It was indeed a surprise to Liang Yi that this woman had successfully advanced to the Seventh Realm; though he had known her to be inscrutable before, he hadn't expected her to be slightly ahead of He Zhiqing and the others.

Recalling the woman who had left a deep impression on her, Su Youyi remembered the brief encounter they had had, which exerted considerable pressure on her at the time. Thinking of the woman's visage, Su Youyi could understand why Zhou Wudao was so obsessed with her.

Fortunately, it seemed the woman had never seen the portrait Zhou Wudao had drawn on the black market token. Otherwise, she might have been even harsher.

"Where is this person now? Having spotted someone from the Devouring Spirit Sect, we shouldn't remain indifferent, right?"

Although the Devouring Spirit Sect had mostly relocated to the Abyss, Mystical Mechanism Continent's factions would still be ruthless upon encountering any trace of the sect.

"No, after defeating Zhou Wudao she left immediately, and we couldn't find any trace. We can only surmise that she's still wandering around Desert North."

He Zhiqing shook his head; it wasn't that they were unwilling to take action, but they simply couldn't find her trail.

"Then, let's go. It's rare for everyone to be gathered like this, so let's catch up."

Liang Yi, seeing Zhou Zuixi on the other side inviting them over with a toast, laughed and spoke to everyone.

He Zhiqing wasn't familiar with Zhou Zuixi, but he was good friends with Zhou Wudao, so naturally, he had no objections. Liu Rouxin, having fought side by side with Zhou Zuixi in the Blood Demon Secret Realm, was on good terms with him. If she went over, Pang Qingshi would naturally follow.

Thus, aside from the Zen and Sword Cleanse Heavenly Pool factions, the chiefs of several major Super Forces were gathered once again.

"It seems I have provided you all with quite the spectacle."

Aware of everyone's arrival, Zhou Wudao raised his cup with a bitter smile and self-mockingly toasted.

"If you can't win, you can't win. What's there to be ashamed of? If it were me in your place, I would have fared no better."

Unable to bear seeing his good friend in such a state, He Zhiqing simply sat down beside Zhou Wudao and casually picked up a jug of fine wine from Zhou Zuixi, clinking cups with Zhou Wudao and toasting to his health.

"A drunken spree solves a thousand woes, drink up!"

Before even becoming melancholic, Zhou Wudao was bewildered by He Zhiqing's tactics and could only helplessly conform and drink his sorrows away.

"It's really rare to see He Shixiong like this."

Su Youyi, sitting next to Yu Gejing, was taken aback, unaccustomed to seeing the ordinarily courteous and gentle He Zhiqing suddenly act so boldly and unrestrained.

"Zhou Wudao's mental state is in disarray right now, and well-meaning advice has lost its potency. Might as well let loose with laughter and scolding to forget all troubles."

Yu Gejing, who knew He Zhiqing best, understood his motive the moment she saw him pick up the wine jug.

Indeed, He Zhiqing's method proved unexpectedly effective. At least now Zhou Wudao, not using his Spiritual Power to stave off intoxication, was looking dim-eyed and began to talk about life with He Zhiqing, having long shed his shell of reticence.

"Huh?"

Liu Rouxin, who rarely drank, observed with envy the jovial camaraderie between the two men, wondering if drinking could really be such a liberating experience.

Before she could covertly grab a jug from Zhou Zuixi to sample, Pang Qingshi knocked her wayward hand aside, leaving her to watch with a pout as the big orange cat perched with crossed legs, savoring the fine wine.

Liang Yi, however, understood He Zhiqing's approach well.

Though everyone present was a cultivator, the path of cultivation on the Mystical Mechanism Continent is about preserving one's humanity. In such circumstances, a plethora of comforting words was no match for a good drunken revel.

Yu Gejing lightly tapped the ground with her fingertip, and an invisible array cloaked the group instantaneously. To outside observers, it would only appear that the group was casually chatting.

As for the embarrassing spectacle of He Zhiqing and Zhou Wudao getting drunk and boasting, it was hidden from the outside world.

Ignoring those two, Liang Yi looked curiously at Zhou Zuixi, whose mood was obviously buoyant, and inquired,

"You seem to be doing well recently? You look pretty happy."

"I guess so, I've resolved an issue that was weighing on my mind," Zhou Zuixi answered with a smile without disguising his good spirits.

"What happened? Planning to break through to the Seventh Realm?"

Liu Rouxin, unable to stand watching the smug drunk, interjected with sarcasm.

"Uh, not exactly that."

Zhou Zuixi was in a good mood and didn't take offense to the sharp-tongued young lady's backhanded compliment, simply waving it off and denying it.

Although he had reached Great Perfection of the Sixth Realm by leveraging the harmonious conceptions of the wines between Bright Moon Edge and Cloud Break, breaking through to the Seventh Realm still posed some difficulties.

"After all, not everyone has the freakish ability of these two, for whom breaking through a Realm is as easy as eating and drinking."

Zhou Zuixi pointed to the innocently-faced Liang Yi and Su Youyi beside him, and said with a displeased tone.

This comment garnered the agreement of everyone present, even Pang Qingshi nodded in affirmation.

Liang Yi spread his hands, indicating that such a thing couldn't be gained through envy.

Su Youyi smiled meekly, she was merely following the pace of her senior brother. She had a premonition that if there ever came a day when she couldn't keep up with her senior brother's pace, she might never surpass him in this lifetime and could only watch herself being left farther and farther behind.

She would never allow such a thing to happen, which is why she cultivated with all her might.

Everyone only saw the ease of her breakthroughs, but who could know that she was constantly cultivating, always multitasking with every moment.

Old Man Ju smiled without saying a word, a true master always keeps a low profile.

"Hmph hmph."

Liu Rouxin hummed softly twice, those two were indeed inhuman.

"If it's not about the breakthrough of realms, what are you so happy about?"

"I've just reached a consensus with the Emperor Brother, how can I not be happy?"

Zhou Zuixi raised his wine and took a hearty drink, speaking to everyone with flying colors.

"Huh?"

Liu Rouxin had no idea what he was talking about.

"Is it concerning the succession to the throne?"

Yu Gejing, sharp as ever, quickly guessed the gist of it.

"Yes!"

Zhou Zuixi clapped his hands excitedly.

"In order to fight against the Abyss, all the Princes and Princesses of the Xuanzhou Immortal Dynasty have come over. My Emperor Brother and I were thinking, after the war ends, we'll see who performed the best and who is also decent in character, and then we'll set them up for the role!"

"...."

Hearing this, everyone present, except the drunken Zhou Wudao and He Zhiqing, all wore speechless expressions.

Are these the only two heirs to the Xuanzhou Immortal Dynasty? It wouldn't be too much to say the family is unfortunate, right?

"You two really have your ways."

Liang Yi smacked his lips, admiring their talent for coming up with such a method.

However, if these two really had their minds set on not inheriting the throne, then Emperor Zhou had no choice but to pick from the remaining Princes and Princesses.

And when it comes to the criteria, there might be nothing more convincing than this war.

"Eh, so, solving this is easier for me than advancing to the Seventh Realm."

Zhou Zuixi glanced at his Emperor Brother and couldn't help but laugh.

"Emperor Brother also just wants to travel with a companion, like wild cranes amid leisurely clouds, just drawing and wandering, he doesn't care about the throne at all."

A position that countless people coveted was disregarded by both of these men,

And just at that moment, Yu Gejing's expression shifted slightly, and the surrounding Array fluctuated like ripples.

After receiving Yu Gejing's permission, a white figure walked in.

"Big brother! Sister Su!"

Yue Bai immediately noticed Liang Yi and Su Youyi among the people, and happily bounced over to sit between them.

The appearance of Yue Bai came as no surprise to anyone, the close relationship between the disciple of the Grand Saint of Nine Spirits and the siblings of the Taoist Sect was well-known to all, so it made sense for her to come looking for Liang Yi.

"Where is Elder Qingqiu?"

Seeing Yue Bai with much to say, Liang Yi asked curiously.

He remembered that Yue Bai had gone back to the Purple Cloud Sect with Elder Qingqiu Mingli. Now that Yue Bai was here alone, he wondered how Elder Qingqiu Mingli was doing.

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