The story began with Xu Yi handing Zhang Tianbao a fourth-grade magical artifact that day.
Upon receiving the fourth-grade magical artifact, Zhang Tianbao immediately placed it in the most conspicuous position in the Treasure Pavilion, making quite a splash.
Things should have ended there.
However, after Long Haotian and the other two sent news of the secret realm back to the Xuanqing Sect, the Xuanqing Sect repeatedly sent disciples to the secret realm outside the荒城 for training. Consequently, news of the 荒城 secret realm gradually leaked out.
Recently, someone linked the secret realm outside the 荒城 to the Zhang family. Combined with the most prominent fourth-grade magical artifact in the Treasure Pavilion, news of the Zhang family possessing treasures from the secret realm began to spread like wildfire throughout the 荒城.
Most cultivators who knew Zhang Tianbao dismissed the rumor with a chuckle. If the Zhang family truly possessed any secret treasures, why would they be content running a small shop? They would have long since moved to a bustling city.
But this caught the attention of those with ulterior motives.
And then Zhang Tianbao was deliberately made drunk, revealing his family's hidden secrets, which ultimately led to today's disaster.
"Senior, although I, Zhang Tianbao, am not exceptionally talented, I never stir up trouble. Today's misfortune is truly an undeserved calamity. I implore you, Senior, to uphold justice for me!"
Zhang Tianbao knew that if he didn't seize this opportunity, he would still be unable to escape disaster once Xu Yi left.
Disregarding his dignity, he prostrated himself before Xu Yi, begging her to be moved and avenge him.
After listening to Zhang Tianbao's account, Xu Yi's brow furrowed slightly.
She did not immediately believe Zhang Tianbao's words. Instead, she turned to the surrounding cultivators who were watching the commotion and asked softly, "May I ask if what Shopkeeper Zhang says is true?"
"This..." The surrounding cultivators lowered their heads, avoiding Xu Yi's questioning gaze.
It wasn't that they were guilty, but they were afraid of being implicated in the matter.
Zhang Tianbao had been terribly wronged by those people, and they did not wish to suffer the same fate.
"Shopkeeper Hao..."
"Third Brother Meng..."
"Luo Chunniang..."
Zhang Tianbao called out the names of the surrounding cultivators pleadingly, hoping they would vouch for him out of past acquaintance.
However, until he gritted his teeth in disappointment, he received no response he desired.
"Senior, Shopkeeper Zhang is telling the truth. I can vouch for him!"
Just as Zhang Tianbao thought no one would speak up for him, a charming female voice suddenly rang out.
"Luo Chunniang..."
Zhang Tianbao looked at the sumptuously dressed woman emerging from the crowd with astonishment, nearly weeping with joy.
Luo Chunniang disdainfully turned her gaze away, bowed to Xu Yi, and said respectfully, "Senior, I am the proprietor of the Jinxiu Workshop next to Qiwu斋. I can testify for Shopkeeper Zhang. The Yu family has gone too far this time!"
Luo Chunniang's willingness to step forward was partly due to her acquaintance with Zhang Tianbao, and partly due to a sense of impending danger, like a rabbit fearing the fox.
The Yu family ancestor had finally broken through his limitations a few years ago, becoming the first cultivator of the Soul Division stage in 荒城, thus disrupting the existing tripartite power structure of the city.
With one person achieving success, everyone connected to them benefited. The hundred-odd members of the Yu family, due to their ancestor's breakthrough, became increasingly unbridled in their actions.
In the past, they would at least find an excuse for their actions, but this time, for the sake of an ethereal treasure, they directly confronted Qiwu斋 and beat Zhang Tianbao half to death.
Luo Chunniang worried that one day, her Jinxiu Workshop, being too prominent, might also encounter a similar disaster. With a hardening of her resolve, she decided to side with Zhang Tianbao.
Luo Chunniang's words earned her a grateful look from Zhang Tianbao.
Luo Chunniang's appearance also broke the stalemate. Subsequently, two more shopkeepers came forward to speak for Zhang Tianbao, expressing their dissatisfaction with the Yu family and their own concerns.
Now, Xu Yi could rightfully step forward to support Zhang Tianbao.
At this moment, there were over ten cultivators in the backyard of Qiwu斋. With a thought from Xu Yi, those people let out yells and rolled out of Qiwu斋.
That's right, they rolled out like tumbling gourds from Qiwu斋 all the way to the main entrance.
The surrounding cultivators scattered, watching the Yu family members roll to the entrance and pile up like a human pyramid.
"Ouch!"
"Ah!"
The Yu family members had no idea what had happened. They only felt pain in their backs and waists. They stared blankly, seeing faces filled with schadenfreude.
"You're crazy! How dare you oppose the Yu family!"
The person at the very bottom was the most prestigious among the Yu family members and the first to regain consciousness.
Realizing the situation was dire, he immediately invoked the name of the Yu family, intending to scare off his enemies, his gaze fierce yet mixed with unspeakable smugness.
Xu Yi's expression remained impassive. "Take word to your ancestor: as cultivators of this region, you should have a broader perspective, restrain your clansmen, protect the peace of the land, and refrain from doing things that earn disdain."
The Yu family acted arrogantly, but Xu Yi had no intention of making an enemy of them, so she left some room for maneuver in her words.
However, what Xu Yi considered a concession was seen as overstepping by others.
"How dare you! How dare you disrespect the ancestor!"
The Yu family members glared at Xu Yi angrily, as if Xu Yi had said something utterly treasonous.
Xu Yi shook her head; these Yu family members were beyond saving.
With a flick of her sleeve, she tossed the group into the street next door and walked directly into Qiwu斋.
She would wait there for the Yu family to come looking for trouble.
Qiwu斋 had just undergone a period of destruction, and there were few places to stand inside.
Zhang Tianbao followed behind Xu Yi, looking at the chaotic scene inside the shop. He bent down and picked up a magical artifact that had been stepped on and deformed, his heart aching.
"Shopkeeper Zhang, take me to the backyard," Xu Yi suddenly said.
Zhang Tianbao was startled. Forgetting his pain for a moment, he quickly agreed and stepped forward to lead the way.
The Yu family members were like a swarm of locusts passing through. They did not spare the ornamental flowers and trees in the back garden, knocking them all down. The soil from the exposed tree roots was scattered across the small path.
Following the dirty footprints to the entrance of the refining room, one could see the refining room riddled with holes, and at the corner, piles of Youming Iron of various sizes.
Zhang Tianbao's lips trembled with rage at the sight.
These damned Yu family members didn't even leave his ancestor's sole remaining legacy alone.
Xu Yi sighed inwardly, lamenting the destruction of a perfectly good refining room, a waste of resources and a sign of blindness.
Recalling the last time she had refined here, Xu Yi slightly curved her fingers, and the Youming Iron piled on the ground floated up and stopped in front of her.
Xu Yi activated the spiritual energy in her palm, and a green flame instantly enveloped all the Youming Iron.
The Youming Iron melted at a speed visible to the naked eye and then, under Xu Yi's control, began to fill the gaps in the walls.
In just a few breaths, the messy and dilapidated refining room was restored to its original state.
"This, this..." Zhang Tianbao's mouth hung open, speechless, his eyes red and swollen.
After a long while, Zhang Tianbao repeatedly bowed to Xu Yi with immense gratitude, "Thank you, Senior, thank you, Senior."
Xu Yi waved her hand dismissively, sat down cross-legged, and pointed to the other side, saying to Zhang Tianbao, "Sit."
Zhang Tianbao sat down as instructed, and in the next moment, he was so shocked by Xu Yi's words that he almost jumped up.