The ‘Domain’ of a Void-Realm expert could only sense mere auras; before his eyes truly registered the sight, Teng Qingshan had never imagined that the aura belonged to a Divine Hawk.
"What a massive Divine Hawk." Teng Qingshan’s gaze fixed upon the creature. Most of the hawk's feathers were black, yet the feathers around its neck and head were a vibrant azure, capped by a crest of pure gold. If the Undying Phoenix was a noble Empress, this Divine Hawk resembled a cold, sharp Assassin!
Its twin hawk eyes, sharp as arrows, locked onto Teng Qingshan.
"The Dao of Lightning? This Divine Hawk is a Lightning Divine Hawk!" Teng Qingshan’s heart jolted. "Ah, yes, when I was fleeing, I passed through Hu Yue County City. Back then, a Void-Realm demon beast, a ‘Lightning Divine Hawk,’ attacked the 'Carefree Palace,' one of the Eight Great Sects! Could it be this very one?"
There were only so many Void-Realm demon beasts in the world; a Lightning Divine Hawk reaching the Void Realm—there were likely only one or two in the Nine Provinces.
The Divine Hawk before him was, in all probability, the same one that had attacked the Carefree Palace.
...
The Snow Lotus Sect Leader stood beside the Divine Hawk, gazing calmly at Teng Qingshan and Li Jun, the couple. A flash of excitement crossed the Sect Leader's eyes upon seeing Li Jun, but her expression immediately cooled upon noticing Teng Qingshan. "Hmm? This Hu He does possess some skill, to have sensed Uncle Chen's extraordinary nature."
"Xiao Jun, why aren't you coming over?" the Snow Lotus Sect Leader called out coldly.
"Master." Li Jun walked over, with Teng Qingshan following closely behind.
"Master, it is my fault."
Li Jun stood before the Snow Lotus Sect Leader, head bowed.
Teng Qingshan observed the Sect Leader. Clad in a blue robe, her skin was fair, radiating an intoxicating charm that even he had to admit surpassed that of the younger Li Jun in sheer allure. "Well, this Snow Lotus Sect Leader, judging by her appearance, hasn't aged a day. She must have reached the Xiantian realm around thirty or forty, allowing her to preserve this look!"
At this moment, the Snow Lotus Sect Leader stepped forward, taking Li Jun’s hand. She examined Li Jun closely, like a mother scrutinizing her daughter, finally revealing a faint smile. "Mmm, you haven't lost weight, and your complexion is rosy. It seems you and Hu He are doing well."
Li Jun couldn't help but show a hint of shyness.
"Hmph," the Snow Lotus Sect Leader deliberately snorted. "But you, child, where do you place your Master? You married without even asking my permission, and you didn't inform me upon your return. Three years I’ve searched for you, and I couldn't find even a shadow of you. Girls turn outward so easily!"
"Master..." Li Jun couldn't help but cry out.
"You, little girl, I will discipline you later," the Snow Lotus Sect Leader said, drawing Li Jun to her side while casting her gaze on Teng Qingshan.
Teng Qingshan smiled faintly. Although the Sect Leader was displeased with Li Jun moments ago, he could tell she was deeply fond of her disciple.
"Young Hu He," the Snow Lotus Sect Leader looked at Teng Qingshan and sneered. "You truly have some ability, to stare at my Divine Hawk the moment you arrive... It seems defeating the First Divine General of the Divine Mountain means you genuinely have some strength. But with strength comes protocol... You didn't send betrothal gifts, nor did you call upon me formally, yet you married my disciple. What kind of affair is this?"
Teng Qingshan paused.
In the Nine Provinces, marriage between a man and woman required established processes like matchmaking and presenting gifts. Since Li Jun had no parents, her Master stood in their stead, equivalent to a parent. Logically, Teng Qingshan should have presented a proposal... but on the Duanmu Continent, he had naturally skipped those steps.
However, now that Li Jun’s Master was confronting him directly, she was entirely in the right.
"Snow Lotus Sect Leader, this is indeed my fault," Teng Qingshan apologized.
"Master, we were on that isolated island overseas, so we couldn't..." Li Jun began.
"Hmph, so what if you were on an isolated island overseas?" The Sect Leader's beautiful eyes flashed, and she let out a cold snort. "Couldn't you have endured it, waited until you returned to the Nine Provinces to marry? I suspect you and Hu He deliberately chose that overseas location to force my hand—to complete the deed and present it as a done deal, an attempt to present me with a fait accompli, is that it?"
Teng Qingshan felt helpless.
A fait accompli? Presenting a done deal? What kind of talk was that!
"Master, I myself wanted to..." Li Jun tried to defend.
"You still speak for him," the Snow Lotus Sect Leader glared at her. "Xiao Jun, do not trust men too easily; their trickery is not as simple as you imagine. If this 'Hu He' truly wanted to marry you, why didn't he say so when you were at the Divine Mountain? And when you sailed out to sea with him, why didn't he openly inform the people at the Divine Mountain, but instead sneak you away?"
Teng Qingshan and Li Jun exchanged a look. Li Jun sensed Teng Qingshan's distress?
Sneak away?
It was purely because Li Jun had chased after Teng Qingshan’s ship later.
"It seems the Snow Lotus Sect Leader has a belly full of fire," Teng Qingshan mused privately. "That makes sense. Xiao Jun's status at the Divine Palace is that of the First Beast Tamer; the Divine Palace would absolutely not allow her to marry outside. It’s like giving away their treasure! The Sect Leader has likely faced reprimands within the Divine Palace herself."
From Teng Qingshan’s understanding, the Divine Palace was an enormous organization, encompassing the Divine Mountain lineage and the Snow Lotus Sect lineage... As for how many lineages existed in total, Teng Qingshan didn't know. But it was clear—the status of the Snow Lotus Sect Leader was likely slightly lower than that of the 'Divine Lord' of the Divine Mountain.
Yet, for the Snow Lotus Sect Leader to command a Void-Realm demon beast, even if her status was lower than the Divine Lord, it must be close.
...
"Oh, Xiao Jun, you... you've reached the Xiantian realm?" the Snow Lotus Sect Leader suddenly exclaimed in surprise.
Li Jun blinked.
"Master, you just now..." Li Jun sounded somewhat surprised.
"I sense you are different from before. Look at your eyes; the divine light is now inwardly focused. Your 'spirit' has clearly improved," the Sect Leader’s face flushed with joy. "So, when I held your hand just now, a trace of Xiantian true essence seeped into your body... I didn't expect you to have actually achieved the Xiantian realm."
The Sect Leader’s face was completely red with excitement.
"Xiantian at seventeen... This, this..." The Sect Leader was beside herself with emotion.
Li Jun could only look helplessly toward Teng Qingshan.
Teng Qingshan was equally at a loss for words. Li Jun's breakthrough to the Xiantian realm was purely due to the 'Flame Red Lotus Seed.' However, the Flame Red Lotus Seed did not exist in the Nine Provinces. Thus, the Snow Lotus Sect Leader naturally assumed Li Jun had broken through on her own merit.
"I never thought my disciple could be this formidable. My senior brothers always considered themselves great; their direct disciples are all exceptional. But compared to Xiao Jun, they fall far short."
"Xiantian at seventeen," the Sect Leader’s beautiful eyes shone. "Only that fugitive Teng Qingshan of the Origin Returning Sect could compare."
Li Jun blinked.
Teng Qingshan touched his nose...
This Snow Lotus Sect Leader had no idea that the current 'Hu He' was Teng Qingshan. If she knew that the fugitive Teng Qingshan was standing right before her, and was now already a Void-Realm expert, she would likely be stunned speechless.
"Hu He!"
The Snow Lotus Sect Leader stared at Teng Qingshan, then at her disciple Li Jun, before letting out a helpless cold snort. "Hu He, since you have married the future Sect Leader of my Snow Lotus Sect, you naturally must join the Divine Palace. There is no problem with that, right?"
"Future Sect Leader?" Teng Qingshan was startled.
"Master, I become the Sect Leader?" Li Jun immediately objected. "That won't do, I..."
"Hmph."
The Snow Lotus Sect Leader glared. "My Snow Lotus Sect only allows a Saintess to become the Leader. I have only three direct disciples. The Leader must be chosen from among the three of you. While your Eldest and Second Senior Sisters have both reached the Xiantian realm, your Eldest Senior Sister is over a hundred, and your Second Senior Sister is over eighty. How can they compare to you? If you don't become the Leader, who will?"
"Hu He, joining my Divine Palace will benefit you immensely and harm you none," the Sect Leader fixed her gaze on Teng Qingshan.
"Snow Lotus Sect Leader," Teng Qingshan cupped his hands and smiled. "I myself intend to establish my own sect, so..."
The Snow Lotus Sect Leader smiled warmly. "Young Hu He, establishing your own sect is hardly an issue! My Divine Palace does not forbid this. As long as you reach the Void Realm and become a Void-Realm expert, you can completely establish your own branch and become another lineage within my Divine Palace!"
Teng Qingshan felt a flicker of confusion. Reaching the Void Realm permits establishing a new lineage?
This Snow Lotus Sect Leader had clearly not reached the Void Realm, so how did the 'Snow Lotus Sect' come into existence?
"Snow Lotus Sect Leader, there is no need to discuss this further," Teng Qingshan said with a gentle smile, but his tone was utterly firm, leaving no room for bargaining.
"You..." The Sect Leader’s expression darkened.
"Hmph, you step out first. I need to speak with my disciple privately," the Sect Leader coldly ordered.
Teng Qingshan bowed and retreated from the garden.
** A cool breeze swept past, making Teng Qingshan feel quite refreshed.
"It seems my marriage to Xiao Jun displeases the Divine Palace, and they want me to join them," Teng Qingshan shook his head internally. Becoming a guest elder was still being a 'guest,' not a true member of the Divine Palace.
A moment later...
"Hu He, come in," the Snow Lotus Sect Leader’s voice drifted out.
Teng Qingshan smiled and shook his head, then walked back inside.
...
Li Jun stood beside the Snow Lotus Sect Leader. The Sect Leader looked at Teng Qingshan with a severe expression. "Since you are unwilling to join my Divine Palace, I will not force you. However, Xiao Jun is a member of the Divine Palace, and once joined, there is no turning back. Betraying a sect leads to being hunted down by that sect!"
Teng Qingshan was startled and glanced at Li Jun. Li Jun winked at him, and Teng Qingshan finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Snow Lotus Sect Leader, Xiao Jun marrying me has no bearing on whether she leaves the Divine Palace," Teng Qingshan stated.
"I have just issued an order for Xiao Jun to travel to Qing Province... to take command of my Snow Lotus Sect’s 'Crimson Flame Banner' and 'Azure Dragon Banner'—a total of two hundred thousand troops," the Sect Leader looked at Teng Qingshan. "Of course, she might not be able to manage the situation alone... As her husband, an honored guest, I cannot command you directly. Whether you are willing to lend Xiao Jun a hand is up to you."
Teng Qingshan’s brow furrowed.
"Commanding two hundred thousand troops? For what purpose?" Teng Qingshan’s expression shifted slightly.
"With your comprehension, can you not guess?" the Snow Lotus Sect Leader asked with a teasing smile.
"Qing Province is controlled by the Carefree Palace. But you can actually mobilize two hundred thousand troops in Qing Province?" Teng Qingshan was extremely surprised. "Snow Lotus Sect Leader, are you planning to move against the Carefree Palace..."
"After enduring for a century, it is time to act," the Sect Leader said calmly. "Qing Province is the most populous province in the Nine Provinces; the Carefree Palace is not qualified to control it."
Teng Qingshan's face changed drastically, a terrifying storm surging in his heart.
The Eight Great Sects of the Nine Provinces had been peaceful for over a thousand years; the structure of the Nine Provinces had remained unchanged throughout that millennium.
But now...
The heavens of the Nine Provinces were finally about to shift.