“What a breathtaking place!”
In the distance, several young maidens glided across a sea of lotus leaves, emerging from a verdant stream with their long skirts trailing upon the water. Their ethereal beauty made them seem like immortals descended from a celestial lineage.
Indeed, the Azurefall Lake was a sight beyond mortal realms—its waters as blue as gemstones. Even from afar, its vibrant aura could be felt, carried by the wind along with wisps of pristine immortal mist.
Crystalline trees grew here, their roots embedded in the spiritual mountains surrounding the lake. These trees were extraordinary—semi-transparent, their intricate veins clearly visible. Their hues varied, some purple as refined amethyst, others red like translucent carnelian.
“Truly magnificent!” Shi Hao paused to gaze upon this sacred land.
“That fellow is so plump, heehee!” The maidens giggled behind their sleeves as they passed, casting playful glances at Cao Yusheng.
“This is called prosperity, understand?” Fatty Cao retorted.
Soon, the maidens drifted away, stepping lightly across the radiant lake before ascending a majestic spiritual mountain adorned with pavilions, silver waterfalls, and swirling mist—a scene of profound artistic charm.
“It’s the four fairies of the Wei Clan!”
“Indeed, the legendary Wei Clan’s Four Phoenixes!”
Not far from the lake, many cultivators—mostly in their thirties—whispered excitedly, identifying the maidens.
Most lacked the privilege to enter Azurefall Lake or attend the gathering of prodigies, but they lingered on the outskirts, hoping to catch a glimpse of these legendary figures.
The Wei Clan’s four fairies were renowned—not just for their stunning beauty but also for their extraordinary talents and formidable backgrounds, inspiring both admiration and awe.
The Wei Clan was not of human descent but one of the three Eternal Clans within the Imperial Pass, shrouded in mystery and ancient heritage, unknown to the outside world.
In this generation, the clan boasted four peerless women—the Four Phoenixes—whose combined might could sweep aside all rivals of their age.
Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed as a silver war chariot streaked across the sky, wreathed in blazing silver light, exuding an intimidating aura.
“The Five-Spirit Chariot!” someone gasped.
This chariot was extraordinary—crafted from gleaming silver-white metal, its surface bore the scars of ancient battles. Most striking were its steeds: not living creatures, but five silver swallows, radiant and fierce, their wings slicing through the air with a blend of grace and ferocity.
These metallic birds, cold and gleaming, pulled the chariot with thunderous might—a legendary artifact once wielded by an invincible warrior.
“This is Qi Hong! The chariot now belongs to him, favored as the successor of that undefeated master!”
Within the Imperial Pass, a few invincible figures—guardians of the city—remained secluded in the ancestral altars, rarely appearing.
“For that invincible one to bestow the Five-Spirit Chariot upon him… Qi Hong is truly exceptional!”
The chariot’s reputation was fearsome. The silver birds, resembling swallows, were said to be Vermilion Birds—or even Phoenixes—forged with emphasis on their essence rather than form.
This chariot was no ordinary weapon. It had carved through enemy lines beyond the pass, leaving mountains of corpses in its wake—a symbol of unstoppable might.
Qi Hong, though not the direct disciple of the chariot’s original master, had inherited his teachings, remaining undefeated with unfathomable strength.
“Qi Hong, heir to the invincible, is destined to rise. None can hinder his path.”
His arrival stirred the lake, sending azure light soaring into the heavens, a spectacle that left onlookers trembling.
A silver path unfurled from the chariot, resonating like the roar of the heavens, shaking the souls of all nearby as if in the presence of a supreme sovereign.
“The chariot is terrifying!” someone murmured.
Two figures descended. One, bathed in silver flames, resembled a celestial emperor—his golden hair and eyes blazing like twin suns, his body radiating an unbreakable golden sheen.
Beside him stood another, shrouded in chaotic mist, his eyes like scorching stars, splitting the sky with their gaze.
“Jin Zhan!” someone recognized him.
He was the most prized descendant of the Jin Grandmother, a prodigy of the present era, unmatched in valor. His presence alongside Qi Hong spoke volumes of their bond.
“After you,” Qi Hong gestured.
“You first, Brother Qi,” Jin Zhan replied.
They entered the lake, ascending a spiritual mountain where young elites gathered, awed by Qi Hong’s presence. Jin Zhan, too, commanded respect—a pioneer of the modern path, destined to redefine cultivation.
“Brother Qi Hong, your golden body and silver light grow ever more astounding. Truly, you are the heir of the invincible, destined to stand atop the martial peak!”
Qi Hong remained humble, introducing Jin Zhan to the crowd.
“Jin Zhan, a prodigy among prodigies—a true dragon among men!”
Surrounded like stars around the moon, the two moved forward, their presence overwhelming.
“Such grandeur,” Cao Yusheng remarked.
They hadn’t even entered the lake yet, but the spectacle of the Five-Spirit Chariot bearing two supreme talents was already staggering.
The little ant snorted, displeased with Jin Zhan—the Wang Clan’s chosen son-in-law, a rival to Shi Hao.
Riding the Five-Spirit Chariot was indeed a display of unmatched prestige, shaking the younger generation.
“Stay calm. If they don’t provoke us, we’ll leave in peace,” Shi Hao said, unwilling to stir trouble amidst the looming threat of the foreign realm’s invasion.
“Where’s that Wang woman? Why isn’t she with Jin Zhan?” Fatty Cao scanned the surroundings, referring to Wang Xi, the Wang Clan’s foremost jewel.
“Look no further—she’s here,” Shi Hao said.
In the distance, two chariots tore through the sky, pulled by savage beasts, their arrival shaking the earth like thunder.
“The Tuogu Clan’s Lightning Chariots!”
The two violet-gold chariots crackled with arcs of lightning, exuding terrifying energy.
“Tuogu Yulong—the true dragon of the Tuogu Clan!”
The Tuogu Clan, one of the three Eternal Families, descended from immortals. Tuogu Yulong, their prodigy, stood atop the first chariot, his violet hair whipping in the wind, eyes blazing with purple lightning.
Behind him, another chariot carried two women—one in fiery red, crackling with electricity like a blazing rose, Tuogu Luoyan, his sister. Beside her stood Wang Xi, clad in snow-white robes, poised as if ready to ascend to immortality.
“No wonder she’s not with Jin Zhan. They’re splitting their forces,” Cao Yusheng muttered.
Jin Zhan rode with Qi Hong, while Wang Xi allied with the Tuogu Clan—a strategic division, binding powerful lineages to their cause.
“They’re forming alliances. We must be wary,” the Heavenly Horned Ant warned.
“Futile. A single immortal can overturn the heavens. In times of upheaval, only individual supremacy matters. A thousand sheep are no match for one lion,” Shi Hao said.
Soon, the Little Heavenly King arrived astride an ancient beast, followed by Da Xutuo, Qi Gu, Lan Xian, and others—a gathering of the Imperial Pass’s finest young talents.
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