As a woman appeared, the man who had respectfully reported instantly tensed, his eyes filled with adoration. The woman before him was not delicate like ordinary women. Although dressed in pink, her features exuded resilience.
This woman was none other than Long Qian Ning, the founder of the Nine Dragon Sect, one of the three great powers of the Heavenly Treasure Realm!
Long Qian Ning was slightly surprised, putting down the dragon scales she held. Despite being the sect leader of the Nine Dragon Sect, her pink robes bore no dragon-related patterns. They were simple and unadorned.
"Sect Leader, for tens of millions of years, and even further back in ancient times, no lower realm has ever ascended and possessed the power to suppress a True Immortal of the eighth layer immediately upon entering the Immortal Domain. Your subordinate suspects that within this territory, there must be an extraordinary innate treasure!" Although the man's tone was calm, the adoration, respect, and affection in his eyes were impossible to conceal.
"Guan Qiu requests permission to conquer the Great Han Immortal Dynasty!" Upon seeing the woman appear, the man immediately knelt on one knee.
"Guan Qiu, how long have you been by my side?" Long Qian Ning glanced at the kneeling man.
"Reporting to Sect Leader, it has been ten million years!" Guan Qiu's excited expression suddenly calmed.
"It seems these ten million years have been spent in vain by your side!" Long Qian Ning looked at Guan Qiu with a hint of disappointment.
"Sect Leader! Guan Qiu..." Guan Qiu hurriedly put down his other leg, kneeling on both knees.
"Enough!"
Long Qian Ning stood up and walked barefoot across the ground paved with dragon scales. She patted Guan Qiu's shoulder and said, "I, Long Qian Ning, founded the Nine Dragon Sect merely to protect a region, never aspiring to conquer territories. Over these years, I have been immersed in cultivation, neglecting many of the sect's affairs, leading to greed and murderous intent filling the Nine Dragon Sect from top to bottom. In the past three million years, how many disciples have died due to sect friction? Guan Qiu, your path is diverging further from mine!"
"Sect Leader, Guan Qiu knows his mistake, Guan Qiu knows his mistake! Please punish me, Sect Leader!" Guan Qiu knelt on the ground, his eyes red. Seeing Long Qian Ning's disappointed expression made him deeply regretful.
"The matter has already occurred; what meaning does punishment hold? Guan Qiu, recently, my cultivation has been unable to break through to the Golden Immortal pháp môn, trapping me in the peak of the Profound Immortal realm, like a dragon confined in a cage. I wish to journey to the Burial Dragon Island in the Sea of Realms!" Long Qian Ning walked to the hall entrance, watching the figures of the Nine Dragon Sect disciples hurrying about.
"Sect Leader, that Burial Dragon Island is..." Guan Qiu's expression changed drastically, and he quickly spoke.
"My mind is made up; you need not say more. After I leave, I do not know when I will return. This Nine Dragon Sect will be entrusted to you. Guan Qiu, do not forget the initial intention you had when you founded the Nine Dragon Sect with me!" Long Qian Ning extended her hand and gave Guan Qiu a blood-red dragon scale from her hand.
Looking at Guan Qiu, who had followed her for ten million years, her expression shifted slightly. "Guan Qiu, I deeply understand your intentions, but I cannot give you the love you desire. My heart is no longer here!"
"Sect Leader, for ten million years, you still cannot forget him!" Guan Qiu's expression changed, filled with anger. He stood up and looked at Long Qian Ning. "This time you are going to Burial Dragon Island, is it to break through to Golden Immortal and fulfill the requirements of the Southern Heaven lineage for you back then?"
"The promise made to me by the Southern Heaven lineage back then, I fear only Burial Dragon Island can allow me to reach the Golden Immortal realm!" Long Qian Ning looked at Guan Qiu's expression at this moment, filled with guilt. It was a pity that Guan Qiu appeared in her life one step too late for that man. For ten million years, whatever she wanted to achieve, Guan Qiu had always been by her side without any complaints. Unfortunately, she ultimately did not love Guan Qiu.
She had repeatedly asked Guan Qiu to give up, but Guan Qiu always followed, managing the sect's affairs for her. In the early days of the Nine Dragon Sect's founding, Guan Qiu led the army, conquering the Boundless Star Palace and the Heavenly Treasure Sect, and conquering more than half of the Nine Dragon Sect's territory.
Such a fine man, yet her heart was already given. She could not forget the romantic times back then, and she could not forget the promises that man made to her!
"Guan Qiu, if there is a good woman, marry her. I am not worth it!" Long Qian Ning said and then disappeared within the main hall.
"No!"
"I will wait for you forever, until you return. We will protect the Nine Dragon Sect together. There are still so many things we haven't done. No! I will wait for you. The Sect Leader of the Nine Dragon Sect belongs only to you."
"Guards!"
After a long period of calm, Guan Qiu was filled with overwhelming authority and majesty. The Dragon Kings, the protectors of the Nine Dragon Sect, returned.
"Law King!"
A disciple entered.
"Order the Grand Elder to represent our Nine Dragon Sect and travel to the Great Han Immortal Dynasty to offer a sincere apology for the incident involving Bo. Our Nine Dragon Sect wishes to forge a good relationship with the Great Han Immortal Dynasty. Furthermore, order the inner and outer sect elders to eliminate murderous intent and greed within the sect starting today. Our Nine Dragon Sect will not contend for territorial dominance with the powers of the Heavenly Treasure Realm. Any disciple, regardless of who they are, who dares to disobey will be expelled from the Nine Dragon Sect!"
...
"Wan Ai Jian, is what Mu Zan said true?"
In the northern part of the Great Han Immortal Dynasty, on Extreme Star Peak, the seat of the Boundless Star Palace, Teng Yi, one of the three great powers of the Heavenly Treasure Realm, asked Wan Ai Jian and Mu Zan, the Outer Sect Grand Elder of the Boundless Star Palace.
"Reporting to Palace Master, Elder Mu's words are without any error. The Great Han Immortal Dynasty is indeed extraordinary. Within the Immortal Dynasty are several powerful True Immortal beings who can kill a True Immortal of the eighth layer effortlessly. The Nine Dragon Sect and the Heavenly Treasure Sect have also suffered considerable losses!" Wan Ai Jian said calmly.
"You may withdraw," Teng Yi said in a flat tone.
"Thank you, Palace Master!" Wan Ai Jian rose and respectfully withdrew. Stepping outside the hall, he glanced and muttered, "Great Han Immortal Dynasty, alas! This battle cannot be avoided. I must inform the Great Han Emperor, and make plans early!"
"Palace Master, the territory of the Great Han Immortal Dynasty is extraordinary. The Heavenly Treasure Sect and the Nine Dragon Sect will likely not miss this opportunity. Our Boundless Star Palace is adjacent to the Great Han Immortal Dynasty, which is an excellent opportunity. If the Heavenly Treasure Sect and the Nine Dragon Sect wish to attack the Great Han Immortal Dynasty, they can only travel by Immortal Treasure, entering the Sea of Realms," Mu Zan said, looking at Teng Yi.
"Palace Master, Mu Zan's words are accurate!" Hang Tuo, the Inner Sect Grand Elder of the Boundless Star Palace, emerged and said, "With our Boundless Star Palace situated in between, separating the Nine Dragon Sect and the Heavenly Treasure Sect, if those two sects wish to attack the Great Han Immortal Dynasty, they can only travel through the Sea of Realms. The wind and clouds in the Sea of Realms change unpredictably, giving us sufficient time to wear down the Great Han Immortal Dynasty!"
"Good! Effective immediately, all teleportation arrays connecting the Nine Dragon Sect and the Heavenly Treasure Sect must be thoroughly investigated. Activate the aerial prohibition array. No living beings are permitted to travel through the air within our Boundless Star Palace's territory. Violators will be executed!"
Teng Yi stood up and said, "Our Boundless Star Palace is adjacent to the Great Han Immortal Dynasty, but the Great Han Immortal Dynasty also possesses profound reserves. I must remain at Extreme Star Peak to guard against the Nine Dragon Sect and the Heavenly Treasure Sect. Therefore, we must act on two fronts, advancing by both sea and land!"