Despite having lived in this world for over a decade, nothing Yulou had ever heard or seen could match the sheer impact of the sight before his eyes.
It was an unforgettable spectacle.
As evening approached, the setting sun, resembling a ripe red persimmon, gradually dipped below the horizon.
Yet, where True Person Danri was, a blazing sun hung high in the distant sky, as bright as the midday sun.
A magnificent golden-red light spilled from this second sun, casting its glow over everything in heaven and earth.
Even Yulou's face was painted with a golden-red hue.
Yu'an was still worried it might be a trap, but Yulou was already certain that no one would dare act so brazenly on Hongdengzhao's territory—except their own people.
"So that is True Person Danri? Danri... Rising Sun. A title well-earned indeed."
Zhong Ningyao was a cultivator with fire and wood spirit roots, and her father was Redbrow, whose mastery of fire magic was profound. She understood better than anyone what a second sun in the sky truly represented.
It represented the boundless magic power of a Purple Palace cultivator. It was the ultimate deterrent with which Hongdengzhao suppressed five million miles of territory. It was a subli level of attainnt that countless cultivators spent their entire lives yearning for but could never reach.
Yulou noticed a figure take flight from the market town guardian's manor in Clear Stream Market. The person soared into the sky above the market and, with a casual wave of his hand, activated Clear Stream Market's protective formation.
"Why is Jiang Baobian activating the formation?" Yulou looked toward his senior martial sister.
"To hand over control. Now that True Person Danri has arrived, Jiang Baobian has to play the grandson."
Zhong Ningyao was well-inford, and she had guessed half the truth.
Jiang Baobian did have to act humble, but True Person Danri had no need for the formation's control, nor did he care about the trivial authority of a market town guardian.
This Purple Palace cultivator from Hongdengzhao had arrived in Clear Stream Market with the rit Hall branch for a specific mission, even deploying Hongdengzhao's famous magic treasure, the Golden Crow Driving Sun.
The second sun in the sky was actually the residual glow produced when a Purple Palace cultivator controlled the Golden Crow Driving Sun during flight.
If Jiang Baobian had not raised the formation quickly, even a slight delay in the Golden Crow Driving Sun slowing down would have completely evaporated the spiritual resonance of the Clear Stream of Qin Rhy. Rogue cultivators in the market with insufficient cultivation bases would have been severely injured or even killed by the intense light.
"Senior Martial Sister, are we still going to the horse races?"
Yulou felt that now was not the ti for such amusents.
Zhong Ningyao's expression faltered, and she spoke hesitantly.
"Let's forget about the horse races. We can go anyti, since I really just wanted to broaden your horizons.
You two should head back first and stay with your clan elders. The Wang Clan is a subordinate of Hongdengzhao, so you might have a chance to et the Purple Palace cultivator directly.
Yulou, if possible, could you ask your clan's old ancestor if he could take my father along to pay respects?
Regardless of whether it succeeds or not, I will give you a token of appreciation. If it works out, my father will reward you handsoly!"
Yulou calculated the options in his mind and replied.
"Understood. Wait for my news."
With that, he pulled Yu'an, who was still on high alert, and headed back to Fortune Source Residence.
Watching their retreating figures, Zhong Ningyao knit her brows tightly.
She had taken the brothers to the horse races today precisely to find an opportunity to ntion this matter. However, the early arrival of the rit Hall branch had disrupted Redbrow's plans.
In na, Redbrow and the two brothers shared a master-disciple relationship, but Householder Redbrow had previously accepted a massive apprenticeship fee of five thousand spirit stones.
And now, her father needed a favor from the Wang Clan.
This kind of master-disciple relationship could not be described as anything other than awkward.
—
In the main hall of Fortune Source Residence, the rogue cultivators were frantically exchanging information, their faces filled with excitent, apprehension, or fervor.
"Before I ca back, I heard a fellow Daoist at the peak Qi Condensation realm say that the red flying boat in the center is where the Hongdengzhao rit Hall branch is located.
Supposedly, a Purple Palace Grand Cultivator is operating it from within, which is why it possesses such imnse grandeur."
"It's not just Hongdengzhao. There are two other flying artifacts in the sky that don't belong to them."
"I know one of them is the carriage of the Immortal Alliance Emissary, but what force does that white stone tower belong to?"
"What a coincidence, I've seen an identical white stone tower before~"
"Oh? Tell us about it!"
"Hurry up and tell us."
"Ah, my throat is a bit dry, I seem to have forgotten~"
The rogue cultivator who knew the origin of the white stone tower began to put on airs. Bailu, who was slacking off at the counter, couldn't stand it any longer. Just as she was about to speak, another rogue cultivator, whether genuinely foolish or just playing along, spoke up first.
"Waiter, bring a pot of spiritual tea for this fellow Daoist!"
Bailu instantly bead with joy. Forgetting about sharing the news for free, she rushed to pour the tea.
She first took a tiny amount of grade-nine spiritual tea, added half an ounce of ordinary tea, and then smilingly served it to the generous fool.
This was how spiritual tea was sold at Fortune Source Residence. If they used pure spiritual tea, those rogue cultivators wouldn't be able to afford it.
The rogue cultivator who had put on a show just to get a free drink took a sip. Unable to taste anything wrong, he drank it with great delight.
"You all don't know this, but Hongdengzhao changed to a new sect master a few years ago. He is from the Huang Clan, a giant Purple Palace family.
You might not have heard of the Huang Clan, but they specialize in trading between the sects and major clans of the Wunan Cultivation World.
I used to work for the Huang Clan for a few years back then. That white stone tower is actually the Huang Clan's Hundred Treasures Workshop!
It looks like just a small stone tower, but inside is a massive market, probably a third of the size of Clear Stream Market, entirely managed by the Huang Clan.
In the past, this kind of Hundred Treasures Workshop would only travel between the ancestral lands of major clans, great sects, and the locations of Purple Palace sects. It would never co to a market like Clear Stream Market, which is filled entirely with Qi Refining cultivators.
It's likely because soone from the Huang Clan beca the sect master of Hongdengzhao that the Hundred Treasures Workshop followed the rit Hall branch here!"
"The rit Hall and the Hundred Treasures Workshop are here to do business, but why did the Immortal Alliance's carriage follow along?"
"Why don't you go ask? The Immortal Alliance serves all cultivators. If you ask, they might just tell you."
"You go, I'm certainly not going!"
"It's just nonsense to fool fools, no one believes their words!"
While the rogue cultivators were noisily chattering away, Yulou discreetly approached the counter.
"How is the situation with the small rooms in the backyard?" Yulou asked.
"Bring us so food, send it to our room," Yu'an added.
"All you think about is eating!" Yulou glared at his younger brother.
"Aren't you hungry?"
Yu'an didn't understand why his brother was acting so serious.
"We are going to see the Patriarch in a mont!"
Yulou couldn't openly admit his plan to score a al from the Patriarch, so he only gave a subtle hint, but Yu'an clearly failed to catch it.
"Then please deliver it a bit later, thank you."
With a helpless, gentle smile, Yulou stopped arguing.
Eat, eat, eat, all he knows is eating!
Glancing at Yulou and then at Yu'an, Bailu lowered her head subtly and replied in a soft voice that the rogue cultivators couldn't overhear.
"I'll arrange it right away. As for the small rooms in the back, nearly half of them have been occupied today. The old ancestor ca by to look this afternoon and was smiling very happily."
Yulou nodded understandingly. Having worked as a waitress for years, Bailu was a sharp and sensible girl.
—
"Do you know why Master didn't personally request the Patriarch to let him tag along to pay respects to True Person Danri?"
Leading his foolish brother toward the backyard, Yulou asked in a low voice.
"Fearing the Patriarch would refuse, which would make him lose face?"
This question was hard to answer, and Yu'an scratched his head in confusion.
"No. Master is on the verge of Foundation Establishnt, but he doesn't want to choose a faction to align with just yet.
If he personally begged the Patriarch, the Patriarch would certainly agree, but it would make it difficult for him to reject the Patriarch's inevitable invitation to join the Wang Clan later."
Yulou increasingly felt that this master of his was far from simple.
His handling of affairs was incredibly shrewd, he was excellent at business, and his cultivation and refining path attainnts were both extraordinary.
He did not look like a rogue cultivator with no background at all.
"Brother, you're overthinking it. Master could completely establish his own clan."
"Ha, true. Perhaps I am overthinking."
Yulou didn't bother explaining further to the naive Yu'an. Noticing Tang Nianqiu guarding the front desk of the wooden building, he asked respectfully.
"Uncle Nianqiu, where is the Patriarch right now?"
Tang Nianqiu put down his ledger, pointed upstairs, and said.
"He's up there. He's still modifying the layout of the small rooms."
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