Kuiyu City, in terms of regional classification, is similar to Weiri City beneath the Eternal Immortal Sect's mountain, being an independent city where immortals and mortals coexist, not belonging to any country. However, it is not as prosperous as Weiri City, given that the latter exists alongside the Eternal Immortal Sect.

Kuiyu City is adjacent to Canglang Country, with frequent interactions, and is surrounded by various other small and large countries, making it a hub-like city controlling a population, mineral resources, transportation, and trade resources no less than some small countries.

Currently, it is centered around the City Lord's Mansion, with various influential families cooperating and competing on a basic framework of rights and interests.

As the city's once foremost family under the City Lord's Mansion, the Fan Family hasn't had it easy these past years. Fifteen years ago, rumors began to spread in the city that the patriarch of the Fan Family, Fan Qi, had a son who was a source of misfortune, bringing bad luck to the Fan Family.

Due to these rumors, the Fan Family lost quite a bit of business, both directly and indirectly. The main saying was that Fan Qi, being preoccupied with his son's affairs, was too exhausted to manage the family, leading to a continuous accumulation of internal and external conflicts, gradually becoming an insurmountable ailment.

The year his son turned five, he was taken in as a closed-door disciple by an Immortal Master from the Eternal Immortal Sect, temporarily suppressing these conflicts. However, the various things about his son in the Eternal Immortal Sect were bound to be spread. When the news reached Kuiyu City, everyone learned that he had gone to the Enlightenment Peak and, without the foundational aptitude, could not cultivate, living a mortal life on the immortal mountain.

While no one doubted the strength of the Eternal Immortal Sect, the reputation of Enlightenment Peak was indeed well-known, and thus, Fan Qi's son being taken in as a closed-door disciple by the Immortal Master was not much looked upon favorably. After all, entering a sect of the Immortal Dao is for cultivating and pursuing the Dao. If you can't cultivate or pursue the Dao, what's the point of going there?

People are inherently pragmatic, and they foresaw the end of Fan Qi's son's Immortal Path at a glance. Naturally, a variety of thoughts emerged, and they had to carefully weigh whether continuing to cooperate with the Fan Family had any future.

It can only be said that news has a lag. The actions of Fan Wubing in the Eternal Immortal Sect these months have yet to spread to the distant Kuiyu City.

And so, it came to the house.

Fan Qi, at this moment, was discussing with other family representatives in the city about the division of ownership over the newly discovered Spirit Stone mine in Little Abyss Valley to the north of the city.

The patriarch sat in the chief position, with elders of the family on either side, and representatives of other families seated below them.

The discussion had reached a deadlock, with a heavy atmosphere causing the maids bringing tea and water to tremble with fear of offending any of the notables with inappropriate manners.

Fan Qi, expressionless, looked at the people below, "The fact is, the Spirit Stone mine in Little Abyss Valley was discovered, surveyed, and the mining site was determined by the Fan Family. If you all wish to take a share with just a glance, is this not akin to robbery?"

One person laughed and said, "Patriarch Fan, those are harsh words. We dare not be labeled as robbers. Little Abyss Valley has always been a public area, home to numerous abyssal monsters, serving as a trial ground for disciples of various families. Our Mo Family had disciples detecting the mine response as early as a year ago."

"If that was a year ago, why didn't the Mo Family survey it?"

"Surveyed it, we did. It's just that the Mo Family's focus wasn't on it at the time, and the investment was not much."

Beside Fan Qi, an elder of the family snorted coldly, "Absurd. Spirit Stones have always been a priority for all families. Discovering it but claiming your focus wasn't there and the investment was minimal? Even a ghost wouldn't believe such words."

The Mo Family representative chuckled, "That's just the reality."

The Shi Family representative spoke, "Patriarch Fan. Little Abyss Valley is the training ground for the youth of Kuiyu City, and young people are the future of Kuiyu City. Saying Little Abyss Valley is the future of Kuiyu City is fair too. If this area were destroyed due to the Fan Family mining for Spirit Stones, wouldn't that be a problem?"

Fan Qi said, "The Fan Family has a mining technology heritage over a hundred years old, exceptionally skilled, historically the family with the lowest accident rate at mining sites. How could it destroy Little Abyss Valley? Moreover, Little Abyss Valley was created by nature, everything follows the natural order, where does this 'destruction' talk come from?"

"The Fan Family is a family of the Martial Dao, with few cultivators, and has always had a low demand for Spirit Stones. How can you claim to have the most adept mining technology? In my opinion, it should be led by a family of cultivators. After all, our affinity with Spirit Stones is higher, and we are less likely to be rejected."

"Absurd!" An elder from the Fan Family slammed the chair and shouted, "Do you truly believe the Fan Family has no one?"

Profound inner strength surged from the palm, resounding in the air like firecrackers exploding.

"Is this how the Fan Family treats its guests!?" The faces of the family representatives turned unpleasant.

Fan Qi slightly restrained the angered elder and said to everyone, "My Fan Family has always adhered to the principle, 'If others do not deceive me, I will not deceive others.' If you really think that suppressing us together will make the Fan Family yield, feel free to test it."

While saying this, Fan Qi maintained a calm demeanor, sitting upright, and involuntarily exuded authority.

It made everyone start to doubt, and the plans they had discussed before coming wavered slightly. Indeed, everyone knew the Fan Family had a tough past ten years, but could just ten years really reduce the former top family to a stage of being bullied at will?

The crowd glanced meaningfully at a middle-aged man in black long robes, silently thinking, this setup was your Dong Family's doing, shouldn't your Dong Family speak now?

The Dong Family representative slightly nodded, then looked at Fan Qi, "Patriarch Fan, it's not that we don't trust your Fan Family. It's just that, on the path of cultivation, all matters are tied to 'fate'."

Fate. This term wasn't very clear to everyone in Kuiyu City, after all, it wasn't a true sect of immortals. Even Eternal Immortal Sect only scratched the surface and wasn't proficient, let alone them.

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