95: Zhou Yang wakes up

“You good-for-nothing! You can’t accomplish anything, but you’re great at ruining things!”

Ji Yuting was now filled with regret, wondering why he had ever sought out Liu Yunlong.

Now, not only had he gained no benefits, but he also had to take the blame for someone else.

Yes, take the blame.

Based on the information his subordinates had gathered and Sikong Ming’s visit to the Commerce, Ji Yuting had already guessed the incident with high accuracy.

This ‘Zhao Tiancheng,’ who appeared out of nowhere, had targeted the Poisonous Dragon Gang.

He caused a ruckus at the Foundation Establishment Banquet, killed many Poisonous Dragon Gang Cultivators, and finally captured Liu Yunlong.

Then, Sikong Ming mistakenly believed that the Ji Family was behind it.

Even though Ji Yuting explained several times, Sikong Ming didn't believe him.

To be precise, even if Sikong Ming eventually learned that the Ji Clan Commerce was wrongly accused, he would still insist that they were responsible.

If you can't find the problem, solve the person who created the problem. If you can't even find the person who created the problem, then create a problematic person and solve them.

The hearts of people within the system are truly dirty!

After cursing Sikong Ming countless times in his heart, Ji Yuting gradually regained his composure.

He couldn't swallow this insult, and they couldn't afford to suffer this loss.

“No one can kill a member of our Ji Clan!”

No matter what, Liu Yunlong was already a consecrated member of their Ji Clan Commerce.

Moreover, they had invested a valuable second-grade spiritual item, the Foundation Establishment Nurturing Spirit Liquid, in the early stages.

Adding to that the profits they had to give up this time, even for the vast Ji Clan Commerce, it was a bit painful.

And what Ji Yuting worried about most was being reprimanded by the Immortal Master of the Ji Family, which could lead to losing this 'iron rice bowl.'

The four Golden Core powers of the Southern Wilderness Region had each established their own Immortal City Markets.

The Ji Dynasty also established their Commerce in these places, and at the same time, dispatched a Ji Family Foundation Establishment Cultivator to oversee it.

They were primarily responsible for managing the Commerce's operational order and serving as a strategic deterrent.

There are power struggles everywhere, and the great Immortal Dynasty Ji Family is no exception.

Such a key position was also a lucrative one; while earning profits for the Imperial Family, one could also acquire a good amount of resources for themselves.

He had benefited from this, and his cultivation had soared in these past ten years.

With many wolves and little meat, not a few people were eyeing this position.

If he were to be dismissed due to such a minor matter, causing dissatisfaction from the Imperial Family Golden Core Old Ancestor, Ji Yuting would have nowhere to cry.

Ji Yuting’s hatred for ‘Zhao Tiancheng’ was even greater than for Sikong Ming.

He must capture this person, extract his soul, and refine his spirit to vent the anger in his heart!

......

On the other side.

Inside Clone Han Feiyu’s Immortal Cave.

Zhou Yang, who had been unconscious, slowly woke up.

Opening his eyes, he gazed blankly at the cave wall above.

After a moment, his pupils slowly focused.

“I… I’m still alive?”

He murmured, his voice hoarse.

As he awoke, memories flooded back like a tide, and he recalled some things before he lost consciousness.

In his memory, he had trekked through mountains and rivers, enduring countless hardships to reach Heavenly Star Immortal City.

He had thought good days were ahead, but before he could even enter, he was captured by a Cultivator who appeared from nowhere and tortured without a word.

The methods were extremely cruel, and Zhou Yang thought he would surely die there.

But he didn't know what happened after he passed out; he was actually still alive.

As if remembering something, he immediately used his spiritual sense to examine himself, checking his physical condition.

The gruesome external injuries had healed, and although his limbs and Meridians still ached, there were at least signs of improvement.

He tried to circulate his Cultivation Technique and felt the stagnation of his magic power and the stinging pain in his Meridians.

Zhou Yang’s face immediately fell.

“As expected, my Dantian and Meridians are injured. I wonder if there’s still a chance to recover…”

However, he quickly adjusted his mindset. He had thought he would surely die this time, so being alive was the greatest fortune; there was no need to ask for too much.

He managed to support himself and sit up, beginning to survey his surroundings.

In the dimly lit space, jagged rock walls surrounded him, and the faint glow of the luminous stones prevented him from seeing the surrounding scene clearly.

This was an unfamiliar environment, but it seemed to be inside an Immortal Cave.

Vaguely, he seemed to see a figure in the field… a person sitting cross-legged with his back to him!

This person sat silently on a futon in the field, without even a trace of living aura, like a dead person!

Zhou Yang subconsciously activated his spiritual power shield, watching the person warily.

Seemingly hearing the movement, the figure turned to look at him, but the field was too dim for Zhou Yang to see the person’s appearance clearly.

“Who… who are you!?”

Zhou Yang asked tremblingly. He was a bit nervous at the moment, unable to confirm if he was out of danger.

“Awake?”

The person spoke softly, but the voice made Zhou Yang tremble all over.

The familiar words made him somewhat incredulous, and Zhou Yang tentatively asked.

“Senior Wu… Senior Wu?”

He heard no reply, only saw the person slowly rise and walk out of the shadows.

As he drew closer, illuminated by the faint glow of the night-shining stone, a face extremely unfamiliar to Zhou Yang was revealed.

However, Zhou Yang did not panic; he remained calm, because he also didn't know what Wu Daoren truly looked like.

“What, you can’t recognize my voice?”

The voice came, and hearing the familiar words again, Zhou Yang was even more certain of this person's identity—it was Wu Daoren!

“Senior, it really is you!”

“Hmm, I didn’t expect you would actually come.”

There was a hint of a smile in the words; clearly, ‘Wu Daoren’ was in a good mood at this moment.

“I’m very curious, how did you get here?”

Lu Ming had taken over the Puppet and asked curiously.

Zhou Yang was only at the third level of Qi Refining now. Green Bamboo Market was thousands of miles from Heavenly Star Immortal City, and the Cloud Mist Mountain Range was not peaceful. How did he reach the Immortal City?

“That’s a long story…”

Zhou Yang calmed his inner turmoil and slowly began to recount his experiences after they parted.

The beginning was similar to what Lu Ming had understood: some Markets near Green Bamboo Market had suffered from beast tides.

However, what happened next was quite unexpected for Lu Ming, and he almost couldn't help but laugh.

It turned out that after the two separated, Zhou Yang, under the banner of ‘Wu Daoren,’ had recruited a small team.

Later, he began to gather Cultivators displaced from other Markets, gradually forming a sizable group.

However, the journey was long, and the Cloud Mist Mountain Range was fraught with dangers. Moreover, Zhou Yang’s cultivation was not high, so no one believed he could reach Heavenly Star Immortal City.

Initially, some Cultivators wanted to give up, but Zhou Yang painted a rosy picture for them.

He told them he had a Foundation Establishment Senior as a powerful backer in the Immortal City.

Then he described the future prospects, saying that Heavenly Star Immortal City was a Holy Land for Loose Cultivators, where they ate spiritual food every day, drank spiritual wine, and could lie on Spiritual Veins, embracing Fairies to sleep every day.

Surprisingly, some people actually believed such absurd claims.

Following Zhou Yang, they stubbornly pushed all the way to Heavenly Star Immortal City, but many Cultivators died or were severely injured along the way.

By the time they reached the vicinity of Heavenly Star Immortal City, there were only a few people left.

Finally, they encountered Cultivators from the Poisonous Dragon Gang and were all captured.