Luo Cheng's Choice

The flying boat slowly landed on Tianya City's exclusive berth.

City Lord Luo Cheng, who had already received the message, was waiting below with a group of high-ranking members of the Luo family.

His face was plastered with a perfectly appropriate enthusiastic smile, but deep within that smile, there was a hint of undetectable tension and apprehension.

The Black and White Heavenly Venerates' instructions still echoed in his ears, the cold threats and promises intertwined, leaving him sleepless for days.

He couldn't afford to offend the Pill Tower, and he dared not defy the Hall of Souls.

Caught between two behemoths, City Lord Luo Cheng felt as if every step he took was on the edge of a blade.

The cabin door opened, and the first to emerge was not Master Shen, but Cao Ying, in a red dress, with an absolutely stunning appearance.

Behind her followed Kui Xing and several other Snake-People Clan commanders, their auras calm and their gazes sharp.

City Lord Luo Cheng hurriedly stepped forward, cupping his hands and smiling, "May I ask if this is Young Miss Cao Ying? This old man is City Lord Luo Cheng, the humble City Lord of Tianya City. May I ask about Master Shen..."

"My husband is in seclusion. I will temporarily handle these matters," Cao Ying said with a slight smile, her tone gentle yet carrying undeniable weight. "City Lord Luo Cheng, thank you for facilitating our return to Central State via the spatial wormhole this time."

City Lord Luo Cheng's heart tightened, but the smile on his face remained unchanged: "Young Miss Cao is too polite! It is the Luo family's honor that Master Shen and everyone chose our Tianya City wormhole! Everything has been arranged, and you can depart at any time!"

As he spoke, he secretly observed Cao Ying's expression, trying to find some clue.

But Cao Ying merely nodded with a smile, her gaze as calm as water, as if it truly were just an ordinary passage.

City Lord Luo Cheng's internal struggle, however, intensified.

The Black and White Heavenly Venerates had ordered him to ensure Master Shen and his group remained, enticing them into the wormhole.

If successful, the Hall of Souls would accept the Luo family and provide abundant resources. But if he failed... the entire Luo family, not even a chicken or dog would be left alive.

And this Cao Ying before him, behind her was the Cao family of the Pill Tower, and her husband, Shen Wen, was even a core member of the Pill Tower, a Grade 8 Alchemist.

If he were to side with the Pill Tower now and secretly warn them, perhaps he could seize a glimmer of hope?

But the Hall of Souls' methods... he had personally witnessed the tragic sight of the Black and White Heavenly Venerates casually refining a disobedient Dou Emperor into a Soul Slave.

To gamble, or not to gamble?

In a flash, City Lord Luo Cheng recalled the Black and White Heavenly Venerates' chilling gaze, and the Hall of Souls' infamous reputation that struck fear across the continent.

Though the Pill Tower was strong, it adhered to rules, while the Hall of Souls... they were truly evil spirits who would immediately ensure his entire family died without a burial place.

Alas... he sighed inwardly, the smile on his face growing even more earnest: "Young Miss Cao, the wormhole has been thoroughly inspected and is operating smoothly. Shall we invite everyone to proceed now?"

Cao Ying took in his fleeting struggle, sighing softly in her heart.

Her husband was right; he was given a chance, but he didn't seize it himself.

If City Lord Luo Cheng had shown even a hint of suggestion just now, even just a glance, she would have followed up, given him an out, and removed the Luo family from this matter.

Even afterward, it wouldn't have been impossible to win over the Luo family as a foothold for her husband in the Northwest.

Unfortunately, he chose the Hall of Souls.

"Then I will trouble City Lord Luo Cheng to lead the way," Cao Ying said, her expression unchanged, nodding.

City Lord Luo Cheng's heart settled slightly, and he hastily stepped aside to lead the way, introducing the recent maintenance of the wormhole as he walked, his words cautious and watertight.

He considered his acting skills excellent, yet he didn't know that under Cao Ying's Heavenly Realm Soul perception, every acceleration of his heartbeat, every subtle disturbance in his breathing, was crystal clear.

Everyone passed through the bustling square and arrived before the entrance of the massive spatial vortex. The vortex slowly rotated, emitting stable spatial fluctuations, appearing no different from usual.

Cao Ying looked back and nodded slightly towards the flying boat.

The flying boat's cabin door opened again, and the figures of Shen Wen and Xuan Danzi appeared at the entrance. Xuan Danzi was still dressed in plain clothes, looking like a child, with an ordinary aura.

At first glance, City Lord Luo Cheng only thought he was a servant boy or a junior relative accompanying Master Shen and didn't pay much attention.

"Husband," Cao Ying greeted him.

Shen Wen nodded to her, his gaze sweeping over the spatial wormhole, then he faintly glanced at City Lord Luo Cheng.

With just that one glance, City Lord Luo Cheng felt a chill run through him, as if he had been scanned by some primordial Vicious Beast, and cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.

He quickly lowered his head, not daring to meet his gaze.

"Let's go," Shen Wen said, his voice calm.

Everyone returned to the flying boats. The three flying boats no longer delayed and entered the spatial wormhole one after another.

With a flash of light, their figures were swallowed by the vortex.

City Lord Luo Cheng stood outside the entrance, gazing at the vortex that had returned to calm, and let out a long sigh of relief.

It succeeded... they went in.

The killing trap set by the Black and White Heavenly Venerates should have been activated, right? Master Shen and his group were probably in desperate straits by now... A complex emotion surged in his heart, relief, lingering fear, and a faint sense of unease.

But soon, that unease was suppressed by the yearning for the Hall of Souls' promise.

As long as Master Shen died inside, the Hall of Souls would fulfill its promise, and the Luo family would soar... Time passed little by little.

The wormhole entrance remained stable, without any abnormal fluctuations.

One incense stick, two incense sticks... City Lord Luo Cheng's face, from initial relaxation, gradually became puzzled, then tinged with a hint of paleness.

No... it was too quiet.

According to the Black and White Heavenly Venerates, once the trap was triggered, there would be violent spatial tremors inside the wormhole, possibly even affecting the outside. But now... it was calm.

He suddenly remembered Cao Ying's overly calm expression, and Master Shen's faint glance before their departure.

A terrifying thought, like a poisonous snake, slithered into his mind.

Could it be... "City Lord!" A Luo family Elder rushed over, his face filled with shock and uncertainty, "The internal monitoring Formation of the wormhole shows... everything is normal! Smooth passage!"

City Lord Luo Cheng's body swayed violently, the last trace of color draining from his face.

He understood.

The Black and White Heavenly Venerates... something must have happened to them. The trap had been silently removed long ago.

And he, City Lord Luo Cheng, at the last moment, chose the Hall of Souls, abandoning the perhaps only chance Cao Ying had given him.

He watched helplessly as the flying boats entered the wormhole, without even a hint or a warning.

He had gambled wrong, bet on the wrong side, and completely ruined all future possibilities for the Luo family with the Pill Tower.

On the other side of the wormhole, Cao Ying stood by the window of the steadily flying boat, looking back at the gradually receding glow of the entrance, and shook her head softly.

"The Luo family... what a pity."

She murmured to herself.

Since they chose betrayal, the Luo family should relinquish control of this spatial wormhole in Tianya City.

Since her husband intended to establish several exclusive passages, at least one of them had to be completely under their control on the surface.

Previously, the Cao family didn't control this place because it wasn't worth it; there was no necessity for the Cao family.

But according to her husband's plan, the Northwest would become a key area for them to manage, and she vaguely knew some things.

Therefore, the Cao family would take over here.

As for City Lord Luo Cheng... may he fend for himself.