The Castellan of Xialin City Arrives in Person!

Inside the Castellan Manor of Xialin City! Xiahou Cang spoke with a darkened countenance. "Still can't reach him?" A subordinate, his face slightly pale, answered, "Reporting to the Castellan, we still can't get through... Moreover, compared to our intelligence, the shipment of Blood Calyx Flowers brought back this time is short by a full seven stalks!" Xiahou Cang kept his eyes tightly shut, leaning back in his chair with a slight furrow between his brows. Before long, a grey-robed elder with salt-and-pepper hair walked over and whispered softly into his ear. Xiahou Cang's eyes glinted, a chilling light flickering in their depths. "Dead already, is he..." "Which faction made the move?" Xiahou Cang narrowed his eyes, a dangerous coldness gleaming in his gaze. "Is this a warning to me, or are they trying to force my hand?" *** On the second floor of a teahouse. Li Guanqi was twirling a jade slip between his fingers, something he had purchased in the city. It recorded some basic information regarding Dixiu Bay. Dixiu Bay was divided into two regions: the Inner Bay and the Outer Bay. Within the Inner Bay were six cities: East, South, West, North, as well as the two cities of Winter and Summer! The territory outside the bay was equally vast, spanning nearly one thousand two hundred li. Across this expansive region lay more than a hundred ferries and shipyards. With well-developed water transport and a dense concentration of docks and moorings, it served as the logistical lifeline for the entire Western Region of Qingxuan Province. Where the ferries gathered outside the bay, the endless flow of traveling cultivators and merchant vessels had naturally given rise to a bustling city that saw immense traffic. This city was simply and clearly named "Outer Bay." Yet what Outer Bay was most famous for was not its ferry markets, but a colossal colosseum! Gambling, placing bets... This colosseum could only be described as a gold-melting abyss. Dark and oppressive, the people there were consumed by madness. Some lost everything they owned, while others grew rich overnight, free from worry for the rest of their days. Sipping his tea, Li Guanqi murmured with flickering eyes, "Quite interesting... It's my first time encountering a place like this." With that, Li Guanqi stood up and smiled. "Come on, Master. Let's go check out the grandest treasure pavilion in this city!" By the time the two stepped out of the teahouse, they had transformed, taking on the guise of two mighty cultivators with transcendent, immortal bearings. A mysterious, inscrutable smile hung on Li Nanting's face. Although his aura ostensibly seemed to be at the Void Refinement realm, anyone catching that inexplicable smile on the old man's face could not help but feel uneasy in their heart... What kind of Void Refinement cultivator could wear a first-grade immortal robe? To say nothing of Mystic Immortals, even Heavenly Immortal cultivators would likely be reluctant to spend so much money to purchase a genuine immortal robe! A price tag of several hundred thousand immortal crystals was no laughing matter. Li Guanqi possessed an ethereal air. With one hand behind his back and a folding fan gently swaying in his right, he looked every bit the refined young nobleman. And the most opulent structure in the heart of the city was none other than Wanbao Tower. Resplendent in gold and jade, the towering nine-story building bustled with activity, teeming with cultivators coming and going. Li Guanqi smiled at the entrance, then followed the elder inside. An attendant received them with great caution and deference. Li Guanqi smiled openly. "By the way, we're from out of town. Could you tell us what local specialties Xialin City has to offer?" Sure enough, the moment the attendant heard Li Guanqi say this, his spirits lifted. "Esteemed guests, this way please. Let's head straight to the eighth floor." The three boarded a rising platform and ascended directly to the eighth floor. Upon reaching the eighth floor, the clamor and racket noticeably vanished. Private suites and elegant chambers lined the hall, many of them occupied by cultivators. After guiding Li Guanqi and his companion into a private chamber, the attendant bowed and took his leave. "Please take a seat, esteemed guests." Before long, a middle-aged manager clad in a red-and-gold robe walked in with a smile. Bowing respectfully, he said, "Greetings to the two esteemed guests. I am Manager Zhao of Wanbao Tower. Do you two wish to see the local specialties of our Xialin City?" Li Guanqi nodded with a smile. The manager then turned his hand and produced a jade casket crafted from immortal crystal. Li Guanqi leaned forward and opened the jade casket on the table. Immediately, a powerful surge of celestial spiritual energy washed over him. The incoming aura carried a faint heat wave, not overpowering, but bringing a gentle, soothing warmth instead. Floating within the jade casket was a flower as crimson as fresh blood. Its petals were narrow and elongated, slightly curved, with blood-red radiance seemingly coursing over them. Even the stem was scarlet, and its pistils were as fine as strands of hair. The power contained within this flower left Li Guanqi secretly astonished. Even Pengluo was drawn to this energy, squirming restlessly. With bright eyes, Li Guanqi asked, "What is this?" The manager closed the jade casket and chuckled softly. "This is a treasure unique to our Xialin City, known as the 'Blood Calyx Flower.' It is the primary ingredient for concocting Blood Calyx True Pills." "The Blood Calyx True Pill is a quasi-third-grade pill. It enhances one's vitality and blood essence, greatly improving a Heavenly Immortal cultivator's chances of breaking through to the True Immortal realm." Li Guanqi's eyes lit up upon hearing this; this item was truly remarkable. Li Guanqi inquired, "Manager Zhao, how many immortal crystals does this stalk before us cost?" The manager smiled and held up three fingers. "Three million?" Li Guanqi guessed openly, nodding afterward. "Not too expensive." Manager Zhao shook his head and said softly, "Three hundred thousand second-grade immortal crystals." Li Guanqi's brows furrowed at once. Three million first-grade immortal crystals versus thirty million—that was a full tenfold difference! "Furthermore, Blood Calyx Flowers are in extremely tight supply right now. If Young Master is interested, you should contact me as soon as possible." A tremor went through Li Guanqi's heart. He felt as though he had inadvertently seized upon something. The old fellow's words did not seem casual at all! Especially the look in his eyes just now—it seemed as though he had deliberately shot Li Guanqi a glance. Countless thoughts flashed frantically through his mind as he slowly sat up straight. With an air of nonchalance, Li Guanqi placed a hand on Li Nanting's knee, applying slight pressure. The elder understood at once, bracing himself to retreat into the Xumi Treasure Hall at a moment's notice. At the same time, Li Guanqi spoke in a calm voice. "If someone wishes to see me... let it be now." "Probing any further won't do either of us any good. Let's be candid." The moment these words were spoken, the manager's expression shifted slightly, his aura fluctuating for a brief instant. This made Li Guanqi even more certain of his suspicion. Sure enough. The door slowly swung open. Bowing low with downcast eyes, the manager dropped to his knees in haste and said solemnly, "Greetings, Lord Castellan." Li Guanqi narrowed his eyes as a middle-aged man walked slowly through the doorway. The man was handsome, his features sharply defined, his build slightly lean yet his spine straight as an arrow. Beneath his embroidered red-and-gold robe, the prominent contours of his broad shoulders were clearly outlined. He was neatly groomed, with sword-like brows and starry eyes, chiseled edges, a jade crown upon his head, and hands resting loosely at his sides. His eyes were starkly black and white, unmarred by even a single trace of bloodshot veins. Li Guanqi's heart leaped. He stood up and slowly positioned himself in front of the elder. *The Castellan of Xialin City, Xiahou Cang!!* Expressionless, the man stepped into the room, his terrifying divine sense sweeping over the two in an instant. The divine sense came and went in a flash, leaving Li Guanqi with the unsettling illusion that he had been completely seen through. Yet he clearly sensed that this man's cultivation realm was not as high as Lin Jinting's! Behind the man, the door swung shut on its own. Raising his hand, he tossed out a shattered life-bound jade slip. "Who are you?"