Chapter 739 - 740: Fellow Daoist, Your Bearing Is Magnificent!

Chapter 739: Chapter 740: Fellow Daoist, Your Bearing Is Magnificent!

Central Continent. Xiaoyun Hall.

As one of the Eighteen Immortal Sects, Xiaoyun Hall maintained a fairly active presence in the world. At the very least, it had boldly established a foothold in Eastern Divine Continent.

Xiaoyun Hall possessed deep reserves, and its position among the Eighteen Immortal Sects was backed by genuine strength. The only pity was that it lacked a fearsome reputation — the kind that made people instinctively wonder: "Do I really want to cross paths with that person?" The sort of legendary figure still living who inspired that immediate hesitation.

Like Bai Xuanling of Tianyan Sect, Huang Miao of Xuanqing Heavenly Sect, Taiyuan of Taidao Sect, or Runan of the Buddhist Sect.

Individual heroism had always made for the best stories — the kind that set hearts racing and naturally spread through legend.

After all, eighteen against one — even if you won, it would only be remembered as a vulgar brawl.

Xiaoyun Hall occupied a position of being strong but lacking a top-tier cultivator with a legendary name. It had renown, but inevitably fell short of the sects housing those who had carved out supreme reputations.

Even so, as one of the Eighteen Immortal Sects that had stood for ages, Xiaoyun Hall’s prestige was still far beyond what ordinary immortal sects could aspire to.

Its vivid crimson sect robes, at a single glance, could cut off almost every returning stare.

Among the Eighteen Immortal Sects, none were truly weak.

The world’s cultivators were all gathered within the Eighteen.

Those who could join the Eighteen Immortal Sects were the most elite cultivators in existence.

Ye Antao, one of those elite cultivators, had just finished a minor assignment dispatched by the sect and was leading her squad back from outside the hall.

Ye Antao still radiated youthful vigor, as though time had never worn down the fire within her. Her cultivation had already climbed from Nascent Soul to Spirit Transformation.

Such cultivation was more than sufficient to serve as the commander of an external squad.

Ye Antao rode her sword through the air, gazing at the sect from afar, when she suddenly asked in a peculiar tone:

"Today... what day is it? Is that grand formation the Fenyan Encompassing-Heaven Grand Formation?"

"Shouldn’t be any special occasion? The Dao Resonance Bell hasn’t sounded. Could it be a test of the formation?" a teammate responded.

Ye Antao said nothing, her gaze tinged with curiosity as she studied the crimson flowing grand formation — the one rumored to be activated only in the most critical moments.

Since joining Xiaoyun Hall, she had only heard of it in stories, never once witnessed it.

But thinking more carefully, perhaps it made sense.

Once deployed, a grand formation could last a century, or even several centuries.

After so long, you had to test whether it still worked, whether there were issues that needed fixing.

If something went wrong at the moment it was needed most, that would truly be the end.

Ye Antao slowed her sword flight, her gaze filled with a mix of shock and careful appreciation as she examined every detail of the Fenyan Encompassing-Heaven Grand Formation, every small ritual array that manifested as spiritual energy flowed through it.

It was a beauty of intricate yet supremely orderly design.

She was lucky today — she’d take a good, long look.

Who knew when she’d get another chance. Perhaps the next time would be a century from now, when it was time for another inspection.

But even the most beautiful things must come to an end, and even the longest journeys reach their destination.

Ye Antao retrieved her spirit sword and stepped into the sect’s protective formation. What greeted her was not a welcome, but a Mahayana elder hovering high above, sweeping the area below with his divine sense without the slightest courtesy.

This was rather unusual.

Ye Antao cupped her hands toward the Mahayana elder in greeting, then led her squad toward their assigned peak, catching a fellow disciple along the way to satisfy her curiosity.

"I’ve been away from the sect for a while. Fellow Daoist, what’s going on?"

The fellow disciple, upon being stopped and recognizing Ye Antao — a cultivator with some renown at Xiaoyun Hall — replied:

"Word is, someone extraordinary has arrived. They activated the formation as a precaution. As for who exactly came, I don’t know. Also, the sect has been on alert lately. Some things will become clear once you return to your peak."

Ye Antao cupped her hands in thanks, then led her squad onward.

The fellow disciple took two steps, then suddenly remembered something, turning back to say — but Ye Antao’s figure was already distant.

He recalled that the main peak where Ye Antao was based had the strictest lockdown. It seemed the important visitor was there.

He had wanted to give her a heads-up, but seeing she was already gone, he dropped the idea.

After all, Ye Antao belonged to the main peak. Surely even with an important guest, they wouldn’t prevent her from returning.

Ye Antao was unaware of the fellow disciple’s aborted attempt to warn her.

She only wanted to know who the important visitor was — someone significant enough to make Xiaoyun Hall deploy even its trump-card grand formation.

Foot of the main peak.

Ye Antao and her squad began undergoing additional inspections that hadn’t existed before.

"Just what important visitor has come? The grand formation is one thing, but now we even have to be checked before we can go up the main peak?" Ye Antao stood with her arms crossed, gazing at the peak’s summit, her tone speculative.

"Could it be that Bai Xuanling, the only living True Immortal, has arrived? I’d guess only that True Immortal Yama would warrant the grand formation being activated as a precaution."

"Hey, spill — is it Bai Xuanling?"

The disciple in charge of inspection was also a Spirit Transformation cultivator from the main peak. Facing Ye Antao’s question, he could only smile wryly:

"Ye-zi, don’t make this hard for me. If you want to know, just go up the peak and you might see for yourself."

Ye Antao laughed twice but didn’t press further.

This inspection naturally wouldn’t stop Ye Antao. After passing the check and receiving a round of instructions, Ye Antao’s squad was finally allowed to ascend the main peak.

Flight was temporarily prohibited on the main peak.

So Ye Antao and the others had to walk all the way up.

Along the way, the group chatted, blindly guessing about which important visitor had arrived.

Ye Antao was warm, unpretentious, enjoyed lively conversation, and never tattled — so she was quite popular on the main peak.

The group talked the entire way, all concluding that the important visitor must be Bai Xuanling.

Until they reached the summit.

The moment Ye Antao stepped onto the peak and her gaze fell upon the main hall entrance — where a row of elders stood guard — the grin on her face froze instantly, and she hoped her eyes were deceiving her.

Standing at the hall entrance was a group of people.

Besides their own Sect Master, the rarely-seen Xiaoyun Hall current core disciple — Yunxiao — was also standing at the entrance.

But what truly made Ye Antao’s disbelief surge were the three people in conversation with the Sect Master.

The universally recognized Child of Heaven’s Fortune — Chu Xingchen.

Xuanqing Heavenly Sect’s current core disciple — Xu Jin.

Taidao Sect’s current core disciple — Daoist Yuyang.

Chu Xingchen’s expression was polite enough, though his gaze toward Yunxiao was dripping with undisguised disdain, scrutinizing.

Yunxiao, for his part, kept a cold face, his expression resistant.

Though she didn’t know what had happened, the awkwardness of the situation was comparable to telling someone’s personal story behind their back, only to turn around and find the person standing right there having listened to the whole thing.

Ye Antao did not hesitate — she turned toward a concealed spot, silently chanting: "Please don’t see me."

Although she wasn’t certain Chu Xingchen even remembered her, being recognized at a time like this — and having him actually greet her — would be absolutely devastating.

This was not the kind of situation she wanted!

But sometimes, the very thing you didn’t want was exactly what arrived.

"Oh! Isn’t that Fellow Daoist Ye?!" Chu Xingchen’s delighted voice boomed.

"Fellow Daoist, it’s been so long! I wonder if you still remember me?"

Ye Antao wanted desperately to keep walking and pretend she hadn’t heard.

But several strands of divine sense had already locked onto her.

Ye Antao had no choice but to stop, feeling the shocked gazes of her squad members behind her — they had never imagined their commander knew and had dealings with this kind of sky-high figure!

Being looked at with that kind of admiration felt pretty good, actually.

But... the price was probably a bit steep.

Ye Antao couldn’t pretend she hadn’t seen him. She stood in place, forced a smile that was only partly genuine, and cupped her hands:

"Chu... Sen... uh... Fellow Daoist Chu still remembers me?"

Chu Xingchen laughed heartily:

"Of course I do! Fellow Daoist, your magnificent bearing left quite an impression!"

Ye Antao felt somewhat at a loss:

"Uh... heh... hehe..."

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