212: Qingyun Chamber of Commerce arrives

However, this killing intent had not yet solidified in the air for long before it was quietly broken.

In an elegant room on the second floor of a wine shop near the city gate, a carved wooden window was quietly pushed open by an inch.

Behind the window stood two women, both dressed in elegant palace attire, their refined temperament making them look unlike people of the Mortal world.

The leader had an exquisite appearance and a cold, detached temperament like the Guanghan Fairy, with a cinnabar mole between her eyebrows that added a touch of mysterious charm. The young girl beside her was slightly more childish, but her eyes were as lively as forest birds.

The cold woman looked at Situ Jun's figure on the city tower, a fleeting glint flashing through her beautiful eyes.

"What overbearing ice techniques... what pure ice spiritual energy..."

She parted her vermilion lips slightly, her voice as clear as an icy spring, carrying a hint of inquiry:

"The Xihua Sect's intelligence only said he was at the Early Golden Core Stage, but the power of this strike... I'm afraid it has already touched the Peak of the Mid Golden Core Stage, or even the threshold of the Late Golden Core Stage. This City Lord of the Northern Frontier is quite interesting, leaving his Northern Frontier foundation behind to come to East Lin City to show off his might."

A faint, almost imperceptible curve formed at the corners of her mouth:

"It seems this trip won't be too boring after all."

The girl beside her stuck out her tongue and said in a low voice:

"Senior Sister, this person is so fierce! He just killed that Poison Scorpion Cult Protector without a second thought..."

The cold woman's gaze remained glued to Situ Jun, as if she wanted to see through him completely from inside out:

"Fierce? No, it's decisiveness. In this gathering of winds and clouds, at a time when the Southern Frontier is about to fall into chaos, if one does not have such ruthless methods, how can they suppress this East Lin City where demons and monsters run rampant?"

She paused, then suddenly whispered to herself:

"It's just that the bastard Zhuang Xian said his big brother Situ Jun would avenge him by spanking her bottom until it blooms... The big brother Zhuang Xian spoke of couldn't possibly be this person, right?"

Her beautiful eyes suddenly narrowed, as if she wished she could drag Zhuang Xian, who was far away in the Xihua Sect, before her to give him a thorough interrogation.

Just at that moment.

A strange humming sound suddenly came from the eastern horizon without warning!

The sound was not deafening, but it carried a power that penetrated the Divine Soul, instantly seizing the hearts and minds of everyone present!

Everyone looked up and saw a colossal, strange flying vessel breaking through the clouds. It seemed to be floating slowly, but it was actually incredibly fast, speeding toward East Lin City!

The vessel emitted a gentle green jade luster, its material neither metal nor wood. Its surface was covered with countless mysterious runes, reflecting dreamlike seven-colored light under the afternoon sun, so magnificent that it was dazzling.

On both sides of the hull, massive inscription arrays shone with a green glow. As the spiritual energy flowed, it condensed into a physical green cloud mist, lifting the massive hull as it moved slowly, stirring the winds and clouds with a majestic Aura as imposing as a mountain!

The most eye-catching thing was the massive flag fluttering in the wind at the bow—the background color was a deep cyan as profound as the night sky, and in the center was embroidered an ancient golden square-holed round coin outlined by Great Dao runes. In the center of the coin was a vigorous "Qing" character, radiating a resplendent pressure!

"The... the Treasure Flag of the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce!" Among the crowd, a well-informed Loose Cultivator cried out in shock!

"My god! It's the 'cloud shuttle'! The Qingyun Chamber of Commerce's 'cloud shuttle' Immortal Vessel! They are actually coming to East Lin City in person!"

"This Aura... it's definitely not a regular branch! Could it be someone from the headquarters?!"

After a brief silence, a tsunami-like wave of exclamations swept through the area!

In the entire East Lin City, both Mortals and Cultivators were completely shocked by this Immortal Vessel, which symbolized supreme wealth and terrifying power!

The bit of blood and fear brought by the Poison Scorpion Cult was as small as dust before this gargantuan entity.

The Qingyun Chamber of Commerce!

This commercial overlord, which spanned over a dozen countries, possessed wealth equal to a nation, and had an unfathomably deep foundation, had an influence that far exceeded ordinary Sects and Dynasties!

Their 'cloud shuttle' Immortal Vessels were both powerful Magic Treasures of war and symbols of status and strength!

Their arrival instantly raised the level of the Southern Frontier's chaotic situation once again, and also pushed East Lin City firmly into the center of the storm!

Upon the city tower, Situ Jun's brow furrowed for the first time.

He looked at the green jade cloud shuttle radiating majestic spiritual energy fluctuations, his gaze solemn—the Poison Scorpion Cult was merely a third-rate power, and people from the branches of the Xuan Yin Sect and Xihua Sect were likely peering from the shadows as well. Now, even a titan like the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce had appeared directly!

"The Legacy of Daoist Ming Ya... is its attraction really this great?"

Thoughts spun rapidly in Situ Jun's mind:

"Or is it that... this Legacy itself has an unknown connection with the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce?"

The green jade cloud shuttle hovered in the air above East Lin City's gate and did not descend.

The massive shadow enveloped nearly half the city, bringing an invisible and immense pressure.

A gentle and mellow voice, like a spring breeze, came down from the cloud shuttle. It wasn't loud, yet it seemed to ring in every living being's ear, carrying a convincing power and unquestionable majesty:

"I am Mo Chenggui, the Southern Region Inspector of the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce. Passing through your esteemed land, I have specially come to visit City Lord Wang Cheng. I wonder if the City Lord would do me the honor of a meeting?"

The gazes at the city gate were instantly drawn as if by an invisible magnet, focusing once again on the gray-white figure on the city tower!

Situ Jun still stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering gently in the breeze stirred by the cloud shuttle and the dry, hot air currents blowing from the Canglan River.

His upright figure appeared small under the massive shadow of the Immortal Vessel, yet he possessed a steady temperament that was deep as a pool and imposing as a mountain.

The cold corpse of the Poison Scorpion Protector lay not far from his feet. The pressure of the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce enveloped the surroundings, and two completely different pressures intertwined upon him.

He slowly looked up, his gaze as calm as a deep pool, as if penetrating the green jade hull to meet the eyes of that hidden Inspector from across the void.

The air seemed to freeze, and the clamor at the city gate fell into complete silence, leaving only the low humming of the cloud shuttle's runes.

The corners of Situ Jun's mouth slowly curved into a cold and sharp arc. That arc, much like the frozen corpse at his feet, was filled with an iron-blooded chill.

East Lin City, this gateway to the Southern Frontier, was currently playing out a silent "probing encounter."

A moment later, in a place enveloped by a Restriction on the cloud vessel, the figure of a Cultivator whose face could not be clearly seen emerged. A gentle laugh rang out, as if the previous testing had never occurred.

Situ Jun's expression remained unchanged as he quietly activated the "Eye of Detection":

[Name: Mo Chenggui]

[Age: 150 years old]

[Identity: Qingyun Chamber of Commerce Headquarters Deacon, Dynasty Chamber of Commerce Inspector]

[Cultivation: Half-step Nascent Soul Stage (Cultivation suppressed)]

[Recent Evaluation: Intends to use East Lin City as a stage to attract various heroes here to discuss the ownership of the Southern Frontier Legacy, in order to demonstrate the might of the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce.]

...The moment he saw the information, Situ Jun's heart relaxed slightly, but his expression became even more unsightly.

The curve of his mouth rose once again, but there was not a hint of a smile in it, only an indifference that could freeze a thousand miles and an arrogance that looked down upon the world.

"City Lord Wang Cheng is not here. I am the City Lord of the Northern Frontier, Situ Jun, and I am temporarily taking over East Lin's defense." His voice was not loud, but it was like the clanging of metal, clearly penetrating that gentle transmission to ring in everyone's ears.

He paused slightly, and his voice suddenly rose, carrying a clanging power like a declaration of sovereignty:

"Distinguished guest from afar—"

"East Lin City welcomes you!"

The word "welcomes" exploded like a clap of thunder!

It was etiquette, but even more so, a warning!

It was an invitation, but even more so, the drawing of a boundary!

In this moment of gathering winds and clouds and the arrival of titans, Situ Jun used the most concise and overbearing method to declare: East Lin City was his territory!

Regardless of whether the newcomers were dragons or tigers, they had to follow his rules!

Upon the hovering cloud shuttle, that gentle voice seemed to fall silent for a moment.

Invisible gazes clashed intensely between the clouds and the city tower.

"City Lord of the Northern Frontier, Situ Jun?"

From the cloud shuttle, that gentle voice took on a hint of well-timed surprise and amusement:

"So it is City Lord Situ, my apologies for the oversight. I have long heard that the scenery of Tianqi's Northern Frontier is beautiful, and to be able to meet City Lord Situ here today is an honor indeed! Since City Lord Wang is not here, disturbing City Lord Situ is the same."

As the voice faded, the cloud shuttle did not descend, but a rune on its side suddenly lit up. A soft green pillar of light fell like a rainbow bridge, accurately projected onto the open ground in front of the city tower.