Immortality and cultivation begin with full comprehension.

Chapter 644 The Terrifying City Lord, Knowing Everything (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Just as Li Yunjing was about to step into the mansion, Xiao Han suddenly turned around and released a Nascent Soul pressure without reservation. His long silver hair moved without wind, the surrounding temperature dropped sharply, and fine ice crystals condensed on the ground.

"Master Li is a distinguished guest of my 'Purple Cloud City.' No one else is allowed to spy on him with their divine sense, or they will die!"

Xiao Han's voice was icy as he scanned the street.

The expressions of the several Nascent Soul Realm cultivators hidden in the surrounding area changed slightly. This was clearly a deliberate act of protection. Could it be that this very famous Grandmaster Li was about to be bribed by "Purple Cloud City"?
In the cultivation world, everyone knows that the Lord of Zixiao City is incredibly powerful and is one of the top ten experts in the Chang'an Dynasty. For such a person to protect someone is almost equivalent to having an official status, and no one can afford to offend him!
Those few peering divine senses paused briefly, then retreated one by one, ultimately not daring to confront Xiao Han!
Li Yunjing laughed, his clear laughter like a spring breeze in the deliberately cold atmosphere Xiao Han had created.

"please!"

Xiao Han relaxed a bit and gestured for Li Yunjing and the other two to enter the mansion.

As Li Yunjing stepped through the amethyst-inlaid gate, he paused slightly.

The seemingly ordinary ground paved with green jade underfoot actually conceals a hidden mystery.

Each jade brick was engraved with fine array patterns, as fine as hair. With his mastery of array formations, he recognized at a glance that these were the basic patterns of the "Nine Palaces Spirit Locking Array".

"Master Li, please."

Seeing this, Xiao Han nodded slightly and led the way, his silver-white robe appearing and disappearing in the spiritual mist.

As he went deeper, Li Yunjing became increasingly shocked.

The spiritual energy inside the city lord's mansion was so dense that it almost materialized, flowing between the pillars as a pale purple mist.

Every ten steps there stood a silver-armored guard, each of them a Golden Core cultivator, and all of them carried top-grade magical artifacts.

The positions of these guards appear random, but they actually conform to the numbers of the Heavenly Gang, and once they form a formation, their power should not be underestimated.

"Fellow Daoist Li, that artificial hill..."

Su Muqing gently reminded her.

Following her gaze, Li Yunjing saw seven artificial hills of different shapes standing in the courtyard on the left, their surfaces covered with moss.

To the average person it was just an ordinary landscape, but in his eyes, the rock patterns covered by moss were clearly the foundation of some ancient formation.

"A variant of the Seven Star Soul-Locking Array..."

Li Yunjing responded telepathically, "However, a few key points have been modified, making it even more powerful."

As they were talking, they suddenly heard the sound of flowing water ahead.

After passing a screen wall adorned with carved dragons and phoenixes, a bright and open space suddenly opened up before us.

A spirit pool, about an acre in size, came into view. The water was a rare purplish-gold color, and the surface was filled with a rich spiritual energy.

Nine dragon-shaped pillars stand in the center of the pool, each with a living dragon coiled around it!
Even the smallest of those dragons were over ten zhang long. When they sensed someone approaching, they all opened their lantern-like eyes.

One of the silver-white dragons suddenly raised its head, revealing its sharp fangs.

"Silver Frost, step back."

Xiao Han gave a soft shout, and the dragon lowered its head obediently like a domestic dog, coiling back up on the pillar.

Zhao Qi gasped: "A peak third-tier demon king..."

Li Yunjing's gaze narrowed slightly.

A third-tier peak dragon is equivalent to a human Golden Core Realm peak cultivator. I never expected it to be so tamed. The methods of "Purple Cloud City" are indeed unfathomable.

What concerned him even more was that the arrangement of the nine dragon pillars was somewhat similar to the "Nine Dragons Locking the Sky Formation" that he had seen in ancient books.

At this moment, Li Yunjing's expression had become somewhat solemn.

"Purple Cloud City" is indeed unfathomable!
Li Yunjing had already realized that in terms of strength, they were definitely no weaker than the "City of Glory" at its peak!
Of course, "City of Glory" is no longer what it used to be; it has become an ordinary city in the north and cannot be compared with "Purple Cloud City".

"The powerful forces of the world should not be underestimated!"

Li Yunjing sighed deeply in his heart.

Having left the "Southern Continent" and entered the "Luofu Continent," Li Yunjing had broadened his horizons and was even more looking forward to his next stop, the "Huangze Continent."

He had previously planned the route with resentment, wanting to reach the "far north" as soon as possible to complete the mission of the Nascent Soul cultivator in the "Guanghan Palace".

Now, he feels a greater sense of anticipation for this trip.

Sometimes, broadening one's horizons is more important than anything else. That's why they say that traveling ten thousand miles is worse than reading ten thousand books.

After crossing the white jade arch bridge above the spirit pool, a large bronze hall appears ahead.

Eighteen bronze puppets, each three zhang tall, stood in the square in front of the palace, their surfaces engraved with complex runes.

Li Yunjing noticed that the joints of these puppets were inlaid with fist-sized high-grade spirit stones, which could obviously be activated at any time.

"Those are the 'Eighteen Arhats Guards'!"

Following Li Yunjing's gaze, Xiao Han explained, "Each one possesses the combat power of the first level of the Nascent Soul realm. They were seized by the City Lord from the 'Buddha Light Continent' after he killed seven eminent Buddhist monks!"

When talking about the city lord's achievements, Xiao Han's face showed pride.

Clearly, he held the city lord in the highest esteem!

"amazing!"

Li Yunjing nodded slightly, but his heart was filled with turbulent waves.

Eighteen puppets with Nascent Soul level combat power are almost equivalent to the entire high-end combat power of a top-tier sect!

The fact that "Purple Cloud City" can be displayed so openly suggests either that it is so powerful that it is unafraid of others coveting it, or that it has other motives.

In short, Li Yunjing strongly suspected that the strength of "Zixiao City" was even greater than that of the peak "City of Glory"!
Two men dressed in purple and gold armor stood solemnly in front of the main hall.

Li Yunjing scanned the area with his divine sense and was shocked!

These two were actually both at the second level of the Nascent Soul stage!
In the outside world, such figures would be capable of founding their own schools of thought, but here they are merely gatekeepers and guards.

"Brother Xiao!"

The two generals saluted Xiao Han, but their eyes warily scanned Li Yunjing and the other two.

"By order of the city lord, we will escort our distinguished guest into the mansion."

Xiao Han took out a purple token and said.

This time, Xiao Han no longer had the arrogant demeanor he had shown at the beginning. Instead, he spoke in a gentle voice and nodded back to the two of them.

In the world of cultivation, Nascent Soul Realm cultivators are by no means ordinary people!

No one dares to underestimate such an existence!
The guard checked the token and stepped aside.

Just as Li Yunjing was about to step into the palace, he suddenly felt a strange palpitation.

He subconsciously looked up and saw an ancient bronze mirror hanging above the palace gate. The mirror was as deep as an abyss, as if it could see into the deepest part of a person's soul.

A demon-revealing mirror?

Li Yunjing blurted it out.

"Master Li has a good eye."

Xiao Han rarely showed a smile: "However, this is a replica! This mirror can see through all disguises. Even if it is a Nascent Soul cultivator in disguise, it will not escape the discerning eye."

"call……"

Li Yunjing appeared calm on the surface, but secretly rejoiced that he harbored no ill intentions.

The Zixiao City Lord's Mansion may appear magnificent, but it is actually fraught with danger. A slight misstep could trigger some unknown restriction, making it even more terrifying than a dragon's den or a tiger's lair.

Upon entering the main hall, the interior space was several times larger than it appeared from the outside, clearly due to the use of a spatial expansion formation.

Thirty-six golden pillars with coiled dragons support the dome, each pillar inlaid with a luminous pearl, illuminating the hall as if it were daytime.

The ground was covered with a carpet made of the fur of some kind of exotic animal. It was as soft as a cloud when you stepped on it and even had the effect of calming your mind.

At the end of the main hall, atop nine steps, sat a person seated on a purple jade throne.

This man had a handsome face with a purple vertical line between his eyebrows, and his aura was as deep and boundless as the sea. He was none other than Xiao Yuntian, the Lord of Zixiao City.

On either side of him stood three elderly men dressed in purple robes, each exuding a powerful aura of the sixth or seventh level of the Nascent Soul Realm.

Li Yunjing's eyes flickered slightly.

These six people should be the six supreme elders of "Purple Cloud City". Including Xiao Han and the two at the entrance, there are nine known Nascent Soul cultivators.

Adding to the unfathomable Zixiao City Lord Xiao Yuntian, there were ten Nascent Soul Realm True Persons appearing before Li Yunjing!

As far as he knew, there were only five Nascent Soul cultivators openly in Zixiao City, so it seemed that the city lord's mansion had hidden strength far beyond what outsiders imagined.

I wonder what this city lord is plotting!
"Master Li, I've long admired you."

Xiao Yuntian's voice was gentle, yet carried an undeniable air of authority.

"Greetings, Lord Xiao."

Li Yunjing bowed and said, "I apologize for disturbing you."

Just as he bent down, he caught a glimpse of a side door on the right side of the main hall out of the corner of his eye.

The door was half-open, and a downward staircase could be vaguely seen behind it, with a faint crimson light seemingly emanating from the end of the staircase.

Even more strangely, when his consciousness approached the door, it vanished without a trace, like a clay ox sinking into the sea.

"Is Master Li interested in that door?"

Xiao Yuntian suddenly asked, his voice tinged with amusement.

"I was just curious about the exquisite architecture of the city lord's mansion."

Li Yunjing's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't show it on his face. "I dare not look any longer." Xiao Yuntian smiled meaningfully and did not continue the topic.

He waved his hand, and immediately a maidservant brought out spiritual fruits and celestial wine.

"Master Li spent a fortune at 'Tianbao Pavilion' today, which is truly astonishing."

Xiao Yuntian picked up a cup of purplish-gold wine, "Would you be willing to join my 'Purple Cloud City' in this grand event?"

Under Xiao Han's guidance, Li Yunjing and the other two took their seats in the guest area. He took the wine cup handed to him by a maid, quietly checked it with his divine sense, and only took a small sip after confirming that it was not poisonous.

The wine entered his throat and instantly transformed into a warm current that flowed through his limbs and bones, even causing his cultivation level to increase slightly.

"Good wine!"

Li Yunjing sincerely praised, "I wonder what the city lord meant by 'jointly celebrating this grand event'..."

"The city lord wishes to rebuild the 'Nine Heavens Cloud Movement Wind and Thunder Formation,' and needs the assistance of a master of formations like Grandmaster Li."

Xiao Yuntian put down his wine cup, his eyes gleaming with purple light: "If Master Li is willing to help, I am willing to offer him high-ranking positions and generous salaries, and provide him with all the necessary cultivation resources."

"Nine Heavens Cloud Movement Wind and Thunder Formation?"

Li Yunjing put down his wine glass, his fingertips gently tracing the rim to conceal his inner turmoil.

He had only seen a few words about this formation in the incomplete "True Explanation of Ancient Formations". It is said to be a forbidden formation used by ancient immortal sects to guide the Nine Heavens Thunder Tribulation.

The Lord of Zixiao City actually possesses a complete lineage?

"good."

Xiao Yuntian lightly tapped the armrest of the throne with his fingertips, each tap seeming to strike the heart. "Once this formation is completed, it can draw upon the wind and thunder of the nine heavens. Even if a Nascent Soul cultivator comes to attack, he will not escape being reduced to ashes."

The hall suddenly fell silent as the gazes of the six purple-robed elders all fell upon Li Yunjing, as if they were real people.

Li Yunjing felt the air around him become viscous, which was the pressure released intentionally or unintentionally by several Nascent Soul cultivators.

Clearly, there was no way to disagree!

"You flatter me, City Lord."

He secretly circulated his magic power, his spiritual energy surging like a river, but his face remained calm: "However, such a celestial array is probably not something that can be accomplished by one person alone."

"Hahaha!"

Xiao Yuntian suddenly burst into laughter, the spiritual power contained in his laughter causing the luminous pearl in the hall to tremble slightly. "Master Li is too modest. I, the city lord, have heard of your feat of trapping and killing three Nascent Soul cultivators with a single attack during the battle of Cang Kingdom."

Li Yunjing's pupils contracted slightly.

The details of that battle were extremely difficult for outsiders to know, but Xiao Yuntian knew them all. The intelligence network of "Zixiao City" was even more terrifying than he had imagined.

"Li was just lucky."

Li Yunjing smoothly changed the subject, "The City Lord's Mansion is indeed well-informed; they even knew I came from 'Cang Kingdom'."

"Hehe! The 'Cang Kingdom' and my 'Luofu Continent' are adjacent. They are paying attention to us, and we are naturally paying attention to them as well."

A purple glint flashed in Xiao Yuntian's eyes. He leaned forward slightly, his tone suddenly becoming fervent: "If Master Li is willing to help, in addition to an annual stipend of 50,000 high-grade spirit stones, this city lord will open the treasury for you to use as you please. Even..."

He paused, then said slowly and deliberately, "You may borrow the first three volumes of the 'Nine Heavens Formation Diagram'."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the six elders all changed.

The white-browed old man on the far left couldn't help but speak up: "City Lord, this..."

Xiao Yuntian raised his hand to stop him, his gaze fixed on Li Yunjing: "How is it?"

Li Yunjing's heart raced.

The Nine Heavens Formation Diagram is very likely a supreme secret manual recording the ancient art of formations, and it is a fatal temptation for any formation cultivator.

But he knew even better that there are no free opportunities in the world.

Xiao Yuntian's offer must be extraordinary.

But with Xiao Yuntian watching him like a tiger, it seemed he had no way out.
Perhaps Xiao Yuntian knows more than he imagines?
Did they even know that they came from the "Shenxiao Dao Sect"?
Thinking of this, Li Yunjing felt a chill run down his spine.

Now, his life and death are entirely in the hands of this important figure!
"I am overwhelmed by the Lord's generous gift."

Li Yunjing carefully considered his words, "I just don't know what I need to do?"

Xiao Yuntian smiled with satisfaction and was about to speak when his expression suddenly changed slightly.

Li Yunjing keenly noticed a faint glint of light flashing across the purple vertical line between the city lord's eyebrows.

Almost simultaneously, a faint roar came from behind the half-closed side door on the right side of the main hall.

The sound was extremely faint, yet it was detected by Li Yunjing's extraordinary divine sense.

That was a sound that no human could make!
The six elders clearly heard it too, and two of them unconsciously glanced in that direction.

Xiao Yuntian's expression remained unchanged, but a purple light flew out from his sleeve. Before it even entered the door, his roar abruptly stopped.

"A few noises, please excuse Master Li."

Xiao Yuntian's tone remained unchanged, "The specific details will be discussed at a banquet hosted by the city lord in three days. At that time, I will also introduce more than a dozen friends who are also knowledgeable in formations."

"Then I, Li, will take my leave."

Li Yunjing knew this was a gesture to see the guest off, so he stood up and bowed.

"Xiao Han, see the guest out."

Xiao Yuntian gave him a meaningful look: "Master Li's cultivation level does need to be improved."

Clearly, while he could evade the disguises of Wang Tianba, the Sun family patriarch, and the Qian family patriarch, he could not escape Xiao Yuntian's gaze. Li Yunjing's cultivation level was clearly seen through!

"There's no other way; we still need City Lord Xiao's help to improve our cultivation."

Li Yunjing chuckled dryly, knowing that Xiao Yuntian had practically exposed all his secrets.

"Serving 'Purple Cloud City' will naturally bring you ten times the reward you used to receive."

Xiao Yuntian chuckled and said this.

When leaving the main hall, Li Yunjing deliberately walked past that side door.

Up close, he could clearly feel the breath seeping from the crack in the door.

It was bloody, violent, and had a hint of ancient decay.

Even more strangely, the magical power within his body began to accelerate on its own, as if resisting some kind of invisible erosion.

"Who knows what secrets lie hidden deep within the City Lord's mansion!"

Li Yunjing felt a chill run down his spine.

"Master Li, please."

Xiao Han's voice came from behind, interrupting Li Yunjing's investigation.

On the way back, all three remained silent.

Only after completely leaving the city lord's mansion did Zhao Qi ask telepathically, "Husband, behind that door..."

"Silence!"

Li Yunjing's gaze swept over the seemingly ordinary vendors on the street corner. "Never mention this matter again!"

Zhao Qi and Su Muqing also tensed up; this was the first time they had ever seen such a serious expression on Li Yunjing's face!
Even when fighting against the four Nascent Soul Realm cultivators from the "Mysterious Ice Palace," Li Yunjing had never been this cautious!

After turning through three streets and alleys, Li Yunjing returned to his residence. He waved his hand to set up three layers of soundproofing barriers, and then took out four array flags and planted them in the four corners of the room.

The flag moved without wind, emitting a faint blue light, enveloping the entire manor in the "Four Symbols Concealment Formation".

After doing all this, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, his back already soaked with cold sweat.

"Fellow Daoist Li! That City Lord's Mansion is practically a den of dragons and tigers..."

Su Muqing handed over a cup of calming tea, her hand trembling slightly.

Li Yunjing took the teacup and found that his fingers were trembling uncontrollably.

"hehe!"

He chuckled self-deprecatingly and downed the tea in one gulp.

The warm spiritual tea finally calmed the chill in my heart.

"Remember this!"

Li Yunjing's voice was low and deep, "From this day forward, under no circumstances shall you speak on our behalf about anything that happened before we entered the 'Cang Kingdom'!"

"Yes!"

Zhao Qi and Su Muqing exchanged a glance and nodded in unison.

They had followed Li Yunjing for so long, and this was the first time they had ever seen him so cautious.

Li Yunjing walked to the window and lightly tapped the window frame with his fingertips.

The afterglow of the setting sun gilded "Purple Cloud City" with a blood-red hue, and in the distance, the spire of the city lord's mansion pointed straight to the sky like a sharp sword in the twilight.

What secrets does that seemingly magnificent place hold?
Why does Xiao Yuntian value the "Nine Heavens Formation Diagram" so much?
What unsettled him most was that Xiao Yuntian seemed to have already figured out his background.

The phrase "ten times more than you used to receive" clearly implies that the amount of resources he had access to in the past was known.

That's a sect separated by countless countries and located on another continent!
(End of this chapter)