Calling at the Door

Just over half a year ago, the Wangchao issued a notice to the towns under its jurisdiction.

The notice listed all the guilty and innocent individuals identified by the Wangchao. When the various factions saw Liu Zihao's name appear on the list of the innocent, their misgivings were dispelled.

Many immediately hurried to the market's Formation Pavilion, hoping to invite this young and promising Formation Master to set up Formations for their homes.

But upon arriving at the Formation Pavilion, they were astonished to learn that Liu Zihao had already severed his ties with them!

It was only later, after spending money to buy intelligence from the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, that they discovered Liu Zihao had become the resident Formation Master of the Songshan Yang Family.

The Songshan Yang Family-this clan's name now carried significant weight within the Wangyue region.

Below the Condensed Origin realm, few forces could compete with them.

Everyone assumed that Liu Zihao had recognized the Yang Family's Potential and, viewing it as a long-term Invest, chose to join them.

Little did they know the truth was the exact opposite: it was the Yang Family who had recognized Liu Zihao's talent, spending a lavish four thousand Spirit Crystals to bring him into their fold.

Moreover, those four thousand Spirit Crystals had already paid for themselves the moment the Yang Family's protective grand Formation was completed.

As for those seeking him, unless they had past ties with the Yang Family, Liu Zihao refused to see them, citing his deep study into the Dao of Formations as his reason to decline.

Among these visitors were several from Condensed Origin forces.

Being shut out by a mere Qi Gathering family was something they had never anticipated.

Two hot-tempered Qi Gathering Perfection cultivators even attempted to forcefully breach the Yang Family grounds.

The result, naturally, was a severe thrashing from the Heaven-Earth Four-Forms Formation.

Liu Zihao personally wielded the formation token and taught the two of them a harsh lesson.

After the two left, the Yang Family immediately relayed the matter to He Shenglai through Gao Hui.

Later, word spread that He Shenglai had personally paid a visit to those two families.

The two early-stage Condensed Origin cultivators had to grovel before him, dragging out the two who had caused trouble at the Yang Family for punishment before the anger in Lord He's heart was finally quelled.

From then on, all factions understood the true backing of the Yang Family, and no one dared to come causing trouble again.

"Please invite the two Fellow Daoists inside."

"Yes, Patriarch."

Zhao Qi returned to the foot of the mountain and used a token to open a small gap in the Formation. "You two, the Patriarch invites you. Follow me."

"Thank you for the trouble, Fellow Daoist!"

Hearing that the Yang Family's Patriarch was willing to see them, Pan Baolu and Huang Yan both revealed looks of great joy. Even though their cultivation realms were much higher than Zhao Qi's, they respectfully addressed him as Fellow Daoist.

While waiting earlier, they had been fraught with anxiety. They had heard just how difficult it was to cross the Yang Family's threshold.

Pan Baolu was the Wangchao's newly dispatched town chief for Qinghe Town, forty-five years old, with a Qi Gathering fifth layer cultivation.

He hailed from an established clan but possessed mediocre aptitude. Among his peers, there was a highly talented older cousin named Pan Baocai, who had already reached the Qi Gathering eleventh layer Perfection realm.

As for him, he was still lingering at the mid-stage, leaving him no choice but to seek a different path and become a Wangchao Cultivator.

After the twenty-four secret treasure lands incident, the Sects had largely reined themselves in, bringing stability to the Zhuhu territory.

Arriving in Qinghe to serve as town chief at this time was undoubtedly an excellent opportunity for him to accumulate merits and secure a promotion.

Yet his luck seemed rather poor. In his very first year, he was struck by a severe drought.

Furthermore, he had to deal with the mess left by the previous town chief, Tian Yu, who had acted despicably and left behind almost no surplus grain. Merely providing disaster relief and aiding the territory's commoners had nearly emptied the town manor's granaries and treasury.

Qinghe's finances were on the verge of collapse.

His visit to the Yang Family today was to seek their financial aid to resolve this immediate, burning crisis.

The reason the Yang Family agreed to see him was because Gao Hui had previously sent word, noting that this man's character was decent and he was worth associating with.

As for Huang Yan, he was granted entry because he had once journeyed alongside Yang Lingrui during the expedition to the Fengling ancient tomb, and had forwarded a letter to the Yang Family through the bamboo grove cultivator from Fengling.

"Greetings, Patriarch Yang!"

Upon seeing Yang Lingqing, a flash of surprise crossed their eyes, and they hurriedly raised their hands in a respectful salute.

Yang Lingqing nodded slightly but did not speak.

After consuming the Premium Marrow-Washing Pill, she had taken another step forward, reaching the Qi Gathering fourth layer mid-stage.

With an approachable, gentle smile on her face, Yang Lingqing raised a hand to gesture for the two to sit.

"Town Chief Pan, what brings you here?"

Dispensing with pleasantries, Yang Lingqing asked directly.

Pan Baolu was equally straightforward, bluntly explaining Qinghe's current predicament.

"I implore Patriarch Yang to lend a hand. I can sign a contract with the Yang Family and repay both the principal and interest in the future!"

"How much does Town Chief Pan need?"

Pan Baolu deliberated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and declared, "Two thousand Spirit Crystals!"

In his view, this amount was already quite exorbitant.

Even Huang Yan, the Huang Family Patriarch sitting beside him, revealed a look of shock, wondering if this man was mad. A lion opens its mouth wide, but this was a massive demand. How could the Yang Family possibly agree?

"Smack."

Yet in the very next second, Yang Lingqing flipped her hand and set a Storage Bag upon the table.

"Here are two thousand Spirit Crystals. Town Chief Pan may take them to weather this emergency. If it is not enough, you can come speak to my family again."

Under their stunned gazes, Yang Lingqing spoke with breezy indifference, "There is no need for contracts or interest. If the Yang Family were so obsessed with profit, we would not have exhausted our entire clan's strength to save the people of Qinghe when the Yin ghosts wreaked havoc."

Hearing this, Pan Baolu quickly stepped forward and offered a deep, prolonged bow to Yang Lingqing.

"Patriarch Yang is profoundly righteous. On behalf of the people of Qinghe, this Pan is endlessly grateful!"

"It is only right. Does Town Chief Pan have any other matters?"

"No. The commoners in town are still waiting for me, so I shall not linger. I will surely return another day to properly express my gratitude to the Patriarch!"

Pan Baolu was a man who knew how to read the room; hearing the subtle dismissal, he immediately took his leave.

Watching Pan Baolu depart, Huang Yan stepped forward.

His expression was strained, his arm trembling slightly as he drew an object from his robes.

Seeing the familiar golden seal upon it, Yang Lingqing instantly recognized the item-it was the very same Wangchao secret decree that the Yang Family had previously received.

The twenty-four secret treasure lands incident had bred deep dissatisfaction among many Sects, leaving them harboring grudges against Zhuhu.

After suffering a loss, they had also adjusted their tactics.

They ordered all subordinate Sects within Zhuhu territory to pull back into their mountains, instead covertly sending operatives to stir up trouble at the borders.

Consequently, the eastern and northern border regions, which had previously settled into peace, were once again plagued by frequent unrest.

Faced with this situation, Zhuhu brought out a new wave of pawns to cast into the fray.

Starting a few years ago, the Huang Family had secretly received a considerable amount of boons bestowed by the Wangchao. Huang Yan himself had relied on these very resources to break through two realms in just a few years, attaining his current Qi Gathering sixth layer cultivation.

But how could anything from the Wangchao be taken so easily? For whatever you consumed, you had to exert an equal amount of effort.

With the precedent of the previous nineteen families fresh in their minds, the new batch of factions receiving the secret decrees were gripped by terror and alarm.

They feared dying at the border, but they feared failing their task even more, knowing it would mean their entire clan being exiled to the Desert Sea.

After the Huang Family received the decree, Huang Yan hurriedly sought out the bamboo grove cultivator who shared some history with his grandfather, begging the man to introduce him to the Yang Family.

"Patriarch Huang, my family cannot offer any help regarding this secret decree."

"No, Patriarch Yang misunderstands!"

Huang Yan hurriedly explained, "I did not come to ask the Yang Family for help in fulfilling the secret decree. I merely... I merely wish to request Formation Master Liu to step forward and lay down a late-stage Formation for my family!"

"The Wangchao's secret decree cannot be defied. Before long, I and two others from my family will have to depart for the border."

"The situation at the border is volatile. This journey will likely be one of nine deaths and one life. If the three of us all perish, the Huang Family will be left with only a single early-stage cultivator!"

As he spoke, he offered a Storage Bag to Yang Lingqing with both hands.

"I know Formation Master Liu's attainments in the Dao of Formations are exquisitely high, unmatched among the young Formation Masters of Wangyue. Here is five hundred Spirit Crystals, the accumulation of decades for the Huang Family. I implore Patriarch Yang, for the sake of the bamboo grove Senior, to save my family this once!"

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