The Nie Ruolan, pinned down by Ji Changkong, watched alongside Huangfu Jingwei and Huangfu Zhu, the father and son pair, both staring intently, not daring to make a move.

If Ji Changkong had come to the Jiu family several years ago, he would only have been able to contend with juniors like Jiu Lingxue and Jiu Yunfeng; he wouldn't have had the stature or the strength to challenge Jiu Wuji. However, several years had passed, and the Ji Changkong of today was vastly different from his former self; even Jiu Wuji was swiftly dispatched in his hands.

Now, the so-called experts of the Jiu family didn't even register in Ji Changkong's eyes. Every member of the Jiu family who had cultivated using the Yin Mountain's special Yin energy was unable to escape his grasp. In a short while, they were all slain, leaving only the weak, elderly, and infirm who had fortunately survived. Throughout this ordeal, Huangfu Jingwei and Huangfu Zhu never intervened, their faces etched with panic as they watched him.

Soon, Ji Changkong had completely purged all those Jiu family members who deserved death. Only then did he turn his head, sweeping a glance over the shrinking Huangfu Jingwei. "Huangfu Jingwei, shouldn't you unseal the Yuan Qi restraint on Nie Ruolan? What, are you expecting me to beg you to act?"

Huangfu Jingwei's face darkened. He walked to Nie Ruolan's side without a word, and under Nie Yuanshan's intensely watchful gaze, he lifted the unique Yuan Qi Seal of the Huangfu family.

Once her limbs regained their mobility, Nie Ruolan suddenly darted toward Huangfu Zhu, her hand shooting out to slap his face.

Huangfu Zhu's eyes were filled with icy rage, but the cold stare from Ji Changkong kept him from erupting. He hurriedly prepared to twist his body away and evade.

An utterly concealed aura suddenly surged from behind Huangfu Zhu—a force carrying a numbing, bone-aching sensation that instantly weakened his entire body, severely hindering his movement.

It was this split second of frozen posture that allowed Nie Ruolan to reach Huangfu Zhu like lightning. A series of crisp "slap, slap" sounds echoed across his cheek. By the time Nie Ruolan realized what she was doing and moved to stop, Huangfu Zhu's cheeks were already swollen red. He pointed at Nie Ruolan with a ferocious expression and roared, "Brat, you dare strike me?!"

"I hit you because you deserve it!" Nie Ruolan pressed on, arguing loudly. "Who told you to spout obscenities and try to take liberties with me? You scoundrel wearing the skin of a young prince has no idea how many women you’ve defiled. Today, I'm disciplining you on behalf of all those women you've bullied!" "Enough!" Nie Yuanshan thundered, grabbing Nie Ruolan and forcibly pulling her back to stand beside Ji Changkong and Shao Kang.

Nie Yuanshan glanced at the ashen-faced Huangfu Jingwei, stammered, and mumbled, "Your Highness, about this matter..."

"Huangfu Zhu chose not to dodge or evade, letting himself be struck; he is likely in the wrong. I don't see much to explain here; it's purely that Huangfu Zhu was itching for a good beating," before Nie Yuanshan could finish, Ji Changkong interrupted him with a loud voice, smiling cheerfully at Huangfu Zhu. Huangfu Zhu nearly spat blood.

He naturally understood that when he tried to evade, that sudden, abnormal force striking from behind him clearly originated from Ji Changkong. To see Ji Changkong actively create trouble behind his back, only to then openly mock and ridicule him, made Huangfu Zhu feel such anguish that he wanted to recklessly fight Ji Changkong to the death. "You!!!" Huangfu Zhu glared fiercely at Ji Changkong, desperately trying to articulate something, but the profound grief and indignation choked his words. "Zhu'er!" Huangfu Jingwei shouted sternly.

Huangfu Zhu gasped for breath, constantly telling himself to calm down, to remain composed. Fighting Ji Changkong here on Yin Mountain was ill-advised; they couldn't act now, absolutely not, lest they fall into his trap. "Let's go." Huangfu Jingwei stared at Ji Changkong for a long moment, then suddenly turned and walked toward the exit.

Huangfu Zhu shot a venomous look at Nie Ruolan, but he hesitated to look at Ji Changkong, fearing that seeing the sneer and mockery on his face would cause him to lose control of his emotions, leading to further humiliation. "Wait!" Ji Changkong called out lazily.

Huangfu Jingwei forcibly suppressed the surging anger within him. When he turned back, his expression was unusually calm. He asked faintly, "Is there anything else?" "You have no right to alter the position of the City Lord of Qingyan City, and your supposed four-day deadline is void," Ji Changkong said with a carefree smile.

The hatred in Huangfu Jingwei's eyes was poorly concealed. Under the watchful eyes of Nie Yuanshan and Shao Kang, Huangfu Jingwei nodded and stated flatly, "I will no longer concern myself with the matters of Qingyan City." With that, Huangfu Jingwei turned again and left with Huangfu Zhu, not once looking back. Nie Yuanshan and Shao Kang stared blankly at the direction where the two had disappeared, remaining speechless for a long time.

Nie Yuanshan, who had braced himself for humiliation, never expected such a sudden and monumental reversal of fortune. Huangfu Jingwei, who had treated him with disdain and deliberate verbal insults, was utterly subservient in the face of Ji Changkong, ultimately stating he would no longer interfere with Qingyan City’s affairs, leaving in utter disgrace. Nie Yuanshan and Shao Kang turned back, staring dumbfounded at Ji Changkong, their minds filled with confusion.

"Whatever else there is to discuss, we can talk once we reach Qingyan City. The sheer number of corpses here and the heavy smell of blood are a bit much," Ji Changkong knew Nie Yuanshan and Shao Kang hadn't recovered and undoubtedly had many questions. He took the initiative to suggest. The two nodded numbly and returned toward Qingyan City with him. Yin Mountain, Profound Yin Pool.

Huangfu Jingwei and Huangfu Zhu approached and glanced at Jiu Lingxue and Jiu Yunfeng, the brother and sister pair, who were conversing by the Profound Yin Pool, unsure what to say.

Jiu Yunfeng smiled and asked respectfully, "Uncle Huangfu, I heard sounds of fighting over there. Haha, did you deal with that old fellow Nie Yuanshan?"

Jiu Lingxue glanced at Huangfu Jingwei and Huangfu Zhu, a trace of undisguised disgust flickering in her icy eyes. She also looked at the father and son but refrained from asking anything. "Your Jiu family... the Jiu family, I fear..." Huangfu Jingwei stammered.

Jiu Lingxue and Jiu Yunfeng's expressions shifted. They sensed something was amiss from Huangfu Jingwei's demeanor. Jiu Yunfeng’s heart jolted; he vaguely felt that things were not good and hurriedly asked, "Huangfu, Uncle Huangfu, what... what happened?" After a moment of hesitation, Huangfu Jingwei ground out, "The Jiu family is finished!" He quickly recounted everything that had just transpired to the two most talented juniors of the Jiu family. By the side of the Profound Yin Pool, two heartbreakingly mournful screams suddenly pierced the air.

"You are far from a match for Ji Changkong. He didn't even know the two of you were still here on Yin Mountain. If you rashly seek revenge now, you are simply courting death!" Seeing their dismay, Huangfu Jingwei quickly added. "Ji Changkong, I swear I will have this revenge!" Jiu Lingxue cried out tragically. Qingyan City, City Lord's Estate.

The two guards at the gate were frowning deeply, muttering amongst themselves, still worried about Nie Yuanshan.

"Hey! The City Lord is back, and Ji Changkong is with him." One guard exclaimed, scrutinizing Nie Yuanshan closely before suddenly slumping. "The City Lord must have suffered something terrible on Yin Mountain. Look at his lost, distracted expression; he clearly suffered a major blow."

The other guard shared a look of shared misery, nodding with a long face. "I can see it. The City Lord must have been humiliated by Jiu Wuji and the others on Yin Mountain. Judging by his state, he hasn't recovered yet."

"It's over, it's over. It looks like the City Lord's Estate really is changing hands. What should we do? I thought that brat Ji Changkong might at least be able to help a little after going there. The rumors can't be trusted; that kid has a big reputation, but he seems utterly useless." "Alas, we overestimated him. The City Lord is finished; we need to prepare to leave too..."

"What are you two scoundrels muttering about?" Nie Ruolan, walking ahead, caught some words with her sharp ears. She put on a stern face and huffed, "Who said my father suffered a loss on Yin Mountain? I'm telling you, that old ghost Jiu Wuji is dead. From now on, the Jiu family is struck from the roster in Qingyan City, and that old lecher Huangfu Jingwei has also left and won't interfere with our Qingyan City matters anymore. You two jerks stop guessing wildly!"

"What?" The two guards exclaimed loudly, their faces filled with disbelief.

Having followed Nie Yuanshan for many years, they knew that given his strength, Nie Yuanshan clearly lacked the capacity to wipe out the Jiu family on Yin Mountain. Even if he possessed such power, knowing his character, he wouldn't be capable of such ruthless annihilation. Thus, they were filled with doubt and deeply skeptical of Nie Ruolan’s words.

"What are those expressions on your faces, you two bastards? You don't believe me?" Nie Ruolan grew annoyed, pointing at them. "You just wait; by tonight at the latest, everyone will know the Jiu family is finished."

With that, Nie Ruolan tossed her head back and arrogantly entered the City Lord's Estate. However, once inside, she seemed to recall something. She pursed her lips, gave a slight curtsey, and smiled sweetly, saying, "Young Master Changkong, please, come in."

The two guards exchanged a look, thinking their young mistress must have been driven mad by her ordeal at the Jiu family; why was she suddenly acting so wildly giddy? Miss Nie had always been straightforward and never yielded to anyone. Why was her demeanor so bizarre now, showing a trace of shy maidenly embarrassment? Strange, truly strange; the young mistress must have suffered severe trauma. The two guards chuckled inwardly.

Ji Changkong let out a soft laugh, momentarily stunned, unsure how to proceed.

"Changkong, come in, don't be polite. If you hadn't stepped in today, we might not have returned safely from Yin Mountain," Nie Yuanshan said gravely. Standing beside Ji Changkong with Shao Kang, they clearly wanted him to enter first.

Ji Changkong sighed helplessly and entered the City Lord's Estate ahead of Nie Yuanshan and Shao Kang, feeling distinctly awkward.

After Ji Changkong and the four of them entered the City Lord's Estate, the two guards seemed utterly shaken. They looked at each other, recognizing the horror in the other's eyes.

Could it be, could he be the one who destroyed the Jiu family? The more the two guards thought about it, the deeper their shock became. Inside the City Lord's Estate.

Nie Yuanshan, Shao Kang, and Nie Ruolan practically ushered Ji Changkong inside. Before they could even sit down, Nie Yuanshan smiled bitterly. "Changkong, you've done me a huge favor this time, but you have also thoroughly offended Huangfu Jingwei and Huangfu Zhu. While I don't know why they fear you, I know Huangfu Jingwei holds grudges fiercely, and he is a direct master from the Huangfu family. This might bring disaster upon the Ji family..."

Shao Kang nodded in agreement. "Changkong, the Huangfu family is the true ruler of Shuiyun Kingdom. Huangfu Jingwei not striking you now might be because he lacks sufficient confidence. When he decides to deal with you next time, he will certainly have planned thoroughly, and you will be in big trouble." Only Nie Ruolan remained with a pleasant smile. For some reason, since Ji Changkong had managed to make Huangfu Jingwei retreat in Yin Mountain, she felt an indescribable reverence for him, believing he was capable of handling any difficulty.

If he could force Huangfu Jingwei to back down on Yin Mountain, he must have the means to deal with them, she thought to herself.

"Uncle Nie, Uncle Shao, you don't need to worry. Although Huangfu Jingwei belongs to the Huangfu family, he is not the one in charge; he cannot mobilize many Huangfu experts against us. Furthermore, even if Huangfu Jingwei wanted to deal with our Ji family, he would first have to pass muster with his elders. Otherwise, should the matter leak, Huangfu Jingwei would likely face severe consequences!" Ji Changkong said, smiling nonchalantly to comfort them. "What do you mean?" Nie Yuanshan asked in surprise.

"Even Huangfu Tong would have to weigh things carefully before daring to move against our Ji family, let alone Huangfu Jingwei," Ji Changkong stated with composed leisure. "We now have three Eight Trigram Heavenly Masters in the Ji family, and in the future... there will only be more. Gradually, the strength of our Ji family is becoming comparable to the Huangfu family's. If Huangfu Tong dares to move against us, it will only inflict an unbearable blow upon Shuiyun Kingdom; she will seek to win us over and appease us, not resort to force. You can rest assured." Because of this, Ji Changkong dared to clash openly with Huangfu Jingwei. "Three, three Eight Trigram Heavenly Masters..." Nie Yuanshan chuckled bitterly, finally realizing why Ji Changkong was so utterly fearless.

Nie Yuanshan had never expected that his simple kindness toward Ji Changkong years ago would subtly earn his favor, leading to this unbelievably immense assistance when he needed it most—help that even surpassed the support their Xiao family could offer.

"Sir, what about the Jia family?" While Nie Yuanshan was lost in thought, Shao Kang quietly reminded him.

The powerful families pressuring Nie Yuanshan this time were not solely the Jiu family. Besides them, the other major family in Qingyan City, the Jia family, had also participated, jointly applying pressure on Nie Yuanshan.

"The Jia family?" Nie Yuanshan's face showed disdain. He mocked, "With Huangfu Jingwei gone from Qingyan City, I can't imagine anyone else daring to oppose me. The Jia family is nothing more than opportunistic weathervanes. They saw the Jiu family might replace us, so they waved flags from behind. They are not to be feared. I will naturally make them pay a price for this later." Shao Kang nodded and said no more.

"Changkong, where is Aunt Yun? Is she still over at Blood Rain Mountain?" Nie Ruolan asked, her beautiful eyes shining, staring at Ji Changkong.

She had a very good relationship with Ji Wanyun. The reason Ji Changkong had risked offending the villain Huangfu Jingwei to help Nie Yuanshan this time was precisely because Nie Yuanshan and his family had been very kind to Ji Wanyun in the past.

Smiling and nodding, Ji Changkong chatted with Nie Yuanshan, Nie Ruolan, and Shao Kang for a while about some matters concerning the Ji family on Blood Rain Mountain. The trio, however, were more interested in Ji Changkong himself, continuously questioning him about his experiences since leaving Qingyan Mountain. Regarding this, Ji Changkong only recounted what he felt was suitable to share.

Before they knew it, the sky had darkened. Seeing that the matters of Qingyan City were essentially resolved, Ji Changkong intended to take his leave and head to the Great Marsh of Cloud Dreams, but Nie Yuanshan forcibly detained him, insisting he stay in the estate for several more days before leaving. Ji Changkong reluctantly agreed and remained at the City Lord's Estate for the time being. At night.

Ji Changkong was cultivating quietly within the City Lord's Estate. During this period, he had first obtained the latter half of the Taixu Secret Record from Heavenly Mountain, learning the mysteries of the Taixu Illusion Realm. Subsequently, he went with Xiao Shu to the Xiao family and obtained the Blood Dragon Nine Forms secret technique for Ji family Xuanyuan cultivation. Furthermore, he held several miraculous secret techniques related to the Oulu Divine Sect in his mind.

Coupled with the various miscellaneous secret techniques he had perused in the Ji family's Scripture Pavilion, the amount of knowledge Ji Changkong's mind contained was vast. With so many complex and varied Heavenly Master secret technique profound principles, he couldn't possibly cultivate them all; he could only select those most suitable for his practice.

Among them, the Taixu Secret Record and the Blood Dragon Nine Forms were essential powers to cultivate—one for foundational esoteric art, the other for an attack method capable of unleashing ferocious power. However, the more formidable the power, the more profound and difficult it was to cultivate. Ji Changkong, who had been diligently training during this period, had yet to truly grasp the meaning of either power.

Especially the Blood Dragon Nine Forms; even now, he had only managed to clarify the profound principle of controlling blood. He hadn't even completed mastering a single move of the Blood Dragon Nine Forms. In order to utilize his own resources to bring out his potential, he had not paused for a single moment.

As night fell, Ji Changkong, deeply immersed in cultivation, suddenly sensed someone quietly approaching.

He released his divine sense and let it wander outward once. A flicker of awareness crossed Ji Changkong's face. He stood up intentionally, pushed open the door, and waited for the arrival of the person.

A short while later, Nie Ruolan crept over furtively, seemingly somewhat embarrassed. When she found Ji Changkong standing by the door with bright, thoughtful eyes, Nie Ruolan's face suddenly flushed crimson. Embarrassed, she said, "Y-you're not asleep yet? I have something I need to ask you; is that alright?" "No problem," Ji Changkong replied with a polite smile, stepping aside to invite Nie Ruolan in.