The City Lord Falls, a New One Rises

"City Lord Dong, do you truly intend to attack me?"

He floated in the air and asked sternly.

"And if I do?"

Dong Haoqing answered proudly.

Though he was merely the lord of Cloudmoor City, he was at the eighth level of the Core Formation Realm.

His strength ranked fifth in Search Province, behind only Mo Lingyuan, Shen Xinghu, Jin Pingqi, and Yun Shengya.

Those four were in western Search Province and were almost certain not to appear in Cloudmoor City. Naturally, he had no reason to fear the man before him.

"Hmm?"

Mo Lingyuan raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.

"Then don't blame this old man for showing no mercy!"

His voice sank.

"No mercy?" Dong Haoqing gave a cold laugh. "I'd like to see how you plan to do that!"

"Huh?"

Feng Lingyu had just arrived outside the Cangri Sect when she saw this scene and exclaimed in surprise.

Seeing that a battle was about to break out, she hurried twenty miles back, retreating to the sky above Cloudmoor City.

At the same time, she channeled Source Power into a barrier to protect herself and the city's residents.

She knew Dong Haoqing was at the eighth level of the Core Formation Realm. A battle involving him was no small matter!

Above the Cangri Sect.

"You arrogant fool! You destroyed a sect before my eyes, and now you want to seize its resources? Die!"

Dong Haoqing roared, muttering to himself, The Cangri Sect is practically half mine. You dare try to take its resources? You deserve to die!

He drove his Source Power furiously, Source Qi curling around him as he threw back his head and cried, "My cup holds the sun and moon, my belly contains heaven and earth!"

Boom!

A wine bottle as vast as a mountain suddenly appeared and hurtled down toward Mo Lingyuan.

The bottle blotted out the sky. Everyone in Cloudmoor City stared in astonishment, then felt a crushing pressure that left them struggling to breathe.

Only Feng Lingyu's barrier kept them from truly suffocating.

But Feng Lingyu was faring poorly. At only the second level of the Core Formation Realm, she could barely withstand the bottle's might even as she poured out Source Power. Her body felt ready to split apart, and sweat streamed down her face.

Still, she refused to retreat. She pushed her Source Power to its limit, determined to protect everyone in Cloudmoor City!

"Alas!" Mo Lingyuan shook his head and looked at Dong Haoqing with sorrow in his eyes. "How unfortunate."

"Damn you!"

Dong Haoqing felt deeply insulted. He drove still more Source Power into his attack.

Boom!

The Wine Bottle's might grew stronger in an instant!

"Pfft!"

Feng Lingyu, above Cloudmoor City, was the first to suffer. Unable to hold on any longer, she spat blood and fell like a kite with its string cut.

Bang!

The barrier above Cloudmoor City shattered with her fall.

"Ah!"

The Wine Bottle's might came down mercilessly upon the people of Cloudmoor City. They clutched their heads and wailed.

Feng Lingyu saw it all, her heart burning with worry, but she could do nothing.

Crack!

Just then, the phantom of the Wine Bottle crumbled to ash and vanished like smoke. The Wine Bottle's crushing might disappeared in an instant!

Feng Lingyu and the people of Cloudmoor City relaxed, feeling as though they had snatched their lives back from death.

"What? Impossible!"

Above the Cangri Sect, Dong Haoqing's pupils contracted in disbelief.

How did he erase my attack without making a move? Is he that much stronger than me?

“Could someone this powerful be Mo Lingyuan?”

Damn it! Why is he here? How did I manage to provoke him?

Regret flooded Dong Haoqing. He drove his Source Power to its limit, turned into a streak of light, and fled.

Bang!

He had barely reached the sky above Cloudmoor City when he burst into a cloud of blood.

Crack!

Even his Source Core was ground to dust and scattered to the winds!

"The city lord is... dead?"

The people of Cloudmoor City stared at the bloody burst in the sky, exchanging looks of disbelief.

Feng Lingyu swayed, her eyes wide and her mouth agape.

“Dong Haoqing was at the eighth level of the Core Formation Realm, yet even his Source Core was reduced to dust.”

“That sage-like master is terrifyingly strong. No wonder I couldn't see through his cultivation. Could he be Mo Lingyuan?”

She speculated silently.

“From this day forward, Feng Lingyu is the new lord of Cloudmoor City!”

As she wondered, a commanding voice rang out from afar, resounding throughout Cloudmoor City.

"Yes, Master!"

Feng Lingyu answered respectfully.

The people of Cloudmoor City rejoiced at his words. The deputy city lord was far kinder than the city lord had been. They all supported her taking his place!

All except the Yang Household. They were still reeling from Dong Haoqing's death and could not accept it.

"Feng Lingyu, your first duty as city lord is to drive the Yang Household into the Desolate Wilderness Forest!"

Another commanding voice rang out.

"Yes, Master!"

Feng Lingyu bowed as she answered.

She did not dare disobey. Besides, she had wanted to rid the city of that "pest" of a household herself.

With his instructions given, Mo Lingyuan smiled faintly and descended into the Cangri Sect once more.

"Whoa!"

The people of Cloudmoor City erupted into an uproar at the command.

"The Desolate Wilderness Forest? Even ordinary cultivators don't dare go there. Mortals who enter are certain to die!"

"Hahaha! The Yang Household deserves it!"

"Exactly! This should have happened long ago!"

The people of Cloudmoor City discussed it gleefully, as though the whole world had cause to celebrate.

"No! Please, no!"

Only the members of the Yang Household cried out to the heavens, their voices full of anguish.

"How... how did it come to this?"

Yang Xiaosheng slumped in his grand chair, eyes vacant, muttering over and over.

Heavenly Mist Sect.

Within the Sect.

Sect Discussion Hall.

"Sect Master, I destroyed the Cangri Sect, which came to cause trouble, and drove the Yang Household into the Desolate Wilderness Forest."

Mo Lingyuan returned to the hall in a streak of light and made his report.

"The Desolate Wilderness Forest?"

Zhang Xingfeng, Dongfang Muxue, Chen Guyu, and Lü Liu all exclaimed in surprise.

Driving the mortal Yang Household into the Desolate Wilderness Forest was no different from sending them to their deaths.

Still, it was indeed the best way to handle things. Cultivators could not conveniently strike at mortals, so they would leave the household to its fate!

"Elder Mo, that was brilliant!"

Dongfang Muxue praised him.

"Thank you, Elder Mo. You've given this a great deal of thought!"

Zhang Xingfeng was deeply grateful.

Mo Lingyuan merely smiled.

He took out a Storage Bag. "Sect Master, these are the resources I found in the Cangri Sect."

"Inside are thirty-six Supreme Source Stones, one hundred and twenty High-Grade Source Stones, three hundred and eight Middle-Grade Source Stones, and twelve hundred Low-Grade Source Stones."

"There's also a Yellow-Tier Lower Grade Cultivation Method and martial art, sixty-two Storage Bags, and more..."

As he spoke, Mo Lingyuan handed the Storage Bag to Li Moqing.

"Thank you for your efforts, Elder Mo."

Li Moqing accepted it with a smile.

"It was nothing."

Mo Lingyuan sat down, calm and unruffled.

"The Qigu Secret Realm will open in twenty-four days. Cultivators at or below the Foundation Establishment Realm Eighth Layer will be allowed inside."

"Xingfeng, Muxue, Guyu, train hard. When the time comes, go in and seize what you can."

"Remember, whatever Heavenly Treasures you find in the secret realm, bring them all back!"

Li Moqing changed the subject. He took out three Storage Bags, handed them to Zhang Xingfeng and the other two, and gave them his instructions.

The system had told Li Moqing only when the Qigu Secret Realm would open and the rules for entering. It had not told him what treasures lay inside.

Naturally, he needed to prepare extra Storage Bags so they could bring back as many treasures as possible!

"Yes, Master!"

"Yes, Master!"

The three accepted the Storage Bags and answered solemnly, though they could not help feeling puzzled.