159: Chapter 159 A shocking change was heard in Tingtao Pavilion; the Rift God's army was at the city gates.

Three days later, Ye Qing left the inn and returned to the most renowned information hub in Black Wind City—Tingtao Pavilion.

This Tingtao Pavilion was several times larger than the one in Tianya City, and its decor was far more magnificent. The building stood three stories high, with carved beams and painted pillars. Two guards at the Foundation Establishment Stage stood at the entrance, exuding a formidable Aura.

Ye Qing stepped into the main hall, and a scent blending wine, tea, and the aroma of various spirit fruits wafted towards him. The hall was bustling with noise; dozens of tables were almost full, occupied by Cultivators chatting in small groups.

His gaze swept the room, and he found an empty seat by a window on the second floor. After ordering a pot of the local specialty "Biluochun" tea and a few plates of exquisite snacks, he began to drink leisurely, though in reality, he had already quietly spread his Divine Sense to capture the conversations throughout the hall.

"Hey, have you heard? The army of that Patrol Inspector Lietian has already advanced to 'Luoyan Valley,' less than three thousand miles from Black Wind City! It is said that their vanguard can already be seen!"

"So fast?! Zhenbei City only fell a few days ago! Don't they need to rest?"

"Rest? Hmph! That Patrol Inspector Lietian is said to be a ruthless character who is extremely warlike and a genius at commanding troops! He won't give us any chance to catch our breath! He wants to strike in one go, capture several cities in succession, and completely open the passage to the east!"

"Then... can our Black Wind City hold out? Does Daoist Master Xuantie have the confidence to block Patrol Inspector Lietian?"

"Daoist Master Xuantie has already spoken: as long as the city stands, we live; if the city falls, we die! Moreover, it is said that the City Lord's Mansion has already activated the 'Heifeng Xuantie Great Array' and sent out distress signals to the surrounding cities!"

"'Heifeng Xuantie Great Array'? That is our Black Wind City's treasure! It is said that at full power, it can withstand the full-force attack of a Nascent Soul Perfection Cultivator! With this Formation, Black Wind City should be able to hold out for a while, right?"

"Let's hope so. However, I heard that under Patrol Inspector Lietian's command, besides himself, a top-tier powerhouse at the Nascent Soul Late Stage, there are also several Yao Race kings at the Mid-Nascent Soul Stage assisting him, along with hundreds of thousands of elite Yao Race troops! Relying solely on a city-protecting Formation, I'm afraid... it will be very difficult to hold!"

"Sigh! This damned world! When will this ever end!"

Ye Qing held his teacup, listening silently to these discussions, his brows twitching imperceptibly.

"Patrol Inspector Lietian's army has already advanced to Luoyan Valley? Less than three thousand miles from Black Wind City? This speed is indeed fast enough."

He set down his teacup, a glimmer of contemplation flashing in his eyes.

"Heifeng Xuantie Great Array... It sounds like a decent defensive Formation. However, whether it can block Patrol Inspector Lietian remains an unknown."

He pondered for a moment, then rose and left Tingtao Pavilion.

He did not return to the inn but instead wandered aimlessly through the city, while carefully observing the city's defenses with his Divine Sense.

He discovered that the defenses of Black Wind City were indeed much tighter than those of Zhenbei City.

On the city walls, an armed Cultivator stood guard every few paces. The light of various defensive Formations flickered, enveloping the entire city wall tightly.

In the city, there were several patrol squads riding Dragon-scale horses, clad in armor and wielding weapons, shuttling back and forth through the streets to maintain order.

The air was filled with a tense atmosphere, as if a storm were about to break.

"It seems that Black Wind City has indeed made preparations for battle. It's just unclear if these preparations are sufficient."

Ye Qing thought to himself, then turned and headed toward the inn where he was staying.

He decided to stay in Black Wind City for the time being and wait and see.

He wanted to see what kind of methods that legendary "Patrol Inspector Lietian" possessed. He also wanted to see if "Daoist Master Xuantie" of Black Wind City could block this aggressive Yao Race commander.

If Black Wind City could hold, he would continue to cultivate here for a while.

If Black Wind City could not hold, he would not be foolish enough to stay and be buried with it. With his current strength, it would not be difficult to escape from the chaos of war.

Returning to his private courtyard at the inn, he reinforced the Formation once more, then sat cross-legged and began to make some preparations for the upcoming war.

He refined the hunyuan ruler again, making it more in tune with his own intent.

He also took out the Talisman Materials purchased from Tianya City and began to draw some powerful Talismans in case of emergency.

He had a premonition that this battle for Black Wind City would not be so simple. And he would very likely be drawn into it.