On this day, everything proceeded as usual, but the city became increasingly lively. The time for the major sects to select disciples from Cloud Province was drawing near. Countless individuals were now eagerly anticipating the day when the major sects would come to pick disciples, preparing to showcase their skills on that momentous day.
For the vast majority of young martial artists, the prospect of joining a sect, especially a prestigious one, was a significant event in their martial journey. Entering a sect was akin to a fish leaping over the Dragon Gate, especially for those martial artists who were no longer young. For them, this year might be their last chance, as the major sects might not recruit disciples beyond a certain age in the next round.
In Donglin City, the weather was pleasant, but suddenly, a mass of dark clouds pressed in from the east. People looked up, bewildered.
"What is that?"
"It seems to be a turtle, but it's too enormous, and it can fly!"
"I've never seen such a gigantic turtle! It's almost half the size of our Donglin City!"
"Look at the back of that turtle; it seems to have a palace!"
"What do you mean 'seems to have a palace'? It clearly has a palace."
In the sky above Donglin City at this moment, a colossal divine turtle was rapidly flying towards the city. Its immense body cast a terrifying shadow, completely blocking out the sunlight.
And on the back of this divine turtle was a resplendent palace, extravagantly adorned. Radiant clouds and colors occasionally flowed out from various parts of the palace.
The spectacle was dazzling and spectacular. Occasionally, celestial maidens would fly out from the resplendent palace, gracefully navigating through its halls.
The giant turtle, the divine palace, and the celestial maidens traversing between them created the illusion of a heavenly palace, leaving the citizens of Donglin City deeply shaken. Many of them were now kneeling on the ground, continuously bowing towards the direction of the divine turtle, uttering prayers.
Such a miraculous scene was unprecedented, not only in Donglin City but perhaps even in the entire Cloud Province and Western Qin. The massive divine turtle, the majestic palace—this awe-inspiring sight bathed the entire Donglin City in an atmosphere of reverence.
The number of people prostrating on the ground increased, and the crowds gathering on the streets grew larger. At this moment, almost all the citizens of Donglin City had left their homes, gazing up at the miraculous sight of the divine turtle bearing a palace.
In the courtyard where Luli resided, he, too, was watching the enormous divine turtle. Without witnessing it with his own eyes, he might not have believed such a spectacle.
It was unclear which formidable force possessed such grandeur. Luli wondered about the cultivation level of the turtle; it must be an extraordinary beast to exhibit such grandeur.
Who were the inhabitants of the palace on the turtle's back? As Luli looked, the palace was already enveloped in auspicious clouds, resembling a true celestial abode. Perhaps it was indeed a genuine heavenly palace.
"Young Master, such a giant turtle!"
Little Qing exclaimed, her mouth wide open, capable of swallowing a duck egg. Evidently, she was truly astonished by the colossal size of the turtle.
"Are you thinking of tasting turtle meat again?"
"This one is so big; one barbecue grill won't be enough!"
Luli almost stumbled, giving Little Qing a stern look. He was genuinely amazed by this glutton. However, judging by Little Qing's eyes, she seemed genuinely interested in trying the turtle meat.
"Young Master, how many years do you think this turtle can live?"
This girl was already salivating, and Luli pinched her cheek, urging her to come to her senses. After all, this divine turtle wasn't meant for consumption.
Meanwhile, Xiao Zhao, standing nearby, had a calm gaze. She was indifferent to the spectacle, as if such extraordinary scenes were commonplace for her.
"Young Master, I also want such a divine turtle in the future!"
As soon as she spoke, this girl revealed a more resolute determination than anyone else.
As several people gazed at the sky, the divine turtle remained suspended over Donglin City, its purpose unknown.
Suddenly, a woman flew out from the palace on the turtle's back. Dressed in palace attire, she appeared like a celestial maiden, or perhaps, she was genuinely one.
The woman flew out of the grand palace, and a clear and resonant voice echoed throughout Donglin City.
"All females aged fifteen and above but under twenty, assemble outside the Lord's Mansion at the city center!"
With simplicity and directness, this sentence echoed across Donglin City like the rolling sound of heaven, penetrating into the ears of every individual, powerful and beyond disobedience.
Luli suddenly looked at the giant turtle, a sense of unease filling his heart. Could this divine turtle be here for Xiao Zhao?
Thinking about the "Luo" character on Xiao Zhao's body, Luli felt even more uneasy. If the other party was here for Xiao Zhao, there were only two possibilities: either her relatives sought her, or those seeking revenge for Xiao Zhao and her father's actions had come to eradicate them.
The more Luli pondered, the more he felt that their target was Xiao Zhao. She was seventeen this year, the same age as Luli, falling within the specified age range mentioned by the celestial maiden.
At this moment, Xiao Qing, Little Qing, and Xiao Zhao all turned their gazes towards Luli, as if silently asking whether they should go to the Lord's Mansion.
Whether to go or not was not a decision they could make; the imposing manner displayed by the other party, along with the strength revealed, made Luli realize that the opponent was aware of the age range of the city's females with just a sweep of their consciousness. Clearly, they were no ordinary cultivators.
Luli gazed at the celestial maiden in the sky, who, in turn, glanced at him. Even at this distance, Luli could feel a pressure from her eyes, cold and proud.
Such a powerful aura indicated formidable cultivation, likely at least in the realm of the Law Embodiment. Luli couldn't help but speak, maintaining his composure.
"May I ask who you are, and why do you need these young ladies to gather outside the Lord's Mansion?"
The celestial maiden, seemingly caught off guard by someone daring to speak at this moment, replied with a cold tone.
"You just need to do as I say, no need for further inquiry!"
The woman's voice had turned cold, and Luli felt pressure closing in from all directions. This pressure seemed capable of crushing a person to pieces.