Langya City

Six days of travel became exceptionally calm under the protection of Langya Xuan.

The pressure of the Martial King level acted like an invisible barrier, causing those restless exotic beasts in the Qingming Mountain Range to lie dormant and stay hidden.

Mu Bai even saw a Black-striped Tiger King the size of an elephant tuck its tail and flee upon catching the scent from afar, its pathetic appearance a far cry from the ferocious exotic beasts of legend.

"We have arrived." Langya Xing lifted the carriage curtain, the morning sunlight spilling onto his slightly pale face.

Though he had taken the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Pill, the lingering injuries left by the Blood Spirit Martial King's strike had not yet fully healed.

Mu Bai followed his gaze, and his breathing hitched for a moment.

On the horizon, a towering city rose abruptly from the ground. The grandeur of its scale was several times more spectacular than even Yan Capital, the capital of the Great Yan Kingdom!

The hundred-zhang-high city walls were built entirely of bluish-gray giant stones, their surfaces covered with intricate runes that cast a faint spiritual glow in the morning sun.

Above the city gate, two archaic characters were written with the flying vigor of dragons and serpents. Each stroke seemed to contain a certain true intent of martial arts, and looking at them for too long actually caused one's eyes to sting.

"This... this entire city belongs to the Langya Family?" Mu Bai's voice was dry.

Langya Xing chuckled and casually straightened his lapels: "Aside from some branch families, indeed it does. However, the true Langya clansmen rarely live here—"

He paused. "Most of those here are household servants and those... with no future in martial arts."

Mu Bai keenly noticed the coldness that flashed in his eyes when he uttered those last few words.

Langya Xuan had already leapt down from the carriage at this moment, standing with his hands clasped behind his back by the roadside.

This Innate expert was dressed in immaculate white robes without a speck of dust, a seemingly ordinary long sword hanging at his waist. Yet, the entire man was like an unsheathed sharp sword—his edge restrained, but enough to make one dare not look directly at him.

"I shall take my leave here." His voice was as calm as water. "Since the old ghost Blood Spirit has already retreated, he should not dare to come again. Enter the city and rest on your own; someone will come to take you to the ancestral lands in three days."

With that, without waiting for a reply, Langya Xuan's figure flickered and vanished from the spot like a phantom, leaving behind only a few swirling, falling leaves.

"The Eleventh Elder is always like this." Langya Xing explained when he saw Mu Bai in a daze. "He is the clan's disciplinary elder, and being able to spare time to escort us this time is already quite rare."

The convoy continued forward, and when they were still about a li away from the city gate, Mu Bai heard a tumultuous sound of drums and music.

Banners fluttered at the city gate, and hundreds of people lined up to welcome them. At the very front were twelve elders clad in brocade robes, each followed by dozens of young disciples.

"That is..." Mu Bai just started to speak, but was interrupted by a cold snort from Langya Xing.

"A pack of sycophants." Langya Xing wore a look of mockery. "I've only been away from home for half a year, and these people are already losing no time coming to show their loyalty."

As the convoy reached the city gate, those twelve elders simultaneously bowed in salute: "Welcome Young Master Xing back to the city!" Their voices were neat and uniform, clearly having rehearsed for a long time.

Mu Bai secretly clicked his tongue in wonder.

Every single one of these elders possessed a deep and formidable aura, boasting at least the cultivation of the Houtian Limit. Placed in the Great Yan Kingdom, any of them would be an peerless expert of a generation, yet right now they were showing such deep reverence to the young Langya Xing.

What was even more surprising was that Langya Xing didn't even get out of the carriage, simply giving a faint hum in response.

Yet those twelve elders acted as if they had received a grand pardon, grinning broadly as they cleared the way. The young disciples behind them craned their necks even further, desperately trying to catch a clear glimpse of Langya Xing inside the carriage.

"Those are the patriarchs of the Twelve Branch Families." Langya Xing said in a low voice to Mu Bai, a hint of disdain in his tone. "My Langya Family has a total of thirty-six branch families, and these twelve are the spineless ones, knowing only how to curry favor all day long."

Upon entering the city, the sights became even more spectacular. The wide main street was packed with onlookers, many holding flowers or gifts in their hands, while young maidens tossed embroidered handkerchiefs and sachets toward the carriage.

On the upper floors of the buildings lining both sides of the street, dozens of martial artists dressed in uniform attire stood on the rooftops, continuously scattering colorful flower petals.

"This spectacle is even grander than an emperor going on tour..." Mu Bai muttered.

Hearing this, Langya Xing sneered: "What is secular imperial power? In the eyes of true martial arts great families, it is nothing more than a joke."

Just as they were speaking, a commotion suddenly arose ahead.

A squad of guards clad in golden armor parted the crowd, escorting a lavish palanquin as it slowly approached.

Seated on the palanquin was an elderly man in ornate robes, whose facial features bore a three-tenths resemblance to Langya Xing.

"The lord of Langya City, that good-for-nothing third uncle-grandfather of mine." Langya Xing curled his lip. "A good-for-nothing stuck at the Innate threshold for forty years, banished to manage the outer city."

The palanquin stopped in front of the carriage, and the lavishly robed elder tremblingly stood up and bowed: "Xing'er has returned? Was the journey smooth?"

Only then did Langya Xing disembark with extreme reluctance, offering a perfunctory cupped-fist salute: "Sorry to trouble Third Uncle-Grandfather for your concern." With that, he turned to get back into the carriage.

The elder, however, hurriedly blocked him: "Xing'er, wait! Third Uncle-Grandfather has specially prepared a welcome banquet, I ask that you..."

"No time." Langya Xing coldly interrupted. "I am taking my friend to rest at the Starlight Pavilion." Having spoken, he pulled Mu Bai along and walked away, leaving the elder standing awkwardly in place.

Passing through the bustling marketplace, the two arrived before a tower soaring into the clouds.

This tower was built entirely of a certain white jade, gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight, while a giant pearl atop the pavilion emitted a soft glow day and night without rest.

"This is my private estate." Langya Xing's tone finally softened somewhat. "During our stay in Langya City, we will live here."

Just as he stepped into the pavilion, Mu Bai was stunned by the luxury before him. The ground was paved with warm jade that nourished the meridians, ancient paintings imbued with sword intent hung on the walls, and even the teacups were carved from millennium-old cold jade—cool to the touch yet able to preserve the lingering aroma of the tea.

"These... are all vulgar objects." Seeing Mu Bai's surprise, Langya Xing waved his hand dismissively. "The true treasures are in the Langya ancestral lands. Right..." Remembering something suddenly, he gently clapped his hands.

Before long, an elderly man in gray robes hurried in, holding a brocade box in his hands.

"This is your reward." Langya Xing opened the box, inside of which were neatly arranged twelve crystal-clear spirit stones. "These are Mid-grade Spirit Stone, the currency of the cultivation world."

Mu Bai took the spirit stones, feeling that every single one contained an astonishing fluctuation of spiritual qi!

"Thank you." Mu Bai solemnly accepted them, hesitating for a moment before asking: "Those people just now..."

"Hah, you think they were welcoming me?" Langya Xing sneered, walking over to the window and gazing at the bustling city. "What they welcomed was the identity of the next clan head candidate."

He turned around to look straight into Mu Bai's eyes. "In the Langya Family, those without strength find even breathing to be a mistake. If I hadn't mastered the Pure Lotus Heart Sutra, how could my treatment possibly be this good."

Night fell, yet Langya City grew even more lively than during the day.

Tens of thousands of lamps lit up simultaneously, illuminating the entire city as bright as day.

Looking down from the top floor of the Starlight Pavilion, the streets were a weaving crowd of people, with the shouts of hawkers echoing endlessly through the avenues and alleys.

"Tomorrow I will take you to experience the real Langya City." Langya Xing walked onto the terrace holding a wine cup. "Those marketplace places may be vulgar, but they also have their own charm."

Just as Mu Bai was about to respond, his brow suddenly furrowed.

He keenly sensed that several obscure auras were approaching the Starlight Pavilion, one of which was exceptionally chilling.