As dusk fell, the city lord sent men to invite Qi Zhiheng and his subordinates.

Qi Zhiheng sent someone to summon his men, and he walked ahead towards the city lord's banquet venue.

Since they were in the city lord's mansion, Qi Zhiheng's divine sense couldn't wander around, so the group of them still went to the banquet in a very proper manner.

The banquet was held in a grand hall, where hundreds of tables were set up, laden with dishes, snacks, and fruits.

Guided by the servants, everyone took their seats.

Qi Zhiheng sat in the head seat, and Yang Yitian sat next to him.

Before the city lord arrived, Yang Yitian said to Qi Zhiheng, "This setup is a bit like an emperor hosting a grand banquet for foreign envoys." Moreover, the emperor had not even arrived after the court officials and foreign envoys were seated.

"The Mahayana stage is far beyond what the emperor's power can compare to," Qi Zhiheng smiled, not taking the matter to heart.

Before long, Qi Zhiheng sensed an aura of the Mahayana stage approaching their location.

Everyone could tell from this aura that the city lord had arrived!

feather.

Stream.

alone.

Home.

The city lord did not make a grand entrance; he simply entered the main hall accompanied by a few servants.

The city lord entered the main hall, and his appearance was revealed to everyone.

The city lord was dressed in a magnificent red cloud-patterned dress with a flowing hem; her hair was styled in a bun and adorned with an exquisitely crafted golden phoenix crown; she had willow-leaf eyebrows, phoenix eyes, a delicate nose, and round, sensual red lips.

The city lord had a slender and well-proportioned figure with very fair skin. What was most irresistible about him were his eyes, which possessed a captivating charm that was truly irresistible to anyone who loved beauty.

What are the drawbacks?

She might not be the best in terms of breast size, but that doesn't detract from her overall appeal; perhaps some people simply like this type.

Yang Yitian blinked and transmitted his voice, "This city lord is really good-looking!" As a member of the "appearance association," Yang Yitian couldn't help but admire him for a while.

Qi Zhiheng snorted coldly. Seeing Yang Yitian's lustful look, he was immediately furious! He really wanted to grab this man's ear and stop him from looking at other beauties!

Upon hearing this cold snort, Yang Yitian touched his nose somewhat guiltily, pretending to be nonchalant.

Not only Yang Yitian, but the other cultivators present were also stunned. However, due to the fact that the other party was too powerful, and fearing that their actions might offend a senior in the Mahayana stage, they withdrew their gaze from the City Lord of Beauty.

Qi Zhiheng had sent a gift to the city lord beforehand. If he had anything worthwhile to offer, it was only a pill. Since he wasn't familiar with the city lord, he only gave him a top-grade eighth-level pill, which was perfect for a cultivator in the Mahayana stage.

The city lord accepted the gift, but out of courtesy, he did not open it in front of the city lord.

After the city lord took his seat, he said, "I apologize for the delay. I changed my clothes a little and it took some time. Please don't blame me for being late, Fellow Daoist Qi." The city lord's voice was much deeper than a woman's, but it had a special charm and was not unpleasant to listen to. On the contrary, it was inexplicably pleasant to listen to.

The city lord's name is Yan Yinyue, the only Mahayana stage cultivator in Yanqing City.

Qi Zhiheng said, "Lord Yan is overthinking it. As long as you don't blame us for our unauthorized visit, that's fine."

"How could that be?" Yan Yinyue asked with a faint smile, "I heard that Fellow Daoist Qi is passing through this place. May I ask where you plan to go?"

Qi Zhiheng hesitated for a moment before speaking, then said, "To be honest, City Lord, we are just looking for a place to stay. I wonder if the City Lord has any good suggestions?"

"A place to stay?" Yan Yinyue seemed a little confused by his description: "If Fellow Daoist Qi has nowhere to go, our Yanqing City can serve as a place for Fellow Daoist Qi to stay." If a Mahayana cultivator like Qi Zhiheng could stay in Yanqing City, he would definitely become a great help. It is normal for the city lord to want to win him over.

Qi Zhiheng also understood the attempt to win over Yan Yinyue, but he did not want to be dependent on others, so he politely declined, saying, "I appreciate the city lord's kindness, but this matter must be handled with caution. There are many of us, and it would be inappropriate for us to disturb Yan Qingcheng. Moreover, our subordinates act without any discipline, and I would feel bad if they caused any trouble for Yan Qingcheng."

Yan Qingcheng understood the refusal in his words, but she didn't feel that he was disrespecting her. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Fellow Daoist Qi, are you planning to carve out a piece of land for your own use?"

Qi Zhiheng did not hide anything and openly admitted his ambition.

Yan Yinyue's eyes flickered slightly, and she rolled her eyes a little before saying to Qi Zhiheng, "Fellow Daoist Qi wants territory, I do have a way, but Fellow Daoist Qi will have to fight for it himself."

"I'd like to hear the details." Qi Zhiheng wasn't unaware of the scheme in the city lord's eyes, but if he could really acquire a piece of land, he wouldn't mind listening.

Yan Yinyue said, "The territory may not be large, it's just a city like mine. Cities like ours, which are independent of various forces, have a friendly confrontation every ten years to determine the distribution of some resources. In addition, some people will choose to challenge the city lord. As long as they are strong enough, they can bring down the city lord, but they can only get half of the resources that originally belonged to the city."

"If I defeat the lord of another city, can I take over his city? And also get half of the resources belonging to his city?" Qi Zhiheng became slightly interested in the city.

Yan Yinyue took a sip of spiritual tea and explained, "Theoretically speaking, that is indeed the case."

Upon hearing the word "theory," Qi Zhiheng knew that this city wouldn't be so easy to take: "Winning a city also requires paying a price. After all, the city lord might accept your challenge for nothing. You must pay a certain amount of resources as stake. If you win, the city territory is yours; if you lose, you lose the resources as well."

Qi Zhiheng, however, felt that this rule was understandable; it was most reasonable for there to be winners and losers: "If I wanted to occupy a city, how many resources would I need?"

Yan Yinyue replied, "That depends on which city you want to choose. The challenge price is different for each city."

"Does the city lord have any information on suitable cities? If you need anything in exchange, may the city lord state your price first?" Qi Zhiheng wanted to know relevant information about this place. He had only known Yan Yinyue for less than a day, so naturally he couldn't believe whatever he heard.

Yan Yinyue smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Qi, there's no need to be impatient. I haven't finished speaking yet. Besides needing the stakes, there are some other things to consider, such as the foundation of the city lord. If his foundation in the city is solid, then it's not suitable to take it over."

Qi Zhiheng could already sense that Yan Yinyue had dug a pit for him to fall into, so he asked, "Please give me some guidance, Lord Yan, so that I don't go astray."

"As far as I know, most of the twenty cities in this area have very solid foundations. In addition to having people all over the city, some city lords are very popular. If the city lord is changed rashly, it may cause a backlash from the city's residents."

Qi Zhiheng nodded and said, "What Lord Yan said is absolutely right."

Yan Yinyue directly took out a document and said, "However, I do have a suitable city to choose from. The city lord took office ten years ago, and his foundation is weaker than other cities. He also doesn't have many resources. This is actually an advantage, as fewer resources mean that fewer resources will be needed when challenging the city."

Yan Yinyue also recounted what happened back then: "Moreover, this man is ruthless, and most of the city's residents are very hostile to him. However, the residents who resisted more fiercely were either killed or driven out of the city by him. If you can succeed him as the city lord, you will definitely be able to gain the love and respect of the city's residents in a short period of time, which will be very beneficial to your future endeavors."

"Since the city lord is so frank, I wonder if there is anything I can do to repay you?" It wasn't that Qi Zhiheng was judging a gentleman by his own petty standards, but in the cultivation world, he really didn't believe that anyone would actually offer to help you. Moreover, Yan Yinyue didn't try to hide his expression too much; his expression clearly showed that he had something to gain.

It was precisely because of his open attitude that Qi Zhiheng decided to cooperate with him. Such an honest transaction was better than those "gentlemen" who used emotions as a pretext but played dirty tricks behind the scenes.

Yan Yinyue didn't bother to hide it: "To be honest, Fellow Daoist Qi, I've long disliked the city lord of that city. I originally planned to teach him a lesson during this city exchange, but unfortunately, my abilities are limited. It's hard to say whether I can deal with him while dealing with the others. I see that although Fellow Daoist Qi's cultivation is only at the early stage of Mahayana, the spiritual power emanating from his body is thick and long-lasting, so he must have a very good foundation."

Qi Zhiheng asked, "Does the Lord of Yan City have a grudge against the other party?"

"I just don't like him. He's cruel and his methods for seizing the city lord's position were underhanded. After gaining the position, he used extremely bloody methods to purge some of the people in the city who were loyal to the original city lord." Yan Yinyue sneered, "A city lord's position obtained through underhanded means shouldn't exist in the first place. If you can take his position, I'll be satisfied. I don't need any other rewards from you. In fact, I'm even willing to pay half of the bet you made in the challenge."

"Lord Yan is truly righteous and hates evil," Qi Zhiheng said with some interest. "How about Lord Yan gives me some more information about that city lord?"

Yan Yinyue said, "It's all in the information I just gave you. You can take a look, and if you have any questions, you can ask me again."

Qi Zhiheng nodded, holding the documents in his hand: "Then thank you very much, Lord Yan. If possible, I will definitely help you defeat the opponent."

After finishing their business, they spent more than two hours eating and drinking, and only after everyone was full and satisfied did they disperse.

After returning to his residence, Qi Zhiheng opened the information that Yan Yinyue had given him to examine.

The first thing that catches the eye is the name of the city—Hou Tu City.

The name sounds quite honest, making it hard to believe that he is actually a treacherous and cunning city lord.

The city lord's name is Chi Qing, and his deeds are as follows.

Qi Zhiheng began to read intently.

After Yang Yitian tidied himself up and got into bed, he asked Qi Zhiheng curiously, "Are you looking at city data?"

Qi Zhiheng nodded: "Yes."

"Is it reliable to seize someone else's city?" Yang Yitian stroked his chin, looking thoughtful.

Qi Zhiheng said, "Taking someone else's city is unreliable. So what do you think is a reliable way to do it?"

Yang Yitian thought to himself, "Reclaiming wasteland? Go to a region that no one has occupied, then establish a mountain, recruit disciples, and set up a sect?"

"You have quite the imagination," Qi Zhiheng said, his tone ambiguous, before continuing, "Do you know how long it takes to clear wasteland? We might not even finish clearing the mountain before Father and the others arrive. How are we going to settle them then? We need to start earlier. Besides, there are so many cultivators in this world. Where are there so many territories for us to scavenge? Places with even slightly dense spiritual energy have already been occupied by various forces." Just hearing about it made it sound like a thankless and arduous task.

Yang Yitian stopped asking such a silly question and weakly retorted, "What if that woman Yan Yinyue tricks us?"

Qi Zhiheng shook his head and said, "It's not that he's trying to trick us, but I can guess that he wants to use me to strike at the other side. As for whether he has any other hidden motives, I haven't thought of them yet. At worst, we can go to other places to inquire in a while and find accurate information."

Yang Yitian agreed with his caution: "Fortunately, you haven't been bewitched by her beauty."

Qi Zhiheng rolled his eyes: "You've got the target of that statement backwards, haven't you? I'd like to praise you for not getting dizzy when you saw the beauty this time."

Yang Yitian blushed: "You flatter me, you flatter me. Actually, she's nothing special. She's not even one percent as handsome as my Daoist partner!" Handsome is not an option, but she's a girl, so how can she be handsome? She can only be described as pretty.

Qi Zhiheng said, "You're smart to know what's good for you."

Thanks to a linguistic loophole, Yang Yitian narrowly escaped disaster. Calming his rapidly beating chest, he changed the subject, asking, "What's written in this document?"

Qi Zhiheng said, "Write down the name of the city, as well as the detailed information about the city." He then gave the name of the city and the name of its lord.

"What are all the inscriptions in this city?" Yang Yitian asked again.

Qi Zhiheng patiently explained, "Chi Qing was originally a subordinate of the city lord of Houtu City. Houtu City wasn't originally Houtu City; it was called Yanhuo City. Chi Qing worked under the city lord, and later he bribed some people to join his own camp. Chi Qing had always had this ambition, but he hid it very well. After decades of infiltration, he divided the people of this city into two camps. As his ambition gradually became apparent, it also attracted the attention of the original city lord. Later, the original city lord was injured by underhanded means before the city exchange meeting."

"And then it failed?" Yang Yitian listened with great interest, resting his chin on his hands.

Qi Zhiheng nodded: "It was done by a 'loyal' subordinate of the former city lord. Chi Qing was not exposed, and Chi Qing challenged the opponent when he was injured and won the position of city lord."

Yang Yitian said, "Although this person sounds quite despicable, he only seized someone else's city. Is it really necessary for Lord Yan to react so strongly?"

Qi Zhiheng said, "It's not just that. After the city lord took over, he dismissed some people who were not loyal to him. These were considered to have been dealt with leniently. The former city lord's confidants were hunted down and forced to flee, during which time he killed many people."

"Where in the cultivation world doesn't people die?" Yang Yitian had reservations about this statement.

Qi Zhiheng said, "That's different. He also executed some former city lord's subordinates who were unwilling to follow his orders, and even killed many of the common people who did not agree with his rise to power."

Yang Yitian frowned: "The methods are rather bloody." This city belongs to cultivators, not ordinary people. However, most of the city's residents are ordinary cultivators with mediocre talents. Killing them will not cause any karmic entanglement.

Qi Zhiheng said, "The information here is still a bit general. When we have time, we'll try to go out and see if there's any more detailed information elsewhere."

Furthermore, he still wanted to see how the other cities fared. Capturing a city was indeed the simplest way for him to solidify his power base. As long as the internal situation wasn't too complex, he could easily switch to another city to seize.

Meanwhile, Yan Yinyue returned to her residence.

A servant brought in a tray and reported, "My lord, this is a gift from our distinguished guest today."

Yan Yinyue glanced at the tray, then reached out and took the gift box. "A gift from a Mahayana cultivator is unlikely to be a simple one." With that, she opened the gift box, revealing the bottle of pills inside.

"Pills?" Yan Yinyue said calmly. "That's not bad. In a city like ours, it's not easy to buy pills that suit our taste. Fellow Daoist Qi is very thoughtful."

Guang Cheng said, "Senior Qi is indeed a good person." He had chatted with Qi Zhiheng for a long time today. When Qi Zhiheng spoke to him, he did not have any arrogant attitude. In fact, he felt that Qi Zhiheng's temper was even better than that of his own city lord.

Yan Yinyue opened the medicine bottle, and a fragrant aroma wafted out, instantly invigorating everyone present! The composure on his face vanished: "This is a top-grade elixir!"

Upon examining the exported image, it was indeed a top-grade level eight pill!

"I never expected Senior Qi to be so generous!" Guang Cheng was also very surprised to see the pills! Although Qi Zhiheng had given him some pills when they were talking, how could pills for the Integration Stage be compared to those for the Mahayana Stage?

Yan Yinyue's eyes flashed with a strange light: "Tell me, where did he get this pill?"

"It must have been made by an alchemist, right?" Guang Cheng couldn't figure it out either.

Yan Yinyue's heart was beating rather rapidly. Generally speaking, only alchemists in certain sects and forces could refine such pills, but it was impossible for a rogue cultivator like Qi Zhiheng to obtain them.

The fact that Qi Zhiheng was so generous in giving away this pill at least proves that he might know an alchemist who could refine such a pill.

If it weren't for a shred of restraint, Yan Yinyue would have loved to go and get to the bottom of things right now, and she immediately felt a pang of regret! She had spent so much time sitting and talking with Qi Zhiheng, discussing nothing of value!