The Bronze Gate Appears

Two days later.

Wang City Airport.

A man in a tailored suit, dragging a custom-made suitcase, adjusted his cufflinks while speaking to his assistant beside him: "The higher-ups have made it clear. The emergence of this ancient ruin is a golden opportunity for our family’s rise."

"Forget the rules of the modern city. Once we’re inside, seize any valuable spiritual artifacts by any means necessary."

The assistant beside him nodded hastily. "Understood, sir."

"But the city is covered in surveillance cameras. Wouldn’t that be…?"

Before he could finish, the suited man scoffed dismissively. "Fool. We’ll just use spiritual energy to interfere. If you don’t even have such basic skills, how do you expect to get a share of the treasures?"

"Besides, right now, we’re dressed in modern clothes—that makes us modern people!"

"Brilliant as always, sir!"

Wang City.

Inside the opulent lobby of a luxury hotel, crystal chandeliers cast dazzling light.

A middle-aged woman in an elegant cheongsam, her makeup immaculate, sat gracefully on a sofa, flipping through a fashion magazine.

Opposite her, an elderly man frowned anxiously. "Madam, too many experts have arrived this time. Although our loose cultivator alliance has numbers, we’re no match for the major sects in a direct fight."

Hearing this, the woman gently closed the magazine and parted her crimson lips. "What’s there to fear? The ancient ruin isn’t their private property."

"Once the ruin manifests, let a few small fries scout the way first. We’ll act when the time is right—there’s always some scraps left for us to pick up."

Just then, a group of burly men with exposed tattoos swaggered in. The leader barked loudly, "Boss! Get me the biggest suite you’ve got, and make it quick!"

The receptionist trembled as she processed the check-in. The man grumbled again, "Heard there’s some miracle drug in that ancient ruin that can boost your power instantly. If we get our hands on a bottle, our crew’s gonna dominate the underworld!"

Watching them, the woman curled her lip. "Whoever leaked the news about the ancient ruin must have a death wish. Now even the lowest scum are showing up."

The old man sighed bitterly. "Rumors say this ruin is the former site of the Taigu Xuan Sect. Even though the alliance rules state that local ruins belong to the locals..."

"Plenty are still willing to take the risk."

"After all, this is the Taigu Xuan Sect we’re talking about."

The woman nodded, her eyes gleaming with ambition. "True. Even a mid-tier opportunity from there could let us surpass those sects from the Xuantian Realm in no time!"

Of course, the most crucial point was—

Few took the alliance’s so-called regulations seriously.

What nonsense that ruins appearing in Zone A could only belong to Zone A.

Opportunities were seized by those with the skill.

They seriously doubted the alliance could do anything to stop them!

The old man nodded in agreement but then seemed to recall something. "Ah, Madam, I heard those two might be coming as well."

"Those two?"

The woman frowned before realization dawned. "You mean... the prodigies from Taichu Holy Land, Chu Yu and Wang Yan?"

She murmured to herself, "We’ll definitely need to keep an eye on those two."

The old man blinked, then clarified, "No, Madam, I was referring to the two from Jiang City."

"Jiang City?"

The woman’s brows knitted tighter. "Su Muwan and her little pet?"

"Exactly."

"Tch. Ignore them."

"She’s just a spoiled young mistress from some backwater family."

The woman waved a hand dismissively. "I know the head of Wang City’s alliance branch. Even Su Muwan and her crew will have to show us some respect."

"Understood, Madam."

......

......

Time passed.

Evening arrived.

By a roadside barbecue stall in Wang City, a crowd of onlookers gathered, watching the blocked-off road ahead.

A line of black sedans filed into the restricted zone, their windows tinted dark, obscuring the occupants. Yet the solemn, mysterious aura they exuded made it clear these were no ordinary passengers.

Each car was flanked by guards in uniform, riding spirit-powered motorcycles that spewed brief bursts of indigo flame from their exhausts, leaving only a low, rumbling growl in their wake.

Not just that—

The evening sky above Wang City gradually filled with alliance members clad in silver-white battle suits, their alliance insignias gleaming.

"This is way too much fanfare. It’s just an ancient ruin—why the grand mobilization?"

A middle-aged man in work clothes clicked his tongue, baffled.

Beside him, a young man with dyed blond hair smirked. "Old man, you don’t get it. That ruin’s probably hiding some heaven-defying treasure. Of course the big shots are scrambling to stake their claim."

A bespectacled man, scholarly in appearance, adjusted his glasses and whispered, "From what I’ve heard, it’s not just local families—many powerful sects from outside have gathered in Wang City too."

"Take this motorcade, for instance... The figures inside are anything but ordinary."

"How unordinary?"

The bespectacled man lowered his voice. "There’s a high chance... it’s the legendary Young Mistress Su!"

Young Mistress Su? Su Muwan!

The crowd’s pupils shrank.

That name was nothing short of a nightmare for the families of Wang City.

They forced awkward laughs. "If it’s her..."

"Then this kind of extravagance isn’t surprising at all."

"Tsk tsk. Typical of the spoiled elite, wasting public resources like this."

At the barbecue stall nearby—

Su Muwan, holding a skewer of grilled meat, blinked in disbelief.

Hold on.

Isn’t the young mistress right here?!

Could you at least not slander people to their faces?!

And hey!

Who’s spoiled?!

Even if I am, so what?! Did I eat your rice or something?!

Shaking with rage!

When will Su Muwan ever get the respect she deserves?!

"Chomp chomp chomp~~!!"

She viciously bit into the skewer, then turned to Qin Luo and whined, "Luo Luo Luo Luo Luo~~!!!"

"When’s that ruin gonna show up already?!"

"I can sense more and more people pouring into Wang City!"

Hearing this, Qin Luo glanced thoughtfully at the darkening sky, as if sensing something.

He looked back at Su Muwan and said, "Right now."

Right now?

Su Muwan froze.

The next second—

BOOM!

A deep, resonant hum shook the air as the skies above Wang City twisted violently.

The twilight was swiftly smothered by an inky darkness as thick, roiling clouds surged forth, layering and churning as though the heavens were about to collapse.

A howling gale swept through the streets, sending debris—plastic bags, scraps of paper—whirling through the air. Billboards creaked and swayed, on the verge of tearing loose.

Then, at the city’s very center, a blinding light erupted without warning, spiraling madly as if trying to rend the oppressive sky apart.

At the heart of the radiance, an enormous bronze gate slowly materialized.

The ancient gate stood a staggering hundred zhang tall, its surface covered in the mottled green patina of ages. Visible ripples of spiritual energy pulsed outward from the gate in concentric circles.

Wherever the waves passed, electronic devices crackled and spat sparks, streetlights flickered and died, and the city's power grid suffered catastrophic damage.

Cultivators with weaker cultivation bases paled under the spiritual pressure, their footing unsteady as they channeled their energy to resist—yet they were still forced back step by step.

Ordinary pedestrians fared even worse, their heads spinning and vision blurring, many collapsing to the ground in disarray.