“Welcome!”
Several elders from Tianyu Sect, accompanied by a hundred disciples, went out to greet her. Red flower petals floated in the sky, converging into a path leading straight to the gate of Tianyu Sect, creating a beautiful scene.
Bai Xixue wore a red dress, and the hem of her skirt swayed gracefully in the breeze, exuding charm and beauty. She wore a phoenix crown, and her hands were held in front of her, her snow-white skin resembling carved jade. Every move she made exuded allure.
The war chariot stopped, and the Seven Dragon-headed Serpents let out a low roar, intimidating the numerous spirit beasts around. They lowered their heads and submitted.
Following that, Bai Xixue stepped out, with a group of beautiful female disciples trailing behind her.
Besides them, there stood a middle-aged woman named Du Ruosheng, dressed in plain clothes, yet exuding an air of grace and nobility. She was the current Saintess of Dongyi Palace.
In this marriage alliance between the two sects, the sect masters naturally couldn’t be absent.
“Saintess Du, please come in!”
The Sect Master of Tianyu Sect, Qin Yang, also appeared, dressed in a brocade robe, looking dignified and imposing.
Both Sect Masters turned their gazes in the same direction, landing on the warship of Mystical Azure Dao Sect. They were aware that Dong Wenjun of Mystical Azure Dao Sect was present, but as he had not displayed a friendly attitude, there was no need to go and court trouble.
Therefore, Qin Yang and Du Ruosheng, along with others, entered the main hall. The faces of the elders and disciples from both sects were filled with joy and excitement.
After today, Tianyu Sect and Dongyi Palace would form an alliance, gaining more influence in this star domain, with a position that couldn’t be shaken.
Inside the warship, Chen Qingyuan looked at the vast sea of people and murmured, “Such a grand occasion.”
“Junior Brother, be safe,” Dong Wenjun was unsure why Chen Qingyuan was so insistent on attending the marriage celebration between the two sects, but he suspected it was for no good reason.
“I won’t do anything, Senior Brother, rest assured!”
Chen Qingyuan didn’t have deep feelings for Bai Xixue. They got together in the first place because Bai Xixue persistently pursued him. After all, at that time, Chen Qingyuan had extraordinary talent, and many young ladies wanted to get close to him.
“No matter what happens, Senior Brother will protect you. Since Senior Brother is here today, I will definitely ensure your safety and take you home.”
Regardless of what Chen Qingyuan might do, Dong Wenjun had made all kinds of preparations. He even secretly brought the protective treasure of the sect, just in case.
“Thank you, Senior Brother.”
Chen Qingyuan felt warmth in his heart, then turned and walked toward the gate of Tianyu Sect.
Dong Wenjun was a cultivator at the Third Stage of the Tribulation Realm, and at most, he would need to undergo a Heavenly Tribulation every thousand years. He had to go through nine tribulations in total to step into the Mahayana Realm and roam freely between heaven and earth.
In recent years, Dong Wenjun found it increasingly challenging to suppress the fluctuations of the Dao in his body. It was estimated that before long, he would have to face the next Heavenly Tribulation, a life-and-death ordeal.
“I’m getting old; I’m afraid I won’t survive this one,” Dong Wenjun muttered to himself as he watched Chen Qingyuan’s departing figure, “My Senior Brother showed me kindness back then, and you are his only inheritor. Even if I have to risk my life, I will protect you no matter what.”
A hundred years ago, the incident with the Abyss Treasures of the Heavenly Abyss resulted in the complete annihilation of the members of the Mystical Azure Dao Sect who ventured inside. When Dong Wenjun learned of this news, he found it difficult to accept and felt heartbroken.
Now that Chen Qingyuan had returned alive, Dong Wenjun couldn’t bear to let a similar tragedy happen again.
The Main Hall of Tianyu Sect was crowded with people. The high-ranking members of various sects could enter the Inner Hall and enjoy better services, while ordinary disciples had to sit in the Outer Hall and converse with peers of similar status.
“Chen Qingyuan, he really dares to come here.”
“I heard that Chen Qingyuan had a verbal engagement with Bai Xixue from Dongyi Palace in the past. Is he here today to cause trouble?”
“Tianyu Sect and Dongyi Palace are not ordinary forces. If Chen Qingyuan dares to make a scene, he will have a tough time.”
“I expect there will be some excitement to witness.”
As Chen Qingyuan approached from a distance, people became intrigued, showing great interest in the spectacle.
Representatives from various sects presented their gifts, and above the Tianyu Sect, a colorful and auspicious scene manifested in the sky.
The Grand Elder was responsible for receiving the gifts, and his face was filled with joy as he thanked the guests and recorded the items given by various factions.
Chen Qingyuan walked alongside Yan Minghai and arrived at the entrance of the main hall.
“Friend from Mystical Azure Dao Sect, please come in.”
The elders of Tianyu Sect politely greeted Chen Qingyuan.
Regarding Chen Qingyuan’s presence, the welcoming elders had already received orders not to obstruct him.
“This is a token of goodwill from Mystical Azure Dao Sect.” Yan Minghai presented a gift to Tianyu Sect as a symbol of respect.
Yan Minghai, as the representative of Mystical Azure Dao Sect, took out the gift box and slowly opened it. A faint green light emanated from the box, revealing a green-colored spirit bead. Among the many gifts, it was not particularly eye-catching or shabby.
“Thank you.” The welcoming elder accepted the gift.
As Yan Minghai prepared to enter the hall, Chen Qingyuan stopped him, saying, “Senior Brother Yan, wait a moment.”
“What’s the matter?” Yan Minghai turned back, halting his steps.
“I have prepared a separate gift.” Chen Qingyuan then took out a low-grade spirit stone, using it to conceal the true nature of his gift.
By using the spirit stone to activate the spatial bag, Chen Qingyuan could avoid revealing his true cultivation level. If news about his reestablished Dao foundation were to spread, it would undoubtedly cause a huge commotion. As his current strength was not yet high, he needed to remain hidden, even keeping this information from his fellow sect members.
The welcoming elder and the disciples were puzzled at first, but soon their faces turned sour.
A white umbrella appeared which was inside his spatial bag.
On the day of the joyous occasion of the alliance between the two sects, Chen Qingyuan had actually presented a white umbrella, making his ill intentions apparent. White-colored objects were typically associated with funerals, and upon closer consideration, an umbrella symbolized dispersal.
“What does this mean, Elder Chen?” The welcoming elder’s face darkened as he questioned Chen Qingyuan.
“A gift.” Chen Qingyuan replied calmly.
For Chen Qingyuan, he wouldn’t have come to Tianyu Sect if it weren’t for fulfilling the agreement he had with the Red-dressed girl in Heavenly Abyss. In his view, since Bai Xixue had chosen someone else, they were not meant to be together, and he just needed to sever their karmic ties.
If Bai Xixue had truly held genuine feelings for Chen Qingyuan, she would have endured all the pressure and stayed by his side when he returned. However, the reality was far from that. When Bai Xixue confirmed that Chen Qingyuan had become a useless person, any guilt in her heart receded like the tide, leaving her emotions unaffected.
“On the day of the alliance, he gives a white umbrella, clearly intending to cause trouble.”
“Chen Qingyuan was so remarkable back then, but now he resorts to such actions to uphold his so-called dignity. It’s truly pitiful!”
“I thought there would be some big excitement to watch, but Bai Xixue has disappointed my expectations after waiting for so long.”
The disciples from various sects, who had been observing Chen Qingyuan, shook their heads, losing interest. Initially, they had hoped to witness Chen Qingyuan losing his temper and saying something humiliating.
The umbrella itself was quite ordinary, made from mundane materials.
The welcoming elder intended to reprimand Chen Qingyuan but received an order from the Grand Elder: ‘Accept the gift and don’t create unnecessary trouble.’
Given the order, the welcoming elder had no choice but to put the white umbrella aside and say to Chen Qingyuan with an unpleasant expression, “Elder Chen, Tianyu Sect will accept your gift. Please come in.”
It was just a white umbrella, and Tianyu Sect didn’t want to cause too much commotion and affect the overall situation. As long as Chen Qingyuan didn’t go too far, they would ignore his actions.
Having completed this matter, Chen Qingyuan and Yan Minghai walked side by side and took their seats at a certain position in the Inner Hall.
The Inner Hall was furnished with thousands of tables and chairs, grand and magnificent. A faint white mist flowed on the ground, and the tables were filled with exquisite fruits and immortal brews. The rich aroma of the wine dispersed with the gentle breeze, reaching every corner.
“Young Junior Brother, you were too impulsive.”
Yan Minghai whispered, “You seemed upset. Senior Brother can understand.” He glanced in the direction of Dongyi Palace’s people and said in a serious tone, “Senior Brother doesn’t blame you, but let’s discuss it. If things really escalate, we need to be prepared in advance.”
“Tianyu Sect won’t start a war over something like this,” Chen Qingyuan chuckled.
“Better safe than sorry,” Yan Minghai said cautiously.
“Alright, I understand,” Chen Qingyuan nodded, acknowledging Yan Minghai’s concern and being open to advice.
“The auspicious time has arrived. Please welcome the two newcomers to the stage.”
On the raised platform in the main hall, the Grand Elder of the Tianyu Sect addressed the guests from all sides with a loud voice.
