Chapter 274: Before and After Entering the City (Please Subscribe)

Approaching Yunyi City, one would inevitably draw near that temporary camp for convicts outside the walls.

Du En immediately felt an oppressive atmosphere rushing toward him; those convict cultivators cast glances his way, some filled with supplication, but more with a deathly stillness.

At the same time, the local cultivators responsible for maintaining order in the camp also noticed his grand and imposing approach.

They exchanged glances, none of them moving to stop or shout at him, only wearing strange expressions and feeling secretly alarmed.

This brat actually dares to come here?!

Clearly, after nearly a year of fermentation, word had already spread throughout Yunyi City that those four—the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth masters—had all died at the hands of Du En.

However, they did not harbor any excessive hostility.

Regarding the incident at Lin'an City, the Falling Feather Immortal Sect had actually exercised some information control; although it was not difficult for those in the upper and middle echelons to uncover the truth if they wished, they had all tacitly agreed not to spread or circulate the facts.

Subsequently, the Great Cultivator of Yunyi set the official narrative, claiming that his three disciples had harbored malicious intent toward Du En and had abandoned their posts, and that since Zhou Ze was also plotting rebellion against this traveler, they had simply fallen in with each other and conspired in wrongdoing.

This was why the cultivators of Yunyi City had complex feelings toward Du En, but not much negativity.

"However, since even the matter of Yun Ying has been brought into the open, do they feel there is no need to hide it anymore now that things have reached this point?"

By eavesdropping on the divine sense conversations of the camp cultivators, Du En learned the general situation and couldn't help but think this.

It seems the attitude of this Great Cultivator of Yunyi isn't actually very good?

Thinking of this, he slowed his flight and finally landed before the towering, imposing city gate, channeling his magic power to display his token.

"I am Du En, here on my travels today."

No sooner had the words left his lips than the city gate rumbled open.

That stone gate, a full ten feet thick, could not be damaged in the slightest even by the self-detonation of a Nascent Soul perfection cultivator; its movement should not have been this loud.

But as if to signal the Great Cultivator's dissatisfaction, it roared and groaned with unusual weight, causing everyone in the camp, whether convict or common cultivator, to lower their heads and avert their eyes, not daring to stare directly and only daring to peek in observation.

Primarily, they were truly concerned about how this matter would develop.

Clang!

The heavy doors stopped opening.

What met Du En's eyes was the deep, dark tunnel of the gate.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

A series of footsteps approached, distant and unfathomable, making one's heart hair-raisingly uneasy.

Du En merely raised an eyebrow slightly, his expression completely unchanged; he calmly retracted his token and suppressed the aura of his Golden Core mid-stage magic power, cold and unyielding.

The reason he had actively released his cultivation earlier was mainly to show goodwill and set the tone for this visit.

As if responding to this attitude, as the footsteps ceased, a person walked out from the depths.

Ren Li.

Whew!

For a moment, one could not tell how many people breathed a sigh of relief.

They didn't actually mind Du En being taught a lesson, but if the Great Cultivator himself were to show up, it would mean his emotions were running high, and if things went wrong, it might spill over onto them, which they naturally did not want to see.

Since it was Ren Li who appeared, it meant the Great Cultivator's attitude was not too terrible.

That's great.

That's terrible!

Ren Li looked at Du En now with nothing but a bitter smile.

His confinement had just ended; it was even possible that it ended specifically so he could come out to greet the guest.

He had long known the situation, and at this moment, he sighed and shook his head, saying only: "With the situation as it is now, how am I supposed to put it?"

This time he had finished off three more, having killed four in total; although Ren Li felt that all four deserved to die and had wanted to clap and cheer the moment he heard about it, but...

"Your cultivation has improved quite a bit."

Du En's words interrupted his troubled thoughts.

This was no lie; several years had passed since their meeting at Chiwu, and Ren Li's cultivation had advanced another stage, reaching the late Foundation Establishment stage with faint signs of approaching perfection—it could be said to be very fast, even faster than his previous speed.

Clearly, with the competitors gone and resources tilted directly toward him, his speed had increased.

Ren Li understood what he meant.

"Master is, after all, Master; although he is indeed very angry this time, he did not vent his rage on me indiscriminately."

"In other words, it's all aimed at me?"

"Uh, you are as you always were; can't you speak more tactfully, like you did just now?"

Since there was no problem on Ren Li's side and he had everything he should have—perhaps even receiving extra care and cultivation because he was the only remaining Golden Core/Foundation Establishment seedling—then the Great Cultivator's spearhead could only be pointed directly at Du En.

Having Ren Li come out to greet the guest might not be a good sign, but rather a form of advance exposition?

"It's fine, even if this can't be resolved, I can still walk out safely."

Du En was fully confident in this, his foundation deep and secure.

"The sect's resolution to participate in the consultation... you guy actually latched onto such a big thigh, why didn't you say so last time?"

Ren Li had only learned the full details through this incident; hearing this now, his teeth felt sour, and he felt that the other party had intentionally hidden it before.

"I just didn't want to bully others by relying on power; this sort of thing isn't worth bragging about anyway."

You are noble, you are amazing, you are self-improving.

Ren Li couldn't help but roll his eyes.

He was just relying on power a moment ago, and now he's acting disdainful!

Tsk!

"Then what about this? How do you explain this?"

Ren Li produced a talisman, a third-grade one, obtained from Shu City, originating from Lin'an City, stemming from Du En, and beginning with Wang Zhun.

After tossing and turning, Shu City, facing the surprisingly bold Tong Wenrong this time, had simply transferred this hot potato back to Yunyi City under the pretext of material allocation.

"…City Lord Tong is quite bold this time."

Du En had not expected it to be like this; he had originally thought that with someone like Tong Wenrong, the greatest possibility was that he would simply place this batch of talismans in his spirit stone hut, treat them as embezzled black-market goods, and take them out to face enemies when necessary, while incidentally erasing any traces.

But he never expected that he would turn around and hand them over to the Hub City, and then the Hub City would throw them straight back to Yunyi City.

"Isn't it because you were backing him? I was called by Master earlier, and when I saw that batch of talismans stored by the Hub City, my brain buzzed, my vision went black, and I thought you were being arrogant and attempting to provoke Master in such a way."

"A wise man may have a thousand worries and still lose one; besides, I am not actually that clever, I am just able to calmly examine and summarize various situations."

As Du En said this, he could not help but feel a bit hesitant.

After this unexpected turn of events, should he still enter the city?

"Since you're already here, if you turn around and leave now, I'm afraid it will never be resolved; well, in any case, I will do my best to speak for you."

Ren Li said this, but in truth, he had no confidence at all.

Du En felt this made sense, so he nodded.

Then, one in front and one behind, one welcoming and one visiting, they stepped into the open city gate.

Rumble, rumble, rumble...

The sound of the gate leaves closing was immense, like a mountain peak collapsing, sealing off the light and hope, and it rang out behind Du En.

Since he had already made his decision, he had already quickly prepared various plans, and at this moment his expression was calm, without a ripple stirred by this.

(End of this chapter)