The assembly point for the disciples of the Azure World Sect lay to the north of the Azure Heaven Realm. Several hundred figures gathered there now, arrayed in neat formations, waiting in silence.

Meanwhile, the so-called ‘talents’ from the Three Sects and Six Gates—led by figures like Xie An and Luo Shi—were boredly counting the ants crawling on the ground. Not far off, another man waited, a middle-aged figure nearing thirty, standing with his hands clasped behind his back, his eye twitching incessantly.

Han Fang stood quietly to the side, adopting the guise of someone gazing at the stars, meeting the harsh glare of the sun without flinching. Yet, everyone present seemed entirely oblivious to his presence; not a single glance was spared in his direction.

It wasn't until the sun had reached its zenith that movement stirred from the Dao Palace. A carriage of unparalleled luxury appeared, drawn by twelve winged, dragon-horned steeds, moving leisurely from the palace gates.

The driver was Zong Yuan. The hundreds gathered below erupted in an instant clamor.

The middle-aged man in white was practically radiating fury. He had been ready to explode immediately, but something—a whisper seemingly in his ear—made him pause.

After listening intently for a moment, he forcefully suppressed his reaction, remaining silent. Only a deep shadow of worry crossed his features.

He pondered: Was it truly appropriate to let the person in that carriage command these disciples? What if they were all wiped out at Yan City Pass?

He knew precisely the capabilities of Yuan Jiuchen. Sending these disciples there was already fraught with peril, and now to place such an unreliable man in overall command...

Even if there was a ten-tenths chance of success, by the time they reached the destination, at least seven-tenths of that certainty would likely be lost. Among the disciples in the formations, murmurs quickly spread.

“Is that Tan Qiu in the carriage? The new Third-Generation True Disciple from the main Azure World Hall?” “This man is far too arrogant!

Daring to arrive in a carriage—doesn’t he fear being reprimanded by his elders?” “Hmph. Given his seniority, who in the Dao Palace could possibly discipline him?

But surely, this fellow isn’t planning to ride that Cloud-Soaring Carriage all the way to Yan City Pass, is he?” “Tsk, utterly magnificent!” “This person truly doesn't know his place! The Sect indulging him so much—is it a blessing or a curse?” Han Fang’s eyelids twitched violently as he rubbed his temples in distress.

Legend held that this Heavenly Demon King never stooped to endure hardships alongside the common soldiers. Every time he went into battle, he invariably rode in a grand carriage, comfortably situated within.

It seemed this ostentatious style was now set to be introduced to the Azure World Sect. When the carriage finally halted, Zong Shou gracefully stepped down.

His face was pale and ashen, his frame trembling slightly, as if a strong breeze might topple him. Yet, he seemed to muster his strength, bowing respectfully to the older man.

“Greetings, sir! Tan Qiu arrives late; I beg your forgiveness.

Due to a recent need to force a breakthrough in my realm, my health has suffered, compelling me to use the Cloud-Soaring Carriage for transport. I trust this will not anger you!” This man’s seniority placed him several generations below Zong Shou.

Zong Shou wasn't sure how to address him properly, so ‘Sir’ seemed the safest route. This Azure World Dao Palace was not only the main hall of the Sect but also an academy.

It housed positions such as Libationer, Doctor, and Head Scholar, much like the Imperial Academy of the Central Dynasty. This man held the office of Doctor within the Dao Palace.

Hearing this, the white-robed middle-aged man’s expression finally softened slightly. However, he still probed Zong Shou with his divine sense, which quickly settled into an expression of profound confusion; he truly could not discern whether Zong Shou was injured or not.

He shifted his body aside in time to avoid Zong Shou’s bow, then spoke coldly, “How could a disciple receive the bow of a Grand Martial Ancestor’s Uncle? Since your tardiness today was for a reason, a clear explanation suffices; this disciple dares not take offense.

Since all are now assembled, does the Grand Martial Ancestor’s Uncle have anything further to say?” Zong Shou smiled, sweeping his gaze across the crowd. Then, a spark of surprise flared in his eyes.

This time, the Azure World Sect had selected nearly a hundred disciples from the Main Hall and the Three Sects and Six Gates combined. Their strength was indeed exceptional; none possessed power lower than the Sixth Tier.

Elites like Xuan Ye had already breached the Seventh Tier. However, most of these individuals stood loosely, each possessing a distinct temperament and inherent arrogance.

A single glance revealed them to be a disorganized mob. What was truly astonishing was the other contingent.

Approximately four hundred individuals, all of a certain age, mounted Fourth-Tier Silver-Scaled Wind-Treading Beasts. Judging by their aura alone, not all were merely Black Tortoise level experts.

Among them were twenty Spirit Masters, standing rigidly in formation. Even with the considerable commotion Zong Shou had just caused, they showed no sign of disorder or furtive discussion.

Could these be the Dao Soldiers of the Azure World Sect? Rumor held that any major sect with significant power habitually kept Dao Soldiers in their service.

These soldiers’ natural aptitude was usually only above average, but they had been nurtured and favored by the Sect since childhood. Their entire families were often looked after by the Sect, ensuring unwavering loyalty.

While their future prospects might not be as grand as those of the hundred Azure World ‘talents’ beside them, who sought the Great Dao of Longevity, these men were nonetheless an indispensable pillar of the sect. Though these four hundred wore identical armor, subtle differences marked their insignia.

Hidden within the patterns on their outer armor lay the emblems of their respective sects. The Azure World Main Hall contributed one hundred and fifty of these soldiers, the Three Sects provided one hundred and twenty-five, and the remaining Six Gates mustered only one hundred and twenty-five in total.

Zong Shou’s eyes gleamed with secret envy. He mused that this was the true foundation of a Great Sect—casually fielding four hundred Sixth-Tier Dao Soldiers for a minor garrison commander at Yan City Pass!

If he commanded such strength, he could be invincible across the Eastern Lin Cloud Continent. The Azure World’s Azure Dragon Warriors were powerful Dao Soldiers who had once utterly crushed the Blood Cloud Cavalry.

Even with just three hundred of them, he wouldn't give the Lingyun Sect a second thought. His gaze lingered greedily on these soldiers for a moment, until the white-robed middle-aged man cleared his throat.

The sect members finally snapped back to attention, offering embarrassed smiles as their focus shifted back to the ‘elite disciples.’ Most of the elites wore expressions of resentment, and quite a few even shot provocative glares. Yong Qin, in particular, displayed a look of mocking amusement, clearly itching for a confrontation.

It seemed that the moment Zong Shou opened his mouth, someone would jump out to humiliate him. Zong Shou’s thoughts raced, and he abandoned any notion of speaking.

He cupped his hands towards the white-robed man. “Tan Qiu has nothing to say.

I will simply do my utmost on this journey and not disappoint the Sect!” The white-robed man paused, then nodded slightly. “Very well!

The hour is growing late. I shall escort you out now!” As he spoke, a silver dome appeared in the middle-aged man’s hand.

He tossed it upward, and it instantly expanded, covering an area of several hundred zhang, enveloping everyone present, including Zong Shou’s carriage. In the next instant, all five hundred people vanished.

Only Han Fang remained, rubbing his forehead and letting out a long sigh. “—Junior Brother, Junior Brother, I followed your advice completely this time.

If anything untoward happens on this mission, or if too many disciples are lost, we will both be sinners in the eyes of the Sect. I, Han Fang, will fight you with this old life of mine!

Junior Brother Zong Shou is excellent in every way, and his talent is truly first-rate, but his methods are always unexpected; I simply cannot fathom him—” Then he remembered the seven Holy Fire Silver Ants, and Han Fang’s expression eased slightly. With these innate prodigies present, at least a complete withdrawal could be guaranteed.

※※※※ After escorting the group out of the Azure Heaven Realm, the white-robed middle-aged man disappeared without a trace. Zong Shou was inwardly astonished.

Losing one or two of these elite disciples from various sects would cause immense grief for many years. Yet, he simply left them without oversight.

He cast his spiritual sense outward but detected no one following in secret. Of course, it was also possible his own power was insufficient for such detection.

He glanced upward again, identifying the sun’s position in the sky. Zong Shou’s pupils contracted.

This direction suggested they were in a region west of the Central Cloud Continent. It turned out the entrance to the Azure Heaven Realm was located here.

The vicinity was an open plain, devoid of immediate settlement. However, Zong Shou’s consciousness detected a major thoroughfare about twenty li away, frequented by an occasional Cloud-Soaring Carriage and seemingly many travelers.

A dry, mocking thought surfaced: He had always assumed the exits to the Five Great Heaven Realms would be hidden in remote wilderness, not in such a heavily populated area. Moments later, the five hundred-plus people began to shake off the dizziness induced by the spatial transition.

Then, the gazes of the elite disciples—excluding the four hundred Dao Soldiers—all fixed upon him. Soon, three figures emerged from the group.

One was Xuan Ye. The other two were unfamiliar faces; they were likely Xie An and Luo Shi.

Zong Shou had recently heard rumors about these two and could vaguely identify them: the one who was suave and resembled a refined gentleman in a vulgar age was Luo Shi; the one with a square face and a hint of fierceness was Xie An. One more person approached—presumably the leader of the Dao Soldiers.

He was about forty, clad in crimson armor. His expression was placid, devoid of emotion, and he walked directly to Zong Shou’s side to stand there.

This single action conveyed compliance with Zong Shou’s command, yet the distance he maintained suggested a degree of reserve and underlying distrust. Luo Shi stepped forward with a smiling inquiry.

“Grand Martial Ancestor’s Uncle, you lead us on this mission. What are our current orders?” Xuan Ye and Xie An remained silent, awaiting Zong Shou’s reply.

Zong Shou glanced askance at Luo Shi. The man had omitted the honorific 'Grand,' and Zong Shou resolved to charge him with disrespect upon their return.

Ignoring Luo Shi completely, he turned to the Dao Soldier leader. “Who are you?

What is your post within the Sect?” The assembled elite disciples perked up their ears. Upon hearing this, they nearly stumbled in astonishment.

It turned out that this ‘Elder Cousin Grandmaster Tan’ didn't even know who his immediate subordinates were for this mission. Even the faces of the several hundred cavalrymen paled noticeably.

The Dao Soldier leader, however, remained impassive. He raised a hand in salute.

“Han Shu, Seventh Generation Inner Disciple of the Azure World Main Hall, currently serving as Commander of the Seventh Battalion, Xuan Character, of the Azure Dragon Warriors—”