140: Oh, we're from the same hometown!

Su Wenzheng led several trusted aides and attendants to the exterior of the Drunken Immortal Tower.

A guard reported softly, "My Lord, your subordinate has confirmed it. Liu the Half-Immortal entered the Drunken Immortal Tower half an incense stick ago. He should be in a private room on the third floor now."

"Mhm. Although this person's cultivation is not apparent, he certainly has unique insights into the Dao of Heavenly Secrets Deduction."

Su Wenzheng nodded slightly, stroking his beard as he mused, "If we can recruit him into the court, he might be able to divine fortune and misfortune for the Immortal Kingdom and peek into a sliver of Heavenly Secrets. He would be a great asset."

His current trip was precisely under the Empress's decree to secretly observe and seize the opportunity to recruit him.

Just as he was tidying his clothes and preparing to go upstairs to find the man, his gaze inadvertently swept across a private room by the window on the third floor, and he froze instantly, as if struck by lightning!

He saw by the private room window a young man in snow-white robes with an extraordinary temperament, leisurely sampling tea. Who else could it be but Lin Chen, the unfathomable Sect Master of the Wending Sect, whom he had met once before the Wending Sect's Mountain Gate that day?!

"Wen... Wen... Wending Sect! Sect Master Lin... Chen?!"

Su Wenzheng's tongue tied, his voice changing pitch, and fine cold sweat instantly beaded on his forehead.

He never expected to encounter this person here.

He wondered what Lin Chen intended by coming to the capital of the Xuanji Immortal Kingdom.

"My Lord, what's wrong?"

The guard beside him saw the situation and asked doubtfully.

Su Wenzheng snapped back to reality, grabbed an attendant, lowered his voice, and spoke urgently, even with a hint of panic: "You all wait here. Report any movement immediately. I must return to the palace at once to report to Your Majesty!"

"Lin Chen, the Sect Master of the Wending Sect... has appeared at the Drunken Immortal Tower in the capital!"

"This matter is of grave importance! Do not make any mistakes!"

"Remember! You are only permitted to monitor secretly. Absolutely do not act rashly, and especially do not disturb him!"

"Yes!" Seeing Su Wenzheng so panicked, the trusted aides immediately grew nervous and agreed.

Su Wenzheng took a deep breath, transforming into a streak of light and heading straight for the Imperial Palace... Meanwhile, inside the private room on the third floor of the Drunken Immortal Tower, it was a different scene entirely.

Lin Chen, Profound Limitless, and Liu the Half-Immortal sat facing each other, with Immortal Tea emitting a fragrant steam on the table.

Hearing that Lin Chen was also from the Cangxuan Realm, Liu the Half-Immortal was first stunned, then showed surprise: "Fellow Daoist is also from the Cangxuan Realm? How did you Breakthrough the Heavenly Dao's Blockade and Ascend to Lingxuan Heaven?"

"What Blockade?"

Lin Chen smiled, "Wouldn't it be fine if I just refined the heavenly dao origin directly?"

"You mean, you refined the heavenly dao origin?!"

"Yes, is there a problem?"

"Hiss..."

Liu the Half-Immortal was utterly dumbfounded.

The process of him shielding Heavenly Secrets and Ascending to Lingxuan Heaven was still vivid in his memory. Back then, he suffered greatly, and the Heavenly Dao Backlash he endured was significant, requiring tens of thousands of years of recuperation in Lingxuan Heaven to fully recover.

Yet Lin Chen actually said... he refined the heavenly dao origin directly?

"What, you don't believe me?"

Lin Chen directly revealed the Qi of the heavenly dao origin.

"...Ah, this!"

It was indeed the Qi of the Cangxuan Realm's heavenly dao origin. Liu the Half-Immortal recognized it instantly.

He was too familiar with this Qi; there was no way he could be mistaken.

"Alas, truly, every era produces its genius. I am far inferior!"

After a good while, Liu the Half-Immortal finally sighed with emotion.

"...Senior?"

"No, no, no, you are the Senior. Here, strength is respected. Calling me that truly diminishes me."

Liu the Half-Immortal repeatedly waved his hands, adopting an extremely humble posture.

The hardships following his Ascension had long since worn away the arrogance he held as the former Great Emperor of Heavenly Secrets.

"Then should I call you Fellow Daoist?"

"Good, good, good, call me that!"

Liu the Half-Immortal finally smiled.

Lin Chen smiled slightly, his tone carrying a hint of respect: "Fellow Daoist Liu, you are too humble! During the Middle Ages, the name of Liu Several Paths, the Great Emperor of Heavenly Secrets, shook Cangxuan. Who did not know him, who did not recognize him?"

"Deducing Heavenly Secrets, controlling the universe!"

"Your legend still circulates in the Cangxuan Realm to this day!"

"I, Lin, feel deep admiration!"

Mentioning the past, Liu the Half-Immortal looked ashamed, shaking his head and smiling bitterly: "Fellow Daoist praises me unduly. When I first Ascended to this realm back then, I was also high-spirited, wanting to carve out a place for myself."

"Only later did I realize how vast the world is, and that heroes are as numerous as the fish crossing the river."

"My meager Earth Immortal Realm cultivation is like an ant's here. Now, I am merely... clinging to life, cautiously trying to make a living."

"Bringing up the past only invites ridicule."

Liu the Half-Immortal's words were filled with helplessness and melancholy.

He paused, seeming to recall something, and frowned in thought: "Wait, Fellow Daoist just mentioned coming from the Wending Sect? Ascend to the Summit... that name sounds familiar to me, as if I've heard it somewhere..."

"Oh? Fellow Daoist has heard the name of my Wending Sect?"

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised.

Liu the Half-Immortal pondered for a moment and admitted frankly: "To tell you the truth, when I was in the Cangxuan Realm, I had a close friend named Li Tiangang. He was also an Emperor Realm figure, bold and forthright, with impressive cultivation. I wonder... do you know him?"

Hearing this, a flicker of surprise flashed in Lin Chen's eyes, quickly turning into a smile: "What an incredible coincidence! Li Tiangang is precisely the Founding Old Ancestor of my Wending Sect!"

"What?!"

Liu the Half-Immortal suddenly stood up, his face filled with unbelievable joy: "Fellow Daoist Li... he is actually from the same sect as you?! This... this is truly too coincidental! Is he still..."

Liu the Half-Immortal wanted to ask if Li Tiangang was still alive.

However, the lifespan of the Great Emperor Realm is merely a hundred thousand years. Since so many years have passed, Li Tiangang must have long since turned to dust.

Thinking of this, Liu the Half-Immortal's expression immediately became dejected again.

Lin Chen saw all of this. He nodded with a smile: "The Old Ancestor is still alive. Moreover, he has Ascended with my entire Wending Sect to this Lingxuan Heaven, and is currently in the Endless Wasteland of the Canglan Continent."

"Sect-wide Ascension?!"

Liu the Half-Immortal was completely shocked, his mouth gaping open, unable to speak for a long time.

Ascension is already fraught with A Thousand Difficulties and Ten Thousand Dangers. What kind of earth-shattering method is Sect-wide Ascension?!

The foundation of this Wending Sect was far more terrifying than he had imagined!

And the Divine Ability of this young Sect Master before him was even more unfathomable!

"Li Tiangang is still alive!"

Following the shock came immense joy and excitement!

Li Tiangang was his close friend, the Wending Sect's Old Ancestor, and had this connection with Lin Chen. This was undoubtedly the best news he had heard after drifting through countless years in this realm!

Seeing Liu the Half-Immortal's excited expression, Lin Chen understood. He picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and said leisurely, "Fellow Daoist Liu, since you are an old acquaintance and Senior, and share a connection with me, Lin, would you be willing to condescend to become a Guest Elder of my Wending Sect?"

"With the Old Ancestor present, Fellow Daoist Liu certainly won't be wronged."

...Night fell.

Outside the Drunken Immortal Tower, Empress Xuanji arrived in a hurry.

She hadn't brought any guards, wasn't wearing court robes, but only a simple, elegant Palace Dress. She hadn't even fully applied makeup, and her dark hair was slightly disheveled, clearly having rushed over immediately after receiving Su Wenzheng's message.

"Are you certain Sect Master Lin is upstairs?"

She was slightly nervous and dared not rashly use her Divine Sense to investigate, fearing she might anger Lin Chen.

"Your Subject saw him with his own eyes; there can be no mistake!"

Su Wenzheng was absolutely certain.

Empress Xuanji's Phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and her knuckles tightened.

"A person of such caliber, quietly arriving in Our Capital City..." Her voice was low, as if asking Su Wenzheng, but more like questioning herself, "What exactly is his intention? Surely he hasn't come just to see the Night View of the capital?"