Bai Mengxing was thoroughly engrossed when someone suddenly shoved him.
"What are you doing?" he exclaimed, only to see that it was Bai Siyao. His expression immediately softened into a smile. "Ah, Second Sister, do you want to watch too? Come, come, I'll give you my seat."
What a surprise, he was actually being courteous.
Bai Siyao gave him an approving look. "Not bad, you're finally showing some improvement. I'll add ten spirit stones to your allowance next month."
This was a pleasant surprise. Bai Mengxing, tasting the rewards of his effort, eagerly offered, "Big Sister, you sit here and watch. I'll hold the curtain for you."
Bai Siyao and Bai Siyao exchanged glances, suppressing their laughter.
From this angle, they could clearly see the man standing with his sword in hand.
Bai Siyao, who had lived in Qingyun City for over a decade, couldn't help but sigh, "You never realize just how vast the world is until you step out. To think such a person is merely a guard."
It was indeed him.
Bai Siyao confirmed her suspicions and whispered, "A guard is just a title. An elite disciple of the Wujizong is far beyond the reach of ordinary people."
"Wujizong?" Bai Siyao was surprised. "You recognize him?"
Bai Siyao smiled faintly. "Look at the tassel on his sword. The Taiji emblem on it is the mark of Wujizong."
Bai Siyao suddenly understood. "I see now. An elite disciple of one of the Three Great Sects—it's no wonder."
The world of cultivation boasted countless sects, but the Three Great Sects were universally acknowledged as the highest, namely Danxia Palace, Wujizong, and Cangling Mountain.
In terms of strength, Wujizong and Danxia Palace were on par. Those called elite disciples were the pillars of their sects, with high hopes of reaching the Nascent Soul or even Deity Transformation realms. In other words, this guard was likely to ascend to the level of a True Master of Changling one day, making him undoubtedly a dragon among men.
However, Bai Siyao knew that this man was even more formidable than Changling's True Master. His name was Baili Xu, and he would one day become the chief elder of Wujizong—second only to one, above all others.
And that one person was likely the person in the carriage.
Wujizong's sect leader, Ling Bufei.
Of course, he wasn't the sect leader yet. Bai Siyao remembered that Ling Bufei's youth had been fraught with hardship. Born with a severed meridian, he was unable to cultivate. Though he held the title of Young Sect Leader, he was, in truth, nothing more than a puppet.
In her previous life, Bai Siyao hadn't paid much attention to him. At first, she had been consumed by her own cultivation. By the time she had gained some standing, she had already defected from the sect. When the Jade Demon resurfaced in the mortal world, Wujizong had undergone a complete transformation, with Ling Bufei ascending to the position of sect leader.
What did the world say about him again? Oh, right—Master Ling, who persevered through countless hardships, was reborn from the ashes and eventually became a great figure.
In any case, he must have found some method to resolve his severed meridian problem. Yet, he continued to claim ill health, remaining secluded for years while Baili Xu represented Wujizong in the outside world.
In the past, Bai Siyao had often criticized them behind their backs. Of the leaders of the Three Great Sects, Wujizong's sect leader was like this, Danxia Palace's head was said to have suffered a foundational injury and remained in seclusion, while Cangling Mountain's master was a thousand-year-old tree who never moved. These immortal leaders were like beings who couldn't face the world.
But she never would have imagined that Sect Leader Ling had been so audacious in his youth. Weren't people saying he was an unfortunate soul who couldn't cultivate?
Meanwhile, Young Master Mo Qi's face had been mercilessly torn apart and stomped on a few times. As the crowd's murmurs and mocking glances intensified, Mo Qi couldn't bear it anymore. His voice, tinged with anger, rang out, "I was being polite, so why are you acting so rude? The street is for everyone to walk on. Who gave you the right to decide who's right or wrong? No matter how powerful your family is, you can't be so unreasonable!"
Oh, Young Master Mo Qi had tried to assert his authority only to find himself up against someone tough. Now he was actually trying to reason with them.
Bai Siyao couldn't help but laugh. This world truly bullied the weak and feared the strong.
Baili Xu ignored him, turning instead to instruct the carriage driver, "Go, call the City Guards." The carriage curtains shifted slightly, revealing Mo Qi's shock and anger. He had only said a few words, nothing overly offensive, yet the other side was giving him no face, going as far as to call the City Guards. A flicker of panic crossed his mind—could he have offended someone truly untouchable?
While he hesitated over whether to back down, the City Guards had already arrived.
Fengwu City was an autonomous immortal city governed by a council of elders made up of several families. Leading the guard was a young man in his twenties, clad in a gold-embroidered robe, with a golden crown gleaming on his head. Though handsome, his attire gave him a bit of a nouveau riche air.
"Shang Liancheng…" Bai Siyao murmured softly.
Huh? Just as Bai Siyao was about to ask how she recognized him, the young man in the embroidered robe was already smiling broadly, speaking to Baili Xu. "Ah, no wonder magpies have been chirping all morning—Young Sect Leader Ling has graced us with his presence. Truly an honor, I must apologize for not welcoming you sooner!"
In order to ensure their safety, many immortal cities chose to align with a powerful sect. Fengwu City, situated between Wujizong and Danxia Palace, paid tribute to both.
Ling, the Young Sect Leader of Wujizong.
Hearing Shang Liancheng's words, murmurs of astonishment rippled through the crowd.
So, this was why the man commanded such an imposing presence—he was Wujizong's Young Sect Leader. Even if the Mo family patriarch were here, he would still have to be respectful. For Young Master Mo Qi to be deemed unworthy of knowing his name wasn't unreasonable at all.
Mo Qi froze, then quickly lifted the curtain. Upon seeing Baili Xu's emblem, he shot a furious glare at the concubine beside him.
Ignorant woman. If she had known their opponent was from Wujizong, why stir up this petty dispute? Now their face was lost, and there was nowhere to reclaim it. He might even face a scolding when he returned home.
"Y-young Master…" The concubine, half of her hair disheveled from falling earlier, felt both fearful and aggrieved under his glare.
Wasn't it the young master himself who, after being interrupted while drinking, wanted to take out his anger