Zhan Wufeng hadn't expected this little girl to be so sharp-tongued, and every word was barbed, suggesting she knew something, as if she had some hidden insight into his affairs... A measure of apprehension crept into his heart.

Yet, this was entirely needless worry on his part. Miao Xiaomiao’s words were pulled from her entirely by the heat of their argument; she genuinely hadn't uncovered any secret of the Zhan family. But the speaker had no ill intent, while the listener took it to heart. As Zhan Wuyun heard it, a knot of unease tightened in his stomach, and he instantly became suspicious and irresolute.

“Stop squabbling! We represent the Illusionary Mansion; what need is there for us to quarrel amongst ourselves? Zhan Wuyun, you are hundreds of years old—do you truly have nothing better to do than argue endlessly with a mere girl? Where is your dignity?”

Miao Dao turned back, his rebuke sharp and impatient. He cast a cold, chilling glance at Zhan Wuyun, his intention to protect Miao Xiaomiao being abundantly clear.

Zhan Wuyun’s face flushed, and he clamped his mouth shut.

Miao Zhan let out a cold snort. He had long since reached his limit with these few members of the Zhan family.

Though he had already decided that none of them would leave alive, meaning there was no need to bother arguing with men already doomed, he still found their brazen arrogance in front of him grating. Time, he felt, was moving too slowly...

Miao Zhan’s mind was currently wrestling with a thought: Should he let these people die by the hand of the Lord of Evil? Or should he just finish them off himself? Since they were destined never to return alive, it was better to benefit himself than to let outsiders profit from their deaths, thus preserving the former prestige of the Illusionary Mansion!

Miao Jian let out a breath, muttering to himself with a trace of confusion, “Why haven’t the envoys from the Three Great Sacred Lands arrived yet? Even allowing for differences in distance, not a single delegation should be absent!”

Miao Dao smiled faintly. “The Three Great Sacred Lands always act with explosive speed, frequently striking preemptively when the enemy is unprepared. I presume they have already neared Chu...”

As he spoke, Miao Dao’s expression suddenly darkened. Immediately following suit, the looks on Miao Jian’s and Miao Zhan’s faces grew grave. All three looked simultaneously toward the dense woods off to one side.

From that direction, a powerful aura was sweeping toward them at an utterly terrifying speed!

Miao Dao shook his head, a hint of vexation in his tone. “This is truly bizarre—speak of the devil and they appear.”

Miao Ke shook his head and murmured quietly, “The Sacred Land people are indeed 'evil'; as soon as you mention turtles, the terrapins show up.”

Miao Xiaomiao let out a suppressed giggle, her frame trembling with mirth. Miao Jian’s comment was truly merciless in its accuracy...

“Brother Miao, arriving so early! Ha! It seems your Illusionary Mansion is indeed taking this matter of the Lord of Evil quite seriously. For us to have kept Brother Miao and the others waiting is truly a failing on our part!”

A clear, resonant voice cut through the air, seemingly devoid of any worldly taint. Following the sound, six or seven figures clad in white drifted gracefully out from the thicket by the roadside.

“Brother Gu... what brings you here personally? It seems the Immortal Hermitage Sect has come well-prepared this time as well.”

Miao Zhan laughed heartily and strode forward to greet them.

Emerging from the shadows by the road were seven figures in white—six men and one woman—all dressed in robes as white as snow. The six men were all long-bearded and wore high crowns, their gazes sharp. The sole woman, however, possessed a beauty so exquisite it seemed almost unreal, like an exiled celestial descending to the mortal realm.

“The one in the center—is that Mo Wudao, the current Sovereign Master of the Immortal Hermitage Sect?”

Miao Zhan looked with particular interest at the individual positioned centrally among the seven white figures.

This man had a handsome, jade-like face, dressed in white with black hair, appearing truly ethereal and utterly unconstrained. Most remarkably, he possessed the lowest cultivation level among the seven travelers, seemingly only a Third-Tier Venerable. In terms of raw power, he was only slightly stronger than Miao Xiaomiao and Zhan Yuting present, yet his every movement held an innate grace and ease, subtly emanating an air of noble authority, as if accustomed to giving orders.

As for the other six, three of the men were Saint Emperors and two were Saint Venerables. The beautiful woman possessed Saint Venerable cultivation as well, making her strength perhaps the pinnacle of the entire contingent.

Yet, even with six companions whose cultivation far surpassed his own, Mo Wudao stood out at the center, his presence asserting itself—a clear sign of his extraordinary nature! This was the bearing cultivated from a long tenure in high command; others lacked it entirely...

Mo Wudao’s gaze was gentle as he looked at Miao Zhan, offering a smiling bow. “This must be Senior Miao Zhan of the Illusionary Mansion... Senior, is it? Your junior, Mo Wudao, pays his respects and offers his greetings.”

His words were utterly plain, yet inexplicably, when spoken by him, they carried a sense of weight and sincerity. Coupled with his expression and eyes, everyone felt his greeting came from a genuine place, heartfelt and without the slightest pretense!

Miao Zhan regarded him steadily for a moment. Mo Wudao met his gaze with a quiet smile. Though he spoke no further, that sincere smile and clear look made him appear even more like a true gentleman worthy of acquaintance.

“Mo Wudao... truly exceptional,” Miao Zhan murmured softly. Based on demeanor alone, few within the Illusionary Mansion, perhaps only Miao Huanyu, possessed such unflappable composure. No wonder this man could govern the Immortal Hermitage Sect with only Third-Tier Venerable cultivation and command universal respect; his depth of scheming and character was rarely matched.

“How can Wudao be worthy of being called ‘Senior’? Your praise is excessive. These past few years have been mired in worldly affairs! My cultivation has seen no progress, which is truly embarrassing. My role on this journey is merely to fill the numbers, with Senior Qiao Ying leading the way!”

Mo Wudao gestured toward the only woman in the Immortal Hermitage Sect’s group.

That exquisitely beautiful woman was Qiao Ying. Given her status and position, she needn't have accompanied them, but Qiao Ying simply could not rest easy regarding the Exquisite Lotuses that Jun Mo Xie had cultivated. To her, those Lotuses were like children; how could she not worry? She had cared for them for thousands of years; that bond was unmatched by anyone.

Qiao Ying’s strength was indeed formidable—the foremost among the Immortal Hermitage Sect members present—but when it came to handling affairs, the ranking might reverse. Nevertheless, her transcendent status was undeniable, so even though Mo Wudao was the Sovereign Master, he treated her with profound respect. Still, no one would seriously take him suggesting she was the leader of the mission.

“Is this the esteemed Miss Qiao Ying? I have long heard the legends!” Miao Zhan exclaimed, his words springing from genuine feeling. Few outside the Illusionary Mansion had not heard her name. She was the singular anomaly who had tasted the Seven-Colored Sacred Fruit outside the Mansion, and was also fortunate enough to have consumed the Exquisite Lotuses—not just once. Her fortune truly was unparalleled in this age.

It wasn't just Miao Zhan; the Dao Ke brothers, Miao Xiaomiao, and even the entire contingent from the Zhan family turned their eyes toward Qiao Ying. All of them had only known her name, never seen her person, and today they finally had their view.

Though Qiao Ying’s cultivation was high, her social grace seemed worse than that of an ordinary person with no profound skills. Being stared at made her visibly flustered, unsure of how to speak!

Then Mo Wudao sighed softly, “Upon meeting the distinguished demeanor of you all today, I see the famed Illusionary Mansion holds no false idols, which frankly makes me feel deeply ashamed.”

As he spoke, he shook his head slightly, a faint air of melancholy and hope on his face, mingled with a fleeting shadow of self-reproach. Though it passed in an instant, everyone clearly perceived it. This only further convinced them that this man acknowledged his own shortcomings frankly and truthfully, indeed proving himself trustworthy.

With that single remark, he had managed to extricate Qiao Ying from her awkward situation while simultaneously flattering the members of the Illusionary Mansion—a masterpiece of tact and dexterity.

“The Sacred Lands command the world and govern the secular; if not for Palace Master Mo overseeing the Immortal Hermitage Sect, when would those elders find time to cultivate?” Miao Zhan replied with a gentle smile. “Palace Master Mo’s cultivation may be hindered, but he labors for the welfare of all living things, benefiting the current age and the millennia to come. We seniors naturally hold Palace Master Mo in sincere reverence! Even if his cultivation lags slightly, what does that matter?”

It was evident that Miao Zhan’s impression of Mo Wudao was exceedingly positive.

Indeed, it was difficult to foster malice toward a man like this.

Mo Wudao offered a carefree laugh. “Wudao certainly understands this truth in his heart, but these are words everyone can say, including Wudao... and yet, there remains a persistent sense of personal disappointment... My childish display today—I hope Senior can overlook it.”

With that, the two parties melded together seamlessly, walking toward the tents already erected. The three Saint Emperors who had accompanied the Immortal Hermitage Sect swiftly set up their own tents right beside those of the Illusionary Mansion. Even though they were Saint Emperor experts, compared to Miao Zhan and Qiao Ying, they were perhaps a lesser tier. After pleasantries were exchanged along the way, they entered the tents and sat down according to their stations. Despite being the junior, Mo Wudao’s status as the reigning Sovereign Master made him the natural choice for the head seat. Only once Mo Wudao was settled did Qiao Ying, nominally the leader, take the secondary position.

“Heh heh, may I ask the seniors of the Illusionary Mansion, what are your views regarding the establishment of the Lord of Evil’s domain this time?”

Mo Wudao inquired with a slight smile, adopting a modest expression and a calm gaze.

The moment this question was posed, Miao Dao, Miao Jian, Miao Zhan, and Zhan Wufeng simultaneously realized something: in just a few rounds of pleasantries, Mo Wudao, through his unique charm and phrasing, had successfully seized the reins of the conversation. This youth was truly formidable!

He asked about their “views on the Lord of Evil opening his domain.” At first glance, it seemed like an ordinary question, unremarkable even, but it had the effect of locking everyone’s thoughts within that specific boundary.

If you were to speak, you would first have to answer his question!

Furthermore, while the question appeared neutral on the surface, it harbored an extremely sharp, targeted edge, aimed directly at the Lord of Evil! Miao Dao and the other three knew that once Mo Wudao set this topic, unless they could introduce a powerful counter-subject, the entire dynamic of the discussion would be steered by him and would inevitably lean toward positions detrimental to the Lord of Evil!

This was the very situation the members of the Illusionary Mansion, who had already resolved to remain observers initially, least wished to see!

However, they had come precisely because of the Lord of Evil establishing his domain; what topic could possibly be more important right now?

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