Those standing nearby exchanged bewildered glances, their minds filled with doubt, as Qiu Ruobai, who had been so aggressive, suddenly stopped.
A glint flashed in Qiao Muyun's eyes, and he tentatively asked, "Brother Qiu, why don't we go into the city?"
Qiu Ruobai glanced coldly at Qiao Muyun without answering.
He was indeed frightened by the Soul Power mentioned by Old Jiang, and dared not act rashly. He also wanted to wait for the Zhang Family, this great traitor, to come and test the waters.
But I spoke too confidently and acted too arrogantly just now. If I were to back down now, wouldn't I lose all face?
Qiu Ruobai, the number one young talent in Yuhua Prefecture, cannot afford to lose face like this.
In the end, he could only grit his teeth and give a cold snort, responding in the most curt way. "I suddenly have a stomachache, I need to go to the toilet."
After saying that, he ignored the probing gazes of Qiao Muyun and the others, and turned to leave.
That's a lame excuse.
How could Great Grandmaster like you be unable to control the bodily fluids within your body?
The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, wanting to laugh but daring not to.
Lie Wushuang stood beside his carriage, looking in the direction where Qiu Ruobai had disappeared, a playful smile playing on his lips, and shook his head.
"It seems Qiu Ruobai must have discovered some danger we haven't noticed, which is why he's acting this way."
Lie Wushuang's smile faded, his expression turning serious as he looked at Qiao Muyun:
Brother Qiao, what do you think?
How could the impoverished Wei Kingdom in the Eastern Domain have become so... strange and powerful?
This was also the question on everyone's mind.
Upon hearing this, Qiao Muyun slowly said, "Brother Lie, you are mistaken. The Eastern Domain was by no means weak in the past."
"Why do you say that?" Lie Wushuang and the others were intrigued.
As the Young Pavilion Master Linglong Pavilion, Qiao Muyun possesses the most detailed intelligence in Yuhua Prefecture and knows many secrets unknown to ordinary people.
He surveyed the crowd, his tone carrying a hint of detachment:
"As you all know, more than a thousand years ago, the Eastern Domain was not like it is today."
At that time, the Eastern Domain was the most powerful of the Thirty-Six Domains of Yuhua Prefecture, and its reputation was renowned throughout the entire Three Thousand Great Provinces.
"What?"
Everyone was astonished, finding it hard to believe that the Eastern Domain, now lacking in Spiritual Qi and talent, had such a glorious past.
Qiao Muyun continued, "A thousand years ago, the Eastern Domain possessed two Sacred Land — Wenhua Academy and East Green Mountain."
Wenhua Academy?
East Green Mountain?
Some people were puzzled, as they did know about these two places, but they were just ordinary Great Grandmaster forces.
A look of longing appeared in Qiao Muyun's eyes:
"Both Wenhua Academy and East Green Mountain were once presided over by true Immortals."
"Immortal?"
Everyone gasped.
"It is indeed Immortal!"
Qiao Muyun affirmed:
With Immortals presiding over them, the two Sacred Lands are of boundless power, overlooking the Thirty-Six Domains of Yuhua Prefecture. Once their orders are issued, none dare disobey.
At that time, the Eastern Domain was the heart of Yuhua Prefecture, teeming with talented individuals and abundant in Spiritual Qi, far surpassing other regions.
Lie Wushuang couldn't help but press, "How could such a powerful Eastern Domain have declined to this state?"
Qiao Muyun sighed, a look of regret on her face:
"It is said that a 'Bloodthirsty Demon' from Tianzhu was chased all the way by a top master and fled to my Yuhua Prefecture."
That demon was so ferocious that it brought devastation to all who passed through its path.
To protect the people of Yuhua Prefecture, two Immortals from the Wenxin Academy and East Green Mountain led their elite forces to assist that powerful figure from Tianzhu in jointly suppressing the Bloodthirsty Demon.
That battle was so fierce that the heavens and earth trembled, and the sun and moon lost their light.
The specific details are lost to history, but the outcome... was extremely tragic.
Qiao Muyun's voice carried a hint of heaviness:
"In the end, the Bloodthirsty Demon was suppressed under the East Green Mountain Earth Vein, but the supreme expert, the two Immortals from the Eastern Domain, and countless top experts from the two Sacred Lands also perished."
Worse still, the battle was so terrifying that it severed the main Spirit Vein of Yuhua Prefecture.
"The main Spirit Vein was interrupted?"
The crowd gasped in surprise.
The Spirit Veins are the foundation of a state's Spiritual Qi; the impact of severing the main Spirit Vein is self-evident.
"Good,"
Qiao Muyun nodded:
"Since then, the Spiritual Qi in Yuhua Prefecture has declined year by year, and the cultivation environment is not as good as before."
The Eastern Domain, as the center of the main battlefield, suffered the most severe damage; its Spirit Veins were almost completely destroyed, and its Spiritual Qi became extremely thin.
After hearing Qiao Muyun recount this ancient secret, everyone fell silent.
They never imagined that the Eastern Domain, now considered Savage Wilderness land, had such a glorious yet tragic past.
"I see..."
Lie Wushuang murmured:
"No wonder the overall strength of my Yuhua Prefecture has been getting weaker and weaker over the years, falling far behind the neighboring major prefectures. It turns out that the main Spirit Vein has been damaged, harming its very foundation."
At this moment, Qiao Muyun said:
"East Green Mountain has completely declined, but the Immortal of the Wenhua Academy left behind a Literary Dao Sacred Heart."
Recently, the Literary Dao Sacred Heart has been frequently acting strangely, as if it has become spiritually connected. Wenhua Academy has issued a decree ordering all students to return to the academy to choose a master for that sacred heart.
According to the intelligence records of the Linglong Pavilion, Zhang Yu's Third Sister, Zhang Qingyue, seems to be studying at the Wenhua Academy.
Zhang Yu, on the other hand, is a Direct Disciple of East Green Mountain.
As for Zhang Yu himself, he is even suspected to be a reincarnation of Immortal; all of this seems too coincidental.
These words sent a chill down everyone's spine once again.
Looking at the Imperial City shrouded in twilight, the apprehension in his eyes deepened.
Some people have already started to back out.
Thus, a subtle, tacit understanding was reached.
The prodigies from all over Yuhua Prefecture temporarily set up camp outside the city, awaiting the arrival of the great traitor— Zhang Jiuling of the Marquis Yong'an's Estate and his entourage.
Finally, just before dawn, Zhang Jiuling's army arrived.
"Father, with Grandmaster like yourself personally overseeing things, and with East Green Mountain as our backer, let's see how arrogant the Imperial Family can still be."
Zhang Jiuling's voice was slightly hoarse with excitement.
Zhang Yuanfeng stroked his beard and said smugly, "Of course. Remember, once we enter the city, the first priority is to deal with that bastard Zhang Yu."
They marched on, completely unaware of the upheavals in the Imperial City, and remained complacent.
Just then, Zhang Jiuming rode up, his face filled with worry, and said in a low voice to Zhang Jiuling and Zhang Yuanfeng:
"Eldest Brother, Father, last night during a headcount, we discovered that nearly three hundred soldiers were missing. They must have escaped under cover of darkness."
In recent days, soldiers have been going missing from the barracks, and they naturally assumed they were deserters.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Jiuling frowned.
The recent desertion incidents were indeed unusual, causing him some unease.
He couldn't understand why, with Grandmaster in charge and East Green Mountain as their backer, the Zhang Family clearly had the upper hand, there would be deserters.
Zhang Jiuling forced himself to remain calm and waved his hand, saying:
"It's alright, a few cowards who are afraid of death will escape if they want."
Zhang Yuanfeng also snorted coldly, displaying the demeanor of Grandmaster, and said disdainfully:
"Jiuming, your brother is right. Quality over quantity is the key to a good army. It's better that those good-for-nothings who deserted in the face of battle are gone."
As they were talking, a group of people suddenly rushed out of the woods by the roadside. They were Zhang Wanning, Zhang Heng, Lin Ruoxi, as well as the Huichen and Jian Wuwei.
"Father! Grandpa!"
"We've finally waited for you!"
Zhang Wanning rushed forward crying, followed closely by Zhang Heng and Lin Ruoxi.
Wan Ning, Xiao Heng, Ruo Xi, what are you doing here?
Where are the others in the Marquis Estate?
Zhang Jiuling and Zhang Yuanfeng quickly dismounted, a sense of foreboding rising in their hearts.
"Father, Grandpa, you must stand up for us!"
Zhang Wanning wept bitterly, her voice piercingly mournful.
"The Marquis Estate... the Marquis Estate is gone."
It was destroyed by that damned beast Zhang Yu and the Xiao Family, working together from the inside and outside."
Zhang Heng, his eyes also red, added through gritted teeth:
"That little bastard Zhang Yu has somehow acquired some Evil Method, his strength has increased by leaps and bounds, and his heart is even more vicious."
He had long been in cahoots with the Imperial Family, deliberately setting a trap so that we could wipe them all out once we returned.
He's determined to cut off the Zhang Family's future.
Lin Ruoxi also cried out, "Thanks to Master Huichen and Senior Jian for protecting us at all costs, otherwise we would never have seen the Marquis again."
After some embellished and tearful recounting, the group portrayed Zhang Yu and the Imperial Family as utterly wicked and treacherous, while they themselves were innocent victims who had narrowly escaped death.
"What?"
Zhang Jiuling's eyes widened in fury, and he trembled with rage. "Zhang Yu! You unfilial son! You wretched creature! I should have killed him with a single blow the moment he was born!"
Zhang Yuanfeng was furious. "What a heartless and treacherous beast! What a faithless and treacherous Xiao Family! How dare they humiliate my Zhang Family like this!"