Staying Alive Cautiously in the Celestial Realm and Becoming the Strongest

Taihao Peak, Cloud Dragon Grand Hall.

Within the highest hall of the Cloud Sun Sect, Sect Leader Ji Guantao sat firmly in the seat of honor.

He watched expressionlessly as the middle-aged cultivator in front of him railed at him with spittle flying.

The man's expression was incredibly arrogant, his finger almost poking into Ji Guantao's nostrils as he bellowed, "Ji Guantao, with such perverse and contrary actions, do you still have any regard for our Jiuyue Gate?"

"I advise you to realize your errors and return to the right path while there's still time!"

Faced with the stern rebuke from this envoy of the Upper Sect, Ji Guantao flicked his horsetail whisk and spoke indifferently, "True Person Yin, if you have something to say, just say it. What does True Immortal Hongxi mean by this?"

A Golden Core True Person so vulgar, like a commoner from the marketplace, truly, the Yin Family of the mountain and sea breeds talents in abundance.

Ji Guantao felt extreme contempt in his heart.

His light and indifferent demeanor also caused True Person Yin's morale to falter.

True Person Yin restrained his previous arrogant demeanor, casting a meaningful look at Ji Guantao, then respectfully bowed towards the north.

When he straightened his back, his expression turned extremely solemn, "The Sect Leader's decree, addressed to the lower Cloud Sun Sect..."

The envoy from the Upper Sect had brought a decree from the Nascent Soul True Immortal, Sect Leader Zhao Hongxi of Jiuyue Gate, demanding that Cloud Sun Sect immediately cease their attacks on Guiyuan Gate and compensate for all of Guiyuan Gate's losses.

The compensation was provisionally set at ten thousand Upper Spirit Stones and fifty Flying Warships, and additionally, Cloud Sun Sect must cede ten mines to Guiyuan Gate, with no fewer than three being Spirit Stone Mines.

True Person Yin's voice was chilling, "Your Cloud Sun Sect has actually secretly constructed so many Flying Warships, such intentions warrant death!"

The Cloud Sun Sect's sudden strike against their longstanding enemy shocked everyone the most because they dispatched nearly a hundred Flying Warships. They occupied the majority of Guiyuan Gate's mines and even nearly captured Guiyuan Gate's Outer Sect.

Who could have imagined that Cloud Sun Sect had such strong power hidden away, causing the upper echelons of Jiuyue Gate to be shaken.

To say Ji Guantao deserves death for his intentions is an understatement!

Beyond these compensations, Cloud Sun Sect was also required to send a hundred cultivators from Purple Mansion and one Golden Core to join Jiuyue Gate.

And there was no room for negotiation!

Ji Guantao listened quietly, then suddenly laughed.

Ten thousand Upper Spirit Stones, fifty Flying Warships, ten mines, plus one hundred cultivators from Purple Mansion and one Golden Core.

This was to drain the Cloud Sun Sect of its marrow and blood in one fell swoop, leaving them with no hope of recovery!

"Choose True Person Mu Qingqiu for the Golden Core,"

True Person Yin's arrogance resurfaced, and despite Ji Guantao's strange smile, he commanded grandly, "Additionally, the Yin Family of Cloud Mountain is a branch of our Yin Family. Even if they did something wrong, they do not deserve such treatment."

"Hand over everyone to me to take back, and an additional compensation of three thousand Upper Spirit Stones will suffice."

Ji Guantao pondered for a moment, then asked in surprise, "Take back where?"

True Person Yin frowned, "To Jiuyue Gate, of course!"

Ji Guantao looked even more surprised, "How can you possibly think that you would be able to return?"

True Person Yin's color changed rapidly, "Ji Guantao, what do you mean by that? Are you suggesting that you want to rebel?"

Before the words had fully left his mouth, he had a Yuan Talisman in his hand.

A tier-four Yuan Talisman was crafted by a Nascent Soul True Immortal, and the one True Person Yin held was a gift from True Immortal Hongxi. Upon activation, he could escape tens of thousands of miles in an instant, and no Array below tier four could block it.

Cloud Sun Sect's Mountain-Protecting Array was at most tier three peak level and would certainly not be able to stop it.

True Person Yin's confidence in flexing his power within Cloud Sun Sect relied on this tier-four Yuan Talisman!

His heart secretly hardened; if Ji Guantao showed the slightest sign of ill-intent, then he would immediately return to Jiuyue Gate and call forth an old Nascent Soul ancestor to suppress Cloud Sun Sect.

Perhaps even the seat that Ji Guantao now occupied could become his!

"What if we have rebelled!"

Ji Guantao burst into laughter, "The Cloud Sun Sect has been squeezed dry by Jiuyue Gate for a thousand years, and now that the Spiritual Tide is rising and a great calamity is imminent, do you still want to treat Cloud Sun as kindling for your Path of Cultivation, truly believing we lack even a shred of spirit?"

True Person Yin did not answer, his right hand's fingers suddenly clenched, ready to activate the Yuan Talisman in his grasp!

Ji Guantao had lost all reason, and he certainly did not want to stay here and be buried with it.

However, as mana began to coalesce, an immense force as vast as the sea and as deep as the abyss instantly descended and firmly constrained True Person Yin within it, leaving him unable to move even his fingers!

This power far exceeded the limits of what True Person Yin could endure, and it materialized into numerous dark golden chains.

They locked onto his neck, both arms, both legs, and his Qi Sea Dantian!

"Golden Gate Locking Immortal Array!"

True Person Yin's originally fair face turned a deep red as he glared with rage, mustering all his strength to squeeze a few words out of his throat.

Although in Jiuyue Gate, where geniuses were aplenty, True Person Yin's Nine Grades of Golden Cores, cultivated solely with the support of family resources and secretly scoffed at as a "worthless Golden Core," he was still steeped in his family's teachings and had both experience and insight.

The Golden Gate Locking Immortal Array was, after all, a fourth-tier Array capable of contending with Nascent Soul True Immortals!

Who could have expected that Cloud Sun Sect had concealed such a profound secret, that even if True Immortal Hongxi himself, caught off guard, might suffer a great loss?

The question was, what did Cloud Sun Sect want to do, and what was Ji Guantao's scheme?

The more True Person Yin thought about it, the more terrified he became.

He could no longer speak, only plead with his eyes to Ji Guantao for mercy.

If he could move at all, he would probably be kneeling on the ground by now.

Ji Guantao reached out and took the fourth-tier Yuan Talisman that True Person Yin was clutching, glanced at it and said with a sigh, "Sure enough, it's Zhao Hongxi's handiwork."

Even when mentioning the name of this Nascent Soul True Immortal, there was no hint of respect in his tone any longer.

A chill settled in True Person Yin's heart.

At this moment, an old man in plain clothes with white hair and beard quietly appeared by Ji Guantao's side, speaking slowly, "Jiuyue Gate's response is a bit quick this time, the arrangement is not yet complete."

Ji Guantao politely asked, "Grandmaster Uncle, how much longer do you need?"

The old man in plain clothes held up three fingers, "At least three days."

"Three days is no problem."

Ji Guantao's gaze turned towards True Person Yin, revealing a warm smile, "I'm sure True Person Yin would be more than happy to help us out with this, wouldn't you agree?"

True Person Yin suddenly felt the force that bound him loosen a bit, certainly enough to speak without any problem.

He put on a smile uglier than crying, "Yes, of course."

Although his Golden Core was forcibly condensed through the power of Pills, True Person Yin still had a lifespan of five hundred years, and he was not ready to die just yet.

Therefore, as long as there was the slightest hope, True Person Yin was willing to pay any price!

Even though he was well aware that Ji Guantao, with his hidden blade, had no intention of letting him go.

But as long as he was alive now, there was still a chance.

"After three days..."

Ji Guantao took a deep breath, looking up at the high dome of Cloud Dragon Grand Hall.

Above the dome, a life-like Qiu Dragon seemed poised to soar into the sky.

"Will be the time when my Cloud Sun breaks free from its cage!"

-------

The first update is delivered.