Cai, Lord of Purple Yin City

Inside Qing City Lord's Manor.

In the pavilion, Xu Zhong was having tea with a middle-aged man in purple robes. The man possessed an extraordinary bearing, and his purple attire made him seem as ethereal as an exiled immortal.

Xu Zhong took a light sip from his teacup, then smiled. "Lord Cai, what brings you here today?"

The man in purple was Cai Yuntian, the lord of Purple Yin City.

The middle-aged man in purple waved a hand. "Nothing much. Lord Xu has just taken office, so naturally I came to offer my congratulations."

"I heard that Lord Xu was planning to wipe out Black Mountain Stronghold. How is that matter progressing? If it succeeds, it will be a great achievement."

Xu Zhong, being one to value appearances, boasted a little. "Thank you for your concern, Lord Cai. Naturally, it succeeded. There are no more bandits in Black Mountain Stronghold."

Yet inwardly, he thought, Not only are there no more bandits, but I may have found myself an incredibly powerful patron. Just thinking about it is exciting.

"Hahaha, then congratulations to Lord Xu." Cai Yuntian laughed. Azure City was remote and a complete mess; it was good that Xu Zhong had stabilized it, so it would not affect Purple Yin City.

Just as Cai Yuntian was laughing, a maid entered.

"Reporting to Master, the young lady has returned."

Cai Yuntian was startled and quickly said, "Is it little Jiao Jiao? I heard she has already reached the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering. Old Xu, hurry and have her come in so I can see her. It has been a long time since I last saw that girl."

Xu Zhong nodded and gestured to the maid. "Go and bring that girl here."

However, the maid hesitated and stammered, "Master, the young lady said she wants you to personally go welcome her. She said that person from Black Mountain has come too."

Smack!

"Nonsense! How can that girl Jiao Jiao be so disrespectful?"

Upon hearing this, Cai Yuntian slapped the table. Was that girl not being ridiculous? Besides, was Azure City's most important guest not already sitting right here?

That was what Cai Yuntian thought, but Xu Zhong's face was filled with shock and disbelief. He hurriedly stood up. "Lord Cai, rest here for now. I have an urgent matter, so I will not be able to entertain you."

With that, Xu Zhong rushed out of the pavilion, not sparing Cai Yuntian so much as a glance.

Cai Yuntian's face darkened. Just who was important enough to make Old Xu personally go out and welcome him?

"I would like to see exactly who it is."

Cai Yuntian stood and followed him out of the pavilion. He wanted to see what secret Old Xu was hiding.

Xu Zhong practically jogged to the main gate. The moment he saw Long Xiao, he was overjoyed.

"Father!"

Seeing Xu Zhong, Xu Jiaojiao spread her arms and ran toward him.

However, Xu Zhong went around her and headed straight for Long Xiao, extending his right hand. "Hahaha, Sect Master Long, your visit to Azure City truly brings great honor to our city."

Long Xiao quickly extended his hand as well and shook his, smiling. "Lord Xu, you flatter me. This is your territory. I am merely an ordinary person."

Xu Zhong gave Long Xiao a thumbs-up in his heart. As expected of an expert—so humble and low-key, as though he really were just a Body Tempering Realm cultivator.

"Father, the Sect Master and Sister Bibi Dong came to Azure City to have fun. You must treat them well. Also, I have already joined the sect." Xu Jiaojiao introduced them proudly.

"You little girl, learn from Sect Master Long. You must stay humble, understand?"

His daughter had finally fulfilled her wish of joining the Divine Sect, so naturally he was thrilled as well.

"Oh, I understand, Father."

Xu Zhong laughed heartily. "Sect Master Long, Miss Dong, rest assured. I, Xu, will certainly fulfill my duties as host."

After saying that, he gave the two of them a slight bow before leading the way toward the main hall.

"Lord Xu is too polite."

Long Xiao returned the gesture with clasped hands.

The group entered the main hall in grand fashion.

But an unwelcome laugh rang out as Cai Yuntian walked in.

"Hahaha, Old Xu, this is your distinguished guest? Just a kid in the Body Tempering Realm? He seems even weaker than Jiao Jiao. Could he be Jiao Jiao's boyfriend?"

"Jiao Jiao, it is not that your uncle wants to criticize you, but your taste is simply too..."

Upon hearing that, Xu Jiaojiao revealed a disgusted expression. How could he speak of her Sect Master like that?

"Old Cai, shut your mouth! He is an honored guest of this manor!"

Xu Zhong shouted angrily. Old Cai was too stubborn to see Long Xiao's true depth. He was simply courting death.

He hurriedly apologized to Long Xiao. "My apologies, Sect Master Long. This fellow is just too careless with his words."

Sect Master Long?

Cai Yuntian was bewildered by Xu Zhong's attitude. What was this nonsense?

Had the Xu father and daughter lost their minds? Or had they been deceived?

Even if the Heavenly King himself came, this was still a useless brat at the Second-Level Body Tempering Realm!

"Hehe, ignorance is not a sin." Long Xiao was magnanimous and showed no intention of blaming him.

Seeing this, Cai Yuntian became even more suspicious. Did this boy have some kind of background? Why was he being addressed as Sect Master?

They had definitely been deceived!

No, I must save Old Xu from this mess.

"Kid, which sect are you the sect master of?" Cai Yuntian asked arrogantly.

The moment those words came out, Xu Zhong and Xu Jiaojiao broke out in cold sweat. Why was Cai Yuntian so determined to seek death?

Long Xiao helplessly shook his head. With his Second-Level Body Tempering cultivation, even if he acted like an expert, there would probably still be some people who did not believe him.

"The Divine Sect."

He answered calmly.

When Cai Yuntian heard the words Divine Sect, he froze, his expression turning ugly. What kind of worthless sect was that? He had never even heard of it.

Any sect with a Diegang Realm cultivator would have at least some reputation within the Big Dipper Dynasty. It seemed the Divine Sect was merely some insignificant sect.

This confirmed it—he was undoubtedly a fraud!

"The Divine Sect? What kind of bullshit sect is that? Where is it?"

Boom!

The moment Cai Yuntian finished speaking, he was blasted away. A ghostly figure immediately flashed forward, and countless threads of energy shot through the room, directly binding him into a cocoon and suspending him in the air.

After doing all that, Bibi Dong respectfully said to Long Xiao, "Sect Master, I could not tolerate it. What right does a Second-Level Heavenly Dipper have to insult our Divine Sect?"

Long Xiao's mouth fell slightly open. Although Bibi Dong was very obedient before him, she still retained traces of that cold and ruthless Pope.

"Ninth Layer of Heavenly Dipper!"

Sensing Bibi Dong's aura, Cai Yuntian's face turned deathly pale. This woman looked terrifying. It seemed he had truly kicked an iron plate.

He could not break free from these energy threads at all!

Would such a woman really treat a young brat with such respect?

Could it be that the Xu father and daughter were not the foolish ones?

Could this young man truly not be at the Second-Level Body Tempering Realm?

"I told you not to talk so much! Are you satisfied now?" Xu Zhong looked at Cai Yuntian, wishing he could slap the old fool across the face.

"I... I know I was wrong. Esteemed Sect Master, I truly did not mean it." Cai Yuntian begged bitterly, hating himself for courting death.

He could not understand why anyone would pretend to be a young brat, much less disguise himself as a useless Second-Level Body Tempering Realm cultivator. Was he so bored that he had nothing better to do?

Long Xiao calmly took a sip of tea. He had no idea what Cai Yuntian was thinking, but he really was at the Second-Level Body Tempering Realm—no deception involved.