Highsun City, Deston Prefecture.
At Silver Wolf Lake, Yun Manlou stood solitarily above his clan's garrison.
In the past, many factions, big and small, from the Shadowfell Prefecture had followed him here to stage a comeback, bringing a period of prosperity to the entire Silver Wolf Lake.
In just two short years, tall buildings had sprung up everywhere here, gradually forming a bustling market, becoming an indispensable part of Highsun City.
Even Ba Siyu of the Imperial Protectors Guard looked at him with newfound respect.
But with the arrival of the people from the Azure Cloud Li Clan, everything changed.
The Li Clan's retainer, Dongfang Xuan, used painting as her Dao.
Above Silver Wolf Lake, she drew the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into her paintings, methodically stripping away the strength of the various factions that had come from the Shadowfell Prefecture.
And from that day on, the geniuses of Silver Wolf Lake, as well as the experts at the Divinity Transformation realm and below, began to disappear silently.
No matter how they searched, no trace could be found.
In just a few short years, Silver Wolf Lake, which had prospered for two years, headed toward decline.
The people of the Shadowfell Prefecture, who had sworn to return to their homeland even if it took thousands or tens of thousands of years, left one by one to seek their own survival.
Let alone outsiders, of the thousand-plus people in the Yun Clan's main branch, only thirty percent remained, and only two or three branches were left.
As for those from the Yun Clan's main branch who fled... within two or three days, their Life Tablets shattered.
The abandoned buildings were covered in spiderwebs, with only a scarce few people coming and going.
At the slightest noise, they would cower in terror inside their prepared array formations, terrified of being snatched away by the "man-eating demon."
The mist blanketing Silver Wolf Lake was like a net, ready to capture the people of the Yun Clan at any moment.
"Beasts."
Yun Manlou looked numbly at all of this.
After a few years had passed, he had grown used to it.
Ever since Li Xinnian said those words to him, he could only watch Silver Wolf Lake decline day by day.
From his initial anger to his current indifference, only coldness remained in his eyes.
"That woman is not here today."
Raising his head, he saw that Dongfang Xuan had already left the cloudy sky.
Two figures flew into Silver Wolf Lake.
One of them, having arrived while concealing his tracks, slowly lowered his hood, revealing a majestic yet weather-beaten face.
Bi Shihu frowned as he surveyed the dilapidated Silver Wolf Lake and Yun Manlou, who had been waiting for a long time.
Towards this Yun Manlou, Bi Shihu held much disdain.
The Yun Clan produced no talents and only relied on a dying old thing to hold it up.
During the battle at the Shadowfell Prefecture, the Yun Clan had long prepared to flee, abandoning the army.
If it weren't for Jiang Chenghuan exhausting all his schemes and mediating everywhere over the past few years, leaving his three armies like stray dogs with no place to settle, why would he personally come looking for the Yun Clan?
Before long.
Bi Shihu and Yun Manlou met.
The two bowed in greeting to each other.
Regardless of how they secretly criticized each other in their hearts, the two could be said to be fellow sufferers sympathizing with each other.
Under the Li Clan's retaliation, they could only huddle together for warmth to seek a sliver of survival.
Soon after, the two looked toward the other arrival.
This was an old man who wore a constant faint smile on his face, looking kind and wise.
"Greetings, Mr. Zhou."
Zhou Chengli.
The two were highly respectful to this "Mr. Zhou," yet there was a hint of disdain as they lowered their heads and bowed.
Ba Siyu of the Imperial Protectors Guard had many experts under his command, and Zhou Chengli was one of them.
This person enjoyed a long lifespan and had managed logistics for Ba Siyu for twenty thousand years, being known for his uprightness and incorruptibility.
But where was the uprightness and incorruptibility?
When this Mr. Zhou arrived in Deston Prefecture, his greed was incredibly ugly.
But both Bi Shihu and Yun Manlou knew that the uglier the surnamed Zhou's greed was, the more he could... save their lives!
.......
The three gathered at the Yun Clan, and after a round of superficial and perfunctory negotiations...
Yun Manlou said in a deep voice,
"Mr. Zhou, the Azure Cloud Li Clan has gone too far.
The battle at Shadowfell Prefecture was destined to be lost.
After coming to Deston Prefecture, we bore the infamy of being 'deserters.'
Yet, we have made every effort to govern effectively and have contributed greatly to Deston Prefecture, all to wash away the unjust charges placed upon us by the narrow-minded people of the world.
But the Li Clan is no different from mad dogs, blaming the Yun Clan and General Bi for Li Tianyue's death."
"Comparing the Li Clan to mad dogs is an incorrect statement."
Zhou Chengli maintained a faint smile the entire time, looking as if the matter had nothing to do with him as he slowly sipped his tea.
"With the Li Clan presiding over Azure Cloud, it is united like a fortress of iron.
Daoist Pu Ci is notoriously wishy-washy and wouldn't dare harbor any sinister intentions.
The Li Clan possesses numerous talents:
Li Xinghuo, Commander of the Asura Army in the Northern Border;
Li Yuanshang of the Imperial Capital Chamber of Commerce;
Li Yaoqing, the Holy Maiden;
Li Yaotie, the Spirit Puppet Ancestral Master...
The famous figures of their entire family will sooner or later step onto the grand stage."
How could Bi Shihu not hear that Zhou Chengli was haggling?
He immediately said in a deep voice,
"Mr. Zhou, this is Deston Prefecture! Even if the Li Clan has numerous talents, they are ultimately not at the Void Refinement realm.
Currently, it is only Li Yunlin holding things up.
They rely on the power beneath the position of Prefecture Lord and their numerous expert retainers. External power is, after all, just external power."
"Behind them are the State Preceptor, the Immortal Suppression Department, and the Grand Tutor." Zhou Chengli remained as steady as an old god.
"Let alone me, even Lord Ba has to handle the Li Clan carefully.
The reason these great figures value the Li Clan so much boils down to one thing: potential.
Potential protected by external power will one day soar into the sky."
Everyone present was a shrewd person.
Yun Manlou took a deep breath.
"Mr. Zhou, you are a shrewd person. My Yun Clan and Marshal Bi no longer have a way out. Whatever you want, we will give it to you.
My Yun Clan investigated this trip; aside from Li Yunlin, Dongfang Xuan, and Jiang Chenghuan, the Li Clan is hiding at most two other Void Refinement experts.
General Bi and I are completely confident in keeping them in Deston Prefecture forever."
"Hahaha, Patriarch Yun is quite confident." Zhou Chengli let out a loud laugh.
There were disparities within the Void Refinement realm, but to truly keep all the Li Clan's Void Refinement cultivators in Deston Prefecture, how could it be so easy?
Even Bi Shihu narrowed his eyes and had already shifted his feet, preparing to leave.
But right at this moment, Yun Manlou let out a long breath and softly called out, "Old Ancestor."
In an instant, the expressions of Bi Shihu and Zhou Chengli changed, and they sat up in shock.
They saw a fluctuation formed by spiritual energy rippling outward from around them.
The two looked in terror at the Spiritual power of heaven and earth that was still rippling out in all directions.
That represented a Heavenly Dao Law, a Heavenly Dao Law that was about to break through!
The Yun Clan's Old Ancestor was preparing to break through to the Body Integration Dao realm!
"Half-step Body Integration!"