604: Lingxiao Immortal Sect

...The mountain gate of the Lingxiao Immortal Sect was hidden amidst a sea of clouds. Its flying eaves and upturned corners were gilded with a layer of heavenly light. The mountain wind, carrying the sound of soughing pines and the faint fragrance of Spiritual Plants, brushed past a figure stumbling up the stone steps.

When Jiang Lu's figure appeared before the mountain gate, it caused the guarding Disciples to look over one after another.

The green robe on her body had long since been torn by thorns along the way, covered in dust and dark brown bloodstains. Her originally neat hair bun had come undone, with several strands of hair sticking to her sweat-drenched forehead.

Those eyes, which usually held the youthful vibrancy of a young girl, were now bloodshot, and her footsteps were incredibly unsteady.

It was clear she had just finished a long-distance journey that lasted several days, without even having time to catch her breath.

She didn't even pay attention to the concerned greetings of the guarding Disciples. Simply cupping her fists in a hasty gesture, she used her last bit of strength to hurry toward the residence of the Inner Sect Elders.

Inside the residence, a female Elder was sitting by the window, holding a volume of a Pill Scripture and studying it closely. The clear tea on the table was still steaming.

Hearing the hurried footsteps from outside the courtyard, she looked up and saw Jiang Lu lifting the curtain and entering. Though she looked miserable, the gravity between her brows was hard to conceal.

"Jiang Lu, you've returned from your trial?"

The female Elder put down the Pill Scripture in her hand. Her voice was gentle, but her gaze swept over the injuries on her body, and she frowned slightly.

"How did you end up in such a state? Why not go back and rest first?"

She thought very highly of Jiang Lu. For her safety during this trial, she had given her many life-saving Medicinal Pills.

Jiang Lu could not be bothered with the tedious rules of etiquette. She simply bowed deeply, her back held straight. Her voice was raspy from the journey, yet every word was clear.

"Reporting to the Elder, this Disciple has a massive piece of news that must be reported to the Sect immediately."

Her expression was too solemn; those eyes were filled with absolute seriousness, completely devoid of her usual playfulness.

The female Elder's heart stirred, and the relaxed smile on her face instantly vanished. She raised her hand to signal Jiang Lu to sit, personally poured her a cup of hot tea, and her tone grew heavier.

"Oh? Tell me in detail..."

Jiang Lu took the teacup but did not drink. She simply gripped the warm sides of the cup, composed herself, and slowly recounted the encounters from her trial.

She started from being pursued by a group of vicious bandits, all the way to stumbling into a Forbidden Ground and encountering a mysterious power's territory that had never been recorded by the Sect.

After taking a sip of tea, she described in great detail how she had watched, shaken, as that power dealt with the bandits with thunderous methods, and how she had set out on her return journey under their guidance.

However, when the words reached her lips, she quietly swallowed two details.

One was that the people within that Forbidden Ground power—whether the "Soldiers" in strange armor or those fellows called "Officers"—did not possess a single shred of Spiritual Qi fluctuation. It was as if they were just a group of ordinary Mortals, and their appearances were also quite strange.

The other was the strange objects she had seen that also possessed no Spiritual Qi.

After some thought, she decided it was better not to mention these details for now, only reporting the most crucial information.

But after the entire story was told, the residence fell into a heavy silence. Only the mountain wind outside the window swirled a few fallen leaves, lightly tapping against the window frame.

"A mysterious power in the Forbidden Ground? They even stepped in to save you? And they wish to establish ties with the Sect..."

The female Elder repeated in a low voice, her gaze deepening.

She lowered her eyes in thought for a moment, then her fingertips suddenly paused. Clearly, she realized the weight of this matter was not something she, an Inner Sect Elder, could decide.

"This matter involves too much; it is no longer something I can determine."

The female Elder's voice grew several shades heavier, no longer possessing any of its previous gentleness.

She raised her hand with a flick, and a stream of clear Spiritual Qi wrapped around Jiang Lu's waist, carrying her into the air without allowing for any argument.

"Come, follow me to see the Sect Master."

The sea of clouds beneath their feet receded rapidly, and the whistling of the astral winds filled their ears.

Jiang Lu felt her body grow light. When she opened her eyes again, the two of them had already soared past layers of halls and pavilions, flying toward the deepest part of the Sect.

The mist there was even thicker, and the Spiritual Qi was so mellow it was almost solid. Looking from afar, a great hall built entirely of warm jade was hidden at the peak of the sea of clouds. The glazed tiles on the roof shimmered with a faint golden light under the sun, and the Dragon and Phoenix totems carved on the eaves were lifelike, as if they would spread their wings and fly at any moment.

That was the heart of the Lingxiao Immortal Sect—the Lingxiao Hall, a place where at least a Sect Elder was required to set foot.

Before long, the two landed before the white jade steps of the Lingxiao Hall.

The steps were covered in intricate runes, with spiritual light faintly flowing through them. Just standing at the bottom of the steps, Jiang Lu felt an invisible pressure rush toward her, pressing down on her until she could hardly breathe.

The female Elder straightened her slightly messy robes, stepped forward, and bowed toward the tightly closed hall doors. Her voice was clear and carried an unquestionable solemnity.

"Inner Sect Elder Lin Jing seeks an audience to report an important matter to the Sect Master!"

As her voice fell, the surroundings became so quiet that a needle could be heard dropping.

Only the swirling mist flowed slowly before the hall doors. The doors remained tightly shut, as if there were no one inside.

Jiang Lu's heart rose to her throat, and her palms were already drenched in cold sweat.

She clenched her fists tightly, her gaze fixed intently on the hall doors carved with patterns of a hundred beasts, her heart thumping wildly.

This was the Lingxiao Hall, the place where the Sect Master usually discussed matters and cultivated. As an Inner Sect Disciple, let alone entering the hall, even standing before these doors was an unprecedented honor.

After about the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, just as Jiang Lu's legs were about to start trembling, the hall doors finally emitted a low creak.

The heavy agarwood doors slowly opened inward. A rich scent of sandalwood mixed with ambergris rushed out. The light inside the hall was dim, and behind layers of curtains, a figure could be vaguely seen sitting upon a high seat.

That figure was shrouded in dense Spiritual Qi and dim light, making it impossible to see their features or discern their form. Only a pressure as immense as a towering mountain permeated the air, giving the entire hall a heart-palpitating solemnity.

"What is it?"

Two words slowly fell from the high seat. They were neither loud nor soft, yet they seemed to carry the weight of ten thousand jun, crashing directly into Jiang Lu's eardrums.

She only felt her head buzz, as if countless thin needles were drilling into her temples. Her blood surged, and she even became unsteady on her feet. She hurriedly focused her mind to steady herself, but her back was already covered in a layer of cold sweat.

Seeing this, Elder Lin Jing did not dare to delay for a moment. She quickly stepped forward, bowed with cupped hands, and reported everything Jiang Lu had previously described.

From the attack during the trial down the mountain to accidentally entering the Forbidden Ground, and then being saved and safely escorted out by the mysterious power—every detail was clear and thorough, without the slightest exaggeration.

The moment her voice fell, the air inside the great hall seemed to freeze.