Qi Sea.
Because the Qi Sea Ancestor had settled here, the Qi Sea region had now become the stronghold of the Righteous Alliance.
At this moment, inside the grand Qi Sea formation, a banquet was underway.
The Qi Sea Ancestor sat in the seat of honor, while representatives of the various Righteous Path factions from the Eastern Sea sat to his left and right.
At the Qi Sea Ancestor's left hand sat a Food Path Gu Immortal.
He was an elderly man with a ruddy, wine-flushed nose. He raised his wine cup high and toasted the Qi Sea Ancestor: "Ancestor, I offer you this cup of Spring Sea Flower Wine!"
The Qi Sea Ancestor gave a slight nod. His seat of honor was elevated above the rest, so his gaze naturally carried a downward angle as he looked at them.
The Qi Sea Ancestor took a small sip and remarked mildly: "Drunken Immortal Elder, the Spring Breeze Drifting Petals Wine you brew personally is truly fine — it carries a poetic quality of hazy youth."
This Food Path Gu Immortal was none other than the Drunken Immortal Elder.
After inheriting the true inheritances of the Green Ant Scholar and the Wine-Transmuting Fairy in the Central Continent, he had been covertly persuaded by Qin Dingling and recruited as one of her pawns.
Following Qin Dingling's arrangement, the Drunken Immortal Elder returned to the Eastern Sea for a period of rest before proactively pledging himself to the Righteous Alliance.
The entire Righteous Alliance welcomed him warmly.
The Drunken Immortal Elder was among the most outstanding independent cultivators in the Eastern Sea's Gu Immortal world.
He possessed the Wine Sea and held wine gatherings every year, inviting heroes and champions from all factions. His social connections were extensive, and he already maintained good relationships with all the major Righteous Path powers of the Eastern Sea.
Having such a representative figure join the Righteous Alliance carried great political significance. That alone was of considerable value.
Although the Righteous Alliance had been formed, the vast majority of its members were the great superpowers of the Eastern Sea's Righteous Path. Beyond them were the Gu Immortals from the two heaven-above blessed lands who served under the Qi Sea clone.
Very few Eastern Sea independent cultivators had joined the Righteous Alliance.
Demonic Path Gu Immortals were even less inclined.
The Drunken Immortal Elder joining of his own accord would surely serve as a demonstration, shifting the sentiment among a portion of the Eastern Sea's Gu Immortal community. Perhaps it could even prompt other independent cultivators — and perhaps even Demonic Path Gu Immortals — to pledge themselves willingly.
Beyond all of this, there was yet another reason, one that was somewhat connected to Fang Yuan.
The Harmful Poison Ant Plague killer move that Fang Yuan had previously unleashed had thrown the Eastern Sea's Righteous Path into chaos, forcing them to hand over the true inheritances they held in their collections and devote themselves to research and calculation before they finally developed a method of suppression and containment.
During that process, the Righteous Alliance had attempted to invite the Drunken Immortal Elder. But at the time, he had already departed for the Central Continent to secretly contest the Green Ant true inheritance.
The Drunken Immortal Elder specialized in Food Path, and the Food Path was a school that saw very little circulation across the five regions and two heavens.
What was rare was precious.
The Drunken Immortal Elder was well worth recruiting!
After consulting with the great Eastern Sea superpowers, the Qi Sea Ancestor decided to hold a grand welcoming banquet. This would not only win the Drunken Immortal Elder's goodwill and sense of belonging, but also serve to publicize the Righteous Alliance's attitude toward independent cultivators and demonic cultivators.
When the Drunken Immortal Elder had first met Fang Yuan, he had behaved with great respect — even to the point of obsequiousness.
Just like now.
The Drunken Immortal Elder's wine was clearly called Spring Sea Flower Wine. But the Qi Sea Ancestor had called it Spring Breeze Drifting Petals Wine.
Whether the Qi Sea Ancestor had misheard or simply misspoken, the Drunken Immortal Elder did not give it a second thought. Instead, he immediately bowed deeply, cupped his fists, and said: "Many thanks to the Ancestor for bestowing this name!"
"Exquisite, truly exquisite! 'Spring Breeze Drifting Petals Wine' not only captures the character of this wine with perfect aptitude, but it brims with poetic spirit. Upon hearing it, one feels as if transported to a scene of warm spring breezes brushing the face and flower petals dancing in the wind."
"That such a humble wine could be worthy of the Ancestor personally bestowing a name upon it — what an immense honor! With the Ancestor's name bestowed upon it, I believe this wine shall surely become famous throughout the world and spread across all five regions!"
"Hahaha." The Qi Sea Ancestor laughed heartily, pointing a finger at the Drunken Immortal Elder. "You old man are quite the character."
The other faction representatives chimed in one after another, their flattery flowing like successive waves behind the Drunken Immortal Elder, crashing toward the Qi Sea Ancestor.
Even as these Gu Immortals praised him, they inwardly scoffed.
"Who knew the old Drunken Immortal Elder had this side to him."
"Truly shameless fawning."
"But it's not surprising. He holds wine gatherings every year and invites all the major factions. The man has always been a social operator."
Tang Tang, the Tang Clan's Gu Immortal, was about to raise his cup for a drink when a Message Path mortal Gu suddenly flew toward him.
He sent his spiritual sense probing into it.
"What?! The Great Alliance of Alien Races has suddenly made its move!" His body jolted, and his heart surged with alarm.
But once he read the intelligence clearly, he relaxed slightly.
"Fang Yuan has only dispatched a dozen or so Gu Immortals, scattering them across various locations throughout the Eastern Sea, slaughtering innocent mortals everywhere."
"What is he trying to do?"
"Not long ago, he invaded the Fire Origin Blessed Land and massacred all the hundreds of millions of humans inside it too!"
Tang Tang pondered for a moment, then immediately thought of the Human Sea prototype.
After Fang Yuan had seized the territory of the Eastern Sea's Xia Clan, intelligence about this artificial Heavenly Secret had spread widely. The entire Righteous Alliance was well informed.
Just then, another Message Path Gu flew toward him.
"Gu Mingxu is requesting aid from our clan?" Tang Tang's mind stirred slightly.
This Warm Sun Immortal Monarch was an orderly independent cultivator. The Tang Clan had long wished to recruit him, but he had always politely declined. Who could have imagined that this time, trouble would find a man sitting safely in his own home — Gu Mingxu had somehow provoked the Great Alliance of Alien Races.
In his distress signal, Gu Mingxu stated plainly: if the Tang Clan would lend him aid, he would join the Tang Clan without hesitation!
"My Tang Clan has no desire to take in someone who has drawn Fang Yuan's wrath! Is this not pushing us into the fire?" Tang Tang sneered inwardly.
There would be no aid.
Tang Tang promptly crushed the Message Path mortal Gu in his hand, as though he had never seen it at all.
The targets Fang Yuan had selected for this operation were mortals only, and he had specifically avoided the clan members of all the major superpowers.