465: The aftershocks were deafening; the city lord paid his respects.

Under the gaze of countless eyes, Shen Yuanmo's figure simply turned around calmly.

With a single step, a faint, almost imperceptible ripple appeared in space.

He had already disappeared from the spot, returning to the ninth floor of the Nine Heavens Enlightenment Pagoda as if he had never left.

From beginning to end, Shen Yuanmo did not spare another glance at the Li Family Manor, which had been reduced to a Mortal settlement.

Not until his green robes vanished into the pagoda did the terrifying Divine Might shrouding the city slowly dissipate.

The stagnant air finally began to flow once more.

“Gulp.”

In the deathly silent world, someone, somewhere, swallowed hard.

This sound seemed exceptionally clear at this moment, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up massive waves.

The next moment!

“Boom—!”

A mountain-toppling wave of gasps, uncontrollable cries of surprise, and discussions mixed with fear and fervor suddenly erupted.

The entire South Heaven Immortal City, after a period of deathly silence, completely boiled over.

“Dead... The Old Ancestor of the Li Family, that Half-step Mahayana who lived for a hundred thousand years... just like that... dead?”

“One sword! I saw it clearly, it was just one sword strike! That was a Half-step Mahayana who had burned everything, not some random nobody!”

“More than just the Old Ancestor! Didn't you see? Not a single Cultivator of the Li Family is left! All gone! Under that single sword strike, they all turned to ash!”

“Hiss! Too terrifying! Just what kind of sacred being is this? I have cultivated for three thousand years and have never heard of such a terrifying existence!”

“Decisive in killing, with methods that reach the heavens, yet possessing such meticulous control—killing only Cultivators without harming Mortals. Such a Realm is simply unheard of!”

Countless Cultivators in the city turned pale, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

Everything they witnessed today had completely exceeded their scope of understanding.

It shattered the views on cultivation they had built over decades, centuries, or even millennia.

Inside the Wang Family residence.

That Old Woman of the Wang Family could no longer maintain her air of an expert. It was as if all her strength had been drained, and she slumped onto her grand armchair.

Her back had long been completely soaked with cold sweat.

Her lips trembled as she repeatedly muttered to herself, her voice filled with the relief of having survived a disaster.

“Fortunately... how fortunate... fortunately we weren't blinded by greed...”

Beside her, the Wang Family Head was also pale-faced, his legs weak.

If he hadn't been holding onto the table, he probably would have collapsed onto the floor.

Now, whenever he recalled that flash of greed in his heart before the Li Family acted...

He felt a chill rush from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head, even his Divine Soul freezing because of it.

Their Wang Family had been only one step away from extermination.

No, perhaps not even a single step.

In front of such an existence, what difference was there between the so-called foundation of their Wang Family and that of the Li Family?

It would be nothing more than a matter of one or two sword strikes for the other party.

The same scene was playing out in the Zhang Family, Chen Family, and other major families.

All the forces that had previously harbored designs on the Nine Heavens Pagoda were now caught in a state of immense fear and relief.

They finally understood what kind of deity walking the earth they had tried to provoke.

Above the Nangong Bo's Manor.

Nangong Bo stood there, motionless for a long time.

As the nominal supreme Dominator of South Heaven Immortal City and a genuine Half-step Mahayana expert,

his current mood was more complex than anyone else's.

He took a deep breath, but felt the air entering his lungs was freezing cold.

He simulated it over and over in his mind: if he were in Li Xuancang's position,

facing that Xuanhuang Finger that burned everything, what would his end be?

But every simulation ended with him either dead or his dao foundation shattered, his cultivation regressing, with no hope of ever reaching the Mahayana Realm in this life.

Yet that Senior Shen Mo, facing such a world-destroying strike, had merely swung a sword casually.

Nangong Bo knew he had to do something.

The sky of South Heaven Immortal City had changed.

From now on, the true Dominator of this city was no longer he, Nangong Bo, but that existence on the ninth floor of the Nine Heavens Pagoda.

If he couldn't position himself correctly, the Li Family's today would be the tomorrow of Nangong Bo and the Nangong Bo's Manor.

The next moment, under the stunned gaze of countless Cultivators across the city,

Nangong Bo made a move that made everyone's eyes nearly pop out.

He actually carefully straightened his clothes and adjusted the Purple-gold Crown that symbolized his status as Nangong Bo.

Then he withdrew all his Half-step Mahayana pressure, making himself look like an ordinary Junior Cultivator coming to pay respects to a Senior.

Immediately after, his figure moved, flying personally toward the Nine Heavens Enlightenment Pagoda.

He brought no attendants, going all alone.

He stopped in the Void Realm a hundred zhang away from the Nine Heavens Pagoda, facing the tightly closed ninth floor.

He bowed deeply, performing a respectful ninety-degree salute.

“Nangong Bo of South Heaven City, requests an audience with Senior!”

His voice, transmitted through his magic power, spread throughout the city and reached everyone's ears clearly.

“Whoosh—!”

South Heaven Immortal City, which had just slightly calmed down, was thrown into a massive uproar once again because of Nangong Bo's action.

The Nangong Bo of South Heaven Immortal City, the Half-step Mahayana Nangong Bo, actually bowed in person to pay his respects.

This was no longer a simple gesture of goodwill; it represented the official bowing of South Heaven Immortal City, a complete submission.

However, in the face of the Nangong Bo's visit, there was no movement from within the ninth floor of the Nine Heavens Pagoda.

It was as if the person inside hadn't heard at all, or simply didn't deign to respond.

Time passed, minute by minute, second by second.

Nangong Bo didn't dare show the slightest impatience or grievance, maintaining his bowing posture.

Under the gaze of the masses, he quietly hovered in the air, waiting.

Fine beads of sweat even broke out on his forehead, but he didn't dare raise a hand to wipe them.

This was an ordeal, but also a declaration of his stance.

A full stick of incense's time passed.

Just as some Cultivators in the city began to think that the Senior in the pagoda was being too arrogant,

a voice so flat that no emotion could be detected finally drifted out from the ninth floor.

“What is it?”

Just two words, yet they seemed to contain supreme Divine Might.

Hearing this voice, the huge stone hanging in Nangong Bo's heart finally fell to the ground.

The Senior's willingness to respond was a wonderful thing.

He quickly suppressed the wild joy in his heart and spoke rapidly in an even more respectful tone.

“In response to Senior! Senior's Divine Might is peerless; this Junior is truly and deeply convinced!”

“The Li Family acted perversely and offended Senior's dignity. Their destruction today is purely what they deserved!”

“It's just that the Li Family has been entrenched in South Heaven City for hundreds of thousands of years. This Junior does not dare to dispose of the vast industries and spirit mountain territories they left behind without authorization, so I have come specifically to ask Senior how they should be partitioned.”

Nangong Bo kept his posture extremely low, positioning himself as a manager handling trivial chores.

Inside the Nine Heavens Pagoda, there was another brief silence.

This moment of quiet made Nangong Bo's heart leap into his throat once again.

A moment later, Shen Yuanmo's voice rang out again.

“The Scripture Pavilion and the treasury belong to me.”

“As for the rest, your Nangong Bo's Manor can handle it yourselves.”

A casual sentence, yet it contained an unquestionable command.

Hearing this, Nangong Bo was first stunned.

Then, a wave of immense joy instantly overwhelmed his reason!

“Belong to me?”

“The rest are all to be handled by the Nangong Bo's Manor?”

He originally thought this Senior would take the opportunity to support a new Family.

Or simply take over everything of the Li Family himself, firmly grasping South Heaven City in his hands.

But he never expected that the other party would only want the most core cultivation resources,

and directly threw that huge cake, which would make any force in South Heaven Immortal City go crazy with envy, to him.

What kind of boldness was this.

This showed that the Senior's vision was not on this mere immortal city at all; he had no intention of interfering in South Heaven City's power struggles.

“This Junior... this Junior obeys!!”

Nangong Bo was so excited his voice trembled as he bowed deeply once more.

“Thank you for your gift, Senior! This Junior will certainly handle all the loose ends for Senior and will never let any small fry disturb Senior's peaceful cultivation!”

This time, it was heartfelt gratitude.

“Mhm.”

Shen Yuanmo's voice seemed to carry a hint of impatience.

“If there's nothing else, withdraw.”

“Yes! Yes! This Junior shall take his leave! This Junior would never dare disturb Senior again!”

Nangong Bo felt as if he had been granted a great amnesty, not daring to stay a moment longer.

Carefully maintaining his bowing posture, he backed away step by step for a thousand zhang.

Only then did he dare to straighten his back, turn around, and transform into a streak of light, returning to the Nangong Bo's Manor at top speed.

His heart was surging like a stormy sea.

The Li Family was finished; the era of Nangong Bo and the Nangong Bo's Manor was coming.

And all of this stemmed from a casual remark by that Senior in the pagoda.

The ninth floor of the Nine Heavens Pagoda.

Shen Yuanmo sat cross-legged, his expression as calm as a still well.

To him, whether it was destroying the Li Family or his conversation with Nangong Bo, it was all just a trivial matter.

Now, the dust had settled.

Next, it was time to take stock of the spoils of war.

What kind of secrets and wealth were hidden within the treasury and Scripture Pavilion of a top-tier Family that had an inheritance of a million years and had produced a Half-step Mahayana?