590: Gift the city, take over (46k words)

"You... want to follow me?"

After a moment of stunned silence, Lin Yang looked at the hundred or so ordinary Peak Guiyuan Realm cultivators and was quite surprised.

They actually wanted to follow him?

To follow, to put it bluntly, was to become a subordinate.

However, it was a bit closer than a typical subordinate relationship.

Followers could not easily switch sides or betray their master; otherwise, the consequences would not be good.

Following someone generally required a great deal of determination.

These were all Peak Guiyuan Realm cultivators. Although they had not mastered complete Dao Rhythm techniques, they had at least gained some insight into Dao Rhythm.

In the Endless Spacetime, they could hold a respectable position anywhere they went.

And now, they all wanted to follow him?

"Yes, Lord Lin Yang."

The representative bowed again and explained:

"Lord Lin Yang, we all come from different Universe Zones. Too few experts emerge from within the Universe Zones, so we wish to follow you!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yang immediately understood why these hundred Peak Guiyuan Realm cultivators wanted to follow him.

They had all emerged from different Universe Zones, and it was naturally difficult for them to fully integrate with the experts within the Endless Spacetime.

In the Endless Spacetime, the experts who emerged from Universe Zones and those native to the Endless Spacetime were essentially two different factions.

Everyone tended to favor those from their own faction.

This was a matter of belonging, which was difficult to explain or eliminate in just a few words.

Now that they saw how strong he was, it was not hard to understand why they wanted to follow him.

After all, just as those in the Guiyuan Realm had discussed earlier, if a supreme expert emerged from a Universe Zone, everyone else would benefit as a result.

Furthermore, none of these Guiyuan Realm cultivators could guarantee that their own Universe Zones would not be invaded.

Once an invasion occurred, they had a living example right before them who had defended against a Dark Invasion, so these Guiyuan Realm cultivators genuinely wanted to follow Lin Yang.

On one hand, it was to band together for warmth; on the other, it was to prevent being left without help when their own homelands were invaded.

Lin Yang also saw through their thoughts.

He did not agree immediately, nor did he refuse right away.

No matter how one looked at it, this was a group of over a hundred Peak Guiyuan Realm cultivators!

If he could use them, they would be a significant asset.

The only problem was that if he accepted the following of these Guiyuan Realm experts, he currently had no place to accommodate them.

Since they were following him, he naturally had to provide them with the most basic living environment.

Of course, finding a place to accommodate them was simple enough; there were various Little Countries in the Mirror Ruins Realm, and he could just invade one. Given his current strength, there was arguably no Little Country that he could not invade.

But if he did that, his behavior would be no different from Jin Shi's earlier actions.

Lin Yang was unwilling to invade Little Countries.

This was his bottom line and principle.

Therefore, how to settle these hundred people was a problem.

As for Yun Que City, that was, after all, part of Kunyu Country.

If he brought over a hundred Peak Guiyuan Realm cultivators back there, let alone City Lord Yun Que not being able to sleep well, even the Kunyu Country Lord would likely be on edge, worrying about whether he would be replaced.

The total number of Guiyuan Realm cultivators in Kunyu Country didn't even reach a hundred, let alone all of them being at the peak.

Lin Yang had a headache for a moment.

"Raising a faction is really not that simple. No wonder major factions fight for territory and resources, wanting to get a foot in wherever they can."

At this moment, Lin Yang also understood the difficulties of those major factions.

A person could be full and not hungry, going wherever they pleased.

But forming a faction was different; so many people were counting on him to settle them and ensure their survival.

Without fighting or grabbing, it was indeed difficult to sustain.

Suddenly, just as Lin Yang was agonizing over how to settle these hundred-plus people, a familiar voice came through.

"Your Excellency Lin Yang, Hao Fang has come to pay a visit."

Lin Yang couldn't help but look up: "Your Excellency Hao Fang?"

He was a bit puzzled; what was Hao Fang doing here at this time?

"Haha, Your Excellency Lin Yang, just call me Hao Fang. Nowadays, I can't afford to be addressed as 'Your Excellency' by you."

Hao Fang laughed heartily, swept his gaze over the hundred Peak Guiyuan Realm cultivators, and bowed slightly, saying:

"Your Excellency Lin Yang, I have come under the orders of the Country Lord to inform you that the Country Lord wishes to gift Yun Que City to you. I hope you will accept."

"Ah? The Kunyu Country Lord wants to gift Yun Que City to me?" Lin Yang was stunned.

This...

"Yes, not just Yun Que City. If you are willing, the Country Lord is also willing to gift you several cities surrounding Yun Que City, completely without any conditions." Hao Fang said with a smile.

Lin Yang was speechless for a moment.

A gift!

This was very straightforward. It wasn't asking him to be a City Lord; it was directly gifting him the cities, which meant he could establish his own country and proclaim himself Country Lord.

Lin Yang sighed with emotion.

This was truly someone offering a pillow just as he was feeling sleepy.

To be honest, he was a bit tempted!

Not to mention being able to settle these hundred Guiyuan Realm cultivators, the He Family and the Yue Family were also in Yun Que City.

If the Kunyu Country Lord was truly willing to gift Yun Que City to him, he would find it hard to refuse.

After a pause, Lin Yang didn't stand on ceremony and said: "Your Excellency Hao Fang, in that case, please thank the Country Lord on my behalf. When I finish my business here, I will personally go to the Royal Capital to thank the Country Lord."

He could naturally see that the Kunyu Country Lord intended to curry favor with him, so he stopped being polite and accepted Yun Que City, as well as the Kunyu Country Lord's goodwill.

Upon hearing this, Hao Fang was overjoyed. He had been afraid that Lin Yang would refuse, but he hadn't expected Lin Yang to agree so readily, which made him extremely happy as he said:

"Your Excellency Lin Yang is too kind. I will definitely convey your words. By then, the Country Lord will be waiting in the Royal Capital to welcome your arrival!"

"Definitely!" Lin Yang nodded.

"Then I will not disturb you while you suppress the Magic Heart Poison. This thing can only be suppressed by oneself. Hao Fang, on behalf of the Country Lord, wishes you all the best!"

Hao Fang bowed deeply and then left, full of excitement.

With Lin Yang accepting Yun Que City, the entire Kunyu Country would be able to benefit in the future!

Lin Yang then looked at the hundred Peak Guiyuan Realm cultivators and said: "Since you have all considered it, then first go to Yun Que City in the Kunyu Country of the Mirror Ruins Realm to settle down."

He had accepted the following of these hundred people.

The hundred Peak Guiyuan Realm cultivators were also very excited and happy, and they bowed in succession, saying: "Thank you, Lord, for giving us this opportunity. We will take our leave now."

Lin Yang nodded and looked at the representative who had been pushed forward as the leader, asking: "What is your name?"

"Reporting to Lord, this subordinate is named Bai Zi." The leader replied respectfully.

"Good, Bai Zi, you lead everyone to Yun Que City to wait. While I am away, you will temporarily manage Yun Que City." Lin Yang formally gave temporary management rights to this person.

"Yes, Lord!" Bai Zi responded excitedly and then organized everyone to head to the Mirror Ruins Realm one by one.

After everyone had left, this Dark Spacetime finally fell into complete silence.

Lin Yang sat cross-legged at the entrance of the Boundary Wall, suppressing the Magic Heart Poison while quietly utilizing the power of the "Boundary" to accelerate the repair of the Boundary Wall.

"Right, Jin Shi Kingdom Lord escaped back; he must die!"

Cold light flickered in Lin Yang's eyes.

The White Fatty Old Man had not yet recovered from his injuries and had self-destructed here for his sake, yet Jin Shi was still alive. He had to kill Jin Shi to avenge his master.

He could now imagine the White Fatty Old Man's state of mind at that time.

The situation was critical at the time. The White Fatty Old Man had no time to think, only wanting to buy him a chance to escape. Added to his unhealed severe injuries and the fact that he had been forced to come out of seclusion early and could no longer make any progress, he had self-destructed with a heart prepared for death.

"Master..." Thinking of this, Lin Yang's eyes reddened again.

Recalling the time from when he first met the White Fatty Old Man to becoming his apprentice, the White Fatty Old Man had treated him to the extreme.

He had also fulfilled that promise: "As your master, I will use my life to protect you!"

"Master, I would rather you had been a bit more selfish and not come out of seclusion early."

Lin Yang felt pained in his heart.

His strength was already greater than his master's.

Yet he could only watch helplessly as the White Fatty Old Man self-destructed, unable to do anything.

"Killing them is not enough to quench my hatred!"

Lin Yang took a deep breath, flipped his hand to take out a communication tool, and contacted Bai Zi: "After returning to Yun Que City, go to Jin Shi Kingdom and capture the Jin Shi Kingdom Lord!"

He could not leave the Boundary Wall right now.

He could only let Bai Zi and the others go to capture the Jin Shi Kingdom Lord first.

Although the Jin Shi Kingdom Lord had mastered Dao Rhythm techniques, he had been injured while escaping. Coupled with the fact that Bai Zi and the others were numerous, they would definitely be able to capture Jin Shi by joining forces.

"Understood, Lord. This subordinate will go and do it right away!" Bai Zi was very excited. Having just started following him, she already had her first mission!

This was also a form of recognition and a test of their strength!

She was already thinking about how to accomplish this matter perfectly.

"Also, send someone to Mushen Country to find a person named Northern Branch Rock." Lin Yang added.

"Yes, Lord. We will start acting once we arrive at Yun Que City." Bai Zi agreed again.

"Good, the matter of finding Northern Branch Rock can wait. His strength is very weak, but the capture of Jin Shi must be quick. I'm afraid he might run." Lin Yang urged.

"Yes, Lord, Bai Zi understands!" Bai Zi's heart trembled, and she dared not delay any longer. After arriving at the Mirror Ruins Realm, she teleported all the way to Kunyu Country.

Kunyu Country Royal Capital.

At the Teleportation Array, streaks of light flashed one after another, and Bai Zi and the hundred Peak Guiyuan Realm cultivators appeared one after another.

The Kunyu Country Lord, Hao Fang, and several Guiyuan Realm cultivators of Kunyu Country were all waiting here.

Seeing Bai Zi and the others arrive, several of them held their breath.

After all, except during a Dark Invasion, it was rare to see so many Peak Guiyuan Realm cultivators at the same time. Just their aura alone was enough to make people tremble.

The Kunyu Country Lord took a deep breath and smiled politely: "Your Excellencies, this is your first time coming to my Kunyu Country. Please allow me to prepare a modest banquet to entertain you all."

Bai Zi frowned slightly and said: "Your Excellency Country Lord, if we had nothing to do, we would naturally be happy to oblige, but today is not possible."

"Although we are new here, Lord Lin Yang just ordered us to go to Jin Shi Kingdom to capture Jin Shi. This is the first time the Lord has ordered us to do something, so we dare not delay. Please forgive us, Your Excellency Country Lord."

Upon hearing this, the Kunyu Country Lord nodded repeatedly: "I understand. However, given Jin Shi's temperament, he is surely no longer in Jin Shi Kingdom."

"No matter where he has fled, we are determined to capture him!" Bai Zi said with a stern voice.

"That is only natural." The Kunyu Country Lord smiled and continued: "I also happen to have a grudge against that Jin Shi, so I have been keeping an eye on that old thing ever since he fled back. Perhaps I can provide you with some help to facilitate your capture of Jin Shi as soon as possible."

Bai Zi was delighted: "Then many thanks to the Country Lord."

"You are welcome. Will you be going to Yun Que City to take over first, or going directly to capture Jin Shi?" The Kunyu Country Lord asked.

"Since the Country Lord is willing to assist, we will naturally go all out to capture Jin Shi. Going to Yun Que City is not urgent for now." Bai Zi was extremely eager to make a contribution at this moment, to show Lin Yang that they were not useless.

The hundred people behind her were the same.

This was the first thing they had done after following Lin Yang, and they had to do it beautifully no matter what.

The handover could be a little earlier or later, it didn't matter. But catching someone, a little later and they might not be able to catch him.

"Then please follow me, everyone." The Kunyu Country Lord was also vaguely excited.

He also had a grudge against the Jin Shi Kingdom Lord for many years, but his strength was slightly inferior to the Jin Shi Kingdom Lord.

Now, he finally had a chance for revenge, and he was equally excited.

Bai Zi nodded, but didn't let all hundred people go together. Now that there was an extra Kunyu Country Lord helping, she split off fifty people to go to Mushen Country to capture Northern Branch Rock.

Although Lin Yang had warned that Northern Branch Rock's strength was weak, for the sake of caution, she still split into two teams, with fifty people on each side.

Afterwards, the two teams set out respectively.

...

Mushen Country, Royal Capital.

Northern Branch Rock paced back and forth in his residence, feeling restless and uneasy.

Ever since Bei Yuan said he was going back to help, he had always felt some unease, because he always felt that his ancestor shouldn't be that kind-hearted.

But Bei Yuan hadn't told him any other excessive arrangements, just told him to wait here.

But as time passed, the unease in Northern Branch Rock's heart grew more and more intense.

Not just unease, he could even sense that his residence had been sealed off.

"Could it be that the ancestor has met with an accident?" Northern Branch Rock panicked even more.

He was able to live so comfortably now entirely because of Bei Yuan. If Bei Yuan had an accident, the first thing he could think of was to run away!

However, before Northern Branch Rock could make up his mind, he felt waves of powerful Guiyuan Realm auras descend directly.

"Northern Branch Rock, we have come under the order of Lord Lin Yang to capture you!"

A roar resounded directly throughout the Mushen Country Royal Capital.

Dozens of Peak Guiyuan Realm cultivators surrounded Northern Branch Rock's residence.

And the Guiyuan Realm cultivators of Mushen Country didn't even dare to appear to stop them.

"It's over..." Northern Branch Rock looked at the dozens of Guiyuan Realm cultivators above the Villa, his legs instantly went soft, and he couldn't help but collapse to the ground.

...

One day later, Yun Que City.

Bai Zi and the hundred Peak Guiyuan Realm cultivators arrived at the same time.

They arrived in Yun Que City, escorting the Jin Shi Kingdom Lord and Northern Branch Rock.

The Jin Shi Kingdom Lord had originally escaped, but he couldn't withstand the Kunyu Country Lord keeping an eye on him in secret and following him, so in less than a day, they managed to recapture the Jin Shi Kingdom Lord by joining forces.

The city gates of Yun Que City were already wide open.

The official forces that originally belonged to Kunyu Country had already withdrawn in advance.

Now, inside the entire Yun Que City, apart from the original residents, there was not a single person from the Kunyu Country officialdom.

The people in the city were all very nervous looking at the wide-open city gates.

"What is the situation? Why did Kunyu Country suddenly withdraw its people? Even the people from the City Lord's Mansion have all withdrawn. Are they going to abandon Yun Que City?"

"Could it be that some major faction is going to invade Yun Que City again?"

"Then what are we going to do..."

People were all very worried about their future.

In the He Family, He Linxue and the others were also waiting in the main hall, not knowing where to go or what to do.

The Yue Family had also moved next to the He Family, all filled with the same worry.

Because they couldn't contact Lin Yang, they didn't know what had happened outside.

Suddenly, waves of terrifying Guiyuan Realm auras descended one after another.

A full hundred-plus Peak Guiyuan Realm cultivators appeared together above Yun Que City.

In an instant, everyone in Yun Que City changed color.

"This, this is..."

"Guiyuan Realm Lords!"

"They are all Guiyuan Realm Lords!"

People were stunned. When had they ever seen such a formation?

In a small place like Yun Que City, it was hard to see even an ordinary Guiyuan Realm cultivator on a daily basis.

Yet now, a full hundred Peak Guiyuan Realm cultivators had appeared; this sense of oppression made people's hearts numb.

"Could this be the reason why Kunyu Country abandoned Yun Que City? Did someone provoke these terrifying Lords?"

People also found it hard to believe; how could the small Yun Que City suddenly provoke a hundred Peak Guiyuan Realm cultivators to arrive together!

"Head, Head of the Family, what should we do now? Should we leave Yun Que City?"

Inside the He Family, someone spoke nervously.

During these days, they had been living very comfortably under Lin Yang's protection, but now, facing over a hundred Peak Guiyuan Realm cultivators, everyone's hearts were weak.

He Linxue's eyes were solemn.

Thinking about it, the only person in Yun Que City who could offend Guiyuan Realm cultivators was Lin Yang.

"Is it Lord Lin Yang's enemy?" He Linxue felt very heavy in her heart.

Lin Yang's arrival in Yun Que City was very sudden, and his rise was even more rapid.

In her view, it was normal for Lin Yang's background to be somewhat mysterious, and even if he had provoked over a hundred Peak Guiyuan Realm cultivators now, she wouldn't find it strange.

"If it is Lord Lin Yang's enemy..." He Linxue was at a loss for what to do for a moment.

However, just at this moment, Bai Zi's voice suddenly resounded throughout the entire city.

"From today on, Yun Que City has been gifted to Lord Lin Yang by Kunyu Country and will be fully taken over by the Lord. From now on, it will be independent, and we have been ordered to come and guard this city."

A buzz.

Everyone in the entire Yun Que City was stunned!

What had they just heard?

Yun Que City, who did it belong to?