The people from the Abyssal Evil Valley had arrived, their procession no smaller in number than that of Sin City. It was clear that the Abyssal Evil Valley took this matter very seriously—the Valley Master himself led the expedition, and every powerhouse in the valley had been mobilized. The spectacle was nothing short of magnificent.
Before long, the Six Perfections Pavilion, one of the three great powers, also made its appearance.
Beyond these three major factions, a number of second- and third-rate forces from Winterend Island had arrived one after another, trailing in their wake.
……
At the Garrison Command, the Commander himself stood at the head of his assembled staff. Every one of them wore grave expressions, dressed in immaculate formation along the front of the compound to extend a formal welcome in a corridor of honor.
According to intelligence from the Rejuvenation Island Domain, the royal family of the domain had already arrived at Winterend Island, escorting distinguished guests from the various great powers.
Moreover, those guests would be arriving at any moment.
Even a man of the Commander's standing could not help but feel a surge of emotion. This was the most momentous occasion in the entire history of Winterend Island.
Never before had Winterend Island witnessed such a glorious moment. In the past, the most prestigious visitors to inspect the island had been none other than the royal powerhouses of the Rejuvenation Island Domain.
But this time, in addition to the royal figures, the visiting party included people from powers on the level of the Ten Great Divine Kingdoms. By comparison, the Rejuvenation Island Domain's royal figures seemed almost like escorts.
"Everyone, stay sharp. Remember—there must not be a single mistake in our reception this time," the Commander emphasized once more.
"Rest assured, Commander. We will give it our all."
The Commander nodded. Suddenly, his brow lifted and his gaze shot forward. A flicker of understanding crossed his mind, and he said in a low voice, "They're here. Everyone, stay sharp."
At the far edge of their vision, streaks of light pierced through the sky. One by one, vessels resembling flying ships tore through the void and descended upon the open ground not far from the Garrison Command.
The Commander hurried forward, his pace nearly double the norm.
There were seven flying ships in total. Their interiors were not especially vast, but each could comfortably carry several dozen passengers.
Between them, the seven ships had transported several hundred people.
The four ships at the front and rear opened first. From the lead ship emerged a group of people dressed in resplendent attire, each carrying an air of unmistakable nobility—they were the representatives of the Rejuvenation Island Domain's royal family.
The two ships at the rear held the royal elite iron guards, charged with the security of this expedition. Every one of these guards was lean and formidable, uniformly at the Celestial realm or above.
Several among them possessed concealed divine aura and cultivation so deep it was unfathomable—clearly, they were no ordinary fighters.
The moment the iron guards disembarked, they dispersed with disciplined precision, sealing off every critical point with an airtight formation.
Only after all security measures were in place did the three central ships open.
The royal representatives of the Rejuvenation Island Domain rushed forward with eager, ingratiating smiles, their attention squarely focused on the distinguished guests aboard those three central ships.
As the ships opened, another wave of bodyguards surged down—fierce as wolves and tigers. The aura they exuded was even colder and more intimidating than the royal iron guards, marking them unmistakably as products of a far greater power.
In both strength and bearing, they surpassed the Rejuvenation Island Domain's guards by a considerable margin.
Surrounded by this escort, a group of nobles emerged from the ships—distinguished in dress, extraordinary in bearing, ranging from the young to the middle-aged to the elderly, each stepping forth with effortless poise.
The leading royal representative, a middle-aged man, stepped forward with a broad smile. "Esteemed guests, this is Winterend Island. Your honored presence brings immeasurable splendor to our humble island."
The royal representative from the Rejuvenation Island Domain looked as though he might throw himself at the feet of these guests and lick their toes, his expression as deferential as humanly possible.
The Commander of Winterend Island also led his subordinates forward with the utmost respect, taking up position at the outer perimeter. "We welcome the distinguished guests with the greatest honor. The Commander of Winterend Island and his staff stand ready to receive Your Excellencies."
These distinguished guests appeared to originate from the same place. However, within that single origin, there seemed to be multiple smaller factions.
It was evident that while these people maintained an appearance of cordiality among themselves, there were still undercurrents of distance—and even a faint, if not particularly intense, sense of rivalry.
"Prince Huo, there is no need for pleasantries. You already know the purpose of our visit this time. If everything has been arranged properly, let us proceed according to plan."
Among the group of distinguished guests, an elderly man spoke in a calm, measured tone.
The royal representative—Prince Huo of the Rejuvenation Island Domain—replied with a respectful smile, "Everything has been arranged impeccably. Still, now that all of you have honored us with your presence, it would only be proper to allow Winterend Island the opportunity to welcome you with a proper reception."
The Commander also stepped forward with an ingratiating smile. "Indeed, the Garrison Command has made every preparation. We have done everything in our power to ensure your comfort. The Black Nightmare Mountains are not particularly far from here. Our guests might wish to rest awhile before setting out."
The distinguished guests exchanged glances among themselves before finally nodding in agreement.
"In that case, we shall rest for now and set out tomorrow."