Tian Yuan City

As the sun sank in the west, it cast a long, long shadow. The convoy finally reached Tian Yuan City before night had fully fallen.

As a city with a population of two hundred thousand, its walls were exceptionally tall, more than ten meters high. Though night was close at hand, the roads were still crowded with pedestrians.

Ever since they had encountered the bandits of Qingfeng Stronghold, the rest of the journey had gone smoothly. They had met with nothing else and arrived safely at Tian Yuan City.

Once outside the city, Wang De Ying clasped his hands and said, "Everyone has worked hard along the way. Not a single portion of the reward I promised will be withheld, and those who were wounded or killed will receive additional compensation!"

"You are too polite, Senior. This is what we ought to do!"

The many martial artists immediately responded. No matter what, they had safely reached Tian Yuan City and completed the mission. They had not expected to run into Qingfeng Stronghold at the very beginning, only for the rest of the trip to go so smoothly. Ordinary petty bandits would not dare approach such a large force.

The group began lining up to enter Tian Yuan City.

"Hold it! What are you carrying in there? Empty everything out—I need to inspect it!" At that moment, an officer in his thirties approached with several soldiers.

"Sir, we are a convoy from Qingfeng Trading Company of Green Peak Mountain," Wang De Ying said.

"I don't care who you are. I'm inspecting every last thing you have to see whether you're carrying any contraband!" the officer said arrogantly.

"You must be joking, sir. How could Qingfeng Trading Company possibly carry contraband?" Wang De Ying said with a smile. There was no trace at all of the imposing manner he had displayed when wielding his swift blade.

"If I say you have it, then you have it. Brothers, search them!" the officer ordered without a care.

"Sir, I do not know whose slander you have heard, but these are medicinal herbs requested by the City Lord's Mansion. Are you certain you wish to inspect them?" Seeing how aggressively the other side had come, Wang De Ying no longer showed weakness.

"The City Lord's Mansion is worth shit! I'm from the City Guard Mansion. Why are you bringing up the City Lord's Mansion to me? Get lost, or I won't be polite!" The officer did not buy it at all.

Wang De Ying's face immediately darkened. This is bad. He is actually from the City Guard Mansion. The City Guard Mansion and the City Lord's Mansion belonged to two separate systems. In the Dayue Kingdom, some cities had both a City Guard Mansion and a City Lord's Mansion. Those who rendered great merit could be granted the title of city lord and govern a city alongside its original city guard.

Generally speaking, the City Lord's Mansion and City Guard Mansion were never particularly harmonious. Their struggles for power and profit were commonplace. Although a city theoretically belonged to its city lord, the city guard was backed by the Dayue Kingdom's imperial court. Thus, who truly called the shots in a city depended on each side's strength.

This situation was especially common in remote little cities like Tian Yuan City.

Whoosh! The instant the officer finished speaking, a piercing whistle tore through the air. An arrow shot over and instantly pierced through his head.

Bang! The officer's head exploded completely, red-and-white brain matter splattering across the ground.

"Idiot. You are nothing more than a petty squad officer, yet you dared look down on our City Lord's Mansion!" A cold voice carried over. "Friends from Qingfeng Trading Company, my apologies for arriving late!"

Everyone looked over to see a party slowly approaching from not far away. At its head stood a Brocade-Robed Young Master around twenty years old, bow in hand. After casually tossing the bow to a soldier behind him, he strode forward.

"I would not dare. I never expected the Third Young Master to come personally this time!" Wang De Ying said with a bow.

"That is the City Lord's third son, Xu Zhen!" one martial artist who recognized him cried out.

"He is the City Lord's genius son. He is only twenty-five, yet he has already reached the peak of the Houtian Eighth Stage!"

"The peak of the Houtian Eighth Stage? Heavens, isn't that on par with Chen Long and Chen Hu?"

"He killed that squad officer the moment he said so. The City Lord's Mansion and the City Guard Mansion are already like fire and water!"

The many martial artists were all astonished. Even in a sect with a long heritage like the Yi Yuan Sect, anyone who reached such a level at that age would be considered a genius.

Ye Xiwen gave the Third Young Master another look. He killed when he said he would, without the slightest hesitation. He was a decisive man who killed without mercy.

"My father and the others are rather busy, so I could only come myself. You have successfully delivered the medicinal herbs this time. You have truly worked hard!" Xu Zhen said with a beaming smile.

"We encountered an obstruction from Black Wind Stronghold along the way. If not for Young Master Ye of the Yi Yuan Sect, we might have been in danger!" Wang De Ying said. "Young Master Ye is also the champion of this Yi Yuan Sect Internal Competition!"

"So he is an outstanding disciple of the Yi Yuan Sect. No wonder, no wonder!" After hearing Wang De Ying recount what had happened along the journey, Xu Zhen could not help but be moved.

The Yi Yuan Sect enjoyed a towering reputation throughout the surrounding region. Though it was not the Main Sect, to the nearby powers, it was still a colossal giant. To them, it possessed countless geniuses, and anyone who could win first place among its Inner Disciples was undoubtedly a genius among geniuses.

"Let us enter the city first and speak later," Xu Zhen said.

Ye Xiwen and the others entered the city, while the medicinal herbs they had escorted were taken away by people sent by the City Lord's Mansion.

The group was settled in an inn. After dinner, Ye Xiwen received the reward that had been promised: three thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, along with a special reward of one thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones from Qingfeng Trading Company, and another two thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones as a bonus from the City Lord's Mansion. The reason was that Ye Xiwen had slain Chen Hu. As one of the largest bandit chiefs in the area, Chen Hu's bounty was naturally considerable.

In other words, Ye Xiwen had gained another six thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones in one go, nearly matching more than half the assets of an ordinary Core Disciple. But for Ye Xiwen, this was timely rain.

With these six thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, Ye Xiwen could cultivate his Crescent Moon Slash to the Lesser Success realm and unleash seven consecutive strikes, multiplying its power. When the time came, he would have confidence even in contending against an early Houtian Ninth Stage expert.

For others, Spirit Stones were merely an aid to cultivation. But for Ye Xiwen, as long as he had Spirit Stones, his cultivation could soar by leaps and bounds. Breaking through realms repeatedly in a short time was no problem at all.

"Bold! Who dares trespass into the City Lord's Mansion!"

Just as Ye Xiwen was preparing to meditate and cultivate, an explosive roar suddenly rang out above the entire city, carrying an immense distance.

Ye Xiwen immediately realized what it was: the roar of a Xiantian Expert. Since this inn was very close to the City Lord's Mansion, he could hear it with exceptional clarity. In Tian Yuan City, there were only two Xiantian Experts whose names were known—one was the city lord, and the other was the city guard.

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