Heaven-Surpassing Divine Emperor

The old man wore a simple, elegant long robe. His hair and beard were completely white, and a peaceful smile graced his face.

He stood before the gates of the Heaven-Soaring Sacred City, naturally drawing the attention of the disciples guarding the city. One of them asked, ”Who goes there?”

”Little one, go and inform your Sect Master that an old friend has come to visit,” the old man said with a chuckle.

”The Sect Master’s old friend?”

The disciple was taken aback and hesitated for a moment before saying, ”Sir, the Sect Master is occupied with countless matters. It would be inappropriate for me to disturb him without cause. I wonder, sir, do you have any token to prove your identity?”

The old man smiled. ”Just tell your Sect Master this: ’Stay true to your original aspiration, and you will see it to the end.’ He will know who I am.”

”Right away!”

The disciple left immediately.

Within the grand hall.

Jiang Chen looked at the disciple before him and frowned. ”Are you sure he said, ’Stay true to your original aspiration, and you will see it to the end’?”

”Reporting to the Sect Master, that is indeed what the old gentleman said,” the disciple replied respectfully.

A realization dawned on Jiang Chen.

’Isn’t this the old man I met in the Celestial Demon Canyon before I entered the Celestial Demon Ancient Realm?’

Jiang Chen felt a trace of gratitude toward this mysterious old man.

’If not for his heartfelt advice, I might not have passed the trial of the Holy Blood Spirit Pool so smoothly!’

Jiang Chen stood up at once and said, ”Go and invite him in. I will wait in the rear courtyard.”

”Yes!”

* * *

Not long after, the long-robed old man, led by a disciple, arrived at the rear courtyard. The disciple looked at the old man respectfully and said, ”Sir, the Sect Master is waiting for you inside.”

”Thank you for your trouble.”

The old man smiled faintly.

With a deep and wise gaze, he glanced around the rear courtyard before stepping inside.

The rear courtyard was a garden.

In the center was a pond with a school of golden fish, surrounded by flowers and plants. Jiang Chen was in a pavilion at the heart of the pond. Sensing the old man’s arrival, Jiang Chen rose and smiled. ”Senior, you have come a long way. Please forgive me for not personally coming out to greet you.”

”Not at all, not at all!”

The old man chuckled and walked across the clear surface of the lake as if it were solid ground. He arrived at the Lake Heart Pavilion and sat down before Jiang Chen.

There was a cup of tea on the table.

Jiang Chen smiled. ”Senior, please try this tea.”

”Elegant and serene. Not a bad flavor. However, it doesn’t quite seem to suit your age,” the old man said, looking at Jiang Chen with a half-smile.

Jiang Chen grinned, downed the small teacup in his hand, and said, ”You’re right! What I hate most is sipping at it bit by bit, having to sit here and pretend to be all refined.”

His gaze fell upon the old man.

As he discreetly sized him up, Jiang Chen grew more and more curious. ’Just who is this person before me?’

’My cultivation is already at the Seventh Stage of Human King Realm, but I still can’t see through this old man. The only explanation is that his strength is far above my own!’

Just as his mind was racing, the old man chuckled. ”Little friend Jiang Chen, are you trying to guess my identity?”

”You jest, Senior.” Jiang Chen was momentarily stunned, but not particularly embarrassed. He smiled and said, ”This junior is indeed curious about Senior’s identity.”

Back in the Celestial Demon Canyon.

At the time, Jiang Chen had thought he was just some Jianghu Mage, but after the incident at the Holy Blood Spirit Pool, Jiang Chen had deeply etched this old man into his memory.

When he returned from the Celestial Demon Ancient Realm, he never saw a trace of him again.

Until now...

He had finally reappeared before him.

This couldn’t help but make Jiang Chen curious.

The old man stroked his white beard and chuckled. ”It has been many years since my name was last spoken; I’ve nearly forgotten it myself! However, the world is accustomed to calling me—the Celestial Secret Elder!”

”The Celestial Secret Elder?”

Jiang Chen trembled, a look of utter disbelief on his face.

He knew exactly what those four words represented!

The Celestial Secret Pavilion, the Celestial Secret Elder!

The Emperor Realm ancestor who made the most public appearances on the Eastern Continent!

The Celestial Secret Pavilion he founded was incredibly famous across the Eastern Continent!

Jiang Chen shook his head with a wry smile. ”I should have guessed Senior’s identity long ago.”

”Hahaha, what is an identity? It’s nothing more than a title. For Martial Artists like us, what truly matters is strength. Without sufficient strength, what use is even the greatest reputation?” the Celestial Secret Elder said with a hearty laugh.

Jiang Chen nodded, his gaze sharp as he looked at him. ”Senior, have you come this time for the promise you asked of this junior back in the Celestial Demon Canyon?”

”Let’s not speak of the promise for now. The time is not yet ripe.”

The Celestial Secret Elder, however, waved his hand, took a sip of tea, and continued, ”I have come this time to deliver an invitation.”

As he spoke, Jiang Chen discovered that a golden invitation had appeared on the table at some unknown point.

The invitation was crafted from black metal.

It was gilded on the surface, with three words written on it—Celestial Secret Banquet!

”Celestial Secret Banquet?”

Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow, opened the invitation, and scanned it. ”Respectfully inviting Jiang Chen, Sect Master of the Heaven-Soaring Saint Sect, to attend a banquet at Celestial Secret Mountain on the third day of the third month... Senior, forgive this junior’s ignorance, but what is this Celestial Secret Banquet?”

’Although the Celestial Secret Elder has helped me before, one can never be too careful.’

That was why Jiang Chen was being so cautious.

The Celestial Secret Elder seemed to have anticipated Jiang Chen’s question and explained, ”Little friend, you should be aware that the Eastern Continent is on the verge of turmoil, yes?”

Jiang Chen nodded.

”And I imagine you have some understanding of the source of this turmoil.”

When Jiang Chen replied with the two words ”Mystic Sect,” he continued, ”Just as you said, little friend, the source of this turmoil is indeed the Mystic Sect. This Overlord that ruled the Eastern Continent hundreds of thousands of years ago will re-emerge after many years of decline. When that time comes, those slumbering old fossils will awaken one by one, and the Eastern Continent will likely be plunged into great chaos. To prevent a catastrophe and save the people from suffering, I am hosting the Celestial Secret Banquet at Celestial Secret Mountain to invite the heroes of the realm. I have already visited the Fire Emperor and the Ice Emperor, and they have both agreed to attend.”

’No wonder those two old geezers haven’t come looking for trouble with me.’

’So it was the Celestial Secret Elder who stepped in!’

A thought flickered in Jiang Chen’s mind, and he immediately tried to decline. ”Senior, you must be joking. My qualifications are still shallow; I’m afraid I’m not worthy of attending this Celestial Secret Banquet.”

The Celestial Secret Elder said, ”Little friend, there’s no need to be so modest!”

He stroked his white beard and continued, ”Little friend, have you forgotten what my Celestial Secret Pavilion does? In recent days, the name I’ve heard most often is yours. Slaying Black Yama, slaughtering the Black Demon Army, challenging the Six Mountains Dynasty, killing a million corrupt nobles, destroying the Six Mountains Imperial City in a single blow, and slaying the Six Mountains Sword Venerable. Which of these isn’t a major event that has shaken the Eastern Continent? If you aren’t qualified, then who is?”

Jiang Chen raised his eyebrows.

’I didn’t expect the Celestial Secret Elder to be so well-informed about my achievements.’

He gave a wry laugh and still tried to decline, ”It’s just that this junior is truly too busy...”

The Celestial Secret Elder said, ”Little friend, this gathering is, one, to invite the heroes of the realm to discuss the re-emergence of the Mystic Sect. We hope to come up with a proper plan to spare the innocent people of the Eastern Continent from disaster. And two, it is also my Celestial Secret Pavilion’s once-every-fifty-years treasure appraisal convention. Many treasures will be auctioned off. If you have any treasures, you can also bring them for auction. Are you sure you don’t want to go?”

”Treasures?”

Jiang Chen’s hand, which had been toying with his cup, paused. He narrowed his eyes in thought. ’The Spirit Crystals I earned before are all gone, and the Heaven-Soaring Saint Sect needs a huge amount of resources for its development. If I take some pills and those discarded Profound Weapons from the Celestial Demon Ancient Castle to sell, I should be able to exchange them for a lot of resources!’

The Celestial Secret Elder did not rush him, but waited quietly.

A moment later...

Jiang Chen smiled. ”Senior, rest assured. This junior will definitely attend on time!”

”Excellent!”

The Celestial Secret Elder gave a gentle smile and took out a Token, handing it to Jiang Chen. ”This is my Celestial Secret Pavilion’s highest-level Celestial Venerable Level VIP Token. In the future, you can use this Token to contact me at the Celestial Secret Pavilion. Little friend, I still have other places to be, so I will take my leave. I will await you at Celestial Secret Mountain on the third day of the third month!”

”Take care, Senior!”

Watching the Celestial Secret Elder’s thin figure slowly walk out of the courtyard, a playful look appeared in Jiang Chen’s eyes...

”The Celestial Secret Banquet... should be quite interesting.”