Five days later, above Cloud Mist Immortal City, Hua Yanyun stood with her hands behind her back facing south.
Beside her, several people also stood in the air.
Upon closer inspection, they were all elite experts from the Hua family or important ministers of the court.
What could make the monarch of an entire nation personally come out of the city to welcome someone with such a grand display?
It could only be the delegation from Southwind Immortal Kingdom.
Hua Yanyun, Hua Yao, Hua Ling, Luo Fu Sheng, Wan Xing Xing, Feng Qing Yang, Wu Liang, Lin Bu Fan… The lineup was luxurious. The lowest cultivation among them was Void Refinement!
It was obvious that Hua Yanyun wanted to give the Southwind delegation a show of force while also displaying her nation’s power.
After all, the Southwind delegation had only one Void Refinement expert, He Bai Su.
On Hua Yanyun’s side, there were a full ten people!
“They have arrived.”
Watching the massive Cloud Whale appear as a blur on the horizon, Hua Yanyun spoke to the people around her.
The Cloud Whale let out a long cry. Its ethereal sound spread across ten thousand li.
Everyone in Cloud Mist Immortal City looked toward the source of the sound, yet they only saw a stretch of dark clouds.
Its azure-blue body was a full thousand zhang long. Its surging aura clearly marked it as a Void Refinement spirit beast! From afar, Hua Yanyun could already see ten figures standing on its head.
When the Cloud Whale was less than a hundred li from the immortal city, He Bai Su controlled it to stop and hover above the clouds.
On the Cloud Whale, ten figures stood side by side in a row. Leading them was an old woman with hair as white as frost and a dignified expression.
She was the Void Refinement great expert He Bai Su, head of the Southwind delegation.
Standing to her left was a young woman dressed in robes whiter than snow.
Her temperament was cold and aloof.
She was none other than the current Eldest Princess of Southwind Immortal Kingdom, He Cen.
To He Bai Su’s right stood a young girl who bore some resemblance to her.
Her name was He Bai Ying, and she was He Bai Su’s most beloved youngest granddaughter.
From a hundred li away, He Cen gazed toward the row of figures above the clouds of Cloud Mist Immortal City. Her purple eyes narrowed slightly.
“Such a formation. It seems Hua Yanyun wants to give us a show of force.”
Hearing this, He Bai Su chuckled.
“If she did not use her power to pressure others, that would be strange instead.”
She turned to look at He Cen. A kind expression appeared on her face.
“Long Princess, no matter how Hua Yanyun makes things difficult later, this old one will handle it. You only need to listen quietly on the side.”
He Cen nodded slightly. Her gaze remained fixed on Hua Yanyun, who stood in the middle position.
After instructing her granddaughter to watch carefully and learn well, He Bai Su stepped out into the void and stood there.
She cupped her hands toward Hua Yanyun.
“He Bai Su of Southwind Immortal Kingdom, by order of our Monarch, brings the delegation to pay respects to the Jade Water Monarch. This one has long heard of Senior’s peerless elegance. Seeing you today, your reputation is well deserved.”
Hua Yanyun stood with her hands behind her back, a faint smile on her face.
“Fellow Daoist He is too polite. Your country’s delegation has traveled from ten million li away. We shall naturally welcome you personally.”
Her gaze swept over the nine people still standing on the Cloud Whale before finally landing on the cold-faced He Cen.
Hua Yanyun had seen He Cen’s portrait long ago. Today was the first time she was seeing the real person.
She really does look very similar to He Shu.
However, what she said was completely different. “This must be your country’s Eldest Princess He Cen, right? She is indeed naturally beautiful, a first-rate beauty in the making.”
He Cen slightly bowed. Her tone remained unreadable. “Senior Hua flatters me.”
The volume of their conversation was not loud, yet it spread across a thousand li.
The cultivators in Cloud Mist Immortal City heard every word clearly.
“Since you have come from afar, why not first rest in our city. We have already ordered a banquet prepared to welcome you all tonight.”
He Bai Su chuckled twice. Her aged body stood straight.
Her tone was neither humble nor arrogant.
“Then we thank the Jade Water Monarch for the hospitality.”
The group flew down from the clouds. Under the guidance of the reception envoy, they entered the inner city.
Hua Yanyun exchanged glances with the nine Void Refinement experts beside her but did not hurry to follow the Southwind delegation.
Feng Qing Yang, dressed in robes whiter than snow and wearing a golden phoenix crown, was the first to turn toward Hua Yanyun and offer advice.
“Your Majesty, why not let us go meet that He Bai Su first.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Wan Xing Xing and Lin Bu Fan echoed his words.
“What Feng Qing Yang says is correct. Please grant us permission, Your Majesty.”
The three had already privately communicated via voice transmission earlier.
They planned to take the opportunity to privately contact He Bai Su.
After all, although the three were important ministers in court, they also had their own family businesses.
Many of those businesses involved cross-border trade.
Southwind Immortal Kingdom was a major nation on par with Jade Water Immortal Kingdom in the cultivation world.
If they could privately befriend this Southwind Void Refinement expert He Bai Su, the benefits would definitely outweigh the drawbacks.
“Since my beloved ministers are interested, We naturally will not obstruct. However, now is not the time. The three of you might as well wait a few more days.”
Hearing that Hua Yanyun did not refuse their contact with He Bai Su, the three quickly bowed in thanks together.
“Thank you for Your Majesty’s guidance.”
***
Late at night, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse.
Lights blazed inside Splendid Hall. The banquet had already been set.
All twenty people from both sides had taken their seats.
Hua Yanyun sat in the main seat. She first raised a cup of wine.
“This wine is our country’s national brew. It is called ‘Cloud Hidden Tide Birth’. Every jar is a century-old fine wine with excellent taste. It is best drunk chilled. Fellow Daoists, feel free to sample it.”
As she spoke, she drained the wine in her hand in one gulp.
Following Hua Yanyun’s lead, He Bai Su also took a light sip and then offered her comment.
“It is indeed good wine. It enters the mouth sweet and not spicy, cool but not icy. Upon careful tasting, the aftertaste can actually enhance this old one’s comprehension of the Great Dao of Water.”
Hearing He Bai Su’s comment, Hua Yanyun smiled.
“This wine is brewed using many heavenly treasures of the water and cloud paths. It is genuine spiritual wine. If Fellow Daoist likes it, before you leave, We shall gift you several jars.”
“That will not be necessary. This old one is already old and does not dare to drink often.”
“Hehe. Fellow Daoist survived the immortal tribulation and advanced to Void Refinement more than ten years ago. That matter spread throughout the entire Southern Border. If we really talk about age, you are probably more than a hundred years younger than Hua Ling.”
After slightly easing the atmosphere, Hua Yanyun continued.
“We have a miraculous medicinal ointment here that is excellent for beauty and skin nourishment. Continuous use can even make one’s appearance become younger.”
In front of everyone, Hua Yanyun took out ten beautifully packaged jars of ointment from her storage artifact.
These were the ones Hua Yao had developed not long ago.
The ointment floated in the air and, under Hua Yanyun’s control, flew toward the ten people on the other side of the long table.
“However, this type of ointment was only recently developed, and its production is very limited.”
Listening to Hua Yanyun’s description, He Cen was quite interested in this beauty ointment.
She wanted to try its effects right now, but due to the occasion, she restrained her thoughts.
He Bai Ying, sitting beside He Cen, was different.
Spoiled by He Bai Su on normal days, she impatiently opened one of the beautiful packaging jars.
She extended her slender fingers, took out a bit of the ointment, evenly applied it to the back of her hand, and gently patted it a few times.
In just a short moment, everyone heard He Bai Ying’s voice.
Visibly, the patch of skin on the back of her hand where the ointment had been applied became even more fair, delicate, and tender.
It made people want to reach out and touch it.
He Cen also noticed the change on He Bai Ying’s left hand.
In her heart, she became even more curious about the ointment.
Perhaps in the future we can trade for this beauty ointment with Hua Yanyun through commerce.
That was what she thought in her heart.
However, she had not forgotten the true purpose of following the delegation to Jade Water Immortal Kingdom this time.