How could one not be suspicious? In this present era, how could such creatures still be seen?
“What’s wrong, brother?” asked the phoenix maiden clad in five-colored robes, her voice filled with concern.
“I feel a bit dizzy,” Shi Hao replied, pressing a hand to his forehead. He was utterly bewildered. Everything he was witnessing was far too dubious, almost incomprehensible. What era was this, where even white qilins could still be seen?
The phoenix maiden giggled, and the others looked at him in surprise. Even the little white qilin blinked its large eyes and muttered, “Must be a qi deviation.”
For cultivators like them, dizziness was unheard of unless they were severely injured. Otherwise, their essence, qi, and spirit were always at their peak, radiant as the sun and moon.
Her five-colored feathered robe shimmered—a crystalline battle garment woven from true phoenix feathers, as light as gauze. Even her hair gleamed with five-colored radiance, her skin as white as carved ivory, her large eyes sparkling, her long lashes fluttering.
“Brother, are you perhaps beginning to merge with the Dao? Is that why you’re feeling unwell?” she teased.
The others laughed. There wasn’t a single ordinary person among them—each exuded an immortal aura, leaving Shi Hao deeply shaken. He knew he had arrived in an unimaginable place.
Shi Hao chuckled awkwardly. Merging with the Dao? He had never heard of such a thing. His current cultivation method was undoubtedly different from theirs.
“Brother, I sense your aura is quite distinct from ours. Your cultivation method must be unique. What kind of immortal seed have you obtained? Have you fully merged with it?” asked the young man carrying a sword of radiant immortal gold, his tone gentle.
“An ancient flame,” Shi Hao replied, forcing himself to answer. He truly knew nothing of the cultivation methods from the Immortal Ancient Era.
“It must be a flame left behind by a fallen senior expert. Once you fully merge with it, the world will gain another supreme powerhouse,” the young man nodded.
“Ah, you also carry a sword. It looks rather special,” remarked the girl cradling the white qilin cub, eyeing the sword on his back.
Before entering the Violet Bamboo Forest, Shi Hao had drawn the Great Luo Immortal Sword for protection and later slung it across his back. Now, it had been noticed.
“It’s a bit strange… why does it look familiar?” someone murmured.
“Familiar? This sword is so dull, lacking any luster. It looks quite ordinary,” the phoenix maiden said, her eyes flashing with five-colored light, exuding both majesty and transcendence.
The young people present studied the sword for a moment. A few found it peculiar and muttered, “It resembles the legendary sword our ancestors spoke of. Must be a replica.”
The others laughed, as many of their own weapons were modeled after the artifacts of past masters.
“My sword is also a replica, infused with six taels of radiant immortal gold. Though it looks decent, it’s far inferior to the weapon of that Immortal King,” the sword-bearing young man chuckled, shaking his head.
The others chimed in, all amiable and free of worldly strife, lacking the ruthless edge common among the clans of the Great Desolate Three Thousand States.
Shi Hao sighed inwardly. *This* was what true cultivators should be like—serene, transcendent, free from desire and contention. It was nothing like the other cultivators he had encountered.
At the same time, a thought struck him—could the sword on his back have some extraordinary origin?
After all, he knew it was shrouded in mystery.
“This isn’t the place for conversation. Let’s head to the gathering.”
This was a grand event, they said, attended by many powerful figures from various clans—representing the most outstanding young talents of the era—along with some great elders who would expound the Dao.
Shi Hao felt a surge of excitement. Regardless of any strangeness, he had to witness it firsthand. Only by experiencing it could he uncover the truth.
He sensed that what these people spoke of—inheritance, Dao techniques—was genuine. Even their brief mentions had resonated with him.
If he could hear a peerless expert expound the Dao and elucidate different cultivation methods, it would undoubtedly benefit him greatly. It was worth attending.
On the way, the young people chatted leisurely, utterly carefree, devoid of anxiety or aggression.
Shi Hao marveled silently. These people were so detached from worldly strife, completely unlike the cultivators he knew.
“We’re here. This is the South Sea Violet Bamboo Forest, the abode of a senior expert. The gathering will be held here.”
An eight-headed serpent soared through the sky, each head as large as a hill, carrying a jade palace on its back. The palace gleamed with iridescent light before vanishing into the emerald sea ahead.
“An Immortal has arrived!” someone exclaimed, watching the disappearing figure.
*Dong!*
A deep bell tolled, its sound resonating across the heavens as a massive bell traversed the sky, entering the Violet Bamboo Forest. The tranquil chime seemed to induce enlightenment, filling everyone with profound insight.
“This lord has come too? How astonishing!”
“Heavens! Lord Wuzhong is here! What’s happening? It was said he secluded himself for countless eras to contemplate supreme techniques, his body afflicted by some ailment. Yet today, he reappears!”
Even the phoenix maiden was overjoyed, her eyes sparkling with five-colored light as she jumped and cheered, shedding her usual majesty for youthful exuberance.
Shi Hao shuddered at the name. *Wuzhong?* That name was far from unfamiliar. In the Three Thousand Dao States, he had encountered the remnants of Wuzhong’s bell. The revelation left him reeling.
Was this man not dead? Had he been hiding in an immortal’s abode all this time, now emerging in person?
His anticipation grew. Shi Hao felt that entering the South Sea Violet Bamboo Forest was an immense opportunity. No matter what, he would uncover some secrets.
The boundless emerald sea stretched endlessly, like a vast piece of carved jade, crystalline and lustrous. Mist rose from its surface, suffused with immortal energy.
“What a magnificent place,” Shi Hao praised. This was a sacred land for cultivation, surpassing any location in the Three Thousand States, instilling peace in the heart.
They flew onward and soon beheld clusters of violet bamboo rooted in the sea, each towering and lush.
Shi Hao gaped. *This* was bamboo?
It was unbelievably thick, each stalk like a mountain.
Most astonishingly, they grew in the sea, their roots anchored in the ocean floor, their towering forms unyielding even against the surging waves.
*This* was the South Sea Violet Bamboo Forest? It seemed surreal. Shi Hao had never seen such bamboo before.
The vista was a sea of violet, each stalk gleaming like forged amethyst, their segments perfectly shaped, their leaves shimmering with purple radiance.
“Truly a wondrous place,” Shi Hao couldn’t help but remark.
The emerald sea, the towering violet bamboo—it was a breathtaking sight, bathed in spiritual mist.
“Wait, is that a dragon?!” Shi Hao pointed at the sea, his eyes widening in shock.
A massive wave surged, the waters parting as if cleaved by a giant axe, revealing a white dragon riding the currents. Its antlers branched like trees, its head as massive as a mountain, exuding overwhelming draconic majesty.
“That’s not a dragon yet—it’s the White Flood Dragon Monarch, one step away from ascension. But he’s already formidable,” the young man with the radiant immortal gold sword explained.
“What an incredible place,” Shi Hao murmured. If a being one step from dragonhood could be seen here, true dragons must surely exist in this world.
Indeed, when he glanced back, he realized there was a phoenix maiden beside him—and a snow-white qilin cub.
Soon, they passed through the Violet Bamboo Forest and reached the depths of the South Sea, where they finally saw land—an island of blooming flowers and singing birds, suspended mid-air amidst the mist, exuding sacred purity.
“A true immortal’s abode,” Shi Hao could only sigh in awe.
The others looked puzzled.
To them, this was simply the dwelling of an immortal—nothing unusual.
Shi Hao smiled awkwardly, mocking himself inwardly. Coming from the Three Thousand Dao States, he had never encountered beings of immortality. The concept of immortals had always been distant.
Witnessing such marvels here naturally left him unsettled.
The island was already crowded with people—men and women, young and old—all serene, devoid of hostility or conflict, conversing with satisfied smiles.
Jade tables and chairs were arranged across the island, laden with rare fruits and fine wines.
Mist curled around their knees, while golden lotuses bloomed in mid-air, their petals and leaves radiant.
Five-colored deer carried jade trays, offering fruits to the guests, while white apes dutifully poured wine.
By all appearances, this was a true immortal’s gathering—far removed from worldly clamor, embodying transcendent beauty.
*This* is what cultivators should be,” Shi Hao mused, suddenly envious of these people and this place. He longed to stay forever.
Suddenly, immortal radiance burst forth, auspicious light flooding the sky.
From beyond the South Sea, a violet-gold path rapidly extended, reaching the island. A figure, shrouded in mist and exuding immense majesty, strode along it.
Many rose to greet him, gasping in astonishment.
“The Six Paths Reincarnation Immortal King has arrived!” the girl holding the qilin cub exclaimed, as if shocked by his appearance.
“Is he famous?” Shi Hao asked.
“Are you even a cultivator? How do you not know this Immortal King?” she retorted, rolling her eyes.
Shi Hao fell silent. He truly didn’t.
But soon, his eyes locked onto the fragmented artifact hovering above the Immortal King’s head, sending tremors through his soul.
“The Reincarnation Disk!” His heart quivered.
In the lower realm, he had seen a fragment of it, wielded by the mysterious flame-wreathed man.
But here, above this man’s head, were *several* fragments!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage