On the floating island of Xuankong, amidst the clinking of cups and lively conversations of countless cultivators, powerful experts at the Ascended Immortal level performed martial demonstrations on stage one after another.
In the cultivation world, strength reigned supreme, and only the strong had the right to command sufficient influence.
The so-called Ten Great Sects were not established by any decree, but forged through millions of years of bloody battles!
Ye Ao Han, seated on the high platform, silently contemplated the gap between himself and these Ascended Immortal elders of Hanhai:
"Interesting. Although I've heard that the demon race is not adept at protective arts, I observe that most of these elders have combined their innate divine techniques to develop extremely effective methods. If I were to face them, perhaps the outcome would be uncertain!"
Only after transforming into human form could demons achieve a similar level of perception and comprehension of spiritual patterns as humans, yet they still lagged far behind human prodigies.
However, the workings of the Heavenly Dao maintained a natural balance. During the spiritual demon stage, besides their formidable physical bodies, most demons would, due to their spiritual energy and physical attributes, naturally develop innate divine techniques.
Once these techniques manifested, they would at least be at the proficient level.
Although their methods were singular and could be targeted by enemies, in a sense, it could also be described as having one killer move to conquer all.
Therefore, most Ascended Great Demons, after transforming into human form, did not bother to meticulously study the complex protective arts of the human race. Instead, they continued to refine their innate divine techniques, forming unique combat systems.
And at this moment, these Ascended elders were displaying their proudest techniques before countless cultivators, without any reservation.
It was no wonder that Dharma Body cultivators like Meng Tian harbored a hint of mockery in their eyes. With their trump cards revealed, what else would the Hanhai Sect have to contend with them in the future?!
Ye Ao Han naturally realized this as well. He frowned and said softly, "Is the Hanhai Sect perhaps too overconfident? For a grand ceremony, must they reveal all their trump cards like this?"
Chen Luo, upon hearing this, asked gently, "Fellow Daoist Ye, do you find the Hanhai Sect's grand ceremony performances to be inappropriate in some way?"
Ye Ao Han candidly expressed his views:
"Fellow Daoist Chen, you may not know, but in the battles between Ascended Immortal cultivators, besides cultivation and techniques, information is also an extremely crucial factor."
"Especially for these demons with singular methods; if they are targeted, their threat level is greatly reduced! In fact, during a battle, they could even be killed by a peer of the same rank with a single move!"
"And that Immortal Spiritual Rain Curtain that they no longer allow us to approach, as well as the Immortal Spiritual Grass I discovered first, I suspect that the Hanhai Sect, from the very beginning, deliberately staged this 'empty city stratagem' to protect the rare treasure!"
As he spoke, seeming to realize that Chen Luo's identity might be sensitive, Ye Ao Han hesitated for a moment. Looking at Chen Luo's cultivation, which was only at the ninth stage of the Dao Path, he finally spoke frankly:
"Fellow Daoist Chen and I hit it off immediately. Please forgive my bluntness, but seven days ago, an unprecedented surge of treasure light appeared above the Hanhai. According to my father, at least several powerful figures at the Dharma Body level had the intention of coming to Hanhai to search for treasure."
"Your sect occupies the entire Hanhai, so it is likely that the treasure has already fallen into the Hanhai Sect's possession."
"However, despite the vast Hanhai Sect and the presence of Dragon Princess, you lack other Dharma Body experts. If a multitude of Dharma Body cultivators were to arrive, your sect might not find peace!"
Chen Luo's lips curved into a slight smile upon hearing this.
Ye Ao Han's heart sank. Could it be that this Fellow Daoist Chen was merely a pretty face, unaware of the impending disaster?
Ye Ao Han's voice became even more solemn: "Fellow Daoist Chen! My father once said that your sect's so-called Supreme Ascension Ceremony is merely a facade! I fear that the Dragon Princess is putting on a show!"
"Using vast resources and these so-called Ascended Immortal martial demonstrations to make everyone believe that your Hanhai Sect is strong and fearless, unafraid of any challenge, and even to deter those Dharma Body cultivators with malicious intent!"
Ye Ao Han's tone carried a hint of mockery: "But the Dragon Princess, in her meticulous planning, has overplayed her hand! That magnificent waterfall of spiritual energy, that wondrous Immortal Spiritual Rain, and the Immortal Spiritual Grass I discovered first – they have likely depleted more than half of the Hanhai Sect's accumulated wealth over countless years!"
"But that which is false can never become true! The fact that the exquisite Fairy Linglong hastily teleported us here and then forbade us from further contact with the rain curtain outside this floating island clearly indicates guilt!"
"And this so-called Ascended Immortal martial demonstration, hmph, the Hanhai Sect's Rainbow Transformation Ascended Immortals are indeed unparalleled among the major sects, but is it because your sect has been isolated overseas for too long? Do you believe that dozens of Rainbow Transformation Ascended Immortals are enough to awe everyone?!"
"Or is it that after the unprecedented great tribulation phenomenon, the treasure that still revealed treasure light is truly extraordinary, causing the Dragon Princess to become so blinded by greed?!"
"But Fellow Daoist Chen, Ye and I have hit it off! I hope you will make plans early! Do not misjudge yourself!"
Ye Ao Han certainly harbored an extremely absurd thought: that the boundless rain curtain outside was real, perhaps even transformed from the treasure whose true form remained unknown.
But if that were the case, then even more Dharma Body cultivators would not let the Hanhai Sect off the hook!
After experiencing the mysteries of the Spiritual Immortal Rain, humanity would absolutely not allow the demon race to rise again!
It was likely that after this Ascension Ceremony! The Hanhai Sect would face utter destruction!
Even if all of this were true, and it was all transformed from a treasure, the allied forces of the major sects and the Immortal Dynasty might already be on their way!
After all, a mere few dozen Rainbow Transformation Ascended Immortals, along with Dragon Princess, a formation grandmaster, could not guard such a treasure!
And due to the inexplicable good feeling in his heart, True Disciple Ye disregarded the fact that they were not close, almost directly telling Chen Luo, "Your sugar mama is about to go bankrupt, hurry and come with me!"
Chen Luo looked at Ye Ao Han, who had conjured up such strange notions, with a mixture of amusement and helplessness: "Fellow Daoist Ye, perhaps the Dragon Princess truly has confidence and has displayed so many treasures. Perhaps these elders of Hanhai are truly doing their best to showcase their ultimate skills just to make the future Supreme Elder happy?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Ao Han first cast a suspicious glance at Chen Luo. Could it be that Chen Luo had pleased Linglong and obtained some inside information?
But immediately after, his common sense of the cultivation world negated all possibilities:
"Fellow Daoist Chen! Listen to your brother's advice! The waters here are too deep, and you, a mere cultivator at the ninth stage of the Dao Path, cannot grasp them!"
"Ascended Immortal, Ascended Immortal, from this point onward, there is a distinction between immortal and mortal. You are utterly ignorant of the power of the strong!"
"Although the major sects outwardly have Dharma Body cultivators presiding, no one can be sure if there aren't one or two true Dao Realm old monsters hidden within their forbidden grounds!"
"But Hanhai absolutely does not have them! The ascension of the Old Dragon King back then was witnessed by all the families!"
"Dragon Princess is playing with fire! Once the Dao Realm magnates from all the families arrive, no matter how many calculations she makes, they will all be useless!"
"Even if your suspected puppet, the new Supreme Elder, is also in the Dao Realm, it will be useless! After all, the number one under heaven is still the one from Great Zhen!"