Dense Ancestral Dao Realm substances swirled around the green-robed woman.
Seated upon a white immortal crane, her gaze was clear and her tone cool. Between her fingers, one could see faint streams of Great Dao revolving—the auras of reincarnation, the four seasons, stars, and many more, cycling endlessly, mighty and unparalleled.
"Fairy Qing has actually appeared in the world..."
On this side of the light screen, it caused a stir of commotion and shock. Everyone was somewhat unable to believe it.
Clearly, the green-robed woman held an extraordinary status within the entire floating continent. Her arrival made Elder Zhu, Wang Quan, and the others treat her with immense respect, but also immense surprise.
Because they heard the green-robed woman proactively speak up, asking that stunningly beautiful woman outside the light screen to stay.
Moreover, this was the first time they had heard the green-robed woman voluntarily mention her mother, the one they referred to as the Sacred Ancestor. The name Nan Zun was also something they were hearing for the first time.
"So the Sacred Ancestor's name was Nan Zun... If that's truly the case, then could the female 'Shenhuang' outside the light screen really be an old friend of the Sacred Ancestor?" Elder Zhu's face was full of astonishment and dumbfoundedness.
If that were true, then wouldn't their earlier full-scale mobilization, their vigilance and unease, have been a huge misunderstanding?
"I told you, Grandpa, you were being overly jumpy. How could a 'Shenhuang' appear so easily? And such a beautiful fairy, how could she possibly be something like a 'Shenhuang'?" Zhu Xuan still wore a look of complete nonchalance, muttering quietly.
Elder Zhu's expression turned quite awkward; he really wanted to smack his adopted grandson's head.
The many beings who had rushed over on the floating continent were also full of shock and confusion at this moment.
Was the snow-skirted woman outside the light screen really not the legendary Shenhuang? Had everyone been mistaken just now? A false alarm?
"You don't need to be overly tense. If a Shenhuang were to appear, it couldn't possibly happen without any signs. Moreover, she carries a familiar aura to me. She is not any Shenhuang, nor is she a 'Shadow'," Fairy Qing spoke again coolly, soothing everyone's uneasy emotions.
Since even Fairy Qing said so, the people on the floating continent naturally wouldn't dwell on it further, nor would they doubt her words. After all, Fairy Qing was the biological daughter of the Sacred Ancestor; her seniority was actually shockingly high.
It was just that she spent years in seclusion within the Sacred Ancestor Mountain, almost never involving herself in the affairs of the floating continent and rarely leaving. Her appearance today had taken everyone by surprise.
"This old man was presumptuous. I beg Fairy Qing to forgive my offense..." Elder Zhu clasped his hands slightly, his face full of embarrassment.
Fairy Qing glanced at him and shook her head slightly. "Elder Zhu was merely fulfilling his duties diligently. What offense is there? 'Shen' is inherently difficult to detect and distinguish; it's normal you couldn't tell immediately."
Outside the light screen, Ling Yuling watched this scene, a trace of surprise appearing on her face.
She had noticed that the green-robed woman addressed her not as 'senior' but as 'fellow daoist'. She was actually somewhat taken aback, but didn't say anything more. She simply hadn't expected that her old friend Nan Zun had already had a daughter.
And from the words of these native residents of the floating continent, it seemed Nan Zun had long passed away, no longer in this world. Thinking of this, Ling Yuling couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.
Soon, the layer of light screen covering the floating continent grew blurry and faint, followed by the appearance of a transparent portal. Seated on the crane, Fairy Qing gestured, inviting Ling Yuling inside.
Thus, a crisis was resolved. Everyone relaxed from the tense and uneasy atmosphere. The heads of the various families dispersed the floating continent residents who had gathered and followed behind Fairy Qing.
They were still very curious about Ling Yuling's origins and identity.
For countless eons, the floating continent had not had meaningful contact with any living person from the outside world. They were all immensely curious about what the outside world had become.
"In recent years, the floating continent has often been attacked by bizarre creatures from the Sea of Time and Space, so we've become overly cautious. My apologies for any offense, fellow daoist," Fairy Qing, riding the crane and leading the way, said apologetically to Ling Yuling behind her.
Ling Yuling finally followed her into the floating continent and went with her towards that Sacred Ancestor Mountain.
Hearing this, Ling Yuling waved her hand gently, her tone warm. "It's fine. Although I don't know what 'Shen' or 'Shadows' are, a bit more vigilance is always good." She was also observing her surroundings. From the outside, it seemed like a paradise, but upon truly entering, she realized it was all an illusion. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth was very thin, far inferior even to the minor secret realms created by some immortal orthodoxies.
Fairy Qing seemed to notice her surprise and quietly began to explain, speaking of the origins of this continent and some matters her mother experienced in her lifetime.
Although this was their first meeting, perhaps due to fate or some other reason, Fairy Qing felt a great closeness to Ling Yuling, a desire to be near her.
Moreover, Ling Yuling claimed to be an old friend of her mother's.
The floating continent was originally a severed section of an Epoch Mother Tree drifting in the Sea of Time and Space, broken into countless pieces by some unknown existence. A relatively large section drifted into the Sea of Time and Space.
Later, her mother found it, refined it into this floating continent to provide shelter and a dwelling place for the various remnant clans among the civilizations.
However, the Sea of Time and Space had chaotic rules, unsuitable for long-term residence. Although this section of Epoch Mother Tree was extraordinary, possessing rich heaven and earth spiritual energy, over time, it would eventually dissipate completely.
In the past, this continent also had rare treasures and dao fruits that would make even Ancestral Dao Realm existences covetous, regarded as precious items. But by this era, many immortal materials and earthly treasures had already lost their spiritual nature.
Even Divine Trees at the Dao Ancestor level were now merely withered roots.
Everything was long gone from before. Even cultivation had become difficult. Many new lives born on the floating continent became ordinary people; even with cultivation techniques, they couldn't practice.
The green-robed woman herself cultivated slowly by capturing and refining the anomalous substances in the Sea of Time and Space, with no spare energy for anything else.
"Sheltered place?"
Ling Yuling caught these four words, her fine brows inadvertently furrowing.
She had actually realized from earlier that the native residents of this floating continent seemed to have fled here to escape something. But ever since the Black Calamity Era ended, the many intervening eras and epochs had been peaceful, with no disasters appearing.
What force was relentlessly pursuing a power guarded by Nan Zun? Why not leave this place and go to the outside world? She truly couldn't understand.
"Yes. Places of shelter like this should actually still exist in the current Vast Expanse, sheltering the remnant clans from back then. If there's an opportunity, I could try to seek out those places..." Fairy Qing said softly.
Fairy Qing introduced herself as Nan Qing, with Nan being her family name. She didn't mention who her father was. This made Ling Yuling curious and even more surprised.
One must know, there was a reason why Fairy Qing's mother was revered as Nan Zun. In that era, among the many dazzlingly talented individuals with exceptional gifts who dominated past and present, few in the vast, boundless Vast Expanse, across the span of time, could surpass her.
Among such top-tier figures, Nan Zun was ranked near the very front, with countless suitors. That she later married and had children indeed came as a surprise to Ling Yuling.
However, this was Nan Zun's private matter, so she didn't inquire further.
Later, when Fairy Qing spoke about matters concerning the remnant clans, Ling Yuling was once again shocked, finding it incredible. She truly hadn't expected that during the time she was trapped in that dark space, so many events had transpired.
Ling Yuling had originally thought that the Black Calamity which swept through the entire Vast Expanse countless eons ago had long been jointly quelled by everyone at that time. Even though remnants of the Black Calamity continued to emerge over the years, in her view, they were no longer a major concern and would eventually be completely eradicated.
Their only remaining concern was to prevent the Lord of the Dark Calamity from reappearing in the worlds, making a comeback, once again inciting that former Black Calamity, throwing the Vast Expanse into chaos, bringing darkness, and turning eternity into tragedy.
But from Fairy Qing's account, her understanding was wrong. Not only wrong, but she had completely underestimated the endless disasters that emerged following the disappearance of that Black Calamity.
"'Shen' and 'Shadows', according to you, appeared only after that period? And all of this is actually greatly connected to the Lord of the Dark Calamity?" Ling Yuling asked with a grave expression.