Limitless Ascension: Strength Amid Adversity – Chapter 599

In the land of Qingqiu, hidden away from the chaos, lived all the beings of the Celestial Fox Tribe.

Under normal circumstances, members of the Celestial Fox Tribe wouldn’t step outside. Even noble scions needed approval from the upper echelons of Qingqiu Nation to venture out; anyone who acts on their own would either never return or face severe punishment upon their return!

So, to the vast immortals of the Celestial Realm, the Celestial Fox Tribe seemed quite mysterious, rarely spotted outside their territory.

After passing through a dense primeval jungle, Ye Junlin and his group arrived at what looked like the entrance to Qingqiu Nation.

In front of them stood a tall, ancient arch, flanked by two fox stone statues. The foxes had half-squinted eyes, and combined with the eerily quiet forest, it gave off a strange vibe.

Rumor had it that in the land of Qingqiu lay a unified nation known as Qingqiu Nation, but all he saw now was this archway, beyond which stretched a desolate mountain wilderness.

“Wait a minute, according to the map, Qingqiu Nation should be right here. Why isn’t there a single fox hair around?!”

“Did those foxes move?”

Canglang Jun looked puzzled, unleashing his divine sense for a frantic sweep, discovering that as far as the eye could see, there were only rugged mountains, not a Celestial Fox in sight.

This left him utterly baffled, questioning the authenticity of the map in his hand.

Meanwhile, Ye Junlin stood before the arch, examining it closely.

After a moment, a glimmer of insight flashed in his eyes.

“I see now.”

With his keen eye as a Formation Master, he recognized it as a spatial barrier.

The archway was a passage leading to the true Qingqiu Nation.

The catch? It had to be activated, or stepping through would only drop you into a vast, empty wilderness.

One had to admit, the techniques of that Qingqiu Empress were impressive!

Understanding the intricacies, Ye Junlin made a hand gesture and pointed forward. Suddenly, a resonating hum echoed as a fantastical passage appeared within the arch, resembling a gateway through time and space.

At the same time, the fox stone statues on either side began to tremble violently, their half-closed eyes suddenly wide open, glowing with a blood-red light.

They almost looked alive, leaning forward menacingly as multiple fox tails rose high, radiating an Immortal King-level energy wave, coldly stating:

“Human Race, you can’t barge into Qingqiu Nation uninvited; the consequences will be yours to bear!”

Their tone dripped with heavy warnings.

These two Celestial Fox guards were not their true forms but rather something akin to puppets, activated for remote manipulation.

Ye Junlin replied, “Heh, it’s your nation’s ruler who personally invited me.”

As he spoke, an imperial aura radiated outward.

The two Celestial Fox guards immediately froze, losing their earlier hostility, bowing their heads and saying, “Oh, it’s Immortal Emperor! Please state your name so we can announce your arrival.”

If it’s an Immortal Emperor, that’s a whole different ballgame!

Moreover, since it involved the current ruler, they were even more compelled to verify what was said.

“North Cold Immortal Lord, Ye Junlin.”

Ye Junlin stated.

“Y-Ye Immortal Lord?”

The two Celestial Fox guards’ expressions changed. This was a big deal—the recent sensation of the Celestial Realm!

Nothing compared to the usual Immortal Emperors who came for visits!

“Please wait!”

Moments later, the two Celestial Fox guards spoke respectfully, “Ye Immortal Lord, the ruler has summoned you. We apologize for the delay!”

“Let’s go.”

Ye Junlin remained unfazed, stepping into the passage.

“Quick, follow closely,” urged Canglang Jun, pulling along the Great Mushroom King.

As the passage closed, the arch returned to its ordinary appearance, and the stone statues fell silent, unmoving.

On the other side, Ye Junlin and his companions officially entered Qingqiu Nation.

What greeted their eyes were the vibrant and vast mountains, the snowy-white clouds billowing, and celestial springs gushing forth, creating a picturesque scene of green hills and clear waters.

A large group of male Celestial Fox Tribe members had been waiting there, clad in exquisite armor, all handsome, standing tall and proud with an air of nobility and a hint of iron-blooded might.

Clearly, this was the military from Qingqiu Nation.

“I’m Su Meng, the Grand Marshal of Qingqiu. I pay my respects to Ye Immortal Lord!”

The leader was a tall male Celestial Fox, his face marred by a fierce scar—not the friendliest fellow—but at this moment, he respectfully cupped his fist and bowed to Ye Junlin.

Ye Junlin’s eyes flickered, “Oh? So, Su Immortal Lord had already made arrangements.”

He was somewhat surprised to find that Su Meng’s cultivation level was at the third layer of Immortal Emperor, enough to show the strength of Qingqiu Nation.

“Naturally, our ruler has been expecting you for some time,” Su Meng replied respectfully.

“Then, let’s proceed.”

“Right this way!”

Soon, Ye Junlin and his group got into a luxurious royal carriage, and to their astonishment, it was being pulled by a dragon and a phoenix.

With a dragon and phoenix leading the way, it was impressively grandiose!

Even the Han Family Young Master’s ride would be crushed to dust in comparison!

Perhaps seeing Ye Junlin’s surprise, Su Meng beside him chuckled,

“This dragon and phoenix are criminals from their respective tribes. After committing serious mistakes, our ruler learned of it and exchanged some immortal crystals for them. They will serve Qingqiu Nation for eternity.”

Ye Junlin raised an eyebrow.

He didn’t believe that mere money could procure a dragon and a phoenix since those two tribes held a very high status. How could they be willing to have their kin pull a cart for another creature?

Even if they committed serious errors, they would still have to consider their tribe’s face—better to kill them off than to allow any loss of dignity!

But that Qingqiu Empress managed to do it; just with a batch of immortal crystals, she secured the service of these two illustrious creatures.

Buying with money was one thing, but gaining face was another!

In other words, even formidable beings like the Dragon and Phoenix tribes dared not offend this Qingqiu Empress and had to comply with the terms of the transaction.

With this in mind, Ye Junlin gained a more direct understanding of the Qingqiu Empress’s imposing status.

Whoosh!

The dragon and phoenix pulled the royal carriage as it soared through the sky, trailing a brilliant rainbow and showering countless star-like lights.

Su Meng led the military escorting them, looking extremely impressive and imposing.

As they continued deeper into Qingqiu Nation, Ye Junlin marveled at the country’s prosperity.

The streets were broad and interconnected, shops lined up, and shouts of merchants filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere.

The males of the Celestial Fox Tribe all had stunning looks; there was hardly a single unattractive face among them, with features impeccably handsome. The females were slender and delicate-skinned, often possessing charming appearances, fitting the widely spoken stereotype of a fox spirit.

Wherever the dragon and phoenix carriage went, it created commotion.

Countless celestial fox men and women gasped in awe, their eyes wide with astonishment at the silver-haired figure leading in the carriage.

“This—this is said to be the highest-standard reception carriage of Qingqiu Nation! It’s only used for the most esteemed guests!”

“My word, this is the first time I’ve ever seen it! Just who is that human being in the carriage to warrant such grand treatment from the ruler?”

“Even the Immortal Emperors who have visited Qingqiu Nation before never enjoyed this level of honor!”

Whispers erupted everywhere, creating a buzz.

In the past, whenever an Immortal Emperor visited Qingqiu Nation, Su Meng would head the reception, but they had never used the dragon and phoenix carriage. This was the first time in many years.

“Sorry to have made the Ye Immortal Lord witness this,” Su Meng said sheepishly.

Ye Junlin replied, “No trouble at all.”

Hearing the chatter, a spark of curiosity flickered in his eyes.

Clearly, that Qingqiu Empress held him in high regard and meant no ill will.

But the real situation would only be revealed when they met face to face.

Soon, the dragon and phoenix carriage drove straight into the Imperial Capital of Qingqiu Nation.

The scale of the Imperial Capital was immensely grand, like a completely different world from the outside.

As far as the eye could see, between the towering mountains stood palaces and towers, arranged in neat order, with clouds wafting and celestial energy soaring, showing off a magnificent and noble architecture.

“Look!”

Many noble scions gazed up in shock.

The bigwigs of the Imperial Capital were stirred, watching the dragon and phoenix carriage slicing through the sky, moving majestically toward the palace under the military’s protection.

“Does anyone know who the ruler is meeting this time?”

“I have insider information that it’s the current North Cold Immortal Lord!”

“What? It’s the famed Ye Tian Emperor! Now, all of this makes sense!”

Within moments, the higher-ups of Qingqiu Nation were in a tizzy, astounded by Ye Junlin’s arrival.

Amid countless respectful gazes, the dragon and phoenix carriage came to a halt atop a mountain peak.

This was Emperor Girl Peak, the residence of the Qingqiu Empress.

“Ye Immortal Lord, the ruler is waiting inside. We’ll take our leave now.”

With that, Su Meng and the military quickly departed, leaving Ye Junlin and his companions at Emperor Girl Peak.

Emperor Girl Peak was adorned with vast seas of flowers vying for attention, ancient trees towering high, and lush green leaves.

Ye Junlin slightly squinted; he found that his Immortal Emperor-level divine sense failed to fully cover Emperor Girl Peak, as a certain otherworldly power seemed to be blocking his probing, making it difficult to penetrate.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the sign-in. Reward: Eye of Void Breaking!] At this moment, a system notification echoed in his mind.

Ye Junlin remained unfazed, still focused on the surroundings.

“Senior Ye, is that Qingqiu Empress just leaving us here hanging?”

Canglang Jun expressed his dissatisfaction.

Suddenly, a small familiar figure emerged from the forest.

With fluffy white mouse ears, shoulder-length silver hair, sparkling clear gem-like large eyes, and dressed in a cute pink short skirt, her adorable, youthful face beamed as she waved at Ye Junlin and the others, saying,

“Master, Shushu is here!”