He was an elder dressed in white robes. Though his face was aged, he carried an ethereal bearing, like an immortal descended into the mortal world.
The old man of the Zhou clan had originally been on guard.
But upon clearly seeing the elder's features, his expression grew complicated. He then actually performed a full kneeling bow. "I greet my Lord."
"So it truly is you. Who would have thought that the infamous Madman Sovereign of the Zhou clan would disguise himself and live in seclusion in a place like this?"
The white-robed elder smiled.
"My Lord, did you come here specifically to find me?" the old man of the Zhou clan asked.
"Mm. I intend to accomplish something great. Come back and help me," the white-robed elder said.
"My Lord, I have grown weary of conflict. Before I left all those years ago, I already told you as much. I must ask that you…"
The old man of the Zhou clan clearly intended to refuse, but before he could finish, the white-robed elder spoke.
"After that battle, your Zhou clan did suffer devastating losses. I remember all of it."
At these words, the white-haired elder turned his gaze toward the summit of Ageless Peak.
"I took a look. Your Zhou clan does have some talent nowadays. If I'm not mistaken, that brat on the peak is your grandson, correct?"
Hearing this, the old man of the Zhou clan also turned his gaze toward the summit of Ageless Peak.
Only then did he notice that atop Ageless Peak, there was not only his grandson Zhou Zhi, but also a young junior who appeared to be just a youth.
And the barrier power radiating from that youth was at the Immortal Dragon Realm.
An Immortal Dragon Divine Robe — comparable to a seventh-rank half god.
This scene left the old man of the Zhou clan deeply shocked.
Because he could confirm that the person was indeed a junior. For a junior to possess such barrier arts was proof enough of how terrifying this junior was.
Such a junior — while the vast cultivation world certainly had more than one — the Seven Realms Sacred Palace also had one.
But this one seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. In the current vast cultivation world, few should know of this person's existence.
"My Lord, could the rumors be true?" the old man of the Zhou clan looked at the white-robed elder, his gaze complicated.
The white-robed elder smiled faintly but did not answer his question. Instead, he opened his palm, and several insect-like creatures that glowed like fireflies flew out.
But these insects not only shone with light, they also contained extraordinarily powerful barrier energy.
"The Sacred Spirit Insects — my Lord, you truly found them?"
The old man of the Zhou clan could hardly believe it. As a Spirit World Master, even he had always believed this creature to be nothing more than legend, something that did not exist.
"I didn't just find them. I found a great many."
"Your grandson has decent talent. With these Sacred Spirit Insects, I can make your grandson advance by leaps and bounds and restore the glory of your Zhou clan."
When these words left the white-haired elder's mouth, the old man of the Zhou clan felt genuinely tempted. He knew what the Sacred Spirit Insects represented.
The white-robed elder continued, "Furthermore, this will be the only time. After this is done, I will allow you to retire to the mountains and live the leisurely life you desire."
"I, Zhou, am willing to go through fire and water for my Lord."
The old man of the Zhou clan maintained his submissive posture, but now his demeanor showed outright submission.
Seeing this, a satisfied smile finally appeared on the white-robed elder's face. He stepped forward and helped the old man of the Zhou clan to his feet.
"Rise. This time, it will be a truly grand undertaking. Your Zhou clan will leave its mark in the annals of history," the white-robed elder said.
"My Lord, what do you intend to do?" the old man of the Zhou clan asked.
"There's no rush. I'll explain in detail later." The white-robed elder smiled, then once again looked toward Ageless Peak.
"Has the Life Crystal Stone truly been awakened?" the white-robed elder asked.
"Yes. By a junior named Chu Feng," the old man of the Zhou clan replied.
"Do you know where he comes from?" the white-robed elder asked.
"No one knows his origins. There are rumors that he may be from the Ancestral Martial Heavenly River. Not long ago, he even won the Strongest Martial Sovereign competition hosted by the Totem Dragon Clan. His cultivation talent is also remarkable," the old man of the Zhou clan said.
"The events hosted by the Totem Dragon Clan? A child's game, nothing more." The white-robed elder smiled with contempt, as though the Totem Dragon Clan meant little in his eyes.
"However, being able to awaken the Life Crystal does indicate that his talent is no simple matter," the white-robed elder added.
"My Lord, should we recruit him under our banner?" the old man of the Zhou clan asked.
"No rush. Let's see how he grows going forward. Right now, he isn't qualified yet. After all, in the Era of Gods, the one thing we are never short of is genius talent."
"After all, even the Immortal Sea Fish Clan has produced a genius of that caliber." The white-robed elder sighed.
"Indeed. The Era of Gods is truly frightening — so many geniuses appearing one after another," the old man of the Zhou clan also sighed.
"Exactly because of that, it's all the more interesting."
"These are for your grandson's cultivation."
"As for what comes next, wait for my word."
The white-haired elder tossed the Sacred Spirit Insects to the old man of the Zhou clan, then soared into the sky.
At the same time, the figure atop Ageless Peak also vanished.
Zhou Zhi stared at the youth who had disappeared without warning, the look of shock on his face deepening even further.