Chapter 0413 - Sacrifice to Heaven

Young Lord Kongxu's face showed a hint of anticipation.During this recent period, Zhengqi Manor had maintained extremely close ties with Xuanhuang Town. A group from the manor had been stationed in the marketplace, responsible for selling vicious beasts and specialty goods hunted or produced by the manor, and in turn acquiring all sorts of daily necessities.

For instance, the cloud brocade robe Young Lord Kongxu currently wore had been tailored in Xuanhuang Town. This was top-grade material—capable of being refined into magical garments or immortal robes. It felt like white clouds against the skin, extraordinarily soft. This level of comfort… was something he had never experienced before.

This was how life was meant to be lived.

Everything consumed at Zhengqi Manor now came from Xuanhuang Town, and only the finest.While Kongxu wore cloud brocade, others in the manor wore mist brocade. They ate miscellaneous spirit rice and beast meat—none of it lacking. Even the manor's guards now used war crossbows, bolts, bows, and weapons all sourced from Xuanhuang Town, significantly enhancing the manor's overall strength.

However, Zhengqi Manor was not without its own specialties.

There was a spiritual tea tree called the Heavenly Spirit Tea Tree (天灵茶树). This tea tree was extraordinary—just one leaf could brew an entire pot. Most impressively, the tea could enhance one's true qi cultivation, and beyond that, it could purify the inner true qi, removing impurities, thereby making one's true qi and true essence far more refined.

With regular consumption, the refinement level of one's true qi could rival top-tier cultivators.The purer one's true qi, the greater the power unleashed—thus, the stronger the combat strength. While cultivating qi itself might not be too hard, refining its purity was another matter altogether. Yet Heavenly Spirit Tea could do it safely and without side effects, making its value immeasurable.

In Xuanhuang Town, the tea was sold by the leaf, with each leaf priced at 300 Eternal Coins.The manor had only a few such trees—one mother tree and nine offshoots. Only the offshoots' leaves were sold; the mother tree's leaves were kept for internal use.

Even so, Heavenly Spirit Tea remained extremely popular in town.Most of the time, the first buyers were Xuanhuang Town's own leadership.

Nowadays, Yi Tianxing brewed a pot of Heavenly Spirit Tea every day. He also gifted some to high-ranking town officials like Huang Chengyan. The tea had now become widespread across the town.

Zhengqi Manor, naturally, lacked nothing in terms of wealth.The entire manor had been renovated. Traditional lanterns had been replaced with Luminance Lamps (启明灯), giving the place a brand-new appearance. With cultivation resources pouring in, Young Lord Kongxu's strength had undergone an overwhelming transformation.

Given his foundation, this was merely a re-cultivation. He broke through into the Life Aperture Realm (命窍境) without any obstacle.

His true qi had condensed into true essence, greatly exceeding his former self in strength.Kongxu now brimmed with confidence.

"Though I may not match Yi Tianxing, that freak… I'm definitely among the top tier now. This grand event—I must witness it. I want my name, Young Lord Kongxu, known across ten thousand miles. My heart is void—only fame and fortune can fill it. The worship of tens of thousands—that is truly delightful."

Smiling faintly, he waved a hand and said, "Prepare the carriage. I'm heading to Xuanhuang Town."

"Yes, Young Lord!!"

Four hideous women—faces gnarled like shriveled fruit, yet pretending to be seductive—approached along with several guards, carrying a sedan chair.

"Young Lord, please board."

One of the maids called out.

Glancing at the four maids, Kongxu felt a profound sense of emptiness once again and sighed.

"Everything in Xuanhuang Town is too good. So good that I can't even recruit a proper maid. I'm stuck with these wretches. Life truly is empty and lonely. No, this time—I must find a few decent maids."

Sighing heavily, he sat inside the sedan chair.

He had tried before to recruit some decent girls from Xuanhuang Town to serve as maids. But as soon as they heard they'd have to leave Xuanhuang Town and go to Zhengqi Manor, they flatly refused without hesitation. The town's conditions were simply too good—no one wanted to leave, much less lower themselves to being a maid.

Thus, no decent maids could be found.

"Young Lord, you look at us four great beauties and feel nothing? Want other maids? That's too much! Are we not beautiful? Are we not seductive? Clearly you have no taste—no wonder people call you Lord Kidney Deficiency. Such poor vision."

One maid spoke, her voice like a bronze gong.

Kongxu visibly trembled, his pale face twitching.

"Yes, Young Lord. Don't pity us just because we're delicate flowers. Come, let the storm grow fiercer!"

Another maid cried out, eyes burning with passion.

"Cough cough!!"Kongxu let out a sharp cough, face turning even paler. He felt like his life had turned pitch black. This was how empty it all was.

"Go! Go! Go!! Set off—now!!"

He gave the order hurriedly.

A group swiftly departed from Zhengqi Manor.

In Baiyang Village, the Baiyang family had gathered.

"Father, Xuanhuang Town sent us an invitation. Should we go?" asked Bai Lang.

"So fast. Truly fast. While we're still a village, they're already advancing to become a city. This gap is not something we can bridge through ordinary means," Bai Hai said in astonishment.

"Father, I've never been to Xuanhuang Town. Now that it's about to become a city, it must be incredibly lively. I'd love to see it," Bai Xiaoyu said.

"Truly the result of destiny's favor and momentum. These days, even in our village, anyone with free time is talking about Xuanhuang Town. Longing for it. If not for the danger of traveling through the wilderness, where one could die at any time, villagers might have left already. Xuanhuang Town's rise is already undeniable. Once it becomes a city, its momentum will be unstoppable. This invitation—it's a chance for villages nearby to declare their stance. Submit or oppose. That's the choice before us all."

Baiyang looked toward the direction of Xuanhuang Town and said solemnly.

"So… do we go or not?" asked Bai Hai hesitantly.

"We go. Why wouldn't we? Xuanhuang Town is already a giant. This is the time to take sides. The sooner we make our decision, the greater the benefits. Following Xuanhuang Town may not be a bad thing."

Taking a deep breath, Baiyang made his decision.

Time passed quickly—half a month in the blink of an eye.

During this period, Xuanhuang Town had been buzzing. Village chiefs from all directions—within a radius of ten thousand miles—flocked to the town. Seeing the prosperity and potential with their own eyes, many who had harbored resistance found that resistance quietly dissolving.

No one knew exactly how many had come.

Then—on this very day—

RUMBLE!!

From afar, the previously black Iron-Blood Great Wall turned blood red, soaring into the sky and landing around Xuanhuang Town, forming an impenetrable barrier that enclosed it entirely. The black bricks of the wall turned crimson, exuding an even more formidable presence.

Yet rather than fear, the blood-red glow exuded warmth and safety.

Without hesitation, battalions of soldiers ascended the wall. Supplies and war equipment were moved up immediately. In a short time, the defenses were manned and ready, crossbows loaded—not even a mosquito could slip through.

"It's finally starting. This transformation will be like a fish becoming a dragon-serpent. When that happens, the world will tremble. Brother Chengyan—we are about to witness the start of a legend," said Master Lu from atop the wall.

With his divine vision, he could see the town's fortune—blazing bright, like oil boiling over fire. He saw a dragon-fish flying, ready to transform at any moment.

"Our Lord said that with ascension comes calamity. We must stay vigilant," Huang Chengyan replied.

"We've done all we can. The rest depends on what sort of calamity arrives. I don't believe Xuanhuang Town will fall to a mere minor trial," Wu Yong said with a chuckle.

At that moment, in the core space,Yi Tianxing stood before the Heavenly Fate Pool (气运天池).

Looking at the massive pool, the dense fortune had already formed clouds in the sky. Even the dragon-fish within had become more divine and colossal, seemingly ready to leap and transform.

Fortune had reached its peak. The pool now shared a mysterious resonance with Heaven and Earth.

Taking a deep breath, Yi Tianxing spoke without hesitation:

"Heavenly Dao above, I, Yi Tianxing, Lord of Xuanhuang Town, humbly request Heaven's attention.Since its founding, Xuanhuang Town has never slacked. We have sheltered the people, defended against beast attacks, monster invasions, cultivated martial strength, established order, defined currency, allowed private ownership, and earned the people's loyalty.Our population now nears six hundred thousand. Our fortune has reached its limit. The designation of town can no longer contain us.Thus, I sincerely beseech the Heavens—grant us permission:Let Xuanhuang Town ascend to become an Immortal City, to govern this land under Heaven's mandate."