This was a probe as well as a qualification screening. Only the martial artists who were truly capable of accepting the invitation and thenlliding with Pei Xuanjing's martial intent, would they be able to know the truentents of the invitation and understand the real purpose behind Pei Xuanjing's move this time.
As for those martial artists who were incapable of bearing the invitation, it was meaningless. Even if they were informed afterward, their power was insufficient to get involved. Instead, they would bme a burden.
"Yes, I understand!" The Guard Captain bowed and withdrew.
He began to dispatch the many guards under hismmand to deliver the invitations arding to a list that had already been prepared, making sure to place these items into the hands of the powerhouses.
After the Guard Captain had left, Pei Xuanjing sat at his desk and started to peruse the documents laid out before him. These were the things his subordinates hadllected over the past ten years, including letters passed down from ancient Immortal Path sects and some information about the sporadic rrds of the Martial Lunatic.
As Pei Xuanjing sifted through these items, he absorbed all the information into his mind. He rearranged and rmbined the fragmented pieces and cross-verified the repetitive andntradictory details, carefully linking the secrets hidden within and striving to uver the truth.
Finally, Pei Xuanjing gathered some truths from these scattered pieces of information, addressing his doubts.
"Is the Lord of Tianwu Pavilion present? Bymmand of my Royal Highness, I am here to deliver an invitation."
A guard under Pei Xuanjing'smmand appeared outside the residence of Tianwu Pavilion. His clear voice echoed within Tianwu Pavilion, and nearly all the martial artists there heard his call.
"Who goes there?"
"How dare you behave so insolently before Tianwu Pavilion!"
"Who is this arrogant fool!"
…
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The guard had just spoken when many of Tianwu Pavilion's martial artists immediately lded him.
Theynsidered Tianwu Pavilion to be one of the great forces in the rivers and lakes of Dahong, a well-known existence even Between Heaven and Earth. Although they had sufferednsiderable losses to Star Moon Temple in previous years, they had rvered over this period of rest.
Moreover, they had seized the chance to absorb other forces within the alliance, which not only prevented Tianwu Pavilion from declining but made it more powerful than before, ranking it alongside the leaders of the rivers and lakes of Dahong.
As such a flourishing force, the martial artists of Tianwu Pavilion naturally held their status highly, believing themselves to be a cut above the rest in the rivers and lakes. Now, hearing someone standing outside Tianwu Pavilion adopting such an attitude, howuld it not anger them?
However, the guard sent to deliver the invitation had not been chosen for being timid and faint-hearted. Besides having the backing of the Royal Mansion, their ownnfidence stemmed from their strength.
This time, the guards deployed to dispatch the invitations were at least martial artists at the eleven-floor Realm of the Martial Arts. While such martial artists have not stood at the very pinnacle Between Heaven and Earth, they were among the top echelon of powerhouses.
"Where is the Lord of Tianwu Pavilion? I am on a mission to invite the Lord to honor the ten-year agreement. I wonder if the Lord still remembers?" The guard spoke loudly, his resonant voice echoing both inside and outside Tianwu Pavilion, clearly reaching the ears of every Tianwu Pavilion martial artist.
Originally, those martial artists from Tianwu Pavilion who came out were filled with rage, but once they realized the messenger was a martial artist of the eleven-floor Realm, many of them changed their expressions and looked to a few among them, the decision-makers of Tianwu Pavilion. One of them was a martial artist at the twelve-floor Realm, a powerhouse.
"The Lord is in seclusion. Perhaps you would like to entrust the invitation to me?" the twelve-floor Realm martial artist spoke.
"Hmm?" The guard delivering the invitation slightly furrowed his brow and said, "His Highness's order is to hand it to anyone who can accept this invitation. Although you are not the Lord of Tianwu Pavilion, you may still attempt it."
The guard's calm words angered many martial artists of Tianwu Pavilion. The twelve-floor Realm martial artist's eyebrows also showed a hint of impatience, but he was aware of the messenger's standing.
Heuld offend the guard, but not the person behind him, and he was curious about the banquet, so, suppressing his dissatisfaction, he said, "Let me attempt it then!"
"Good!"
The guard didn't mind; arding to the leader's instructions, as long as someone from Tianwu Pavilionuld catch the invitation, that was sufficient. He had called for the master of Tianwu Pavilion because hensidered him the most powerful one. Now, seeing another powerhouse from the Twelve-Floor Tower appear, he had no objection to passing it to this person.
"Please, catch the invitation!"
The guard took out a brocaded box from his bosom and slowly opened it, revealing a gilded invitation inside.
And at the moment the brocaded box was opened, a terrifying aura emerged from nowhere, prevailing in everyone's hearts, startling them. They looked at the gilded invitation with eyes filled with horror, for the source of this terrifying pressure came from the invitation itself.
Ordinary martial artists might have been fine, but the more powerful the martial artist, the more pressure they felt from this gilded invitation. The formidable Martial Tao Will almost materialized, pricking one's eyes painfully, feeling like thorns in the back.
"Please take out this invitation!" called the guard.
Arding to the leader, as long as the recipientuld take out the gilded invitation once the brocaded box was opened, it would prove that they were qualified to attend the banquet.
Hiss!
This Martial Artist from the Twelve-Floor Tower looked solemn. He felt somewhat bitter inside, realizing he had been overlynfident. But at this juncture, heuldn't back down; heuld only grit his teeth and make a move.
He secretly circulated the true essence within his body, thenndensed his Martial Tao Will to try andunteract that terrifying Martial Tao Will.
Pfft!
What he hadn't anticipated was that the Martial Tao Will would grow stronger in the face of strength. As soon as his Martial Tao Will emerged, the invitation's Martial Tao Will intensified, amplifying the pressure and, very frighteningly, exceeding his own.
As this Martial Artist from the Twelve-Floor Tower stepped forward, hovering mid-air while reaching for the gilded invitation in the brocaded box, the Martial Tao Will on the invitation burst forth once again at that moment, repelling him and causing him a severe injury.
"This!"
Themplexion of this Martial Artist turned grim, his eyes flickering uncertainly as he looked at the brocaded box held by the guard, his heart indescribablynflicted.
Although he had long heard of Your Highness's immeasurable strength, he didn't expect that although he had ascended to the Realm of the Twelve-Floor Tower, heuldn't even withstand the Martial Tao Will on the other party's invitation. Such a result left him feeling both embarrassed and disheartened.
"Could it be that we just let it be, and allow our Tianwu Pavilion to lose face?" The powerhouse thought to himself as he looked at the many disciples beside him.
Even though he was caught off guard and repelled by the Martial Tao Will just now, this powerhouse didn't want to retreat, not just for his own pride, but also for the prestige of Tianwu Pavilion. Thus, he decided to forcefully attempt catching the invitation, even if it meant sustaining severe injuries today, for not catching it would bme a joke among others and tarnish Tianwu Pavilion's reputation.
Hmm?
Just as the powerhouse was about to take action, a hand landed on his shoulder to stop him. He turned his head to look at the nemer and quickly said, "Master, you'vencluded your retreat!"
The master of Tianwu Pavilion smiled and said, "If I don'tme out, wouldn't others truly think that Tianwu Pavilion is devoid of capable people?"
He originally didn't want tome out, even knowing that Your Highness was extraordinary. But even if there was a difference in strength between them, at least they had equal status. There was no need for him to go outside to greet the guard delivering the invitation; it didn't fit his station.
However, even though he didn't want tome out, he kept his attention on everything. When the guard opened the brocaded box revealing the gilded invitation, and he felt the Martial Tao Will on it, the Tianwu Pavilion master knew this was no small matter. Just from the Martial Tao Will alone, Your Highness's power seemed much more terrifying than he had imagined.
When his deputy was about to try catching the invitation, he didn't stop him because it was a test. Without full knowledge of the situation and absolute certainty, if there was a mishap, ituld affect the face of the master himself.
Now, he had a clear understanding of the martial will involved, and he knew this was a test from His Highness, not an all-out effort on the other's part.
Of course, even as a test, in the eyes of the Tianwu Pavilion Master, not everyone was qualified to endure it. At least he himself, as the Vice Pavilion Master, couldn't handle it. He even said that among the many powerhouses of the Martial Realm's Twelve-Floor Tower, there were few who were qualified to receive this invitation and bear this martial will.
The next moment, the Tianwu Pavilion Master personally took action, dispelling the martial will left by Pei Xuanjing and obtaining the invitation. At the same moment he got hold of the invitation, he received the message that Pei Xuanjing had left on it.
"I have discovered the path to Martial Arts Longevity. Today, I specially invite you all to join the feast and ascend the Immortal Path."
Not only Tianwu Pavilion but also the Wuji Sect, Qingyun Path, Star Moon Temple, and many other powers in this world, whether from the Dahong Dynasty or other dynasties, or even independent practitioner powerhouses, as long as their power was sufficient, all received this invitation.
And after receiving the invitation, not one person refused but chose to join the feast to see if there was the Path of Longevity that Pei Xuanjing spoke of.
Longevity: that which countless beings in this world pursue, especially martial artists. The shorter their lives, the more they crave it.
So when Pei Xuanjing brought up this message that might pertain to Longevity, naturally nobody would refuse. For them, it was of utmost importance. Even if they weren't completely sure, just the slightest possibility was enough for them not to miss out.
At once, countless powerhouses started moving, some journeyed alone, some joined with many friends, and some brought family and disciples. They all headed towards the address given on the invitation.
And of course, such news couldn't be kept completely secret. Inevitably, it leaked out, and countless martial artists moved upon hearing the wind, many followers also making their way towards this place.
However, many martial artists on their way to the banquet held a trace of doubt in their hearts: why had His Highness chosen not his own domain but rather a forbidden area at the junction of several dynasties?
Burial Immortal Valley, that lies at the border between several dynasties, is a forbidden area recognized as such. Nothing grows there, no animals live there, and few humans venture. Many top-tier martial artists wouldn't dare to enter.
According to the legends passed down, this is where a deity fell. As a result of the ruin caused by the True Immortal's fall, this area turned into such a desolate land.
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There is also a legend that it was here, during the era of the Immortal Path, that many of the top Qi cultivators suppressed an unparalleled demon. Although the demon perished, his Demonic Energy contaminated this place, making it a taboo.
One way or another, Burial Immortal Valley is undeniably a fearsome place. If it weren't for Pei Xuanjing deciding to host the banquet here, many martial artists would not wish to step foot in it their entire lives.
…
"Burial Immortal Valley, indeed worthy of its reputation, truly a place where a True Immortal slumbers," Pei Xuanjing stood atop a mountain peak, looking down at the distant Burial Immortal Valley.
Although called a valley, Burial Immortal Valley is actually more akin to a basin—a territory spanning hundreds of miles that had inexplicably sunk dozens of feet, filled with mist of various colors, each carrying different types of toxins intermingling together. Even powerhouses of the Twelve-Floor Tower could not endure it for long without harming their foundation.
The reason Pei Xuanjing had chosen this place was simple: it was the area he had determined after exploration, where Martial Lunatic along with numerous top-tier Immortal Path powerhouses had fought each other, ultimately becoming his resting place.
The essence of a True Immortal's life was already different from mortals. A True Immortal could greatly aid the cultivation of mortals, but equally, a True Immortal's strength could be a great harm to mortals, all depending on the control of the True Immortal.
Even though Martial Lunatic had ascended to the True Immortal Realm and entered a slumber, he was still gathering energy. The uncontrolled breathing from his pores, every inhalation and exhalation, also affected the surrounding area for hundreds of miles.
These mists of various colors were nothing else than the energy from his pores as he slumbered. A small amount of this energy could help beings cultivate, but such vast quantities were enough to extinguish life within the area.
To tell the truth, this was also because Martial Lunatic followed the Path of Human Immortal, and he had not yet fully stepped into the True Immortal Realm, making him an incomplete True Immortal who had not died completely.
Otherwise, the devastation caused by the death of a True Immortal, without the intervention of other True Immortals, might not be enough to destroy a one-sided world, but the sheer force within this world would suffice to obliterate all beings within tens of thousands of miles, leaving the land barren for millions of years.
Pei Xuanjing choosing to gather so many powerhouses here was revealing; he intended to awaken Martial Lunatic from his slumber at this time, seize all that was his, and, using it as his own foundation, seize the opportunity to step into the True Immortal Realm through the Path of Human Immortal.
With the power Pei Xuanjing now possessed, coupled with his own intervention, it took only a short time to construct a grand square dozens of miles away from Burial Immortal Valley, serving as the venue to entertain the many great martial artists.