Inside the Holy City, within the City Lordâs Mansion.
Li Xiaobai was swimming about in the bathhouse, having sheared a big handful of wool in the first battlefield, his heart brimming with joy.
âYoung Master Liâs bathhouse is truly comfortable. After soaking for two days straight, the speed at which my Spiritual Power increases is on par with a month of hard cultivation. Such a place is even superior to those famous sectsâ Spiritual Springs.â
âIf such a bathhouse was built within a sect, I fear it would not take a hundred years to secure a foothold on the Immortal Spirit Continent and join the ranks of the top powers.â
Song Que had been full of praise for the bathhouse these past two days. With a significant rise in his Spiritual Power, this sensation of rapid cultivation progress made him feel as though he was back to his youthful days, when he was a prodigy and cultivation was as simple as eating and drinking. However, later on, each step of progress required a huge price to pay.
The chance to freely and unconditionally increase his cultivation level now gave him a sense of surrealism.
In this world, there actually exists such a miraculous item!
âHehe, if the elder likes it, from now on I will specially build a bathhouse just for the elder, guaranteed to be more effective than this one.â
Li Xiaobai chuckled.
The rate of cultivation level improvement with Tangneng First-class depends on the simplicity of the bathhouse. The more rudimentary it is built, the lesser the effect. Conversely, the more magnificent the bathhouse, the more rocket-like the growth in Spiritual Power for the cultivators inside.
âThis bathhouse is not bad. Iâll get one for Old Scavenger as well, and itâs not troublesome, just build it inside the Holy Demon Sect.â
Old Scavenger also came up with a smile, his expression somewhat lecherous.
âYou old reprobate not shaking the green lotus, what face do you have to come and ask for a bathhouse?â
âYoung Master Liâs bathhouse is meant to be built for me, you have no share in it, scram!â
A hint of anger flashed in Song Queâs eyes as he snorted coldly.
âHehe, Old Song, after all, who are we to each other? Itâs just a simple bathhouse. Since you want it, Old Scavenger will do you a favor and give it to you!â
Old Scavenger waved his hand, speaking very magnanimously.
Song Que was so infuriated his nose was nearly crooked, and due to the old manâs antics, the bathhouse that hadnât been built yet now seemed like it was his gift.
To unwittingly accept such a favor was like taking advantage of oneself, wasnât it?
âReport!â
âCity Lord Mei and City Lord Wang request an audience outside the hall!â
Outside the hall, the cultivator who came to report spoke loudly. The frequency of reporting had been relatively high recently, after all, it was an eventful season.
Li Xiaobaiâs eyes lit up.
âHehe, it looks like there are problems with the shops in the first battlefield, and they canât find a solution, so they want to come to the Holy City to probe for information.â
âHmm, Young Master Li is prescient. Quickly invite the two City Lords in for a chat!â
Yang Guang was also in a very good mood. It was a rare sight to see the first and second battlefields at a disadvantage.
âYou all seem to be in high spirits, but now that Flesh Mountain is about to revive, isnât such leisure perhaps a bit negligent?â
At the entrance, Mei Changqing and Wang Guan stepped in slowly, their brows furrowing at the scene before them.
Billowing steam, a comfortable bathhouseâthe entire Council Hall had transformed. The solemnity and tension from a few days prior had vanished, replaced only by idleness and sloth.
âSo, City Lord Mei has arrived. We have certainly not been negligent, I believe you both have already heard some rumors about the Holy City. We havenât stopped cultivating for a moment.â
Yang Guang said with a smile.
âHeh heh, indeed, I have heard that the Holy City has completely changed its appearance. Now it seems it truly has changed, become lazy, its edges smoothed by the material world.â
Mei Changqing sneered.
âThis bathhouse, and Huazi, I believe are essentially harmful to cultivators. On the surface, they indeed seem to enhance the cultivation level of cultivators, but over time, the cultivators will develop a strong dependence on them. If supply cannot meet demand in the future, will the cultivators still cultivate, will they still go to the battlefield?â
âTangneng First-class and the quality goods shops are gradually eroding the fighting spirit of the cultivators, slowly making their paths to increasing their cultivation level uniform. Young Master Li, by doing this, you are trying to monopolize the cultivation market of all cultivators. In the future, if cultivators want to cultivate, they will surely turn to you to purchase the necessary resources.â
âYoung Master Li has made a clever move, itâs just a pity that I saw through your intentions at a glance. Today, I have come for the formula; such an important thing cannot be controlled by someone with ill intentions like you.â
Mei Changqing launched into a lengthy speech, immediately accusing Li Xiaobai of eroding the will of the cultivators without any preamble.
âCity Lord Mei, what are you talking about? I have the best interests of cultivators at heart. Whether itâs Huazi or the bathhouse, both are meant to enhance the strength of the cultivators, allowing them to face the challenges of the Flesh Mountain more comfortably in battle.â
âTo possess such resources and yet, far from being grateful, you turn around and bite the hand that feeds you. I really have to wonder what your motives are?â
âIf cultivators have become negligent and lost their edge, should it not be the responsibility of the City Lord to reflect? If oneâs subordinates lose their will, it is naturally because the City Lord has not disciplined them adequately. This point, surely City Lord Mei understands, doesnât he?â
Li Xiaobai said, narrowing his eyes slightly.
This Mei Changqing was certainly no easy opponent, coming straight out of the gate demanding his formula, an act of outright robbery, truly high-handed.
âI will naturally discipline my subordinates. However, as the Holy City is the core of the frontier, I cannot sit idly by while such debilitating distractions are built. As the City Lord of the first battlefield, I cannot ignore this. Today, Young Master Li, there is no second option for you but to hand over the formula.â
Mei Changqing said slowly.
Wang Guan, at his side, cooperated perfectly, unleashing his formidable pressure in waves. This was the unique aura of a cultivator at the Peak of the Great Crossing Realm.
His cultivation level was considerably weaker than Mei Changqingâs, but he was still among the top echelon.
âWho are you two trying to intimidate?â
âThrowing your weight around here wonât work!â
âDamn it, even Old Beggar didnât get his hands on the formula, and you two young upstarts think you can rob him. What a joke!â
In the bathhouse, likewise, two shocking presences soared to the skies. Song Que and Old Beggarâs eyes sparkled brilliantly, their divine presence emanating a fearsome light as they fixed their gaze on the two men before them.
In just a moment, Wang Guan felt as if his body were trapped under a mountain, unable to move.
A flash of fear crossed his eyes. Up until then, all his attention had been on Yang Guang and Li Xiaobai, and he hadnât noticed that two true gods were actually sitting in a corner of the pool!
âItâs you, how did you escape your confinement? You should be trapped deep in the frontier at this moment!â
âWho was it, who went to the frontier, who let you out!â
Mei Changqing felt a storm brewing in his heart. He had personally seen to the confinement of Elder Tianwu deep in the frontier, suppressing him with a Formation, with no chance of escape on his own.
And yet here he was, comfortably sitting in the Holy Cityâs bathhouse, smiling at him!
A chilling sensation swept over his entire bodyâ¦n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om