As Zhe, Zhang Qiao, Old Hei Xia, and Fan Jiasheng hesitated, wondering whether to proceed, a formidable surge of divine sense swept out from the small courtyard, pausing briefly upon them. Immediately, the light barrier surrounding the courtyard of the Qinghong Inn ruptured, opening a passage large enough for entry.

"Guests are welcome. Since you’ve reached the door, come in and sit for a while," a clear, light voice issued from within the courtyard. Though the tone was somewhat detached, it held no hint of hostility.

The four exchanged startled glances. That sudden, overwhelming wave of divine sense that had enveloped them moments ago had nearly choked them, extinguishing any thought of resistance. To project one’s divine sense so effortlessly to survey distant surroundings was far beyond the capability of an ordinary Qi Condensation cultivator.

Zhe and the others inwardly cursed. The person in the courtyard was likely a senior cultivator in the Foundation Establishment stage. Even a late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator was difficult enough for them to handle, let alone one at Foundation Establishment.

It seemed their arrival had been too rash; they had completely underestimated the high cultivation level of the owner here.

However, having already alerted the master, they now had no choice but to brace themselves and step into the small courtyard. A visit between cultivators was usually not a major issue. After all, few in the cultivation world were inherently bloodthirsty; without severe conflict, few would readily resort to killing.

Zhe and the other three entered the courtyard, and the opening in the light barrier sealed shut behind them.

Upon entering, their eyes grew eager, keen to discover just which lofty expert resided within.

They soon reached the center of the courtyard and saw a room door open. A young cultivator emerged slowly, wearing a faint smile, regarding their expressions with eyes that suggested no ill will—rather, it was as if he were greeting old friends.

The four froze, finding the young cultivator vaguely familiar, yet unable to place exactly when they had met.

"This junior, Zhe, greets this esteemed senior. May I ask who you are?"

Just as Zhang Zhe began to speak, his sister, Zhang Qiao, caught sight of Ye Qin and gasped, "Ye—Brother Ye! You are Brother Ye!" With Zhang Qiao’s incredulous exclamation, Zhang Zhe, Fan Jiasheng, and Old Hei Xia finally remembered. They knew exactly who this cultivator before them was.

Six years ago, when Ye Qin first arrived at Xian-Yuan City, he was only sixteen. Though mature for his years, cautious and decisive in action, there was still a trace of youthful immaturity about him. Now in his early twenties, his appearance had naturally changed, becoming steady and composed, and his bearing had grown immeasurably. More importantly, Ye Qin’s cultivation had advanced significantly, which was why they hadn't recognized him immediately.

Seeing their old friend, Zhang Zhe, Fan, and Xia all broke into looks of wild elation.

"It’s actually Brother Ye!"

"It's been many years!"

Ye Qin cupped his hands in return with a faint smile. "Brother Zhe, Brother Fan, Brother Xia, and little sister Zhang Qiao. I was thinking just the other day about visiting your homeland in the Nanliang Kingdom when I found the chance. I never expected you brothers to find your way to my door today; you’ve saved me quite a bit of effort."

Old Hei Xia asked with surprise, "Brother Ye, your current cultivation must be in the Foundation Establishment stage by now, right?"

"Indeed."

Ye Qin smiled, briefly recounting how he joined the Azure Pill Sect after the Spirit Mist Canyon incident six years prior. He had cultivated diligently in the sect for six years, and after achieving Foundation Establishment, he had left to gain experience.

Seeing Ye Qin’s massive leap in strength after joining a major cultivation sect, Zhang Zhe, Fan, and Xia were intensely envious. They mused on the vast difference in cultivation progress between joining a sect and remaining independent, realizing why almost everyone scrambled to join one. It was just a pity they hadn't had that opportunity.

Recalling the events of the past, the group sighed with emotion and lament.

They had once ventured into the Spirit Mist Canyon together, but because Zhang Qiao’s cousin snatched a demon core and fled during the battle, they were nearly wiped out. Deeply shaken, the Zhang siblings returned to the Nanliang Kingdom disheartened.

They gave up any thought of venturing into the cultivation world, instead struggling to make a living in the Jianghu (martial world) of Qingzhou, Nanliang Kingdom. Having originated from a Zhang family gang in Qingzhou, they adapted quickly.

Not long after, Fan and Xia also returned to the Nanliang Kingdom.

At the invitation of the Zhang siblings, Fan and Xia joined them, together conquering Jianghu sects and deploying masses of martial artists to collect spiritual materials.

Although they were mere minnows in the cultivation world, they became leviathans in the Jianghu. Entering the martial world was like a fish returning to water; in just six years, they had subdued twenty large gangs and seized control of the territory spanning the northern reaches of Qingzhou.

"We gave up on the path of cultivation long ago. Reaching the late stage of Qi Condensation within our lifetime is already quite good," Zhang Zhe said with a wry smile. "In truth, mixing in the Jianghu isn't bad; at least we don't have to constantly worry about extreme danger. It’s just that obtaining spirit stones is too difficult, and our cultivation progress is agonizingly slow."

Ye Qin was unfamiliar with the situation in the Nanliang Kingdom and asked with confusion, "The Nanliang Kingdom has a large population and fertile land—it should be a good place. Why are spiritual items so scarce here?"

Zhang Zhe shook his head and sighed, "Spiritual items have little connection to soil fertility or population size. Despite the vast territory and large population of the Nanliang Kingdom, spiritual items are remarkably few. The four of us control all the northern counties of Qingzhou. Even relying on twenty Jianghu gangs, collecting thirty or forty low-grade spirit stones in a month is considered good. Divided among the four of us, that’s about ten stones each. If we controlled all of Qingzhou, we might get over a hundred stones. Qingzhou City is a piece of rich meat that all Jianghu gangs must fight for. This time, we deployed a contingent of martial artists to Qingzhou City, intending first to take down the local gangs governing the prefecture seat, securing this vital area. Then, over the next ten years or so, we plan to expand our influence to the eastern, western, and southern regions of Qingzhou."

Only then did Ye Qin begin to understand why the Zhang siblings and the others were present in Qingzhou City.

But one question still troubled him. Even in a small country like Wu State, there was the Nan family in Pingzhou. Nanliang, being such a large country, must surely have many rogue cultivators and established families.

"There should be quite a few cultivators in Qingzhou. As you expand aggressively, haven't you offended the other local cultivators?"

Zhang Zhe explained, "Many cultivators appearing in the Nanliang Kingdom are actually wayfaring cultivators from other states, passing between Xian-Yuan City and various nations; they aren't natives of Nanliang. The number of native cultivators is actually small. In Qingzhou, there are only a few low-level rogue cultivators in the Qi Condensation stage, and just one small cultivation family. Currently, the primary opponents of our North Twenty Gangs are those few rogue cultivators."

Ye Qin was astonished, "Are there so few cultivators in the Nanliang Kingdom? I heard in Xian-Yuan City that Nanliang had quite a few cultivators. Why are there no large families here?"

Zhang Zhe explained with some helplessness, "Although the land of Nanliang is fertile and can support many people, it lacks the spiritual materials required by cultivators. With too few spiritual items, it isn't conducive to cultivation, so naturally, not many large families take root here. Throughout the entire Nanliang Kingdom, there is only one major cultivation family—the Lu family. However, they primarily operate around the capital of Nanliang, manipulating the current Nanliang court from behind the scenes. As long as we rogue cultivators do not encroach upon their sphere of influence, they won't intentionally suppress us rogue cultivators. Another point is that Nanliang is too close to Xian-Yuan City, making conflict with Xian-Yuan City rogue cultivators easy; occasionally, some rogue cultivators drift into Nanliang. Major families are reluctant to settle permanently here. Our choice to root ourselves here was born of necessity. My sister and I originated from the Qingzhou Jianghu as rogue cultivators, and Old Fan and Old Hei are also rogue cultivators from Nanliang. We agreed to settle in Qingzhou. Although the path of cultivation seems hopeless, at least we can enjoy some worldly wealth."

After listening to Zhang Zhe’s explanation, Ye Qin finally gained some understanding of the hierarchies among cultivation families.

Cultivation families are divided into several tiers:

Ancient Cultivation Families: The clan once produced a Nascent Soul stage cultivator.

Major Cultivation Families: The clan must have at least one Golden Core cultivator to qualify. If the Golden Core cultivator passes away without a successor, the family automatically demotes to a Middle-tier Cultivation Family. Such major families primarily manipulate the nation's politics from behind the scenes, control military and government power, and absorb the nation's wealth without interfering with Jianghu gangs.

Middle-tier Families: The clan must have at least one Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Small Cultivation Families: Consist of Qi Condensation cultivators with a lineage spanning two generations or more. Small families concentrate some of their influence on controlling Jianghu gangs and gathering minor wealth from the martial world.

The lowest status belongs to rogue cultivators like Zhang Zhe, Fan, and Xia; they are, at best, considered rogue cultivators, lacking the historical legacy of a cultivation family and thus not qualifying as a 'family.'

Nanliang has over ten prefectures and counties, but only one Lu major cultivation family. Their clan possesses one Golden Core cultivator, seven Foundation Establishment cultivators, and nearly two hundred Qi Condensation cultivators—a considerable force.

Nanliang has twenty to thirty small cultivation families, each ranging from four or five members up to a dozen or so. Combined, they total two to three hundred cultivators. The number of rogue cultivators within the borders is less than a hundred. This total number of cultivators is actually quite small.

The primary population of Nanliang consists of passing cultivators, with few choosing to settle permanently. There are no middle-tier families in Nanliang because such families are in a very awkward position. If a middle-tier family wishes to advance further within the nation and gain more resources, they inevitably have to challenge the major cultivation family, which is certain to draw strong suppression. Thus, middle-tier families usually choose to bypass major families entirely. Small families experience frequent fluctuations in power, often disappearing within a few decades, posing almost no threat to the great families. Major cultivation families look down on small families and generally do not pay them much attention, leaving small cultivation families in a relatively better position.

"We have thoroughly surveyed the situation in Qingzhou over these years. Qingzhou has five cultivation powers; we four constitute one. In Qingzhou City, there is a declining small cultivation family, whose strength is very weak; they haven't produced a single decent cultivator in recent years. Furthermore, in the west, east, and south of Qingzhou, there are the factions of seven Qi Condensation rogue cultivators, who are the main rivals for our North Twenty Gangs to dominate Qingzhou."

Zhang Zhe bowed, his face earnest. "Brother Ye, why don't you join us? Become the overall leader of our North Twenty Gangs. This junior is willing to voluntarily relinquish the leadership position. With Brother Ye's current strength, controlling all of Qingzhou within a year would be effortlessly achieved."

Fan Jiasheng and Old Hei Xia gazed at Ye Qin with expectant faces. Zhang Qiao, too, looked tense. From the moment they saw Ye Qin, they had unconsciously formed the plan to recruit him. Otherwise, they wouldn't have detailed the situation in Qingzhou to him so thoroughly.

Ye Qin fell silent, weighing the matter in his heart. He had offended quite a few people in his cultivation sect and in Xian-Yuan City. Even if he avoided trouble, trouble was likely to find him eventually. He had to consider this.

While the four of them wanted to recruit him, Ye Qin was also considering securing a backup plan for himself. If his prospects in the sect turned sour someday, or if some unforeseen accident occurred, having a fallback in Qingzhou would be advantageous. Even a cunning rabbit has three burrows; how much more so a person? Preparing multiple places of refuge was certainly not a drawback.

With these close and familiar companions controlling the Jianghu gangs of Qingzhou, it would also make his travels between his sect and other nations more convenient. He could settle directly in the Nanliang Kingdom instead of having to go through Xian-Yuan City. Moreover, lending aid to the four would be a trivial matter for him. It benefited both him and the four people of Zhang and Fan.

Having considered this, Ye Qin made his decision. "I descended the mountain this time under orders from my sect to gain experience in a distant nation. I am only staying in Nanliang temporarily and cannot remain long; I must depart in a few days and may not return for several years. Therefore, joining your organization is out of the question."

The four were immediately disappointed and were about to persuade him otherwise.

Ye Qin then added, "However, before I leave, I can offer you a small favor: I can help shield you from enemies who actively attack you. Any cultivator in the Qi Condensation stage will not be a major issue. But I can only stay in Qingzhou City for ten days at most. You all should make the most of these ten days."

The four were instantly overjoyed. With a Foundation Establishment cultivator backing them, they could act boldly. Ten days was enough time for them to accomplish a great deal. (To be continued. If you wish to know what happens next, please log in to m for more chapters and support genuine reading!)