Chapter 419: The Verbal Agreement Between Two Young Girls
The royal capital, Imperial Palace.
Inside the resplendent, golden hall, groups of cultivators were being led in by envoys sent from the Immortal Nation and arranged into their respective seats.
These cultivators came from the great sects, though there were also a few independent wanderers among them.
But they all shared a common trait:
Their bone age was under thirty, their cultivation was at Foundation Establishment, and most were either in the late stage or at its peak.
These were the cultivators here to participate in this year's Human Immortal List.
There were Daoists, members of the Martial Alliance, and even the sole participant from the Heavenly Divination Tower—the filler-level contestant, Gao Shi—was already present.
After waiting for some time, murmurs began to rise among the gathered groups.
"Everyone should be here by now, right? Which sects are still missing?"
"Looks like only the Daoist Sect has arrived so far…"
"The Buddhist Sect has never involved itself in worldly struggles. As for the Demon Sect… this time their representative is the Demon Sect's Holy Maiden, isn't it?"
"I heard that just a few months ago, the Holy Maiden defeated a blind fool who's at the Golden Core realm while out traveling. If that's true, who could possibly stop her in this Human Immortal List?"
"Tch, either way, it's not like any of us stand a chance on becoming first place. We're just here to make up the numbers."
Some cultivators gathered with their acquaintances, joking bitterly about their fate as cannon fodder.
But most were still preoccupied with what had just happened:
The mysterious appearance of a Tribulation Crossing Realm cultivator, the humiliating defeat of the black flood dragon, and the unprecedented early collapse of the Trial of Ascension Platform.
This year's Human Immortal List clearly would not be simple.
Anxiety stirred in everyone's hearts.
If unexpected dangers arose, would they even be able to finish the contest safely?
No one could say. But every cultivator present had already passed strict selection to get here—none were willing to give up the chance to set foot on the Trial of Ascension Platform. This was especially true for those nearing thirty in bone age and those already late-stage Foundation Establishment or above.
The Human Immortal List was one of the greatest stepping stones toward forming their Golden Core.
Just as the cultivators in the hall were busy plotting their own calculations, the great doors of the hall suddenly stirred again.
All eyes turned toward the sound.
And in the next instant, silence fell over the vast hall. Not a single voice remained; even breathing seemed to stop.
A figure from the Six Gate Bureau, wearing a black-and-white mask and carrying a saber at his waist, was the first to step inside. Yet not a soul paid him any attention. Every gaze slipped past him to those who followed behind.
Two young girls stepped through the doorway together.
"It–it's the Demon Sect's Holy Maiden!"
Someone's startled exclamation broke the spell, waking the others from their daze.
"Hiss—that's the one our sect elders warned us about! We were told to avoid her at all costs— the Demon Sect Holy Maiden! But she's… she's far too beautiful! And that woman beside her—how can she be every bit as breathtaking as the Holy Maiden herself? Why have I never heard of such a girl existing?"
"Judging by her attire, she seems to be from Sword Sect. Now that you mention it, the Sword Sect's representative hasn't shown up yet— But I visited the Sword Sect with my master last year, and I never saw a prodigy with looks like hers!"
"Thank the heavens I lived to witness this sight. I could now die without regrets, truly without regrets…"
"Wait—I think I've seen that Sword Sect girl before in the capital! That's it! I remember now—she was with the Demon Sect Holy Saint back then, I saw her at the city gates!"
The hall buzzed with excited chatter.
The newcomers, of course, were Bai Xiaoyao and Lu Yuliu.
The moment they stepped inside, the two stunning young women became the undeniable center of attention.
But even so, not a single person dared to approach them—instead, everyone quietly moved aside to make way for the two girls.
There was no doubt: they were the youngest participants present.
Yet the deliberate fluctuations of their cultivation that they let leak out were enough to make everyone's hearts tighten, and once their minds cooled, they all unanimously chose to retreat.
As for the one who seemed to be from Sword Sect, that was harder to judge.
But the infamous Demon Sect enchantress—everyone knew just how troublesome she was to provoke.
And that was without mentioning the other figure from the Demon Sect currently stirring up storms in the capital…
Meanwhile, Bai Xiaoyao wore a faint, unreadable smile on her face. Her white dress fluttered lightly as she ignored the stares around her. Step by step, she moved with her dearest friend to a quiet corner of the hall.
The crowd, showing good sense, left them a wide space.
"Finished replying to my senior brother's message?"
Even while under the full gaze of the hall, Bai Xiaoyao paid it no mind and simply spoke through sound transmission to the girl at her side.
Lu Yuliu gave a subtle nod. "Mm."
"You didn't tell him what we saw, did you?"
"Of course not. Do you really not trust me even with something that small?" The Sword Fairy rolled her eyes.
"Of course I don't trust you. After all, I never expected that just from last night to this morning, my little philanderer-cat Yuli would have done so much already~"
Bai Xiaoyao narrowed her eyes with a smile, as if chatting about the most ordinary of topics.
"You've got some nerve blaming me! If not for this, I wouldn't have even known that while I was receiving my inheritance, you… hmph. Who knows what else you might still be hiding?"
Her tone, though transmitted by voice, carried some genuine irritation. Lu Yuliu shot her a glare.
"I certainly am hiding things~ but isn't that the same for you, Yuli?"
"I…"
For once, Little Yuli was at a loss for words.
They were all the same—neither had the right to point fingers.
Still, the girl turned her head away. "I can't be bothered to argue with you. We agreed not to bring this up again, didn't we?"
Bai Xiaoyao gave her a sidelong glance, her smile unwavering.
Heh, this little girl's oral skill is weak, yet she still loves to play~
"True. But don't forget what we promised before, Yuli~"
"You're the one who shouldn't forget…" Lu Yuliu forced a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I'm not in a hurry. Today was just an accident. Don't act like I care that much about him—he's the one who usually comes looking for me."
After a moment, as if she wanted to make a point, she added with emphasis:
"—little sister Xiaoyao!"
Her tone was heavy.
The demon girl had been calling her "little sister" more and more naturally lately, and since she couldn't mimic that kind of sweetly sly way of speaking, she ended up suffering all the disadvantage.
The Sword Fairy pouted.
Hmph, sooner or later I'll make you call me elder sister.
Unfortunately, while the thought felt satisfying in her heart, the girl beside her was entirely unmoved, only replying with two flat syllables:
"Hehe~"
And with that, the topic came to an end.
The two girls fell silent in their sound transmission.
But as the silence stretched, both of their thoughts drifted elsewhere.
On the Trial of Ascension Platform, things had indeed happened.
Following the guidance of the Immortal Aura, they had reached the spot where it reacted most strongly—and in doing so, triggered a transformation.
During that transformation, each had paid a certain price.
And as a result, each had learned a fragment of the other's hidden secrets.
Not much, but enough to serve as a fuse.
And just when the tension had thickened to the point of near-explosion, the "reward" for that price revealed itself before them: visions, one after another.
After seeing them all, the two silent girls reached a mutual understanding.
They agreed to a ceasefire.
The terms were that until the events in the capital concluded—or until a certain goal was achieved—they would temporarily set aside their little schemes.
Yes.
A simple, verbal agreement.
Recalling that incident, Lu Yuliu and Bai Xiaoyao's eyes flickered, each lost in her own thoughts.
They stole a glance at one another, then both sank back into silence.
Suddenly, many within the hall shivered.
Strange… why did it suddenly feel cold?
The Foundation Establishment cultivators—supposedly immune to ordinary heat and chill—found themselves filled with question marks. Their instincts as cultivators made them subconsciously edge farther away from a certain corner, withdrawing their gazes one after another.
There was no shortage of beautiful women in the cultivation world. Though very few could compare to the breathtaking pair sitting in the corner, the abundance of beauty had raised the collective standard. Especially these prodigies qualified to compete in the Human Immortal List—they weren't so easily captivated that they would lose themselves at the mere sight of a pretty face.
Of course, the greater reason was that no one dared provoke the Demon Sect enchantress.
Just as many were still unsure of what they were sensing, the sudden boom of the palace doors closing snapped them to full alert.
Hearts leapt. Eyes first darted to the sealed entrance, then, almost by instinct, shifted toward the depths of the hall.
As they had already faintly perceived, a young girl dressed in imperial robes and crowned with the diadem of state now stood at the head seat, flanked by Wutong, who wore his withered-leaf mask. Her eyes swept coldly across the gathered crowd, expression unreadable.
The Empress?
Every prodigy present felt their hearts tighten, a flicker of panic and unease washing over them.
The Empress of the Immortal Nation—by age, she might even be younger than many here.
Yet her cultivation was already at the Nascent Soul realm, and she was the sovereign of a nation.
In terms of raw power, perhaps only the Daoist Sect Chief Disciple could stand equal to her in this generation. The Demon Sect's Holy Saint, though formidable, had simply been born too late.
The crowd froze for several breaths before remembering to rise and pay respects. But before they could, the young empress simply waved her hand.
A sweep of Nascent Soul realm spiritual pressure locked their movements in place.
"The situation came suddenly, and I've kept you waiting. Formalities may be set aside."
Though she spoke lightly, her gaze lingered a moment on one corner where two figures showed almost no reaction, before sliding away as if nothing had happened.
"What happened just now—you should all be aware. I need not repeat myself… I will not mince words. The reason you were summoned here is because there are matters you must know."
Her clear voice carried throughout the vast hall.
"First, as was already announced by the Immortal Nation, the Human Immortal List will be moved up to tomorrow."
She paused.
The crowd, initially cowed into silence, finally began to stir, whispers breaking out.
Many had been speculating about this even before the empress arrived.
Some welcomed the change, some were displeased, but most didn't care one way or the other.
Still, there were voices of dissent—not because participants were missing, but because certain competitors had made elaborate preparations, and losing that time would affect their chances of victory.
But the empress's next calm words silenced even those who had been about to speak.
"...Furthermore, this shall be the final Human Immortal List ever hosted by the Immortal Nation."
Her words landed like thunder.
The hall fell into absolute silence.
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Note: Link to the character Illustration:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lkIcPnCxeyuyZA4Kkb621dPC05UvWjhD[1]
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Tn: I updated the story daily, but if you want to see more chapter of this story ahead of time, please go to my Patreon.
Latest Chapter: Chapter 532: What On Earth Is Master Talking About?[2]
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[1] https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lkIcPnCxeyuyZA4Kkb621dPC05UvWjhD
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/chapter-532-what-156146549
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/chapter-532-what-156146549