Chapter 7
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Chapter 7: Clutching the Senior\’s Thigh
The City Lord of Linglong’s body was slightly hunched, with the Chief holding a three-foot jade box standing behind him. The two wore respectful expressions and walked towards Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion.
\"City Lord of Linglong, a junior, pays respects to the master of Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion.\"
The City Lord of Linglong stood outside the door, his upper body almost parallel to the ground as he bowed deeply in greeting.
\"The City Lord himself is personally visiting the master of Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion, and even showing such reverence?\" a passer-by said in shock.
\"You still don\’t know the origin of this master of Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion?\"
A cultivator said with awe, \"This senior frightened away the second elder of Tianxin Sect—he is a godlike figure, so naturally, the City Lord dares not be disrespectful.\"
\"The master of Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion truly is a divine being!\"
…
\"City Lord, there\’s no need for such formality, please come in,\" Ye Xu\’s voice came out.
The City Lord of Linglong hastily brought the Chief along as they entered Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion.
\"Paying respects to the senior.\"
The City Lord of Linglong bowed again in greeting. After performing the bow, he stood clasping his hands, looking anxious, as he secretly observed Ye Xu sitting in the master\’s chair.
Ye Xu had a face like uncut jade, sword-like eyebrows, and starry eyes—absolutely a handsome young man.
Although he was a youth, Ye Xu had not a trace of naivety on his face.
Though he faced a young man, the City Lord of Linglong did not dare show the slightest neglect.
He reminded himself that this was a godly person who had terrified away a semi-god.
He must be at least a heavenly god.
\"City Lord, please take a seat. Xian\’er, come serve tea,\" Ye Xu instructed.
Ye Xian\’er, who was wandering around Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion, heard this and immediately approached. She bent over respectfully to pour a cup of tea each for the City Lord of Linglong and Ye Xu.
\"City Lord, please have some tea.\"
Ye Xian\’er handed over a cup of tea.
\"Girl Xian\’er?\"
The City Lord of Linglong showed a look of surprise. Several days earlier, Ye Xian\’er and Qi Hongchou had visited the city lord\’s residence to inquire about the whereabouts of the Nine-Grade Golden Lotus, but how could the City Lord of Linglong know about that?
He never imagined that Ye Xian\’er was now staying in Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion.
In Ye Xu\’s presence, she seemed… like nothing more than a maid.
Ye Xu did not have such a thought, however.
He allowed Ye Xian\’er to stay purely because he was too lonely, wanting her to chat with him to relieve his boredom.
\"It is me,\" Ye Xian\’er nodded.
The City Lord of Linglong’s expression was stunned. Ye Xian\’er was a true disciple of Tianxin Sect, yet here she was like a maid; this completely overturned his understanding.
The master of Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion truly was an unfathomably important person.
\"Senior, please have some tea.\"
\"Thank you.\"
Ye Xu expressed his gratitude.
Ye Xian\’er was stunned and flattered.
The senior actually thanked her?
\"Senior…\"
The City Lord of Linglong took a sip of tea to moisten his throat and was about to speak.
\"I am already aware of the City Lord\’s purpose in coming,\" Ye Xu said lightly. \"If it is to ask for my protection over Linglong City, I fear I must disappoint you.\"
The City Lord of Linglong trembled violently, his hand shaking and spilling tea all over himself.
He hadn\’t even stated his purpose yet; how could the master of Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion know?
He hurriedly wiped away the spilled tea, forcing a bitter smile. \"This humble one fully understands Linglong City is merely a tiny corner of the world. It is only natural that it holds no fascination for someone of your standing.\"
Across the vast lands of the Southern Wilderness, cities like Linglong City were as numerous as stars.
A Peak Dao Palace stage practitioner was considered a top-tier expert within Linglong City.
But looking beyond, across the Southern Wilderness, such cultivators were found everywhere.
Despite ruling Linglong City, the City Lord spent his days in constant anxiety, perpetually fearing he might one day offend a Divine Catastrophe stage powerhouse and bring a massacre upon his city.
For example, when Qin Haishan arrived, the City Lord could only bow and scrape to please him – and at a mere word from Qin Haishan, the City Lord had to leave immediately.
\"This junior understands.\"
The City Lord squeezed out a smile more bitter than weeping.
\"Understand what?\"
Ye Xu asked, surprised.
He had long since discerned the City Lord of Linglong\’s true intentions.
Simply put, witnessing the unfathomable power of Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion, the City Lord wished to invite him to serve as an honored advisor, someone who could intervene to protect Linglong City should disaster strike.
If Ye Xu possessed the true strength, it wouldn\’t necessarily be impossible.
After all, Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion resided in Linglong City; it was his base of operation.
However.
Ye Xu was invincible within Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion. The moment he stepped outside, he was merely a Peak True Spirit realm practitioner – utterly incapable of shielding Linglong City.
Hearing this, the City Lord of Linglong was seized by panic, assuming his words must have displeased Ye Xu.
\"Senior, I… this humble junior… has prepared generous gifts for you, hoping you…\"
\"Star God Iron?\"
Ye Xu chuckled.
The previously eloquent City Lord choked as if grasped by the throat, his face flushing crimson, unable to utter a single word further.
Ye Xu had seen through all of his thoughts.
He felt that every single notion, every step in his planning, lay utterly bare and exposed before Ye Xu, leaving his thoughts unobscured.
\"This is Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion. I know everything,\" Ye Xu said lightly.
\"Your methods are unfathomable, Senior. I\’ve learned my lesson,\" the City Lord of Linglong responded respectfully.
\"However, this Star God Iron is divine gold for forging divine weapons. Even Deities…\"
\"Even Deities would covet it.\"
Ye Xu finished the City Lord\’s sentence for him.
The City Lord of Linglong fell silent.
Before Ye Xu, he\’d better just play the fool.
\"It\’s a pity I\’m not a Deity,\" Ye Xu murmured, his eyes deepening.
Not a Deity?
Could he be a Sage?
The City Lord\’s heart surged with wild excitement—his territory housed an actual Sage?
Yet the next moment, despair washed over him.
He was merely an insect, possessing nothing of value to offer Ye Xu.
If so, why would Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion help him?
\"I was presumptuous, Senior. Please forgive my boldness,\" sighed the City Lord, as if drained of all strength. He slowly turned around.
\"Hold, City Lord.\"
Ye Xu smiled faintly. \"My Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion is a place of trade. You possess divine iron, and I happen to have a formation scroll.\"
\"We can strike a deal.\"
At these words, the City Lord whipped around instantly.
\"I am willing!
May I ask, Senior… what formation is it?\"
Shock and elation mingled in the City Lord\’s eyes, a gleam of light shining within them.
A formation offered by a Sage could never be ordinary.
\"Merely a divine-grade formation.\"
Ye Xu spoke lightly. A streak of white light flashed as a scroll materialized in his palm.
\"A divine-grade formation… merely?\"
The City Lord and his Chief exchanged a silent glance.
Across the vast Southern Wilderness, outside top-tier powers and a few ancient first-rate forces with profound foundations, almost no newly ascended first-rate factions could produce a divine-grade formation.
Linglong City was but a remote backwater, pitifully weak.
Yet with a divine-grade formation erected here, no one would dare bully them in the Southern Wilderness again.
\"Take a look first.\"
Ye Xu\’s index finger twitched, and the scroll flew toward the City Lord of Linglong.
The City Lord of Linglong caught it with one hand and unfurled it for inspection.
Upon the scroll were traced numerous Five Elements Symbols, densely packed like ghost drawings. A single glance was enough to make one dizzy and muddle-headed.
This formation was the killing array of Kunlun Valley.
The Great Five Elements Sword Formation!
This was the very guardian formation of the Kunlun Sect. At full power, it could even slay heavenly deities.
\"Senior, this… this is too precious.\"
The City Lord of Linglong\’s eyes burned with desire, yet his mind knew the value of a piece of Star God Iron couldn\’t possibly compare to this scroll of the Great Five Elements Sword Formation\’s diagram.
The Chief subtly tugged at the sleeve of the City Lord of Linglong.
Nevertheless, the City Lord of Linglong remained unwilling to accept it.
He did not know if this was a test from Ye Xu and dared not take advantage of him.
Additionally, being a man of fairness by nature, his conscience balked at such an imbalance.
Ye Xu gave a slight nod.
This City Lord of Linglong, he did possess the bearing of a righteous gentleman.
\"No matter,\" Ye Xu said with a smile. \"I will be residing in Linglong City for a long time. If you feel a single piece of Star God Iron is insufficient payment for the formation diagram, you can compensate me later when you have the means.\"
\"Consider it a debt for now.\"
Could something this fortunate truly happen?
The City Lord of Linglong\’s eyes widened in disbelief.
\"Th-thank you, Senior!\"
The City Lord of Linglong was overcome with joy. \"This junior shall write you an IOU immediately!\"
Ye Xu shook his head with a chuckle.
What an honest man.
The City Lord of Linglong seized a brush and swiftly drafted an IOU. With both hands, he presented it respectfully to Ye Xu.
Ye Xu didn\’t even glance at it before setting it aside on the table.
\"If there is nothing else, leave the Star God Iron and go.\"
Hearing this, the Chief of the City Lord\’s Mansion stepped forward, placed the jade box on the table, and both men bowed deeply to Ye Xu before exiting Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion.
\"System, exchange.\"
Ding!
\\[Star God Iron: Value three hundred heavenly secrets points. Exchanged.\\]
Meanwhile, outside, the City Lord of Linglong, buoyed by his good fortune, strode with the vigor of a dragon and the force of a tiger.
He took out a blank jade slip, inscribed upon it all the materials required for forging the Great Five Elements Sword Formation, and handed it to the Chief of the City Lord\’s Mansion beside him.
\"Zhao Cheng,\" the City Lord of Linglong said solemnly. \"I need you to gather the formation materials in the shortest time possible.\"
\"Ensure no word leaks out.\"
\"Rest assured, City Lord. Within seven days, this subordinate will gather all materials,\" Zhao Cheng pledged a military guarantee.
The City Lord of Linglong turned his gaze back towards Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion.
I must hug this thigh tight, the City Lord of Linglong thought to himself.
Through this event, he saw the opportunity for Linglong City\’s ascendance.
And all of it depended on leaning upon Heaven\’s Secret Pavilion.
