"Alright, House Lord Li, I think that’s enough. This young man doesn’t seem to have any grudges with you all, so let’s just drop the matter," said the Qingcheng City Lord.

Then, looking at Wang Yufan, he said, "Young Master Wang, are you interested in coming to my City Lord’s Mansion for a chat? I have something I’d like to discuss with you. Do you have some free time?" Hearing the Qingcheng City Lord’s words, Wang Yufan nodded, thinking it would be fine to go. He had just arrived in the Primordial Spirit Realm and didn’t understand it very well, so he happened to need someone to explain things to him. The Qingcheng City Lord was definitely a good choice.

"Alright, I accept."

Upon hearing Wang Yufan’s reply, the Qingcheng City Lord appeared very pleased.

"Good, then without further ado, let’s depart now."

Wang Yufan nodded. Just before leaving, Wang Yufan looked at Li Ying, who was standing in front of the Wang family’s main hall, and said, "You decide your own matters. Your own happiness needs to be grasped by yourself; that is a major event concerning your entire life. Also, thank you for bringing me here. If you ever have difficulties in the future, you can find me, Wang Yufan. Alright, until we meet again."

After Wang Yufan finished speaking, he and the Qingcheng City Lord left the area.

House Lord Li’s eyes were filled with anger, never expecting to be made to look like this by a junior today.

Just as he was fuming, a round of applause rang out.

"Clap, clap, clap."

House Lord Li looked towards the source of the sound and saw a middle-aged man in a black robe walking over with four or five guards.

"Wang Family’s second son, City Lord Wang Ling. What are you doing at my Li Residence?" House Lord Li said.

"House Lord Li, you’re overstating it. I’m not here at the Li Residence; I was just wandering around nearby. This isn’t your Wang family’s territory, are you being a bit too overbearing? Besides, in five days, we’ll be in-laws. Why do you have to be like this? Won’t it be better when your obedient daughter marries my nephew? Hahaha," said Wang family’s second son, City Lord Wang Ling.

"Hmph, that’s still five days from now; it doesn’t count yet. What’s more, in five days, it will be the time for our Qingcheng’s talent selection. My nephew’s talent will definitely take first place, but your daughter’s talent is also quite good. It will be truly wonderful when they tie the knot then."

City Lord Wang Ling of the Wang family said.

However, at this moment, Li Ying loudly declared, "I will decide my own happiness! I will not go to your Wang family!"

"Oh? That’s not up to you. This is an agreement between your father and my elder brother, and the City Lord also supports it. I don’t need to tell you the consequences of breaching the contract, do I? At that time, it won’t just be you, it’s very possible that your Li family..." City Lord Wang Ling didn’t finish his sentence.

But everyone in the Li Residence felt a sense of threat.

After City Lord Wang Ling finished speaking, he turned and left. House Lord Li took a deep breath and dismissed the onlookers. Then he looked at Li Ying; he originally wanted to confine Li Ying, but when he thought of the fate she might face, he couldn’t bear to.

"Fushan, take Young Miss to rest. Let me be alone for a while."

Upon hearing this, Fushan walked to Li Ying’s side. Looking at the young girl, who had just turned eighteen, and the things she was about to face, he too found it hard to speak of his troubles.

"Let’s go, Young Miss. Go back and rest for a bit. Today’s events were a bit unexpected," Fushan said.

"Uncle Fu, do you also think I should marry into that Wang family?" Li Ying said, her eyes fixed on Fushan.

Fushan, however, remained silent, for he did not know how to answer.

From the perspective of the family’s safety, she absolutely had to marry, but from a personal standpoint, this was forcing someone to do something against their will. In the current situation, no one could easily change things, unless their Li family could speak in Qingcheng without anyone daring to refute them, but that was impossible.

At the same time, in the City Lord’s Mansion of Qingcheng.

Wang Yufan had already arrived here. The Qingcheng City Lord led Wang Yufan into the guest room to sit down.

"May I ask, City Lord, what you wished to speak with me about?" Wang Yufan asked.

"Hahaha, no need to rush. I haven’t even introduced myself yet. I am Duan Chenghai, the City Lord of Qingcheng. May I ask your esteemed name, Gongzi?" 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"My name is Wang Yufan, merely a rogue cultivator."

"Hahaha, I don’t believe it. A genius like Young Master Wang, with such talent and capable of fighting above his cultivation realm, is truly rare. Although our Qingcheng also has some promising young talents like Young Master Wang, they cannot achieve cross-realm combat like you. I called Gongzi here today because I want you to help me with something.

However, this help won’t be in vain. As long as Young Master Wang can assist us, whether you succeed or not, we will still compensate you," Duan Chenghai said.

"Oh, then please tell me, City Lord, what kind of help do you need me to provide?" Wang Yufan said.

Upon hearing this, Duan Chenghai’s expression became serious.

"Presumably, the matter you and Li Qing, that is, House Lord Li, argued about today, must be his daughter marrying into the Wang family. And my City Lord’s Mansion supports the Wang family. I know Wang Yufan might feel that my City Lord’s Mansion’s actions are unfair, but this is unavoidable." Wang Yufan did not interrupt Duan Chenghai’s words. Duan Chenghai continued:

"Our Qingcheng is merely a small city under the Mingyue Empire. For the Mingyue Empire, small cities like ours are dispensable. However, every year, the Mingyue Empire conducts a talent selection, distributing a certain amount of cultivation resources based on each city’s ranking. Our Qingcheng has been at the bottom in recent years, and our cultivation resources are the fewest."

Upon hearing this, Wang Yufan interjected, saying:

"Don’t you go out and find these cultivation resources yourselves? What are the main cultivation resources here?"

Hearing Wang Yufan’s words, Duan Chenghai also shook his head.

"Young Master Wang, you’re overthinking it. The cultivation resources we use are basically all provided by the Mingyue Empire. As for the cultivation resources you just mentioned, doesn’t everyone know about them? There are Divine Crystal mines near our Qingcheng, but we cannot mine them privately; we must have the Mingyue Empire’s permission. And the Mingyue Empire determines the amount of Divine Crystals given to us based on our ranking in the annual talent selection.

As for why my City Lord’s Mansion would allow the Li family to marry off their daughter, this was originally an agreement between their two families. However, that son of the Wang family, besides having excellent talent and cultivation, has extremely poor character. Li Qing initially did not want Li Ying to marry into the Wang family. The Wang family came to request our City Lord’s Mansion to intervene, so the Li family slowly compromised."

Listening to Duan Chenghai’s words, Wang Yufan thoughtfully said, "So, you’re planning to have that young man from the Wang family participate in this grand competition held by the Mingyue Empire?"

Duan Chenghai nodded.

"But I think that Li family’s daughter’s talent is also quite good; she’s currently at the early True Immortal stage, which is considered decent, right?"

"Yes, but compared to Wang Ke of the Wang family, Li Ying is still a bit lacking. Wang Ke’s strength is at the Half-Step God Venerable Realm, and each city can only send one person to participate, so I chose Wang Ke."