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The man in green clothes with a short beard held a folding fan and stood to the side, smiling faintly.
Behind the man in the white robe followed a team of soldiers, who were all dressed in jade-like white armor.
Each one of them had a valiant appearance, holding a white spear and marching forward with uniform steps.
"Those are the White Bone Guards from the City Lord Mansion," someone nearby remarked with a sigh.
"It’s said that they are carefully chosen by the City Lord, each with exceptional talent."
"Father," Bai Yaoyao hurried forward and greeted the man in the white robe as soon as she saw him.
Subsequently, she turned to the man in green clothes and called out, "Uncle Jiang."
This man in the white robe was none other than the current City Lord Bai YanKang of White Bone City.
"Elder Qinghe, what has upset you so?" Bai YanKang asked with a smile.
"City Lord Bai, shouldn’t you be asking Miss Bai about this matter?" Elder Qinghe replied.
"Our Mountain River Sect respects the predecessor of White Bone, but such respect should be mutual."
Although the Mountain River Sect wasn’t on par with the Imperial Rule Immortal Sect, within the dominion of White Bone City, their reputation was still quite significant.
The strength of their sect gate was considerable, and they often had dealings with White Bone City.
"Yaoyao?" Bai YanKang turned his head and inquired.
"Father, I cannot explain this matter clearly in a moment; in any case, Young Master Xu saved my life," Bai Yaoyao said in a hurry.
Bai YanKang thought for a moment, then said to Elder Qinghe, "Elder Qinghe, let’s consider this matter resolved; regard it as giving face to White Bone City.
Moreover, since no disciples of your sect were harmed, I personally will compensate for any losses."
Upon hearing Bai YanKang’s words, Elder Qinghe’s expression eased slightly.
"Ah, now wait a minute, doesn’t anyone need my opinion?" Xu Zimei said, shaking his head slightly from the side.
"Young man, don’t push your luck," Elder Qinghe snorted coldly, speaking dismissively.
"Yet, today, I do want him dead," Xu Zimei stated.
"Young Master, considering you saved my daughter, I can settle this matter with the Mountain River Sect for you today.
But I hope you can exercise restraint; the Mountain River Sect is not as simple as you think," Bai YanKang glanced at Xu Zimei and said displeasedly.
"Father, you don’t understand; just do as Young Master Xu says," Bai Yaoyao urged anxiously from the side.
He indeed knew what kind of being stood behind Xu Zimei—a being who could suppress someone in the Divine Vein Realm with a mere flick of the hand.
"Yaoyao, step back," Bai YanKang said sternly.
"We have coexisted with the Mountain River Sect for hundreds of years; we shouldn’t become enemies over trivial matters."
At this moment, the crowd parted once again, and three figures emerged from within.
On the left stood the Confucian-robed elder from the Heavenly Dao Academy, who Xu Zimei had previously saved.
To the right was a middle-aged man in Confucian robes, holding a horsetail whisk with hair slightly disheveled behind his head.
In the middle was an older woman dressed in a light purple robe, with rather thick eyebrows and a gaunt face.
Despite being a woman, she carried a distinct poise.
"Elder Yunshan, what brings you here?"
Seeing the arrival of the three, Bai YanKang quickly came forward to greet them: "I pay my respects to the three elders of the Heavenly Dao Academy."
The Confucian-robed elder was indeed Wu Yunshan.
He nodded slightly, then turned around and bowed sincerely to Xu Zimei and the Divine Emperor.
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"This old man has come today specifically to thank the young master and the senior."
"Gratitude shouldn’t be expressed with words alone," Xu Zimei said with a smile.
"Within the limits of my abilities, young master, you may ask for anything," Wu Yunshan earnestly said.
No sooner had he spoken than Elder Qinghe next to him let out a roar of anger.
He directly kicked Wang He and the young man surnamed Song to the ground with righteous indignation and lectured.
"Our Mountain River Sect is a prestigious and upright sect, and my master has led a life with a clear conscience full of integrity.
How could we have the likes of you two worthless rascals now?
How could you have offended someone as approachable and distinguished as Young Master Xu?
If you cannot obtain his forgiveness today, I will expel myself from the sect."
Hearing Elder Qinghe’s statement, Bai Yankang’s eyelid twitched.
He had thought you, as a core elder of the Mountain River Sect, would have a profound discourse in front of everyone, but unexpectedly, you could be so shamelessly thick-skinned.
At this moment, Wang He and the man surnamed Song were also panicked, promptly kneeling before Xu Zimei to beg for mercy.
"Young master, you are a generous person; please do not hold this against us."
Xu Zimei smiled without a word, while Bai Yankang beside him gestured slightly with his hand.
The armored guards behind him immediately seized the two men and, ignoring their struggles, dragged them away.
"Young Master Xu, I was shortsighted. I hope you won’t take it to heart and let it affect your relationship with Yaoyao," Bai Yankang explained from the side.
Xu Zimei shook his head slightly; in truth, he and the other person didn’t have much to do with each other, it was just a passing encounter.
The woman and middle-aged man who had come with Wu Yunshan were sizing up Xu Zimei.
Afterward, Bai Yankang invited Xu Zimei to the City Lord Mansion, but Xu Zimei politely declined.
He and the Divine Emperor returned to the inn, planning to stay for the night before heading to Heaven Blue City the next day.
Deep into the night, the darkness had set in.
White Bone City was already brightly lit, with chunks of glowing white luminescent rocks emitting a soft light.
The Sleepless City here was even more bustling than during the day.
The noise from the crowds was unceasing, but Xu Zimei was quietly in his room, sensing the True Fate World within him.
Because time on the Divine Continent passed at a faster rate, now that the continent had entered the Ancient Monster Era, development had begun to slow down.
Humans gradually learned to farm, hunt, distinguish various herbs, and make use of the weather to domesticate some edible animals.
They were slowly becoming the apex existence of this pyramid.
Meanwhile, animals continued to engage in primitive slaughters, and humans had begun to create basic forms of writing.
They understood basic communication.
In the enclosed Myriad Demons Tribe, due to Chaos’s prohibition against any creature leaving and appearing in the outside world, the world’s view was not to be disturbed, so that progress wouldn’t develop too quickly.
However, the Divine Dragon of the Myriad Demons Tribe made quite a commotion during its breakthrough.
Soaring through clouds, thunder, and dragon roars, such phenomena sometimes even penetrated the tribe’s seals and were occasionally witnessed by other creatures.
As a result, amongst these mortal beings, various mythical stories began to circulate.
Centering on their own imaginations and experiences, people told all kinds of mythical tales.
Overall, the world was peacefully developing, and the next step for Xu Zimei was to prepare this ordinary world to evolve toward a great cultivation era.
Of course, all this had to wait until the era stabilized, for forced growth was not something to seek after.
