228: Chapter 228: Get on the bus first, buy the ticket later

The Sword Qi Great Wall never had any secrets.

Because the founding City Lord's philosophy for governing the Sword Qi Great Wall was joint governance between officials and citizens, major events were always intentionally publicized.

The ruins were no exception.

News of the centennial ruins about to open spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the Sword Qi Great Wall within three days.

In teahouses, taverns, and on every street corner, everyone was discussing the same thing.

"Have you heard? For these ruins, the City Lord's Mansion has sent out eighteen Prodigies, all at the Peak Soul Transformation Stage, having spent twenty years in seclusion just for this day."

A Loose Cultivator wearing a grey robe held a teacup, spittle flying as he spoke.

A middle-aged man beside him cracked melon seeds and chimed in.

"The Zhao Family is not bad either. Zhao Wudi was already at the Early Stage of Spirit Severing twenty years ago; he's probably close to touching the threshold of a Void Refinement Stage expert now."

"That Sword Dust from the Sword Sect is even more terrifying." A young man carrying a sword leaned in and lowered his voice.

"My Senior Brother is an Outer Sect Disciple at the Sword Sect. He said Sword Dust has been meditating in the Sword Tomb for twenty years; his Sword Intent is already enlightened, capable of cleaving mountains and rivers with a single strike."

"During the last sword trial, he took on three Elders at the Soul Transformation Stage alone, without even drawing his sword."

"Good, good, good! This time, the Human Race will surely flourish in the ruins."

"Who says otherwise? With one hundred slots each for the Human Race and the Yao Race, we will definitely wipe out that bunch of Yao Race scum this time."

"..."

The people of the Sword Qi Great Wall had always held a firm stance: as long as the Yao Race was involved, just fight them.

Xiao Ran sat in the corner, nursing a bowl of tea for half an hour, taking in all the discussions.

He was silently calculating in his heart.

His current cultivation base was at the half-step Middle Stage of the Soul Transformation Stage.

In front of those Prodigies who had been in seclusion for twenty years, his cultivation base really didn't amount to much.

Zhao Wudi, Sword Dust, Li Qingyun—which one of them wasn't at the Peak Soul Transformation Stage?

And those unnamed Prodigies from various sects were likely not pushovers either.

Not to mention those Yao Venerables of the Yao Race; they were thick-skinned and tough, and it often took two or three Human Race Cultivators of the same Realm to deal with just one.

Therefore, he had to find a way to increase his strength in a short period.

Xiao Ran immediately had a plan in mind.

He stood up, left a few Spirit Stones, and walked out of the teahouse.

These past few days, he had been thinking about the Wanhua Society President's proposal. Honestly, that condition was too tempting.

A Breakthrough just by sleeping once—who wouldn't be tempted?

But he wasn't someone controlled by his lower instincts. Pies don't just fall from the sky; what falls is either an iron plate or a trap.

"So, I must first figure out her background."

The first person Xiao Ran asked was Li Changsheng.

As a Judge of the Sword Qi Great Wall, Li Changsheng could legally consult certain records.

"Xiao Ran, guess what? I found information on the Wanhua Society President."

Xiao Ran immediately became interested.

"What did you find?"

Li Changsheng immediately began to recount.

"The Wanhua Society President, Xiao Yating, was not originally from the Far North Land; she arrived here seven hundred years ago."

"At that time, she was still a Cultivator at the Nascent Soul Stage, and she managed to make a name for herself."

"Let me tell you, when this woman gets ruthless, she's inhuman. Years ago, some Loose Cultivators tried to seize her territory, and she spent three years hunting them down until she completely wiped out their Families."

Xiao Ran's mouth twitched. He hadn't expected that graceful young woman to have such methods.

"That fierce? Did you find out about her Dao Companion?"

"Found it. Her Dao Companion was named Chu Tiange, who was an even more ruthless person among the ruthless. At three hundred years old, he had already touched the threshold of the Body Integration Stage."

"A three-hundred-year-old at the half-step Body Integration Stage—you couldn't find many of those in the entire Northern Territory."

"It is said that on the day he was Undergoing Tribulation, he withstood nine heavenly lightning bolts, but the final one was tainted with a Yin Lightning."

"He fell on the spot, his Primordial Spirit couldn't even escape, and he ended up Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering."

Xiao Ran paused. It was obvious he had been set up.

"Yin Lightning? Who did it?"

Li Changsheng sighed: "I couldn't find out."

"I only know that from that day on, Xiao Yating became much more low-key."

Xiao Ran was silent for a moment.

Three hundred years, guarding a dead relationship all alone.

She had some persistence in her, after all.

The two cut off their connection.

Xiao Ran thought for a moment and decided to go ask City Lord Li Qingge.

The City Lord, that old fox, definitely knew much more than the files in the archives.

Moreover, since the City Lord had given him a slot for the ruins, it meant he considered him one of his own; he probably wouldn't hide anything if asked.

City Lord's Mansion, study.

"A rare guest. What is it? Still worried about the ruins?"

Xiao Ran didn't beat around the bush and asked directly.

"City Lord, I want to ask about someone."

City Lord Li Qingge raised an eyebrow: "Who?"

"The Wanhua Society President, Xiao Yating."

City Lord Li Qingge's hand holding the teacup paused slightly.

"She approached you?"

Xiao Ran nodded, not hiding anything.

He knew that lying in front of a Body Integration Stage expert was meaningless.

City Lord Li Qingge didn't ask why Xiao Yating sought him out; he simply stood up and turned his back to Xiao Ran.

"Xiao Yating is a woman with a ruthless streak; she was also a well-known figure in the Sword Qi Great Wall back then."

"After Chu Tiange died, she became much more low-key."

"..."

The City Lord didn't ask why Xiao Ran was inquiring about Xiao Yating; he simply told him everything he knew.

Xiao Ran naturally didn't reveal anything either, and the two maintained a harmonious atmosphere.

A moment later.

Xiao Ran walked out of the City Lord's Mansion, having already made his decision.

...

Three days later, Wanhua Society Headquarters.

Xiao Ran had changed into a brand-new black robe and came to the estate in the north of the city alone.

Along the way, he repeatedly deliberated on what he would say later.

Just say, "I'm here to keep the appointment"?

That seemed a bit too blunt.

But beating around the bush didn't seem sincere enough.

After thinking it over, he decided to get straight to the point.

With this woman, there was no need to beat around the bush.

An expert at the Body Integration Stage—what kind of situation hadn't she seen?

The maid at the estate entrance already recognized Xiao Ran and led him through several corridors, around a rockery, and to the elegant living room.

The maid pushed open the door and stepped aside.

"Young Master Xiao, the President is waiting for you."

Xiao Ran stepped inside.

The living room was the same as before, with a long sandalwood table; the orchid on the table had been replaced with a new pot, and the fragrance was even stronger.

From behind the screen, Xiao Yating walked out.

Today, she had changed into a light pink long dress, with peach blossoms embroidered on the hem, the petals layered and lifelike.

A white jade belt was tied around her waist, outlining her slender waist perfectly.

Her long hair was pinned up with a green jade hairpin, with a few strands hanging by her ears, swaying gently with her footsteps, adding a touch of languor.

Her skin was as white as snow, glowing with a faint luster under the soft light.

Her features were exquisite, her brows and eyes like a painting, and she looked just over thirty.

Xiao Ran looked at her and sighed inwardly.

Cultivation is truly wonderful! Someone who is eight hundred years old is maintained as if she were thirty.

"Young Master Xiao, please sit."

Xiao Yating sat down behind the table and poured tea herself.

Xiao Ran didn't drink it; he couldn't wait and said directly.

"Sister Xiao, I've decided."

Xiao Yating's hand holding the teacup paused slightly: "Speak."

"I agree, but I have one condition."

Xiao Yating put down the teacup, leaned back in her chair, and folded her hands over her lower abdomen, her posture elegant and composed: "Speak."

Xiao Ran took a deep breath.

"Dual Cultivation first, then take the item."