What surprised Yuan Ming was that even when he fully activated his Eyes of Golden Flame, he still couldn't see Wulu's figure.

"The Heavenly Escape Stone Talisman truly lives up to its reputation." Yuan Ming couldn't help but whisper in admiration.

However, a playful spirit surged in his heart. The silver moon mark on his brow flickered, and his Yin Moon Body was instantly activated. His body vanished like mist into the air, rendering the great hall empty and void of any presence.

It was at this moment that Wang Fulong, who hadn't gone far, suddenly heard a faint noise.

He turned back in confusion, only to see the empty great hall without a single silhouette. A perplexed expression crossed his face, unable to comprehend what had occurred.

Just as he turned to leave, the figures of Yuan Ming and Wulu suddenly appeared before him, a change so abrupt that it nearly startled him into crying out.

Fortunately, Wang Fulong reacted quickly, soon recognizing Wulu. Although filled with numerous doubts, he knew this was not something he could inquire about, so he respectfully bowed and turned to depart.

Yuan Ming and Wulu paid no mind to his reaction, their attention solely fixed on each other.

"Brother Yuan, what divine skill did you just use? I distinctly saw you vanish on the spot, yet I couldn't find you anywhere." Wulu asked curiously, his eyes gleaming with the light of inquiry.

"This is a divine skill I awakened after breaking through as a Life Witch, called the Yin Moon Body. Speaking of which, your Heavenly Escape Stone Talisman is somewhat similar to my divine skill. Why not let me take a look?" Yuan Ming said with a slight smile, extending his palm to Wulu.

Though Wulu was puzzled, he still took out the Stone Talisman and handed it to Yuan Ming.

Yuan Ming took the Stone Talisman and gently activated it, immediately feeling an invisible force enveloping his entire body, as if wrapped in a transparent barrier.

A flash of understanding crossed his eyes, and then he lifted the invisibility.

"Just as I thought, the invisibility effect of this talisman is entirely identical to my Yin Moon Body." Yuan Ming stated.

"Which means, this Heavenly Escape Stone Talisman was crafted in imitation of the Life Witch's divine ability, and its creator must have been a master Soul Cultivator?" Wulu asked in surprise upon hearing this.

"Very likely." Yuan Ming nodded in agreement.

They exchanged smiles, both filled with curiosity about this mysterious Heavenly Escape Stone Talisman.

Wulu, in particular, kept turning the talisman over in his hands, filled with deep emotion.

Who would've thought that this seemingly ordinary Stone Talisman turned out to be a Soul Cultivator's treasure, which is why he could use it to evade the detection of Dharma manifestation experts.

"Let's not talk about this. You've broken through to Dharma Phase; when did this happen? Why didn't you inform me in advance so I could protect you?" Yuan Ming suddenly changed the topic, scrutinizing Wulu.

"The breakthrough was quite urgent, so I didn't have time to notify you. However, I owe my success in breaking through largely to the Purple Extreme Tai Sui you gave me. By that account, you've indeed helped me greatly. I came this time specifically to repay this kindness." Wulu laughed upon hearing this.

"There's no need to talk about repayment between us." Yuan Ming waved his hand, smiling as he said this.

As they talked, they strolled unknowingly from the great hall to the study.

Inside the study, atop an antique-looking desk, lay the Four Treasures of the Study, with a faint scent of ink lingering in the air.

After they sat down, Yuan Ming began brewing tea.

As boiling water poured into the teapot, a rich fragrance wafted through the room, relaxing the mind.

In this tranquil atmosphere, Wulu began to recount his experiences over the years.

"… Elder Jie Cha led me out of the Three Realms Immortal Boat, claiming to settle an old score with the Ancestor of Ten Thousand Poisons. He then took me deep into the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range, where we went through numerous trials. During this time, he used the wondrous power of the Purple Extreme Tai Sui to amend the Ten Thousand Poison Evil Skill, ultimately helping me successfully break through to the Dharma Manifestation Realm. Yet, after aiding my breakthrough, he left alone, his whereabouts unknown." Wulu narrated calmly, unfolding the story.

Yuan Ming listened quietly, not doubting what Wulu said.

However, upon hearing of Jie Cha's departure, he sighed lightly: "What a pity. If he were still here, I have some cultivation questions I'd like to consult him on."

"I think Elder Jie Cha might just want to travel alone in the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range; he might come to White Emperor City someday. We'll have the chance to meet again." Wulu smiled upon seeing this.

Yuan Ming nodded, not dwelling too much on the matter. The path of cultivation is long, and fate is determined by the heavens; it cannot be forced.

"Let's set aside Elder Jie Cha's whereabouts for now, Brother Yuan; I must remind you of one thing. Over the years, I've discovered several places in the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range where Demonic Qi has emerged. Although it may be leftover from the corrosion of the Heavenly Crane Array in years past, we can't rule out the possibility of it being something new." Wulu's expression turned serious, his tone becoming grave.

"What do you mean by that?" Yuan Ming asked, frowning.

"Based on the information I gathered, not only in the Ten Thousand Demon Mountain Range but also in many places in the Chuyun Realm, there are signs of Demonic Qi appearing. The Demon World seems to be striving to break through the domain barriers; perhaps a domain war will erupt in the near future." Wulu continued.

At this point, a look of concern appeared on his face: "During the last domain war, countless cultivators in the Chuyun Realm fell, and even Dharma Phase experts faced nine lives and one death. The power we currently wield is still too weak. If we cannot break through to the Mahayana Realm, not to mention changing the situation, we might not even have the qualification to protect ourselves."

Yuan Ming silently sipped his tea without uttering a word.

The lingering aroma of tea swirled around his tongue, a contemplative expression on his face.

…

Xuanlong City, inside the City Lord Mansion.

"This is outrageous! He's been in office for just a short while, yet dares to boss us around and order us!" City Lord Qu Lixiang angrily slammed the jade scroll on the table, making a crisp sound, seemingly venting his dissatisfaction.

"City Lord, what has happened? Your expression doesn't look very good." At this moment, Deputy City Lord Liu He entered the room, seeing Qu Lixiang's face full of anger, he couldn't help but feel a jolt in his heart, cautiously inquiring.

Qu Lixiang took a deep breath, calming his emotions, then handed the jade scroll to Liu He: "See for yourself. This is from Yuan Ming."

Liu He took the jade scroll, quickly browsing through its contents.

His expression grew increasingly serious, furrowing his brow as he spoke: "He specifically requests us to send Dharma Phase Cultivators, clearly intending to establish his authority over us."

"Hmph, I long suspected this person is deeply cunning and won't be content with his current status. He must have secretly attracted a group of people, wanting to use this opportunity to assert his dominance." Qu Lixiang sneered, a trace of disdain flashing in his eyes.

"Still, we can't let our guard down. This person is ambitious, and if he succeeds, our future won't be easy." Liu He sighed.

"If that's the case, then we'll both go to see what he really wants to do. I estimate other cities will also bring their Dharma Phase cultivators, and there won't just be eighteen Dharma Phases. Together to pressure him, let's see how arrogant he can be! Establish authority? I'm afraid by then it'll be diminishing prestige!" Qu Lixiang's eyes flashed with sharpness.

"The City Lord speaks rightly; we cannot sit idle and await our fate. Let Yuan Ming see, the Lords of the eighteen cities are not ones he can easily manipulate!" Liu He nodded, agreeing.

…

Yin Mountain City, inside the City Lord Mansion.

Long Shan sat in the study, holding the jade scroll in his hand, scrutinizing it over and over, an expression of puzzlement on his face.

In the study, the atmosphere was quite heavy, with the wind outside gently blowing the curtains, seemingly whispering some unknown secrets.

"Brother, seeing your serious expression, what is it that has you puzzled?" Deputy City Lord Meng Jing approached, asking with concern.

"A few days ago, I showed my stance to Yuan Ming, essentially submitting to him. Logically, if he had plans or arrangements, he should inform me. However, apart from summoning the City Lords, there's no other information in this jade scroll, which is truly perplexing." Long Shan lightly tapped the jade scroll in his hand, speaking in a deep voice.

"Maybe, Yuan Ming the City Lord hasn't truly trusted you yet? After all, people's hearts are unpredictable; perhaps he's still observing." Meng Jing heard this, furrowing his brow, pondering for a moment before conjecturing.

"Your conjecture makes sense too. He's summoning the City Lords and requiring Dharma Phase Cultivators presence, clearly wanting to establish authority again. But from eighteen cities, including deputy city lords, at least twenty Dharma Phases will attend. If he doesn't contact me beforehand, how will he subdue everyone then?" Long Shan nodded, showing a thinking expression.

Meng Jing also fell into deep thought, the two silently facing each other, seemingly trying their best to fathom Yuan Ming's intentions.

No matter how they pondered, they couldn't discern any clue.

Eventually, Long Shan sighed, casually tossing the jade scroll aside, showing some helplessness on his face: "Forget it, since he doesn't want to contact me, I'm too lazy to deal with this cold shoulder. When the time comes, you'll accompany me to see what exactly he's plotting."

…

Ten days later, White Emperor City.

Inside the discussion hall, with lanterns just lit, twenty-eight Dharma Phase cultivators sat or stood, arranged in order.

Some were conversing jovially, others whispering quietly, seemingly not placing the upcoming meeting in their minds.

Outside the hall, ancient pines towered, a cool breeze blowing, yet unable to dispel the tension and anxiety deep in Wang Fulong's heart.

He sneaked a glance at the impressive Dharama Phases inside the hall, his palm unconsciously dampened with sweat.

As a Dharma Phase, though he had participated in numerous Dharma Phase gatherings, such an assembly of so many was unprecedented for him.

Moreover, recalling Yuan Ming's stern demeanor during the last instruction, Wang Fulong felt even more apprehensive.

He knew well that the forthcoming meeting would not be easy, and just thinking about the pressure Yuan Ming would face was enough to make him nervous.

"Where is he? Why hasn't he arrived yet?" Wang Fulong turned his head and asked urgently, revealing traces of anxiety in his voice.

Suddenly, a steady voice came from behind him: "Everyone is here?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Fulong turned around, seeing Yuan Ming walking steadily.

"Lord, you're finally here. Everyone is present, all eighteen City Lords without exception, and most also brought along their deputy city lords, totaling twenty-eight people." Wang Fulong immediately composed himself, respectfully answering.

Yuan Ming nodded slightly, gesturing to Wang Fulong to step aside, then slowly walked into the hall.

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