Chen Jiuyang and the others relocated to the market town below Qingyun Sect, and life continued its usual calm pace.
The scenery was beautiful, with clear waters and lush mountains.
When he had free time, Chen Jiuyang would go into town to eat and stroll.
Time flew by, and another year passed.
The group had, in a sense, settled down.
Chen Jiuyang opened a Ping An Bookstore, spanning three floors.
The market town below Qingyun Sect was quite simple, mostly consisting of herbal shops, talisman shops, and pill shops, catering primarily to cultivators and martial artists.
Chen Jiuyang no longer needed to use the spiritual vein spring beneath his villa.
He was now an immortal, and converting spiritual energy into immortal energy to temper his immortal body was too slow.
He could directly consume pills to cultivate his immortal body.
Currently, without circulating any cultivation techniques, his body’s pores were constantly absorbing and expelling spiritual energy, tempering his immortal body with his primordial Dao and immortal energy.
This was a slow and steady process, though fortuitous encounters could accelerate Chen Jiuyang’s cultivation.
However, in the mortal realm, where could such encounters be found? One would have to venture into the spirit realm, immortal realm, or heavenly realm.
As time went on, more and more rogue cultivators began to arrive from larger areas, settling in small villages like Qingzhu Village, building their own residences and cave dwellings to cultivate.
Everyone could gradually sense something amiss.
The Garrison Commander was vigorously recruiting soldiers, and at the same time, patrols became more frequent, various supplies began to increase in price, and even became scarce or out of stock.
“War… it seems it is truly coming…”
In May of this year.
The Heavenly Court officially declared war on the major forbidden zones. Millions of heavenly soldiers and generals marched out, vast and covering the sun and obscuring the sky, advancing towards the forbidden zones to attack.
Rays of divine light flashed, and even from a great distance, the fluctuations between combat techniques could be seen, as dazzling as the stars in the sky.
“Human King Formation!”
“Drink!”
On this day, the second-generation Garrison Commander, Chen Beixuan, wielding the Human King Sword, unleashed the power of the ancestral artifact, activating the Human King Formation to protect mortal towns and villages from the residual effects of the battles between the Heavenly Court and the forbidden zones.
A visible light film enveloped the land.
This light film was constantly formed by the purple qi emitted from the bodies of countless mortals.
“Human King, truly a prodigy… When I wielded the Human King Sword, I never discovered such a secret.”
Chen Jiuyang sighed. Despite their close relationship, without being a direct disciple, both parties would naturally keep some secrets to themselves.
“However… this dog-eat-dog battle has finally begun. I am somewhat looking forward to how it will conclude…”
Chen Jiuyang sat in his bookstore below Qingyun Sect, gazing up at the sky.
This battle was originally supposed to occur a thousand years later. Because Chen Jiuyang had subtly influenced events from behind the scenes, this great war had been brought forward by a millennium.
“But, what does it have to do with me?”
Chen Jiuyang chuckled faintly.
In the following period, refugees began to increase.
Most of these refugees were cultivators and martial artists from various aristocratic families and rogue cultivators.
Regardless of the outcome of this monumental war between the two sides, a portion of people would inevitably be purged. It was better to seize the opportunity to flee, maintain neutrality, and then pledge allegiance to a faction to stabilize themselves after the war ended.
This… was the wisdom of the elders.
Even the vicinity of Qingyun Sect, a remote area, saw many people relocating.
The population of this market town began to grow, and many people started buying materials to build houses.
One day, an immortal cultivator at the Void Returning stage arrived at Chen Jiuyang’s Ping An Bookstore. Upon seeing Chen Jiuyang, he cupped his fists and bowed, saying, “Greetings, True Monarch Jiuji!”
“Who are you?”
Chen Jiuyang asked.
“This old man is from the Su family of Yunnan. We have relocated near Qingyun Sect and specifically came to pay respects to True Monarch Jiuji!” The old cultivator at the Void Returning stage maintained a humble demeanor.
After all, in the outside world, Chen Jiuyang was still that powerful cultivator at the Dao Integration stage.
Chen Jiuyang replied politely, “There is no need for such formality. I am merely a rogue cultivator. With the Heavenly Court and the forbidden zones now at war, we are all people suffering.”
“Since you have relocated, it is best to settle down peacefully. I have no demands, only to guard my bookstore.”
“True Monarch’s compassion!” The Void Returning stage cultivator’s face lit up with joy. “Junior bids farewell!”
They had come to seek refuge, wanting only a secluded place with abundant spiritual energy. Little did they know that by moving here, they would find a True Monarch at the Dao Integration stage presiding over the area. They had to come and pay their respects immediately. If they caused trouble, they wouldn’t even know how they died.
Fortunately, this True Monarch Jiuji was as approachable as rumored, not fond of conflict or killing.
According to true honorifics, Chen Jiuyang should be addressed as True Immortal Jiuji.
However, Chen Jiuyang did not wish to attract trouble for himself.
Following the relocation of the Su family from Yunnan, other families began to move in one after another. After all, when the sky falls, the taller ones bear the brunt. Here, at least, there was a True Monarch at the Dao Integration stage presiding.
Consequently, the population around Qingyun Sect increased, and the market town became more lively.
Of course, order was still maintained by personnel dispatched by the Garrison Commander.
Chen Jiuyang did not think much of it. As long as the trouble did not involve him, these matters were of no consequence.
Every family that relocated here first paid their respects to Chen Jiuyang, calling him True Monarch Senior, and only after receiving his approval did they purchase land and settle in the vicinity.
Of course, not every family was so easy to get along with; some had clean records, while others were being targeted.
One day, it was September of this year. The weather was still hot, marking the late summer, about to transition into autumn.
A small family at the Golden Core stage relocated and offended a cultivator at the Spirit Transformation stage.
The Spirit Transformation stage cultivator pursued them relentlessly, and the onlookers watched with curiosity.
Would the Garrison Commander intervene, or would True Monarch Jiuji step in?
“Who goes there? This is a place bordering mortal settlements. Cultivators and martial artists are forbidden from engaging in large-scale combat!” The local Garrison Commander immediately shouted.
However, the Spirit Transformation stage cultivator clearly paid no heed to the Garrison Commander’s words.
The Garrison Commander was already at the limit of his ability to maintain the formation, with no surplus power to engage in further combat. Normally, everyone would give the Garrison Commander some face and respect.
But when core interests were involved, they simply ignored him.
“Scram! Those who block my fortune shall die!”
The Spirit Transformation stage cultivator paid no mind, thinking that in such a remote place, who could possibly be higher in cultivation than him?
Seeing the arrogant attitude of the Spirit Transformation stage cultivator, the people living in the market town looked on with surprise.
Then, in the next instant.
A page of paper flew out from the Ping An Bookstore and directly struck the Spirit Transformation stage cultivator, sending him flying. A calm voice echoed:
“No disturbances, no killing are permitted in this place.”
The Spirit Transformation stage cultivator was terrified. In such a small place, was there a powerful being with higher cultivation than him?
However, Chen Jiuyang was already extremely restrained. Without mentioning anything else, merely revealing a trace of immortal might could crush this Spirit Transformation stage cultivator to death.
The Spirit Transformation stage cultivator broke out in a cold sweat. “Thank you, Senior, for sparing my life. Junior shall depart immediately!”