The Secret Realm Appears, the Yang Household of Cloudmoor City

At the same time.

To the west, on the border between Search Province and Heaven-Opening.

Hope-for-Life Cliff.

Rumble!

Hope-for-Life Cliff, dark and desolate, a place no one dared approach, suddenly shook with a thunderous roar.

A secret realm slowly rose from beneath the cliff. It took a full half hour to come to a stop.

In an instant, Hope-for-Life Cliff vanished from the western border of Search Province and Heaven-Opening. In its place stood a vast, majestic secret realm, displaying its unknown mysteries to the people of both regions!

The Qigu Secret Realm Li Moqing had invented had appeared in the world!

The Wave-Crossing Sect.

The Wave-Crossing Sect was a sect in the Southern Domain of Qitian, located near Hope-for-Life Cliff.

Now, the appearance of the Qigu Secret Realm had sent the entire sect shaking.

"What's happening? Is it an earthquake?"

Du Langsheng, the Wave-Crossing Sect's sect master, steadied himself and asked in confusion.

"The disturbance came from Hope-for-Life Cliff. It's probably not an earthquake. The Qigu Secret Realm has appeared!"

The sect's grand elder, Xin Buhuo, answered.

"What? The Qigu Secret Realm has appeared?"

Du Langsheng raised an eyebrow and ordered, "Elder Xin, go investigate at once!"

"Yes, Sect Master!"

Xin Buhuo turned into a streak of light and departed.

"Sect Master, it really is the Qigu Secret Realm!"

A hundred breaths later, Du Langsheng received Xin Buhuo's voice message through a Communication Talisman.

"Quick! The Qigu Secret Realm has appeared. Spread the news throughout Heaven-Opening and have the major powers' Diviners calculate when the realm will open and what its rules are!"

Delight flashed across Du Langsheng's face. He extinguished the Communication Talisman and gave the order.

Diviners possessed the uncanny ability to divine the workings of heaven, but the Wave-Crossing Sect was not strong enough to have one.

"Yes, Sect Master!"

Before long, news of the Qigu Secret Realm's appearance had spread across the entire Southern Region. Powers large and small erupted with excitement.

The Diviners were even more impatient and began making their calculations!

Five days later.

Cloudmoor City.

The Yang Household.

The council chamber.

Cloudmoor City lay a thousand li from Clearwind Town. It was far larger than the town, with a population of roughly one and a half million.

And the Yang Household was Cloudmoor City's foremost lineage.

"Patriarch, today I discovered Communication Talismans coming in from outside and stealing our business!"

Yang Piyuan, the Yang Household's first elder, hurried back to the council chamber to report.

"Oh? What's going on?"

Yang Xiaosheng, patriarch of the Yang Household, looked up and asked.

"Today I saw someone holding a Communication Talisman that didn't look like one made by the Cangri Sect. I went over to ask about it and learned that his talisman came from the Zhang Household of Clearwind Town. It was made by the Cloud Offering Sect's sect master."

"It can be used a hundred times, carries messages up to ten thousand li, and costs only thirty Gold Yuan!"

"So it's selling extremely well in Cloudmoor City. Each shipment is snatched up the moment it arrives!"

Yang Piyuan answered.

"What? That cheap?"

"The Communication Talismans our Yang Household sells, made by the Cangri Sect, only carry messages two thousand li, yet they cost seventy Gold Yuan. And he's selling his for just thirty?"

Yang Xiaosheng could scarcely believe it.

Yang Piyuan said nothing. He merely nodded.

"Do you know how long the Zhang Household's Communication Talismans have been coming into Cloudmoor City?"

Yang Xiaosheng's face darkened as he asked.

"According to that man, they arrived three days ago. He only managed to grab one today, and not without a struggle."

Yang Piyuan answered at once.

"Three days? Damn it!"

Yang Xiaosheng cursed and ordered, "First Elder, send word to the Cangri Sect. Have them send people to the Cloud Offering Sect and wipe it out!"

"At the same time, take a hundred elite martial artists from the household to the Zhang Household and exterminate them."

"They think they can come to Cloudmoor City and steal business from my Yang Household? Hmph, not a chance!"

Yang Xiaosheng snorted, his eyes glinting coldly.

In truth, Mo Lingyuan had been focused mainly on cultivation lately. He had made few Communication Talismans, and even fewer had reached Cloudmoor City.

But the Yang Household had become Cloudmoor City's foremost lineage by holding a monopoly.

Yang Xiaosheng would never allow Communication Talismans from elsewhere to enter the city and steal his business.

Not even a single one. The very sight of it offended him!

"Yes, Patriarch!"

Yang Piyuan left to carry out his orders.

Half an hour later.

Cloudmoor City.

"Hyah!"

Over a hundred fine horses galloped through Cloudmoor City, raising dust along the street.

"Out of the way!"

"Every last one of you, get out of my way!"

The riders shouted wildly, their manner unbearably arrogant.

They were Yang Piyuan, the hundred elite martial artists dispatched by the Yang Household, and eleven Cangri Sect disciples sent to the Cloud Offering Sect.

"Ah!"

"No, my flatbreads! My flatbreads!"

"Watch out! Get out of the way!"

"You—how could you..."

The horses barreled through the street, throwing it into chaos. Those whose stalls were overturned or who were knocked down were furious but dared say nothing.

After all, this was the Yang Household, Cloudmoor City's foremost lineage!

It had countless ties to Dong Haoqing, Cloudmoor City's lord, and the nearby Cangri Sect. They could even be called birds of a feather!

"What's going on? Why has the Yang Household suddenly sent out so many martial artists?"

"Who knows? Someone probably made them angry."

"Ah... Whoever it is, they're in for terrible luck!"

"Exactly. With the city lord and the Cangri Sect backing them, the Yang Household has always looked down on everyone and thrown its weight around..."

"Shh! Keep your voice down, or someone from the Yang Household or the city lord might hear!"

"Right! Do you have a death wish?"

The crowd watched Yang Piyuan and his party disappear beyond the city, pointing and whispering without knowing why they had left.

At the same time.

Cloudmoor City.

The City Lord's Manor.

The Deliberation Hall.

"City Lord, the Yang Household has set out in force. I'm afraid they mean to do something wicked. Should we intervene?"

Feng Lingyu, Cloudmoor City's deputy city lord, frowned slightly and asked with concern.

She and Dong Haoqing were both cultivators, responsible for protecting the people of Cloudmoor City.

She had never approved of many of the Yang Household's actions, but she was only the deputy city lord and had little say.

"Burp!"

Dong Haoqing gave no answer. He merely belched.

The strong smell of wine drifted over, and Feng Lingyu wrinkled her brow in disgust.

"The Yang Household is probably dealing with those people from elsewhere who've been selling Communication Talismans in our city lately."

Dong Haoqing put down his wine cup and looked at Feng Lingyu through bleary eyes, his expression loaded with meaning. "Why should we interfere?"

"Well... yes, City Lord."

Feng Lingyu had no choice but to yield.

"Then I'll take my leave!"

Unable to bear the overpowering reek of wine on Dong Haoqing, she fled the Deliberation Hall.

"Hmph! What an act. Isn't this all because of you?"

Feng Lingyu had barely left when Dong Haoqing gave a cold snort.

"Ah..."

Outside the Deliberation Hall, Feng Lingyu sighed deeply.

Was I right to let the people of Clearwind Town's Zhang Household enter the city to sell Communication Talismans four days ago?

But my cultivation is below the city lord's. I answer to him and can't leave the city whenever I wish.

Zhang Household, have I brought disaster upon you?

She looked east, her heart heavy with worry.

The next day.

Clearwind Town.

"Hyah!"

"Get lost! The Yang Household of Cloudmoor City is on business! All of you, get lost!"

Yang Piyuan and his party galloped into Clearwind Town, their long whips whistling as they charged through without regard for anyone in their way.

At once, they drew the attention of a crowd of townspeople.