Starshine City, East City.
Tongfu Restaurant.
It was the most lavishly refurbished restaurant in the city, famed for its "spirit plant medicinal cuisine."
The restaurant served numerous martial artists every day, who gathered to chat and exchange news.
They recounted major events within and outside the city, along with all manner of rumors, unwittingly turning the restaurant into an "intelligence relay station."
At that moment, the guests on the restaurant's second floor were all martial artists from the city.
They gathered in groups of three or five, and nine tables out of ten were discussing the same subject.
"The Cloudzhi Immortal Tree was stolen!"
Word of this had circulated in Starshine City as early as two months ago.
But under the City Lord's Manor's information blockade, the news had never been confirmed. Almost everything had been speculation and hearsay.
Only a few days ago had the City Lord's Manor issued an announcement confirming it.
It had also offered a citywide bounty for the Cloudzhi Immortal Tree, promising a fortune and Cloudzhi Immortal Fruit as rewards.
The news immediately shook the entire city.
Tongfu Restaurant was abuzz with heated discussion.
"To think the Cloudzhi Immortal Tree really was stolen."
"I told you! Two months ago, there was such a huge commotion at the City Lord's Manor. It seemed a mighty Source Emperor Realm cultivator had made a move.
"Afterward, security at Starshine City's four gates became noticeably tighter. Something major must have happened."
Someone sighed. "I heard a single Cloudzhi Immortal Fruit can greatly increase a martial artist's chances of breaking through from the peak source king realm to the source emperor realm.
"The value of such a divine marvel is simply beyond measure."
"Who had the gall to steal the Cloudzhi Immortal Tree from the City Lord's Manor? That's a