Chapter 3540 — Visitors from Cloud Terrace Island

But there was one precondition: only those utterly loyal to Wei Zhao, with not the slightest ill intent in their hearts, could enter. Even a trace of a bad thought would bar one from the jade pendant's space!

And this judgment was not Wei Zhao's own—the jade pendant's space decided for itself! After all, it was only the primordial spirit that entered; if someone harbored treacherous designs, the guest might well usurp the host. The specifics Wei Zhao himself did not fully grasp, for the refining instructions offered no explanation!

They said only that those not absolutely loyal could not get in. Yet Tang Yun, in Wei Zhao's eyes, posed no problem at all—her feelings for him ran deep, so deep that to spare him pain she would rather bear it herself! Could such a person be anything less than loyal?

Surely she would pass the jade pendant's space's test?

If Tang Yun could but cultivate inside the jade pendant's space, breaking through to Great Perfection would be the work of mere moments—she had already touched the bottleneck, after all!

As for the energy stones, Wei Zhao had considered them and even tested them on Tang Yun, but the effect was negligible. Tang Yun's cultivation method differed from Wang Xinyan's and Zhang Naipao's: those two could draw in unlimited energy of their own accord, while Tang Yun could only absorb passively. Energy stones supplied more than the spiritual qi of heaven and earth did now, certainly—but not by that much, and they would never suffice to push her through to Great Perfection.

So the jade pendant's space alone was the all-purpose solution. Wei Zhao brought the women back to the Five Luminaries Sect's inn, and at once shut himself away to refine the jade pendant's space...

Meanwhile, in the Five Luminaries Sect, in Patriarch Xuanchen's room sat a long-haired, handsome man in antique robes. His features were genial and his air so sunny that people felt warmed by it—yet a faint gloom lurked in his eyes that made all who saw him stand in awe, so that none would dare slight him for his pleasant looks!

"Libationer Nantian, this subordinate has already made preparations to convene the Heaven-Rank Assembly, as you commanded!" At that moment, Patriarch Xuanchen was actually down on one knee! Had anyone been present, they would have been utterly astonished!

The lofty, overweening acting sect master of the Five Luminaries Sect, Patriarch Xuanchen, behaving like this before the man in front of him! Because the Five Luminaries Sect had been the initiator, organizer, and executor of the Cloud Terrace Island plan, it was hailed as the foremost sect of the ancient world—a formidable power indeed, and every ancient sect wishing to ascend to the heavenly way had to treat Patriarch Xuanchen with the utmost respect!

Yet at this moment Patriarch Xuanchen was as cautious as a servant.

"Mm. I have come here because the Central Island Master charged me with guiding the disciples of the various islands." The robed man nodded. "Xuanchen, you have done well. In time, you shall follow me and serve as my subordinate."

"Thank you for your patronage, Libationer Nantian!" Patriarch Xuanchen was overjoyed! This Libationer Nantian was plainly a personage of consequence on Cloud Terrace Island—otherwise he could never have been sent to the secular world as a receiving guide to make contact with him!

Patriarch Xuanchen had been fretting that he had no backer once he reached Cloud Terrace Island, and that if everyone there proved stronger than he, he would be in a sorry fix—and now Libationer Nantian had delivered himself to his door! What a heaven-sent opportunity!

"Mm. Only do your work well. What I require is subordinates with vicious minds and clever schemes." Libationer Nantian chuckled and spoke mildly.

"Ah, yes—Libationer Nantian, speaking of vicious minds, my disciple is a paragon of that breed. Might he too study under you?" Patriarch Xuanchen lost no time in recommending Kang Zhaoming to Libationer Nantian.

"That will not do. Taking you alone is already the limit of what I may do! As for where the new arrivals to Cloud Terrace Island go, the teleportation array assigns them automatically. I have no authority to interfere—such is the rule of Cloud Terrace Island, and even I may not overstep it!" said Libationer Nantian.

"I see!" Patriarch Xuanchen was somewhat disappointed. It seemed Kang Zhaoming would have to rely on himself.

"Mm. The Cloud Terrace Island plan proceeds smoothly, I take it? Since new arrivals from the secular world go to Cloud Terrace Island only once in a thousand years, our Central Island Master sets great store by it. In years past, Master Zhang Liju, a newcomer to Cloud Terrace Island, came up from your Five Luminaries Sect in the secular world, and today he is a towering figure of the Five Islands—even the Central Island Master treats him with deference! I hope your secular world may produce such a figure this time as well, and not disappoint our Central Island Master!" said Libationer Nantian.

"Haha, I believe Kang Zhaoming has that potential! Patriarch Zhang Liju was an alchemist, and so is Zhaoming, with boundless potential besides. I believe he can satisfy the Central Island Master! Oh—Zhaoming is that disciple of mine!" Patriarch Xuanchen hastened to explain.

"Oh? Is that so? Not bad! But is that the only alchemist coming from your secular world?" Libationer Nantian asked.

"Of course not. My senior fellow disciple has a disciple as well, named Tianchan—an alchemist too, though not especially powerful. Her younger brother is rather skilled at alchemy, but he won't be going to Cloud Terrace Island. Among the loose cultivators there seem to be two more, a man and a woman—though a despicable pair," said Patriarch Xuanchen.

"A despicable pair? How so?" asked Libationer Nantian.

"There's one loose cultivator who's a grand poser, forever thinking himself a great man and putting on airs all day long, and the woman is his woman!" said Patriarch Xuanchen. "Ah, yes—Libationer Nantian, once we reach Cloud Terrace Island we should guard against that fellow too. He may be a poser, but he does have real strength, and he is our sworn enemy. I fear that once he reaches Cloud Terrace Island he will go on working against us..."

"He would dare work against us on Cloud Terrace Island?" Libationer Nantian laughed aloud in disdain. "Hahahaha! That is the funniest joke I have ever heard. If he dares come and make trouble, I will slap him straight into the sea!"

"Oh? Ah, I had forgotten—Wei Zhao may put on airs in the secular world, but once he reaches Cloud Terrace Island he will be nothing at all!" Patriarch Xuanchen said fawningly.

"Rest easy. Once you reach Cloud Terrace Island and follow me, you will be formidable indeed!" said Libationer Nantian with great authority.

"Then I thank you, Libationer Nantian!" Patriarch Xuanchen was greatly reassured; from Libationer Nantian's words it seemed he must be a person of formidable standing on Cloud Terrace Island.

"Mm. Then convene the Heaven-Rank Assembly. As for those inheritors, they need not attend—gather them together when the time comes, and I will speak to them of the matters to be heeded," said Libationer Nantian mildly.

"Ah?" Patriarch Xuanchen was taken aback. "Then the arrangements for going to Cloud Terrace Island—we need not tell them? Why should they not attend the Heaven-Rank Assembly?"

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