Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

Deacon Wei ignored the few Core Formation cultivators, bent down to carefully pick up the white paper, put it into a jade box, sealed the outside of the jade box with several restrictions, and then turned and walked deeper into the City Lord's Mansion.

True Monarch Qinglan's cultivation chamber is located at the lowest level of the City Lord's Mansion, hundreds of feet underground, and is isolated from the outside world by a fourth-order formation.

Deacon Wei stood outside the formation for a while, gritted his teeth, and finally raised his hand to trigger the emergency awakening restriction.

The array's light barrier slowly receded.

The door to the secluded meditation room was pushed open from the inside, and a rich spiritual energy surged out.

Qinglan Zhenjun sat cross-legged in the room, surrounded by several wisps of azure spiritual light, with a faint displeasure on his face.

"What is it?"

Steward Wei didn't say anything, but simply handed over the jade box.

Qinglan Zhenjun opened the jade box, took out a piece of white paper, and unfolded it.

In that instant, the azure aura surrounding him fluctuated violently as if swept by a gale.

He stared at the deep, dark mark at the very top of the paper for a full ten breaths, the light in his pupils condensing into two tiny dots.

"Qingyou".

When he uttered the name, his voice was extremely low, as if he were saying a name that couldn't be mentioned casually.

I watched for another ten breaths.

He put the white paper back into the jade box, closed it, and took a deep breath.

"Summon a meeting of Nascent Soul cultivators."

Deacon Wei cautiously reminded him, "It seems that True Monarch Xuanjing has... gone into seclusion."

"Seclusion? What seclusion?"

Qinglan Zhenjun's voice suddenly rose, carrying an unusual temper, "What time is it? He still has the mind to go into seclusion? Go now!"

Deacon Wei scrambled away as fast as he could.

Qinglan Zhenjun stood alone in the secluded cultivation room, looking down at the jade box in his hand.

This isn't about collecting debts; this is about forcing someone to resign.

But what could he say? What did he dare to say?

One day later.

It's still the palace deepest within the Azure Mist Ancient Tree.

At this moment, the four Nascent Soul True Monarchs sat on either side of the long table, with the white paper placed in the center of the table.

Sixteen Nascent Soul imprints lay quietly on the paper, their aura temporarily suppressed by a restriction.

But the presence of that mark itself is like sixteen sharp swords hanging overhead, making one's scalp tingle.

Especially the mark at the very top—the mark of True Lord Qingyou, as deep and dark as an abyss. Just one glance makes you feel as if your soul is being sucked in, and you can almost hear the wailing of countless dead souls.

This one dish alone is enough to make people wary, let alone the fifteen more that follow.

The hall was very quiet; no one spoke.

Finally, it was True Monarch Qinglan who spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse: "There's no mistake, this is True Monarch Qingyou's mark."

"The Azure Nether True Monarch has unified the Nether Bone Domain and established the Azure Nether lineage. You should all have received this news."

No one denies it.

He added, "This letter represents the attitude of the Nether Bone Domain and the Azure Nether lineage."

A Nascent Soul cultivator slammed his hand on the table: "What is this? Are they trying to rebel? Aren't they afraid of being held accountable by the Cangming Sect?"

True Monarch Qinglan looked at him, his eyes filled with a hint of helpless weariness: "The Qingyou lineage originally belonged to the Cangming Sect. The Cangming Sect has been inactive for too long..."

Have you all forgotten—the Cangming Sect is not only a world-suppressing holy sect, it is also a hegemon, and no one can defy the will of a hegemon.

The nascent soul opened its mouth, but said nothing more.

The hall fell silent again.

Qinglan Zhenjun turned his head and looked at the person sitting to his right.

True Lord Xuanjing.

He was the most senior and the most thoughtful of them all.

When Lin Zhao handed over the first letter, it was he who suggested delaying the process, but now...

Qinglan Zhenjun's gaze fell on his face, neither too light nor too heavy: "You said you would seek help from the Beichen lineage, what was the result?"

Xuanjing Zhenjun's eye twitched slightly.

"...The Beichen lineage refused, so I later approached a Nascent Soul True Monarch from the Xuanyang lineage. He took a lot of benefits from me, but I didn't get any good news back from there either."

Qinglan Zhenjun closed his eyes.

He opened his eyes again a moment later, his face no longer showing any expression.

"Alright, since this road is blocked, there's no need to say anything more."

He paused, then pushed the jade box in front of him forward half an inch: "First, this Azure Wood should be taken out and given to Lin Zhao."

No one objected.

"second."

He looked at True Monarch Xuanjing with a calm gaze, "The Nether Bone Domain needs to be appeased. Fellow Daoist Xuanjing, take out that fourth-tier spiritual item in your hand—the Nether Moon Spirit Pearl—and have someone send it to the Nether Bone Domain."

Xuanjing Zhenjun suddenly looked up.

"Fellow Daoist Qinglan—"

"You were the one who suggested the delay, and you're also the one who failed to perform your duties effectively."

Qinglan Zhenjun's tone was so calm that no emotion could be detected. "Someone needs to take responsibility for this matter."

Xuanjing Zhenjun's face turned ashen.

He was the one with the shortest lifespan among the four.

According to the original allocation, this piece of Qinglan wood should be his to use next.

Now there's nothing left.

The Azure Mist Wood is gone, and we have to pay the price with another fourth-tier spiritual item.

They tried to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice instead. Now not only is the rice gone, but even the rice container has been taken away.

Qinglan Zhenjun ignored his expression and got up to leave his seat.

"That's it, let's call it a day."

-----

Day three.

True Monarch Qinglan received Lin Zhao with the highest honors bestowed upon him by the Immortal City.

Hundreds of high-ranking members from the entire city's Core Formation factions were summoned to the scene and lined up on both sides of the plaza in front of the palace.

With four Nascent Soul True Monarchs personally accompanying him, when True Monarch Qinglan and Lin Zhao walked side by side into the main hall, the eyes of hundreds of Core Formation True Persons in the square all fell on him.

It's unbelievable that a Core Formation cultivator would have four Nascent Soul True Monarchs from an entire immortal city personally accompanying him.

Qinglan Immortal City really gave Lin Zhao a lot of face.

The welcoming ceremony in the square lasted for half an hour, and both guests and hosts enjoyed themselves.

After the welcoming ceremony, True Monarch Qinglan led Lin Zhao into a quiet and elegant small hall.

The door closed.

All external sounds were shut out.

Qinglan Zhenjun took out a green wooden box from his sleeve, placed it on the table, and pushed it in front of Lin Zhao.

The box was opened, and inside lay a three-foot-long piece of green wood, as thick as a child's arm, with fine, scale-like patterns on its surface, radiating a soft, green aura.

A fourth-tier spiritual item, Azure Mist Wood.

"Young friend Lin."

True Monarch Qinglan spoke, his tone very polite, even with a hint of apology, "I have been in seclusion for some time, and I hope you will forgive any neglect. As promised, this piece of Qinglan wood will be returned to its rightful owner today."

Lin Zhao took the box, glanced at it, closed it, and put it into his storage bag.

Then he looked up and added slowly, "True Monarch Qingyuan is currently deducing a great divine power and is in need of four fourth-order wood-attribute inheritances as a reference."

The hall fell silent for a moment, and the several Nascent Soul cultivators exchanged glances.

That's ruthless! To ask for four Nascent Soul inheritances right off the bat, they really dare to ask for an exorbitant amount.

I thought I could fool him by flattering him, but it seems I underestimated him.