Yan Kingdom.
The southeast, White Cloud Flat.
It lay at the junction of three of the Four Great Sects: Returning Wind Valley, Danlong Gate, and the Xuli Sect.
White Cloud Flat stretched across a thousand li of fertile fields, with no shortage of mortal cities.
That day.
Just as evening fell.
Outside Lingbi City, the largest city on White Cloud Flat, rosy clouds filled the sky, and figures silently descended from above.
Some had the bearing of immortals, some showed faint glimmers of evil; some were men, some women, some old, some young.
Concealing their presences, they scattered without prior agreement around a boundary stele inscribed with the word "Shanli."
Most hid alone in the shadows of the hills and trees.
Occasionally, a few who seemed acquainted whispered together, though outsiders could hardly hear them.
After another while, the figures descending from the air grew increasingly sparse.
Some gradually began to grow impatient:
"Why hasn't this Clothing Auction started yet?"
That resentful remark immediately drew agreement from several people.
"Exactly. We didn't come all this way to waste our time here. Where's the Clothing Auction's appraiser? Wasn't it supposed to start at Crescent Moon Evening? Why is there still no sign of anyone?"
"So lax and unpunctual. Back in Wei Kingdom, a Gold Core True Person from Great Chu would have cut them down long ago!"
A tall, well-proportioned Gray-Robed Cultivator, his face and presence concealed, spoke with a murderous edge.
His words immediately drew sidelong looks from some of the others.
A white-haired old man with an indistinct face politely cupped his hands toward the Gray-Robed Cultivator:
"Have you perhaps returned from the former lands of Wei Kingdom, honored sir? Might I ask how things stand there? I hear the fighting between Great Chu and the Myriad Gods Kingdom