Chapter 457 156: Tantai Qing, an Omen of the Demon Calamity, Resolving the Crisis

"Among the three great Guardian Families—Tantai, Helian, and Gongsun—the most outstanding Celestial Pride of this generation is undoubtedly Goddess Tantai Qing. There are rumors that she condensed her Lifebound Divine Techniques and stepped into the Sixth Realm, the Divine Power Realm, over half a year ago. I also heard the Tantai Clan is already preparing the materials for her to condense a Heaven and Earth Dharma Aspect, though I don't know if it's true..."

"If that's true, then Goddess Tantai Qing will likely break Immortal Ascension Island's record for reaching the Dharma Realm, becoming the youngest person to ever reach the Seventh Realm."

"I heard that three months ago, an Earth Palace ruin emerged in the Outer Sea, and even some Celestial Prides from the great sects and Holy Lands of Dongyuan Province came seeking opportunities. One of them, a young Venerable named Wu Wang Saint Son, made some insolent remarks and Goddess Tantai Qing shattered his physical body with a single palm strike. His Divine Soul managed to flee, wrapped around a Secret Treasure."

"That Wu Wang Saint Son is renowned in Dongyuan Province, almost unrivaled among his peers. But against Goddess Tantai Qing, he couldn't even withstand a single palm strike. It's truly incredible."

Immortal Ascension Island is adjacent to Nanmo Province, separated by a vast ocean channel, with the two landmasses facing each other across the water.

The coastal waters churned endlessly, scattered with hidden reefs. Merchant ships and large vessels traveling to and from the island were in constant danger of accidents.

Therefore, the Elder Pavilion of Immortal Ascension Island would dispatch young disciples from the island's various major families to patrol the surrounding waters.

The Elder Pavilion was an organization jointly established by the three great Guardian Families of Immortal Ascension Island. It was an ancient institution that had long maintained order on the island.

Every fifty years, a candidate for the Elder Pavilion was elected, with the island's residents and the other families all casting votes.

Although this process seemed quite democratic, the Elder Pavilion had always maintained a fixed number of nine Elders.

The three great families each securely held three of those seats.

The other families had no hope of ever claiming a seat for themselves.

The Tantai Qing these young cultivators spoke of was none other than the reigning Celestial Pride of the Tantai Family—one of Immortal Ascension Island's three great Guardian Families—and an unattainable Goddess in the eyes of countless young men on the island.

Even many young disciples from the other two major families were filled with admiration for her.

Immortal Ascension Island was vast. Though called an island, its landmass was comparable in size to some continents.

Like a streak of light, Tantai Qing shot across the sky, returning from the Outer Sea on a rainbow of light. Below her, the landscape of rivers, lakes, swamps, and mountains swiftly receded into the distance.

Leaving the coastal region behind, plains began to unfold, stretching out as far as the eye could see. Many cities dotted the landscape, connected by wide roads bustling with caravans, creating a network like veins across the earth. However, these settlements were sparse; sometimes she had to fly for thousands of miles just to see a hint of civilization.

Finally, Tantai Qing descended into a majestic and ancient mountain range. A deep mist shrouded the peaks for thousands of miles, a sign of a powerful restrictive array.

As a token at her waist pulsed with a hazy divine light, the mists before her parted. A Grand Array, its power seeming to churn like the Sun and Moon, rumbled as a portal tore open within it.

Beyond the portal lay a different world, one seemingly cut off and completely isolated from the outside.

Rosy clouds and colorful mists swirled through the air. As far as the eye could see, there were palaces and pavilions. Bronze Palaces and entire islands floated in the Void, dotting the sky. They were held aloft by some supreme power, shimmering with a stunning divine radiance, like a constellation of stars.

This was the ancestral land of the Tantai Race, a Little World situated within the Void. It had existed since ancient times, and the entire realm was suffused with an aura of timeless antiquity.

'Miss Tantai Qing is back…'

As Tantai Qing stepped into the ancestral land, several immensely powerful streams of Divine Thought swept toward her. Only after recognizing her did they silently withdraw.

Soon, several women dressed as handmaidens arrived on Divine Rainbows to welcome her.

"Young Lady, did your trip to the Outer Sea yield any results? What did you find?"

"I've found a few leads. What has happened in the clan? Why did the Elders suddenly send for me to return?"

Tantai Qing spoke, her voice—unlike her cold expression—was surprisingly gentle. It was like a soft spring breeze, leaving one with an inexplicably favorable impression.

"We don't know the details," the handmaiden replied. "We only know that in addition to our Tantai Family, the Helian and Gongsun Families are also recalling many of their clansmen. It seems they are preparing to discuss a matter of great importance."

Tantai Qing seemed to have realized something. She nodded and said, "I understand. I'll head to the Council Hall right away."

With that, she transformed into a Divine Rainbow and sped toward the depths of the clan's domain.

Deep within the Tantai Family's Little World, sprawling palaces spoke of a profound and ancient heritage. Atop the tallest mountain peak, however, the atmosphere was incredibly tense.

The hall was vast and empty. Drifts of purple mist mingled with the ever-present Spiritual Mist.

Several long-robed Elders of the Tantai Family, their auras ancient and profound, were gathered there. The Tantai Family Master—who had ascended to the position of Patriarch largely thanks to his daughter's prestige—was also present.

In addition, a number of talented and powerful young members of the Tantai Family were also in attendance.

"Qing'Er, you're back?"

"It seems your investigation in the Outer Sea led to another fortunate encounter. Your cultivation has grown much stronger."

As Tantai Qing arrived, all the Elders turned their gazes to her, their expressions filled with warmth and admiration.

Many were inwardly astonished, realizing they could no longer fully perceive the depths of Tantai Qing's cultivation and strength.

As for the young clan members in the hall, their faces showed nothing but respect and admiration; they held Tantai Qing in the highest esteem.

The reason was simple: among the three great Guardian Families on Immortal Ascension Island, Tantai Qing was a living legend of her generation, her talent so overwhelming that her peers couldn't hope to compare.