The current City Lord is Xia Hou, but after being assassinated and struck by an Immortal Gu, he is incurably ill and not long for this world.

Xia Hou has four sons, aside from Xia Junjie, there are three others: Xia Yunjie, Xia Zhijie, and Xia Pengjie.

Xia Junjie is the third in line, and is rather low-key. Compared to his other three brothers, he is kind-hearted and generous to the people below him, which earned Xia Hou's trust. Hence, the position was passed on to him.

However, the other three brothers were not convinced and harbored ambitions to take the throne, both covertly and overtly. To maintain his claim as City Lord, Xia Junjie had to recruit soldiers and allies like his three brothers, gathering strong practitioners around him.

Wang Xiaoqiang was merely one of many he sought to win over. In fact, aside from Wang Xiaoqiang, there were many others, even including orthodox cultivators.

By this time, it didn't matter whether one was an orthodox cultivator or a loose cultivator; as long as they were useful, Xia Junjie intended to win them over, because failing to secure the position would lead to disgrace and fratricidal execution.

This was like the struggle for throne by the crown prince in ancient imperial dynasties; competing for the position of City Lord was also a fight for survival.

Since ancient times, the victor becomes king, and the loser turns into an outlaw.

This saying also applied in White Cloud City.

The current situation in White Cloud City was still in the hands of the City Lord Xia Hou, but with Xia Hou's life hanging by a thread, he wouldn't last much longer,

After Xia Hou's death, which Young Lord will seize the reins of power will depend on how well each of them can win people over.

Last night, Xia Junjie happened to visit Mirage City of Immortals where he heard of Wang Xiaoqiang's fierce reputation. So, he intended to recruit him to his side. The Rogue Cultivator World is notorious for its brutality, and in that world, brutality equates to bravery.

This is the reason why Xia Junjie wanted to recruit Wang Xiaoqiang.

After explaining the power dynamics of White Cloud City to Wang Xiaoqiang, Xia Junjie left. Originally, he wanted to find some women for Wang Xiaoqiang, but after seeing he already had Yang Ling, he didn't dare to bring it up.

After Xia Junjie left, Yang Ling said, "Little Qiang, we have to be more careful now. The battle for City Lord will surely attract numerous experts. Let's not get used as cannon fodder."

Wang Xiaoqiang nodded, "I understand. It doesn't matter to us whether he becomes City Lord or not. When the time comes, we'll just blend in. If we can fight, we fight; if not, we run. Surviving is what matters. You keep watch for me. I'm going to use these 50 Demon Crystals to make a breakthrough."

Yang Ling nodded and stood guard outside.

Wang Xiaoqiang sat down cross-legged, took out the 50 Demon Crystals from the Sumeru Ring, and placed them on the ground. Then, he released 5,000 Spiritual Springs to absorb them.

5,000 Spiritual Springs, 100 per group, made up 50 groups, each group absorbing one of the 50 Demon Crystals.

Finally,

The 5,000 Spiritual Springs completely absorbed the 50 Demon Crystals. The 5,000 Spiritual Springs that absorbed the Demon Crystals underwent division, pfft pfft pfft pfft pfft pfft pfft pfft pfft...

The 5,000 Spiritual Springs split into two, transforming into 10,000 Spiritual Springs. Wang Xiaoqiang absorbed the 10,000 Spiritual Springs into his body. His Spiritual Power surged, and his Cultivation Base made significant progress. The number of Spiritual Springs within him reached 36,200, taking another big stride towards the Fourth Transformation of the Immortal.

When Wang Xiaoqiang was done absorbing the Demon Crystals and stepped outside, Yang Ling looked at him with surprise and doubt, "Little Qiang, your cultivation has increased by a lot. Also, it would take me five months to fully assimilate those 50 Demon Crystals, but you managed to absorb them all in a moment. How did you do it?"

Wang Xiaoqiang chuckled, embraced Yang Ling around her slim waist, and headed toward the luxurious bedroom inside, saying as they walked, "Come, let me teach you slowly."

...

In fact, the residence where Wang Xiaoqiang and Yang Ling stayed was merely a side residence of the Xia Family, yet it was extremely luxurious and extravagant, with dozens of servants alone.

The two lived each day like kings, indulging in the finest robes and food.

One day, while Yang Ling was cultivating alone in the room, Wang Xiaoqiang left the city alone and strolled aimlessly. He saw the bustling streets of White Cloud City, filled with tourists,

When Wang Xiaoqiang grew tired of walking, he chanced upon a very luxurious and opulent mansion on the street, with the name "Xia Mansion" inscribed above the entrance.

Gazing at the words "Xia Mansion," Wang Xiaoqiang thought to himself, just how many Xia Mansions were there in White Cloud City?

Curious, he walked toward the luxurious mansion, but just as he approached the entrance, a carriage emerged from within. The carriage's canopy was adorned with flowers and looked like it belonged to a woman.

As Wang Xiaoqiang gazed at the carriage in a trance, the carriage stopped, and the canopy's curtain was lifted, revealing a beautiful face.

While Wang Xiaoqiang was still in a daze looking at the beautiful face, the woman inside shouted, "Who are you, and how dare you loiter in front of Xia Mansion!"

It turns out that ordinary citizens are not allowed to linger outside Xia Mansion for long.

Wang Xiaoqiang retorted, "None of your business."

The woman was taken aback. She was Xia Yunjie's full sister, born to the same mother—a daughter of the Xia Family. Although the Xia Family favored males over females, she was still a daughter of considerable status, not one to be insulted.

Out of shame and anger, the woman stretched out her hand toward Wang Xiaoqiang, and suddenly, a Jade Bracelet from her wrist shot out, hurtling toward Wang Xiaoqiang.

Wang Xiaoqiang had never seen anyone use a Jade Bracelet as a Magic Treasure before. Seeing the Jade Bracelet turning bigger and emitting green light as it approached him, Wang Xiaoqiang didn't dare to be negligent. With his Spiritual Power at Condensation, he reached out and grasped the Jade Bracelet in his hand.

The beautiful woman was Xia Dieyu. Her Cultivation Base was only at the Solidification Realm, no match for Wang Xiaoqiang, and she lost her Magic Treasure on her first attempt.

Seeing her Magic Treasure Jade Bracelet taken, Xia Dieyu was even more mortified and furious. She focused her Spiritual Power in both hands and waved them together at him.

Suddenly, with a loud bang, the luxurious sedan was blasted into smithereens by Spiritual Power,

Miss Xia Dieyu burst out of the shattered sedan, flying towards Wang Xiaoqiang.

They say a woman with big waves has no brain, and it seems this saying is not false. Xia Dieyu, with only the Cultivation Base of the Solidification Realm, was no match for Wang Xiaoqiang, who was at the Third Transformation of the Immortal. But she didn't see it that way,

She believed that this was White Cloud City, the world of her Xia Family, and especially here in front of the Xia Mansion, where there were many experts. Particularly her brother Xia Yunjie, who was vying for the position of City Lord, had recently recruited many masters of the Immortal Dao. In her eyes, this man of merely the Third Transformation was not to be feared.

Xia Dieyu thought that even if she attacked Wang Xiaoqiang, he, wary of her family's prestige, wouldn't dare to retaliate. And the Jade Bracelet Magic Treasure, a gift from her mother, how could she let it fall into someone else's hands?

Wang Xiaoqiang had not expected a cultivator of the Solidification Realm to dare launch an attack against him, and was momentarily stunned.

But Xia Dieyu's charge at Wang Xiaoqiang was rather like a moth flying into the flame.

As she launched herself at him, Wang Xiaoqiang suddenly felt a fragrant breeze and saw the v-neck of her robe blown open by the wind, revealing...

Wang Xiaoqiang gathered Spiritual Power into his hands, and just before Xia Dieyu could reach him, he twirled his hands, instantly forming a Spiritual Energy Vortex between them.

Whoosh whoosh!

Like the maw of a giant serpent, the Spiritual Energy Vortex exerted a tremendous suction force, pulling Xia Dieyu's slender body into the space between Wang Xiaoqiang's hands.

Wang Xiaoqiang took the opportunity to embrace her in his arms.

Xia Dieyu, in great shock, managed to raise a Spiritual Energy Shield with her right hand.

Wang Xiaoqiang's right hand was suffused with Spiritual Power as he pinched out a Sword technique, slicing at her Spiritual Energy Shield.

With a loud bang,

The Spiritual Energy Shield shattered.

Wang Xiaoqiang held on to Xia Dieyu tightly, then, with a thought, he drew her into the Sumeru Ring, subsequently placing a Restriction on the ring to prevent her from escaping.

After doing all this, a wicked smile crossed Wang Xiaoqiang's face.

Then, he leaped into the air, soaring towards the sky.

Meanwhile, the coachman and the gate guard, seeing Miss Xia abducted, were shocked and immediately rushed back to the mansion to report.

Inside the Xia Mansion,

The eldest young master, Xia Yunjie, was gathering heroes to discuss the matter of seizing power. Upon hearing the news that his sister had been abducted, he was shocked and immediately bellowed, "Who dares be so bold?"

When he heard from the coachman that the stranger had the cultivation of the Third Transformation of the Immortal, he immediately led the heroes to pursue.

To kidnap Miss Xia in White Cloud City—one must either be audaciously bold or simply a fool.

Clearly, Wang Xiaoqiang belonged to the former category. After flying into the air, he promptly summoned his Patterned Beast.

Once the Patterned Beast emerged, it carried Wang Xiaoqiang. Following his intention, it quickly concealed itself.

As soon as the Patterned Beast vanished, so did Wang Xiaoqiang.

Xia Yunjie led the heroes into the air, releasing their Divine Senses to search for his sister's whereabouts.

Yet even the most powerful among them, with a cultivation reaching the Eighth Transformation of the Immortal, could not detect where she was.

Wang Xiaoqiang ordered the Patterned Beast to fly towards the forests outside the city.

After settling on the Patterned Beast, Wang Xiaoqiang thought for a moment and then entered the Sumeru Ring.

Inside the ring's space, Xia Dieyu was in a state of despair. Upon seeing Wang Xiaoqiang appear, she pointed at him and demanded, "Who are you exactly, and do you know who I am?"

"I don't know," Wang Xiaoqiang said blankly, truly unaware of who this woman was; he could only guess she must be a woman from the Xia Family.

Seeing that Wang Xiaoqiang didn't know, Xia Dieyu assumed he was unaware of her identity, which was why he had carelessly kidnapped her. Puffing herself up, she pointed at Wang Xiaoqiang, commanding imperiously, "Let me tell you, I am none other than the daughter of White Cloud City Lord Xia Hou, Xia Dieyu. I am also the blood sister of the eldest young master Xia Yunjie. You actually dared to kidnap me. You've got some nerve, huh. Kneel before me this instant and beg for forgiveness..."

"Eh, so you're Xia Yunjie's sister, haha..." Wang Xiaoqiang laughed. As he released his aura, he locked down Xia Dieyu, making her unable to move. He approached her, smirking, "If you hadn't said you were Xia Yunjie's sister, perhaps, I might have let you go. But now, heh heh..."

"What do you want to do? If you disrespect me, my brother Xia Yunjie will never let you off. The mansion is full of experts who could kill you in a second..." Xia Dieyu threatened and intimidated.

Wang Xiaoqiang ignored her completely. With his right index finger, he lifted Xia Dieyu's delicate chin, staring at her beautiful little face, "Tsk tsk, what a pretty face. Are you betrothed to anyone yet?"

"Ptui!" Xia Dieyu spat, aiming at Wang Xiaoqiang, but the saliva, blocked by his powerful aura, fell to the ground.

"It seems without a lesson, you'll never grow up!" Although he wasn't spit on, Wang Xiaoqiang was still enraged, ready to discipline this arrogant woman...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)

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