Wan Yan Zhe woke up as if from a dream and said, "Miss Zi's considerations are truly thorough. I shall make arrangements immediately."
With that, he formed a hand seal and pressed it against the tightly shut main door of the ancestral hall.
The door swung open, and Wan Yan Lie leaped out first, shouting, "Everyone, leave the ancestral hall immediately! You are not permitted to step foot here again without my command!"
"Yes!"
The guards of the City Lord's mansion, who were already on standby, responded in unison and quickly vanished.
Steward Wan Yan Liang approached, looking puzzled. "City Lord, what happened? Didn't you ask me to bring the guards here to wait for them?"
Wan Yan Zhe was startled by his words and quickly made a shushing gesture. "Steward, the situation has changed. You should withdraw for now!"
Steward Wan Yan Liang was very confused and wanted to ask more, but he felt Wan Yan Zhe's gaze turn cold.
He quickly swallowed his confusion, bowed, and retreated.
Zi Lin Ling, along with Xuanyuan Xun and the other five, also withdrew.
At her signal, the six of them swiftly set up the Six Harmonies Array above the Ancestral Hall of the Formation Master.
The Six Harmonies Array, capable of both offense and defense, was an unparalleled formation for protection.
"Guard this place well. No one is allowed to disturb Elder Du!" Zi Lin Ling instructed sternly.
"Yes!"
The six of them responded and each took up their posts.
Wan Yan Zhe worriedly asked, "Is a single formation enough?"
Zi Lin Ling replied calmly, "It is sufficient!"
Although Wan Yan Zhe didn't entirely trust it, it was fortunate that this was the City Lord's mansion, with plenty of guards available.
However, seeing how respectfully Xuanyuan Xun and the others deferred to Zi Lin Ling, he couldn't help but become curious about her identity. "Miss Zi, who exactly are you?"
Zi Lin Ling gazed at the eastern sky, lost in thought. "What exactly does City Lord Wan Yan wish to say?"
Just as Zi Lin Ling was about to speak, Steward Wan Yan Liang reappeared.
Wan Yan Zhe's brows furrowed, and a hint of displeasure clearly flashed in his eyes.
He had explicitly ordered everyone to withdraw. Wan Yan Liang's appearance clearly made him feel as though his commands were not being heeded.
"Wan Yan Liang, what are you doing?"
Wan Yan Zhe called him by name instead of addressing him as steward, indicating how displeased he was.
Steward Wan Yan Liang blinked in surprise and then smiled apologetically. "City Lord, a letter from City Lord Xi of Tianzun City!"
Wan Yan Zhe was taken aback, and his expression softened slightly. He extended his hand, signaling for Wan Yan Liang to present the letter.
Wan Yan Liang naturally complied.
He respectfully placed the letter in Wan Yan Zhe's hand and quietly stepped aside.
Wan Yan Zhe opened the letter. It contained only one line: "To all City Lords: On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, gather at Nine Saints City for an important discussion. It concerns life and death, so your attendance is imperative!"
It was signed by Xi Ning, City Lord of Tianzun City, and bore the Tianzun seal.
Wan Yan Zhe's brows were tightly knit. He wondered what matter could possibly be so critical that it concerned life and death.
It was currently early May. Although there were still over two months until the fifteenth of the seventh month, time was already pressing.
Zi Lin Ling knew that Xi Ning's summons at this time was undoubtedly related to the Azure Disaster.
However, judging by Wan Yan Zhe's reaction, it seemed Xi Ning's letter had not revealed her identity.
But should she reveal her identity to Wan Yan Zhe? Zi Lin Ling hesitated for a moment.
After a while, Zi Lin Ling finally made up her mind.
"Does City Lord Wan Yan really want to know my identity?"
Wan Yan Zhe recovered from reading the letter and nodded. "If Miss Zi trusts me, then please explain."
Zi Lin Ling smiled. "It's not that I trust you, but that I trust my own judgment. However, you need to be mentally prepared first!"
"Prepared for what?" Wan Yan Zhe asked in surprise.
Zi Lin Ling smiled. "Stand firm, I'm about to tell you!"
Wan Yan Zhe chuckled. "Go ahead! My legs are as stable as the formations of Formation Master City!"
Zi Lin Ling grinned. "They all call me... the Chosen One!"
Wan Yan Zhe stumbled in shock. "What did you say? The Chosen One?"
Zi Lin Ling nodded. "That's what they said."
Wan Yan Zhe suddenly understood. Many things that had been unclear before now made sense.
He gave a bitter smile and thought to himself, "No wonder Xi Ning's letter said it concerns life and death! With the emergence of the Chosen One, the Azure Disaster is imminent. What else could this be but a matter of life and death?"
Zi Lin Ling continued, "Xuanyuan, Rong Guang, Shangguan, and my husband are all reincarnations of the Nine Guardians. My purpose in coming to the Divine Remnant Continent is to find the reincarnations of the other Guardians. This is why I said we have no ill intentions."
"I see! I see now!"
Wan Yan Zhe steadied himself and said apologetically, "It was my overthinking. Please do not take offense, Miss Zi!"
Zi Lin Ling waved her hand. "It's nothing! Now that City Lord Wan Yan knows my identity, I request that you and City Lord Xi contact all available forces and prepare to face the great disaster!"
Wan Yan Zhe quickly and respectfully said, "Please rest assured, Miss Zi, I will not shirk my duty!"
Zi Lin Ling nodded. "I will guard Elder Du here. You should go and attend to your business."
"Alright!"
Wan Yan Zhe clasped his fists and turned to leave.
His feet felt as if he were walking on clouds.
However, Wan Yan Zhe's position as City Lord was not only due to the patronage of the Formation Master's legacy but also to his outstanding abilities.
Therefore, he quickly regained his composure and sent out orders to assess the cultivation and talents of everyone in Formation Master City, so that they could be taught according to their aptitudes.
Six days later, Elder Du had fully activated his primal bloodline, perfectly absorbed the primal essence from the fragments of the Formation Master's divine statue, and completely integrated the Formation Master's memories.
Elder Du's cultivation had already been restored to the peak of the Divine King realm, just one step away from breaking through to the Half-Step Divine Lord realm.
Zi Lin Ling and the others wasted no time and set off for the next city.
The next city was called Sea Master City, named after the honorific title of the Sea Master, Xuan Xuzi.
Because they had spent nearly half a month in Formation Master City, they rushed all the way, constantly utilizing teleportation arrays, and soon arrived in Sea Master City.
Zi Lin Ling specifically checked the star map and noticed a faint light dot above Sea Master City, but it was very dim.
"What's going on?"
Zi Lin Ling was very puzzled and wanted to ask the Azure Star Soul, but found that the Azure Star Soul had fallen into a deep slumber after entering Sea Master City.
Having no other choice, Zi Lin Ling decided to go directly to the Sea Master's ancestral hall and began inquiring about its location from the locals.
They soon found out that the Sea Master's ancestral hall was located in a bamboo grove in the very center of Sea Master City.