Half a year later, on a particular day, the Guest Reception Hall of the Lingxiao Sect was bustling with extraordinary activity.
Having waited half a year, the opening of the Imperial Garden was now imminent. Those few powers that had received Yang Kai's promise naturally arrived at the Lingxiao Sect early.
The delegation from Shadow Moon Hall still featured familiar faces. Apart from Qian Tong and Fei Zhitu, there were Wei Guchang and Dong Xuan'er. However, not all four would be journeying to the Imperial Garden. Although Shadow Moon Hall had paid an enormous price over these six months to obtain a third Imperial Jade, that was their absolute limit. Therefore, Dong Xuan'er would not be going on this trip.
Shadow Moon Hall's expedition would be led jointly by Qian Tong and Fei Zhitu, with Wei Guchang accompanying them inside.
As for the Qiantian Sect, there was no need to say much. Mo Yu would lead their team. Besides him, there was another powerhouse at the third-level Void Returning Realm—an elderly man with streaks of grey in his hair. This was none other than the Qiantian Sect Master, Gu Zhen. In terms of strength, he was slightly superior to Mo Yu. And thanks to Yang Kai, Shen Shitao had secured a spot to enter the Imperial Garden.
By all logic, Shen Shitao lacked both the aptitude and the cultivation level to enter the Imperial Garden. The Qiantian Sect was full of talented individuals, with countless young disciples whose cultivation surpassed hers and whose potential was greater. However, both Mo Yu and Gu Zhen were old hands who knew full well that the Qiantian Sect's ability to establish ties with the Lingxiao Sect relied entirely on Shen Shitao's existence. Naturally, they wouldn't leave her behind for this Imperial Garden expedition. On the contrary, over the past half year, they had bestowed upon her precious medicinal pills, and several of the Sect's Elders had even combined their efforts to cast a secret art, boosting her cultivation to the first level of the Void Returning Realm!
The price paid was by no means small!
Shen Shitao was incredibly grateful to Yang Kai! She stood respectfully behind Gu Zhen and Mo Yu, but her lovely eyes kept glancing outside, hoping to personally thank Yang Kai.
Shadow Moon Hall and Qiantian Sect had arrived as promised, and the Liuli Gate naturally hadn't fallen behind.
Just as Qian Tong had predicted, Dai Yuan now possessed the qualification to enter the Imperial Garden. Moreover, the Liuli Gate had been quite fortunate; they had actually secured one more Imperial Jade than Shadow Moon Hall, granting them a total of four spots.
Gate Master Gong Xinghe had personally led the delegation. Besides him and Dai Yuan, the remaining two were Gong Aofu and Yin Sudie.
At this moment, Yin Sudie was secretly gritting her silver teeth, her red lips moving slightly as she muttered something under her breath. She would occasionally direct her beautiful eyes at Dai Yuan with glare, her expression one of clear sullenness.
Dai Yuan, however, turned a blind eye to this. Like Shen Shitao, her attention was entirely focused outside the hall, as if she were awaiting something. Her cultivation was also at the first level of the Void Returning Realm, but unlike Shen Shitao, she had broken through through her own Cultivation, without borrowing external assistance.
This outcome had greatly surprised both Gong Xinghe and Gong Aofu; neither had expected her to advance to the Void Returning Realm so rapidly. Had it not been for this, the two of them might not have agreed to let Dai Yuan enter the Imperial Garden.
It was precisely because Dai Yuan demonstrated aptitude and Cultivation speed no inferior to Yin Sudie's that they had relented on this matter. After all, she was still their own Sect's disciple. Letting her enter wasn't a bad thing, and it even provided an opportunity to use the Lingxiao Sect as a pathway, allowing her to enter the Imperial Garden ahead of others.
Besides these three Sects, there were two unfamiliar faces in the grand hall. Both possessed cultivation at the third level of the Void Returning Realm, their features weathered, their years advanced.
Yang Kai had never interacted with them, but these two individuals were renowned figures on the Dark Star.
The Hall Master and the Grand Elder of the Piaomiao Hall! Piaomiao Hall was also a first-tier force on the Dark Star, so the cultivation levels of its Hall Master and Grand Elder were naturally nothing to scoff at. The reason they were here was entirely due to having handed over an Imperial Jade to the Lingxiao Sect.
It was that single Imperial Jade that had led the Lingxiao Sect to open its gates and protective formations, welcoming them inside.
At this very moment, within the Guest Reception Hall alone, there were seven or eight powerhouses at the third level of the Void Returning Realm, and three figures of Sect Master caliber. Yet not one of them dared to speak loudly or engage in boisterous conversation. All wore solemn expressions.
The reason was simple: Ye Xiyun was present. With her presiding here, who would dare to be presumptuous?
After sipping fragrant tea and eating some spirit fruits for a while, Qian Tong cleared his throat lightly and looked toward Yang Yan, who sat in the position of honor. "Miss Yang Yan, has Yang Kai not emerged from seclusion yet?"
Hearing this, Yang Yan slowly shook her head. "There's no movement for now."
Qian Tong's brows furrowed slightly, and he couldn't help but feel a touch of worry. "He's been in seclusion for nearly half a year. With the Imperial Garden opening imminent—it could be as soon as a day or two, or at most seven or eight days—he wouldn't miss this opportunity, would he?"
"Thank you for your concern, Elder Qian, but I believe he shouldn't miss the chance. Perhaps he will emerge in the coming days." Yang Yan offered a faint smile. Though her expression remained calm, she was actually quite anxious inside.
She naturally knew what Yang Kai was attempting in seclusion. He simply wanted to improve his strength before the Imperial Garden opened. But until now, there had been no movement from the Heavenly One Palace either. She truly had no idea whether his endeavor was proceeding smoothly.
She wanted to check on him but feared disturbing his progress, so Yang Yan could only wait patiently.
"You have all come from afar as our guests. You should first return to your quarters and rest. Before the Imperial Garden opens, there will certainly be celestial anomalies. When that time comes, it will not be too late to set out." Now holding the position of Vice Sect Master, Yang Yan spoke with a composure far more refined than before.
Upon hearing this, the assembled guests exchanged glances, then rose to their feet, offering their thanks and farewells as they prepared to return to the lodgings the Lingxiao Sect had prepared for them.
But before anyone could even leave the Guest Reception Hall, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth suddenly quivered violently.
Every person present was a top-tier expert, extremely sensitive to fluctuations in the natural spiritual energy. Though this change was slight, they all detected it instantly.
Expressions shifted in unison. There was no time for further pleasantries with Yang Yan. In a flicker of movement, they all darted out of the Guest Reception Hall, raising their heads to gaze at the sky.
In the heavens above, the gaping rift, over a dozen li wide, still existed. Sunlight streamed down through it, nourishing the grass and trees of the Lingxiao Sect. It looked no different from usual, yet everyone could feel an oppressive weight in the air, the feeling of an impending storm.