Chongtian City

After he finished speaking, Zi He stepped forward to look Yang Lingrui up and down.

"Not bad at all. In just a few years' time, you have already reached the eighth level of Qi Gathering. You are almost catching up to me! Truly worthy of being the genius the He Family has its eye on!"

"Stop teasing me. I have just entered the eighth level; compared to your peak of the ninth level, the gap is far from small."

Yang Lingrui then put on an act, making a formal bow as he said, "Then I will have to trouble Lord Zi He to lead this ignorant country bumpkin into the imperial capital."

"Cut the act! You little rascal, always putting on a show!"

Zi He laughed and scolded him, then turned and led Yang Lingrui toward the city gate.

"Greetings, Lord Slaying Guard."

Seeing Zi He, the soldiers guarding the gate uniformly bowed at the waist in salute.

By following Zi He, Yang Lingrui avoided the tedious entry inspections and passed directly into the city.

As soon as he entered, he felt the stark difference between this place and the outside world.

"The entire city boasts double the concentration of Spiritual Qi. What a grand display of wealth."

Yang Lingrui exclaimed in admiration.

The scale of Chongtian City was astonishing. It even encompassed three mountain ranges within its walls, boasting a total area nearly eight times that of Qiulu City.

The city was divided into twenty districts based on the Heavens, Earth, Profound, and Yellow tiers. The gate Zi He had just brought Yang Lingrui through was located in Yellow District Three.

Mortals lived in the Profound and Yellow districts, but only cultivators were permitted to enter the Heaven and Earth districts.

To maintain a double concentration of Spiritual Qi everywhere across such a vast expanse was truly shocking.

"What is so special about this? The Profound and Yellow districts are only the baseline. The Spiritual Qi concentration in the Earth-level districts is even higher. Furthermore, you haven't been to the Heaven-level districts-the Spiritual Qi concentration there remains above five times the normal amount year-round," Zi He said.

Under his guidance, Yang Lingrui arrived at Yellow District One, where they passed through a teleportation Formation to enter Earth District Five.

As soon as they entered this area, the Spiritual Qi concentration surged significantly, just as Zi He had claimed.

The Earth-level districts were where the city's cultivators trained and lived their daily lives. They contained multiple marketplaces and immortal inns. Among the four tiers of Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow, this area occupied the most land.

Protected and concealed by an ultra-large Formation, outsiders could not spy on what lay within.

Chongtian City's three mountain ranges were also located within this area.

Zi He, familiar with the route, led Yang Lingrui to an immortal inn and arranged a Grade-B independent cave dwelling for him.

After the two entered the cave dwelling, Zi He finally brought up the matter of observing the Dharma Assembly.

"The number of people coming to Chongtian City to observe the ceremony this time is much larger than expected. Various factions have dispatched their disciples, so I suspect the selection will be changed to an on-site trial. You need to prepare yourself."

"Mm, I know what to expect."

Yang Lingrui nodded.

"Oh, and barring any accidents, my sister should be coming this time as well."

"Miss Li is coming too?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Lingrui's thoughts were instantly pulled back to the edge of the lotus pond from several years ago.

He had not seen Li Qingwan since that day.

"Mm. The Ancestor entrusted someone to arrange for her to enter Chengtian Academy. Using official business as an excuse, I have snuck in to visit her a few times."

"Miss Li possesses a pure heart and extraordinary aptitude. I imagine she must have become an exceptionally outstanding presence in the academy," Yang Lingrui said.

Although he had only met Li Qingwan once at the villa, Yang Lingrui had easily discerned from their conversation that day that she was far from ordinary.

He held Li Qingwan in high regard, but he truly harbored no deep romantic feelings for her.

"Of course she is. She is more than just outstanding. She is now one of the academy's 'Four Beauties.' Her suitors could line up from Chengtian Academy all the way to the city gates. She has made quite a name for herself throughout the entire imperial capital."

Saying this, Zi He revealed a deeply meaningful smile.

"Alas... If those suitors of hers knew that someone had already quietly stolen her heart, I wonder what they would think?"

He had meant to tease Yang Lingrui, but unexpectedly, the young man wore a serious expression and confidently analyzed, "Indeed. The imperial capital is the center of the entire Wangchao, filled with countless talented youths. Since Miss Li has been here for so long, she must have met someone she favors."

"No-Yang Lingrui! Are you playing dumb with me?"

"Huh? Playing dumb about what?"

"Oh, how novel! Are you trying to tell me you don't know who my sister's sweetheart is?"

"Should I know?"

Yang Lingrui was genuinely confused.

He had only met Li Qingwan once, and they had not been in contact since. How could he possibly know such things?

However, under Zi He's somewhat unfriendly gaze, he shrank his neck back and pointed a hesitant finger at himself.

"It couldn't be me, could it?"

Zi He narrowed his eyes and remained silent, merely staring at him with a slightly chilling gaze.

"But we have only met once!"

"Yes. And before this, I never believed that love at first sight could truly exist in this world either."

At this point, Zi He also felt quite helpless inside.

He understood Yang Lingrui's character; his current reaction proved that he truly had not noticed the matter.

"Alas... why did such a single-minded, cultivation-obsessed blockhead have to be born with such good looks? My poor little sister!" Zi He sighed inwardly.

He looked up and saw Yang Lingrui also wearing a deeply troubled expression, which caused most of the resentment in his chest to dissipate.

"Forget it, forget it. Ultimately, this is not your fault. Just pretend I never mentioned it to you."

As Zi He spoke, he pulled out a wine gourd and took several fierce gulps.

Four years had passed since the Li family's downfall. According to the Zhuhu Wangchao's promise, they could still provide Li Qingwan with eleven more years of protection.

After eleven years, if he still could not find a way to break this deadlock, then Li Qingwan's life was destined to end at that exact moment.

The last time Yang Lingrui had seen such a pained, conflicted expression on Zi He's face was at the Golden Scale Dharma Assembly, right after he had emerged from the Su Family's illusion Formation.

"Otherwise, I could pretend..."

"No!"

Zi He immediately refused. Turning to Yang Lingrui, he said solemnly, "I only ask one thing of you. If Qingwan brings this up with you, you must tell her exactly what is in your heart. Do not put on an act. Do not lie to her."

"Alright. I promise you."

Their conversation ended there. Afterward, Zi He drank his gloomy wine in silence while Yang Lingrui sat nearby with his eyes closed in deep thought.

When the drunkenness began to take hold, Zi He circulated his spiritual power to force the alcohol from his body, then left the cave dwelling.

The next day, following the instructions Gao Hui had given him before his departure, Yang Lingrui went to visit He Shenglai, who was staying in the Wangtian Tower.

This tower was extraordinarily tall, standing at twenty-two stories. It was named so because from the top floor, one could see the entirety of the Chongtian Palace.

He Shenglai resided on the twentieth floor. Bearing a gift, Yang Lingrui followed a servant's guidance into his room.

"Songshan Yang Family's Yang Lingrui pays his respects to Lord He."

"Mm. You have arrived. Take a seat."

He Shenglai did not even look up. He sat at his desk, intently flipping through several bound texts. Hearing Yang Lingrui enter, he simply pointed to the seat beside him, gesturing for the young man to sit.

By now, He Shenglai's cultivation had reached the Perfection realm of the eleventh level of Qi Gathering.

Compared to a few years ago, his once aggressively sharp aura had receded considerably. His spiritual energy was completely concealed within his body, and the aura surrounding him felt thick, natural, and profound.

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