"This... is this... Peak Mahayana Realm? No... it's even higher!"
Su Ming's heart churned with turbulent waves. As a cultivator at the mid-Body Integration Realm, even when facing the Mahayana ancestors of his clan, he would feel pressure, but he would never feel this utterly powerless to resist.
The oppressive aura of the young man before him seemed to contain some higher-order will of the laws, making a primal urge to bow down and worship rise from the very depths of his soul.
He knew he was absolutely no match for this person.
In fact, the entire Su family... probably couldn't produce an existence capable of contending with him.
Just at the moment Meng Canglan was about to break down and Su Ming was almost forced out of hiding to fall to his knees—
That world-destroying aura instantly receded like the tide.
It came quickly, and vanished even faster.
Snap!
A crisp sound echoed from Gu Changyuan's hand.
Immediately after, a vast, pure spiritual energy, brimming with vibrant vitality, silently spread out with Gu Changyuan at the center.
This spiritual energy was not an attack. Wherever it passed, the injuries sustained by all the cultivators present from the oppressive aura healed at a visible rate. Even the tremors and exhaustion deep within their souls were completely smoothed away.
Not only that, but they all felt a slight improvement in their cultivation.
Even Su Ming, the Body Integration Realm elder hiding in the shadows, felt the same benefits.
For a moment, the gazes everyone directed at Gu Changyuan shifted from fear and awe to include disbelief and wild joy.
This was simply... administering both grace and might, wielding heaven-defying means.
They didn't know whether to cry over the fright they had just suffered, or laugh over the benefits they were now receiving.
But one thing was absolutely certain—the senior before them was an existence they could never fathom, let alone offend.
This was exactly the effect Gu Changyuan wanted.
If it were a normal negotiation, local factions like the Meng and Su families would naturally be cautious and calculating, leading to endless probing, half-truths, and wasted breath.
It was better to use force first and courtesy later.
First, he would shock them with absolute power, crushing all their petty schemes and wishful thinking, making them understand that the gap between them was like a heavenly abyss and that any calculations were utterly meaningless.
Then, he would bestow a favor, healing their injuries and even giving them a little sweet taste of benefits.
In this way, fear would turn into reverence, and suspicion into submission. The subsequent communication would naturally be extremely smooth, and the information obtained would inevitably be more authentic and reliable.
Gu Changyuan slowly spoke, his tone flat and emotionless:
"I came here only to ask about one thing. What I just did was merely to make our communication a bit more convenient. You shouldn't mind, right?"
Mind?
Who would dare to mind?!
Meng Canglan shivered and hurriedly bowed deeply, his head almost touching his knees, his voice trembling slightly from excitement and lingering fear:
"Of course we don't mind! For Senior to grace the Meng family with your presence is a tremendous honor for us. Whatever Senior wishes to ask, Meng will tell everything I know without reservation! I absolutely would not dare to utter half a word of falsehood!"
The group of Meng family elders behind him also bowed in unison, their attitudes respectful to the extreme.
Su Wanqing also suppressed the turbulent waves in her heart. Her voice was clear but carried obvious respect:
"If Senior has any orders, the Su family is also willing to offer our meager strength."
Gu Changyuan's gaze swept over Meng Canglan and finally landed on Su Wanqing.
He could naturally see clearly who the true center of attention was among those present.
Although this woman's cultivation was low, her bearing was extraordinary. The guards beside her were powerful and quick to react, clearly indicating her noble status; she was someone who could call the shots.
"I have come this time to ask about the location of the Celestial Holy Land."
Gu Changyuan said, cutting straight to the point.
"The Celestial Holy Land?!"
Hearing this, Meng Canglan, Su Wanqing, and the others were both shocked and felt... it seemed reasonable.
Only that kind of legendary, supreme holy land would be worthy of this senior personally inquiring about and visiting, right?
If someone said this senior was a hidden elder from the holy land, or even an old friend of a holy ancestor, they wouldn't find it surprising at all.
Meng Canglan subconsciously turned his gaze toward Su Wanqing.
As a top faction in the eastern part of the Southern Continent, the level the Su family had access to was far beyond what the Meng family could compare with. The Su family certainly knew more about the holy land.
Feeling everyone's gaze, Su Wanqing took a deep breath, calmed her mind, and respectfully replied:
"To answer Senior, this junior does not have the beacon mark of the Celestial Holy Land in hand, so I cannot directly point out the precise location for Senior."
Seeing that Gu Changyuan's expression remained unchanged, she added:
"However, Senior's arrival is quite timely. Five days from now is the Celestial Holy Land's Tianyuan Holy Ceremony—this is the holy land's public disciple recruitment ceremony held every two years, and countless genius cultivators will head there.
Our Su family disciples in the Celestial Holy Land will return to the Su family a day in advance with the beacon mark, to form a team and escort our participating clan members to the Celestial Holy Land.
If Senior doesn't mind, you can travel with us then, which will take you directly to the Celestial Holy Land."
Tianyuan Holy Ceremony?
Gu Changyuan's heart stirred slightly.
A biennial disciple recruitment... This was indeed a coincidence.
Since he could hitch a ride and arrive in one step, it would save him the trouble of asking for directions along the way and searching for teleportation arrays.
"That works."
Gu Changyuan nodded in agreement with almost no hesitation.
Hearing the other party agree so readily, a wave of irrepressible, wild joy instantly surged in Su Wanqing's heart.
She had originally extended the invitation just to try her luck. After all, this senior's strength was unfathomable and his movements unpredictable; he might not be willing to travel with juniors like them.
She didn't expect him to actually agree.
With such a mighty figure traveling alongside them, the safety and convenience of the journey would be elevated to an unimaginable degree.
Moreover, if they could use this opportunity to form a good relationship with this senior, it might be a tremendous opportunity for the Su family.
Her thoughts turned, thinking of the other purpose of this trip—receiving the Meng family's tribute.
Originally, according to the procedure, she needed to finish counting and handing over the items here before returning to the Su family to prepare the team heading to the holy land.
But building a good relationship with the senior before her and bringing him back to the Su family as quickly as possible was the absolute top priority.
Although those tributes were precious, compared to this, they were not worth mentioning at all.
She was just about to speak, intending to state that she could immediately wrap up the affairs at the Meng family and set off for the Su family right away.
"If you still have matters to handle here, you can finish them before we leave. There is no rush."
Gu Changyuan's voice rang out first, calm and detached.
He could naturally tell that the Meng family was a subordinate family to the Su family. The arrival of the Su family members this time, aside from this Fourth Miss gaining life experience, was also to collect tributes.
Such matters were incredibly normal in the cultivation world. Since he had agreed to travel together, he didn't mind waiting an extra day or two.
After all, waiting anywhere was still waiting; the overall time spent would be the same regardless.