Volume 1, Chapter 37 – Positions in the Immortal Palace

The three continued their stroll and soon reached a waterside area on the western side of the Immortal Palace.

The terrain here was relatively open, and a mountain peak could be seen in the distance.

Faint sounds drifted over from that direction. It was where Elder Mo Lin had chosen to establish his cave dwelling.

“Huh? Are they… fighting over there?”

A-Yao suddenly pointed toward a martial practice ground ahead.

Liu Ruyan and Gu Luoli turned to look. On the martial practice ground, one black figure and one yellow figure were exchanging blows at high speed.

Each collision produced a muffled boom as waves of force rolled outward.

They were Mo Lin and Fushan in human form!

However, they were not fighting to the death. It was more like a friendly sparring match.

Mo Lin’s movements were agile. Faint lightning and water vapor accompanied each of his attacks, which flowed one after another without pause.

Fushan, on the other hand, fought with broad, forceful movements. Every punch and kick carried tremendous weight, and each strike possessed the might to shatter mountains and split stone.

Even though the two Mahayana demon kings were deliberately restraining most of their strength, the commotion caused by their sparring was still considerable.

Without the formations protecting the martial practice ground, the surrounding area would probably have been reduced to ruins already.

Liu Ruyan and Gu Luoli watched in fascination.

Gu Luoli in particular had a faint glow in her double pupils as she tried to capture the intent contained within each technique the two used against one another.

“Elder Mo Lin’s control over both water and lightning is exquisite, while Elder Fushan’s mastery of his strength has reached the point of perfection…”

Gu Luoli analyzed quietly, her eyes shining with wonder.

Liu Ruyan also nodded inwardly and committed several ingenious responses to memory.

“Hahaha! What a satisfying fight!”

“Old Mo, those soft and feeble moves of yours still can’t break through my defenses!”

Fushan laughed loudly as he dispersed one of Mo Lin’s divine abilities with a punch.

Mo Lin drifted several dozen feet backward. His expression remained unchanged as he replied calmly,

“Nothing but brute force.”

“If we were at Black Dragon Pool and I drew upon the pool’s water, how long do you think that brute strength of yours would last?”

“Hmph! If we were in my Giant Rock Valley and I borrowed the power of the earth veins, I could smash you upside down with a single punch!”

Fushan shouted indignantly.

Neither of them was willing to yield verbally, but both had delighted expressions in their eyes.

At their level, finding an evenly matched opponent with whom they could spar freely was a rare pleasure.

“That is enough for today.”

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Mo Lin stopped and turned his gaze toward Liu Ruyan and the other two, giving them a slight nod.

Fushan also halted. He scratched his head, looked over, and grinned.

“Oh, it’s you three?”

Liu Ruyan quickly led Gu Luoli and A-Yao forward to greet them.

“Greetings, Elder Mo Lin and Elder Fushan.”

“We were merely passing by. Watching the two elders spar has benefited us greatly.”

“Haha, what a sweet-talking little girl.”

Fushan laughed and looked Gu Luoli over.

“This must be the newly arrived third disciple, right?”

“Not bad, not bad. Your foundation is very stable, but your body is still a little weak. You need to train more!”

Gu Luoli replied respectfully,

“Thank you for your guidance, Elder Fushan.”

Mo Lin’s gaze lingered on Gu Luoli’s eyes for a moment, and a trace of surprise flashed through his own.

“Please continue, Elders. We will not disturb you any further.”

Liu Ruyan took the opportunity to excuse them. Holding A-Yao’s hand, she led Gu Luoli away from the lakeside.

Only after they had walked some distance did Gu Luoli ask quietly,

“Second Senior Sister, Elder Mo Lin seemed to be looking at my eyes?”

“Elder Mo Lin’s true form is a black jiao. His senses are extremely sharp, so it is not strange that he could notice something unusual.”

Liu Ruyan explained,

“Everyone within the Immortal Palace belongs to the same sect. Although the two elders are demons, they are both very kind.”

Gu Luoli nodded and relaxed.

After everything she had seen that morning, her understanding of Yaochi Immortal Palace had deepened.

There was the Grand Elder whose mastery of the Sword Dao had reached profound heights, the straightforward and forthright Elder Fushan, and the calm and perceptive Elder Mo Lin…

There was also Elder Diewu, whom she had yet to meet and who specialized in illusions.

Although the Immortal Palace did not have many people, every single one of them had an extraordinary background.

More importantly, the atmosphere here was harmonious. Despite the enormous gaps in cultivation, no one treated another with contempt.

Having witnessed the fickleness and cruelty of human relationships in Qingyun Sacred Land, Gu Luoli treasured this all the more.

“I want to grow stronger as soon as possible and do something for Master…”

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Gu Luoli clenched her fist, the conviction in her heart becoming even firmer.

Without realizing it, the three arrived near the main hall.

As soon as they approached, Gu Han’s voice came from inside.

“All of you, come in.”

Liu Ruyan and Gu Luoli exchanged a glance. They quickly tidied their appearances, then entered the hall with A-Yao.

Gu Han remained seated upright in the seat of honor, her silver hair as white as snow and her beauty peerless.

Yun Miaoyi, Mo Lin, and Fushan were already inside the hall, standing on either side.

Elder Diewu had also arrived at some point and stood quietly nearby.

“Master.”

“Master-Mother.”

The three greeted her together, then moved to stand at the side.

Gu Han swept her gaze over everyone below and nodded slightly.

“Everyone is here.”

“The Immortal Palace has only just been established, and there are many complicated matters to handle. Now that our personnel are gradually coming together, it is time to establish some rules and structure.”

Her voice was not loud, yet it reached everyone’s ears clearly and carried an unquestionable authority.

Everyone’s expression turned solemn. They knew the Palace Master was about to formally assign the affairs of the Immortal Palace.

“From this day onward, Yaochi Immortal Palace shall adopt the structure of Nine Peaks, Four Pavilions, Three Halls, and One Tower.”

“Li Hanyi shall serve as the Inner Sect Grand Elder and preside over Snow Moon Peak!”

“The remaining eight peaks will each be presided over by one of my old friends.”

Everyone exchanged glances upon hearing this. Anyone whom the Palace Master called an old friend was undoubtedly extraordinary.

Only Liu Ruyan appeared thoughtful.

“The Three Halls shall be the Guardian Hall, the Inspection Hall, and the Internal Affairs Hall.”

Gu Han’s voice rang out again.

“Mo Lin, you shall serve as an elder of the Guardian Hall. You will oversee the Immortal Palace’s defenses, disciples’ training expeditions, and the protection of their Dao paths.”

“Fushan, you shall serve as an elder of the Inspection Hall. You will be responsible for patrolling the territories under the Immortal Palace’s jurisdiction and investigating developments in the outside world.”

“The position in charge of the Internal Affairs Hall will remain vacant for now. Ruyan shall act in that role temporarily.”

Upon hearing their assignments, Mo Lin and Fushan stepped forward and bowed to accept their orders.

“We respectfully obey the Palace Master’s command!”

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Liu Ruyan did not return to her senses until Gu Luoli tugged lightly at her from the side. She hurriedly stepped forward and said,

“I respectfully obey Master’s command!”

Seeing how distracted she was, Gu Han frowned slightly.

However, this was clearly not the time to question her. Gu Han looked at everyone, cleared her throat, and continued,

“The Four Pavilions shall be the Alchemy Pavilion, Artifact Refining Pavilion, Formation Pavilion, and Scripture Repository.”

“Yun Miaoyi shall serve as Pavilion Master of the Alchemy Pavilion, overseeing the inheritance of the Alchemical Dao, the refinement of medicinal pills, and the cultivation of spiritual herbs.”

“Diewu shall serve as Pavilion Master of the Formation Pavilion, overseeing formation inheritance, disciple trials, and formation maintenance.”

“The positions of Pavilion Master for the Artifact Refining Pavilion and Scripture Repository shall remain vacant for now.”

Yun Miaoyi and Diewu each gave a graceful bow.

“Miaoyi accepts the command.”

“Diewu accepts the command.”

“The One Tower shall be the Myriad-Phenomena Tower. In the future, it will serve as a cultivation ground for the disciples of the Immortal Palace and will be jointly administered by the various halls and pavilions.”

After outlining the basic structure, Gu Han turned her gaze toward Gu Luoli.

“Gu Luoli.”

“Disciple is here!”

“Your double pupils have only just awakened. Cultivation must be your priority.”

“If there is anything you do not understand in your cultivation, you may come and ask me at any time.”

“Yes! Disciple understands!”

Gu Luoli answered respectfully.

She knew Master was giving her ample time to grow.

Gu Han then looked toward Mo Lin and Fushan.

“If you lack manpower, the two of you may return to your respective territories and select talented young demons to join Yaochi Immortal Palace.”

Mo Lin’s and Fushan’s eyes lit up, and they hurriedly expressed their gratitude.

“Thank you, Palace Master, for being so considerate of us.”

They exchanged a glance, deeply moved. Although the Palace Master was human, she held no prejudice against the demon race.

Gu Han then looked at Liu Ruyan.

“Ruyan, the Internal Affairs Hall has many responsibilities. Apply yourself carefully. Should you encounter any difficulties, you may consult with the elders of the various halls and pavilions.”

Liu Ruyan nodded firmly.

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“Rest assured, Master. Disciple will do everything within her power.”

Gu Han assigned each matter in an orderly fashion, her reasoning clear and her considerations thorough.

Everyone below listened with sincere admiration while also feeling the weight of responsibility settle upon their shoulders.

Under the Palace Master’s direction, the framework of the Immortal Palace was being built piece by piece.

“That will be all for now.”

Gu Han concluded,

“The Immortal Palace has only just been founded, and much remains to be done. Every matter must be handled step by step.”

“Each of you must fulfill your own duties and cooperate with one another. If you encounter something you cannot decide, come to me.”

“We respectfully obey the Palace Master’s command!”

“We respectfully obey Master’s command!”

Everyone answered in unison. Their voices echoed through the great hall, filled with vigorous energy and unwavering conviction.

Gu Han looked at the group before her, which was already beginning to resemble the foundation of a true great power, and a trace of satisfaction flashed through her eyes.

She rose from the cloud couch. Her moon-white dress trailed across the floor as she slowly walked to the front of the hall.

Her gaze seemed to pass through the building and fall upon Yaochi and the distant mountains outside.

“The future of Yaochi Immortal Palace does not rest upon me alone. It rests upon every one of you.”

Her voice was clear and resonant, carrying a strangely stirring power.

“I hope that one day, when the outside world speaks of Yaochi Immortal Palace, they will think not only of me, but of all of you as well…”

Her gaze swept across everyone, and her voice became resolute.

“I will make the name of Yaochi Immortal Palace resound throughout this world and even… worlds higher still!”

As her words fell, an invisible sense of ambition and yearning rose within everyone’s heart.

Even great demons such as Mo Lin and Fushan, who had cultivated for ten thousand years, felt their blood surge with excitement.

As for young people like Liu Ruyan and Gu Luoli, blazing flames had long since ignited in their eyes.

“We are willing to follow the Palace Master and Master to forge a supreme Dao lineage!”

Everyone spoke in unison once more. This time, their voices were louder and their conviction even firmer.

Gu Han smiled faintly and waved a hand.

“Go and attend to your duties. Ruyan, stay behind.”

Everyone bowed respectfully and left the great hall one after another. Only Liu Ruyan remained.