Flying Dragon Guard Pursuit

At the City Lord's Manor, the City Lord watched Grand Celebration Tower with a mocking smile.

He asked the steward beside him, "No one disobeyed my orders and cooperated with Azure Cloud Sect, did they?"

The steward smiled. "Our spies have kept Grand Celebration Tower under constant watch. Huang Qiao and the others had arrived, but then they all suddenly left. In Anqing City, you are still the one who calls the shots, my lord."

No sooner had he spoken than another spy came to report.

"City Lord, someone entered Grand Celebration Tower and has not come down." The steward's expression turned ugly.

He had just declared that no one would defy the order, and someone immediately slapped him in the face?

The City Lord raised his brows and chuckled. "I would like to know who in Anqing City has such nerve, daring to ignore my orders."

"It was a woman in a black dress, accompanied by a maid and a servant. Their identities are still unknown. We know all the important figures from every force in Anqing City. They should not belong to any local force."

The steward frowned. "Ordinary people cannot make decisions in a matter as significant as this kind of cooperation. These three are rather strange."

"Find out exactly where they came from!" The City Lord's voice turned cold.

"Yes!" The steward hurried away.

The City Lord frowned, clearly displeased.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yang and Ling Yunzi leisurely finished a pot of tea at Grand Celebration Tower, then took the remaining pot of wine with them.

Naturally, that remaining pot of wine was meant for the others in the sect.

Ling Yunzi looked at Zhang Yang, then at the several cups of wine on the table that had never been touched. He lifted them one by one and drained them in a single gulp.

Zhang Yang's eyelid twitched. "Martial Uncle, there's no need for that!"

"It would be a pity to waste it!" Ling Yunzi replied solemnly.

Zhang Yang was speechless, though his heart felt sour.

How had the once-proud Azure Cloud Sect fallen into such a state? To the point that Ling Yunzi could not bear to throw away a few cups of leftover wine?

"Martial Uncle, let's buy some things first, then find an inn and cultivate quietly for two days. After that, we'll go collect the money from the Xiao Family."

After paying over a thousand Spirit Stones, Zhang Yang left Grand Celebration Tower.

Afterward, Zhang Yang went to the major trading houses and began spending wildly.

The tens of thousands of Spirit Stones Azure Cloud Sect had on hand were useless for the moment. It was better to convert them all into resources. Talismans and medicinal herbs in particular could be sold for money if they were not needed.

However, Zhang Yang did not buy any artifact-refining materials, because the Xiao Family would soon have to compensate them with a batch. That should be enough for the time being.

After making his purchases, he kept only five thousand Spirit Stones and spent every last one of the rest. In exchange, he obtained a large amount of talisman paper and medicinal herbs, as well as a bottle of Nascent Soul Realm demonic beast Spirit Blood and a beast hide, bought specifically for Hualingzi.

Once the purchases were complete, the two headed to an inn. They set up restrictions in their room and sat down to cultivate.

They had not properly refined the spirit wine and spirit tea from earlier, so this was a good chance to refine and absorb them.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

Zhang Yang and Ling Yunzi left the inn and headed for the Xiao Family.

The Xiao Family had long been prepared. When Zhang Yang and Ling Yunzi arrived, they politely invited them inside.

"These are the copper ore, refined copper, purple copper, and a little Copper Mother that we have prepared... As for the remainder, our Xiao Family truly cannot produce it. Would you two be willing to accept other items in exchange, or settle the difference with Spirit Stones?" Xiao Jianchun asked with a sincere expression.

Zhang Yang inspected all the materials, put them away, then looked at Xiao Jianchun. "Settle it with Spirit Stones. You are short by one-third of the materials, and the value is considerable. Does the Xiao Family have that many Spirit Stones?"

Seeing Zhang Yang agree, Xiao Jianchun finally relaxed.

At the mention of Spirit Stones, he grew confident and smiled. "My Xiao Family is one of Anqing City's three great Lineages. We could even be called the strongest Lineage force here. We do have some Spirit Stones. For the missing one-third of the materials, we are willing to compensate Azure Cloud Sect with three hundred thousand Spirit Stones. What do you two think?"

"No problem!" Zhang Yang agreed.

Spirit Stones were also something Azure Cloud Sect urgently lacked. This batch would be enough to sustain the sect for a while.

Xiao Jianchun readily handed the Spirit Stones to Zhang Yang, then lowered his voice. "I have already heard about the City Lord's Manor. Our Xiao Family still has to live in Anqing City, so we cannot openly defy the City Lord's Manor's orders. If you two are willing, our Xiao Family is willing to buy all the remaining Talismans for five hundred Spirit Stones each."

Buying the Talismans was his way of showing goodwill toward Azure Cloud Sect.

After Azure Cloud Sect left, he planned to resell part of this batch of Talismans to the City Lord's Manor at a lower price. That way, he could curry favor with both sides.

After all, the Xiao Family and Azure Cloud Sect were cooperating over the mine. The City Lord's Manor should understand such an arrangement.

As for the City Lord's Manor making things difficult for them... the Xiao Family had backers within the empire as well.

Zhang Yang shook his head slightly. "I did not come here to sell this batch of Talismans. I came for the sake of establishing a long-term exclusive sales arrangement in the future. Since the Xiao Family does not dare offend the City Lord's Manor, then forget it. Such good goods will surely find those who know their worth. We are not worried about selling them."

Since he could not open up a market, and was no longer short of money, why sell the Talismans now?

More importantly, five hundred Spirit Stones per Talisman was far too cheap. It was not worth it.

Seeing that Zhang Yang would not sell the Talismans, Xiao Jianchun did not press the matter. In any case, this was in line with the City Lord's regulations.

After completing the large purchase, Zhang Yang and Ling Yunzi left the Xiao Family, preparing to return to Azure Cloud Sect.

The moment they stepped out of the Xiao Family, Wang Mingyue and her two companions were already waiting outside.

"Let us go to Qingyun Market together and see how things are there," Wang Mingyue suggested.

Zhang Yang nodded, then looked at Wang Mingyue's maid. "She probably can't fly!"

"There is a flying artifact!" Wang Mingyue raised her hand and took out a boat-shaped artifact. At her activation, it expanded, and the three boarded the flying artifact.

Zhang Yang stared at Wang Mingyue in a daze. Going out with her own private flying... boat—this was not ordinary wealth!

The two did not stand on ceremony. They boarded the artifact and flew toward Azure Cloud Sect.

At the City Lord's Manor, the steward came running over in haste, his expression grave. "We still have not uncovered the origins of those three. We only know that they came from Cloud Soaring Empire."

Cloud Soaring Empire bordered Cloud Mountain Empire. Their relationship was sometimes good and sometimes bad; minor skirmishes never ceased, though no major conflicts had occurred.

"Foreigners?" The City Lord's eyes narrowed. "Capture them!"

He was not even afraid of Azure Cloud Sect. Why would he fear foreigners?

Just as the steward turned to issue the order, he saw the flying boat pass overhead and hurriedly said, "Not good, they have fled! They are headed toward Azure Cloud Sect. It seems they must have reached some agreement at Grand Celebration Tower, otherwise those foreigners would not be going to Azure Cloud Sect. City Lord, should we still pursue them? If they enter Azure Cloud Sect territory... they have a sect-protecting grand formation!"

The City Lord hesitated for a moment, then ordered, "Send the Flying Dragon Guard to probe them. If Azure Cloud Sect's attitude is firm, return."

"Yes!"

Soon afterward, a flying boat also rose from Anqing City and chased after Zhang Yang and the others.

"Hm?" Wang Mingyue noticed the situation. "Cloud Mountain Empire's Flying Dragon Guard has actually mobilized. It seems Anqing City is not entirely made up of trash. They must have tracked down our trail."

"That should be it!" The middle-aged man in blue glanced at the flying boat behind them, then looked toward Zhang Yang and Ling Yunzi.

Azure Cloud Sect had repeatedly claimed that it could protect them. Now that the Flying Dragon Guard had arrived, they wanted to see Azure Cloud Sect's response.

Because the City Lord had sabotaged the sale of Talismans, Ling Yunzi had already held no goodwill toward Anqing City. Now that the Flying Dragon Guard had come, he had finally found somewhere to vent his anger.

Just as he was about to act, Zhang Yang stopped him.

"Martial Uncle, let me handle this!" Zhang Yang smiled faintly. "It will also give Miss Wang Mingyue a chance to see Azure Cloud Sect's attitude, and whether our potential truly matches our plans and dreams. If you act, Miss Wang Mingyue will certainly remain unconvinced. It will be far more persuasive if I, a second-generation disciple, take action."

Wang Mingyue shot Zhang Yang a sidelong glance. That was Cloud Mountain Empire's Flying Dragon Guard. Even the squad leaders were Golden Core cultivators, while every ordinary member had successfully reached Foundation Establishment and Sea Opening. The combat strength of this Flying Dragon Guard far exceeded that of the Golden Core Realm.

She wanted to see how Zhang Yang, a mere Golden Core Realm cultivator, intended to deal with the Flying Dragon Guard.