"Pfft…"
On a tattered, yellow-brown beast hide flying rapidly through the sky, Yu Chengbo suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood. His once-imposing aura collapsed like a deflated balloon.
Mao Wuwei and the others were startled and hurriedly supported him, channeling spiritual energy into his body while anxiously asking,
"Senior Brother Yu, what happened?!"
Yu Chengbo's pale face was filled with disbelief. After a moment, he gritted his teeth and growled,
"Someone destroyed my Net of Heaven's Restraint… Who was it?!"
"What?!"
Mao Wuwei's expression changed drastically.
The Net of Heaven's Restraint was destroyed?
"That's impossible! It's a top-grade spirit artifact! Could a Purple Mansion cultivator have intervened?"
That was their first thought; only a Purple Mansion realm expert would have the power to destroy such a treasure.
But almost immediately, a new question emerged:
Where would such a cultivator have come from?
The Song Clan certainly didn't have a Purple Mansion cultivator, or they wouldn't have been suppressed for all these years.
So, who helped Song Changsheng?
Yu Chengbo fell into deep thought, but the truth would forever elude him because there had been no Purple Mansion cultivator involved at all.
Everything had been done by Song Changsheng alone.
"Senior Brother, with the Net of Heaven's Restraint destroyed, Liu Yunfeng and the others are likely… already gone. Should we still pursue him?"
Mao Wuwei's voice was uncertain.
Yu Chengbo understood the hesitation.
They were in a precarious position; the unknown power behind the Net of Heaven's Restraint's destruction hung over them like a sword, making both retreat and advance equally dangerous.
If they continued chasing, they might end up like Liu Yunfeng.
But if they backed off, Yu Chengbo would feel unwilling. The sect had planned this operation so thoroughly and paid such a heavy price; how could he face the Sect Master with nothing to show for it?
After a long silence, he clenched his fists and forced out a few words through gritted teeth:
"Investigate. Find out who did this!"
That was a tacit decision not to continue the chase.
Mao Wuwei and He Beishui exchanged glances and fell silent.
After Yu Chengbo had recovered a bit, they changed course and made their way to Luoxia City at top speed.
No matter what had happened, they still had to attend the City Lord's birthday banquet.
....
Meanwhile, Song Changsheng had no idea that Yu Chengbo and the others had misunderstood what happened.
After quickly cleaning up the battlefield, he wasted no time and resumed his journey to Luoxia City.
At that point, he was less than two days' travel away. Coincidentally, the City Lord's birthday banquet was scheduled to begin the day after tomorrow.
He had to arrive before then.
Which meant: no delays allowed.
But Song Changsheng wasn't worried.
There had been quite a few witnesses during his fight with Liu Yunfeng and the others, not just spies from the Lieyang Sect, but also unaffiliated rogue cultivators drawn by the bounty.
Though they had watched from afar, the apocalyptic thunderstorm had scared them senseless.
That kind of power… wasn't something a Foundation Establishment cultivator should possess.
In this world, news spreads faster than expected.
Within a single day, Song Changsheng's name once again swept across Bianzhou.
The Lieyang Sect's bounty had been the first time many cultivators had heard of him turning his head into a highly coveted prize.
But now, with the deaths of multiple Foundation Establishment cultivators, he gained a different kind of fame, a fearsome, deadly reputation.
The bounty from the Lieyang Sect had effectively become worthless; no one dared to covet his head anymore.
Sometimes, being high-profile isn't a bad thing.
At the very least, no one would come pestering Song Changsheng for that reward again...
...
At Tianyin Mountain, Zhuang Yuechan was pacing anxiously in her room, clearly restless.
The elegant man seated at the head of the room couldn't take it anymore.
Shaking his head, he sighed,
"Yuechan, if you keep this up, your pacing is going to make me dizzy."
Zhuang Yuechan wanted to sit calmly, but she simply couldn't.
Ever since the Lieyang Sect had put a bounty on Song Changsheng, her heart had been in turmoil.
"Master," she asked worriedly, "do you think Song Changsheng can survive this?"
Mu Guibai looked at his youngest disciple and let out a long sigh.
"I know you and that boy have a connection.
But Luoxia City has its own rules and responsibilities. The Lieyang Sect isn't a big deal, but we can't get involved in their conflict.
At least… not publicly."
Seeing her worry, he added,
"Don't fret. I've already sent Old Xu to look for him.
If he finds the boy, he'll help from the shadows.
After all, this all began because of us."
Mu Guibai himself hadn't expected things to spiral this far.
He had acquired the Azure Sky White Jade Pill to make amends for past mistakes committed by Zhan Tianxia and himself.
But Zhan Tianxia had acted on his own, causing the situation to spiral out of control.
"If he had just passed the pill to Song Changsheng quietly," Mu Guibai thought,
"None of this would've happened."
So no matter what, he couldn't just stand by.
The moment he learned the Lieyang Sect had put out a bounty, he had dispatched his most trusted shadow guard to find Song Changsheng's whereabouts.
Hearing this, Zhuang Yuechan finally felt a slight weight lifted from her heart.
Only those closest to Mu Guibai knew of the existence of the Shadow Guards. They were few, but each was at least a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. Hidden in the darkness, they were one of Luoxia City's most secret and powerful assets.
Up until now, the Shadow Guards had never failed.
Suddenly, Mu Guibai turned his gaze toward the door and said calmly,
"He's back."
The next moment, a cloud of black mist drifted into the room, gradually forming the figure of a man completely cloaked in a black robe.
Kneeling respectfully before Mu Guibai, he spoke in a raspy voice,
"City Lord."
Mu Guibai raised his hand, signaling for him to rise.
"Old Xu, did you find Song Changsheng?"
For some reason, Zhuang Yuechan felt her heart tighten in anticipation.
"Reporting to the City Lord: I followed the trail using the information released by the Lieyang Sect. When I found Young Patriarch Song, he was engaged in a fierce battle with Qian Ming, Liu Yunfeng, and others."
"Did you intervene?"
Mu Guibai's tone lightened upon hearing that Old Xu had found Song Changsheng. He knew how powerful Old Xu was; even against two peak Foundation Establishment cultivators, he could have ensured Song Changsheng's safety.
But Old Xu paused briefly before replying,
"I did not."
Mu Guibai furrowed his brows slightly.
"Why not? Explain everything."
Old Xu then recounted in full detail how Song Changsheng used a lightning formation to wipe out Liu Yunfeng and the rest.
After hearing the story, Zhuang Yuechan covered her mouth in astonishment, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief.
Even Mu Guibai couldn't help but chuckle in surprise,
"That boy… went to such lengths just to deal with a few late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators? Where is he now?"
"He's on his way to the city. He'll arrive by tomorrow."
"No tails?"
A hint of coldness flashed in Mu Guibai's eyes.
"None. The Lieyang Sect seems to have given up the chase," Old Xu replied respectfully.
Mu Guibai nodded in satisfaction.
"Good work. Go rest."
As soon as he finished speaking, Old Xu dissipated into a cloud of black smoke.
"Well? Feel better now?"
Mu Guibai picked up his tea and smiled.
"That kid's a lot more clever than you give him credit for."
Zhuang Yuechan finally felt fully at ease. She gave Mu Guibai a graceful bow and said sweetly,
"Master, it's getting late. I'll go check on how Senior Brothers are arranging the preparations."
With that, she quickly slipped out, almost as if fleeing the scene.
Watching her leave, Mu Guibai sighed inwardly and murmured,
"Some mistakes only need to be made once. It's best not to meddle too much in the affairs of the young."
.....
At the same time, Niu Dazhuang sneaked into a palace hall and respectfully saluted.
"Master, your disciple has returned."
With his back turned, Zhan Tianxia asked calmly,
"Is that brat dead yet?"
Niu Dazhuang let out a wry smile.
"If he were dead, would I dare come back and face you?"
"Hmm?"
Zhan Tianxia slowly turned around, and his cold gaze made Niu Dazhuang's heart skip a beat.
Every time his master looked at him like that, it meant a beating was coming.
Luckily, after just a glance, Zhan Tianxia looked away.
The master and disciple stood there in awkward silence.
After a long moment, Niu Dazhuang finally gritted his teeth and asked,
"Master, if you deliberately spread news of the Azure Sky White Jade Pill, why did you then order me to protect that kid?"
This was what confused him the most. Everything that had happened to Song Changsheng recently had been orchestrated by Zhan Tianxia.
At first, Niu Dazhuang thought it was a classic setup using others to get rid of him.
But once Song Changsheng left the city, Zhan Tianxia had given Niu Dazhuang a new order: follow and protect him in secret.
It made no sense.
If he hadn't intended to harm him in the first place, why not just give him the pill directly?
He'd wrestled with the question the entire journey, but couldn't find an answer.
So now, he finally summoned the courage to ask, even bracing himself for a beating.
But to his surprise, Zhan Tianxia fell silent.
After a long pause, he said calmly,
"I don't harbor ill will toward him. He's like his father, talented and driven. But his path has been… too smooth.
I created some obstacles to help him grow stronger, to push him further.
Back then, my arrogance led to too many regrets.
So… this is my way of making up for some of it."
Niu Dazhuang was stunned; he hadn't expected Zhan Tianxia to say such things.
"But regarding the past, in terms of reason and justice, you didn't do anything wrong. If it weren't for Song Xianming's interference, you and Senior Uncle"
"Silence!" Zhan Tianxia suddenly cut him off sharply.
"Mistakes are mistakes. No matter how many excuses you make, they can't cover that up. You may leave now."
Niu Dazhuang suddenly felt like the person in front of him was a stranger. He said nothing more, respectfully cupped his fists, and slowly withdrew, leaving Zhan Tianxia alone in the empty hall...
The next morning, the whole of Luoxia City became lively. More than half of the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Great Qi cultivation world gathered beneath Tianyin Mountain.
Today was the 400th birthday of the great City Lord, Mu Guibai, and everyone was allowed to climb the mountain to offer their congratulations, which created such a spectacular scene.
Since there were no invitations, they had to take seats halfway up the mountain, but even so, cultivators flocked here eagerly, because after the banquet, the City Lord would personally play the zither and deliver sermons for three days, an opportunity few would want to miss.
The foot of the mountain buzzed with excitement, and the summit was no different.
In the spacious main hall, tables were arranged according to the status of the visiting forces and wandering cultivators. Servants dressed in colorful clothes hurriedly carried plates of delicacies, instantly filling the air with a fragrant aroma.
Rare spirit wine and spirit fruits were brought out as well, just one place outside could spark fierce competition among Foundation Establishment cultivators.
As noon approached, more guests arrived with gifts for the banquet.
Qian Duoyu stood smiling at the entrance, warmly greeting each arrival:
"Elder Dai from the Golden Crow Sect, along with his disciples, comes to congratulate the City Lord, presenting a lower-grade magic treasure, ten third-grade spirit pills, and a third-grade spirit robe."
The first to arrive was Dai Zichen, whose gifts were nothing short of generous. Mu Guibai's eldest disciple, Yin Shang, immediately went forward with a respectful cupped fist gesture:
"Elder Dai's presence brings great honor to Luoxia City. Please, be seated."
"Hahaha, of course, our Golden Crow Sect attaches great importance to the City Lord's birthday banquet. Our Sect's Grand Elder intended to attend personally, but unfortunately, he could not spare the time," Dai Zichen chuckled, then naturally took the seat of honor on the left side.
No sooner had he sat than Qian Duoyu's voice rang out again:
"Elder Bai of the Heavenly Vein Sect, with his disciples, comes to congratulate the City Lord, presenting one low-grade fourth-tier spirit pill, twenty third-grade spirit materials, and two third-grade supreme talismans."
Elder Bai, with his disciples, entered without even exchanging pleasantries with Yin Shang, sneering coldly as he looked at Dai Zichen, who sat in the seat of honor:
"Daoist Dai, quite speedy, aren't you?"
Dai Zichen's expression remained calm:
"Daoist Bai is no slower, please be seated."
He was referring to the seat opposite him, the right side's place of honor. But in the Great Qi cultivation world, the left side held a higher status. This was his subtle way of asserting dominance over the Heavenly Vein Sect.
Yin Shang felt a headache coming on from their silent rivalry.
Fortunately, both hadn't forgotten the occasion. Though reluctant, Elder Bai sat down, but the hostile gaze he cast at Dai Zichen made the atmosphere tense.
Seeing this, Yin Shang finally breathed a sigh of relief and began attending to the later arrivals. Gradually, most guests had arrived, and the hall grew lively.
At this moment, some observant people noticed that two seats remained empty. When asked, the servants revealed that one belonged to the Lieyang Sect and the other to the Wangyue Song Clan.
Recalling recent events, and with neither party present, many began to speculate wildly.
"Better if he dies on the road," said Hai Dongping, staring at Song Changsheng's empty seat with a trace of hatred.
After their encounter, he had tried repeatedly to meet with Zhuang Yuechan but was repeatedly turned away, treated very differently from Song Changsheng. This enraged him deeply, and when the Lieyang Sect issued the bounty for Song Changsheng's head, he prayed every day for Song Changsheng to be torn to pieces.
But unfortunately, dreams remained just dreams.
"Wangyue Song Clan's Young Clan Leader Song Changsheng has arrived to pay respects, presenting a third-grade low-tier beast core as a gift."
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