This was Jiang Ruyi's first time stepping into the Inner City.

She recalled her last pilgrimage, back when she was just a low-ranking disciple in the Stream Realm—one among the thousand summoned.

She was only worthy of staying in the Outer City, prostrating herself in reverence before the stone sculpture of the Divine figure.

But this time, everything had been meticulously arranged for Jiang Ruyi. Along the way, several reception personnel accompanied her as they circled through the tightly guarded Inner City, eventually arriving before a grand hall.

"The Worship Hall of the Divine."

Jiang Ruyi lifted her gaze to the gilded characters on the plaque above the hall's entrance.

Compared to the Immortal Worship Hall in Luoxian Village, this Worship Hall of the Divine was far more majestic and imposing.

"Senior Sister Feng, the person has been delivered," one of the reception personnel stepped forward, bowing to the middle-aged woman in front of the Worship Hall. "I'll return now."

"Mm." The middle-aged woman responded with casual arrogance, giving a slight nod of her head.

As the reception personnel left, Jiang Ruyi spoke politely, "Greetings, Senior Sister."

The woman sized Jiang Ruyi up with a glance, her expression softening slightly. She gently pushed open the massive door of the hall. "Junior Sister Jiang, I've long heard of your esteemed name! Come in quickly; you were the only one we were waiting for."

"Understood." Jiang Ruyi was mildly surprised.

She had only received the sound transmission late last night, and she had already rushed here as quickly as possible.

Yet despite her haste, she was still the last to arrive?

Stepping into the hall, Jiang Ruyi found herself surrounded by opulence and grandeur.

At the end of the towering hall stood a ten-meter-high Stone Sculpture of the Jade Talisman, seated upon an enormous throne.

Though crafted of stone, the artistry was intricate and lifelike.

Clad in a flowing cloak, the figure's visage was stern, its eyes emanating unmatched authority—astonishingly vivid.

No matter which part of the hall one stood in, the Divine·Jade Talisman seemed to loom over them, its gaze fixed and oppressive.

The sensation of being scrutinized magnified unbearably!

At the feet of the Jade Talisman sculpture, amidst the expansive room, lay hundreds of prayer cushions.

Currently, nine disciples of the Jade Talisman Sect were kneeling before the sculpture, heads bowed in silent prayer.

Jiang Ruyi didn't dare tarry; she quickly advanced.

Meanwhile, outside the hall, the middle-aged woman watched Jiang Ruyi's elegant silhouette and couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "Ah..."

A trace of regret flickered in her eyes.

This was the third group of fellow disciples she had escorted over the past three days.

The Worship Hall, seemingly sacred and solemn, was profoundly mysterious—and terrifying. It resembled a voracious beast waiting to devour its prey.

She never knew what truly transpired within its walls, but she did know this: every Jade Talisman Believer who entered this place...

Never came out.

The middle-aged woman extended her hands, gripping the massive doors, and slowly closed them.

"Kacha!!"

Jiang Ruyi paused mid-step, glancing back at the colossal doors.

After a moment, she resumed her path toward the hall's depths.

Though the room held hundreds of prayer cushions, the nine disciples of the Jade Talisman Sect had dutifully arranged themselves in two rows.

Jiang Ruyi approached the fifth cushion in the second row and knelt down, her posture proper.

Two meters away to her left, kneeling parallel to her, was a petite young woman.

The young woman had short hair and almond-shaped eyes, exuding an undeniably sweet disposition—a stark contrast to the stern ethos typical of the Jade Talisman Sect disciples.

Noticing the arrival of a fellow disciple, the petite woman secretly turned her head to look, only for her eyes to widen dramatically.

Jiang... Jiang Jiang Jiang Ruyi?!

My goodness!

A renowned figure among the sect, an exemplar of the younger generation, and none other than the Human World Sect Leader's Wife from the Immortal Sheep Sect...

How did I end up kneeling beside a deity-like person?

Is this really where I'm meant to be?

Jiang Ruyi subtly turned her head, casting a faint glance to her left.

At that moment, the petite woman's breath caught in her throat!

Jiang Ruyi wore a veil over her face, which only accentuated her mesmerizing black eyes.

Her gaze seemed to envelop an entire night sky full of stars—peaceful and quietly beautiful.

Only when Jiang Ruyi shifted her gaze away to bow in reverence did the young woman finally snap back to her senses.

The petite woman felt mortified, her cheeks flushed, wishing she could cover her face with her hands as she bitterly berated herself:

An Xian, oh An Xian, you're utterly disgraceful!

Why are you acting so foolishly?

Now look, Jiang Ruyi probably thinks you're nothing but an idiot!

The young woman's swirling emotions slightly disrupted Jiang Ruyi's focus.

People from the River Realm did, indeed, possess the ability to subtly influence their surroundings.

Just as Jiang Ruyi was about to offer a gentle reminder, she raised her brows as the other nine disciples of the Jade Talisman Sect exhibited faint reactions.

The Divine figure had delivered another sound transmission?!

The Worship Hall grew even quieter.

Jiang Ruyi concentrated on listening intently, engraving each word into her mind.

"Holy Spirit Mountain, Holy Spirit Energy..."

"Hoo!!"

Suddenly, an immense and terrifying surge of Divine Power roiled forth.

Jiang Ruyi's body tensed as she raised her eyes.

The Jade Talisman sculpture sat lofty and imposing, its commanding posture surveying the believers below.

From within the stone sculpture, a fog abruptly emerged, encasing all ten people.

Shrouded in mist, unable to see her surroundings, Jiang Ruyi instinctively summoned a circle of Golden Jade Talisman from within her body.

"Hoo~"

A sudden gust of wind surged through, lifting her dark hair.

Jiang Ruyi's eyebrows knit slightly as her slender fingers moved to pinch at a peculiar sensation.

Sand?

There couldn't possibly be sand within the Worship Hall.

While Jiang Ruyi pondered silently, the mist dispersed quickly, revealing an astonishing scene to the ten disciples.

A moment before, they were all kneeling inside the Worship Hall.

Now, they found themselves standing in a vast desert.

The surroundings were barren as far as the eye could see.

The sun hung in the sky, steadily rising, and despite it being early morning, the heat was already oppressive.

Jiang Ruyi rose slowly, using the sun's position to identify her orientation with ease.

The west was desolate and endless.

Off in the distant east, faintly visible were towering stone spires, like enormous, sharp stakes piercing into the sky—a scene both eerie and magnificent.

Is this the world beyond the Divine Ruins?

But why did I not experience the challenge of the Divine Ruins?

If passing through the Divine Ruins could bring one here so effortlessly, why did Immortal Sheep Lord create a Divine Ruins specifically for Lu Ran—forcing him into trials and injuries?

Jiang Ruyi's eyes flickered subtly as she sank into thought.

It seems plausible that those who enter this realm after conquering the Divine Ruins gain certain benefits.

Jiang Ruyi reasoned, confident in her conclusion that Immortal Sheep Lord's actions in protecting Lu Ran were deliberate and meaningful.

"Jiang Ruyi?!"

"Ruyi Sister... uh, Lady Luo Xian?" voices exclaimed one after another.

Jiang Ruyi returned to reality and looked toward her fellow disciples.

The group consisted of seven men and two women, most of whom were middle-aged. Only the petite woman who had knelt beside her seemed younger.

"Greetings, everyone." Jiang Ruyi clasped her hands politely and spoke.

The group's expressions were varied, and they reciprocated her greeting with clasped hands.

Among them, a few appeared genuinely delighted!

Jiang Ruyi had been the last to enter the hall, so they hadn't known she was part of their group.

While in the hall, the Divine figure had delivered two key pieces of information via sound transmission:

First, a mission to collect Holy Spirit Energy.

Second, a warning that the Holy Spirit Mountain Realm was perilous.

Beyond that, nothing else was revealed.

The bewildered group had then been transported here.

Danger certainly seemed inevitable!

Now, witnessing someone of Jiang Ruyi's caliber among them, how could they not feel joyful?

"I never imagined seeing Sister Jiang here!"

"A hundred stories don't compare to seeing you in person. Sister Jiang truly lives up to her reputation as a Heavenly Pride—your presence is truly remarkable..."

The group exchanged warm greetings, clearly thrilled.

It was often said that Jade Talisman Sect disciples were cold and stern, but evidently, that depended on whom they were addressing.

At this moment, Jiang Ruyi had become the focal point—already held in high esteem, with both an illustrious background and the power to match it.

If this continued, she seemed destined to become the team leader.

Nearby, the eldest member of the group, a man over fifty years old, watched the scene unfold with an indiscernible expression.

After a moment of contemplation, he finally spoke up, "Everyone!"

The group turned to look at their Senior Brother.

The elderly man revealed a kindly smile and asked, "The Divine·Jade Talisman instructed us to collect Holy Spirit Energy—does anyone know what that might be?"

The disciples exchanged blank looks; none of them had a clue.

He sighed, further staking his claim on their attention and authority, "The Divine figure also mentioned that this realm is extremely dangerous.

Thus, we must unite as one to fulfill the Divine mission."

"Senior Brother is correct, that's how it should be!"

"We were brought here together by the Divine·Jade Talisman; it's only logical to advance and retreat as one group," others chimed in agreement.

The elderly man nodded in satisfaction, sweeping his gaze across the group. "Each of you possesses immense strength and profound realms. Back in Da Xia, people rarely revealed their true power.

But as of now, we are brothers and sisters united by both life and death. To complete the mission well and confront potential enemies, it's important we understand each other."

He then took the lead, "I am Meng Zhixuan, currently at River Realm·Third Rank."

After Meng Zhixuan introduced himself, he turned his attention to the team's youngest member aside from Jiang Ruyi.

As expected, she obediently followed suit, "Greetings, Senior Brother Meng! My name is An Xia... ah, I mean I'm An Xian, River Realm·First Rank."

"Song Yu, River Realm·Third Rank."

"Zhang Zhenghu, River Realm·Second Rank."

"Chu Tianyun, River Realm·First Rank."

...

"Jiang Ruyi, River Realm·Fourth Rank."

Finally, Jiang Ruyi spoke calmly.

For a moment, the group's attention settled on the white-clad and serene young woman.

Some admired her, some sighed in awe, and others found themselves secretly elated.

Among the group, mainly composed of individuals in their thirties and forties, the not-yet-twenty-year-old woman possessed the highest strength and realm!

Meng Zhixuan observed the young woman's tranquil demeanor, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

Sensing something, Jiang Ruyi glanced his way.

Meng Zhixuan immediately laughed heartily, putting on a benevolent display, "Haha, excellent! With Sister Jiang here, we can complete our task with much greater ease."

"Boom rumble rumble!!"

Suddenly, a thunderous sound reverberated from the heavens above.

In an instant, the group tensed up, their bodies taut as they raised their heads to look.

Meanwhile, within the No. 1 seclusion room on Cloud Sea Cliff.

Lu Ran sat cross-legged on the ground and shivered.

That bunch of imbeciles—fighting again?

I'm nestled inside the mountain, yet they still manage to rattle me?

Lu Ran silenced his Evil Sense and wrapped his arms around the Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd in his possession. "Just two more days, Little Chi Feng. Then you'll feast to your heart's content. Let me prepare a while longer.

When the time comes, we'll shake the heavens right back at them!"

"Buzz~" The Fiery Phoenix Patterned Gourd trembled lightly.

...

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.