583: Chapter 583 Empress

A few days later.

The expansion of Biyou Immortal City was in full swing. With Peach Blossom Demon Saint overseeing it, more and more Cultivators arrived from all over.

The city center, where the Biyou Pool waters were located, had become a Forbidden Ground. Except for Liu family members, no one was allowed to trespass without a command medallion.

The City Lord's Mansion was built on the south side of the pond, mirroring the waterfall to the north.

The current City Lord of Biyou Immortal City was Demon Lord Chixia, with several Vice City Lords, including Li Xihe, Bai Jie, You Ruo, and Yun Miao.

The main responsibility of the City Lord's Mansion was to handle the city's mundane affairs and execute the orders of Liu Xuan and Peach Blossom. Only Liu Xuan truly called the shots in Biyou Pool.

On this day, an announcement was released from the City Lord's Mansion: the Liu Family lineage intended to form marriage alliances with various forces in Southern Border to better develop the Merchant Alliance and establish a new order for the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect. Interested parties could submit their name cards to the City Lord's Mansion; once finalized, they would be invited to discuss specific cooperation.

Before some busybodies could fully analyze the information in this announcement, the City Lord's Mansion released another important notice.

The Liu Family Old Ancestor, True Lord Wanfa Liu Xuan, was taking more Concubines. A beauty pageant would be held in Biyou Immortal City, regardless of background, cultivation, scope, or race...

It would take place next month, with the competition scheduled for one month. Anyone who placed in the top one hundred could enter the Liu Residence as the Old Ancestor's personal maid. As for whether they could become a Concubine or establish a foothold in the Liu Residence's backyard, that would depend on their subsequent performance.

"The top hundred are only maids? Old Ancestor Liu is going too far!"

"Fellow Daoists, Old Ancestor Liu is using his power to bully others. You must not be deceived by him. Anyone with eligible female Cultivators in their Family should not sign up. Let's boycott this tyranny together!"

A middle-aged male Cultivator shouted righteously while secretly using an Escape Technique to fly back toward his Family.

"What a fool!" someone mocked. "Does he really think everyone is as stupid as he is?"

Old Ancestor Liu Xuan was of noble character and helpful. The treatment of his Dao Companions was exaggeratedly good, which was well-known to everyone. How could people be misled by a few words?

The news spread quickly, and more and more Cultivators gathered at the gates of the City Lord's Mansion.

Some were just there to watch the fun, some came to ask about the registration requirements and specific procedures, and some female Cultivators were loudly arguing about why they didn't meet the criteria...

A few days later.

As the news spread, the entire area around the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect became active. Countless female Cultivators who considered themselves beautiful rushed toward Biyou Immortal City, and various forces, large and small, sent people with marriageable female Cultivators to gather there as well.

Regardless of whether it was for a marriage alliance, they would participate in the beauty pageant first. If they weren't selected, it wouldn't be too late to consider an alliance.

Old Ancestor Liu clearly wanted to use this opportunity to accelerate the Family's development. If they could establish a connection with the Liu Family, they could at least get a share of the benefits, and perhaps even have a Heaven-Defying chance to change their fate!

Biyou Pool.

In the pond was an elegant cluster of water pavilions. The area near the north was where Liu Xuan and many of the mistresses lived, equivalent to the previous Liu Residence's backyard.

The beauty pageant had just begun. Liu Xuan had no interest in managing it and was still focused on perfecting the Formation.

Beside him was the white-clothed snake demon Bai Jie, who was holding a Jade Slip to report to him.

"There's no movement from the higher-ups of the Gentlemans Academy. They aren't in a hurry to defect, nor are there any unusual actions. It looks like they're waiting for news from above."

"On the other hand, there's an unexpected harvest from the Endless Demon Court. Demon Lord Han Jing, Demon Lord Zhu Pan, and others from before have sent heavy gifts, wanting to join the sect of Peach Blossom Demon Saint."

"Han Jing?"

Liu Xuan withdrew his Divine Sense from the complex Formation blueprints and sneered, "They really are a bunch of shameless fence-sitters!"

Back then, when the Beast Taming Sect's situation was favorable, Demon Lords like Han Jing and Zhu Pan had secretly joined Peach Blossom Demon Lord. Later, when Demon Saint Xuanyu plotted the Biyou Pool incident, these fellows immediately switched sides without revealing a single bit of information.

Zhu Pan, that wild boar demon, might not have known much, but Han Jing, who was in the Black Mountain Holy Land and was a confidant of Demon Saint Xuanyu, definitely knew the general idea. Otherwise, he wouldn't have cut ties with Peach Blossom so decisively.

"Should we make their actions public and let the Endless Demon Court have internal strife?" Bai Jie suggested.

"No need!" Liu Xuan laughed. "Fence-sitters have their benefits. If they were stubborn, they would be harder to deal with."

"Accept their defection in Peach Blossom's name, but they must show their sincerity immediately. Demand benefits from them relentlessly!"

"Understood!"

Bai Jie put away the Jade Slip and walked out with her long legs. Peach Blossom didn't care for mundane matters; most affairs involving the Southern Border Yao Race were handled by Bai Jie.

After giving birth to her son Jinglei, who possessed a top-tier rank-six Bloodline, Bai Jie's Bloodline grade was also forcibly pushed up a notch, reaching the top-tier rank-four level. She had also cultivated the True Dragon Fate Reversal Scripture, and her Bloodline had been purified. Crossing the rank-five threshold was only a matter of time.

Although her cultivation was still in the Early Nascent Soul Stage, Bai Jie's strength was no longer what it used to be. With the True Dragon power augmenting her Divine Abilities, an ordinary Middle Stage Nascent Soul might not be her match.

Shortly after Bai Jie left, Li Xihe rushed in to report, "Husband, True Lord Guanxin requests an audience."

Liu Xuan's expression stiffened slightly. "Did he come alone? Did he say why he's looking for me?"

True Lord Guanxin's status was extraordinary. He was the highest-ranking person in the Gentlemans Academy of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect and the previous owner of Biyou Pool.

Not long ago, Liu Xuan had personally visited him to test his attitude toward the Liu Family and Peach Blossom Demon Saint, as well as to get news from the higher-ups of the Academy.

But this old man's mind was very deep. Not only did Liu Xuan fail to test anything, but the old man instead probed into Daoist Lord Lihuo's situation and the relationship between Peach Blossom Demon Saint, Ghost King Lianyue, and the Liu Family.

True Lord Guanxin represented the Gentlemans Academy and Lady Yaoguang. Liu Xuan didn't dare to move against him for the time being, so he had no choice but to leave him be.

"He's not alone; he brought a strange female Cultivator with him. Her cultivation is about the same as mine." Li Xihe showed a thoughtful expression. "As for his purpose, he didn't say."

He brought a female Cultivator? Could it be that he's come around?

Liu Xuan ordered, "Please invite them in."

A moment later, Li Xihe led True Lord Guanxin and a sweet-looking woman in a plain dress inside.

Liu Xuan's gaze focused on the woman. She wasn't exactly stunning, but her eyes were very pure, and the contours of her face were extremely soft. On closer inspection, there was an inexplicable sense of heartbeat.

Waving for Li Xihe to withdraw, Liu Xuan cupped his hands to True Lord Guanxin and asked, "I wonder what brings the True Lord here?"

True Lord Guanxin shook his head slightly and gestured to the female Cultivator beside him. "It's not I who requested an audience, but this True Lord Gao who wishes to see you."

"Oh?"

Liu Xuan turned to look at the woman, his eyes filled with intense curiosity.

"I am True Monarch Gao Qian, a student of the Academy." True Monarch Gao Qian performed a standard Academy salute, then also shook her head slightly. "It's not that I want to see you, but Her Ladyship wants to see you."

Her Ladyship? Before Liu Xuan could react, a gray light flew out from True Monarch Gao Qian's chest, transforming into a blurred, tall, and extremely oppressive figure.