Chapter 61: Azure City

  This is a building made of yellow mud, but it can withstand the years with careful polishing.

  It was a majestic and powerful city, situated in the midst of a vast desert, with sandstorms swirling in the distance. At one end of the desert lay the Great Ten Thousand Mountains, while at the other end stood another city, separated by a long distance.

  It can be said that the closest city is just Medicine City.

  This is Cangqiong City being isolated in the desert, eternally alone.

  It is an oasis in the desert, a vast expanse of greenery.

  ………….

  Outside the city walls, a moat surrounds the city, like a white necklace. The city is very large, so large that it's hard to calculate the exact numbers. Yet, tens of millions of people live within its walls.

  It's early morning now, with smoke rising from the city, a desolate and bleak atmosphere.

  In the city, however, it was already crowded with people, with pedestrians and cultivators packed tightly together. The streets were like a spider's web, dense and intricate, while the buildings were exquisite and lavishly decorated.

  At this time a dusty horse carriage drove into Qingcang City.

  Wang Shi looked at this scene and suddenly felt that he was indeed a country bumpkin, and couldn't help but touch his nose.

  "What a magnificent city." Wang Shi had never seen such a large crowd, and the tall buildings were luxurious. If it was evening, wouldn't it be a sea of lights, wine and music, and extreme luxury?

  "Is this Qingcheng City?" Wang Shi swallowed his saliva, and only then did he feel the grandeur of a big city.

  "Heh heh, little brother, how is it? Qingcang City isn't bad, right?" Ling Ye smiled and said.

  After a day of rushing, they finally arrived at Qingcang City. Wang Shi also saw the style of Qingcang City.

  "The Azure City has many fun and delicious places, there are beast fighting arenas, life-and-death arenas, auctions for rare treasures, the Apricot Flower House with its complete array of sensual delights, and the Xihua Garden with its beautiful women. By the end, Ling Ye's words had taken on a different tone."

  "West Huayuan?" Wang Shi was also very curious, this Qingcang City seemed like a lot of fun.

  "Brother, why did you tell Wang Shi about that flowery and watery place?" Ling Yu Xi complained from behind.

  "Heh heh." Ling Ye scratched his head somewhat awkwardly.

  Wang Shi also knew what Xihua Garden was, and couldn't help but smile wryly and shake his head.

  ……………

  "Little brother, since you've just arrived in Qingcang City, I'll tell you about the situation here." Ling Ye motioned to give Wang Shi some basic understanding of Qingcang City.

  "In Qingcang City, no group fighting is allowed, especially for cultivators. If cultivators need to spar, they must go to the square. If it's between enemies, then go outside the city, or go to the Arena of Life and Death!"

  "Otherwise, if you fight on the street, lightly you'll be expelled from the city, heavily you'll die." Ling Ye said solemnly.

  "What!" Wang Shi was somewhat shocked, it's actually so strict?

  "It's actually normal, because if cultivators were to fight on the streets, with such a dense crowd, there would definitely be a large number of casualties. In order to maintain the basic order of Qingcheng City, this method is the best!" Ling Ye explained.

  Wang Shi finally understood. Big cities indeed have a hard side.

  "The Azure City is very large, but it is dominated by three major forces, with a trend of three-legged tripod. They are the Zhou family, the Li family, and the City Master's Mansion. However, the Zhou and Li families have been sworn enemies for generations, with constant disputes between them. If not for the City Master's Mansion, this Azure City would have fallen into chaos long ago, so it can be said that the City Master's Mansion is a core."

  "It can be said that the Zhou and Li families occupy 40% of all industries in Qingcheng City! Huge funds! These two families are very distinct, the Zhou family is mysterious and indifferent, for some major events in Qingcheng City, he rarely intervenes, most of which are done by the City Lord's Mansion and the Li family. The Li family, on the other hand, uses extreme methods, swift and ruthless, in the eyes of the people, they are devils, synonymous with cruelty! Implementing high-pressure policies."

  "Of course, Qingcang City has many small families, most of which are under the protection of those three major forces. But our Ling family is neutral because to have the right to be protected, one must have a person who has opened up the ninth layer of the wilderness and also pay a huge protection fee." Ling Ye said with some bitterness.

  "And our family's wealth is not enough to pay such a huge protection fee, and my father is also in a coma, so he is not within the scope of protection. In the past year, the Li family has been taking advantage of us, the Ling family, and even wants to force my sister to marry into the Li family!"

  Ling Yu Xi's expression was also gloomy and she remained silent.

  "Oh?" Wang Shi only then felt that behind the luxurious Qingcang City was cruelty and ruthlessness.

  "In Qingcheng City, our small family is actually quite common, with many rising and falling, and it's a familiar sight."

  "So, if your father doesn't wake up, will the Ling family be doomed?" Wang Shi asked.

  Ling Ye nodded and said, "Yes, or else marry Yu Xi to the Lai family, but that's not possible now. Besides this, there is no other way!"

  Wang Shi nodded.

  ……….

  Ling Family Mansion

  The Ling family's place is indeed remote and sparsely populated, with a somewhat desolate atmosphere. The sound of dogs barking comes from the alley.

  "We're finally home!" Ling Yu Xi exclaimed with joy. Only when you leave your home can you realize how much you miss it.

  "It's also a good place for self-cultivation and relaxation." Wang Shi smiled.

  Here is a place that avoids crowds gathering, it can be said that this is the rare pure land of Qingcang City, without noise. But it's quiet to the point of being dead silent.

  "Little brother, are you going to stay at the Ling's for a few more days?" A hint of invitation flickered in Ling Ye's eyes.

  Wang Shi naturally agreed, at least before his injury healed, he didn't want to leave the Ling family for the Zhou family.

  Wang Shi nodded and agreed happily.

  "That's great." Ling Ye burst open the door of his home with his robust body.

  "Ah. It's the young master and miss, they're back." Some attendants were overjoyed.

  "Oh dear heavens!"

  "Master, you've finally returned! The Ling family can't be without you!"

  ……

  Wang Shi was surprised, these attendants had such deep feelings for the Ling family. This Ling family seemed to be a bit warm, and he also saw that this Ling family only had the Ling siblings and their father, indeed with very few people.

  "Auntie, I'm back." Ling Yu Xi gave a warm greeting, filled with deep longing.

  Ling Ye wasn't idle either, chatting with some elderly people.

  "Where are your three uncles and two uncles?" The old man said, but he already knew the answer.

  "Uncle, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, they're all dead." Ling Ye said with great sorrow, his eyes reddening.

  "Alas, I knew it would end up like this. What can be done? For the sake of the Ling family, for your father, our big brother, one can only sacrifice to get a return. Your second and third uncles, as well as I, have been through life and death with your father for many years. They died for the soul of the Ling family, they died willingly." The old man's eyes were filled with unspeakable fatigue.

  Wang Shi was shocked in his heart.

  ………….