The City Lord of Linglong City was slightly stooped. Behind him, a Commander from the City Lord's Manor held a three-foot-long jade box. Both wore expressions of reverence as they approached the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.
"Junior, the City Lord of Linglong City, pays his respects to the Master of Heavenly Secrets Pavilion."
The City Lord of Linglong City stood outside the door, his upper body nearly parallel to the ground as he bowed deeply.
"The City Lord is personally visiting the Master of Heavenly Secrets Pavilion? And with such a deep bow?" a passerby exclaimed in shock.
"You must not know the background of this Master of Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, do you?"
A Cultivator said in awe, "This senior is a god-like figure who scared away the second elder of the Heavenly Heart Sect. Of course the City Lord wouldn't dare to be disrespectful."
"The Master of Heavenly Secrets Pavilion is truly a divine being!"
***
"City Lord, there is no need for such ceremony. Please, come in," Ye Xu's voice drifted out.
The City Lord of Linglong City hurriedly led the Commander into the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.
"Greetings, Senior."
The City Lord of Linglong City bowed again. After the gesture, he stood to the side, clasping his hands tightly with an anxious expression, secretly observing Ye Xu, who was seated in a Grandmaster's Chair.
Ye Xu had a face as fair as jade, with sword-like brows and eyes like stars—an absolutely handsome young man.
Though he looked young, there wasn't the slightest trace of immaturity on Ye Xu's face.
Despite facing a young man, the City Lord of Linglong City dared not show the slightest neglect.
One must know, this was a divine being who could make a Demigod flee in terror.
At the very least, he was a Heavenly God.
"City Lord, please have a seat. Xian'er, come and serve tea," Ye Xu instructed.
Ye Xian'er, who had been wandering around the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, heard him and immediately came forward. She bowed and poured a cup of tea for both the City Lord of Linglong City and Ye Xu.
"City Lord, please have some tea."
Ye Xian'er offered him a cup.
"Miss Xian'er?"
The City Lord of Linglong City looked astonished. A few days ago, Ye Xian'er and Qi Hongchou had visited the City Lord's Manor to ask about the whereabouts of the Ninth Grade Golden Lotus, but how could the City Lord have known?
He never would have imagined that Ye Xian'er would actually be staying in the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.
Before Ye Xu, she seemed to be... nothing more than a handmaiden.
Ye Xu, however, didn't see it that way.
The only reason he had allowed Ye Xian'er to stay was because he was too lonely by himself. He let her stay to have someone to talk to and relieve his boredom.
"It is I," Ye Xian'er nodded.
The City Lord of Linglong City's eyes were filled with shock. Ye Xian'er was a True Disciple of the Heavenly Heart Sect, yet here she was acting like a handmaiden. This completely overturned his understanding of the world.
The Master of Heavenly Secrets Pavilion was truly an unfathomably great figure.
"Senior, please have some tea."
"Thank you," Ye Xu replied.
Ye Xian'er's eyes widened, and she was stunned, feeling overwhelmingly flattered.
The Senior actually said 'thank you' to her?
"Senior..."
The City Lord of Linglong City took a sip of tea, moistened his throat, and was about to speak.
"I already know the purpose of your visit, City Lord," Ye Xu said lightly. "If you wish for me to protect Linglong City, I'm afraid I will have to disappoint you."
The City Lord of Linglong City trembled, and the tea in his hand spilled all over his hand.
He hadn't even stated his purpose yet, so how could the Master of Heavenly Secrets Pavilion possibly know?
He hastily wiped away the water and said with a bitter smile, "This junior knows that Linglong City is but a remote corner of the world. It is only natural that Senior would look down on it."
Across the Southern Wastelands, cities like Linglong City were as numerous as the stars in the sky.
A peak Dao Palace Realm expert was a top-tier master in Linglong City.
But across the vast Southern Wastelands, such experts were everywhere.
As the lord of Linglong City, he was constantly worried, afraid that one day he would offend a Divine Tribulation Realm master and bring about the calamity of a city-wide massacre.
For instance, when Qin Haishan arrived, the City Lord of Linglong City had no choice but to be subservient, and with a single word from the man, he was forced to leave.
"This junior understands."
The City Lord of Linglong City forced a smile that was uglier than a crying face.
"What do you understand?" Ye Xu asked, surprised.
He had long since seen through the City Lord's intentions.
It was nothing more than the City Lord, having witnessed the unfathomable power of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, wanting to invite him to become a guest elder who could protect Linglong City in times of crisis.
If Ye Xu had the power, it wouldn't have been out of the question.
After all, the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion was in Linglong City, and this city was his foothold.
However.
Inside the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, Ye Xu was an invincible existence. But once he left, he was just an ordinary person at the peak of the True Spirit Realm. He had no way to protect Linglong City.
Hearing this, the City Lord of Linglong City was terrified, thinking his words had displeased Ye Xu.
"Senior, this junior... this junior has prepared a generous gift for you. I hope that Senior..."
"The Starry Divine Iron?" Ye Xu smiled.
The City Lord, who had been speaking effusively, suddenly felt as if a hand had clamped around his throat. His face turned red, and he couldn't utter another word.
Ye Xu had seen through all his thoughts.
He felt that every single one of his thoughts, every step of his plans, had nowhere to hide before Ye Xu.
"This is the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion. I am omniscient," Ye Xu said lightly.
"Senior's methods are as unfathomable as gods and ghosts. This junior has been taught a lesson," the City Lord of Linglong City said respectfully.
"It's just that, this Starry Divine Iron is a Divine Gold used to forge Divine Weapons. Even a Heavenly God..."
"Even a Heavenly God would be tempted," Ye Xu finished the sentence for him.
The City Lord of Linglong City was speechless.
Before Ye Xu, it was better for him to just be a mute.
"Unfortunately, I am not a Heavenly God," Ye Xu said, his eyes profound.
Not a Heavenly God? Could he be a Saint?
The City Lord of Linglong City was ecstatic. There was a Saint in his territory?
But in the next second, the City Lord fell into despair again.
He was just an ant and had nothing of value to offer Ye Xu.
In that case, why would the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion help him?
"It was just this junior's wishful thinking. Please do not take offense, Senior," the City Lord sighed. As if all his strength had been drained, he slowly turned to leave.
"City Lord, wait a moment."
Ye Xu smiled. "My Heavenly Secrets Pavilion is a place of business. You have Divine Gold, and as it happens, I have an array scroll.
We can make a trade."
As soon as these words were spoken, the City Lord of Linglong City's body twisted back around.
"This junior is willing!
May I ask, Senior, what kind of array is it?"
The City Lord was both shocked and overjoyed, a sharp glint appearing in his eyes.
An array produced by a Saint would certainly be no ordinary item.
"It's just a Divine-Grade Array," Ye Xu said lightly. A white light flashed, and a scroll landed in his palm.
"A Divine-Grade Array... just?"
The City Lord of Linglong City and the Commander looked at each other, both rendered speechless.
In the vast Southern Wastelands, besides the top-tier behemoths, only a few first-rate factions with profound foundations possessed Divine-Grade Arrays.
Even newly promoted first-rate factions could hardly produce a single Divine-Grade Array.
Linglong City was located in a remote corner, pitifully weak.
If they could build a Divine-Grade Array, they would no longer be bullied by anyone in the Southern Wastelands.
"Take a look first." With a flick of his index finger, Ye Xu sent the scroll flying toward the City Lord.
The City Lord of Linglong City caught it with one hand and unrolled it.
On the scroll, countless Five Elements Runes were drawn, dense and intricate like a talisman drawn by a ghost. A single glance was enough to dazzle the eyes and make one's head spin.
This array was a Killing Array from Kunlun Valley.
The Great Five Elements Sword Array!
This was the Sect-Protecting Grand Array of the Kunlun Sect. At full power, it could even slay a Heavenly God.
"Senior, this... this is too valuable."
The City Lord's eyes burned with desire, but in his heart, he knew that the value of a piece of Starry Divine Iron couldn't possibly compare to this Array Diagram for the Great Five Elements Sword Array.
The Commander gently tugged on the City Lord's sleeve.
However, the City Lord of Linglong City was still unwilling to accept it.
He wasn't sure if this was a test from Ye Xu and didn't dare to take advantage of him.
Furthermore, he was a fair man, and his conscience found it hard to accept.
Ye Xu nodded slightly.
This City Lord of Linglong City did have the air of an honorable gentleman.
"It's fine," Ye Xu said with a smile. "I will be living in Linglong City for a long time. If you feel that one piece of Starry Divine Iron is not enough to buy the Array Diagram, you can compensate me later when you have the money.
Just consider it a debt for now."
There was such a good deal?
The City Lord of Linglong City's eyes widened, unable to believe his ears.
"Th-Thank you, Senior!"
The City Lord was overjoyed. "This junior will immediately write an IOU for Senior."
Ye Xu shook his head and chuckled.
Truly an honest man.
The City Lord of Linglong City took up a brush and quickly wrote out the IOU. He held it with both hands and respectfully presented it to Ye Xu.
Ye Xu didn't even look at it before placing it on the table.
"If there's nothing else, leave the Starry Divine Iron and go."
Hearing this, the Commander from the City Lord's Manor stepped forward, placed the jade box on the table, and the two of them bowed to Ye Xu before walking out of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.
"System, redeem."
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[Ding!]
[Starry Divine Iron: Worth three hundred Heavenly Secrets Points. Redemption complete.]
On the other side, the City Lord of Linglong City was in high spirits from the happy occasion, walking with the stride of a dragon and the gait of a tiger, full of vigor.
He took out a blank Jade Slip, wrote down all the materials needed to forge the Great Five Elements Sword Array, and handed it to the Commander beside him.
"Zhao Cheng, I need you to gather the materials for the array in the shortest time possible."
The City Lord of Linglong City said sternly, "Not a word of this is to get out."
"Rest assured, City Lord. This subordinate will gather all the materials within seven days," Zhao Cheng vowed, as if signing a military pledge.
The City Lord of Linglong City glanced back at the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.
I must hold on tight to this powerful backer, the City Lord thought to himself.
Through this matter, he saw an opportunity for Linglong City to grow stronger.
All of this depended on the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.
Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan