"Fellow Daoist Fang, Fellow Daoist Lin, Fellow Daoist Han, you've arrived!"
It was early October, at the harbor of a bustling city on Horsehead Island in the Misty Wave Kingdom.
Fang Lin and two fellow rogue cultivators, both at mid-stage Qi Refining like him, arrived at the refined lodgings reserved for immortal masters. At once, the Foundation Establishment senior who had summoned them came out to greet them.
"Senior Feng!"
Everyone hurried forward to pay their respects, rather overwhelmed by the honor.
"No need for formalities, no need."
Senior Feng smiled warmly, brimming with enthusiasm.
This Senior Feng was a Foundation Establishment expert whom the Heaven-Piercing Tower had originally sent to lead them in defending this place against the demonic path.
Normally, Fang Lin and the others were under his protection. During their assignment, they should have been the ones trying to win his favor.
But as the saying went, a man who humbled himself before others must want something from them. Circumstances had changed, and now Senior Feng was courting them instead.
They went inside and took their seats as hosts and guests. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they turned to business.
Senior Feng said, "Something momentous recently happened in the Misty Wave Kingdom. I believe you've all heard something about it."
Fang Lin and the others pondered this. They had indeed caught wind of it, but they did not know the details. Everything they knew was hearsay.
Senior Feng said, "A few days ago, the four great lineages and those who had sided with the demonic path were all brought to account. Apart from the Gu Household, which abandoned darkness for light in time and joined the righteous path, all the others were swept from the board!"
"Those lineages really fell?"
Fang Lin and the others were all