As one of the six great cities of the Shuiyun Kingdom, Qingyan City bordered the Southern Barbarians. After the Ji family relocated from Qingyan Mountain, it had no discernible effect on the city; the metropolis remained teeming with Heavenly Scholar sects, and the Yinshan Jiu family and the Jia family continued to be the most renowned Heavenly Scholar clans in Qingyan City, their status among the city's elite utterly unshakable.

When the Ji family left Qingyan Mountain, many in the city were initially unaware of their destination. It was only recently, after the Ji family made a significant name for themselves in Blood Rain Mountain, that the residents realized they had relocated there and become members of the Blood Rain Alliance.

Many people assumed the Ji family’s foothold in Blood Rain Mountain was entirely due to the aid of He Haoran, secretly envying their good fortune. They remained oblivious to the sheer number of masters the Ji family had accumulated during this time, or the crucial role they were playing within Blood Rain Mountain itself.

While many parties participated in the upheaval at Blood Rain Mountain, very few rumors about it ever surfaced. The Huangfu family and the Murong family considered the incursion of outsiders like the Dark King and the Myriad Poison Sect into Blood Rain Mountain a deeply dishonorable affair, choosing to keep it under wraps. As for He Haoran and the Star Stone Sect, having been reduced to prisoners of war by the foreign factions during the Blood Rain Mountain incident, they certainly had no motivation to bring it up.

Consequently, the critical role played by the Ji family in the Blood Rain Mountain conflict remained unknown to outsiders, who could never imagine that the present-day Ji family was far removed from the weak, marginalized clan once confined to Qingyan Mountain.

There were countless rumors circulating throughout the realm regarding Ji Changkong; however, the majority of people within Qingyan City dismissed these external tales as exaggerated nonsense, believing they vastly overstated his true strength. In their minds, Ji Changkong's rapid ascent was purely attributable to the assistance of figures like Li Hentian and Tuo Warlie.

Within Qingyan City, Ji Changkong held deep gratitude for Nie Yuanshan and Shao Kang. Having just come from the Xiao family, he decided against heading immediately to the Great Marsh of Cloud Dreams, intending instead to make a special visit to Qingyan City to pay his respects to them.

Qingyan City appeared unchanged, exactly as he remembered. However, upon entering, he noticed a significant increase in the number of guards patrolling the streets; their expressions were notably grim, as if they were secretly bracing for some impending threat.

Puzzled, and not being intimately familiar with these city guards, Ji Changkong proceeded directly toward the City Lord’s Residence where Nie Yuanshan resided.

Nie Yuanshan had been having a terrible month.

For the past month, several Heavenly Scholars dressed as Southern Barbarians had been active around Qingyan City, ambushing traveling Heavenly Scholars. Dozens of Heavenly Scholars passing through or residing in Qingyan City had fallen victim to these Southern Barbarian assailants.

Nie Yuanshan initially dispatched city guards to track down the Southern Barbarian faction, but not only did they fail to capture anyone, but several guards also mysteriously vanished. Nie Yuanshan and Shao Kang eventually took the matter into their own hands, yet they too could not locate the Southern Barbarians, while more Heavenly Scholars and civilians nearby continued to be killed.

Fear gripped the populace, leading them to question Nie Yuanshan’s capability as the City Lord. The Heavenly Scholar sects within Qingyan City, led by the Yinshan Jiu family and the Jia family, began to secretly maneuver, fanning the flames in Tian Shui City with the Huangfu family, hoping to usurp Nie Yuanshan’s position as City Lord.

The Yinshan Jiu family, somehow, managed to establish contact with Wang Po, the Prime Minister of the Shuiyun Kingdom. Aided by him, Jiu Wuji, the head of the Jiu family, colluded with Huangfu Jingwei of the Huangfu family. Huangfu Jingwei even paid a visit to the Jiu family and gave Nie Yuanshan an ultimatum: if he could not resolve the issue of the Southern Barbarians attacking Qingyan City within seven days, he must relinquish his title as City Lord.

Three days had already passed, and Nie Yuanshan and Shao Kang had scoured the surroundings without finding a single clue regarding the Southern Barbarian assailants.

With only four days remaining before the deadline, Nie Yuanshan still hadn't found the slightest thread of evidence concerning the Southern Barbarians. Meanwhile, the Jiu family, the Jia family, and other sects within Qingyan City continuously sent envoys, urging Nie Yuanshan to step down gracefully so that their leading families could handle the Southern Barbarian threat looming over Qingyan City.

Nie Yuanshan felt utterly helpless.

“Shao Kang, still no sign of those Southern Barbarian Heavenly Scholars?” Nie Yuanshan asked, his brow deeply furrowed, inside the City Lord’s Residence.

Shao Kang bowed slightly, his expression mirroring Nie Yuanshan’s distress, and he shook his head with a sigh. “After Huangfu Jingwei issued the deadline, those Southern Barbarians suddenly vanished. There’s not a trace to follow.”

“Four days… only four days left…” Nie Yuanshan murmured under his breath.

“Ruolan, Miss Ruolan…” Shao Kang hesitated, unsure whether he should deliver the latest news to Nie Yuanshan.

Noticing Shao Kang’s hesitation, Nie Yuanshan snapped, “What is it?” Nie Ruolan was his beloved treasure, and the moment Shao Kang mentioned her name, Nie Yuanshan immediately pressed him.

“Miss Ruolan was incensed by the Jiu family’s coercion and went alone to Yinshan to confront them. It seems she injured someone at the Yinshan Jiu residence. Jiu Wuji… Jiu Wuji just sent someone over, stating that Miss has been temporarily detained and that you must come in person to retrieve her,” Shao Kang reported, shaking his head helplessly with a heavy sigh.

“What utter nonsense!” Nie Yuanshan exploded with anger. After a pause, he turned the full force of his fury toward the Jiu family. “Jiu Wuji is getting bolder! In the past, he would have simply sent Ruolan back politely. Now that he’s allied with Wang Po and Huangfu Jingwei, he dares to hold my daughter hostage!”

“Who knew that Jiu Lingxue would turn out to be Wang Po’s granddaughter, and that this girl could advance to the peak of the Five Elements Heaven Realm so quickly? Ah, if it weren’t for Jiu Lingxue, Wang Po would never bother meddling in the Jiu family’s affairs…” Shao Kang sighed repeatedly.

Jiu Lingxue’s mother was originally just a niece of Wang Po. Although the Jiu family had some distant connection to Wang Po, he had never interfered in their affairs, nor did he officially acknowledge them as kin.

It wasn't until Jiu Lingxue’s cultivation progressed at an astonishing rate, reaching the Four Symbols Heaven Realm in a short span, that Wang Po learned he possessed an extraordinary granddaughter. As the sitting Prime Minister of the Shuiyun Kingdom, Wang Po himself was a cultivator at the Eight Trigrams Heaven Realm. For years, he had remained fiercely loyal to the Huangfu family and had amassed a substantial force of formidable Heavenly Scholars, earning the deep trust of the Huangfu clan.

Once Wang Po recognized Jiu Lingxue as a rare cultivation genius—a talent seen only once a century—he sent for her to be brought to Tian Shui City. With Wang Po’s backing, Jiu Lingxue gained access to rare cultivation materials, powerful secret techniques mastered by elite Heavenly Scholars, and personal tutelage from the Prime Minister himself.

Jiu Lingxue did not disappoint Wang Po’s high expectations. In just two years, she advanced further, reaching the peak of the Five Elements Heaven Realm at such a young age. Her exceptional aptitude earned her Wang Po’s serious attention, and it was because of Jiu Lingxue that Wang Po truly began to accept the Jiu family.

Wang Po, being the Prime Minister, harbored his own considerable ambition. To embed his influence into every corner of the Shuiyun Kingdom, he began promoting the interests of the Yinshan Jiu family, aiming to seize control of Qingyan City through them to solidify his own power base.

“Jiu Lingxue, Jiu Lingxue, that girl is truly a genius. Alas, if Ruolan possessed her aptitude, the Nie family would fully support us. Wang Po is the Prime Minister, and my uncle, the Grand Tutor, holds power nearly equal to his. It’s only because of Huangfu Jingwei’s presence that he hesitates. But if Ruolan were like Jiu Lingxue, even incurring Huangfu Jingwei’s displeasure wouldn’t deter him from helping us.”

Nie Yuanshan looked utterly defeated.

“My Lord, Miss Ruolan is still held by the Jiu family…” Shao Kang interjected, reminding him of the immediate crisis.

Nodding, Nie Yuanshan forced a bitter smile and rose. “Let’s go to Yinshan. Alas, with Ruolan as their bargaining chip, we’ll have to endure the Jiu family’s cold remarks again when we go.”

“As long as we can get Miss back, enduring a few glares is a small price to pay,” Shao Kang replied, shaking his head. “I only fear they will use this incident to deliberately make things difficult and then pressure us further regarding those Southern Barbarians. My Lord, you must remain composed when they bring it up. With Huangfu Jingwei present, you absolutely must not start a major confrontation at the Jiu residence.”

“I will try my best to control my temper,” Nie Yuanshan’s smile grew even more strained. “Worst comes to worst, I’ll just give up this City Lord position. Everyone is eyeing this seat; I truly don’t know what’s so great about it, Shao Kang. Once this ordeal is over, we should simply wash our hands of everything and find some quiet place to cultivate in peace.”

“Wherever you go, My Lord, I will remain by your side,” Shao Kang said with a slight smile. Though nominally master and servant, they were truly the closest of friends.

“Uncle Nie! Uncle Shao!”

Nie Yuanshan and Shao Kang had barely stepped out of the City Lord’s Residence when a surprised voice rang out. Then, they saw a tall, steady-looking young man approaching them both with a cheerful grin.

Nie Yuanshan froze for a moment, examining him closely before exclaiming in delight, “Changkong, why are you back, boy? Hmm, you’ve grown much taller in these few years, and sturdier too. Your vital energy is already internalized; I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Shao Kang, in a rare display, also smiled and nodded respectfully at Ji Changkong.

“I am heading toward the Great Marsh of Cloud Dreams, and I made a detour to visit Uncle Nie and Uncle Shao,” Ji Changkong replied, his face beaming with pleasure. Seeing their hurried demeanor, he asked with concern, “Uncle Nie, are you two rushing off somewhere? Have I interrupted something?”

Nie Yuanshan and Shao Kang exchanged a glance; their smiles turned even more bitter. However, Nie Yuanshan chose not to disclose the conflict with the Yinshan Jiu family, saying cheerfully, “Nothing at all, Changkong. Rest inside the residence first. Shao Kang and I need to step out briefly and will chat with you when we return.”

“Is there anything I can help with?” Noticing their strained expressions, Ji Changkong asked probing.

“No, truly nothing. Go in and rest first. We’ll be right back,” Nie Yuanshan hastily shook his head, signaled Shao Kang with his eyes, and hurried out.

Connecting this urgency with the strange looks on the city guards’ faces, Ji Changkong grew suspicious and slowly made his way toward the City Lord’s Residence.

“My Lord, Changkong… Changkong has made a name for himself now, and his strength is unfathomable. Perhaps he could offer us some assistance…” After they had walked some distance, Shao Kang suddenly murmured to Nie Yuanshan.

“We are at wits' end; what help could he possibly offer?” Nie Yuanshan shook his head, a sigh escaping him internally.

As Nie Yuanshan and Shao Kang spoke in hushed tones and their figures receded into the distance, they remained completely unaware of the astonishing sensitivity of Ji Changkong’s senses, honed by practicing the Grand Void Secret Record. Even from dozens of yards away, every word of their conversation reached his ears clearly.

This wasn't because Ji Changkong intentionally eavesdropped; it was simply that his hearing had become so acute that even without any focus, the content of their dialogue was absorbed by him.

The already suspicious Ji Changkong instantly confirmed that Nie Yuanshan and Shao Kang were facing a difficult predicament. As their figures gradually faded from sight into the vast crowd, Ji Changkong, who had just reached the entrance of the City Lord’s Residence, abruptly stopped.

After a moment of hesitation, Ji Changkong asked the guards at the gate with a gentle smile, “My good sirs, do you happen to know what trouble the City Lord is in?”

The two guards standing before the City Lord’s Residence did not change their positions; they both recognized Ji Changkong. Hearing his question, they exchanged a look, both revealing a wry smile. One of them mumbled briefly before admitting frankly, “The Yinshan Jiu family sent someone over today, saying they have detained Miss Ruolan at Yinshan and demanding the City Lord come in person to retrieve her.”

“Oh?” Ji Changkong’s brow furrowed deeply, and he sneered slightly. “Has Jiu Wuji gone mad? In Qingyan City’s own territory, he dares to challenge the City Lord like this?”

“The Jiu family is different now. They are not what they used to be. Perhaps, in a few more days, the City Lord’s Residence itself might change hands…” The other guard spoke with veiled meaning, subtly hinting at information the public did not know.

Ji Changkong’s expression shifted slightly. “My two good sirs, could you elaborate on what is happening?”

These two guards of the City Lord’s Residence had served Nie Yuanshan for many years. Nie Yuanshan was always kind and fair in his dealings, earning their genuine affection. Having served at the residence for so long, they had also heard bits and pieces about Ji Changkong—they knew this young man from the Ji family, long suppressed for seventeen years, had now soared to prominence and earned fame beyond the city walls.

Feeling that Ji Changkong might indeed be able to assist Nie Yuanshan, they did not hesitate, relaying everything that had recently transpired in Qingyan City to him without omission.

“Thank you both, sirs,” Ji Changkong said, bowing respectfully, his face grim as he turned to leave.

“The City Lord seemed reluctant to let him know about these things. By telling him, did we perhaps go against the City Lord’s wishes?” one guard murmured after Ji Changkong departed.

“The City Lord is affable and never treated us like subordinates or put on airs. But that Jiu Wuji is said to be incredibly arrogant. If he takes over as City Lord, our lives will certainly be difficult. We might all be replaced by Jiu family disciples,” the other guard countered, shaking his head.

“But can Ji Changkong really help the City Lord? Although we hear he’s done well outside these past few years, he is still young, and he isn't the head of the Ji family…”

“Who knows? We could only do what little we could, hoping he might offer some aid.”

They held no great confidence in Ji Changkong, acting purely out of sincere goodwill.

Yinshan.

Ancient trees on the mountain blotted out the sky, making it difficult for even the midday sun to penetrate the dense canopy and reach the ground. Because the mountain was perpetually shrouded in gloom, it earned the name Yinshan (Shadow Mountain).

Yinshan lay northeast of Qingyan City, and the spiritual energy there was quite dense. It was rumored that because the mountain never saw sunlight, the common folk of Qingyan City believed Yinshan was a suitable place for the deceased.

For a long time, Yinshan was treated as a graveyard. The people of Qingyan City often buried their dead there. Perhaps due to the excessive number of interred bodies, Yinshan, once sunless, gradually became afflicted with chilling winds, often carrying eerie sounds of ghostly wailing.

As a result, the citizens of Qingyan City grew fearful of using Yinshan for burials. Later, after the Jiu family settled there, their powerful presence forbade ordinary people from frequenting the mountain. Gradually, Yinshan became shrouded in an air of mystery, with many regarding it as a cursed locale.

However, since occupying Yinshan, the Jiu family constructed many unique dwellings, channeling water and shaping wood, maximizing the mountain’s natural ability to gather Yin energy. This practice increased the density of Yin energy while also creating special zones rich in concentrated Heaven and Earth spiritual essence.

Among these was the Profound Yin Pool, a spiritual location with peculiar virtues.

The Profound Yin Pool was formed from ** water, which refers to subterranean water that never sees the light of day. This ** flows where Yin energy is deeply concentrated. Those who cultivate specific secret arts can use their Divine Soul to draw in the Yin energy from the ** water, granting their souls a kind of malevolent power.

Within the Profound Yin Pool, Jiu Lingxue sat clad in white, her eyes tightly shut, wisps of green energy swirling around her body.

Jiu Lingxue’s long hair was unbound, her face as pale as paper, her lips a ghastly white. If ordinary Qingyan City residents were to see her now, breathing faintly, they would likely mistake her for a water spirit—which would then fuel more rumors in the city about Yinshan being haunted by ghosts.

Jiu Lingxue’s breathing was shallow, her heartbeat nearly imperceptible. Her long hair, perhaps stained by the dense Yin energy of the Profound Yin Pool, had turned a strangely dark shade of cyan. As she cultivated with her eyes closed, the vitality in her body seemed to vanish little by little—a beautiful, captivating woman becoming increasingly permeated with Yin and deathly energy.

“Sister!” Jiu Yunfeng reached the edge of the Profound Yin Pool and shouted urgently, “Why are you in the pool again? Cultivating the Yin Absolute Art using the pool’s energy every day is not healthy. The Yin Absolute Art is so vicious that even our ancestors left warnings: cultivation must cease after reaching the third realm. Why do you never listen?!”

Jiu Lingxue opened her eyes; her pupils were a terrifying, stark white. She took a few shallow breaths, halting the Yin Absolute Art she was practicing, and only then did the deathly white hue in her eyes gradually return to normal.

“Yunfeng, you wouldn’t understand,” Jiu Lingxue said coldly.

“Is this just because of that Ji Changkong? Huangfu Zhu and the others said Ji Changkong reached the ** Heaven Realm, possessing the power of an Eight Trigrams Heavenly Scholar—that’s what spurred you on. They might just be talking nonsense. Even if it’s true, so what? That brat is the new Xuanyuan of the Ji family; why must you compete with him?” Jiu Yunfeng cried out in exasperation.

“Honestly, even Grandpa and the others refuse to back down; they don’t even care that you’re practicing the Yin Absolute Art! If something were to actually go wrong with your cultivation, what would we do?”

“Mind your own business!” Jiu Lingxue stepped out of the Profound Yin Pool, her expression gloomy. She glanced toward the direction of Blood Rain Mountain and murmured softly, “Ji Changkong, just wait. Sooner or later, I will defeat you.”