Only when Ouyang turned back and returned to his initial position that every single person gasped in amazement.

They had heard of the famous Hengduan Sect but they did not believe that Ye family had a relationship with it.

“And after looking at your attire, are you perhaps wanted to announce something after this is done?” asked Ouyang to Ye Canghai before he returned.

Even without Ye Canghai’s answer, Ouyang already knew that Ye Canghai was going to be the new patriarch for Ye family.

‘That armor...is the same in the description from Sect Leader Zuo Kai. That is the...’

“That Dragon Commander Armor, I did not expect for you to wear it on this occasion.” When Ouyang faced Ye Canghai and Ye Guhan at his original position, he said it with a nod.

“Dragon...Commander...Armor!?” many elders shouted in shock. They had heard about the armor from mouth to mouth, especially from previous generation mouth too.

“Is it truly Dragon Commander Armor? I hope it is real.” Bai Zhen became skeptical and raised one of his eyebrows. For someone at the early stage of Nascent Soul to wear the armor was a little unexciting.

“Didn't you hear what that Ouyang said? If he said it is real then it has to be real.” Another elder spoke.

Ouyang was someone from Hengduan Sect and to make him able to come with them was a rare occurrence already. Furthermore, Hengduan Sect was a power that experienced the war of the world two hundred years ago! They had vast experience and records regarding Forged Weapon, Special Cauldron, Advanced Formation, even the information about Body Constitution and Bloodline Power they also had the records.

“But..but isn't that armor something that only appears during the last war? How can someone has it?”

Hearing that those representatives did not even know the existence of Dragon Commander Armor, Ye Canghai understood that Ye Shui only wore it when he battled at the last war. But there were some comments that made his eyes narrowed because the comments were unintentionally hurting his heart.

“Don’t listen to them. It is just father in law intentionally hid that fact from them.” Seeing Ye Canghai expression slightly changed, Yu Feng reminded him from the side.

Ye Canghai turned his head and body, to face his beloved wife directly before saying, “Thank You.”

His eyes softened when he did that and even Ouyang was surprised to see that. He had never expected that the middle-aged man whose body wore Dragon Commander Armor could be so caring to the one close to him openly.

“As expected from the first son of the Dragon Commander, even what Sect Leader Zuo Kai had mentioned about him is true in this aspect.” Ouyang muttered.

Nearly all the representatives almost popped their eyes to see the armor Ye Canghai was wearing. This scene happened only an instant as they returned to their stoic and flat expression.

“Now I only want both sides to reach the best possible result. I can begin with the one who had suffered first.” Ouyang said. Despite he was the spokesperson for the representatives but he was actually rather neutral in this so he wanted to hear what the mayor had to say.

“Then many thanks to Senior Ouyang.” Li Dian smiled in return while clasped his hands. He felt the pressure emitted from the elders and Ouyang, as his sweat started to accumulate but he endured it.

“So it went like this. Part of the Cleansing Ancient Sect openly declared their intention to us to occupy this place. Not only they did so but they also did it in the worst possible of time.” Li Dian started to narrate.

“To defend against it, some senior kindly helped my city and as you all know laid a powerful formation inside the city. This formation is the one that caused people from your side fell to our hands.” Li Dian only knew about it but he did not know what kind of formation that protected his city.

“What do you mean by declaring our intention? It was as if you already sure that our side is preparing for something.” An elder spoke up and dissatisfaction was written all over his face.

“Please listen to our explanation first, esteemed elder.” It was someone from Li Dian's side.

“Indeed, what you are saying is true about us but the fact that the entire continent in turmoil is the best proof from this. Don't you agree?” said Ye Canghai.

“What do you mean? I can't understand what you want to say.” Said Bai Zhen.

“Is this the elder from yesterday?” Ye Canghai smiled brilliantly and friendly before he continued, “Then it is simple, don't harm anyone from this city anymore.”

“Hmph, what is the meaning of this? We did not even harm anyone here.” Displeasure and discontent, that was the face Bai Zhen made.

“Can't you understand what he means or should I present something for all the people to see?” this time Li Dian irritated but he also understood that he only had the advantages due to the fact that they were in his city.

“Bring them here. Let me see what they have to explain.” Li Dian ordered his subordinate.

“Interesting.” When Yi Xiaodie saw the scene, she took a cup of tea and enjoyed everything it contains. She had heard about some people that got arrested by the mayor.

“Apparently, I heard that some people the mayor's adopted son has come from the powerful sect and the representatives are here. What do you think?” Manstein knew about that matter but he wanted to hear an opinion or two about it from another person.

“They definitely do that kind of things. But your family openly said it, will this not affect those elders?” putting down the cup of tea, Yi Xiaodie frowned.

“It definitely affects them. It is just you know it yourself what sort of person the people in this city, right.” Manstein looked at both sides but his lips were struggling whether to smile or to purse.

After a minute, there was a small group came. Li Dian then said, “Do any of the representatives recognize them? If so then come forward.”

From behind Li Dian, Luo Mang recognized those people. They wore the clothes that belonged to the Seven Color Sect and their clothes were red colored.

‘So they are here the whole time I don't see them?’ Luo Mang had never expected them to come to the city and got arrested.

“They are...” this time it was someone among the group of the elders that had his face turn dark.

“Their presence here is one thing but to think that they dare to touch their hands on my people, can someone please explain this?” Li Dian stared directly at every single person in front of him.

“Wait a moment. What do they do to make you so angry?” seeing the eyes of Li Dian which showed how much anger he held made Ouyang spoke.

“Nothing much but entice my family.” Li Dian said with a rather cold tone. He felt displeasure even though he said it without hesitation. And Li Dian also knew that some people from Cleansing Ancient Sect attacked Ye Family but failed and he did not tell anyone about it.

It was because Ye Canghai and Ye Guhan told him not to divulge about it. Furthermore, those people were already eliminated and not even their remains exist. The people which that man brought to Li Dian that day now currently behind him.

“They are the culprit for what was happened to my family. Now, do you have anything to say about this?” asked Li Dian.

“Looks like this time negotiation is bad. Not only you attacked them but you also did not carefully control your subordinates and disciple. This is really hard for us.” Ouyang turned his head and said to the people behind him.

As a spokesperson, he ought to lend them a hand in this case. But Ouyang also remembered that his sect leader reprimanded him many times not to do anything that harmed the people in this southeast region nor to this city.

“How about we first discuss the very problem that caused this? It's about some people that you hold in your hands now.” Said Ouyang to Li Dian.

“Very well. If you are talking about them then they are here already as they watch us speaking right now around the outer perimeter.” Replied Li Dian.

All of them knew about it, that their talented disciples were watching them. But when Li Dian said it right to them, it was intended for the people of the city.

“Now strictly speaking, I can hand them over to you easily or I can make it hard for you. It's your choice that will decide that so consider it carefully.” When saying that, Li Dian cast his gaze to every elder as if trying to find something.

“So you are already to the point..” hearing that made both Bai Zhen and Ouyang had a better impression of Li Dian. At least he did not make things hard for now.

But of course the rest of them had to hear the condition first. That was why they tensed up, they did not have many options in this case and they became more cautious.

“Then you better said your condition first. We are here in your designated location, you have to say it first.” Ouyang relayed the intention of the representatives behind him.

“If you insist.” Li Dian nodded his head before he continued, “First, remove anything that related to your respective sects and power from the city.”

“Everything? Do you mean every single thing that related to us?” Bai Zhen knew that they would ask this but he could not help but to twitch his face. It meant that they would lose their intelligent network from the city and not only that but they would also lose their connection to the city.

This intelligent network was the one that provided them with some information about the condition of Xuan City. This was also included several other cities across the continent and losing them meant that they could not possibly know what would happen in the city afterward.

But on the other hand, they would only lose information about an insignificant city in the southeast region if they agreed to this. Sadly, they could not lose their network now that Xuan City had something that completely unknown to them.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

‘This is frustrating to me. What should I decide?’ that was the thought on the representatives’ head right now.

“I told you already so I have no need to repeat myself.” Li Dian could only shake his head before he continued, “But the second condition will be spoken by the patriarch of Ye Family.”

“So this is not only implicated your family and citizen but also the people of Ye Family?” Ouyang raised his brows and frowned. He did not expect it to reach this already.

The people of the city, along with the mayor and his family were connected with Ye Family thus harming them would also harming Ye family but now that all of them were implicated, it would be harder to get the best result.

“I don't ask much but for a certain people to attack my family, I can't let them off too lightly.” This time it was Ye Canghai turn to speak. His gaze pierced straight to the people from Cleansing Ancient Sect. And at the same time, they also saw that gaze filled with anger. Even everyone from the family stared straight at them.

It was an intense stare even for someone like Bai Zhen who had seen many things. He snorted in irritation when he realized the strange behavior of the people from Ye Family the other day.

‘So it is someone from my sect? Then it should already happen before this. And I still don't get what I wanted.’

Then after a few seconds Bai Zhen spoke, “Then what is your demand?”

“As long as you compensate in exchange for the people you wanted to take, that is my condition. Just think that this is like the prisoners that want their freedom and I am the one who will talk about their price.” And when Ye Canghai opened his mouth, he said it loud and clear.

And he also remembered that this method was used when he saw some prisoners after the war. Some of the prisoners would be returned to the enemies side with the requisition that the opposite side had to pay a certain amount of price.

That was not the only reason Ye Canghai said that but he also knew that his own growth became stagnant due to unspeakable reason now but for his sons and the generation after him, their growth was rather fast. So they needed more resources than himself to increase their cultivation.

This idea was also proposed by Ye Guhan and surprisingly their thought was the same, even Manstein agreed to the idea although he worried about something else.

‘Now that Uncle said those words, those representatives will surely think about it. The problem is that the old geezers won't give in easily as there is something that can be exploited through this statement alone.’ Manstein watched the facial expression from both sides attentively.

And while he watched them, Manstein did not forget to keep his breathing rhythm in check. Due to the limited time, Manstein could only absorb a small amount of energy from the golden core and that amount were enough to propel him to the peak of Qi Condensation stage level 1.

By circulating his energy and doing breathing technique, he increased his chance to break through that layer, entering the second level by his own effort.

That was his own training in progress but Manstein had to hear what the elders would say about those conditions. After he made sure that his breathing was the same rhythm as the technique, he shifted his focus once again.

‘You have some difficulties in this one. But that is where the best part of this lies, the part where your body started to memorize your breathing, your breath contained more Qi and then the part where you realize that your breath already differs from the beginning.’

As Manstein had to keep his breathing in check, Alice watched everything that he had done. The movement of his cell did not escape from her observation either.

‘Blood Vein and Spiritual Vein, those two are close to each other and somehow affect each other in a cyclic manner. Now is the time for him to feel it.’

Manstein focused his sight to the front of him where Li Dian stood silently and then he felt his view started to become clearer. That made Manstein blinked his eyes in surprise.

“My sight become much sharper than before. What is happening?” Manstein thought to himself.

“Wait, is this because of the accumulative effect from my cultivation and breathing technique? Am I right Alice?”

Actually Manstein had guessed it more or less but to make sure he asked Alice to confirm his thought.

“What do you think? Is it good?” she asked coyly.

“Hmm, it's pretty good. Sadly I am even sure that this effect is accumulative and I need time to nourish my body this way.” Manstein nodded happily. He had read about this actually but experiencing it by his own body and with his own perspective, that was totally different.

That he experienced what was written in the record by himself, it was the thing he was happy about. This experience would not be able to be shared with the others even if he wanted to.

“I started to see something else, oh wait...” Manstein shifted his gaze to the elders that were floating above and he could feel and see their energy emanating from their body clearer.

“..looks like I started to see their estimate cultivation by the power they emitted. Most of them are Nascent Soul Cultivators due to the leak of their soul force.”

Manstein blinked his eyes once again. Initially, he could not even see or feel their cultivation and he only knew about their cultivation stage due to the help of his device and Alice. Other than that, he did not even know what power the people he saw was. But he was definitely sure the people he encountered were high in their power attainment.

“Good, this is faster than I anticipated.” Alice congratulates him. In fact, she knew that Manstein would develop this kind of sensation faster but only after a day of entering the initial stage, his body started to adapt and could sense the danger and power from other people.

‘Perhaps the sense of battle and his special condition can make this happen.’ Thought Alice behind her amazement.

Since Manstein had taken the lives of others in his earlier day as a little kid, his sense of danger and awareness was raised to the highest level possible. This perhaps was the reason why his body adapted much faster to sense the power others had and thus increasing his survivability.

‘Other than his condition, I can't think of any reason for this to happen.’

While each person had something on their mind, it was not the case for the two people who had been watching the scene from the beginning. Their position was the farthest possible from the center of the city and that was enough for them to be safe for a moment.

“They truly came. Perhaps what they wanted is not only some of the talented disciple that got caught but something else.” Between the two, the person who spoke was a woman.

Her eyes were looking at the distance, where both sides met. She shifted her gaze to the person among them and sighed. Her sigh was filled with helplessness and regret but no one would understand what kind of hardship the woman had.

“Something else?” beside the woman, a young woman also looked at the center of the city but she became absent-minded when the woman mentioned the word ‘something else'.

“You don't understand about this yet. I think that they are also looking for him.” When the woman mentioned the person, she became restless.

“Him? Does Aunt mean they are currently looking for him? But why?” the young woman worried about it as well.

These two people were no other than Zhao Feiwu and Zhao Zhi. Both of them were actually looking for someone but they did not find him.

“This lady already searched everywhere inside the city and I even looked at the place where his group has gone but there are only scattered beasts along the location and a large tree with its bark formed a small hole.” Said Zhao Feiwu dejected.

“So we cannot inform him about our situation at all?” Zhao Zhi frowned as her gaze focused on a figure at the center of the city. The figure she looked at was actually Ye Guhan.

She knew that even if her second aunt did not like the relationship between Ye Guhan and her third aunt but in the end they had a connection after all. Especially after Zhao Feiwu, who still reluctant to accept that fact knew about Ye Xiaobai.

That matter was really big for her family. Not because her third aunt Zhao Xiu had a child or because she fell in love with someone with lower status but because her child was male.

‘Even in our family tree, there is a little chance for a male to be born and our current situation proved that fact.’ Thought Zhao Feiwu. But she could not let her guard down because first, she did not find Ye Xiaobai and second, she was afraid the current situation would become worse.

“We really cannot make contact with him. Even Ye Guhan doesn't know his whereabouts.” Zhao Feiwu replied and shook her head in resignation.

“Then those elders that became representatives there, is their purpose is to...” when Zhao Zhi thought about it a bit further, she almost jumped straight from her position and asked Ye Guhan himself to find Ye Xiaobai.

“Don't worry about that. They have to be careful here. After all, there's someone strong with the formation in this city. With that kind of threat, would those elders dare to say their intention?” Zhao Feiwu sneered before she continued, “Besides, someone who has controlled Ye Xiaobai already regretted his own decision not to tell his elders.”

Then with a flip of her hands, a certain flag on came out from thin air. And when Zhao Feiwu willed it, something came out from the flagon. The thick white mist was flowing out from the flagon and it started to gather at a certain point in time. After a blink of an eye, a figure emerged within the white mist.

“Who is this person?” asked Zhao Zhi.

“Hmph, obviously the person that harmed Ye Xiaobai. And interestingly, she did all of that just because she had to separate him from his friend.” Zhao Feiwu understood some of it now. Adding to the fact that Ye Guhan had given her additional viewpoint from his son and his own conjecture, she started to look for this person she held.

“You...are you saying that person has connection with this senior here.” The figure within the mist said with her voice trembled, she seemed afraid of Zhao Feiwu.

“He has connection with me, yes. But do you think that will cause me to destroy your fleshly body just because I know him?” said Zhao Feiwu in a calm and graceful demeanor but anyone obviously could see that her tone was cold and sharp, with a disdain gaze looking at the figure in the mist.

“No, not only because you harm that person but also you are also someone he has affection with. But that is still fine until you worked for a certain someone.” Only after she said the entire words that Zhao Feiwu shook her head in disappointment.

“If my sect knows about this, you will get a hard time. Even if you are someone from the royal family, you think that you are safe?” the figure said in a fit of anger.

“Eh? So you and your respective sect have something up.” From the side, Zhao Zhi looked at the figure and smiled.

“Of course she has. Otherwise, she would be scared the moment This Lady captured her.” Zhao Feiwu already knew about it but she did not know for sure what it was. One thing for certain was that the figure was related to someone powerful, truly powerful.

Even Zhao Feiwu herself became clear about this the moment she received something from Ye Guhan. Though between her and Ye Guhan existed a disharmony, in the end they had to care about something bigger thus they had to rely on each other.

‘I am afraid that Ye Xiaobai's existence has already been found. I told you many times how useless it is for you and your sisters to hide it from the emperor.

‘But the worst thing you all did was to let one of your own sisters face that thing while I am unable to even help! That is why I am so angry when I remember this and perhaps blaming everyone including myself.’ When she recalled the voice of that man full of blame and agony, Zhao Feiwu could only compensate this by her action.

‘So I cannot forgive you but still, I will not hate you for that. It's in the past and that already happened long ago. I only wanted you to be careful with your own family. You can feel their movement as I record this.’ This was what Zhao Feiwu had heard when they exchanged the item and she could not help but recall it.

‘Remember to bring your family members, including that young lady Zhao Zhi away.’ And that was the end of the voice. Zhao Feiwu did just like that and even Ye Guhan made it easy for her to get Zhao Zhi.

After that, she turned her head and gazed at the place where the elders from the distance.

“Well, can you accept our condition?” after waiting for a while, it should be the time for those representatives to get their opinions and answers to a mutual agreement. Therefore, Ye Guhan spoke up this time.

“Yes, this should be enough for you all to get your answer. Then without further ado, please state your side's stance.” Ouyang urged them to said their reply.

Because of that, another person came to the front. Ye Guhan frowned and then sent a transmission to Ye Canghai, “Do you see that person? That is the person I am talking about before.”

“Who? Is it that person you are talking about when we arrive here?” Ye Canghai had to confirm this again.

“Yes. And you know it yourself who he is right?” Ye Guhan swept his glance at Ye Canghai quickly before he returned his gaze to the person that came out.

“So it turned out to be that person. Why have your body become stiff?” at the same time, Yu Feng looked at the person Ye Guhan mentioned and she just treated it like an everyday matter.

And at the same time, Ye Canghai realized that person was not looking at him at all times. Initially, he thought that because of his outfit, he would become the center of attention and that person was attracted to his armor but when Ye Canghai checked, he realized a subtle thing he almost missed to notice.

That person's eyes were on the person slightly behind him. And at this time Ye Canghai became curious and after the statement Yu Feng made, he was looking at the reaction of that person.

“Greetings to the Mayor of Xuan City.” That person spoke politely before he also greeted both Ye Canghai and Ye Guhan.

“And greetings to this lady here...” and then even everyone could notice that person specifically greeted Yu Feng.

“Then I have to return your greetings too. It's been a long time and unexpectedly you become Seven Color Sect master.” In the same manner, Yu Feng replied in return with utmost politeness.

“That person is someone that Aunt knows?” this time even Manstein had to face this matter seriously.

‘Based on what I know after what Wang Yu had told me, the Seven Color Sect is a newly established sect after the war of the worlds. But to think that the sect leader himself come as a representative, what does this mean?’ inside Manstein's consciousness, Alice smiled with a thoughtful look as she could see the event clearly.