C229 Famous Reputation!
Cultivators from Ebon Star, Sunlit Order, and Sword Sect inherently felt a deep-seated sense of superiority.
The three great upper sects of the Euwrea Continent have long considered the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep to be heretical.
Since humanity embarked on the path of cultivation and ascended within the Everlands, human cultivators have been the epitome of strength in the world.
The Nagas once reigned over the Everlands in ancient times.
Alas, that era is irretrievably gone.
The surviving Nagas now mostly reside in the vast oceanic expanse between the three continents, scattered across a handful of islands.
The black-clothed woman from Ebon Star, upon revealing her identity, exuded contempt for all present.
She showed no regard for Loong Tianxiao's dignity.
Her aim was to assert the authority of Ebon Star to command respect and obedience from all.
"So, we have a Guru from Ebon Star."
From a corner of the valley, three Lunar Spirit Realm experts emerged.
The leader, a towering figure clutching a yellow gourd, spoke with deference, "I hail from the Sunblessed Empire, serving as the Chief Elder of the Thunder Temple."
The two followers, a man and a woman, simultaneously paid their respects to the woman in black.
"The Thunder Temple?" she asked, eyeing them with a hint of surprise before nodding. "I understand that the Thunder Temple's legacy is derived from the Thunder Sect, correct?"
Many families and sects on the Aetherius Continent maintained various degrees of connection with both the Land of Quiescence and Euwrea.
Indeed, ancient tales suggest that before the discovery of these lands, all human cultivators originated from Aetherius.
Aetherius is not only the cradle of human cultivation but also the ancestral land of mortals.
These cultivators, having mastered their craft and reached the Lunar Spirit and Spirit Walk Realms, sought further breakthroughs. They soared across the Everlands, in search of regions with even more abundant and potent divine force.
In the realms of Quiescence and Euwrea, the cultivators gradually migrated, one after another. Despite the vast distances, the three continents have remained in contact since time immemorial. Cultivators from Euwrea and the Land of Quiescence would arrange for a Guru to select suitable children on the Aetherius Continent to initiate them into the path of cultivation. Once these children achieved Veil Breaking, they would be guided to their new homes.
The Thunder Temple, within the Sunblessed Empire, was a sect of considerable depth and renown, widely recognized as having been founded by a member of the Thunder Sect. The Thunder Sect itself was one of the seven great lower sects of Euwrea and enjoyed a harmonious relationship with the Ebon Star.
Upon learning that the woman in black hailed from the Ebon Star, the three cultivators from the Thunder Temple promptly identified themselves, eager to curry favor. "Guru's Third Eye is discerning. The lightning spell we practice at the Thunder Temple indeed originates from the Thunder Sect," the leading elder affirmed, nodding vigorously. "Since you are from the Ebon Star, we three are ready to serve at your behest."
The woman in black smiled, her expression one of contentment. "We come from the Crimson Sun Empire, members of the Yang family, and we wish to accompany the Guru!" "We hail from the Empire of Dawn, hoping to escape Gloomhollow alongside the Guru!" "..."
Following her revelation, a sudden wave of individuals remaining in the valley stepped forward, eager to pledge their allegiance and follow her command. Leveraging the reputation of the Ebon Star, she secured their loyalty effortlessly.
Loong Tianxiao, having been subjected to her biting mockery, was on the verge of retaliation. Yet, the sight of the palace nestled among the clouds behind her stilled his hand. "The Ebon Star..." he murmured internally, the weight of the name resonating with him. It mirrored the heaviness of his current mood. In life, before his dragon form was destroyed, his name carried vast prestige. Across the expansive seas separating the continents, Loong Tianxiao was a name that commanded respect from the denizens of Dragon Lake and the myriad dragons and sea beasts alike.
However, this was strictly limited to the seas between the continents.
Even at the height of his power, he wouldn't dare venture to Euwrea and risk the wrath of the Ebon Star Sect.
So when Loong Tianxiao learned that the individual hailed from the Ebon Star, a wave of bitterness washed over him.
This was the Ebon Star Sect, not some minor families from the Silvermoon or Crimson Sun Empires, nor was it the cultivators of Aetherius.
Clearly, one couldn't equate those people with the Ebon Star Sect.
"Chi!"
In the depths of the valley, a fine line of blood traced across Yu Yuan's brow.
A trickle of blood emerged, which he delicately wiped away with his sleeve.
Observing the bloodstain on his sleeve, Yu Yuan's lips twisted into an odd smile, yet he remained silent.
The woman in black had declared him unworthy!
The woman, having revealed her affiliation with the Ebon Star Sect and having successfully rebuffed Loong Tianxiao, was now in high spirits after receiving overtures of goodwill from three members of the Thunder Temple and pledges of loyalty from many others. She did not rush to strike at Yu Yuan again.
Yu Yuan, after cleaning the blood from his forehead and standing beneath the numerous caverns, merely gazed at her from a distance.
"Those who wish to join me in the deep valley, come forth," the woman in black called out. "I will attempt to locate the cell imprisoning the Poison Master and explore the possibility of escaping through the underground."
She ventured further in.
The cultivators from the Thunder Temple, along with nearly a dozen others of varying levels of cultivation, promptly followed her.
Loong Tianxiao stood motionless outside, his expression grave.
Guan Xianyun, Zanas, and a few others who bore the look of troublemakers, whether they hailed from the Land of Quiescence or were dark disciples from the major empires, all watched the woman in black and her followers with brooding looks.
"Kid, did you just suggest I was courting death?"
As the woman in black approached, her gaze landed on Yu Yuan once more, her eyes piercing like arrows, as if a single misstep in his response could cost him his life.
Yu Yuan looked up, surveying the thick miasma clouds, tuning into their mood.
"I had no idea the Guru hailed from the Ebon Star in Euwrea. Please forgive my rudeness." Yu Yuan bowed deeply from a distance, his face lighting up with a radiant smile. "The fog here is laced with lethal toxins. I was concerned for your safety, fearing you might be harmed by the poison. My intentions were good, though I admit I was overly anxious and spoke harshly."
He bowed again, offering his apologies.
The woman in black paused, her piercing gaze softening considerably. She gestured dismissively and said, "Ignorance is no crime. Let's leave it at that. Your name is Yu Yuan, from the Silvermoon Empire, correct?"
Yu Yuan responded with an affirmative smile.
"You've got quite the nerve, and you've even practiced the Evil Body Refining Technique. You've got potential," the woman in black observed, squinting her eyes. "Since the Terror Claws were wiped out, the Evil Body Refining Technique has been lost. How did you come by it?"
Yu Yuan's eyes darted about as he struggled to find the words.
"The Evil Body Refining Technique is indeed remarkable. You seem to have no fear of the toxic vapors," the woman in black remarked with a tsk of admiration. She pointed towards the tunnels Yu Yuan had navigated and proposed, "Since you're not bothered by the poison, why not help me scout ahead? Go down and see what's there. Rest assured, if you assist me well, I'll make sure you're duly rewarded!"
