Your esteemed presence, immortal beings from afar, has brought great honor to Anyang City.

The expressions of all the cultivators present turned grave.

Almost instinctively, their gazes converged on the tightly shut gates of the City Lord's mansion.

Just as the man from the Kui Tian Holy Land was about to issue another command, sending the rogue cultivators as cannon fodder to scout ahead—

A sudden anomaly occurred!

An intangible yet overwhelmingly vast will descended abruptly into the minds of every cultivator near the City Lord's mansion!

[Heavenly Dao Event: The Night King's Remains]

Both Li Xi and the man's pupils constricted sharply.

The rogue cultivators, who had been worrying for their lives mere moments ago, froze in place.

A Heavenly Dao Event?

What was this?

Before they could even process this abrupt turn of events, more information flooded their minds like a tidal wave.

[Anyang City was once an ordinary mortal settlement within Great Xia, a bustling hub where people of all trades and backgrounds thrived.]

[A year ago, the City Lord conceived a peculiar ambition—to erect a towering spire reaching the heavens. The project consumed vast resources and labor.]

[Three months ago, at a depth of a hundred zhang underground, workers unearthed the remains of a man who appeared as though he were merely sleeping.]

[On the day the remains were excavated, strange celestial phenomena manifested—dark clouds shrouded the City Lord's mansion for three days without dispersing.]

[From then on, the City Lord's temperament changed drastically. He dismissed all his servants, secluded himself, and no one ever saw his true face again.]

[Within Anyang City, bizarre occurrences became frequent…]

The information ended abruptly.

Yet, the implications were enough to send shockwaves through the hearts of everyone present.

So that was it!

The truth behind Anyang City's overnight destruction—was it the work of that "Night King's Remains" dug up from the depths?

And was that lingering will perhaps the Night King himself?

After a brief silence, hushed murmurs erupted uncontrollably among the crowd.

"Night King… Judging by the title, could he be some earth-shaking powerhouse from ancient times?"

"The Heavenly Dao itself has descended to bestow revelation—this must be an opportunity of unparalleled significance!"

"Who cares about some lousy inheritance? This is the real treasure! Even a single bone from those remains would be enough to benefit us immensely!"

The fear they had felt toward this dead city, the wariness toward that eerie black water—all of it now seemed trivial in the face of those four words: "Heavenly Dao Event."

The man from the Kui Tian Holy Land even found his breathing growing ragged.

A being who had earned the title of "King" even in that ancient era teeming with prodigies…

His eyes gleamed with fervor as he stared at the City Lord's mansion.

Beside him, though Li Xi's expression remained impassive, a barely restrained excitement flickered in her cold eyes.

This was a chance personally acknowledged by the Heavenly Dao!

Su Ji was the only one who hadn't lost his head to greed.

"What's a Heavenly Dao Event?"

Su Jiu explained, "Similar to a Heavenly Dao Secret Realm."

"The origins of Heavenly Dao Secret Realms are untraceable."

"But Heavenly Dao Events are major occurrences that can shape the future of all Great Xia."

As expected, the man from the Kui Tian Holy Land stepped forward, assuming the air of a leader.

"Everyone, heed my command!"

Pointing at the mansion gates, he declared with fervor,

"The opportunity lies before us—how can we waste time here?"

"All of you, follow me into the City Lord's mansion and seize those remains!"

"Even if our spiritual energy is restricted, our physical prowess and combat experience far surpass mortals."

"A mere City Lord's mansion cannot withstand our united strength."

"Anyone who dares retreat will face the wrath of the Kui Tian Holy Land!"

The white-jade puppet beside him erupted with crimson light in its eyes, unleashing an oppressive aura that cowed the entire crowd.

The rogue cultivators, already consumed by greed, were further incited by the Holy Land disciple's rallying cry. Their blood boiled, and they roared in agreement—though whether they harbored ulterior motives was another matter.

They didn't dare dream of claiming the grand prize, but even a single finger bone snatched unnoticed would be a fortune beyond measure.

Disciples of the Blood Fiend Sect and Joyful Union Sect exchanged glances before tacitly accepting the man's leadership.

"Move out!"

The Kui Tian Holy Land disciple bellowed, charging toward the mansion like a streak of light, his white-jade puppet close behind.

Over a hundred cultivators surged forward in a mighty tide, each fearing they might fall behind and miss their chance at the prize.

Seeing this, Su Jiu anxiously tugged at Su Ji's sleeve.

"Senior Brother, aren't we going with them?"

"Like hell we are."

Su Ji scoffed, pulling her into the shadows of an inconspicuous corner.

"I refuse to believe brute force is the solution here."

Though puzzled, Su Jiu trusted his judgment. She stayed quietly by his side, watching as the cultivators stormed toward the mansion gates with furious momentum.

"Break them down!"

At the Kui Tian Holy Land disciple's command, the white-jade puppet raised its crystalline fists, gathering immense power before smashing them toward the vermilion gates with earth-shattering force!

Yet, just as those mountain-crushing fists were about to strike—

Creak—

A drawn-out, grating sound pierced the air.

The gates, sealed for who knew how long, slowly…

Opened from within.

An indescribable chill seeped through the widening gap, freezing the leading cultivators mid-action as they gaped at the uncanny sight.

The doors swung wider, revealing what lay beyond—

No demons, no nightmarish scenes of carnage.

Instead, standing there was a middle-aged man dressed in luxurious official robes, his face adorned with a warm smile.

The City Lord of Anyang.

He stood beyond the threshold, clasping his hands in a courteous salute toward the hundred-odd cultivators outside. His voice was smooth and genial.

"Esteemed immortals, your presence honors our humble Anyang City."

"This official has prepared modest refreshments. Pray, enter and grace us with your company."