of course, there were occasional minor frictions within the sect, but they were easily resolved and no significant problems arose.
The solidarity among the high-level members of the sect was largely due to the efforts of the late Patriarch. They had put in a lot of effort to maintain unity. The core elders who sat here today, drinking tea and wine together, had all received the late Patriarch’s favor.
About two hundred years ago, the late Patriarch brought back an infant in swaddling clothes and accepted the child as a closed-door disciple. Shortly afterward, the late Patriarch passed away.
Since then, the elders attached great importance to the baby boy. On the surface, they recognized him as a junior elder, but in reality, they treated him as if he were their own kin, like blood relatives.
In truth, throughout his life, the late Patriarch only accepted one disciple, and that was Chen Qingyuan.
The elders referred to Chen Qingyuan as “Junior Brother” because they addressed the late Patriarch as “Senior Uncle.”
“Big Brother, I want to attend the ceremony for the alliance between the two sects,” Chen Qingyuan expressed his thoughts after three rounds of drinking.
As soon as he said this, the hall fell silent, and everyone’s gaze shifted to Chen Qingyuan, unsure of how to respond.
“Why?” Lin Changsheng asked.
With puzzled and astonished gazes, everyone stared directly at Chen Qingyuan.
“To completely sever this karmic bond,” Chen Qingyuan stated firmly.
The crowd pondered, realizing that this reason was indeed irrefutable.
“Have you really thought this through?” Lin Changsheng’s eyes were filled with concern.
“I have,” Chen Qingyuan replied with a slight smile.
“Then you shall go along with Junior Brother Yan,” Lin Changsheng agreed after considering the matter.
“Thank you, Senior Brother,” Chen Qingyuan expressed his gratitude.
The Mystical Azure Dao Sect dispatched the Seventh Elder, Yan Minghai, to deliver a gift to the Tianyu Sect. No matter how awkward their relationship might be, they still needed to maintain a facade.
Two months later, Yan Minghai and a group of over ten people, including Chen Qingyuan, set off.
On a spiritual ship, Yan Minghai wore a deep gray robe and stood at a height of seven feet. His hair was slightly graying.
“Junior Brother, the Sect Master has been busy with your matter lately, seeking many renowned physicians. However, as soon as they learn about your condition, none of them are willing to intervene. They all consider it hopeless,” Yan Minghai said while standing beside Chen Qingyuan and using a mysterious light to protect him.
“I appreciate Senior Brother’s concern,” Chen Qingyuan replied, taking note of these things in his heart.
“Sigh!” Yan Minghai sighed softly, feeling emotional. “Back then, you were unparalleled in grace and renowned throughout the North Wilderness. Now, you have ended up like this. If we had known, even if we had to tie you up, we wouldn’t have let you go to Heavenly Abyss.”
“Senior Brother Yan, there’s no need to worry. Perhaps, this is my destiny,” Chen Qingyuan replied.
Chen Qingyuan couldn’t tell anyone about his experiences in the Heavenly Abyss Forbidden Area to avoid bringing disaster. Besides, some things were best kept to himself.
Not long after, Mystical Azure Dao Sect’s warship arrived in the territory of Tianyu Sect.
Looking around, the void was filled with various spiritual ships and treasures, adorned with flags of various sects, displaying their grandeur.
Tianyu Sect was situated among the misty mountains, with ancient trees rooted in rocks, reaching into the clouds, creating a vast canopy.
At the foot of the mountains, powerful spiritual beasts stood, along with deep green giant pythons soaring in the sky, giant birds with flames burning on their bodies, white horses with wings, and more.
In just over three months, it would be the day of the alliance between the two sects.
Representatives from various sects were now allowed to enter Tianyu Sect, or they could stay inside their own spiritual ships and treasures, waiting for the event.
“Junior Brother, let’s stay here for now! When the day comes, we’ll go inside just to show our presence,” Yan Minghai suggested, intending to stay on the warship to accommodate Chen Qingyuan’s mood.
“Senior Brother Yan, now that we have entered Tianyu Sect’s territory, and you are the representative of Mystical Azure Dao Sect, it might not be appropriate if you don’t make an appearance. You should go and greet fellow cultivators from various sects. I can manage on my own,” Chen Qingyuan said, not wanting to put Yan Minghai in a difficult position.
“That doesn’t seem right!”
Mystical Azure Dao Sect’s warship was parked here, visible to everyone. If Yan Minghai continued to stay hidden, it might appear as if he was putting on airs and affecting their reputation.
“It’s alright, I know what to do. Don’t worry!” Chen Qingyuan assured Yan Minghai with a reassuring look.
After some contemplation, Yan Minghai nodded and agreed, “Alright then, you stay inside during this period, and don’t go out.”
“Sure,” Chen Qingyuan replied as he watched Yan Minghai leave.
Even though Mystical Azure Dao Sect was not an ordinary sect, they still needed to maintain good relations with various top forces and try not to offend anyone.
Therefore, although this event was the alliance ceremony between Tianyu Sect and Dongyi Palace, it also provided an opportunity for various sects to gather together, exchange greetings, and foster good relationships.
After a few hours, someone approached Mystical Azure Dao Sect’s warship, accompanied by a voice with a tinge of sarcasm, “Chen Qingyuan, you actually came to participate in the alliance between the two sects. Aren’t you afraid of losing face?”
The words carried a mocking tone, deliberately trying to make fun of Chen Qingyuan.
