Many cultivators in the outer city had already gone off in pursuit of opportunities left by immortals and gods, but quite a few remained.
After all, this realm had only just opened. While some were eager for quick success, others preferred steady progress, hoping to get the lay of the land before making their plans.
At this very moment.
The earth-shaking commotion in the inner city had long since drawn every gaze lurking in the shadows.
Streaks of traveling light quietly rose from among the ruined walls, looking toward the distant outskirts.
Amid the billowing dust, the man in blue robes kneeling on one knee, his face smeared with blood, stood out in particular.
"Is that... Gao Qingxiu?"
Someone recognized the disheveled man in blue, though his voice held a hint of hesitation.
A rogue cultivator beside him widened his eyes. "Gao Qingxiu, the Jieqing Sect's direct disciple?"
"Who else could it be?"
Everyone's heart jolted at those words.
In truth, Gao Qingxiu had not been arrogant. Among the younger generation of the Cloud-Dream Realm, he was far from a nobody.
Though he was not among the very finest prodigies, he was still a direct disciple of the Jieqing Sect, a cultivator of the twelfth-piece chessmaster realm who had a chance of becoming one of Jieqing's core elders in the future.
Yet someone like him.
Was now in such a miserable state... even his hair crown had been knocked off.
Who had done this?!
Everyone instinctively looked toward the other side.
A white-robed figure slowly emerged from the shadow of the city gate.
The girl had a slender frame and a cool, aloof face.
A Purple-Gold Spear hung from her hand, its tip dragging a shallow furrow in the ground.
"Who is she?"
"Never seen her."
"Her aura... the fifth-piece