Lakewater Dragon Transformation Grand Formation

As they neared the main road, more people appeared, both mortals and cultivators, though cultivators were more numerous.

Most rode mounts. Dragon Horses, Tiger Horses, and Leopard Horses—offshoots of demonic beasts and the finest of horses—were quite common.

Some also rode Sea Condensation Realm mounts such as White Tigers with Hanging Eyes, Flying Cloud Demon Leopards, and Azure-Backed White Wolves.

The farther they went, the more travelers they saw. Yang Xiao even spotted a Soul Seed Realm expert riding a Soul Seed Realm Azure Ox. No other mount dared come within thirty feet of him. What imposing grandeur.

The farther they went, the more mountain peaks rose on either side. Through the earth, Yang Xiao sensed streams of Earth Vein Qi flowing along the Earth's channels toward the area ahead.

Upon reaching Slaughter Heaven City's eastern gate, Yang Xiao could not help marveling. This city truly deserved its reputation as the Heaven Domain's principal city.

Slaughter Heaven City stood in the middle of a lake, surrounded by mountains on all sides. Endless Earth Vein Qi flowed into the lakewater, making it practically an artificial Spirit Sea.

Looking at the surrounding formation, he could clearly tell that an expert had arranged it. The Earth Veins were linked together, while Slaughter Heaven City served as the serpent dragon within the lake. This was the Lake Serpent Dragon Transformation Earth Vein Grand Formation recorded in the Carefree Scripture.

The lakewater was clear. When he scooped up a mouthful and drank it, a snake-like wisp of spiritual qi darted out of his lower abdomen and flowed into his Spirit Sea.

Before long, the lake serpent would likely transform into a true dragon and soar into the heavens. When that happened, the formation's power would increase tenfold, and the Lake Serpent Dragon Transformation Formation would become the Dragon Roaming the Four Seas Grand Formation.

Yang Xiao murmured, "I should congratulate Uncle Tu first when we meet."

People laid great formations, and formations nourished those who laid them. The serpent's transformation into a dragon naturally signified that the master of Slaughter Heaven City would also become a true dragon. In terms of official rank, this meant Uncle Tu was poised for promotion.

For a marquis of Great Zhou, the next promotion meant entering the Imperial Capital and being granted the rank of king. From then on, his status would be beyond measure. He could enter court without bowing, would no longer need to attend the daily court assemblies, and so on.

"This city is enormous! It's ten times bigger than Falling Blossom City." Yang You'er's eyes shone as she looked at the enormous city in the lake.

"Come on, let's go inside. We'll be living here for a long time." Yang Xiao headed toward the enormous city.

A bluestone road ran across the lake straight to the East City Gate, allowing even ordinary people to enter.

A long, dragon-like queue stretched before the East City Gate. Looking ahead, they saw that the gate had not yet opened.

"Looks like we got here early," Yang Xiao said.

He would be seeing Butcher today, so Yang Xiao had been somewhat excited. He had woken Yang You'er before dawn, only to arrive and discover that the city gates had not yet opened.

The two waited for an hour. By then, the long queue behind them stretched out of sight.

"Open the gates!"

A young officer in silver armor stood atop the city wall and shouted with his magical power, his voice ringing out for a hundred miles around Slaughter Heaven City.

The East City Gate slowly opened. A squad of soldiers wearing bronze armor marched out and formed two lines beside the entrance.

The queue slowly advanced. Fortunately, they had risen early and secured a place near the front. In less than half an hour, they passed the inspection at the gate and entered Slaughter Heaven City.

Beyond the gate was a dark, dense sea of people. Slaughter Heaven City's streets were so broad that even several dozen people walking abreast would not feel crowded.

"Brother Xiao, what does that shop sell?" Yang You'er pointed at a magnificent, glittering hall.

"That's the Hundred Weapons Hall. It specializes in weapons. As long as you have Earth Vein Crystals, you can even buy top-grade Spirit Artifacts." A stooped old man turned and smiled at Yang You'er.

Yang Xiao nodded in acknowledgment. The old man was a Sea Condensation Realm cultivator. Slaughter Heaven City truly harbored crouching tigers and hidden dragons—even a random passerby possessed cultivation.

"What about that one?" Yang You'er pointed at another hall and asked the old man.

Yang Xiao gave the old man an apologetic look. The latter smiled and explained with his hands clasped behind his back, "The Spirit Plant Hall specializes in Spirit Plants. As long as you have Earth Vein Crystals, they can even procure top-grade Spirit Plants."

"And that one?" Like a child whose curiosity had been stirred, Yang You'er pointed at a pavilion and asked again.

Yang Xiao followed her slender finger with his gaze. The next instant, he shuddered and pulled Yang You'er onward.

What had he just seen? Slaughter Heaven City actually had a Perching Phoenix Pavilion too.

Just as they reached the entrance to the Perching Phoenix Pavilion, a beautiful woman around thirty, still brimming with mature charm, stepped outside. Her eyes lit up when she saw Yang Xiao. She thrust her left leg forward, exposing a dazzlingly pale thigh, and called, "Little Brother Yang Xiao, why aren't you coming in to say hello to Sister Li?"

Yang Xiao swallowed. What was he seeing? Finding a Perching Phoenix Pavilion here was one thing, but he had actually run into Li Xunhua. Why had this temptress followed him here too?

"No, we still have important business. We'll visit when we have time." Pulling Yang You'er along, Yang Xiao ran off without looking back, as though he had encountered a raging flood or savage beast. No, he would rather face a raging flood or savage beast than see Li Xunhua. That woman was far too terrifying.

"Brother, do you know that woman? I feel like she isn't a good person," Yang You'er said with a pout.

"You'er, you can't judge whether someone is good or bad based on your feelings." Yang Xiao recalled his two encounters with Li Xunhua. Although both had made him want to turn tail and run, she had not actually done anything to him.

A little unhappy with his response, Yang You'er released his hand and followed behind him with her small hands clasped behind her back.

"Friend, do you know the way to the City Lord's Residence?" Yang Xiao stopped a passerby and asked.

"Just keep going straight down this street. It's the place guarded by soldiers." The young man he had stopped pointed ahead.

Yang Xiao thanked him and led Yang You'er in the direction the young man had indicated.

Watching the pair disappear into the distance, the young man murmured, "Taking a beauty like that to the City Lord's Residence—isn't that sending a lamb into a tiger's jaws?"

Naturally, Yang Xiao did not hear the young man's words. He walked with Yang You'er for an hour before finally spotting four Beast-Armored Soldiers standing outside a residence.

The Beast-Armored Soldiers were all Sea Condensation Realm cultivators. Each held a spear and wore a pig-slaughtering knife at his waist, looking like a lesser version of Butcher.

"Brother, I'm the Sky Marquis's nephew. My family suffered a terrible upheaval recently, so I've brought my younger sister here to seek refuge with my uncle." Yang Xiao stepped forward and bowed. Behind him, Yang You'er clasped her small hands behind her back and curiously studied the four burly men.

"I've never heard of the Sky Marquis having a nephew. You aren't another swindler pretending to be his relative, are you?" One soldier looked him over suspiciously.

Yang Xiao froze. People actually dared impersonate Butcher's relatives? Just how brazen could they be?

After thinking it over, he realized he had nothing that could prove their relationship.

Yang Xiao stepped forward and said, "I also know Little Blue. I've ridden Little Blue before."

This should make the soldiers believe me, Yang Xiao thought.

"What a joke. Who in Slaughter Heaven City doesn't know Little Blue? Unless you can produce proof today, there's no way I'm letting you inside." The soldier sneered, clearly taking him for a swindler.

An idea flashed through Yang Xiao's mind. He took a letter from his Storage Ring—the very one Little Blue had delivered before. "This is a letter Uncle Tu once wrote to me. You'll understand once you read it."

The letter had been sitting in his Storage Ring for so long that, had he not run out of options, he would have forgotten it existed.

Half believing him, the soldier opened the envelope. As he read the letter, his expression grew increasingly solemn. "This handwriting looks like demonic beasts running rampant. It's very similar to the Sky Marquis's. Wait here while I report this."

The soldier took the letter into the City Lord's Residence, and Yang Xiao breathed a sigh of relief. As soon as Butcher saw it, he would know Yang Xiao had arrived.

Remembering the soldier's words, Yang Xiao wanted to laugh. What did he mean by handwriting like demonic beasts running rampant? Calling it wild cursive was being generous; less politely, it was ghostly scribbling. It had taken him ages to decipher its contents back then.

"Whoa!"

A luxurious carriage stopped outside the City Lord's Residence. It glittered with gold, with a squad of soldiers following behind and eight Sea Condensation Realm Dragon Horses pulling it.

Just as Yang Xiao was wondering what sort of important figure sat inside, a plump youth of seventeen or eighteen stepped down.

His cultivation was not high; he had only just entered the Sea Condensation Realm. His steps were unsteady, an obvious sign of excessive indulgence. For him to have become a Sea Condensation Realm cultivator despite that, his elders must have spent vast amounts of cultivation resources on him.

The plump youth stepped down from the carriage and glanced at them. His eyes were full of disdain when they passed over Yang Xiao. When his gaze swept across Yang You'er, however, his head jerked back, and his eyes settled on her again, gleaming with lust.

The plump youth trotted over, the fat on his belly bouncing with every step. Stopping before Yang You'er, he extended his greasy hands. "Beauty, what's your name? How about coming home with this young master?"

"Brother Xiao." Yang You'er clenched her fists. "Can I hit him?"

Yang Xiao shook his head. He had already guessed the youth's identity. The plump youth also wore a pig-slaughtering knife at his waist. Anyone who could put on such a luxurious display in Slaughter Heaven City was probably Butcher's son or nephew.

"Oh! You little wench, one compliment and your head's already in the clouds? Men, this woman intends to assassinate me! Seize her and take her to my room. Tonight, I'll give her a thorough interrogation." The plump youth puffed out his chest, though his bouncing belly made him look rather ridiculous.

As soon as he finished speaking, the soldiers behind the carriage raised their spears and rushed over.

"Brother Xiao, I really want to hit him." Yang You'er clenched her fists again.

Yang Xiao chuckled. He had come here to seek refuge with Butcher. Although Butcher treated him very well, beating up his family immediately upon arriving would hardly be appropriate.

He stamped his right foot, and Earth Vein Chains rose from the ground, binding the soldiers. Most were Qi Gathering Realm cultivators, and even the strongest were only in the Sea Condensation Realm. They had no hope of breaking free of his Earth Vein Chains.

Seeing this, the plump youth shouted, "Rebellion! Rebellion! Someone actually dares attack me, Tu Yuxuan, in Slaughter Heaven City!"

He pointed at the guards by the entrance and continued, "Why aren't you coming over to arrest this criminal?"

Yang Xiao frowned. The guards at the entrance all had considerable cultivation and had spent many years in the Sea Condensation Realm at the very least. Moreover, faint killing intent occasionally flickered in their eyes—the kind only those who had killed possessed.

The three guards would pose some trouble for Yang Xiao, but only a little. If they truly fought, he was confident he could kill them all in a single exchange.

Unexpectedly, the guards at the entrance merely glanced at Tu Yuxuan and did not obey his orders.

Tu Yuxuan's outstretched hand trembled slightly, from both embarrassment and anger.

Just then, two people emerged from the entrance. The man in front, wearing a Beast Robe, was none other than Butcher. Behind him was the guard who had gone to report Yang Xiao's arrival.

At the sight of Butcher, Tu Yuxuan shuddered. The next moment, he narrowed his eyes and squeezed out a few tears, then trotted forward and dropped to his knees, crying, "Father, someone's bullying me!"

Butcher glanced at them, then swung up his large hand. It stopped in midair and ultimately never came down. He barked, "You unfilial brat!"