Mo Tiange ultimately accepted Nie Wushang's proposal. She was right. Although they didn't know exactly what the matter was, they could be certain that those Core Formation cultivators were unharmed. Since their lives were not in danger, what did she have to fear?
Nie Wushang had once said her concealment techniques were extraordinary; even Nascent Soul cultivators would find it difficult to detect her. As for herself, with the Void Heaven Realm, as long as she could still use spiritual energy and didn't encounter a situation like the Death Qi corrosion during the Ren Yu-Feng incident, escaping wouldn't be a problem. Moreover, she still hadn't used Mo Yaoqing's Shrinking Earth Ruler.
Thinking this way, the two of them calmly followed Elder Liang. Seeing this, Elder Liang was quite pleased. Both of them were at the mid-stage of Core Formation. If they were truly unwilling, his task would have been troublesome. Always having the city lord intervene would make him, an elder, seem rather incompetent.
The three of them walked for a while and arrived at a mansion in the city.
This mansion covered an extremely vast area, occupying the central point of Xingluo City where the Demonic Qi was most concentrated. The entire mansion was enveloped in a Demonic Qi restriction. If one rashly probed with their spiritual sense, they would be injured by the restriction.
"Elder Liang." Seeing Elder Liang approach with the two of them, the guarding cultivators respectfully saluted.
Elder Liang nodded faintly and said, "Open the restriction."
"Yes." The guard was extremely deferential, using a token to open the city lord's mansion restriction.
Mo Tiange swept a glance. The mansion's guards consisted of two Foundation Establishment cultivators, each leading a team of Qi Refinement cultivators at the ninth or tenth layer. One team guarded the entrance, while another patrolled and kept watch nearby. For a mansion of this scale, two such teams were considered few. However, the mansion's authority ultimately lay with the Nascent Soul stage city lord; the guards weren't very important. Still, it seemed this city lord didn't emphasize pomp and circumstance and was likely a pragmatic person.
Elder Liang invited Mo Tiange and the other into the city lord's mansion. They passed through corridors and halls, heading straight to the rear garden.
Mo Tiange was somewhat surprised. This city lord's way of receiving guests was rather casual. However, considering the other party was, after all, a Nascent Soul cultivator, she let it go—their cultivation level wasn't worthy of the city lord treating them with great ceremony.
Upon reaching the rear garden, Elder Liang directly led them into a small flower hall and said, "Fellow Daoists, please wait here for a moment. The city lord will arrive shortly."
Mo Tiange nodded to indicate her understanding.
Elder Liang smiled, invited the two to sit, sent out a Message Talisman, and only then took a seat beside them, making idle conversation about trivial matters.
Mo Tiange and Nie Wushang's minds weren't on this either. They responded perfunctorily while waiting for the arrival of the Xingluo City Lord.
After a while, an imposing aura approached from afar, speeding toward the small flower hall. Simultaneously, a voice sounded in their ears: "Welcome, two young friends, to my Xingluo City."
As the words fell, a figure swiftly swept into the small flower hall and landed in the main seat.
Such an aura undoubtedly belonged to a Nascent Soul cultivator.
The three rose. Elder Liang stepped forward to bow: "This subordinate pays respects to the City Lord."
Mo Tiange and Nie Wushang also stood up to show respect for the Nascent Soul cultivator.
Looking up now, they saw a youth in splendid robes seated in the main seat. This youth appeared very young, looking only fifteen or sixteen years old. He was not tall and was quite slender, unlike an adult male who, even if short, would have broader, more substantial shoulders. This made his splendid robes seem like a cumbersome pile on his body, with no sense of fitting closely. Over his left eye, he wore an eye patch—he was one-eyed.
Both Mo Tiange and Nie Wushang were well-traveled and experienced. In an instant, they had sized up this Xingluo City Lord, not revealing the slightest surprise on their faces.
This city lord, though appearing young, had a voice tinged with an old-fashioned air. Moreover, his eyebrows, eyes, and hands all bore the strange traces left by time. His actual age was certainly not young.
"Greetings, City Lord," Mo Tiange slightly lowered her brows and bowed in greeting, then immediately asked, "Might I ask why the City Lord ordered Elder Liang to invite the two of us to the city lord's mansion? What important matter is this?"
The youth's single eye was carefully examining the two of them. He waved his hand, dismissing Elder Liang, then invited them to sit again before saying, "You two young friends have fine cultivation. Though only at the mid-stage of Core Formation, your spiritual aura is thick and solid, condensed yet not released. I imagine your strength is extraordinary."
"The City Lord flatters us." Mo Tiange watched him cautiously. This youth was different from Elder Liang. Elder Liang's body was thick with visible Demonic Qi, but his Demonic Qi was faint, almost imperceptible.
After looking them over, the youth pointed at them and asked with a smile, "This one is Qin Wei, Young Friend Qin, and this one is Tian Can, Young Friend Tian. Did I get that right?"
Elder Liang had already sent a Message Talisman informing him of their identities. Their attire matched their names without discrepancy, so of course the youth recognized them correctly.
Mo Tiange smiled slightly. Since Nie Wushang disliked speaking, she would communicate on their behalf: "That's correct."
The youth nodded and introduced himself: "I have the honor of being the City Lord of Xingluo, surnamed Mei, given name Feng."
"So it's City Lord Mei. I've long heard of you." Though she said "long heard," Mo Tiange's expression remained completely calm.
Seeing this, City Lord Mei laughed heartily and said, "Alright, let's skip those empty formalities. Young Friend Qin came right out and asked why I invited you. You must be an impatient person. Why don't we get straight to the point?"
Mo Tiange and Nie Wushang naturally had no objections. They were both people who disliked empty formalities, so they nodded and said, "Please speak, City Lord Mei."
City Lord Mei said with a smile, "I presume my elder has already mentioned a few words to you two? To put it simply, I would like to ask you two to help me with a matter. If the task is accomplished, I will naturally offer generous thanks."
Elder Liang had already said this. Mo Tiange said, "On this point, we two juniors don't understand. With City Lord Mei's cultivation, plus the elders of Xingluo City, your strength is quite formidable. What matter could require the help of outsiders like us? Even if help is needed, wouldn't inviting some Nascent Soul seniors be of greater assistance than us?"
"Hehe," City Lord Mei chuckled, "No wonder Young Friend Qin thinks this way. At first hearing, this matter is indeed puzzling. Let me put it this way: the task I need to do doesn't require too high a cultivation level, nor too many people. What it requires is, under the condition of ensuring survival, as many opportunities as possible. That's why I've invited all Core Formation cultivators who have appeared in my Xingluo City to lend a hand."
It didn't require too high a cultivation level, so there was no need to invite Nascent Soul cultivators, as the cost of inviting them would also be high. It didn't require too many people, so even though he was a city lord with countless subordinates, they wouldn't be of use. Mo Tiange somewhat understood. But City Lord Mei had just said "under the condition of ensuring survival." Was this matter perhaps very dangerous?
"Please speak frankly, City Lord Mei. With just these few words, we cannot yet agree."
This City Lord Mei seemed to have a decent temper. After Mo Tiange said this, he thought for a moment and slowly said, "This matter... it starts with me. Two young friends, in your opinion, how long is my lifespan?"
This question wasn't easy to answer. Mo Tiange could tell that although City Lord Mei appeared youthful, his lifespan was probably already half gone. But some cultivators disliked others mentioning their age, especially those with young appearances. She didn't know if City Lord Mei had such a taboo.
City Lord Mei seemed to sense their difficulty and said kindly, "You two young friends, speak directly. No need to worry."
Hearing this, Mo Tiange smiled and said, "In that case, City Lord Mei, please forgive my bluntness. The City Lord's age should be between five hundred and eight hundred years, correct?"
Nie Wushang also nodded in agreement.
City Lord Mei smiled and nodded, "Correct. You two young friends have good eyes. I formed my Nascent Soul at five hundred years old and have now lived for three hundred more years, making eight hundred years in total. The reason I've maintained this youthful appearance is because in my youth, I mistakenly ate a Longevity Fruit, causing my appearance to remain fixed at fifteen years old, unchanging for centuries."
"Longevity Fruit?" Mo Tiange was slightly surprised. The Longevity Fruit was one of the main ingredients for the Longevity Pill. If eaten alone, it also had the effect of increasing lifespan, but it could cause other side effects... It seemed this City Lord Mei had been young and ignorant, suffering the consequences.
City Lord Mei sighed deeply and said, "I've lived for eight hundred years. Starting from fifteen, I've maintained this appearance. At first, I felt quite pleased with myself, thinking I had eternal youth, saving on many Beauty Preservation Pills compared to others. But as I grew older, I realized that being able to grow old with age is also a blessing. I... in my youth, I also had a beloved woman. But in the end, that woman rejected me because of my unchanging, youthful appearance..."
Mo Tiange saw the look of melancholy on City Lord Mei's face and imagined he had deeply admired that woman in the past. Fifteen years old was such an awkward age. At this age, boys begin to understand matters of the heart but haven't fully grown up yet, not quite men. Women in this world probably wouldn't want their lovers to remain forever fifteen. At this age, they still lack broad shoulders, and even if she maintained her youth, being with him would feel like being with a younger brother...
After sighing for a moment, City Lord Mei continued, "This matter is the regret of my life. Although that love of mine has long turned to dust, to this day, I still cannot let it go. Over these eight hundred years, I've tried every method to restore my appearance, but unfortunately, I've never succeeded. In ancient texts, there was once a spiritual fruit called the Heavenly God Fruit. In terms of cultivation, this fruit isn't too miraculous, but it can remove toxins caused by ingesting spiritual herbs. I've searched for several hundred years and never seen this fruit. It seems to have vanished in the long river of time, no longer existing in the present world. However, some time ago, I made a discovery."
At this point, City Lord Mei's eyes shone with a hopeful light: "Some time ago, I discovered a hidden place in the Xingluo Mountains. I don't know its origin; it might be an ancient ruin. Upon entering this ruin, one triggers a trial. If the trial is passed, a reward is given. Among them is the Heavenly God Fruit!"
Mo Tiange and Nie Wushang were both startled. If what City Lord Mei said was true, no wonder so many Core Formation cultivators hadn't left. Such secret places were inherently hard to find. If City Lord Mei gave them a chance to enter, even if they didn't obtain the Heavenly God Fruit, they might have the opportunity to gain other treasures. It was a rare opportunity indeed.