Chapter 1678 Art Banquet

This statement not only explained the reason but also concealed the true trump cards such as the True Immortal Puppet and the Half-Step Eighth-Order Grand Array, making it seem even more reasonable.

However, even so, it was enough to shock Qinghe Zhenren.

"An ancestral treasure whose power has been exhausted..."

Master Qinghe muttered to himself, his gaze toward Zhang Xuan now different.

If it could protect cultivators as they passed through the Void Gate, which could even devour Mahayana cultivators, what grade must that extraordinary treasure be?

And how could the origins of a cultivator who possesses such a rare treasure be simple?

He immediately categorized Zhang Xuan as someone with a powerful background.

He even suspected that the other party's ancestors might have been immortals.

It must be said that Qinghe Zhenren's line of reasoning was correct.

However, it wasn't Zhang Xuan's ancestor who produced true immortals, but rather his son-in-law and son.

Master Qinghe's attitude became even more polite, even showing a hint of respect: "Fellow Daoist's survival from that perilous place is truly an unprecedented miracle. You must be a person with great fortune and opportunities. I am Qinghe Tian, the steward of this market. Fellow Daoist Zhang is new here and must know nothing about my Xuanhuang Realm. If you don't mind, I will show you around and introduce you to it. How about that?"

Zhang Xuan needed to understand the situation in this realm, so he readily agreed: "Then I'll trouble Fellow Daoist Qinghe."

"Please come with me."

Master Qinghe enthusiastically led the way, eagerly asking for details as they walked: "Fellow Daoist Zhang, what exactly is the interior of the Guixu Pass? Ancient records are vague, only mentioning its dangers, but not its details."

Zhang Xuan recalled the dark red sky, the viscous swamp, the endless demonic shadows, the terrifying swallowing, and the hidden opportunity within, and said with lingering fear:

"It was a... pure devouring land, dark and sunless, filled with corrosive energy and demonic shadows of the Devouring Dao, and there was also a regular swallowing rule that could crush and digest everything that was involved. I, Zhang, barely escaped with my life on the line, and I really don't want to recall the details."

He stopped the conversation at just the right moment, satisfying the other person's curiosity while preserving the mystery.

Upon hearing this, Master Qinghe nodded repeatedly: "I understand, I understand. I was being presumptuous. It is fortunate that I was able to escape from that situation. It is indeed not advisable to recall such a dangerous situation."

Zhang Xuan then asked, "May I ask, Fellow Daoist Qinghe, your realm... seems quite different from the cultivation world as rumored in the outside world?"

Upon hearing this, Deacon Qinghe's face lit up with pride: "Fellow Daoist has discerning eyes. Our Xuanhuang Great Realm adheres to the principle of 'following the natural way and harmonizing all spirits.' The ten major sects within the realm govern together, with ten Mahayana Dao Lords overseeing the affairs. We have established rules: killing without cause is prohibited, resources are allocated according to need and contribution, and we encourage enlightenment and exchange, rather than fighting and vying for power."

He pointed to the bustling crowd in the market: "Look, they cultivate for longevity and freedom, for the true meaning of the Dao, not just for fighting and killing. We have ten seventh-order spiritual veins, enough resources. Why fight to the death like they do outside, for a little bit of spirit stones and materials?"

"Then... what if we encounter external enemies, or if there are vicious criminals within our ranks?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask.

Deacon Qinghe's smile remained unchanged, but her eyes deepened slightly: "The ten Dao Lords are not mere decorations, nor is the Xuanhuang Wall, the protective array of the realm, a mere formality. As for the internal affairs... there are laws and the Dao Inquiry Platform to make judgments. If there are truly any stubborn individuals, the Dao Lords will also take action to remove them from the Xuanhuang Realm or suppress them in the Jingsi Abyss to reflect on their actions. However, over millions of years, such incidents have been extremely rare."

Zhang Xuan was shocked; the operating rules of the Xuanhuang Great World completely overturned his understanding.

No wonder the Vientiane Business Alliance chose this place as its expansion target. The potential trade value of such a peaceful and prosperous world is immeasurable!

"By the way, since Fellow Daoist Zhang entered by mistake, you must not have registered and received the Xuanhuang Talisman yet, right?"

Deacon Qinghe said enthusiastically, "With the Xuanhuang Talisman, one can freely travel in most areas of my realm, accept missions, and exchange resources. If you are interested, you can come with me to the Yingxian Pavilion to handle this."

Zhang Xuan's heart stirred slightly. This was a good opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of this world and find a chance to complete the Merchant Alliance's mission.

Just as he was about to agree, a clear, melodious bell rang out from the sky.

clang--

……

The bell tolled nine times, its sound echoing across the fields.

All the cultivators in the market, regardless of their cultivation level, stopped what they were doing after hearing the bell, their faces showing either anticipation or joy.

Deacon Qinghe smiled and said, "What a coincidence! Today is the birthday of Ancestor Xuanhuang, and also the All-Spirit Festival of our realm. The ten major sects have jointly set up a Hundred Arts Banquet and Dao Discussion Conference at Xuanhuang Mountain in the center. Not only will there be all kinds of spiritual food and immortal wine, but also various Mahayana Dao Lords will open the altar to preach the Dharma, share the joy with the people, and exchange some minor supernatural abilities that won't cause any harm. Fellow Daoist Zhang, such a grand event cannot be missed! Why don't you come with me to witness the ceremony?"

A grand banquet of arts and crafts? A philosophical discussion? A Mahayana Taoist master sharing joy with the people?

Zhang Xuan felt that his thousands of years of common sense about cultivating immortality were being repeatedly refreshed today.

This Xuanhuang Great Realm is not only a paradise on earth, but also a cultivation paradise full of fun and human warmth.

Looking at Deacon Qinghe's sincere and enthusiastic smile, and feeling the almost unreal peaceful atmosphere of this realm, his curiosity was piqued.

"In that case, I'll have to trouble Fellow Daoist Qinghe."

Zhang Xuan smiled slightly and decided to go and take a look at the so-called Hundred Arts Banquet and Dao Discussion Meeting first.

He wanted to see just how many surprises these ten "unambitious" Mahayana cultivators and the Xuanhuang Great World under their rule could bring him.

Xuanhuang Mountain is not a steep and precipitous solitary peak, but the main peak of a mountain range that is blessed with natural beauty and spiritual energy.

The mountains are majestic and surrounded by spiritual energy.

Pavilions and towers appear and disappear, waterfalls and springs gurgle and sing, and cranes carry lingzhi mushrooms and monkeys offer fruit, creating a peaceful and idyllic scene.

Zhang Xuan, accompanied by Steward Qinghe, leisurely flew towards Yingxianping, the summit of Xuanhuang Mountain's main peak.

Along the way, the cultivators were seen riding magical artifacts, spirit beasts, or traveling in groups of three or five friends, all with smiles on their faces and a relaxed and joyful atmosphere, as if they were heading to a reunion of old friends rather than a solemn Dharma assembly.

Yingxianping is vast and paved with warm white jade. At this moment, it is crowded with people, but they are all in good order.

The monks sat down casually, exchanging pleasantries with acquaintances and smiling and nodding to strangers.

Various sects and cultivators brought their unique spiritual foods and immortal wines, emitting a mixed aroma.

"The Hundred Arts Banquet has begun," Deacon Qinghe said with a smile, pointing to various places in the courtyard.

Zhang Xuan looked around and saw that the open space was divided into many areas.

In the Spirit Cuisine Area, hundreds of calm and collected spirit chefs are cooking on site. The earth vein fires ignite the stoves, and the ingredients bubbling in the pots are all kinds of high-grade spiritual herbs and medicines. The aroma is tempting, and there is a faint Daoist charm accompanying the rising steam.

The Danxiang area is not a competition of alchemy speed and success rate, but rather a showcase of all sorts of ingenious and imaginative elixirs.

A master alchemist has created the Four Seasons Pill, which, when consumed, allows one to comprehend the cycle of the four seasons.

A master alchemist demonstrated the Star Guiding Pill, which can guide the user within a certain range to find a spiritual object that aligns with their own Dao.