Qingxuan Mountain, summit.
Cangji Hall, this magnificent palace standing at the peak of Qingxuan Mountain, over a hundred zhang tall, occupied nearly the entire summit of the mountain.
The hall’s roof was covered with eighteen thousand tiles, glistening under the sky’s light. The walls were made of heavy blue stone, left uncarved, their unadorned roughness awe-inspiring.
Before the towering gates of Cangji Hall, which reached eighty-one zhang in height, a broad open platform connected by nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine blue stone steps held three tiny figures.
With every gesture, immortal qi and dao rhyme swirled around them.
These three elders were the three Ascended Stewards of the current Qingxuan Immortal Sect.
Standing on the left was Pine Silence True Person. Although he was the youngest among the three Ascended Stewards of Qingxuan Immortal Sect, his figure was the most gaunt of the three.
The man looked like an ancient, withered pine that had weathered ten thousand years of frost and storms. His eyelids drooped low, his gaze inward, as if he had taken root on this open platform outside the hall.
On the right was Sky Dome True Person. Though the old man’s face was covered in fine, dense wrinkles, his eyes remained clear and bright.
In the center stood Azure Sky True Person, the most senior and highest-ranking of the three Ascended Stewards of Qingxuan Immortal Sect.
This thin old man, whose posture stood like a lone peak detached from the world, had already been an Ascended Steward of Qingxuan Immortal Sect before Pine Silence True Person and Sky Dome True Person had joined the sect and embarked on the immortal path.
Twenty-three thousand years had passed since then.
The three Ascended Stewards of Qingxuan Immortal Sect gathering at Cangji Hall was, in itself, an extremely rare event.
But for them to appear here together today was only natural.
They were waiting for someone.
When the sound of that bronze bell rang out through the sky, the three Ascended Stewards all lifted their heads.
Then, two Seven-Colored Flowing Gold Goddess Statues with their eyes lightly closed came into view of the three Ascended Stewards.
Next, eleven ninth-realm great demon Golden-Feathered Demon Steeds strode through the air.
Behind these eleven ninth-realm great demons was a pitch-black carriage.
The two Goddess Statues with closed eyes halted in midair, and then the eleven Golden-Feathered Demon Steeds pulled the black carriage behind them toward Cangji Hall.
The Golden-Feathered Demon Steeds slowly descended onto the open platform, and in an instant, the dense demonic aura of these eleven ninth-realm great demons enveloped the entire platform.
The pitch-black carriage also landed on the platform.
The three Ascended Stewards of Qingxuan Immortal Sect still stood motionless before the hall’s gates.
Suddenly, the overwhelming demonic aura radiating from the eleven Golden-Feathered Demon Steeds retracted in an instant. They all neighed in unison, lowering their heads and kneeling in perfect alignment.
The carriage door slid open silently.
A young figure in a pitch-black daoist robe stepped out slowly from the carriage.
The young man simply stood there, hands clasped behind his back, casting a casual glance over the three Ascended Stewards standing before Cangji Hall.
“We pay respects to the Sage.”
The three Ascended Stewards of Qingxuan Immortal Sect all bowed respectfully to the young man in the pitch-black daoist robe before them.
The young man in the pitch-black daoist robe, called “Sage,” only swept his gaze over the direction of the three elders.
Then, he merely nodded slightly and walked alone into the main hall of Cangji Hall.
The three Ascended Stewards of Qingxuan Immortal Sect maintained their bowing posture, remaining in place for a few breaths, waiting until the young man in the pitch-black daoist robe had stepped into Cangji Hall before turning and following him.
The young man in the pitch-black daoist robe sat down on the seat carved with numerous inscriptions at the very center of the main hall.
That seat at the center of Cangji Hall belonged to Azure Sky True Person, the highest-ranking among the three Ascended Stewards of Qingxuan Immortal Sect.
But with the young man in the pitch-black daoist robe sitting there now, Azure Sky True Person dared not voice any objection.
Because whether in status or in cultivation realm, this young man far surpassed the three Ascended Stewards of Qingxuan Immortal Sect.
Sage.
This was the title cultivators used for those in the Uncarved Simplicity Realm. They could also be called “Uncarved Simplicity Sage” or “Ultimate Sage.”
“When was the last time I came to Qingxuan Immortal Sect?”
Half-reclining in the main seat of Cangji Hall, the young man in the pitch-black daoist robe spoke in a voice calm yet carrying authority.
“It was eight thousand years ago, Sage.”
Azure Sky True Person, standing about ten zhang away from the main seat at the center, bowed again to the young man in the pitch-black daoist robe.
“Eight thousand years...”
The young man mused for a moment, then suddenly fixed his gaze on Pine Silence True Person, who stood at the far left:
“I remember now. Eight thousand years ago, the one who achieved Dao Union completion was you.”
“Yes, Sage.”
Pine Silence True Person replied, his voice as dry and aged as his current appearance.
“Then this time, who is it?”
The young man in the pitch-black daoist robe did not beat around the bush and cut straight to the point.
His visit to Qingxuan Immortal Sect this time was because he had received an invitation from Azure Sky True Person.
The reason was that Qingxuan Immortal Sect had another cultivator at the Dao Union realm who was only one step away from the Immortal Ascension realm.
Or rather, this person could break through to Immortal Ascension at any moment.
However, in this world, completing Dao Union did not mean one could ascend to immortality whenever they wished.
Another prerequisite for ascending to immortality was obtaining the approval of the Sage of this world.
In total, there were forty-nine great daos in heaven and earth.
Currently, in this world, there were twelve major Immortal Sects, and the quota for Immortal Ascension, including the Sage, was already fully occupied.
This meant that, until one of these forty-nine cultivators above the Immortal Ascension realm fell, no one was permitted to ascend in the current world.
Otherwise, the laws of heaven and earth would be damaged, and the consequences would be unimaginable.
If a cultivator who had completed Dao Union wished to ascend, they first needed to inform the Sage governing this world.
Then, they would enter the queue.
“Reporting to the Sage, it is a cultivator of my Qingxuan Immortal Sect named Xu Heng. He reached Dao Union completion ten years ago and thus requests the qualification to ascend to immortality.”
Azure Sky True Person continued.
Among the three Ascended Stewards of Qingxuan Immortal Sect, Azure Sky True Person had the most seniority and the highest status.
Therefore, communication with the Sage was also handled by him.
“Good, I understand.”
The Sage nodded:
“However, I’m afraid you will have to wait a while longer.”
“Thank you, Sage!”
Azure Sky True Person bowed.
But facing Azure Sky True Person’s thanks, the young man in the pitch-black daoist robe raised his hand and waved it:
“Don’t thank me so quickly. Do you know how many Dao Union completers in this domain have been waiting to ascend to immortality over these past eight thousand years?”
“Your humble servant does not know.”
Azure Sky True Person said.
The Sage, sitting in the main seat of Cangji Hall, merely raised one finger:
“One hundred people.”