Hǔ Zhōngyuán stood with his eyes closed, awaiting death inside the Cloud-Turning Carriage. Suddenly, a sword flashed out—silent, utterly soundless, and seemingly invisible. It did not move to save Hǔ Zhōngyuán, but aimed directly at the source of the axe shadow.

A muffled grunt echoed from the distant air, and the widespread axe light immediately retracted, only to pivot and slice directly toward the Cloud-Turning Carriage.

Sword and axe crossed in mid-air, yet made no sound of collision; with only a soft thwump, they separated.

A graceful figure abruptly materialized upon the carriage. Several hundred feet away, a middle-aged man in his forties appeared, gripping an ancient bronze great axe, his face contorted with displeasure, seemingly boiling with rage.

A crimson spot bloomed upon his chest, slowly staining his collar a deep red.

Ruò Shuǐ stood on the carriage, holding her long sword reversed, gazing ahead with an expression of profound tranquility, almost devoid of any discernible emotion. Her vital energy, like her sword, possessed the yielding softness of water.

This was the absolute antithesis of the axe-wielding man in the distance. Despite possessing innate charms, when still, she exuded almost no presence at all. Were it not for the fact that she currently stood at the absolute center of attention, she might easily have been overlooked.

Luō Yán’s expression was unpredictable, his gaze lingering on the long sword in Ruò Shuǐ’s hand, which appeared nearly transparent under the sunlight, betraying a hint of apprehension.

Yet, murder flared in his eyes. Just as his malevolence intensified, the door of the Cloud-Turning Carriage suddenly swung open. Zōng Shǒu stepped out, yawning widely, looking completely unrefreshed.

“What is all this noise about?” He glanced around, rubbed his eyes, looking first stunned, then exploding in sudden fury: “What is the meaning of this? Hǔ Zhōngyuán, didn't I tell you all to wait outside the city gates? Why are you fighting with Xuánshān City? Who started it? This is where I am planning to establish my residence—how dare you cause trouble here? You two are utterly unreasonable! Apologize immediately!” Luō Yán was so enraged he nearly spat blood; this brat had been watching intently from the carriage window just moments ago, and now he feigned just waking up under everyone’s scrutiny! How could such an impudent person exist in this world?

As fury surged and the aura around his ancient Sun Axe intensified once more, Zōng Shǒu’s expression turned icy, his gaze chilling as he looked over: “You are Luō Yán of Xuánshān City? While my two servants may have been at fault, they deserved only minor correction. Why such a heavy blow? Does Xuánshān City intend to tear up the alliance and make enemies of our Qiāntiān Mountain?”

Luō Yán choked, feeling a surge of oppressive anger stuck in his chest, unable to escape. Just as he was about to risk everything to slay the young lord of Qiāntiān Mountain, a sharp cry sounded from afar.

“Hold!”

A man clad in black armor suddenly broke through the ranks of heavily armored soldiers ahead, riding a steed nearly twice the size of a standard Gale-Chasing Colt, distinguished by a single horn on its head. His face was handsome, his lips the color of cinnabar; though his exact age was unclear, he appeared to be in his thirties. Empty-handed, he galloped right up to the Cloud-Turning Carriage, seemingly paying no heed to either Ruò Shuǐ or Hǔ Zhōngyuán.

While the numerous martial masters of Xuánshān City showed expressions of relief and surprise, this man dismounted and bowed deeply: “Zhū Jūnhòu of Xuánshān City greets the Young Lord! Your esteemed father once saved my life. Zhū Jūnhòu remains eternally grateful.”

Zōng Shǒu’s expression momentarily softened. So, he thought, Xuánshān City does harbor individuals who understand propriety and gratitude. Rare, indeed. Seeing the man rise, his expression hardened again: “Since Xuánshān City allied with Qiāntiān Mountain, we have always done our utmost to fulfill every request from Qiāntiān Mountain. Yet I fail to see why the Young Lord tolerates his subordinates wantonly colliding with and insulting our City Lord within Xuánshān City today?”

“So you admit we are allies?” Zōng Shǒu gave a slight sneer, turning to Hǔ Zhōngyuán, who was now struggling to rise: “Zhōngyuán, how long exactly did we wait outside?”

Hǔ Zhōngyuán, who had been grinding his teeth in pain, immediately brightened upon hearing this, holding up four fingers: “Four hours! From dawn till dusk, we waited at the city gate for four hours!”

“Ah, only four hours. No wonder I wasn't well-rested! So sleepy.”

Zōng Shǒu yawned again, his eyes still heavy with sleep: “Is this the way Xuánshān City treats its guests? Perhaps we should return outside the city gates and wait a little longer?”

Zhū Jūnhòu frowned, his gaze like lightning stabbing towards Luō Yán. Luō Yán looked slightly embarrassed, then let out another angry snort and turned his head away. “A man who can barely look after himself and has no self-awareness—why bother looking at him? The Young Miss must never marry such a useless wretch, and our Xuánshān City cannot tolerate him!”

Hearing this, Zōng Shǒu let out a cold laugh: “I see! I now understand the meaning behind City Lord Xuānyuán’s words. Since I am unwelcome here, then I, Zōng Shǒu, shall not overstay my welcome. Let’s go.” With that, he said no more, flicked his sleeve, and walked straight back toward the carriage.

Chū Xuě’s eyes darted, and she immediately steered the carriage, turned it around, and drove toward the city gates. Hǔ Zhōngyuán and Zōng Yuán remounted their Gale-Chasing Colts without a word, following behind the carriage.

Zhū Jūnhòu’s face flushed blue and white as he stared fiercely at Luō Yán, then bowed low again: “Please, Young Lord, remain! City Lord Xuānyuán has already ordered that he must meet the Young Lord personally at the Iron Gang Hall!”

Zōng Shǒu remained silent inside the carriage. Zhū Jūnhòu frowned again, finally letting out a sigh, his demeanor becoming even more deferential: “Regarding today’s events, Xuánshān City will certainly provide the Young Lord with a suitable explanation!” Luō Yán’s rage flared, and he was about to speak when he felt Zhū Jūnhòu’s cold eyes still fixed on him. A chill went down his spine, and he found himself unable to utter another word.

xxxxx

The so-called Iron Gang Hall was not located within Xuánshān City, but upon Mount Xuán behind the settlement.

The mountain itself rose about twenty-four hundred zhang high, piercing the clouds. Except for the side facing Xuánshān City, the other faces were sheer cliffs of colossal stones comparable to refined steel, rising thousands of feet high. Its imposing mass formed a natural fortification for the city, making it impregnable with a garrison of only about ten thousand troops.

Even the side facing the city was incredibly steep. Fortunately, a winding mountain path led to the summit. The Cloud-Turning Carriage, capable of handling almost all terrains, could barely manage the ascent.

Chū Xuě was no longer driving; Zōng Yuán had switched places with her. She now sat beside Zōng Shǒu, blinking curiously: “Young Master, after making such a scene, we actually got away with nothing. Xue’er was terrified just now, I thought Uncle might actually lose his life~”

Zōng Shǒu smiled faintly, not answering. How could they truly fall out? Everyone assumed Zōng Shǒu had come to Xuánshān City seeking something.

But how many could truly see that now that Qiāntiān Mountain’s influence had contracted from nine provinces down to five, Xuánshān City was actually superfluous to Qiāntiān Mountain?

Zōng Weirán had harbored ambitions of conquering the world, which was why he established this foothold here, using Xuánshān City as an eastern bulwark.

This allowed him to recklessly pursue conquest in the western territories.

But now that he was dead, Qiāntiān Mountain itself was struggling to survive. Xuánshān City had instead become a burden, tying up significant resources.

Worse yet, Zōng Shǒu himself was a man without great ambition. If it weren't for Xuānyuān Yīrén, he wouldn't bother caring whether these people in one city lived or died. They could go cling to the thighs of the Dānquán Sect or the Shàngxiāo Sect—see if those secluded sects could protect the city. If it were the Língyún Sect, that would be a different story.

Others believed the Dānquán Sect and Shàngxiāo Sect possessed formidable strength, with more than a dozen Celestial Rank Martial Ancestors. However, the City Lord of Xuánshān City must surely know the true details.

Seeing that he did not answer, Chū Xuě grew even more curious. She tugged at his sleeve, her eyes wide and pleading.

Zōng Shǒu glanced at her, then pouted with disdain: “Even if I told you, would you understand, Xue’er? Think about the location of Xuánshān City, and then think about how many troops we have stationed in Tiānlán Province. What other benefits can Qiāntiān Mountain gain from this vicinity?”

Chū Xuě immediately became furious. This was an outright dismissal of her intelligence! Even if these words came from her own Young Master, she could not tolerate it!

Suppressing the urge to smash her fist onto Zōng Shǒu’s head, Chū Xuě sat down with a stern face, preparing to ponder deeply. This time, she was determined to understand it all so this fellow wouldn't dare look down on her! But after a moment of deep thought, her eyes grew only more confused.

Location? Troops? Benefits? Huh? Why did it become increasingly complex the more she thought?

In contrast, Ruò Shuǐ, who had returned to reclining on the soft couch, seemed thoughtful.

Zōng Shǒu paid Chū Xuě no more attention and looked out the window. Whether out of concern that their entourage might cause further trouble or not, the path on both sides was now guarded by dozens of black-armored knights—many at the Innate level—escorting the two Cloud-Turning Carriages. Among them were four experts at the Martial Ancestor level. They watched with vigilance mixed with resentment, occasionally glancing over.

Zōng Shǒu, however, was entirely unconcerned. Casually, he beckoned toward Zhū Jūnhòu, who was riding alongside them nearby. Zhū Jūnhòu paused slightly, hesitated, and then rode his horse up to the carriage window. After bowing, he asked with a hint of caution, “May I ask what the Young Lord wishes to summon me for?” Zōng Shǒu looked the man up and down, seemingly with intense scrutiny, until Zhū Jūnhòu began to feel uneasy. Only then did Zōng Shǒu smile faintly: “Why does Uncle Shi reside on the mountain instead of in the city? And what kind of place is that Iron Gang Hall?”

Zhū Jūnhòu felt a measure of relief but hesitated for a moment before answering: “It is no secret to tell the Young Lord! The City Lord has actually stopped managing city affairs in recent years, dedicating himself entirely to the Martial Dao. Three years ago, he encountered a bottleneck in his cultivation and could advance no further. So, he ordered the construction of a massive stone hall atop Mount Xuán. It is cast entirely from Iron Gang rock, and several Returning Spirit Masters were hired to inscribe a spiritual formation within. The hall is permeated with Gang Qi; any martial cultivator or spirit master entering is unable to utilize any true essence or soul power. This is meant to suppress cultivation, forcing one to start from the most fundamental level to re-examine and deduce their martial path and mend their flaws. This is quite common among Martial Masters. I presume the Young Lord, with your deep family heritage, must have heard of it. Thanks to this hall, my own progress has been considerable recently!”