The Heavenly Dao Sect!
Even though Mu Tian had existed in the Ten Directions Heaven and Earth for tens of millions of years, this was the first time he had seen it, or rather, the first time Mu Tian had seen a true hidden power of the Three Sects and Three Palaces.
The existence of the Three Sects and Three Palaces had only ever been recorded in ancient texts. They hadn't appeared when Jiu You ascended the Emperor Road, and even the Emperor Yuan before Jiu You had no news of the Three Sects and Three Palaces emerging. But now, the Three Sects and Three Palaces had appeared, and the first to emerge was the foremost among the Six Great Hidden Powers, the Heavenly Dao Sect!
The conch shell rippled with halos of light, and under the gaze of all living beings, it abruptly vanished. Then, a thousand-zhang-high portal appeared before everyone, ancient and majestic.
Heaven's Mandate, Heaven's Knowledge, Heaven's Will.
Heaven's Number, Heaven's Ambition, Heavenly Dao.
Six phrases, twelve characters, exuding infinite majesty.
"Through the long years and countless ages, I tread the Heavenly Dao in my vast remaining life. Heavenly Dao Sect, Qian Chenzi greets all fellow Daoists!" A voice, like a spring breeze whispering in everyone's ears, resonated in the minds of all cultivators. Then, from within the enormous portal, a middle-aged human cultivator slowly emerged.
This cultivator wore a black and white daoist robe. On the back of the robe, two brocade fish, one black and one white, swam back and forth, following the rhythm of the whisk the cultivator held.
Boom…
As soon as this cultivator appeared, he attracted the attention of the thunder dragons in the sky. Instantly, these thunder dragons, as if facing mortal enemies, bared their fangs and roared fiercely at Qian Chenzi.
"Heh heh, a heavenly tribulation for ascension? This old man doesn't wish to ascend just yet. However, you can all quiet down for a bit." Qian Chenzi took out a parasol and gently opened it. The moment the parasol opened, the roaring heavenly tribulation in the sky seemed to have its throat choked. The ferocious thunder dragons slowly quieted down, and then the thunder dragons, each reaching ten thousand zhang in length, began to shrink like deflating balloons.
"Mu Tian of the Futian Empire, of the Mu Wu Clan, greets the Third Grand Elder." Upon seeing the middle-aged cultivator, Mu Tian's scalp tingled.
As an elite from the previous Emperor Road, Mu Tian believed he was not inferior to the Grand Elders of the hidden sects. Especially when he felt the heavenly tribulation of ascension looming over him, he thought he had reached the peak of what a cultivator could achieve in this world. But now, this Third Grand Elder of the Heavenly Dao Sect who appeared before him had redefined his understanding of the heavenly tribulation.
Because he sensed an energy fluctuation from Qian Chenzi that was several times more powerful than his own. Logically, cultivators of such strength should have been rejected by the heavens and earth, yet he was standing right before him.
Mu Tian looked at the white parasol in Qian Chenzi's hand with fervent desire in his heart. He knew that the dispersal of the heavenly tribulation must be related to this parasol. If he guessed correctly, this parasol could not only conceal one's aura but even conceal heavenly secrets related to them!
"Oh? Little fellow, you recognize me?" Qian Chenzi turned, looking from afar at Mu Tian, who stood in the spiritual sea, his eyes showing a hint of surprise.
"Reporting to senior, this junior has always yearned for the Heavenly Dao Sect, so I have scoured all the ancient texts related to the Heavenly Dao Sect throughout the Ten Directions Heaven and Earth. The reason I know your identity, senior, is because you are wearing the attire of the Heavenly Dao Sect." At this moment, Mu Tian was like a student, feeling a bit nervous under Qian Chenzi's gaze.
"Oh? A quasi-emperor of the Mu Wu Clan? It seems you must be one of those who followed Jiu You after being defeated when the Mu Wu Clan last set foot on the Emperor Road. If this old man remembers correctly, your name is Mu Tian, right?" Qian Chenzi looked at Mu Tian, asking with a gentle smile. His tone was questioning, yet filled with certainty.
"The Third Grand Elder has keen eyes. May I ask the reason for your emergence this time, Third Grand Elder? This junior can assist you on your behalf."
Qian Chenzi was the Third Grand Elder of the Heavenly Dao Sect, hence he was known as the Third Grand Elder. It was rumored that his strength had reached the realm of five perfections, and he was even on the verge of achieving the sixth perfect law. Therefore, even someone as powerful as Mu Tian could only bow his head before such an existence.
"It's nothing major, it's just that a disciple of our Heavenly Dao Sect who was traveling outside was killed not long ago. Although he was merely an inner disciple, he was still a life to our Heavenly Dao Sect." Qian Chenzi said with a smile.
"Oh? The Heavenly Dao Sect is the foremost among the hidden powers. I wonder which audacious individual dared to harm a disciple of the Heavenly Dao Sect?" Mu Tian exclaimed in surprise. Inner disciples of hidden powers rarely ventured into the world. Once they appeared, they were treated as honored guests by the powers of various universes. How could anyone dare to attack a disciple of a hidden power?
Moreover, as an inner disciple of the Heavenly Dao Sect, their strength would be at least at the mid-stage of the Extreme Rank. In the entire Ten Directions Heaven and Earth, how many people could kill them? Not to mention the Heavenly Dao Sect standing behind him.
"We are not yet certain. Elder Taiyi used his most proficient art of Divination to deduce that the inner disciple died in the Tenth Star Domain. As for the perpetrator, their heavenly secrets seem to have been concealed by a powerful being, making it impossible for even Taiyi to calculate."
Qian Chenzi held Elder Taiyi's art of Divination in the highest regard. For countless ages, Taiyi's art of Divination had always been invincible, but this time it had failed, greatly astonishing the entire Grand Elder team of the Heavenly Dao Sect.
"The Tenth Universe? That must be Ye Yun of the Ten Directions Empire. Only he would be so bold?" Before Mu Tian could speak, Yao Die, who was beside him, blurted out.
"Oh? Little one, you know?" Qian Chenzi looked at Yao Die, as if appreciating an unpolished gem.
Under Mu Tian's instruction, Yao Die began to recount information related to Ye Yun in detail to Qian Chenzi, from Ye Yun's rise to the establishment of his empire, and even his various deeds in the game world.
"Hahaha, so that's how it is. Little girl, your level in the Heavenly Dao must have reached level one hundred, right? If you are interested in joining my Heavenly Dao Sect, then this elder will grant you an opportunity." Qian Chenzi looked at Yao Die with satisfaction, because in his eyes, Yao Die practically met all the criteria for accepting disciples in the Heavenly Dao Sect, and her talent and strength were already comparable to some elder-level cultivators within the sect.
"Disciple greets master." As soon as Qian Chenzi's words fell, Yao Die bowed from afar.
Although only Qian Chenzi had appeared from the Heavenly Dao Sect so far, with the emergence of this Third Grand Elder, the full emergence of the Heavenly Dao Sect would not be far off. And with the emergence of the Heavenly Dao Sect, it meant that Yao Die's journey on the Emperor Road would inevitably involve the Heavenly Dao Sect.
"Good, good! Haha, your master hasn't taken a disciple in tens of millions of years. Since you are willing, I shall accept you as my disciple! This 'Han Yue' is my former sword. It shall be my meeting gift to you." Qian Chenzi laughed heartily, and a sharp aura shot out from him, then stopped in front of Yao Die.
Emperor's Might!
Emperor Road!
Very good, very good indeed!