Qing Chen adopted an exceedingly humble posture.
In truth, the hundreds outside the hall, including his trusted retainers, served little purpose by gathering here now.
Against someone at Yan Moyou's level, this handful of people would not be enough for him to kill. They could not even buy time.
Better to invite him into the heart of his stronghold-restrictions were layered thickly there, and formations linked to the earth veins. Even if their talks fell through or something unexpected happened, he would have a few more things to rely on.
Yan Moyou looked at Qing Chen's smiling face, then glanced in the direction Qing Chen indicated.
He fell silent briefly.
"Lead the way."
Yan Moyou kept his words brief, putting away the Blood Spear and gesturing for Qing Chen to go first.
Qing Chen's heart settled slightly, and his smile grew a little broader. "Please follow me, Senior."
He stopped looking at those in the hall and led the way deeper inside.
Expressionless, Yan Moyou followed at an unhurried pace. Their figures soon disappeared into the shadows of the passage behind the hall.
Meanwhile, among the cultivators outside the hall.
Everyone's gaze had gone somewhat rigid.
The Provincial Governor... knew Yan Moyou?
They seemed quite familiar.
What had that scene just been?
Great cultivators from three top-tier traditions-the Black Bird Heaven-Bearing Sect, the Moon-Eroding Way, and Guisi Lingyuan-had joined forces to exert pressure, forcing Qing Chen to draw on an entire province's fortune and the residence-protecting grand formation to withstand them!
And then?
Yan Moyou of the Origin-Initial Devil Sect, known as the Primordial Magnetism Devil Lord and ranked thirty-sixth on the Heavenly Gang True Lord Ranking, had suddenly appeared, as though Qing Chen had invited him.
With three fingers, he had casually forced back three great cultivators!
With