Wenzhou, Xiejiagang.
This place stood on a major route linking north and south. Though it was nowhere near as crucial as Anyun City, it still saw a steady stream of travelers.
But an evil sect had occupied it a few years earlier and charged astronomical tolls, sending it into a gradual decline. Only after the Skycloud Sect restored order and wiped that evil sect out overnight had the town recovered somewhat.
Unfortunately.
It was no longer as prosperous as it had once been.
Even so, news still traveled freely here. As for the biggest recent stories... there were probably two.
First, the Gate of Rakshasa, one of the Thirty-Six Sects, had been struck from the ranks. Supposedly, it had slaughtered too many people, and a surviving victim had sought out an immortal to plead for justice. Hearing of such atrocities, the immortal had flown into a rage and ordered the destruction of the wicked Gate of Rakshasa. Most of its members had now been executed, though a few remained at large. Anyone who provided information on them could claim an astronomical bounty.
Second, the Ten-Thousand-Fathom Palace, which had occupied Minzhou for over a century and claimed to be the greatest sect beneath the Thirty-Six Sects, was gone.
As for how it had vanished... opinions varied wildly. Some said the sect had offended someone it should not have and suffered their vengeance. Others claimed several Great Stranges had passed through its territory, and the sect had been destroyed after failing to resist them...
But the most widespread rumor was that a priceless treasure had appeared in the Ten-Thousand-Fathom Palace's territory. Its palace master had tried to profit from it, only to lose everything and bring destruction upon his entire sect.
And that rumor had spawned another story.
Apparently, a crowd of