Sky Sage Empire and Crystal Cloud Palace were two of the major forces in the Immortal Heaven World.
Sky Sage Empire was located in the western part of the Immortal Heaven World. Crystal Cloud Palace, on the other hand, was located in the eastern part of the Immortal Heaven World. It was nestled deep within the soaring Cloud Veil Mountains, where the skies were eternally covered by a thin mist that shimmered with traces of immortal energy. This place was one of the few domains in the Immortal Heaven World where spirit energy condensed into visible clouds, wrapping the peaks like flowing silk.
As one of the major forces of this high-tier world, the Crystal Cloud Palace was no minor sect. It had two Death Domination Stage experts and five Life Creation Stage warriors. Even other top forces would think twice before provoking them.
As Alex and the others followed the group of four through a sky-revealing teleportation array, they soon arrived in front of the Crystal Cloud Palace itself.
What greeted their eyes was an ethereal sight.
A giant palace complex was floating above a huge spiritual lake, held up by clusters of glowing crystals embedded in the surrounding mountains. It gently hovered in the air, as if supported by the world's natural laws.
The palace was large and grand, made of white jade and clear crystals, with floating bridges connecting towering pagodas that reached high into the clouds. A soft silver mist drifted over the rooftops, and glowing crystal lanterns hung in the air, casting colorful lights all around.
The main palace gates towered over fifty feet high, made from a rare Star-Metal Stone and etched with the image of a massive qilin standing above a sea of clouds.
Inside, the palace was even more stunning. The walkways were made of moon-reflecting crystal, so clear that one could see their reflection clearly. Along the paths grew trees with golden trunks and silver leaves, radiating a calming energy that soothed the soul.
Alex and his group were following four people. They passed through an archway covered in glowing runes and arrived at the Cloud Heart Hall, which was the central building where the Palace Master and elders handled important affairs, held high-level meetings, and received honored guests.
They were soon led inside by an attendant. And at the center of the Cloud Heart Hall, sitting on a throne carved from crystalized heavenly wood, was a man with long snow-white hair. He was the Palace Master of Crystal Cloud Palace, a Death Domination Stage warrior.
Other than the Palace Master, nine more people were seated on either side of him. Among them was another Death Domination Stage warrior, who was also the Grand Elder of the Crystal Cloud Palace. There were also five Life Creation Stage warriors, all elders with high authority, ranking just below the Grand Elder. The remaining two were Origin Martial Gods, likely the descendants of the Palace Master and the Grand Elder.
Everyone had already been informed of Alex and the others' arrival. They wanted to meet them and, more importantly, ask about the circumstances under which they had suddenly appeared in the tightly guarded forest. Anything related to that forest was of great importance to the Crystal Cloud Palace, and they could never afford to overlook such an incident, no matter how small it may appear.
The attendant stepped forward and respectfully bowed. "Palace Master, Grand Elder, Elders, the guests have arrived."
"You may leave," the Palace Master said softly.
As the attendant departed, the Palace Master finally looked at Alex's group for a few moments before offering them a seat. He can clearly see Selyara was a Death Domination Stage cultivator, and Elyndra was a Life Creation Stage cultivator. As for Alex and Aurelius, he didn't pay much attention to them. In fact, Aurelius was completely ignored.
No matter what, the appearance of a Death Domination Stage and a Life Creation Stage cultivator is not a small matter. So, he carefully took a respectful approach by offering them a seat first before asking for their identities.
To this, Selyara replied, only telling everyone's name.
After a small conversation, Palace Master's expression suddenly became solemn. He then spoke in a serious tone, "You four suddenly appeared within our private territory, bypassing all formations without triggering a single alert. That alone is no small feat. You must know that that place is heavily guarded. Moreover, it is not a place that one simply stumbles into. I hope you will forgive our forwardness, but I must ask: how did you come to be there?"
Everyone in the hall turned their eyes toward the group.
Alex had already discussed this with Selyara during their journey here. As an Origin Martial God, it would be peculiar if he stepped forward to converse when there was a Death Domination Stage warrior in his group.
Selyara thus answers the Palace Master's question on behalf of the group. Her eyes calmly swept over the gathered experts before a trace of her aura escaped, causing everyone's expression to change.
"A shift occurred within an ancient ruin we were exploring. It was actually a spatial disturbance. One moment, we were surveying the deeper sections of the site, and the next moment, we found ourselves in that forest."
Her tone was neither defensive nor apologetic, simply factual. She neither elaborated on the nature of the ancient ruin nor offered details about its location. The room fell silent for a few breaths as everyone processed her words.
The Grand Elder's sharp gaze narrowed slightly, but he said nothing for the time being. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by Novᴇ(l)Fɪre .ɴᴇt
The Palace Master's eyes flickered. He thought about the hidden secret of the forest and couldn't help but speak, "A spatial disturbance...? Was this ruin an inheritance site? Or did it contain any known teleportation formations?"
Selyara frowned slightly before shaking her head. "I cannot say for certain. It was our first time venturing into that ancient ruin. Whatever mechanism triggered the shift was unknown to us; we had no control over it. Our appearance in the forest was nothing more than an accident. If you're willing to allow us to use the Crystal Cloud Palace's resources to travel to the Sky Sage Empire, I'll owe you a favor. As long as it's within my strength, I'll assist the Crystal Cloud Palace."