The Ascension Platform would officially commence after the opening ceremony. For some reason, Wenren Pingxin felt a bit of panic in her heart. She had come to Su Bei's courtyard specifically to give him a piece of advice,

"Do not ascend that Ascension Platform. Lin Duo is deliberately provoking you."

She already knew what had happened the night before and naturally understood the harsh words Lin Duo had uttered upon his departure.

Su Bei sheepishly nodded and laughed,

"I know. How could I possibly ascend that Ascension Platform?"

"A junior brother like me, only in the Early Stage Refining Void, probably couldn't withstand even one move from the others."

Wenren Pingxin stared at him for a good while, then nodded and sighed deeply,

"If this were before, Sister wouldn't need to remind you like this. You're usually calm and steady, never one to take risks."

"But ever since you returned from Mo City, you've always been doing things that make your Sister jump out of her skin. I don't know what you've been through..."

As she spoke, she withdrew her jade feet from Su Bei's hands, softly putting on her silk stockings and embroidered shoes.

Su Bei somewhat reluctantly let go of his grasp. Though he wasn't exactly a foot fetishist, admiring beauty was an instinctive reaction.

"You little rascal!"

Wenren Pingxin stood up and fondly rapped Su Bei on the head.

Then, under Su Bei's incredulous gaze, her beautiful eyes curved into a smile. She bent down, gently touched his cheek, and said softly,

"You really do the Sword Sect proud!"

This unexpected tenderness caught Su Bei off guard. His throat moved slightly, but he didn't know what to say.

The sunlight was warm, and the spring breeze of Jiangnan was very gentle.

Watching her retreating figure, Su Bei subconsciously touched the side of his face where she had caressed him, as if he could still smell her unique fragrance.

After a long while, he murmured to himself,

She... just touched my face after touching her feet...

Dawn broke, casting a vast expanse of crimson light.

Today was one of the grandest days across the Twenty-One Provinces.

The opening ceremonies of the various Sects throughout the Twenty-One Provinces were officially held today. Over the centuries, this ceremony had developed into a complete set of traditions.

All the provinces could watch the happenings of the Sacred Land through a massive, mirror-like screen above their respective City Master Mansions.

Su Bei yawned, got out of bed, meticulously readied himself, and then led his two apprentices toward the designated meeting point for the Sword Sect.

Along the way, Sect Disciples were everywhere, dressed in various uniforms and converging here in dense numbers. Everyone's face was alight with a slight joy—such grand events were not common, even for disciples of various Sects.

After the disciples of each Sect confirmed their numbers, they flew toward a vast, standalone palace.

A clear pool surrounded the palace like a moat. Only one imperial path allowed access, and there were no side halls or guard posts. This was the Sacred Sanctuary!

This was the very center of Wu City.

Following the Sword Sect Disciples toward the Sacred Sanctuary, Su Bei observed the ingeniously designed great hall and sighed softly with admiration.

The entire Sacred Sanctuary seemed to hang over the lake's surface, covering most of it. It's a mystery who designed such a majestic building, he thought. Its base was made of jade stone, supplemented by Spirit Stone Formations that continuously drew Spiritual Energy from all around Wu City into its core.

Soon, led by a Sacred Land Disciple named Xie Nan, the Sword Sect arrived at a high platform.

There were ten designated spots on this platform, clearly reserved for the Ten Great Sects of the world. Dozens of passages led from this platform to another one at the center of the Sacred Sanctuary.

Su Bei casually found a corner to sit. His two spendthrift apprentices followed behind him, looking out at the distant, ornate pavilions in the sky.

Feeling two pairs of cool, small hands massaging his shoulders, Su Bei closed his eyes slightly to rest.

As time passed, more and more people gathered in the great hall. Then, a booming sound was heard.

BOOM—

The ceremonial cannons thundered across the sky.

Immediately afterward, a figure appeared on the central platform of the Sacred Sanctuary. The figure surveyed the crowd, gave a brief speech regarding the opening ceremony, and then stepped down.

"Ah! The Saintess! The Saintess has come out!!"

A clamor of excitement reached Su Bei's ears. Looking over, the whole world seemed to brighten. This was followed by a sense of clarity and enhanced visibility that was exceedingly pleasant.

Key Smoke wore a white, iridescent silken gown, her face veiled by a moon-colored mask that revealed only her eyes. She stepped lightly, ascending the high platform with effortless grace. Her features were indistinct. Then, her voice, as soft as spring rain, gently reached the ears of the one hundred thousand cultivators present.

"Welcome, everyone, to the Sacred Land!"

The common people from all Twenty-One Provinces watched this scene through the great mirror in the sky, their eyes filled with awe.

Nothing could be more sacred than this!

Key Smoke continued, "This opening ceremony is unlike any before. This time, we are also honored by the presence of..."

A Sacred Land Disciple then held up a voice-amplifying Magic Treasure, his resonant voice echoing from all directions as he announced the arrivals:

"His Majesty, the Emperor of Dongfeng Ancient Country, the Eastern Emperor!"

"And Her Majesty, Queen Lin of Dongfeng Ancient Country!"

As soon as the announcing disciple's words fell, countless gazes immediately turned toward a young man in a black, gold-embroidered Dragon Robe.

His face was as handsome as jade, his lips red as vermilion, and his eyes as deep as ink. Two distinct strands of hair fell elegantly before his chest. Merely standing there with his arms folded, he exuded an aura of stern, awe-inspiring dominance over all under heaven.