Lin Yuan City is one of the three major cities of the Qionghuang Dynasty.

It is situated in a beautiful and spiritual place in the cultivation world, appearing and disappearing amidst the swirling clouds and mist, like a fairyland descended to the mortal realm.

This city is not only a sacred place of cultivation that countless cultivators dream of, but also a shining pearl of prosperous commerce and flourishing culture.

The city gate soars into the clouds, woven from millennia-old cold iron and rare spiritual wood. It is carved with lifelike dragons and phoenixes. At dawn or dusk, soft spiritual light shines on both sides of the city gate, guiding cultivators home and welcoming visitors from afar.

Upon entering the city, the first thing that catches the eye is the wide and straight main street—Yunjin Avenue.

Shops lined both sides of the street, their signs gleaming with spiritual light. They sold everything from elixirs and magical artifacts to rare spirit beasts and ancient cultivation techniques.

The air was filled with a faint fragrance of medicine and fluctuations of spiritual energy, making people involuntarily intoxicated by it.

On the streets and alleys, powerful cultivators could be seen moving about from time to time. They were either whispering to each other or stopping to shop, their faces filled with dedication and anticipation for the path of cultivation.

Occasionally, one might encounter a few highly skilled senior masters who either fly through the air on their swords, leaving behind dazzling streaks of sword light, or stroll through the streets, experiencing the everyday life of ordinary people while displaying the demeanor of masters.

The core area of ​​Lin Yuan City is a grand square—Qi Feng Square.

In the center of the square stands a massive spirit tower, its body constructed from countless spirit stones, radiating a faint spiritual light and providing a continuous source of spiritual energy to the entire city.

During festivals or important celebrations, grand Dharma assemblies or martial arts tournaments are held in the square, attracting countless cultivators to come and watch. During these times, the square is always bustling with noise and excitement.

In addition, Lin Yuan City also has pavilions with rich collections of books, workshops for alchemy and weapon crafting, and teahouses and taverns for cultivators to exchange ideas.

When night falls, Lin Yuan City takes on a unique charm.

The lights in the city lit up one by one, adorning the entire Lin Yuan City like a dream.

It was late at night...

Ye Linyuan stood in front of Qifeng Tower, seemingly lost in thought.

He was tall and slender yet steady, his clothes fluttering in the wind, as if he could ride the wind at any moment and travel to the heavens.

Ye Linyuan was handsome, with sword-like eyebrows that slanted upwards to his temples, exuding a heroic spirit. His eyes were as deep as the night sky, as if they could see into people's hearts and see through the secrets of heaven.

He had a straight nose, thin lips, and an imposing presence even without anger.

Her long hair was tied up with a simple and antique hairpin, and the rest of her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, swaying gently in the wind, adding to her ethereal and otherworldly charm.

Time flies...seventeen years have passed in the blink of an eye...

Ye Linyuan sighed softly, "The old dreams of the past dynasty have all become a thing of the past."

After a long silence, Ye Linyuan said in a deep voice, "Tell me about the investigation in Bitter Sea Town."

In the darkness, a figure appeared and disappeared.

He is "Shadow," one of Ye Linyuan's four heroes.

Shadow, an assassin at the third level of the Golden Core Realm.

Shadow arrived here quite early, but he dared not disturb Ye Linyuan.

He only emerged from the darkness when the city lord spoke.

"Lord of the city... According to my investigation, Wu Dalang of Bitter Sea Town died at the hands of Chu Tianyao."

Ye Linyuan didn't speak, he just hummed in agreement.

The shadow continued, "This Chu Tianyao is rather strange. According to my investigation... he was originally supposed to be Chen Ping'an, a young man from Niuma Lane in Kuhai Town."

"However, his behavior is completely different from Chen Ping'an's, and this person calls himself Chu Tianyao. In my opinion, this person has been possessed."

"My subordinates have been tracking and investigating this person and have roughly determined his actions. He not only killed the town mayor Wu Dalang in Kuhai Town, but also Qi Mengqiu."

"Qi Mengqiu was once an outer disciple of the Yanyang Sect. He was probably mediocre and was expelled from the sect."

"However, Qi Mengqiu's younger sister, Qi Mengdie, became an inner disciple..."

The shadow recounted these events in detail, her voice devoid of any emotion.

"Based on subtle clues, my subordinates have confirmed that Chu Tianyao went to Zuiyue County and hid in the Rainbow Tower..."

"According to the city lord's instructions, once the murderer who killed Wu Dalang is identified, he can be killed directly."

"I was ready to take action, but then I saw Qi Mengdie from the Yan Yang Sect come seeking revenge."

The shadow continued, "Chu Tianyao's strength is only at the first level of the Foundation Establishment Realm, while Qi Mengdie is at the third level of the Foundation Establishment Realm. I believe there will be no surprises in this battle, so I did not make a move."

"But not long after, Chu Tianyao returned to Rainbow Tower and unleashed the strength of the ninth level of the Foundation Establishment Realm!"

"It's only been an hour...this person has broken through eight realms in a row! I was suspicious, so I used covert methods to follow him secretly."

"Shortly afterward, Elder Li Tingting of the Yan Yang Sect came in person and demonstrated her combat power at the first level of the Golden Core Realm."

At this point, Shadow paused, "But that Chu Tianyao actually unleashed the strength of the fourth level of the Golden Core Realm in an instant, defeating Li Tingting with just two punches!"

"My subordinates, realizing they were not confident in assassinating the enemy, retreated."

What the shadow said was truly shocking.

In the world of cultivation, one's cultivation level is achieved step by step, one step at a time...

How could Chu Tianyao break through realms so easily? And so many realms at once?!

Ye Linyuan pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Shadow, you said you weren't confident you could kill the opponent?"

It's important to understand that cultivation levels represent a great deal among cultivators.

Let alone the major realms, there are also huge differences between the minor realms.

However, assassins are an exception.

The shadow of a Golden Core Realm Level 3 expert once assassinated a target at the Golden Core Realm Level 6...

Therefore, Ye Linyuan asked, "The opponent is only at the fourth level of the Golden Core Realm, why are you not confident?"

The shadow calmly said, "Chu Tianyao is a Yin-Yang Chaos Body, and given his strange ability to break through realms at any time... I dare not take the risk."

“Assassins can indeed kill the strong with the weak, but they only have one chance. If I fail in my first strike, I will not be able to stand before the city lord now.”

"In my judgment, apart from the city lord taking action personally, only Xiang Wendian can guarantee the killing of Chu Tianyao."

Xiang Wendian, the leader of Ye Linyuan's four outstanding talents!

He was a powerful expert at the eighth level of the Golden Core Realm, and also the strongest person in Lin Yuan City besides Ye Lin Yuan.

Ye Linyuan said in a deep voice, "You have such a high opinion of Chu Tianyao?"

The shadow nodded. "I have never seen such a strange person before... I dare not underestimate him."

Ye Linyuan waved his hand, "I understand... you may leave now."

The shadow bowed and retreated...

In front of Qifeng Tower, Ye Linyuan's face revealed a subtle expression.

"He reached the fourth level of the Golden Core Realm at the young age of twenty and possessed the Yin-Yang Chaos Body."

"If only such a talented person could be of use to me..."