Upon arriving at the Immortal-Demon Lodge, Mo Tiange smoothly spent some spirit stones to rent a cave abode.
The lodge's manager, upon seeing them, immediately ushered the two into a VIP room to receive them. Then, noticing they were traveling together and had quite high cultivation levels, he suggested renting a high-grade cave abode located on the back mountain of Guifang City. Although more expensive, it was extremely secluded and unlikely to be easily disturbed. Moreover, these cave abodes could also provide arrays to block demonic qi according to the guest's requirements. Many visiting high-level cultivators preferred renting such cave abodes.
Mo Tiange felt that given her and Nie Wushang's current condition, they indeed needed a secluded place, so she followed the manager's suggestion. After all, she could afford that amount of money.
After deciding on a temporary residence, Mo Tiange did not immediately take Nie Wushang there. Instead, she inquired about other matters.
"Manager, I'm new to Guifang City and not very familiar with the situation. Could you explain a thing or two to me?"
This manager was merely a high-level Qi Refining cultivator, not yet in Foundation Establishment. Hearing a Core Formation cultivator ask him a question, how dare he be negligent? He immediately replied respectfully, "What would you like to know, Senior? Whatever this junior knows, I will certainly speak without reservation."
Mo Tiange smiled slightly and said, "It's not that serious. It's just that I am a cultivator who focuses on bitter cultivation and rarely ventures out. This is my first time coming to Guifang City, so I'm unfamiliar with the situation and just wanted to ask. Manager, there's no need to be reserved. In this Guifang City, if there's anything I should pay attention to, just tell me."
Hearing this, the manager bowed and said, "Senior, you are too polite. It's just a small effort." After a pause, the manager slowly continued, "I presume Senior knows that our Guifang City is one of the three great demonic domains in Yunzhong. The city lord, Demon Lord Guifang, ranks among the three great demon lords of Yunzhong and possesses extraordinary strength. Compared to the other two great demonic domains, the biggest characteristic of our Guifang City is freedom. In our Guifang City, whether demonic cultivators or righteous path cultivators, all receive equal treatment. Furthermore, coming and going in Guifang City is free. Regardless of what kind of cultivator, entering the city only requires stating their purpose, and when leaving, they will not be subjected to unreasonable questioning. Of course, cultivators active within the scope of Guifang City must guarantee two things: first, they cannot harm the interests of Guifang City; second, they must not take action within the city to actively harm others. As long as these two points are observed, one can be completely unrestrained within Guifang City."
"Oh?" Mo Tiange's heart stirred. A demonic path city actually had such enlightened rules? "What if someone doesn't follow the rules?"
Upon hearing this, the manager laughed, his expression actually appearing unconcerned and even proud. "Senior worries too much. In all of Yunzhong, who doesn't know that our city lord's cultivation is unfathomable? Moreover, the city lord handles matters with the utmost fairness. In his presence, regardless of cultivation level, only the facts of the matter are considered. As long as one follows the rules, they can receive the city lord's protection. Those who do not follow the rules will be executed on the spot. Therefore, Guifang City has an extremely diverse array of cultivators. Many cultivators who have committed offenses elsewhere choose to take temporary refuge in Guifang City. However, even though the city gathers quite a few vicious individuals, these people dare not act recklessly in our Guifang City."
"So that's how it is..." Listening to this, it seemed this Guifang City was an excellent hiding place. She had stumbled upon it by chance and arrived at the most suitable location.
"So, if we stay here temporarily, no one will come to disturb us?"
"That is natural," the manager said. "If Senior does not wish to be disturbed, you only need to set up a small restriction outside your cave abode to refuse message talismans. That way, others will know your intention and will not come to disturb you."
"That's good." Mo Tiange considered briefly, then took out a small bag of spirit stones from her Qiankun Bag and placed it on the table. "Here are two thousand spirit stones. We'll rent for three years for now. Make the arrangements."
The manager, seeing her act so generously, couldn't help but feel delighted and repeatedly smiled obsequiously. "Yes, yes. Senior, please follow me. This junior will take you to select a cave abode right away."
"Mm." Mo Tiange nodded slightly, still supporting Nie Wushang, and followed the manager out of the VIP room, leaving the inn.
Perhaps because Mo Tiange had paid the spirit stones so readily, the manager offered many pieces of information along the way as a bonus—from the internal strife among Demon Lord Guifang's several disciples to news from the streets. As long as she showed the slightest interest, he would speak without reservation.
Mo Tiange still remembered when she saw Yang Chengji in Ling Yunhe's team. Although she hadn't voiced it, she had been inwardly astonished. With Yang Chengji's status and position, there was no need for him to covet any reward from Ling Yunhe. Now, listening to this manager's words, she learned that Yang Chengji also had his own unspeakable difficulties.
Although Yang Chengji was Demon Lord Guifang's most favored disciple, he was the youngest in seniority. Above him were several senior brothers and sisters, two of whom had already reached Core Formation perfection and were about to advance to Nascent Soul. Since taking him as a disciple, Demon Lord Guifang had doted on him immensely, not only personally instructing him but also bestowing upon him many treasures others never got to see. This naturally made the other disciples extremely jealous.
Although Yang Chengji advanced quickly, he was ultimately young and, unlike his older senior brothers and sisters who already had their own trusted followers, suffered quite a bit in private because of this. Regarding these matters, Demon Lord Guifang would not stand up for him. Favor was favor, but if he couldn't even resolve such minor issues, then this disciple he had favored would be far too useless.
Now that Demon Lord Guifang was getting older—although there were no signs of his lifespan ending—the disciples beneath him who were unwilling to remain idle grew in number. Many were restless, making connections and building relationships everywhere, hoping to inherit their master's position.
However, since Guifang City was one of the three great demonic domains of Yunzhong, how could obtaining the city lord position be so simple? Demon Lord Guifang finally became annoyed and announced to the entire city that upon his retirement, among his disciples, whoever had the highest cultivation would inherit the city lord position—with the prerequisite that they must have advanced to Nascent Soul. If no one advanced to Nascent Soul, then outside cultivators could seize the city lord position based on strength.
After Demon Lord Guifang announced this decree, his disciples finally quieted down, each beginning to cultivate desperately.
Among them, naturally his two eldest disciples had the greatest advantage. They were already at Core Formation perfection; Nascent Soul was just a threshold.
However, Yang Chengji's talent was extremely high. While his senior brothers and sisters cultivated desperately, they also did not forget to trip him up. Although Yang Chengji had superior aptitude, he was not very skilled in power struggles. Because of this, he had no choice but to deliberately avoid them, leaving Guifang City to travel.
After hearing all this, Mo Tiange was not too surprised. Where there is influence, there will be struggles for power. Even the Xuanqing Sect, currently in a harmonious period, could not completely avoid it, let alone Guifang City, where becoming city lord meant commanding an entire city's people? What she was curious about was how these matters were known so clearly by this inn manager who was only at the Qi Refining stage?
Upon learning her question, the manager smiled and said, "Senior doesn't know. In our Guifang City, these are open secrets. Almost no one is unaware." Then, with a somewhat worried expression, he added, "Actually, we are all very worried. If the city lord truly passes away, I'm afraid the good days of our Guifang City will also come to an end."
"Why?" Mo Tiange smiled. "Guifang City wasn't built in a day. It's not so easy to collapse, is it?"
The manager said, "Senior is a Daoist cultivator, so perhaps you are not very clear about matters concerning us demonic cultivators. We demonic cultivators worship personal strength the most. Therefore, we simply have no concept of sects, only divisions by city. Moreover, within a city, there is generally only one Nascent Soul cultivator, who serves as the city lord. The city lord's word is the iron law of the demonic domain. Our Guifang City was established solely on the prestige of City Lord Demon Lord Guifang alone. If the city lord passes away and the successor to the city lord position does not have sufficient strength, we will fall from being one of the three great demonic domains to a small demonic domain that is bullied by others."
"Oh, so that's how it is." She seemed to have heard of this before. Even if the scale of the demonic path was somewhat smaller than the righteous path, with the three great and seven small demonic domains in Beilin Kingdom, how could there only be this few Nascent Soul cultivators? The reason was that after demonic cultivators advanced to Nascent Soul, they either established their own city to enjoy the honor and glory of being revered by thousands, or they had no interest in this and focused solely on obtaining greater power.
Thus, how much deterrence a city possessed depended entirely on the city lord's strength. If the city lord's strength was insufficient, they could only submit to others. Under these circumstances, once Demon Lord Guifang passed away, whoever succeeded him as city lord would affect Guifang City's future. If that person's strength was lacking, Guifang City would rapidly decline from being one of the three great demonic domains, even being seized by other Nascent Soul cultivators.
Thinking about it this way, Demon Lord Guifang's decree was truly extremely wise. Among his disciples, if someone advanced to Nascent Soul, they could naturally take over Guifang City. But if no one had the capability, a large piece of fat meat like Guifang City would absolutely attract other powerful Nascent Soul cultivators. At that time, even if his disciples were not very successful, Guifang City would at least be preserved.
Mo Tiange felt that this Demon Lord Guifang was not only strong in strength but also first-rate in intelligence, far superior to that City Lord Mei of Xingluo City. No wonder he could build such a powerful demonic domain.
Thinking of City Lord Mei, she couldn't help but ask, "Manager, are there any other demonic domains near Guifang City?"
The manager, while leading the way, answered, "Yes. The closest to us should be Xingluo City. But that's just a small demonic domain, nothing major."
The manager's expression was just as he described—nothing major, as if he didn't take Xingluo City seriously at all. It seemed the strength of Guifang City had also raised the horizons of Guifang City's cultivators. No matter what, Xingluo City had a Nascent Soul cultivator presiding over it and many Core Formation cultivators gathered there. Yet, in the eyes of this manager who was only at the Qi Refining stage, it warranted only this comment: nothing major.
"Is Senior interested in Xingluo City?" the manager continued. "That Xingluo City declined five years ago. In a single day, the city lord's manor was slaughtered clean by people from Yexiao City. Now, only a few Core Formation cultivators are managing the situation. There's really nothing worth seeing."
"Oh?" Mo Tiange became interested. "Why would people from Yexiao City slaughter the cultivators of Xingluo City? I remember Yexiao City is also one of the three great demonic domains, while Xingluo City is just a small city, not worth fighting over, right?"
The manager said, "This matter has been full of rumors and speculation over the past few years. It's unclear exactly what happened. However, this junior heard before that the city lord of Xingluo City, wanting to practice some evil technique, actually deceived over a dozen Core Formation cultivators to gather for a soul sacrifice. One of those cultivators was from Yexiao City. After the matter was exposed, the city lord of Yexiao City, in a fit of rage, slaughtered Xingluo City."
"So that's how it was..." Mo Tiange murmured to herself. As someone in the know, she naturally knew the truth most clearly. According to what the manager said, it should be that among those deceived Core Formation cultivators, there was someone from Yexiao City. Thus, Xingluo City met with great misfortune.
The manager, getting into the spirit of storytelling, continued, "This junior heard that back then, no one escaped from the city lord's manor of Xingluo City. All the Core Formation cultivators perished. Only that city lord, already at the Nascent Soul stage and long gone from the city, managed to escape disaster."