453: Eighteen years of changing times, yet the world remains the same.

"Have you heard?"

Nancang Domain, on the border of Zhongzhou.

In a small city far from the major spiritual peaks of Zhongzhou.

There was a three-story tavern with people coming and going.

Inside the tavern.

It was bustling with noise.

At this moment, a mysterious voice attracted the attention of the Cultivators on the third floor who were savoring spiritual wine.

Figures subtly turned their gaze towards the source of the voice.

At the source of the voice.

Two ordinary figures, seated by the window, seemed oblivious.

"Heard what?"

The other person chimed in.

"Hehe~"

"Recently, the Zhang Family hasn't been having an easy time."

The ordinary middle-aged man who started the conversation chuckled, appearing somewhat profound.

At this time, the other Cultivators on the third floor slowly lowered their voices, their attention shifting towards the window.

"The Zhang Family... Is that the Zhang Family with a Golden Core Immortal Master Realm Old Ancestor presiding?"

"How could such a powerful force not be having an easy time?"

"Could it be that something major has happened again?"

The other ordinary man asked a series of questions.

"Haha..."

"Since eighteen years ago, when Venerable He of Qingzhou ascended to Nascent Soul Venerable, the various prefectures within the domain have been peaceful. How could anything major have happened?"

The man who started the conversation spoke with disdain.

"Then for what reason?"

"Cough cough~"

"I heard that the Zhang Family once expelled a discarded son-in-law and abolished all his cultivation."

"Who would have thought that recently, that discarded son-in-law actually obtained an extraordinary Opportunity."

"His cultivation advanced further."

"He seized several mines under the Zhang Family's jurisdiction."

"He's clearly retaliating."

The man who started the conversation coughed lightly, lowered his voice, and spoke softly.

Though his voice was low, it still reached the ears of the Cultivators present.

"Hiss!"

"So daring!"

"That's the Zhang Family with a Golden Core Immortal Master Realm Old Ancestor. Are they just going to tolerate this?"

His companion continued to ask.

"Of course not. Aristocratic families care most about their reputation."

"If they are bullied to such an extent and don't respond effectively, they probably won't be able to establish themselves in Zhongzhou anymore."

"I heard that the last time, the Zhang Family Ancestor personally intervened."

"But he still managed to escape."

"That discarded son-in-law is truly formidable. Although he suffered severe injuries, he still escaped with his life from the hands of a Golden Core Immortal Master."

"I heard he fled in the direction of the Dense Forest Abyss."

"The Zhang Family has offered a hefty reward. Anyone who provides clues about this person will be generously compensated."

The man who started the conversation was half-sighing, half-admiring, and half-lamenting.

"He truly is quite a character..."

The other person, upon hearing this, also sighed with emotion.

After finishing his story, the man who started the conversation said no more.

He simply slowly savored his spiritual wine.

However, some Cultivators in the tavern had flickering eyes.

They clearly had some thoughts brewing.

But none of them showed any unusual expressions.

At this moment.

A bright light appeared from the sky outside the tavern.

The light flashed past.

Yet it seemed to split the entire world in two.

Whoosh!

The Cultivators in the tavern, and even throughout the small city, were shaken.

They all looked out the window.

They saw a chasm stretching across the sky.

When the bright light dissipated.

A detached young man, with a long sword at his waist, silently appeared.

In his hand, he carried a figure, unconscious or dead.

The detached young man had a head of snow-white hair that was impossible to ignore.

Such a distinctive feature.

Even the Loose Cultivators in this city, whose cultivation was not profound, had heard rumors of this person.

"White-Haired Sword Lord!"

Everyone's hearts trembled.

The brilliant light that clearly split the sky in two was obviously the work of this White-Haired Sword Lord.

As for the figure held in the hands of the white-haired, indifferent young man, most people in the city did not know him.

After all, their cultivation was too low, and they only knew of the most powerful and famous legends.

Some people had expectations in their hearts.

They hoped that if the white-haired figure cast his gaze down and saw them, it would be good.

However.

These thoughts were destined to be in vain.

Although the white-haired young man high in the sky disdained to conceal his tracks.

He would not stay long either.

Just for a moment.

The white-haired young man disappeared.

"Nascent Soul True Lord..."

After the white-haired figure disappeared.

The small city became noisy again.

It is said that the White-Haired Sword Lord not only possesses formidable cultivation himself.

His sword technique is exquisite, and he has already slain several Evil Path True Lord-level figures who crossed his path.

What is even more astonishing is that the White-Haired Sword Lord's background is incredibly powerful.

Therefore.

Although several Evil Path True Lord-level figures have perished by his hand.

Those Evil Path major sects hidden in the shadows dared not retaliate.

"Alas..."

The Cultivators were full of envy.

After nightfall.

Outside the small city.

On a mountain peak.

Two figures, under the cover of night, quietly ascended the peak.

At the mountain peak.

A figure stood with his hands behind his back.

"Senior, according to the instructions you gave us, we two have already spread the news in the city."

The two figures, arriving under the cover of night, respectfully saluted the figure standing with folded hands.

"Well done."

At the mountain peak, the figure with his hands behind his back turned around.

Revealing a somewhat dull face.

"Senior, how could those people believe only our words?"

At this moment, the man who had started the conversation in the tavern during the day couldn't suppress the doubt in his heart and asked.

"Haha, that's not for you to worry about."

The dull-faced man sneered.

He released the news, firstly to fish in troubled waters and distract the Zhang Family.

Secondly, it was to use these greedy Cultivators in the city to explore the Dense Forest Abyss, a place that might hold Opportunity.

"Hmm? You brought tails?"

At this moment, the dull-faced man's eyes suddenly turned cold.

He looked down the mountain.

"Senior... We..."

The two figures respectfully waiting immediately tried to explain.

However, the dull-faced man's eyes suddenly became demonic.

His aura was evil and eerie, and this strange cold Qi stiffened the bodies of the two who wanted to explain.

They stood frozen in place.

The dull-faced man looked down the mountain.

There, two young figures were hidden.

Both of them had also been in the tavern during the day.

As the dull-faced man looked.

A strong sense of danger enveloped the two hidden young figures.

Like falling into an ice cellar.

"It's over... It's all Senior Brother's fault for insisting on coming to investigate. Now it's good, the youngest, most beautiful, and most talented Genius girl of the Tianwen Tower is about to perish here..."

One of the young girls couldn't move, only her inner thoughts constantly churning.

The two were originally the most outstanding Disciples of the Qianling Dynasty's Tianwen Tower in this generation, recommended to enter the Mingyang Realm.

They were cultivating in the Tianwen Tower built deep in the desert of Xiang Prefecture in the Nancang Domain.

If their cultivation was successful, they could choose to re-enter the Tianning Peaks of the Azure Dragon Domain for further study.

"A familiar aura..."

At this moment.

A figure suddenly flashed through the mind of the dull-faced man, who had been about to eliminate the two.

That figure was a warm ray of dawn he had seen when he was in a desperate situation.

It was a single sentence from that figure that allowed him to stand here again.

To reclaim everything he had lost.

The dull-faced man's eyes were slightly dazed.

Then he dispersed his evil and eerie aura.

Taking the two on the mountain peak, he disappeared from the spot.

As the dull-faced man's aura disappeared.

A star, high in the sky, shimmering with a hint of red light, gently swayed.