"Let's set out at once and see whether we can reach White Cloud Immortal City before nightfall!" After finishing her meditation, Lin Xueying glanced at the sky and suggested.
"Sounds good. Let's hurry into the city. These past three months of sleeping rough and dining on the wind have tormented me to death!" Lin Xue'e nodded eagerly.
A moment later, a streak of azure light shot into the sky, flying toward White Cloud Immortal City.
This place was not far from the immortal city, and with so many high-level cultivators around, piloting a Flying Shuttle did not draw much attention.
Several hours later.
A majestic giant city, like an enormous dragon, coiled amid a towering mountain range.
The range was called the White Cloud Mountain Range. It contained a Tier 3 mid-grade spiritual vein, with several Tier 2 Spiritual Veins branching out around it.
White Cloud Immortal City had been built against the mountain, stretching for hundreds of li and climbing upward in layer after layer.
Legend had it that White Cloud True One's cave abode lay at the summit of these mountains.
White Cloud Immortal City was currently shrouded by a grand formation. It was said to be a Tier 3 mid-grade Void Severing Grand Formation, possessed of boundless power.
The closer they drew to the immortal city, the more streaks of spiritual light gathered from all directions, varied and dazzling.
More than ten li from the city, those escape lights descended one after another, restrained by the city's no-fly restriction.
Other than mighty True Core cultivators, everyone had to descend and proceed on foot under this aerial restriction.
Zhou Xun likewise descended along with the cultivators ahead of him.
Before long, the group arrived at the city gate.
After paying a fee of fifty Spirit Essence, they received identity tokens.
These tokens allowed them to remain in White Cloud Immortal City for one year. During that time, they could freely enter and leave the city by presenting them.
Once the tokens expired, they would have to pay the fee again.
This item alone brought White Cloud Immortal City at least ten thousand spirit stones in income every year!
That showed just how wealthy White Cloud True One was.
After entering the city, they did not immediately seek out Danbao Pavilion and the Spirit Herb Pavilion. Three months had passed, and no one knew whether something unforeseen had happened here.
For safety's sake, it was best to investigate first.
Thus, they found an inn and rented rooms for a month.
That night, they thoroughly washed themselves.
Though they had cleansing arts, the dusty air of sleeping rough and dining on the wind always left one feeling uncomfortable.
The next day, the group traveled together and followed the directions to Danbao Pavilion in White Cloud Immortal City.
The moment they arrived, they found that the former Danbao Pavilion had vanished without a trace, replaced by a medical shop called "Hundred Herbs Hall."
Among the hundred arts of cultivation, there was also the profession of physician.
After cultivators fought, severe injuries often took years to heal, affecting their cultivation.
If a physician stepped in at such a time, they could root out stubborn ailments and restore one to full health.
It was said that high-level physicians even possessed the ability to bring flesh to bones and raise the dead.
Seeing this, Zhou Xun did not rashly step forward to ask questions. He pulled Lin Xueying and the others away.
They then went to the Spirit Herb Pavilion, only to find that it too had been replaced by an artifact-refining shop.
The group returned to the inn with grave expressions.
It seems the Lin Lineage's forces here have also suffered some sort of upheaval, Zhou Xun mused inwardly.
"The ones behind it must be the Wu, Sun, and Li Families of Red Leaf Square!"
The only question was how they had managed to extend their tentacles all the way here.
Just then, Lin Xueying's expression tightened.
She pulled Zhou Xun and the others aside to avoid someone.
Zhou Xun and the others were puzzled. Only after they returned to the inn did Lin Xueying explain:
"Just now, I saw the Wu Family's First Elder!"
After defeating the Lin Lineage that day, the Wu Family had spent another month or so reorganizing all of Red Leaf Square.
Afterward, the Wu Family's First Elder personally headed for White Cloud Immortal City.
Throughout Xu Nation, there were only two Tier 3 powers.
One was Cloud Radiance Sect, the ruler of Xu Nation. The other was White Cloud Immortal City.
To maintain its rule, Cloud Radiance Sect had always suppressed the cultivation lineages within Xu Nation, preventing another True Core cultivator from emerging among them.
They did not want the events of White Cloud Immortal City to happen again.
Three hundred years ago, all of Xu Nation had still been dominated by Cloud Radiance Sect alone.
All cultivation resources in Xu Nation had been gathered into Cloud Radiance Sect's hands.
The great cultivation lineages had also pledged allegiance to Cloud Radiance Sect.
Then the formation master White Cloud True One rose abruptly like a strange army, forming his True Core.
Relying on the White Cloud Mountain Range, he laid down a Tier 3 grand formation.
From then on, a second Tier 3 power appeared within Xu Nation: White Cloud Immortal City.
After several centuries of development, White Cloud Immortal City had grown ever stronger, and in doing so, it had inevitably encroached upon Cloud Radiance Sect's interests.
At the very least, Cloud Radiance Sect's influence throughout southwestern Xu Nation had already fallen to an extremely low level.
Wu Zongdao possessed an Earth Spiritual Root and was now a Foundation Establishment Great Perfection cultivator. Before his existence had been exposed, things had been manageable enough.
But during the attack on the Lin Lineage that day, he had no choice but to act, exposing his cultivation. Thus, he fell under Cloud Radiance Sect's notice.
Furthermore, among the original Four Great Clans of Red Leaf Square,
the Lin Lineage had fled, the Sun Family had only two Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivators and posed no concern, while the Li Family was even more pitiful, possessing only one mid-stage cultivator near the end of his lifespan.
Throughout Red Leaf Square, the Wu Family had already become the sole dominant power.
If Wu Zongdao were allowed to break through to True Core, Red Leaf Square might become another White Cloud Immortal City in the future.
And the southern region of Xu Nation would likewise fall beyond Cloud Radiance Sect's control.
This was absolutely not something the current Cloud Radiance Sect wished to see.
Thus, after reorganizing Red Leaf Square, the Wu Family's First Elder personally led a party to White Cloud Immortal City to discuss cooperation between the two sides.
The one who received the Wu Family's First Elder was White Cloud True One's direct disciple—Zhou Buqi.
Among all of White Cloud True One's disciples, he ranked eleventh. He was at Foundation Establishment Late Stage and was now over one hundred seventy years old.
He was also the true person in charge of all major affairs in White Cloud Immortal City.
As for those senior disciples who ranked ahead of him, aside from Liu Bo'an, who ranked second and had broken through to False Dan and still remained alive, all the others had already passed away in meditation.
Therefore, Zhou Buqi was already the most senior Foundation Establishment cultivator under White Cloud True One.
"Daoist Wu, I have already reported your words to my master. My master said: White Cloud Immortal City will not involve itself in the affairs of Red Leaf Square!"
Upon hearing this, the Wu Family's First Elder, Wu Guangxiao, underwent several changes of expression.
Without White Cloud Immortal City's support, Cloud Radiance Sect's suppression would surely arrive before long.
After pondering for a long while, he finally made up his mind and revealed Wu Zongdao's Earth Spiritual Root without holding anything back.
He then transmitted his voice:
"To be honest with you, my clan nephew Zongdao possesses an Earth Spiritual Root. His cultivation has now reached Foundation Establishment Great Perfection. If we can obtain White Cloud Immortal City's support, we are willing to owe White Cloud Immortal City a favor!"
"Is that true?" Zhou Buqi's face filled with astonishment.
The Wu Family had hidden itself deeply indeed!
Those with Earth Spiritual Roots had a fifty percent chance of breaking through to the True Core realm even without taking any spiritual medicines. If they took an Essence Crystallization Pill, the chances rose as high as eighty percent.
With his current Foundation Establishment Great Perfection cultivation, at most ten years would pass before the Wu Family produced a newly advanced True Core cultivator.
At that thought, Zhou Buqi's tone grew warm:
"I never expected the Wu Family to produce a true dragon!"
"You overpraise us, Daoist Zhou. Then what does White Cloud Immortal City say?"
"Brother Wu, please wait a moment. I shall go seek my Revered Teacher's instructions once more!" Zhou Buqi laughed heartily. The Wu Family producing someone with an Earth Spiritual Root was a matter that could alter Xu Nation's future landscape. It had to be reported to White Cloud True One.
Afterward, White Cloud True One personally received the Wu Family's First Elder and finalized the cooperation between the two sides.
The Wu Family's First Elder remained in White Cloud Immortal City.
First, to discuss the details of cooperation with White Cloud Immortal City.
Second, to lead some Wu Family descendants to settle there, so that if something happened to the main family, they would not be wiped out in one fell swoop.
After all, Cloud Radiance Sect was still the sky over Xu Nation, with three True Core cultivators within its sect.
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