Chapter 357: Not Being Expelled Relies Entirely on My High Cultivation

The pressure from a peak Integration Stage cultivator covered the entire gathering. Most people had never even seen a Nascent Soul stage cultivator, let alone experienced this level of pressure. Countless cultivators' faces instantly turned pale, their bodies swayed, unable to stand steadily, and they collapsed to the ground.

“Lie down, maximizing your contact area with the ground!” a government cultivator shouted, guiding everyone to minimize harm.

Meng Jingzhou and the other three were carrying spiritual treasures to counteract the effect of the Integration Stage pressure on themselves. These were spiritual treasures, one for each sect disciple. Meng Jingzhou had a stone shaped like the Body Forging Peak, Bai Ming had a colorful disc, Lan Ting had a round moon embroidery, and Yan Tianzhi had a palm-sized cage. Each of the Five Great Immortal Sects had its unique items. When sect disciples traveled, they represented their sects. If they were to kneel under the pressure of an Integration Stage cultivator, it would be a humiliation for their sects.

Originally, Lu Yang should also have had a stone shaped like the Heavenly Gate Peak. However, with the Immortal Fairy by his side, he had no fear of this level of pressure; even a Tribulation Transcendent cultivator wouldn't be able to suppress Lu Yang with their aura.

“What’s happening? Which Integration Stage cultivator is so reckless as to act here?” Meng Jingzhou was surprised. Traditionally, Integration Stage battles couldn't affect ordinary people, otherwise, the Great Xia’s population would have long been wiped out. Integration Stage battles were world-shattering. Even the land would be devastated. Let alone ordinary people, even cultivators wouldn't be able to withstand them.

“It's not a contemporary Integration Stage cultivator; it's an ancient cultivator!” Lu Yang learned from the Immortal Fairy that the source of the aura was two ancient Integration Stage cultivators: a man and a woman, radiating murderous intent.

Bai Ming frowned, “That makes sense then.” He pointed in the direction of the pressure and said, “There's a secret realm in that direction, and exploring it is part of this gathering. Someone must have been exploring the secret realm and woken up the sleeping ancient cultivators. They became enraged and wanted to destroy everything.”

This wasn't the first time such a thing had happened. For ancient cultivators, why would they follow current rules? In their era, Integration Stage cultivators possessed supreme power, holding sway over life and death.

“How audacious!” A furious roar came from the horizon; it was the Provincial Governor. In the blink of an eye, the Provincial Governor appeared above everyone. He held up a large seal, and strange energy surged, dispersing the pressure from the ancient Integration Stage cultivators.

“Oh, what a peculiar power,” the Immortal Fairy remarked, surprised. She had never seen such energy before. Lu Yang, Lan Ting, and the others were also seeing this energy for the first time. Only Meng Jingzhou knew something about it.

“This is the power of national destiny,” Meng Jingzhou explained. “I heard from my family that there's a mysterious power beneath the Great Xia Dynasty, which is its foundation. Every Provincial Governor and every Prefect of large prefectures can temporarily mobilize this power for combat and protection. It's precisely because of this that they've been able to minimize the damage from ancient Integration Stage cultivators every time.”

“Interesting,” the Immortal Fairy remarked, using her spiritual sense to observe and analyze the power of national destiny. The amount of power the Provincial Governor mobilized was insignificant in her eyes. But if the entire Great Xia Dynasty were covered by this power, it would be an extremely terrifying energy, and that would be very interesting. “Quite creative, actually. There are indeed strong individuals in this era, not just that little girl Yun.”

“How dare you cause trouble right under my nose!” The Provincial Governor's hair and beard floated upwards, making him look like a roaring lion.

The two ancient Integration Stage cultivators, a man and a woman, showed no fear of the Provincial Governor and said coldly, “Friend, aren't you turning the tables? It was your people who woke us, causing us to awaken prematurely. How does that make us the troublemakers?”

The male cultivator squinted, showing some apprehension towards the Provincial Governor and his large seal. “I see that your primordial spirit is complete, and your cultivation realm is comparable to ours, making you qualified to contend in this great era. You should also know how much our premature awakening has delayed for us. Shouldn't we be allowed to kill a few people to vent our frustration?”

“Of course not!” Three more figures flew in from the horizon, all of them at the Integration Stage.

“Sect Master Mi, Dao Master Zhang, Dean Hong, you've arrived.” The Provincial Governor felt his pressure significantly reduce upon seeing these three. If he were to engage in battle alone, he wasn't confident he could protect the cultivators attending the gathering below.

“Those are the Deputy Sect Master of the Frenzy Sect, the Deputy Dao Master of the Heavy Pagoda Temple, and the Deputy Dean of the White Splendor Academy—all three are at the mid-Integration Stage!” After the pressure was dispelled, everyone was able to stand up. Some local Qingzhou grand cultivators recognized their identities and were overjoyed.

The Frenzy Sect, Heavy Pagoda Temple, and White Splendor Academy were local sects in Qingzhou and the organizers of the Qingzhou Grand Gathering. As per tradition, they had sent their sect deputies to participate as a formality. They had arrived as invited, exchanging cultivation insights and conversing joyfully at the mansion, not expecting two ancient cultivators to suddenly appear.

The two ancient Integration Stage cultivators saw that their opponents outnumbered them and that the Provincial Governor could even use an incomprehensible energy. They feared unforeseen complications if they rashly engaged in battle. “Hmph, since that's the case, then for the sake of our friends, we won't pursue this matter for now. Let's retreat!” With that, the two intended to flee.

“Hmph, trying to leave? Stay right here!” Letting these two go would lead to endless trouble; how could the Provincial Governor allow them to leave? The Provincial Governor and the other three positioned themselves in the four cardinal directions—east, south, west, and north—to surround the two ancient cultivators.

“Aren't you worried about the safety of those below?” The two ancient cultivators perceived that the Provincial Governor and his allies were different from them, prioritizing the protection of weaker cultivators.

The Provincial Governor had long been prepared. The four of them nodded and activated the power of rules. The four simultaneously declared, “We establish a rule here: those below will not be affected by attacks.” The highest peak where the Qingzhou Grand Gathering was held was three thousand meters high.

“Ridiculous! Even if you establish rules, how will you maintain them during battle? To uphold the rules, one of you will surely be unable to fight!” The female cultivator sneered, thinking that three people couldn't possibly detain the two of them.

“You don't need to worry about that, seniors; I can maintain the rules.” A voice came from behind Lu Yang, startling the five of them. The newcomer was clad in official robes, smiling as he looked up at the sky, appearing completely at ease.

“It's you?!” Lan Ting, Bai Ming, and Yan Tianzhi were astonished.

“You know him? Who is that?” Lu Yang asked via spiritual transmission.

“He's a subordinate of the Provincial Governor. Yesterday evening, Senior Brother Bai Ming, Senior Brother Yan Tianzhi, and I visited the Provincial Governor, and it was this man who invited us into the mansion and arranged for our accommodation.”

“We thought he was just a minor official, but it turns out he's also an Integration Stage cultivator.” Only Integration Stage cultivators could maintain such rules.

“That's normal. It's impossible for the Provincial Governor not to have at least one Integration Stage cultivator under him,” Meng Jingzhou said, unsurprised and very familiar with the ways of officialdom. What Lan Ting and the other two didn't know was that the man had initially suggested they stay in prison cells.

Seeing that Lu Yang was safe, the Immortal Fairy relaxed and yawned, “I thought that little girl Yun would have to make a move, but it seems it won't be necessary.”

Lu Yang's brows furrowed. He had a feeling that things wouldn't be so simple. The two Integration Stage cultivators woke up from a secret realm. Would the authorities not have thoroughly investigated the secret realm and discovered these two?