Chapter 231: Qinglin City, A Bounty is Posted

Chapter 231: Qinglin City, A Bounty is Posted

"You really didn't do it?" Huang Meng asked in a low voice, sensing that Wen Yong's expression was amiss.

"No, I was just angry and made an empty threat. I didn't dare to actually kill her. Besides, the protector by her side was stronger than me!" Wen Yong was almost in tears, filled with regret for his impulsive words spoken in anger.

Who would have thought that Dai Yingying would actually be killed, leaving him unable to clear his name?

Huang Meng took a deep breath and said, "Could it have been another brother from the alliance? But they should have informed us as well!"

"It's probably the despicable and treacherous Lingzong or some noble family trying to frame me," Wen Yong said, his face streaked with tears.

"Xiao Yong, run. Leave Yuzhou. I'll arrange for you to go to the alliance in another state. When our Wan Shi Alliance is officially established, we won't have to fear a second-rate family like the Dai family," Huang Meng said in a solemn tone.

"Okay, I'll run away now!" Wen Yong's face turned pale as he knew that the Dai family would come after him, whether in Zhengguo or Yuzhou.

The Dai family sent out their strong cultivators, tracking the murderer's whereabouts, and even offering a hefty bounty.

The royal family of Zhengguo also offered a reward.

For a time, the martial arts world in Zhengguo was in an uproar, and countless loose cultivators trembled in fear of being innocently implicated.

At this moment, the true culprit, Xu Yan, had already left the borders of Zhengguo.

His destination, the place where the Earth Spirit Dragon Qi was located, was far from Zhengguo. Along the way, Xu Yan had been gathering information about the situation in Zhengguo and Yuzhou, as well as the influential Lingzongs and noble families in the regions.

Since the Ling Domain Gate was located in Yuzhou and Zhengguo, if the Evergreen Pavilion were to move to the Ling Domain, their base would likely be in Yuzhou. Thus, Xu Yan wanted to gain a clear understanding beforehand.

The power structure in the Ling Domain was vastly different from that of the Inner Domain. In the Ling Domain, the primary ruling forces were the Lingzongs and noble families.

The kingdoms and empires were merely appendages of the Lingzongs or noble families, established to rule over a particular region.

Throughout the entire Ling Domain, the hierarchy of nobility was strictly observed, even among the Lingzongs and noble families themselves.

A third-rate Lingzong, upon encountering a second-rate or first-rate Lingzong, must adhere to the rules of hierarchy and stand respectfully behind them, never overstepping their bounds.

Of course, if there were deep grudges or enmity between them, resulting in an antagonistic relationship, then they might not follow this rule unless a more powerful Lingzong or noble family was present, in which case they would abide by the rules in appearance.

Yuzhou was governed by the three major Lingzongs, the five great noble families, and the eighteen smaller noble and Lingzong families.

There were a total of six kingdoms and empires.

Zhengguo was the only one that did not fall under the rule of the Yuzhou Lingzongs and noble families. Instead, it answered directly to several transcendent Lingzongs.

The privilege of guarding the Ling Domain Gate was a right bestowed upon them by these transcendent Lingzongs.

Yu Shen Zong was the foremost Lingzong in Yuzhou and the only Lingzong in the entire Ling Domain that was considered first-rate.

Aside from Yu Shen Zong, the other Lingzongs and noble families in Yuzhou did not possess the strength and heritage to be considered first-rate in the Ling Domain. They were merely first-rate within the boundaries of Yuzhou.

Little by little, Xu Yan gained a better understanding of Yuzhou and the Ling Domain from Yu Xiao Long.

For instance, the Ling Domain did not have a unified spirit currency. The spirit notes circulated in the martial arts world were issued by several transcendent Lingzongs, and the notes of any one of these Lingzongs could be used in the eighteen states of the Ling Domain.

"Like this Great Zhou spirit note, it is the only spirit currency in the Ling Domain issued by a kingdom with strength and heritage comparable to a transcendent Lingzong. The Great Zhou Kingdom is the only independent kingdom in the Ling Domain, free from the rule of Lingzongs and noble families," Yu Xiao Long explained to Xu Yan.

Yu Xiao Long was puzzled as to why Xu Yan seemed to know so little about the basic knowledge of the Ling Domain.

Was he a novice loose cultivator?

But how could he be so powerful then?

The fact that the Great Zhou Kingdom could maintain its independence and rival the power of a transcendent Lingzong was a testament to the extraordinary strength of the Great Zhou royalty.

"The place we are in now belongs to the Mo family, the foremost noble family in Yuzhou," Yu Xiao Long said, pointing towards a city in the distance.

"Let's go take a look inside the city," Xu Yan decided, wanting to check out the shops to see if there was anything worth buying.

"I'll hide," Yu Xiao Long said, curling around Xu Yan's wrist and hiding under his sleeve.

Qinglin City was one of the six major cities of the Mo family, the foremost noble family in Yuzhou. The city walls resembled overlapping scales, hence its name.

Unlike other first-rate noble families in Yuzhou, the Mo family did not support a kingdom or empire. Instead, they established Mo family cities to rule over their territories.

As one of the six major cities of the Mo family, Qinglin City was guarded by a peak Greater Celestial cultivator.

At this moment, in the Lei Yun Pavilion within Qinglin City, several martial artists were holding portraits and announcing a bounty.

"Anyone who provides clues about this person will be rewarded with 100,000 spirit crystals or a Gathering God Pill."

The crowd of martial artists was astonished.

100,000 spirit crystals and a Gathering God Pill? Lei Yun Pavilion was a shop established by several transcendent Lingzongs in Qinglin City, attracting countless martial artists daily. Any loose cultivator with some strength and background would come to this place.

"May I ask, what crime has this young man committed?" A curious martial artist inquired.

From the way the person spoke, it was clear that he was a loose cultivator.

The martial artist holding the portrait glanced at him indifferently and replied, "Don't ask questions that you shouldn't. Just provide clues and claim your reward."

Someone in the crowd asked, "What if we capture him? What would the reward be then?"

The portrait holder smiled at the speaker and said, "If you capture him, the reward is five Gathering God Pills, or an equivalent item."

Some of the loose cultivators in the crowd felt anger simmering within them. The questioner was obviously not a loose cultivator, and the difference in treatment was blatant and infuriating!

However, most of the loose cultivators were already accustomed to this kind of discrimination and even considered it normal.

"Gathering God Pills... Are they from the Shen family, or...?" the questioner continued.

To be able to distinguish between the Gathering God Pills of the Shen family and those of other Lingzongs or noble families, the speaker must hold a relatively high status within the Lingzongs or noble families. Otherwise, he wouldn't have such knowledge.

In Yuzhou, the Gathering God Pills of the Shen family were considered the best.

"They are from the Yu Shen Zong and the Su family," came the reply.

The Su family was one of the five great noble families of Yuzhou.

As for Yu Shen Zong, it was the foremost Lingzong in Yuzhou and the only first-rate Lingzong in the entire Ling Domain. The martial artists present were astonished that a young man could warrant a bounty from these two major forces.

"Must he be captured alive, or does it not matter if he's dead or alive?" someone asked.

"Alive. Also, according to our intelligence, his cultivation level is at least late Small Heaven stage or above," came the response.

News spread quickly, and soon, everyone who entered and exited the Lei Yun Pavilion knew that Yu Shen Zong and the Su family were offering a bounty for information on a young man.

And this young man possessed a cultivation level of late Small Heaven stage or above.

The fact that they were offering such a public and grandiose bounty for a young man without providing any specific information suggested that he was most likely a loose cultivator.

In a certain residence within Qinglin City, several loose cultivators gathered.

"Does anyone know the identity of the person being hunted by Yu Shen Zong and the Su family?" one of them asked.

"No, I've never heard of such a peerless genius among the loose cultivators in Yuzhou," another replied.

"We can't let a genius from our loose cultivator community be harmed by the Lingzongs or noble families. We must find his trace quickly and not reveal his whereabouts," said another.

"Indeed, this person will surely become a peerless genius of our Wan Shi Alliance in Yuzhou. We must find a way to bring him into our alliance and stand against the Lingzongs and noble families," added another.

After discussing their plan, the group of loose cultivators set out to search for the young man's trace.

Outside Qinglin City, within a mountain, several buildings were hidden.

Wen Yong's face was pale, his injuries were severe, and he had barely escaped with his life from Dai Yingying's clan elder. He had taken refuge in this place.

"Wen Yong, you must leave from here immediately. As for the Dai family's pursuit, we will find a way to delay them!" said a middle-aged man solemnly, pointing at a map.

"Understood, I'll leave now!" Wen Yong nodded and turned to leave, but just then, a figure hurried in.

"Hall Master, Yu Shen Zong and the Su family are offering a bounty for a peerless genius among the loose cultivators. The alliance has already arranged for people to search for this young man," the newcomer said, placing a portrait on the table.

The Hall Master narrowed his eyes and asked, "Is he a peerless genius from our loose cultivator community?"

"Yes, his cultivation level is late Small Heaven stage or above, according to the information provided by Yu Shen Zong and the Su family," the newcomer nodded.

"Such a peerless genius must be brought into our Wan Shi Alliance. We desperately need geniuses like him," the Hall Master said with delight.

"But Hall Master, Yu Shen Zong and the Su family are both after him, and I've heard that Great Heaven stage elders have been dispatched," the newcomer said gravely.

"The more he is valued by the Lingzongs and noble families, the more it proves that he is indeed a peerless genius. As a loose cultivator being hunted by the Lingzongs and noble families, he won't be able to ensure his safety unless he joins our Wan Shi Alliance. We must find his trace as soon as possible. If necessary, I will personally intervene to hold off the Great Heaven stage elders from Yu Shen Zong or the Su family," the Hall Master said solemnly.

"Yes, Hall Master!" The newcomer hurriedly left.

Wen Yong glanced at the young man in the portrait and sighed inwardly. Another peerless genius was about to join the alliance.

He, Wen Yong, was also considered a peerless genius among the loose cultivators.

However, his current situation was dangerous, as he had severely offended the Dai family.

If he had only made empty threats, the Dai family would have sent Small Heaven stage cultivators at most, with the strongest being a Great Heaven stage cultivator, to pursue him.

But now that Dai Yingying was dead, the Dai family considered him the murderer, and even a Refining God stage ancestor had come out to personally kill him.

Wen Yong didn't know if he could escape from Yuzhou.

After all, he was a marked man for the Refining God stage ancestor!

If not for the alliance's help in his escape, he would have surely died by now.

Meanwhile, Xu Yan, who was being hunted by Yu Shen Zong and the Su family, remained oblivious to all of this.

He was on his way to Qinglin City and prepared to go inside to take a look around.

On the road to Qinglin City, martial artists came and went. Suddenly, a martial artist leaving the city paused, startled. The young man they were looking for was none other than the one being hunted by Yu Shen Zong and the Su family!

His heart filled with joy, and he quickly circled back, carefully making his way back to Qinglin City.

"The cities of the Ling Domain are truly extraordinary."

Xu Yan couldn't help but marvel at Qinglin City, one of the six major cities of the foremost noble family in Yuzhou. "No wonder it's one of the top-tier sects."

When he first entered the Inner Domain from the frontier, he found the cities there to be bustling and majestic, with even a small remote county seat rivaling the capital of a country in the frontier.

Now, as he beheld the cities of the Ling Domain, his horizons broadened once more.

The cities of the Ling Domain far surpassed those of the Inner Domain.

The massive gates of Qinglin City were guarded by peak Greater Celestial cultivators, who collected entrance fees from martial artists.

"Celestial Masters are everywhere, and Greater Celestial Masters are also common. A first-rate martial artist is considered low-level here in the Ling Domain and is almost equivalent to an ordinary person," Xu Yan mused as he observed the martial artists coming and going at the city gates.

The disparity within the Inner Domain was stark!

A Celestial Master was already considered a powerful figure there.

However, in the Ling Domain, they were commonplace, much like third-rate and first-rate martial artists in the Inner Domain.

Xu Yan was not surprised by this, as the Ling Domain had denser spiritual energy and more active heavenly mechanisms, making cultivation easier. In such an environment, people's talents tended to be higher.

Moreover, with the active heavenly mechanisms, martial arts cultivation was also more accessible.

Xu Yan was about to enter the city when a man suddenly approached him and said in a low voice, "Young man, are you still daring to enter the city? Come with me quickly, or it will be too late."

Xu Yan's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"You've been marked for a bounty! Come with me quickly!" the man urged.

A bounty on his head?

Xu Yan's brow creased. Could it be because of the matter at Qing Tian Jiao's tomb? As he followed the man away, he asked, "Who are you, and why are you telling me about this bounty? Which faction put it out?"

"I'm just a loose cultivator. I can't stand seeing the Lingzongs and noble families trying to suppress talented loose cultivators, so I wanted to warn you," the man explained as he led Xu Yan away from Qinglin City.

"The ones who put out the bounty on you are Yu Shen Zong and the Su family. Young man, you should know what it means to be hunted by a Lingzong and a noble family, right?" the man continued, his expression grave. "But I know of a place that can guarantee your safety!"

A cold light flashed in Xu Yan's eyes. Yu Shen Zong and the Su family were actually targeting him?

"Wait till I break through. I'll show you a thing or two!" he vowed silently.

"How can you, a mere loose cultivator, help me escape the bounty from Yu Shen Zong and the Su family?" Xu Yan asked, his curiosity piqued.

Of course, he didn't fully trust the man and remained vigilant, ready to strike and kill him at any moment.

"This matter is confidential. Come with me to meet someone, and you'll understand," the man said. "You can rest assured, young man. I have no ill intentions. If we loose cultivators continue to harm each other, we will be enslaved by the Lingzongs and noble families for generations to come."

Xu Yan suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"What's wrong, young man?" the man asked, startled.

Xu Yan turned back and said calmly, "The ones who put out the bounty on me are here. You can leave now; no need to get involved."

The man's expression changed as he looked up to see two figures approaching swiftly.

"Young man, run!" the man urged.

However, Xu Yan stood his ground. "Run? They're just Small Heaven Stage cultivators. I want to see what makes them dare to put a bounty on me!"

Seeing that he couldn't persuade Xu Yan, the man hurriedly left.

"Come with us," the two Small Heaven Stage martial artists said arrogantly as they looked down at Xu Yan.

As the sect administrators of Yu Shen Zong, the foremost Lingzong in Yuzhou, and the Su family, a top-tier noble family, they considered themselves noble and superior. Their arrogance had become second nature.

Xu Yan recognized the emblems on their clothes as those of Yu Shen Zong and the Su family.

He gave a cold smile and said, "Are you here to invite me, or are you here to command me? If it's an invitation, show some respect. If you think you can order me around, then prepare to die!"

"How dare you!" The administrator from Yu Shen Zong flew into a rage. "You're just a lowly martial artist and a loose cultivator at that. Don't think that just because you have some talent, you can ignore the rules. You should know the consequences of your actions!"

Xu Yan's expression turned cold, and he casually swung his sword, not bothering to hold back.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end