Cloud Margin City, Wen Clan.
"Clan leader, Cloud Dragon Town has canceled our partnership and is going to stop buying weapons from us."
"Clan leader, the Tang Clan has canceled the purchasing contract with us. They are even demanding that we refund their deposit."
"Clan leader, the weapon sale in the city has stopped completely. Even after dropping the price, nobody is buying from us."
...
Wen Dongyou listened to the reports streaming in with an ashen face.
He smashed a cup on the ground before roaring furiously, "Scram! All of you, scram! I don't want to hear any reports for now!"
The servants quickly retreated while the Wen Clan brothers arrived silently.
"Father," Wen Jinrui and Wen Jinnuo greeted their father.
When Wen Dongyou saw his sons, he became even angrier. "You useless bastards! You still have the guts to show your face here? Get your ass back to the Cloud Margin Pavilion and focus on cultivation. Don't come see me before reaching the King Realm."
Each time Wen Dongyou recalled how his two sons were detained at the auction house, he felt extremely embarrassed. The event had turned the Wen Clan into the city's laughing stock.
More importantly, the Wen Clan had also become a target of the Cloud Margin Forging Pavilion's suppression. They had to wait until their ancestor left his secluded cultivation before they could start negotiating with the pavilion and try reversing the situation.
"Father, please calm your anger. It is not worth harming your body from anger because of something like this," Wen Jinrui advised. He continued, "That fellow has just left the restaurant. He is probably heading out to search for the earthcore fire."
Wen Dongyou narrowed his eyes. "That Overlord Xiang bastard?"
"That's right. Father, we can immediately send some people to capture him. Everything he has will be ours, and we can also vent our anger on him," Wen Jinrui said.
Wen Jinnuo also spoke with murderous intent, "That's right. We can't let him continue living. Him living is a symbol of disgrace for our Wen Clan."
Wen Dongyou pondered for a bit before a ruthless glint surfaced on his eyes. "You two will stay out of this. Return to the Cloud Margin Pavilion immediately. That bastard won't live to see the sun tomorrow."
...
Meanwhile, Xiang Shaoyun, Gong Qinyin, Mo Mo, and a few Transformation Realm experts of the Gong Clan were heading outside Cloud Margin City. They were heading toward an area bordering the Cloud Tiger Town and Cloud Dragon Town. That was where the millennium earthcore fire was located.
Both Cloud Tiger Town and Cloud Dragon Town were among the top towns under Cloud Margin City. As for the Cloud Tiger Palace and Cloud Dragon Pavilion, both had numerous experts as well.
The millennium earthcore fire was initially something the two academies fought for, but after the Cloud Margin Pavilion found out about it, the earthcore fire no longer had anything to do with them.
Fortunately, Cloud Margin Pavilion had ultimately decreed that anyone below the King Realm would be allowed to hunt for the earthcore fire. They called it giving the youngsters a chance, but in truth, it was merely an act of turning the place into a training ground for their disciples.
Xiang Shaoyun only found out that five Transformation Realm experts had been sent by Gong Lianda to help with the millennium earthcore fire when he was leaving the city. Gong Qinyin was apologetic as she said, "The millennium earthcore fire is too important. Our Gong Clan will give our all to get it."
"Um, I guess that's good as well. Only the capable will be able to get it anyway," Xiang Shaoyun said.
It did not matter how many Transformation Realm experts the Gong Clan sent. After all, even without them, there would still be other Transformation Realm experts fighting over the earthcore fire with him. In any case, all he had to do was try his best. About half a day after they set off, someone suddenly flew toward them from the sky.
"Overlord Xiang, die!" the newcomer was already shouting when he was up in the air. Like a hawk, he dove straight down at Xiang Shaoyun.
"A King!" Xiang Shaoyun immediately felt a great sense of crisis. But it was impossible for him to dodge a sudden attack of a King. Numerous escape plans surfaced in his mind, but he ultimately found that before absolute strength, all his tricks were nothing.
Even so, he wouldn't stand there and wait for his death. His nine stars, lightning bone, and Nether Soul Domain all fully activated as he braced himself to face the incoming attack with his full strength. Right this moment, a figure suddenly flew over from a different direction and sent an attack at the King Realm cultivator.
Rumble!
The King Realm cultivator wasn't even able to react before he was struck and sent flying far away. It was unknown if he had survived the attack. Xiang Shaoyun, Gong Qinyin, and the others were all stunned to see the sudden change.
The King was instantly beaten away with only a single move. That was something none of them had expected. Xiang Shaoyun could not understand who that person was. Was it someone from the Cloud Margin Forging Pavilion? Or was it someone from the Gong Clan?
Both seemed unlikely. He wasn't that close with the Cloud Margin Forging Pavilion yet. As for the Gong Clan, it wouldn't be easy for them to send an expert capable of instantly killing a King Realm cultivator.
When Xiang Shaoyun looked over, he only saw a figure streaking toward the King Realm cultivator who had been sent flying. That person did not return.
Who could it be? Xiang Shaoyun wondered inwardly. He thought about Duo Ji, who used to protect him in the dark, but from the person's outline, it was definitely not Duo Ji.
"Sure enough, you have an extraordinary background," Gong Qinyin whispered into Xiang Shaoyun's ear.
Xiang Shaoyun smiled bitterly. "If I tell you I have no idea who that is, would you believe me?"
Gong Qinyin rolled her eyes.
Xiang Shaoyun couldn't be bothered to explain himself. He said, "Let's speed up. After arriving, it is better for us to go separate ways. I will only bring you more trouble if we stay together."
"Do you think I would be afraid of trouble? Are you looking down on me?" Gong Qinyin asked.
Xiang Shaoyun was speechless. He found that Gong Qinyin was quite a loyal girl. They increased their speed, and the Gong Clan people no longer dared to be rude toward Xiang Shaoyun. In fact, when they looked at him now, admiration could be seen in their eyes.
When they were sent by the clan, Gong Lianda had already told them to take care of Xiang Shaoyun whenever possible. At first, they had found it unacceptable. After all, in their eyes, Xiang Shaoyun was someone unrelated to them.
But now, they found that Xiang Shaoyun did not even need them. They should be the ones hoping that Xiang Shayun would take care of them. After two and a half days, they finally arrived near the Flame Mountain. Nobody else had gotten in their way. Thus, they were able to arrive smoothly.
The so-called Flame Mountain was merely a dormant volcano that had suddenly erupted, turning the area surrounding the volcano into a burning wasteland. From far away, the only thing one could see was a sea of flame. It was quite a breathtaking scene. Just as they were about to proceed, a group suddenly blocked their way.