Xiuxian: Start with the medicine boy

At the same time!

Lord He issued a command as powerful as thunder:
"Array Core, heed my command!"
Activate the city's protective array, seal off all sides, and help this city lord capture this villain!

His voice was like thunder, rolling across the entire city.

In an instant, all thirty-six array bases and seventy-two array eyes throughout Anhe Immortal City simultaneously lit up with incomparably dazzling spiritual light!

Countless intricate and mysterious chains of runes emerged and intertwined from the void.
A vast, boundless energy curtain, shimmering with five colors—gold, cyan, blue, red, and yellow—rose slowly from the edge of the city.
It quickly closed in, inverting the entire immortal city within it!

The clear blue sky vanished abruptly...

Instead, a closed world filled with flowing, five-colored light appeared.

A massive, ancient, and awe-inspiring array pressure spread out, making the air thick and heavy. Countless low-level cultivators found it difficult to breathe and their spiritual energy flowed sluggishly.

This is the fourth-tier city-protecting formation—

The power of the Five Elements Heavenly Gang Formation is revealed!

"Leave!"

City Lord He Daoqing roared angrily.

Immediately afterwards, a dazzling cyan beam of light shot out from an ancient mirror magic weapon in his hand, carrying a sharpness and explosive intent that could tear everything apart, and slammed into the back of Zuo Yin Zhenjun!

This strike already contained the full power of an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, and its power was terrifying!
however.

Faced with this attack that was enough to severely injure someone of the same level, Zuo Yin Zhenjun, who was in the escape light ahead, suddenly stopped, halting in the void just before colliding with the closing five-colored sky curtain.

Instead of dodging or avoiding him, he leisurely turned around, looked at He Daoqing who was rushing towards him, and grinned, revealing a mocking and cold smile:

"Lord He, I always plan carefully before I act."

"If I weren't absolutely certain, how dare I provoke you on your own little patch of land?"

With this remark,
As He Daoqing sped along, a sudden sense of foreboding washed over him!
Zuo Yin Zhenjun made a hand seal with one hand, his fingers blooming like lotus flowers, and softly uttered a profound syllable:
"escape!"

Just as the blue beam of light was about to hit his body—

boom!
The figure of Zuo Yin Zhenjun was completely engulfed by the violent blue light, the light exploded, and the space trembled!
But He Daoqing's face showed no joy; instead, it turned ashen instantly.

Because he sensed that the "body" that was struck instantly transformed into the purest spiritual energy, shattering and dissipating inch by inch.

That was actually a "shadow clone" that was so realistic that it contained the essence and blood of the original body!
Almost at the same time...
Outside the immortal city, about a hundred miles away, a faint ripple spread across the void like water.

Immediately afterwards, a figure stepped out of thin air, the dark spiritual light receding, it was none other than the true body of Zuo Yin Zhenjun!
In the very last moment before the city's protective formation was completely closed, his true form had already escaped!
The Left Yin True Lord, who had manifested outside the city, looked back at the enormous immortal city shrouded in five-colored light, his eyes practically overflowing with mockery.
He snorted coldly; his voice wasn't loud, but it clearly penetrated the array's spiritual light and entered the immortal city.

This news also reached the ears of countless cultivators who were paying attention to the matter:

"Humph!

He Daoqing, if it weren't for the fact that you rely on the great array of this immortal city to enjoy the resources of the association, would you, with your cultivation level of just entering the Nascent Soul stage, be worthy of sitting on equal footing with me?
You dare to chase after me?

I will remember this humiliation I have suffered today.

I hope you spend your whole life holed up in this turtle shell and never have to leave the city alone.

otherwise……

"I will make you truly experience the insurmountable gap between the early and middle stages of the Nascent Soul realm!"

The murderous intent was palpable, and the threat was blatant.

however.

What surprised all the spectators, including Zuo Yin Zhenjun himself, was...

The five-colored light screen of Anhe Immortal City rippled slightly, and a figure passed through the formation without any hindrance, standing in mid-air outside the immortal city, facing Zuo Yin Zhenjun across the void.

It was He Daoqing!
He actually chased after them out of the Immortal City.
Knowing that the opponent is in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm and that one's side cannot rely on the power of the great formation?

Zuo Yin Zhenjun was taken aback at first, but then he was delighted instead of alarmed, and a cruel and smug smile appeared on his face, and he put his plan to flee immediately out of his mind.

He turned around leisurely, looking at He Daoqing, who was leaving the city alone, as if he were looking at prey that had walked into a trap:

"Interesting! Very interesting!"
Lord He, you actually dare to chase after this bastard?
Who gave you the courage?
Haha, since that's the case, it saves me the trouble of waiting for another opportunity.

Today, I'll show you, you frog in a well, just how 'powerful' a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator really is!

He deliberately emphasized the word "powerful," and the dark spiritual energy around him began to surge like a boiling abyss.
The terrifying pressure of the mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator was released without reservation, causing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth within a radius of dozens of miles to become disordered.

This moment.

The sky darkened, and faint sounds of ghosts wailing and wolves howling could be heard.

However, facing the murderous and confident Zuo Yin Zhenjun, He Daoqing, standing in mid-air, showed no trace of anger, but instead became indifferent.
Like ancient ice, expressionless.

He spoke slowly, his voice eerily calm:
"Old man Zuo Yin, you don't really think that I, the city lord, have been stationed in Anhe Immortal City for over a hundred years and have been entrusted with important responsibilities by the Cultivator Association, just because of those little tricks I used before, do you?"
If you leave the immortal city, don't look back; immediately flee ten thousand miles away.

"With your mid-stage cultivation level and your sole focus on escaping, this city lord truly has no way to deal with you. The only option is to report to the association and deal with you gradually."

He slightly raised his head, his gaze sharp as lightning, locking onto Zuo Yin Zhenjun:

"But you shouldn't have shown murderous intent towards me after you got away, and you shouldn't have publicly declared that you would seek revenge in the future."

Among the powers and responsibilities granted to the city lord of the Immortal City by the Cultivator Association is one...

"In the event of a major threat that endangers the city lord's life or shakes the foundation of the immortal city, extraordinary authority may be exercised, depending on the severity of the threat, to eliminate it first, and then report it."

He Daoqing's voice suddenly turned sharp, each word like a falling ice bead:

"Since you have cut off your own escape route and have developed a murderous intent towards this city lord, then it is an irreconcilable mortal feud!"
To avoid future sleepless nights and uneasy eating, I'll let you take advantage of this...

Today, I, the city lord, have no choice but to sacrifice a century's worth of contributions and use this 'extraordinary authority' to permanently keep you, this greatest threat, here!

With this remark,
It was like a thunderclap exploding in Zuo Yin Zhenjun's heart!
"Impossible!" Zuo Yin Zhenjun's pupils shrank sharply, and he roared inwardly.

"He has already left the city and cannot use the power of the formation!"
Aside from the formation, what makes him, a mere early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, have the right to keep me here?

Why did you kill me?
bluff!

It's definitely just a bluff, an attempt to scare me off!

However, a sudden and intense warning, originating from the depths of one's soul and unique to cultivators, surged forth without warning!

The feeling of palpitations was like a cold, venomous snake, instantly coiling around his heart and growing stronger with each passing moment!
That was a frantic warning from the unseen divine intuition:
Bad luck! Retreat quickly!

In a flash, countless thoughts swirled in his mind.

This stems from a lack of understanding of He Daoqing's true intentions.
Fear of the secretive methods of the monks' association.

Trust in one's own intuition...

Ultimately, the fear of death overwhelmed the anger.

"go!"

Zuo Yin Zhenjun, being a seasoned demon with countless experiences in combat, acted decisively and said no more.

Even before he could utter any harsh words, the eerie light around him surged to its peak, transforming into a jet-black meteor several times faster than before, about to tear through the sky and flee desperately away from Anhe Immortal City!
What is face, what is revenge, nothing is more important than my own life!

"Want to leave now? Too late."

He Daoqing's eyes were icy cold, as if he were looking at a dead man.

He stopped chasing, and simply slowly raised his right hand, his five fingers spread.

Facing the direction in which True Lord Zuo Yin had fled, he clenched his fist in mid-air and uttered a series of heavy, mountain-like syllables:
"The Immortal City is the foundation, and all living beings are the guide..."

"The Five Elements Borrowing Techniques—The Seal of the City, Gather!"

"Buzz—!!!"

A buzzing sound, as if it were the beginning of the universe, rang out.
Behind it, the majestic Anhe Immortal City trembled violently!

The Five Elements Heavenly Gang Array, which covered the entire city, burst forth with unprecedentedly brilliant light!
Gold, cyan, blue, red, and yellow—five colors of light, like five vast celestial rivers, surged into the sky from all parts of the immortal city. They were no longer simple defensive light screens, but transformed into countless dense torrents of runes containing the ultimate principles of heaven and earth!

These torrents of runes converged, intertwined, and compressed wildly above He Daoqing's head!
Within the immortal city, all cultivators felt the spiritual energy surrounding them.
Even the slightest trace of spiritual power within itself seemed to be drawn, flowing slightly towards the city lord's location and becoming part of the converging torrent.

The power of the entire immortal city has been mobilized!
In the blink of an eye...
An ancient, heavy seal, seemingly bearing the weight of a world, took shape in the air above He Daoqing's palm!
The seal was only about a foot square, and its entire surface shimmered with five-colored light.

On the body of the seal, the faint phantom of the Safe City of Peace and Harmony appears, with mountains and rivers, streets and pavilions, and all kinds of life, vividly depicted.

A terrifying pressure, capable of suppressing and judging everything, permeated the air.

Even Zuo Yin Zhenjun, who had already shot through to a hundred miles away, trembled at this moment.
Even the escaping light paused for a moment!
"This...this is?" Zuo Yin Zhenjun exclaimed in shock.
He finally understood where that deadly crisis came from!
This is no longer a magical treasure, but a 'manifestation' of the power of an immortal city!
"escape?
"I told you, you can't escape."

He Daoqing spoke indifferently, as if stating a given fact.

He didn't glance at the fleeing black dot again, but gently pushed the arm holding the five-colored seal forward.

"go."

call out!
The five-colored seal transformed into a magnificent rainbow that stretched across the heavens and earth, and was released from the hand!

Its speed is beyond description; it seems to disregard spatial distance.

The moment it left its hand, it appeared on the horizon, right in front of Zuo Yin Zhenjun's escape light!
Left Yin True Lord let out a desperate and unwilling roar, frantically activating all his protective magic treasures.

The dim light enveloped him, turning him into a giant black cocoon.

However, before that seemingly gentle, yet actually containing the power of the entire immortal city...

All resistance seemed so pale and powerless.

There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a muffled, deafening roar, as if the heavens and earth were closing in:
boom!!!
The five-colored seal was gently imprinted on the black cocoon of light.

In an instant!
Centered on the point of impact, the void within a ten-mile radius seemed to have become a canvas smeared by an invisible giant hand.

All colors, light, and sound were covered, swallowed, and calmed by the flowing, multicolored radiance.

Looking again...
That void was now completely empty.

There was no flesh and blood, no remnant soul, and no fragments of magical artifacts.

Zuo Yin Zhenjun, this infamous mid-Nascent Soul stage demon, along with all traces of his existence, seemed to have been completely "wiped" away from the world by that seal.

Only the faint, rapidly dissipating fluctuations of the five elements' spiritual energy lingering in the air tell the story of what had just happened.

He Daoqing stood with his hands behind his back in the void, gazing at the sky that had returned to peace. His eyes were deep and unreadable.

The whispered murmur, which only he could hear, drifted away on the wind:
"Old man Zuo Yin, remember this in your next life: the Cultivator Association's foundation is far more terrifying than you imagine."

After standing still for several breaths, confirming that Zuo Yin Zhenjun was completely annihilated, with no possibility of resurrection or escape...
He slowly turned around, looking at the Anhe Immortal City behind him where the spiritual light was gradually subsiding, a clear look of heartache appearing in his eyes:

Damn it!
This time, the highest authority of the city's protective array was used, and the attack consumed 30% of the immortal city's reserve spiritual power.

More importantly, it deducted a full hundred years' worth of association contribution points from this city lord!

Those are contribution points that can be exchanged for Nascent Soul Spiritual Objects, Cultivation Techniques, and Supernatural Powers!

Zuo Yin the old man didn't get a single piece of his spoils...

This is a huge loss, a truly catastrophic one!

He shook his head dejectedly, as if he could still hear the sound of contribution points flowing away.

But soon, he composed himself and his face returned to that of the dignified and imposing city lord of the immortal city.

This matter is settled, and any future troubles have been eliminated!
Although the cost was considerable, it deterred the villains and upheld the authority of the city lord and the laws of the immortal city.

Immediately!

He Daoqing didn't delay any longer, transforming into a streak of azure light and shooting towards the Immortal City.

The five-colored light curtain that enveloped the heavens and earth automatically parted to create a portal as he approached, and after he entered, the radiance quickly dimmed and subsided.

It eventually disappeared completely, as if it had never existed.

In Anhe Immortal City, sunlight once again shone on the streets, and the bustling sounds gradually returned.

The teahouse was completely silent.

After a long while, the old rogue cultivator slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, his voice hoarse:

"See that?"
This is the foundation of the Cultivator's Association.

A short, stout monk suddenly moved closer, his face turning deathly pale with fear, a look of terror appearing in his small eyes. He whispered in agreement:
"Even a Nascent Soul cultivator was caught!"
Once this news spreads, no cultivator in the world will dare to cause trouble within the Immortal City again.

Upon hearing this...

A cultivator dressed in a blue robe and resembling a scholar replied:
That's true.

He paused, a hint of apprehension flashing in his eyes:
"This is a mid-stage Nascent Soul expert!"
At least in the future, mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators will definitely not dare to make a move within the Immortal City.

Even a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator would be wary.

"Not bad!" The old rogue cultivator nodded slightly.

"That's natural!"

That attack directly annihilated a mid-stage Nascent Soul expert.
Ordinary late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators couldn't achieve this level of skill. How could you not be wary?

"I estimate that even a half-saint senior would have some reservations in the Immortal City."

That attack was truly beyond our wildest imagination.

"···"

...(End of this chapter)