Chapter 515: Strange Mansion Invitation

The immortal pond overflowed with spiritual energy. Nearby, fragrant orchids bloomed, dragon grass emitted a subtle aroma, and crystalline shellfish ginseng gleamed. Ten-thousand-year-old spiritual medicines grew everywhere. Rare birds and exotic beasts resembling three-legged Golden Crows, divine phoenixes, and qilin roamed, making it truly a mythical world.

The Nine-Aperture Divine Stone trembled slightly, emitting a brilliant light that, like silken threads, connected to little Nannan's delicate arm. Its essence flowed, completely seeping into her.

Several Grand Elders of the Jade Lake were greatly alarmed. They tried to intervene, but a colorful light repelled them, making it impossible to approach. Everyone present felt anxious.

"Quick, stop her! Don't let any harm come to the Stone King!" they cried out.

They shouted and acted in unison. Colorful lights emanated from their palms and fingers, and streams of jade light shot forth, intending to pull little Nannan away and resolve the Stone King's predicament.

"Nannan, what's wrong?" Ye Fan asked, rushing forward in worry. He touched the colorful light but was also pushed back, unable to get close.

"It's biting me," the little one said, looking very wronged. She pouted, her eyes clear and bright, her eyelashes fluttering.

"It didn't hurt, did it? Are you injured anywhere?" Li Heishui also asked with concern.

The Nine-Aperture Stone King gleamed with flowing colors and trembled continuously. Its essence gushed forth, pouring into the little girl's arm, coating her in a brilliant glow and making her look like a luminous porcelain doll.

"My palm hurts a bit. It bit me and won't let go," little Nannan said innocently, wrinkling her delicate nose.

"As long as you're not hurt, nothing else matters," Wu Zhongtian said.

The people of the Jade Lake were utterly speechless, feeling a hint of indignation. At this moment, the Stone King was expelling its essence, yet these people were still worrying about the little girl.

"Do you have a way to make her let go?" a Grand Elder asked.

"Little sister, can you move away from the divine stone? Please step back quickly, or it might be dangerous," the Saintess of the Jade Lake said, kneeling down and patiently speaking to little Nannan.

"It's going to be a huge disaster sooner or later. Might as well just let her drain it completely!" the large black dog said, baring its teeth with an excited expression. It secretly wished little Nannan would absorb all of the Stone King's essence.

"Shut up, you wretched dog," Ye Fan said, shooting it a glare. He then told little Nannan to step back, knowing they likely wouldn't be able to leave the Jade Lake otherwise.

"Nannan wants to step back too, but it's biting my palm," little Nannan pouted, trying to pull back with force, but her hand remained stuck.

"What are we going to do?" The people of the Jade Lake were anxious. Some suggested inviting the Queen Mother of the West, even considering summoning a trace of ultimate sacred power.

When the large black dog heard about using an ultimate sacred weapon, it shivered, jumped up, and declared it had a solution. It then stepped forward to guide little Nannan.

"Close your eyes," it instructed, "and imagine in your mind that you are a deity, omnipotent, floating in the air..."

"Are you just stalling for time?" The Saintess of the Jade Lake, being very intelligent, looked at the large black dog with displeasure, divine light shooting from her eyes.

"No," the large black dog argued eloquently, "I'm using a spiritual guidance technique to help her relax. Otherwise, even if the Queen Mother of the West comes, she won't be able to separate them." It then continued its guidance.

"You are a deity," it continued, "looking down upon the ancient earth, with magnificent mountains and rivers and all creation just beginning. Everything is beneath your feet as you fly towards the Immortal Realm..."

The large black dog rambled on, chattering endlessly like an old sorcerer, muttering incessantly without end.

The women of the Jade Lake, though generally good-tempered, were all getting exasperated and longed to stamp their lotus-like feet on its large black face.

"What are you talking about?!" A Grand Elder, truly unable to bear it any longer, prepared to activate the inherent Dao of the Jade Lake to summon a trace of ultimate sacred power.

*Whoosh!* However, at that very moment, little Nannan's hand loosened. She floated up, slowly moving away from the Nine-Aperture Divine Stone, no longer absorbing its essence.

The little girl was very serious and meticulous, following Black Sovereign's instructions precisely. With her eyes closed, she slowly imagined the scenes, her entire body flowing with colorful light, like a little immortal fairy.

Every inch of her skin shimmered with light, glistening like multicolored glass, flawless and pure. A sacred aura emanated from her, purifying people's minds.

"It actually worked?" the large black dog mumbled.

Hearing this, everyone wanted to stomp on it, especially the beautiful immortal maidens of the Jade Lake, who all glared furiously.

"What I mean is," the large black dog quickly explained, afraid of angering the immortal maidens, "I, your emperor, have never tried this ancient guidance technique before, and I didn't expect it to actually work."

*Whoosh!* The Nine-Aperture Stone King, freed from its predicament, shot away like a startled old rabbit, transforming into a divine light and vanishing into the immortal pond, refusing to come out again.

"It truly gained sentience; it can even run on its own!" Liu Kou exclaimed in surprise.

All Stone Kings can fly and burrow, already possessing their own spiritual consciousness, making them more formidable than many powerful cultivators. This was especially true for the Nine-Aperture Divine Stone, capable of giving birth to a Holy Spirit.

*Whoosh!* Little Nannan, meticulously and earnestly contemplating the scenes, suddenly soared into the sky, emitting endless rays of light.

"She's ascended in a blaze of light!" the large black dog cried out in alarm.

Everyone was astonished, especially Ye Fan and Li Heishui. The little girl normally couldn't fly, but now she not only floated but also broke through the air, which was truly astounding.

"It really is like an immortal ascending..." The people of the Jade Lake all stared in a daze.

At this moment, little Nannan was enveloped in immortal light, as if ascending in broad daylight, enveloped in a blaze of light. She actually opened up a passage, as if she were about to enter a mysterious world.

*Boom!* Suddenly, a trace of ultimate immortal power descended, like nine layers of high heavens pressing down. Everyone was frozen, their minds filled with dread.

"Oh dear..." little Nannan cried out in alarm, falling and no longer able to fly. Facing the ten thousand-foot altitude, her large eyes were filled with fear.

Ye Fan's golden vital energy surged throughout his body. He barely managed to summon the Myriad-Essence Mother Cauldron, and thousands of strands of mother energy flowed down, protecting him.

*Whoosh!* He was like someone carrying a million mountains, moving against the heavens. He flew with difficulty into the air, caught the falling little Nannan, and retreated.

Even for such a short distance, he felt an unparalleled and terrifying pressure. If not for his formidable physical body and the descending Myriad-Essence Mother Energy, he would have found it almost impossible to fly.

"The Western Sovereign Pagoda!" Wu Zhongtian, Jiang Huairen, Liu Kou, and the others were all alarmed. This must be the ultimate sacred weapon forged from Immortal Tear Green Gold—the Western Sovereign Pagoda, also known as the Immortal Tear Pagoda!

This was a trace of ultimate immortal power, suppressing everything. No one could resist it; even Saint Lord-level figures couldn't contend with it.

There were only a few Great Emperors in ancient times, and naturally, only a few ultimate sacred weapons. The Jade Lake possessed one, forged by the Western Sovereign from Immortal Tear Green Gold, renowned through the ages!

Sacred Lands that had produced Supreme Great Emperors indeed had more confidence than other ancient inheritances, in a sense. The sacred weapons they left behind were enough to suppress everything!

Anyone entering this Sacred Land would be under the cover of the ultimate sacred weapon. Even peerless experts wouldn't dare act recklessly and would find it impossible to break through.

Ordinarily, without even being activated, the Immortal Tear Pagoda, having been here for so long, naturally formed a supreme Dao that suppressed the entire world, making it impregnable.

Little Nannan was blocked by the ultimate sacred weapon's oppressive might. She couldn't break through the void and force her way out.

"This child..." While Ye Fan and the others were shocked by the terrifying power of the Western Sovereign Pagoda, several Grand Elders of the Jade Lake all fixed their gaze on little Nannan, studying her intently.

"Nannan didn't mean to; that stone bit me..." the little one said uneasily in a small voice, thinking she had made a big mistake.

The Nine-Aperture Stone King was not fundamentally harmed, allowing the people of the Jade Lake to breathe a sigh of relief. They were astonished by little Nannan's identity and origins, as it was clear she was no ordinary child.

The monkey, with his Fiery Golden Eyes, stared at the little one for a long time but still couldn't see through her. He mumbled, "Strange, is she a deity?!"

Ye Fan and the others breathed a sigh of relief as they walked out of the immortal pond, relieved that the people of the Jade Lake were peaceful and didn't hold anything against them.

"The Jade Lake will face great disaster sooner or later," the large black dog said with a solemn expression. "That Stone King will likely cause rivers of blood on the earth. Once it comes into the world, it will be an existence comparable to an ancient Great Emperor. Who can contend with it?"

"Anyway, it's none of our business," Jiang Huairen said dismissively. "Our bones will be rotten in five thousand years."

Hearing these words, Ye Fan felt a peculiar sense of loss for the first time. In five thousand years, he would be in his prime, but if nothing unexpected happened, his friends would all be long dead.

Even Saint Lords could only live for a little over two thousand years. If he could achieve great completion, he could live for ten thousand years, but he would have to watch Li Heishui, Tu Fei, and the others die.

The Jade Lake was vast, covering an immense area with diverse terrains. After passing through a spiritual mountain, a marshland appeared ahead, where several golden lights were leaping in a muddy pond, watched by several old men.

"Dragon Loaches!" the large black dog exclaimed in surprise, then dashed over excitedly. "These are treasures for alchemy," it cried, "many times more precious than spiritual medicines tens of thousands of years old, truly priceless spiritual beings! The Jade Lake actually has three of them!"

The dragon loaches were only about a foot long, shaped like dragons but actually a type of loach. Their bodies were golden, and when they leaped from the mud, spiritual energy soared, making every drop of their vital blood priceless.

By the marsh, those several old men all had an extraordinary bearing. Even the monkey felt a hint of tension upon seeing them, clearly viewing them as formidable opponents worthy of a life-and-death battle.

"One of them seems to be the Queen Mother of the West!" Wu Zhongtian whispered, his face showing surprise.

One of the women, appearing to be around thirty-five or thirty-six years old, was beautiful and dignified, with a serene expression. Her black hair swayed gently, a red mark adorned her brow, and her eyes were like water, making people feel very close to her. She indeed possessed the grace of a Queen Mother of her generation.

Alongside her were three other old men, each extraordinary. One wore a golden feather robe, as if he was about to ascend to immortality. Another was clad in purple robes, surrounded by purple aura, exuding immeasurable nobility. The third was ethereal, like a wisp of mist, seemingly merged with the Great Dao of heaven and earth.

"Another Sacred Body has appeared; how rare," the old man in the golden feather robe said, nodding.

"You are..." Ye Fan asked hesitantly.

"This is a venerable and extraordinary person from the Central Plains," the Queen Mother of the West said, her demeanor dignified and sacred, her eyes serene.

Ye Fan and the others speculated that he must be a truly significant figure; otherwise, the Queen Mother of the West would not have introduced him with such a hint.

"Are you willing to cultivate in the Central Plains?" the old man in the golden feather robe asked calmly.

Ye Fan was startled, not understanding why he said this or what it meant.

"The Qishi Academy is about to reopen. This is a rare opportunity," the Queen Mother of the West said, smiling beside them.

"The Qishi Academy..." Ye Fan was puzzled. He had truly never heard of it, as he was not from this world.

Beside him, Li Heishui and the others were astonished, their words stammering. "Once every ten thousand years... is the Qishi Academy reopening again?!"

"After all these years, it's still continuing..." the large black dog mumbled in surprise.

"Only Saint Son-level figures can enter. It's a divine land for the growth of kings, reopening only once every ten thousand years. I can't believe it's happening again!" Wu Zhongtian's eyes gleamed with divine light.

"I heard that each time, the most outstanding young experts are chosen from the Central Plains, Northern Plains, Western Desert, Southern Ridge, and Eastern Wasteland. Is that true?" Jiang Huairen asked.

The old man in the golden feather robe nodded. "Each Sacred Land can send a maximum of two people. This applies to all five major regions—Central Plains, Eastern Wasteland, Southern Ridge, and so on—only selecting the most exceptional young experts."

"Kid, agree to it!" Black Sovereign transmitted secretly.

"Why?" Ye Fan asked.

"The Qishi Academy, which reopens every ten thousand years, might be connected to realms beyond. The Great Emperor Wushi once mentioned the words 'Ziwei.' Moreover, all Saint Sons, Saintesses, and various King Bodies will enter, as well as those chosen by ancient inheritances. There are definitely immense benefits; you must go!"

I'm back late; the first chapter is here. I'll take a shower and then continue with the second chapter; there won't be any less. However, please don't wait up for the second chapter; you can read it tomorrow morning.