Having anticipated this, Xu Long's gaze toward Deng Shouchong had already turned cold.
He knew that Deng Shouchong was no ordinary great cultivator, but ever since the other party led everyone to intercept the spiritual vein, everyone had been gradually brought under his control.
Using Phoenix City as the primary bait and Spirit Stone as a secondary bait, he managed to subdue a group of desperate criminals under his command.
Thinking back to how he and Ma Fang had gradually entered Blackwater City, it seemed that this guy had been the one to push them along. Now that he had come to the fragmented space to look for something, Xu Long already understood.
Deng Shouchong, having used his secret technique, found nothing in the fragmented space. He couldn't help but feel disappointed. Despite his elaborate schemes, he hadn't expected that it would still fall into his hands in the end.
He was filled with great joy before entering the fragmented space, but after entering, all the joy in his heart vanished.
He tried using his secret techniques but couldn't find the item. In this hidden fragmented space, he even saw Xu Long's figure.
He thought Xu Long would have been turned into an ice sculpture long ago by the attack of the Human Python, but he didn't expect this person to get there first.
Deng Shouchong naturally had no idea how Xu Long knew about and entered the fragment space, and he felt particularly disappointed at this moment.
"Could it be that this person obtained that item? Well, that's for the best; things haven't gotten too bad! It's just that what's left here is meaningless now!"
Deng Shouchong glanced at Xu Long inside the hall, his gaze flickering, before he thought to himself with a sense of self-consolation.
"Hmm? Oh no! Outsiders have entered the city! Ma Fang and the others are in danger! Fellow Daoist Mo Yu, please come with me!"
The foot that had been raised lightly landed instantly, and the disappointment on Deng Shouchong's face was replaced by a solemn expression.
He quickly spoke a few words to Xu Long, seemingly forgetting the brief unpleasantness between them just moments before.
He turned around, exposing his back to Xu Long, and then, with his back to Xu Long, he began chanting incantations without any restraint, seemingly unconcerned about whether Xu Long might have any ulterior motives.
Xu Long was startled. Outsiders had entered Blackwater City? How did he know that Ma Fang and her group were definitely in danger? Were the outsiders specifically there to deal with Deng Shouchong and his group?
Several thoughts raced through Xu Long's mind before his gaze settled on Deng Shouchong figure.
At this moment, Deng Shouchong seemed completely unconcerned about Xu Long's prying eyes. He silently chanted incantations, and the Magic Power within his body slowly condensed.
Xu Long's gaze sharpened; this guy really did know how to activate the formation City Lord's Manor!
Fortunately, I obtained the energy core first, otherwise I really don't know how I would have ended up.
But Deng Shouchong's behavior at this moment made Xu Long take another look. If an ordinary person hadn't found the treasure when they were certain of it, they would probably have asked Xu Long for advice.
Whether Deng Shouchong was genuinely indifferent or pretending not to see it, he didn't ask Xu Long a single question. This made Xu Long, who was behind Deng Shouchong, raise an eyebrow slightly. This guy really does have some tricks up his sleeve!
Deng Shouchong the incantation rapidly and intricately, far more skillfully than Xu Long. The darkness in his eyes was dispelled by a beam of light, and a hint of caution flashed in Xu Long.
Deng Shouchong was in front of him, didn't even turn his head. He was really confident, as if he believed that Xu Long would definitely follow him out of the fragment space.
As Deng Shouchong's Magic Power surged forth, a powerful energy was activated within the hall. He was the first to step out of the hall, and Xu Long Deng Shouchong suit without hesitation.
He's not afraid of Deng Shouchong tricks now. Besides, he's already shown you his back. If you're still not at ease, you're being too nervous.
When the blazing sunlight shone down from above again, Xu Long knew that he had followed Deng Shouchong through the barrier and arrived at the City Lord's Manor.
A glint flashed in Deng Shouchong's eyes as he seemed to be sensing something subtle. Then, he pushed off with his feet and shot off in one direction. It seemed that the outsiders who appeared in the city were not simple!
Xu Long glanced back at the City Lord's Manor. The outer perimeter of the main hall still exuded a magnificent aura, and the indomitable will remained within the City Lord's Manor, though its former owner had completely faded into history.
Perhaps in the not-too-distant future, this magnificent City Lord's Manor, along with the ruins of Blackwater City, will be completely buried in history, just like their ancestors, as if the flame of the past has been extinguished!
"Who are you people! How dare you try to take advantage of your Grandpa Ma! Aren't you afraid of getting yourselves killed!"
What brought Xu Long back to reality was Ma Fang's angry roar, which Xu Long could hear clearly even from the City Lord's Manor. Her words carried a violent tone and a hint of tension.
After Xu Long left the main hall of the City Lord's Manor, he sensed a different atmosphere in the dilapidated Blackwater City.
Ma Fang, who usually seems to have an impatient personality, conveyed a lot of information in this one sentence.
At least Xu Long knew that a group of people were eyeing them, and his heart sank. Ma Fang and her group must be in trouble!
A force that can inspire fear in even a group of desperate criminals is certainly not simple. But how did Deng Shouchong, who was inside the fragmented space, know beforehand that outsiders had entered the city?
At this moment, many thoughts flashed through Xu Long's mind. He forcibly suppressed his doubts and watched Deng Shouchong's figure disappear into the city. He frowned, took a step, and followed.
Xu Long knew there were no good people in the Land of Exile, and various forces were deeply entrenched. Moreover, there were Mist Beast in Blackwater City, not to mention the sudden influx of outsiders. Could it be that their arrival was too coincidental?
Blackwater City is fraught with danger. The Mist Beast, lurking beneath the surface, has yet to appear, but the cultivators are already harboring ulterior motives. Xu Long knows that the Mist Beast is definitely still secretly watching.
But at this moment, Deng Shouchong had already headed towards Ma Fang. He was determined to go to Phoenix City, which he mentioned. So now, even if Xu Long wanted to escape directly from Blackwater City, it would be impossible.
His eyes flickered a few times as if he were weighing something, then the glimmer in his eyes faded one by one, and he could only follow with an uncertain expression.
"Haha! It's truly a case of 'searching high and low without finding it, only to have it come to you Kung Fu Hustle '!"
As Xu Long watched Deng Shouchong's figure gradually disappear, before his own figure even reached the center of the city, he heard another extremely jarring voice.
The sound was like the cawing of a duck, and it caused a strange sense of irritation when it reached people's hearts.
The owner of the voice seemed to be talking to himself, completely disregarding Ma Fang and the others, his words carrying a hint of surprise and arrogant superiority.
As Xu Long listened to the voice, he thought: This is an extremely arrogant person, and having held a high position for so long, his personality must be somewhat domineering.
At this moment, two groups of people were facing off in the center of Blackwater City. Ma Fang and his group stopped in the center of the city, and all of them huddled together, their magical Magic Power already being channeled into their weapons.
Facing the cultivators inside the urn, their faces were filled with tension. Ma Fang stood before the urn, facing numerous powerful cultivators, his hands gripping the Miao sword tightly, his knuckles already turning slightly white.
He still tried to take advantage of the situation with his words, but anyone with eyes could see that this was just a facade, and the expressions of the others were similar to his.
Within the city's walls stood a group of fierce and powerful cultivators, who were piled up and blocked the walls.
Waves of energy emanated from the crowd, and intertwined divine senses blocked Ma Fang and her group's retreat.
When they faced Ma Fang and his group, they all wore mocking expressions. To still act tough in front of such a powerful cultivator was truly courting death!
Behind the crowd stood a man, tall and slender, dressed in a black Daoist robe and wearing a purple-gold crown. He looked to be around thirty years old, with particularly lean facial features and a mature appearance. His complexion was slightly dark and he had no beard.
His attire suggests he is a Daoist priest, and his demeanor does possess a certain otherworldly quality.
However, his words always carried an air of superiority, and a strange, sinister glint would occasionally flash in his eyes, making people afraid to truly meet his gaze.
He held a rather strange black whisk in his hand, the handle held between his arms, the other end hanging naturally in the air.
As slender fingers twirled the whisk, the dust particles it stirred up drifted gently in the air, and wisps of the Power of Laws faintly appeared beside it.
At this moment, he was playing with his whisk, watching the fine hairs dancing in the air with a contented gaze, as if there was something between those hairs that greatly interested him.
With a faint smile on his face, his composed demeanor exuded confidence, while he remained completely oblivious to the rude and uncouth words spoken by Ma Fang and her group.
He was still waiting for someone to arrive!
"Hahahaha! Who do we have here? It's that feathered beast Yuan Changwu! What? Did your older brother Yuan Changhe send you here to pick me up? Well, let me tell you now, no need! Get out of my way, we can get back to Phoenix City ourselves!"
Xu Long's thought had barely formed when he heard Deng Shouchong's contemptuous voice again.
Deng Shouchong usually presented a calm and composed image, and everyone thought he was a kind and honest person. But now, as soon as he opened his mouth, he seriously offended Yuan Changwu, who was sitting opposite him.
The sarcasm and contempt in his words were undisguised, which surprised Xu Long and the others.
It seemed that Deng Shouchong had already made contact with Ma Fang and the others, but he didn't get along well with Yuan Changwu. After a quick thought, Xu Long closely followed Deng Shouchong's figure and swiftly approached from behind.
"Heh! You're courting death!"
"Since you want me to clear the way, I won't be unreasonable. I have only one condition: open your minds and let me search your souls to confirm your identities before you leave the city."
"As long as you don't resist my methods, I guarantee you won't make any mistakes during the soul search! So what! Come over if you agree!"
Upon hearing the phrase "flat-haired beast," Yuan Changwu's eyes were instantly filled with a sinister light.
He still wore a calm smile on his face, but the whisk in his hand suddenly stopped in mid-air, and an inexplicable chill rose in everyone's hearts.
The powerful cultivators standing within the walled enclosure paused in unison, but the imposing presence of the person behind them prevented them from turning around, as if some ferocious beast was watching their backs.
Yuan Changwu did not retaliate much against Deng Shouchong's words. Instead, he smiled insincerely at the crowd and slowly stated a condition, though the threat in his words was quite obvious.
Upon hearing the voice from inside the urn, Ma Fang and the others opposite him all changed their expressions. With their backs to each other, their gazes swept over Deng Shouchong, as if weighing the pros and cons, muttering to themselves:
"Soul search? Soul search!"
"That's right! It's soul searching! I won't compete with you for the Spirit Stone in this city, but there's one thing I've come here specifically to find."
"I'm not afraid to tell you, having this thing will only bring you trouble. So, we've searched your souls to see if you're lying. If you haven't seen it, you may leave, and I will not pursue the matter further!"
Yuan Changwu's cold voice echoed throughout the city. The great cultivators within the walled city opened a passage, and he, dressed in a black Daoist robe, watched Deng Shouchong slowly walk out with a sinister look in his eyes.
His unreasonable demands actually made everyone consider the matter. Perhaps seeing the threat of the other side's superior numbers, everyone began to weigh the pros and cons.
"Gentlemen! How can we cultivators entrust our lives to others! You believe him just because he says he doesn't covet your Spirit Stone! Don't you all know who I, Deng Shouchong, am after all this time!"
In the center of the city, Deng Shouchong suddenly roared, his voice carrying a powerful energy that pierced people's souls like sharp thorns, causing Ma Fang and his group beside him to shudder.
The voice seemed to awaken everyone from a dream, and they all ignored the unreasonable demands made by Yuan Changwu.
In the Land of Exile, every fugitive has a secret. If someone were to truly search their soul, their fate would be firmly in someone else's grasp.
At that time, we will be at their mercy, like fish on a chopping board. How can we possibly escape unscathed and leave peacefully?
Everyone was aware of this principle, but just now, under Yuan Changwu's persuasive tone, they unconsciously began to consider the feasibility of his request.
After being awakened by Deng Shouchong, everyone secretly thought it was terrifying. They knew they shouldn't listen to the black-robed Daoist's words too much, as they would disturb their minds!
Stubborn to the end!
Seeing Ma Fang and his group come to their senses, Yuan Changwu thought to himself that it was a pity. Then, his eyes narrowed and he squeezed out a few cold words through his teeth, looking like he was about to Deng Shouchong.
" Second Yuan, hold on! There's still one person missing!"
Deng Shouchong seemed to know him very well. He knew Yuan Changwu was about to make a move just by looking at the change in his expression, but he showed no intention of taking the hit head-on.
Instead, he tilted his head back, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, and then said something nonsensical to Yuan Changwu with a grin, words that carried a deep sense of mockery and schadenfreude.
"Hehehe, it's really lively here! I'm too early! I missed the two young masters' big fight!"
As soon as Deng Shouchong finished speaking, a light laugh echoed in the sky above the city. The air currents in the air were instantly drawn away, and a powerful Power of Laws manifested within the city.