Chapter 1354: Attending the Feast Alone

As the gaunt Daoist finished speaking, he had already taken a step, his figure vanishing instantly, and the next moment he appeared outside the Eastern Heavenly Gate.

The many celestial soldiers and generals of the Heavenly Court, upon seeing this person appear, immediately felt greatly relieved.

"We welcome the Qingqiu Ancestor..." The army shouted in unison, their voices like a tsunami, shaking the heavens.

Who would have thought that that seemingly unremarkable Daoist temple was the Heaven-Suppressing Tower of the Dongsheng Continent, and that gaunt Daoist was a Dao Ancestor stationed here.

"Hehe, honored guests have arrived, and I failed to welcome them from afar—truly discourteous..." Qingqiu Zhenren did not perform the Daoist ritual of clasping hands, but instead cupped his fists like a mortal.

"Just an unwelcome guest, no need for great ceremony." The Reincarnation Palace Master withdrew his sleeves and smiled.

"Speaking of which, based on previous speculation, I thought the Palace Master would attack the Southern Heavenly Gate, or at least the Western Heavenly Gate. I never expected you to come from my Eastern Heavenly Gate." Qingqiu Zhenren showed an embarrassed expression and said with a smile.

"Fellow Daoist Qingqiu, do not be puzzled. If I intended to storm the Heavenly Court directly, naturally I would attack from those two points. But since I am here as a guest, even if an unwelcome one, I must act like a guest. It is better to come through your gate." The Reincarnation Palace Master said.

"Haha, fortunately I made some preparations beforehand. The carriage is already waiting there. Will the Palace Master follow me to the feast?" Qingqiu Zhenren said with a smile.

"Much obliged." The Reincarnation Palace Master said.

Qingqiu Zhenren was about to lead the way when he suddenly paused and turned back to ask, "Does the Palace Master not need to bring any attendants?"

"Since it is a Hongmen Feast, I alone am enough." The Reincarnation Palace Master said with a carefree smile.

"The Palace Master is truly an interesting person. If not for our differing positions, I would shamelessly invite you for a drink and try to build some friendship." Qingqiu Zhenren said upon hearing this.

"My Reincarnation Palace is vast, and it welcomes a Dao Ancestor like Fellow Daoist Qingqiu. I would not mind you coming to drink and discuss friendship." The Reincarnation Palace Master said seriously.

"If at this Bodhi Feast, your palace can form a solemn covenant with the Heavenly Court, ending all conflicts, I will definitely come to your palace to visit. I hope the Palace Master will not find me bothersome then." Qingqiu Zhenren smiled.

The Reincarnation Palace Master said nothing in response.

The two arrived at the majestic Yingtian Gate. Qingqiu Zhenren formed a hand seal in his sleeve and waved his hand, causing a stream of light to flash within the gate, and the originally laid powerful prohibition was withdrawn.

Qingqiu Zhenren led the Reincarnation Palace Master through the gate, and the barrier prohibition silently re-established itself behind them.

Not far from the gate, a massive carriage shaped like a pavilion hovered in the void, adorned with carved dragons, painted phoenixes, inlaid treasures, and embedded pearls, exuding the utmost luxury. Ahead, eight dragon-horses with dragon heads and horse bodies, covered in golden scales, pulled it.

The dragon-horses' eyes shone with a bright light, and crimson flames rose beneath their hooves, blooming like lotuses in the air, appearing extremely spirited and majestic.

“An Eight-Steed Dragon Carriage—such specifications are not low,” the Reincarnation Palace Master remarked upon seeing it.

“This is far from just ‘not low.’ If I weren’t accompanying the Palace Master, I wouldn’t have such treatment. Today, I’m basking in your reflected glory,” Qingqiu Zhenren said.

Only after the two boarded the carriage did they realize that the pavilion held a different world within, far larger than its exterior suggested.

Qingqiu Zhenren let out a soft shout, and the eight dragon-horses galloped at full speed toward the Heavenly Palace Continent.

Flames surged beneath their hooves, clusters of fire lotuses blooming continuously, leaving two long trails of fire across the high sky before quickly vanishing from sight.

On the dragon carriage, only the two sat facing each other in the pavilion.

“To be honest, I have some doubts. Your palace has troops stationed outside the Heavenly Gate, yet you, Palace Master, attend the feast alone. Are we to fight or to make peace?” Qingqiu Zhenren couldn’t help asking.

“Fellow Daoist Qingqiu, why don’t you take a guess?” the Reincarnation Palace Master said with a smile, noncommittal.

“If you speak like that, Palace Master, then this conversation can’t go on,” Qingqiu Zhenren sighed and said.

“Fellow Daoist Qingqiu, where is the venue for this Bodhi Feast?” the Reincarnation Palace Master asked.

Qingqiu Zhenren hesitated slightly, then replied:

“The main venue is, as usual, set in the Heavenly Palace Continent. However, due to the large number of attendees this time, several branch venues have been added on other continents. My Eastern Victory Continent also has one. After seeing you off to the Heavenly Palace Continent, I’ll have to return to host the banquet there. No choice—it’s a life of hard work.”

“So, the entire Middle Earth Immortal Domain is the venue for the Bodhi Feast…”

…

Several days later, in the Dragon Abyss Immortal Domain, Azure Abyss Continent.

Over a vast sea, dark clouds densely covered the sky, pressing it down a great deal, almost seeming to touch the sea surface.

Howling whirlwinds continuously swept across the sea, stirring up towering waves.

Between the sea and the sky, a golden streak of light shot past at extreme speed, revealing a broad spirit boat within, its surface covered in bright talisman light that stirred waves of dense immortal spiritual power.

At the front of the spirit boat stood a young man in a green robe, tall in stature, ordinary in appearance, with a restrained brilliance in his eyes and an indescribably special aura emanating from his entire being.

He was none other than Han Li, who had already completed his third corpse severance.

According to the cultivation path of ordinary people, once the third corpse severance was completed, one would begin to merge with the Dao, step by step completing the process of Dao integration, ultimately attaining the position of Dao Ancestor.

However, Han Li cultivated the law of time, which was inherently a single-plank bridge, and on that bridge already stood a Time Dao Ancestor, thus blocking his path.

Thus, Han Li's situation was somewhat awkward. He could feel the connection between himself and the River of Time, representing the flow of time, growing ever closer, yet he could never sense that feeling of harmony with the Heavenly Dao.

Behind him stood two women of celestial beauty, naturally Nangong Wan and the Gold Boy.

"Since I have already been rescued, why does he still take the initiative to go to the Heavenly Court?" Nangong Wan frowned slightly, her expression strange.

Han Li knew she was referring to the Wheel of Reincarnation Lord, and replied:

"Gan Jiuzhen only passed on this message, revealing nothing else. Most likely, it was also his intention."

"You mean he deliberately kept you from knowing his action plan?" Nangong Wan asked, even more puzzled after hearing this.

"I'm just guessing... The Wheel of Reincarnation and the Heavenly Court have been at odds for years, both with extensive networks of informants. It might be better for me not to follow the Wheel of Reincarnation and act on my own." Han Li hesitated slightly before saying.

Nangong Wan listened and roughly understood Han Li's meaning, then nodded.

"Gold Boy, you really don't have to come with me. With Xuan Yuan Jie dead, your revenge is considered complete. This journey's fortunes are unpredictable; there's no need to get involved further." Han Li's gaze passed over Nangong Wan and fell on the Gold Boy behind her.

"Back then, Xuan Yuan Jie's annihilation of me was a decision of the entire Heavenly Court. Killing only him does not complete the revenge." The Gold Boy said expressionlessly, calmly.

In truth, the reason she was willing to follow Han Li was not primarily for revenge, but to repay a debt of gratitude.

However, now that she had restored her position as Dao Ancestor, her strength was extraordinary, so Han Li was not too worried about her safety. On the contrary, she was indeed a great help to him, so he stopped persuading her.

Han Li nodded noncommittally and said nothing more.

In the blink of an eye, the spirit boat had flown hundreds of thousands of miles, finally leaving the sea area covered by the low, gloomy clouds overhead. The sky ahead suddenly brightened, and both the sea and sky regained their azure hue.

Han Li gazed into the distance and saw a pair of seabirds swooping down from above. His expression suddenly changed.

"Not good..." He instinctively shielded Nangong Wan behind him and shouted.

As soon as the words fell, a sudden change occurred in the sea ahead!

The originally clear sky abruptly changed color. A massive silver light pillar descended from the nine heavens without warning, and the moment it struck the sea surface, it directly stirred up towering waves of ten thousand zhang.

Immediately after, four figures shot out from within the silver light, landing in the four cardinal directions—east, south, west, and north—encircling Han Li and the other two in the center.

Among these four, the one in the east was a tall, slender woman in a purple robe. Her features were extremely beautiful, but her expression was icy cold. In her hand, she held a palm-sized silver round mirror, on whose surface a black talisman pattern seemed to glow.

Opposite her in the west was a burly man with a full beard, clad in black leather armor. He was powerfully built, with a fierce countenance, a faint yellow luster flickering in his pupils, and two protruding fangs at the corners of his mouth, making him appear non-human. In his hand, he also held a silver light mirror, identical in form to the one in the purple-robed woman's hand.

Those who landed in the south and north were respectively a gray-haired, hunched old woman and a white-haired man who looked like a child.

The old woman's face was quite ugly, covered in wrinkles as if carved by knives and axes, with large black spots on her forehead and chin, only her eyes still relatively clear.

As for the white-haired man, though he looked like a child, if one carefully examined his eyes, they would find his gaze as deep as a well, as if a slight peek would draw one in, plunging into endless darkness.

These two also held silver light mirrors in their hands, just like the previous two.

What was even more astonishing was the aura fluctuations emanating from these four people—they were all at the Dao Ancestor level.

"You go back to the Flower Branch Cave Heaven first." Han Li waved his hand casually, opening a silver light door, and said.

"Be careful..." Nangong Wan's expression was complex. After giving a word of caution, she stepped into the cave heaven.

The Gold Boy showed no fear on her face, only casting a cold glance at the few people, and said to Han Li, "Four Dao Ancestors dispatched at once, such a grand formation. Do you think they came for you, or for me?"

"This is no time for jokes. The light mirrors in their hands are strange; we need to get away quickly." Han Li gave a wry smile.

"Then let's break their light mirrors first..."

Before the Gold Boy had even finished her sentence, her figure vanished without warning in an instant.

The next moment, a dazzling golden light burst forth in front of the burly man in leather armor, and the Gold Boy's figure emerged from within.

Without a word, she reached out her hands in front of her, and a golden vortex appeared, from which waves of devouring power emanated.