Nong Qing and the other two quickly returned to the ground, for they discovered that He Lianrong, who was surrounded by the Golden Crow Fire, had a dense array of peach wood swords appear behind him. This was the Heavenly Dao Sect's most powerful secret technique, the Heavenly Dao Boundless Sword.
The three of them were already exhausted, their internal energy depleted. Staying there would not help and would only be a burden. Thus, they quickly retreated, leaving the battlefield to the Golden Crow Fairy.
The Heavenly Dao has three fundamental elements: time, space, and quantity. These three elements, operating according to a certain pattern, are called the Heavenly Dao. "Boundless" means without end, without limit. The Heavenly Dao Boundless Sword was created by the Heavenly Dao Sect's founding ancestor, who had ascended, after he comprehended the Heavenly Dao. It is divided into three realms. The first realm is called Infinite. Upon reaching mastery, a practitioner can transform one sword into myriad swords, an endless stream. The second realm is called Traverse, allowing practitioners to freely travel through the three thousand great worlds. The final realm is called Reverse, capable of reversing time. Past, present, and future are at its command. However, the latter two realms were not fully understood even by the Heavenly Dao Sect's ancestor. In a thousand years, only two individuals from the Heavenly Dao Sect had cultivated the first realm of the Heavenly Dao Boundless Sword to perfection. One was the deceased Qing Lan, and the other was He Lianrong.
Trapped by the Golden Crow Fairy, He Lianrong realized his internal energy had been significantly depleted. If he continued to fight, he would surely exhaust himself completely. At that point, not only the Golden Crow Fairy, but even a mere disciple of the Golden Crow Palace could defeat and capture him. Therefore, he decided to give his all in a desperate struggle, aiming to win with the most powerful Heavenly Dao Boundless Sword.
With this thought, he twirled the peach wood sword in a flourish behind his back. He raised his left hand to his chest, bending his middle and ring fingers inward. His thumb pressed down on the tips of his middle and ring fingers, forming the orthodox Daoist mudra. The peach wood swords behind him instantly unfurled like a peacock's tail, transforming from one into nine. Then, these nine identical peach wood swords evolved again, until they became infinite. Countless peach wood swords appeared within the Golden Crow Fire circle. He Lianrong withdrew his sword-wielding right hand from behind him. With a wave of the peach wood sword in his hand, the phantom swords seemed to receive the command to charge. They directly broke through the Golden Crow Fire and flew towards the Golden Crow Fairy.
The scene was so awe-inspiring, it was like a massive army besieging a lone city. The Golden Crow Fairy, meanwhile, was like a small boat adrift on a stormy sea, tossed about and on the verge of capsizing. Everyone's faces were etched with anxiety, their hearts pounding for the Golden Crow Fairy. Even Ming Yue, standing on the rooftop, stood up. Though she had no particular affection for the Golden Crow Fairy, she was her patron. If anything were to happen to her, her own heavenly life would surely vanish.
However, their worries were entirely unnecessary. The Golden Crow Fairy, facing the myriad peach wood swords flying towards her, remained unfazed. She stood there, a slight smile playing on her lips. As the boundless sword rain approached, she suddenly swept her sleeve. Her body abruptly transformed into a colossal Golden Crow. With a flap of its wings, the Golden Crow Fire on its body erupted, scattering the peach wood swords. Unlike the earlier flames, this was the innate Golden Crow True Fire of her true form, capable of incinerating all things. The peach wood swords, conjured by the Heavenly Dao Boundless Sword, naturally could not withstand it.
Seeing the Golden Crow Fairy's true form appear and effortlessly shatter her Heavenly Dao Boundless Sword with a flap of her wings, He Lianrong was greatly alarmed. He felt a desire to retreat, for his current energy was depleted, and he could not unleash the Boundless Sword again. He disregarded the injured Qing Long Envoy and others on the ground and, with a flash, attempted to flee. But he had only traveled a dozen yards when the Golden Crow's cry echoed, and a force that covered the heavens and earth struck him. It was the Golden Crow Fairy in pursuit, her enormous wings sweeping him through the air like a tumble. He then landed on the plaza, face-first.
He Lianrong, no longer concerned with his dignity, struggled to get up and tried to escape again. Just then, a fiery net descended from the sky, enveloping him. He struggled desperately, but to no avail; he could not break free. The fire on the net, though it did not ignite his body nor feel scorching, had completely sealed his cultivation. He could not use any of his power, rendering him no better than an ordinary person.
"Since you've come, you're not leaving. The recognition ceremony is about to begin. I said today is a good day, and I don't wish to kill anyone. I want the entire Immortal Sect to witness my reunion with my sister. Of course, the Heavenly Dao Sect cannot be absent; otherwise, it wouldn't be complete. Guards, escort the Heavenly Dao Sect Master inside to observe the ceremony. After the ceremony concludes, this princess will settle accounts with him!"
The Golden Crow Fairy, now back in human form, commanded imperiously from the sky. The Golden Crow Palace disciples immediately obeyed. They roughly pushed the fire-net-wrapped He Lianrong into the Golden Crow Palace. The Qing Long Envoy and the other two could only follow behind. The Golden Crow Fairy's ferocity earlier had already intimidated them. Seeing He Lianrong treated this way, they dared not intervene, fearing they would anger the Golden Crow Fairy and cause her to kill their sect master on the spot. The three of them were already severely injured and incapable of fighting. They could only stay by He Lianrong's side, taking one step at a time and planning for the future.
"Esteemed Sect Masters and Elders, I apologize for the delay. Golden Crow here offers her apologies. Please return to your seats; the ceremony is about to begin." The Golden Crow Fairy, floating in the air, was now gentle and courteous, her demeanor vastly different from before. Everyone repeatedly said they dared not be offended and returned to the grand hall where the ceremony was to be held. It was a joke; she was merely being polite, who would dare to blame her? After the battle just witnessed, everyone had already placed the Golden Crow Fairy in the position of the foremost expert in the Moonflower Realm's immortal sects.
The Golden Crow Fairy did not enter the hall with everyone. Instead, she returned to the rooftop to retrieve Ming Yue and then proceeded to the rear hall. She intended to introduce Ming Yue to everyone according to the planned procedure. In the grand hall where the ceremony was to be held, everyone watched the entrance, silent. They were all suppressing laughter because the mischievous Golden Crow Palace disciples, resentful of He Lianrong for injuring their people, had not seated him in the main guest seats prepared for the five great sects after bringing him in. Instead, they had placed a small stool by the entrance for He Lianrong to sit on. He Lianrong's cultivation had been sealed by the Golden Crow Fairy, leaving him utterly powerless to resist. He was directly pushed onto the stool by the Golden Crow Palace disciples, his face turning ashen. The Qing Long Envoy and the other two tried to argue, but they were severely injured and were tied up by the Golden Crow Palace disciples, thrown behind He Lianrong.
Witnessing He Lianrong's treatment, the sect masters of the smaller sects felt that their own arrangements were quite good. Although they were seated at the back and not in the main guest seats, they had chairs and food and drink on their tables. Compared to the Heavenly Dao Sect Master, who was sitting by the door with only a small stool, they were much more comfortable.
"The auspicious hour has arrived! We invite the Golden Crow Palace Master, Golden Crow Fairy! We invite the Golden Crow Palace Grand Elder, Ming Yue Fairy!" With Xi Xi's clear, childish voice, the Golden Crow Fairy, hand in hand with Ming Yue, emerged from the rear hall. Both were wearing the Golden Crow Palace's signature attire: black robes with blood-red sashes. However, they also wore blood-red cloaks, distinguishing them from ordinary disciples.
"Grand Elder?" Ming Yue was a little bewildered by Xi Xi's address.
"Sister, do you like this gift?" The Golden Crow Fairy looked at the confused Ming Yue, a light smile on her lips.
"Is this the gift you mentioned?" Ming Yue muttered inwardly. Honestly, she didn't like it. Just as she was about to discuss with the Golden Crow Fairy whether the position of Grand Elder could be exchanged for cash, a voice came from the entrance of the grand hall.
"I object! She is not qualified to be the Grand Elder of the Golden Crow Palace!"