Free Web NovelChapter 465: Chapter 263: Xia Qingying: "I want the thing, and I want you too. What should I do?
He hesitated for a moment but still took the invitation, asking indifferently, "If I’m to assist in defending the city, what will the compensation be?"
Seeing that he didn’t intend to refuse, Wang Yirong’s expression brightened with a hint of joy. He quickly said,
"The Lord City Lord has already arranged everything. I assure you, Fellow Daoist, you will not be disappointed. Please, if you would, let us adjourn to the City Lord’s Mansion to discuss this in person."
Ling Changqing nodded. "That’s no problem, but I haven’t paid for this meal yet, Fellow Daoist Wang..."
Wang Yirong chuckled. "Think nothing of such a trivial matter! Allow me to take care of the bill."
The restaurant was one of the City Lord’s Mansion’s properties, so Wang Yirong had the authority to make such a decision.
Ling Changqing nodded, then rose and walked out of the private room.
From the adjacent room, the beautiful woman in the cyan Magical Robe also emerged, accompanied by a group of maids and guards. A Golden Core Female Cultivator from the City Lord’s Mansion followed her every step, her expression reverent.
When she saw Ling Changqing, she nodded and smiled at him. Her exquisite beauty seemed to light up the entire room.
Ling Changqing remained silent, quietly following them down the stairs.
Several lavishly decorated carriages awaited on the street outside the restaurant’s main entrance, all drawn by exceptionally spirited, pure-white Snowy Cloud Horses.
Paying no mind to the others, Ling Changqing climbed into one of the carriages, and Wang Yirong followed him in.
The carriages then set off, escorted by a contingent of guards, toward the grand mansion in the city’s center.
There were many such carriages on the road, all carrying invited Loose Cultivators.
Of course, not all Loose Cultivators were willing to be recruited. Some with rebellious and unruly natures even clashed with the Cultivators from the City Lord’s Mansion.
The City Lord’s Mansion showed no tolerance for such troublemakers, suppressing them with overwhelming force and detaining them to be sent to the city walls.
Since they were unwilling to do things the easy way, the City Lord’s Mansion would have to do it the hard way for them.
"Fellow Daoist Wang, are the enemies attacking us cultivators from the Mu Family or the Cui Family?"
Ling Changqing asked.
Wang Yirong, sitting across from him, smiled and replied in a mild tone,
"According to our scouts’ reports, it appears to be the Cui Family. Furthermore, quite a few cultivators from the Taiqing Divine Dynasty are mixed in among them, in disguise."
Ling Changqing was silent for a long moment before saying in a low voice, "It seems the Taiqing Divine Dynasty of Yaozhou is truly making a ruthless move against our Yuzhou Cultivation Realm?"
"Isn’t it so? Those people have always been savagely ambitious. This is merely the probing stage; the truly difficult days are still ahead of us!"
Wang Yirong sighed softly.
Ling Changqing said no more. For the past two to three thousand years, the Yuzhou Cultivation Realm had been largely peaceful, despite the constant conflicts between its smaller and mid-sized powers.
But now it seemed this era of general peace was about to end.
War between great states was nothing like the minor squabbles of the past. The casualties among cultivators would likely be counted in the millions, and there was no telling how many factions would have their lineages utterly destroyed.
The carriage moved swiftly, and after about half an hour, they arrived at the magnificent City Lord’s Mansion. A vast plaza was paved with golden bricks, dotted with jade towers and magnificent palaces and ornate archways. Everything was exquisitely beautiful, radiating an imposing noble air.
Furthermore, the ground beneath the City Lord’s Mansion was a convergence point for several Grade Four Spirit Veins, over which a massive Gathering Spirit Array had been constructed. Consequently, the Spiritual Qi in the air was incredibly dense. The benefits of living and pursuing Cultivation here year-round were self-evident.
Hundreds of ornate carriages had already arrived in the plaza. As the Loose Cultivators disembarked, they were immediately greeted by charming and radiant female cultivators in colorful skirts, whose demeanor was both thoughtful and exceptionally solicitous.
Ling Changqing scanned his surroundings. They were all Core Formation Cultivators, mostly at the True Pill and Golden Core stages. There were even a few Nascent Soul True Monarchs present.
As for cultivators at the Pseudo Core and Foundation Establishment Level, their strength was limited. In a siege defense, they would be little more than cannon fodder and were certainly not qualified to attend such a high-profile banquet at the City Lord’s Mansion.
No experts at the Divinity Transformation Realm had been spotted in the city yet. Even if such a person were present, the City Lord likely wouldn’t dare to recruit them.
"Fellow Daoist Ling, this way, please,"
Wang Yirong said warmly.
Two female cultivators in colorful skirts at the Early stage Foundation Establishment immediately approached. Upon seeing the handsome, black-clad youth before them, with his cold gaze and eyes as dark as polished lacquer, a faint blush crept onto their faces, and their voices grew even softer as they offered their greetings.
Ling Changqing smiled faintly, said nothing, and followed them through the main gates of the City Lord’s Mansion.
The eggshell-white Celestial Vault overhead rippled slightly, and the distant sound of explosions could be faintly heard. The vanguard of the invading legion must have arrived and was launching probing attacks.
For now, however, the city’s defenses were handling the assault with ease and did not require support.
Inside the mansion, the grand hall where the banquet was being held was already bustling with guests.
The semicircular dome was inlaid with countless Luminous Pearls of various sheens, illuminating the vast and magnificent space as brightly as day.
Large groups of male and female cultivators, all dressed differently, were led to their seats by the female cultivators in colorful skirts. A continuous stream of rare delicacies and fine wines was delivered to the wide tables.
Due to his demonstrated Late stage Golden Core cultivation, Ling Changqing was seated in a prestigious area near the head of the hall. Not far from him were the seats of the few Nascent Soul True Monarchs.
The City Lord himself, along with the important officials of the Saint Yu Immortal Dynasty, were naturally seated at the very head of the hall.
Ling Changqing looked up and saw that the City Lord was an ordinary-looking middle-aged man. His eyes, however, crackled like lightning, and his body was faintly shrouded in a hazy, deep-black Spiritual Light. He was an expert at the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm.
Beside him, the important officials from the Saint Yu Immortal Dynasty also possessed impressive cultivation. There were four Nascent Soul True Monarchs among them, and the rest were all at the Middle stage Golden Core or higher.
