"Master! Master! So many cultivators!"
As Wang Yang stepped out of the teleportation array, he saw the dense crowds on the street ahead and shouted in surprise.
It was the first time he had seen a street so packed with cultivators, with barely any room to stand.
"Senior brother, keep your voice down."
Chi Xiaoxi saw several people giving them strange looks and blushed, tugging hard at Wang Yang's sleeve.
It was too embarrassing.
"Oh."
Wang Yang responded casually, then looked around curiously, his face filled with uncontrollable excitement.
He had never imagined he would have the chance to come to Xuanji Sect to attend the ceremony.
Wang Yang felt incredibly fortunate for his seemingly reckless action back then. If he hadn't been brave, he wouldn't have met Senior Xu, oh, no, he should be called Ancestor Xu now.
Seeing that Wang Yang had stopped talking, Chi Xiaoxi felt relieved. She stood behind Zhan Fei, feigning composure as she surveyed the surroundings.
This was Meng City, the closest city to Xuanji Sect. It was indeed very lively.
Zhan Fei, standing at the front of the group, was also filled with emotion.
Not long ago, before he had returned to Huofu Sect, he had received messages from the elders of the north and south, saying they had received an invitation from Xuanji Sect to attend the ceremony.
Through the communication disk, Zhan Fei could hear the excitement in the elders' voices.
Even Zhan Fei himself could not believe it when he first received the news.
Huofu Sect was barely known locally, let alone in the Kyushu Continent, where they were nobodies, not to mention comparing themselves to the major sects.
Therefore, they had never participated in the grand events of the Kyushu Continent. At most, they would join the commotion from the outside, like rogue cultivators.
But this time, it was different. Huofu Sect had received an invitation from Xuanji Sect, and this invitation was personally written by Ancestor Xu Yi of Xuanji Sect. What an honor this was.
It was also with this invitation that Zhan Fei finally persuaded several elders of Qinghui Sect to open the coffin.
After opening the coffin, the corpse inside had indeed disappeared.
After getting the answer, Zhan Fei hurried back to Huofu Sect with Chi Xiaoxi and the others.
Huofu Sect had only a handful of people. After deliberation, Zhan Fei decided not to leave anyone to guard the sect and brought all disciples, including the elders of the north and south, to attend the ceremony.
After traveling for days, the destination was in sight.
The Huofu Sect, with over twenty people, emerged from the teleportation array in a grand procession and were quickly swallowed by the crowd.
"Elder Nan, Elder Bei, look after the disciples carefully. Don't let them get separated."
Zhan Fei shielded the disciples behind him as he moved forward, reminding the elders of the north and south.
"Sect Master, rest assured."
The elders of the north and south responded loudly, their eyes fixed on the disciples around them.
What was once a short street took them a good quarter of an hour to cross.
As they stepped out of the city gate, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Some disciples whose cultivation was still at the Golden Core stage were now blushing, their foreheads beaded with sweat. They patted their chests and whispered in amazement, "There are too many people."
If not for Zhan Fei and the others protecting them, they would not have been able to squeeze out of the crowd so easily.
However, these minor incidents did not dampen their good mood.
Thinking that they would reach Xuanji Sect soon, their eyes sparkled.
Bang bang bang!
Suddenly, a series of sonic booms echoed from the distance.
The cultivators near the city gate all looked curiously in the direction of the sound. They saw a colossal object speeding past overhead, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
"What a fast flying artifact!" exclaimed a Huofu Sect disciple.
Someone next to him immediately explained, "That's the Seven-Colored Pagoda from Daqi Sect. It's said to be able to accommodate over a thousand people!"
"Good heavens, it can carry so many people? No wonder it looks so big!"
Wang Yang's mouth gaped open.
"Of course! Daqi Sect is a top sect renowned for its artifact refining. Their flying artifacts must be rare treasures in the world! We've really come to the right place this time!"
On the other side of the Huofu Sect disciples, a middle-aged cultivator stroked his beard and sighed.
The Kyushu Continent had not held a grand event for many years, and all the major sects were eager to perform well before this grand event. They had all taken out their sects' best flying artifacts, astonishing the many cultivators.
The disciples of Huofu Sect all showed envy in their eyes.
Although their sect also had flying artifacts, operating those artifacts required a large amount of spiritual power and spirit stones for supply.
This was a huge expense for Huofu Sect.
After discussing with the elders of the north and south, Zhan Fei decided to travel to Xuanji Sect in the most economical way.
In any case, Xu Yi understood their situation best. Why should they inflate their own importance and live in hardship for a long time just for the sake of appearing presentable once?
It wasn't worth it.
The disciples of the sect had no objections to the sect leader's decision.
Only Wen Yi, a former disciple of Mingyue Pavilion who had not officially joined, felt a sense of emotional resonance.
Huofu Sect and Mingyue Pavilion were indeed two sects with vastly different styles.
Mingyue Pavilion emphasized reputation and always strove to present the best image of the sect, ensuring no one could criticize them when traveling.
In contrast, Huofu Sect was much more carefree, acting from a practical perspective, considering the disciples, and not seeking fame.
Wen Yi really liked Huofu Sect's way of doing things.
In such an environment, she felt more relaxed and happier than usual, and even her cultivation felt more at ease.
She now only wished to perform well and strive to join Huofu Sect as soon as possible, becoming a true disciple of Huofu Sect.
The disciples of Huofu Sect were simple-minded, and their thoughts were evident on their faces.
Seeing that they had both old and young, a nearby cultivator curiously asked, "Where are you from? You should not be from Zhongzhou, right?"
Wang Yang honestly replied, "We are from Angzhou."
The inquiring cultivator nodded without surprise, "Angzhou is not too far from Zhongzhou. It's good for you to follow your elders to broaden your horizons. Although you cannot enter Xuanji Sect, making friends with cultivators from all over the outside will be very beneficial to you."
Wang Yang initially nodded along, but as he listened, he realized something was amiss. By the time the person finished speaking, he realized that the person had mistaken them for mere onlookers.
Wang Yang opened his mouth to retort, but was stopped by Zhan Fei, "Wang Yang, come back."
Wang Yang shot the person a glance, held back his annoyance, and returned to his master's side.
Zhan Fei gave Wang Yang a stern look as a warning before leading everyone forward again.
The closer they got to Xuanji Sect, the more cautious Zhan Fei became.
After all, this trip was not just for him and the two elders, but also for all the disciples of Huofu Sect.
Although the Kyushu Continent seemed stable now, undercurrents were already brewing.
With one wrong move, Huofu Sect could be destroyed in his hands.
That was why he had stopped Wang Yang from revealing that they had received an invitation to outsiders. It would only bring them jealousy from others and no other benefits.
It was better to reach Xuanji Sect as soon as possible.