The Qingyun Mountain Range.
High above the sky, a streak of golden light flashed, and a golden invitation fluttered down from the air.
In this region, there were at least a dozen sects, numerous clans, and a vast number of rogue cultivators. However, there was only one invitation, making the battle to seize it extremely fierce.
As a Heavenly Realm expert, Chu Yuan quickly arrived upon this scene.
Floating in the sky on his flying sword, he watched as countless cultivators below fought desperately for the single invitation.
Most of these cultivators were at the Profound Realm or below.
There were a few Earth Realm experts as well, but they had yet to make a move. As for the Heavenly Realm, Chu Yuan sensed none.
In other words, he was absolutely invincible here!
The battle below lasted for nearly half an hour before finally coming to an end.
"A narrow victory over you all. We of the Yun family will take this invitation."
A graceful woman dressed in a light blue long dress had defeated the remaining opponents to secure the invitation.
The surrounding cultivators readily gave up the fight.
"To defeat three Earth Realm experts with her own strength—is this Yun Chan of the Yun family?"
"Miss Yun Chan of the Yun family is too powerful! An Earth Realm expert not even a hundred years old! What's most crucial is that she hasn't joined any sect; she reached this realm entirely relying on her family background. It's simply outrageous!"
"Clearly, she is already among the ranks of chosen prodigies. I concede defeat willingly seeing her take the invitation."
Many cultivators shook their heads. Although Yun Chan was a prodigy, she wasn't arrogant, and she was very pleasant to be around, which earned her everyone's deep admiration.
Several elders of the Yun family stood by, smiling broadly as they looked at Yun Chan holding the invitation, preparing to return to the Yun family together to celebrate.
At that moment, however, clouds suddenly churned across the sky, wind and mists quickly gathering. Sunlight pierced through the mist, revealing several figures draped in Qingyun robes.
"Those are people from the Qingyun Sect?!"
"No, not the Qingyun Sect—it's a sect subordinate to the Qingyun Sect!"
"People from the Wind God Cult!"
The assembled cultivators were startled and quickly came to a halt.
As the number one sect in the world, the Qingyun Sect had numerous derivative sects under its banner. Backed by the Qingyun Sect, these sects acted with extreme arrogance.
They frequently seized various opportunities meant for cultivators across the world, yet the Qingyun Sect turned a blind eye, letting these sects indulge in such vicious acts.
Yun Chan, the prodigy of the Yun family, and several elders all came to a halt, gazing with cautious eyes at the majestic figures in the sky.
"This old man is an elder of the Wind God Cult, a subsidiary sect of the Qingyun Sect. We have specially come to take this ruin invitation of the Aurora Holy Land."
"Hand it over!"
The Wind God Cult elder and his companions stepped through the void, looking down at the Yun family members from on high as if viewing a pack of ants.
In truth, they were also at the Earth Realm, but they had the Qingyun Sect backing them.
If the Yun family dared to defy their will, it would be equivalent to offending the Qingyun Sect, the number one sect in the world!
Once such a label was slapped on them, no one could bear the consequences.
"On what grounds? If you want the invitation, speak with your strength! But the Qingyun Sect has regulations stating that older generation experts are not allowed to make a move against the younger generation!"
"So if you want this invitation, go ahead and send your sons or grandsons to take it."
Yun Chan of the Yun family spoke, her tone neither servile nor overbearing.
"Hmph, the rules are set by the Qingyun Sect, and we can choose not to follow them."
"This old man will say it one last time: hand over the invitation!" The Wind God Cult elder pressed aggressively.
"I won't." Yun Chan gripped the invitation tightly.
"You won't?" The Wind God Cult elder sneered. "Does your Yun family wish to make an enemy of the Qingyun Sect?"
Down on the ground, numerous cultivators whispered among themselves, casting sympathetic glances at Yun Chan.
Behind Yun Chan, several Yun family elders wore extremely awkward expressions.
It was one thing for the Wind God Cult to go around seizing every opportunity they laid eyes on, but to snatch the ruin invitation issued by the Holy Land as well—they were truly shameless.
Yet, backed by the Qingyun Sect as they were, the elders dared not resist.
In the past, those who had dared to defy the Wind God Cult ended up with the Cult actually summoning people from the Qingyun Sect.
"Chan'er, forget it. It seems you have no affinity with this ancient ruin; just hand the invitation over to them."
"At worst, we can look for an invitation elsewhere."
The Yun family elders behind Yun Chan advised.
The Wind God Cult was merely a Heavenly Realm-level power, which they could still resist.
But the Qingyun Sect was a Holy Lord-level overlord faction; wiping out the Yun family would take no more than a snap of a finger.
"This..." Yun Chan felt helpless. Reluctant as she was, she had no choice but to hand it over.
High in the air, the Wind God Cult elder laughed loudly. "You junior, you at least know what's good for you!"
"The last person who refused to hand over the invitation has already been slain by this old man!"
As his voice trailed off, an invitation materialized in his hand, and he then sucked away Yun Chan's invitation as well, ending up with two invitations in total.
"Job's done. Let's move on to harvest the next invitation!"
With the Wind God Cult elder's command, the group was about to leave when they suddenly stopped.
The middle-aged man behind the Wind God Cult elder was under a hundred years old, though his appearance had not been suppressed into that of a youth.
His gaze remained fixed entirely on Yun Chan, not leaving her for even half a step.
"Father, is she Yun Chan, the prodigy of the Yun family? I've long heard of her reputation—why don't we capture her to work for our Wind God Cult?"
The leading Wind God Cult elder glanced at his son and immediately understood. "Indeed it is her. Our Wind God Cult happens to lack such a prodigy. Junior of the Yun family, how about joining our Wind God Cult?"
"Our Wind God Cult is the largest subsidiary sect of the Qingyun Sect within a radius of dozens of miles!"
Down below, Yun Chan turned her head away in disgust upon hearing this.
Meanwhile, the Yun family elders behind her wore complicated expressions. If Yun Chan could establish a connection with the Wind God Cult, it would be no different from the Yun family clinging to a powerful patron.
Though they had no idea whether this patron was reliable.
"What? You refuse?" The Wind God Cult elder wore a look of disdain.
Yun Chan said nothing, but the Wind God Cult elder was already preparing to make a forcible move.
"Attack together! Subdue her and take her back—this old man has plenty of ways to make her submit!"
Hearing this, the others behind him—aside from his son, who looked excited—wore expressionless faces as they all charged toward Yun Chan!
A full six Earth Realm experts! Although they were only at the early Earth Realm, they were still formidable.
Moreover, the leading elder of the Wind God Cult was at the mid Earth Realm and had yet to make a move.
The Yun family elders behind Yun Chan were all at the Profound Realm, having yet to break through to the Earth Realm, so they could offer her no assistance.
As for Yun Chan, she was merely at the early Earth Realm, and facing six opponents of the same realm placed her under immense pressure.
"Elder, summon my father!" Yun Chan bit her bullet, turned her head to say to the Yun family elder, and then threw herself into battle against the six.
"Right! Miss!"
"Quick, summon the family head!"
"..."
Several elders crushed their transmission jade talismans. The turn of events had been too swift; all they could hope for was that Yun Chan could hold on.
Yet things went contrary to their wishes: within a few breaths, Yun Chan was steadily being forced back.
Without a sound, the leading Wind God Cult elder suddenly struck, directly blasting Yun Chan flying!
"He actually launched a sneak attack! Tsk, utterly despicable! Six against one, and there's even an old fox specializing in sneak attacks!"
"No helping it; the Wind God Cult has always been this tyrannical. Who told them to have the Qingyun Sect as their backing?"
"It's over. Miss Yun Chan is in danger. Is she really going to be dragged away by them..."
Numerous rogue cultivators whispered among themselves with looks of regret.
Up in the sky, another spectator was watching this scene unfold—none other than Chu Yuan.
Chu Yuan had not intervened, not for any other reason than simply wanting to watch the show a little longer.
Now that their battle had concluded, it was time for Chu Yuan to seize the invitations!