634: Another group of "distinguished guests" from the Lingxiao Immortal Sect.

Inside the exclusive guest room, light filtered through window frames inlaid with irregular crystals, casting mottled shadows on the floor.

The surrounding furnishings were completely beyond the Grand Elder of the Lingxiao Immortal Sect's understanding.

The Grand Elder stroked the long, gray beard on his chest, his clouded eyes filled with childlike curiosity.

"Truly worthy of an Ancient Force..."

He murmured to himself, his tone tinged with amazement.

"Along this journey, everything I've seen and heard has been nothing but strange and bizarre things I've never seen before..."

As his voice fell, he raised his hand to look at his left wrist.

There, he wore an all-black, unadorned ring-shaped device; the material was neither metal nor jade, and it felt cool to the touch, as if it had merged with his skin.

As a Mahayana Stage Cultivator, his Divine Sense was already capable of covering a thousand miles; even deep within this Forbidden Ground where Spiritual Qi was sparse, he didn't need Medicinal Pills to replenish himself, as the thick Spiritual Qi accumulated within his body was enough to support over ten days of high-intensity consumption, and he could even hold his own against Cultivators of the same stage without being disadvantaged.

Yet, since putting on this seemingly ordinary ring-shaped device, the Spiritual Qi that surged like a river within him seemed to have been frozen; no matter how he circulated his inner breath, he couldn't mobilize even a shred of it, unable to condense even the most basic protective spiritual light.

"Especially this thing; even a Mahayana Stage Cultivator like me can't remove it."

The Grand Elder's fingertips gently rubbed the ring-shaped device as his Divine Sense tried to penetrate it with full force, but it was blocked by an invisible barrier, leaving him unable to even investigate the device's material.

A trace of imperceptible vigilance flashed through his heart.

This kind of miraculous Restriction method had already exceeded the scope of the Cultivation World's knowledge; the foundation of this "Ancient Force" was likely much deeper than he had imagined.

Just then, the door was gently pushed open, and a slender figure walked in—it was Lin Jing.

She was dressed in the Daoist Robes of the Lingxiao Immortal Sect, her hair swept up in a high bun, her face clear and beautiful, her expression calm and ripple-free, though a hint of hard-to-detect complexity was hidden deep within her eyes.

"Elder Lin, what did they say?"

Seeing her, the Grand Elder quickly composed himself and stepped forward to ask, his tone carrying a bit of urgency.

Coming along on this trip, he had originally intended to personally meet with the person in charge of this so-called "Empire," both to show the sincerity of the Lingxiao Immortal Sect and to probe the other party's background.

But to his surprise, the other party explicitly stated they were only willing to have contact with Lin Jing, which left a lingering sense of doubt and unease in his heart.

Lin Jing nodded slightly, her voice gentle yet carrying an unquestionable certainty.

"The exchange went very smoothly; they are willing to send another batch of enough Potions to support the Sect's cultivation needs for the next six months."

Hearing this, the Grand Elder's hanging heart mostly settled, a satisfied smile appearing on his face as he nodded repeatedly.

"Very good, very good."

The core mission of this visit was to request these Potions for the Sect.

Now that the goal had been achieved, other matters seemed less important.

"Grand Elder..."

Lin Jing raised her hand, and a bottle of Potion appeared in her palm.

"This was specially prepared for you by the Empire; the Potion inside has been specially formulated, and its effect is much stronger than ordinary Potions, which might be helpful for stabilizing your cultivation."

She handed the Potion over and continued.

"Besides you, the other Elders each have a portion as well. When I first came here, I was also fortunate enough to receive a similar special Potion. Right now, I still need to deliver the medicine to the other Elders, so I won't disturb you further."

As soon as she finished speaking, without waiting for the Grand Elder to thank her or ask further questions, Lin Jing bowed slightly, turned, and steadily left the room.

The door closed gently behind her with a faint click, breaking the brief silence in the room.

Holding the Potion in his hand, the Grand Elder's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He felt a faint sense of doubt in his heart.

Why was this "Empire" giving such "preferential treatment" to the Lingxiao Immortal Sect? And why did they insist on only contacting Lin Jing?

But these doubts only flashed by, and after a moment, he let them go.

The miraculous effects of this Potion had already been personally experienced by everyone in the Sect.

Those taken previously not only had no side effects but had even caused the cultivation Bottlenecks of many Elders to show signs of loosening.

Now that this bottle was an "enhanced version" specially prepared for him, it was clearly because they valued his status and strength. With such a beneficial and harmless miracle medicine, why wouldn't he drink it?

The Grand Elder no longer hesitated and pulled out the stopper; a clear and slightly sweet exotic fragrance instantly filled the air and entered his nose, refreshing his spirit.

He tilted his head back and drained the liquid in the bottle in one gulp.

The liquid was mild and smooth as it went down his throat without a hint of bitterness; after sliding into his stomach, it quickly turned into a gentle yet pure warm current, slowly spreading to his limbs and bones, nourishing his body.

Meanwhile, in the exclusive rooms of the other Elders, the same scene was unfolding.

Holding the same type of Potion in their hands, with trust and expectation on their faces and without the slightest hesitation, they all drained the Potions in their bottles.

For them, this kind of miracle medicine that could significantly improve physical fitness had already become an indispensable aid on their path of cultivation; moreover, it was a gift specially prepared by this mysterious and powerful "Ancient Force," so they felt only gratitude with no doubt at all.

What they did not know was that this seemingly beneficial Potion had long been mixed with a high concentration of Subconscious Conditioning Components, which were quietly eroding their consciousness barriers as the liquid spread, planting the seed of "loyalty to the Empire" deep within their subconscious... Ten days passed like a fleeting shadow, and in the blink of an eye, it was already the tenth day since this batch of "distinguished guests" from the Lingxiao Immortal Sect arrived at the Forbidden Ground.

At this moment, in He Dong's office, the room was bustling with people, yet it exuded an unusual solemnity.

The originally spacious area felt a bit cramped due to the dozens of figures standing there; looking around, it was actually all the Elders who had accompanied the Lingxiao Immortal Sect on this trip.

From the Inner Sect Elders to the Core Elders who held real power in the Sect, and even that once-lofty Mahayana Late Stage Grand Elder—all were present in this line-up.

What was most eye-catching was not the sight of them gathered together, but the clothing they wore.

The Daoist Robes that once symbolized their status and glory in the Lingxiao Immortal Sect had long been replaced by the Empire's exclusive uniform.

Such attire was completely different from the ethereal and otherworldly style of the Cultivation World; it appeared more orderly and solemn, carrying a sense of top-down hierarchy that completely transformed these former Sect Elders into followers of the Empire.

They stood tall with bright eyes; the immortal-like grace of the past was gone from their faces, replaced by a near-fanatical reverence and determination.

He Dong sat in the main seat, his expression calm, yet he naturally exuded an invisible pressure.

His gaze slowly swept across the crowd, and every Elder who met his eyes subconsciously straightened their back, the reverence in their eyes growing even stronger.