Profound Heaven Soul Sovereign

Qiu Wushuang sneered, "It’s too early to say who the real villain is. Besides, I heard it was the Ancient Pill Tower that came looking for trouble, and the Profound Light Pavilion was forced to fight back. Furthermore, this matter doesn’t seem to have much to do with the Li family, does it? For Lord Li Rucheng to be so eager to step forward... it certainly makes one suspicious!"

Although Qiu Wushuang was a Loose Cultivator, he wasn’t ignorant of the underhanded dealings between the various powers. How could he not see the truth of the matter?

A sharp glint flashed in Li Rucheng’s eyes as he said coldly, "Today’s incident may just be a dispute between the Profound Light Pavilion and the Ancient Pill Tower, but my Li family, as one of the six great powers of Celestial Capital Prefecture, represents justice in the Prefecture. We naturally have the right to determine who is right and who is wrong."

He continued with a sneer, "I am now representing Celestial Capital Prefecture in shutting down the Profound Light Pavilion. Furthermore, I will be taking everyone from both the Profound Light Pavilion and the Ancient Pill Tower back to the Prefecture’s prison to await investigation. If you dare to interfere, you will be openly defying Celestial Capital Prefecture and the rules set down by the six great powers. Qiu Wushuang, do you understand the consequences?"

Qiu Wushuang’s expression changed slightly. If he was branded as someone who openly defied Celestial Capital Prefecture, he would have no future in the Prefecture.

Celestial Capital Prefecture had no single, unified ruling power. All the rules were established by the six great powers. As an elder of the Li family, one of those six, Li Rucheng’s status was indeed high enough for him to speak this way.

Conflict flickered in his eyes for a moment before he finally burst out laughing. "Haha, I haven’t just been in Celestial Capital Prefecture for a day or two, Li Rucheng. Do me a favor and ask around—when have I, Qiu Wushuang, ever been successfully threatened? If you were handling this fairly, I wouldn’t say a single word. But the way you’re dealing with this now... heheh, then don’t blame me for not showing you any respect."

Li Rucheng’s face twitched. "Qiu Wushuang," he roared, "since you insist on opposing Celestial Capital Prefecture, then I shall deal with you on its behalf!"

"Go!"

With a furious roar, his qi and blood surged as he was about to shoot forward. At the same time, the other Li family experts by his side also leaped into the air.

"Elder Li Rucheng, what a grand display of authority! How is it that I was unaware the Li family could represent Celestial Capital Prefecture? Heheh, by my reckoning, what you’re doing right now counts as committing assault in public, doesn’t it?"

Just then, a mocking voice rang out, and several experts emerged from a street corner.

The leader was an old man with graying hair and a beard. His expression was stern, but a mocking smile played on his lips. A young man followed by his side.

"Lin Bo."

Seeing the old man, Li Rucheng’s pupils suddenly contracted. He instantly retreated from his forward lunge and said coldly, "What are you people from the Lin family doing here?"

"Haha, Li Rucheng, is your brain broken? Or did you just wake up on the wrong side of stupid? The western district is a public area. You think only the Li family is allowed here, and not my Lin family? Since when does your Li family get to meddle in my Lin family’s business?"

Lin Bo sneered and walked straight to the front of the Profound Light Pavilion. He then said to Qi Liming and the others standing at the entrance, "Get out of the way. I’m here to buy something from the Profound Light Pavilion. Are you a bunch of watchdogs? Blocking the way like this, don’t you know that a good dog doesn’t block the path?"

"You..."

Qi Liming was so furious he spat out a mouthful of blood. His eyes were wide with rage, but knowing the other party’s identity, he forcefully suppressed his anger and shot a pleading glance at Li Rucheng.

Li Rucheng said coldly, "Lin Bo, you’ve gone too far. My Li family and your Lin family have always minded our own business. Is your Lin family determined to oppose mine?"

"Oh? Where does this talk of opposition come from?" Lin Bo feigned surprise and confusion. "I was just scolding a dog. Why are you so worked up, Li Rucheng? They say if you beat a dog, its master will show up. Could it be that this dog belongs to your Li family? Heheh, now this is interesting."

The head-to-head confrontation between Lin Bo and Li Rucheng immediately sparked hushed whispers among the crowd.

"What’s the background of this Profound Light Pavilion? For the Lin family to actually stick up for them?"

"That must be the Lin family’s core elder, Lin Bo. The young master next to him should be his grandson, Lin Tian, who was once the number one genius of Celestial Capital Prefecture."

"I heard that a few months ago, this Lin Tian took a Venerable Pill from the Profound Light Pavilion and broke through to Tier Six Martial Venerable, a realm he was stuck in. It’s only been a few months, and he’s already at Tier Six Triple Peak! My heavens, at this rate, won’t he become a Tier Seven Martial King soon?"

"Tsk tsk, a twenty-year-old Tier Seven Martial King... In our Celestial Capital Prefecture, while not exactly unprecedented, it’s still an absolutely heaven-defying achievement."

"No wonder the Lin family is sticking up for Profound Light Pavilion. The Pavilion restored Lin Tian’s cultivation talent. That’s a favor equivalent to giving him a new life."

The crowd buzzed with discussion, their expressions filled with shock.

Qiu Wushuang also breathed an inward sigh of relief. Although his reputation was considerable, the pressure of single-handedly confronting the Li family, one of the six great powers, was truly immense.

With the Lin family now taking the lead, he felt much more at ease.

Inside Profound Light Pavilion, Ye Xuan and the others watched the scene unfold in silence. The matter now involved several of Celestial Capital Prefecture’s most powerful families. One wrong move could lead to utter and complete ruin.

"Hmph." Li Rucheng snorted, feeling that the situation had become extremely tricky. With the Lin family here, he couldn’t act as recklessly and without reason as before. He could only snort again and say, "Lin Bo, you’ve got some nerve. I won’t get into a war of words with you. Today, the Profound Light Pavilion failed to treat Master Zhen Li of the Ancient Pill Tower and then even tried to kill him to silence him. How can my Celestial Capital Prefecture allow such a business to continue its wicked ways?"

"Heheh, Li Rucheng, but what I heard was that the Ancient Pill Tower deliberately framed Profound Light Pavilion," Lin Bo said with a smile, his eyes narrowed.

Li Rucheng sneered, "I knew someone would try to stir up trouble. Besides, this sort of thing can’t be settled with words alone. We only need to invite a third-party Soul Refiner to make an assessment, and we’ll naturally know who’s right and who’s wrong."

Lin Bo laughed loudly. "A third-party Soul Refiner? Who knows if this Soul Refiner isn’t just a second dog kept by your Li family?"

With the Li family’s status, it would be all too easy to find a somewhat famous Soul Refiner to give false testimony.

Li Rucheng sneered, "Rest assured, I knew that as soon as I made this proposal, some of you would be suspicious. That’s why the Soul Refiner I’ve invited is naturally someone everyone trusts. This person is none other than the Vice Tower Master of our Celestial Capital Prefecture’s Soul Master Tower, Master Rongyang. I’ve already sent someone to invite him. Once Master Rongyang arrives, we’ll naturally find out who is playing tricks, the Ancient Pill Tower or the Profound Light Pavilion."

Master Rongyang?

Everyone drew in a sharp, cold breath.

The Soul Master Tower and the Alchemist Association were two powerful organizations on the Celestial Profound Continent, with branches spread throughout the land. Celestial Capital Prefecture was naturally no exception.

And these two organizations usually did not get involved in local affairs, generally remaining detached and neutral.

This Rongyang was the Vice Tower Master of the Celestial Capital Prefecture’s Soul Master Tower, a Seventh Grade Soul Refiner, and a Martial Emperor at the Peak of Tier Eight Second Layer. In terms of both identity and status, he was no weaker than the Clan Leaders of the Li family and the other great families. Even the two great powers of Celestial Capital Prefecture, the Clan Leaders of the Yuchi family and the Xiao family, had to respectfully address him as "Master" upon meeting him.

That was why everyone was so shocked when Li Rucheng announced he had invited Master Rongyang.

But the hearts of Lin Bo, Ye Xuan, and the others sank.

Rongyang was a Seventh Grade Soul Refiner and the Vice Tower Master of the Celestial Capital Prefecture’s Soul Master Tower. Normally, let alone a core elder of the Li family like Li Rucheng, even the Li family’s Clan Leader couldn’t just invite him over whenever he pleased. Why would he come to the Profound Light Pavilion for such a trivial matter?

But given Master Rongyang’s status, if he made a judgment, it would be as good as a final verdict.

In Celestial Capital Prefecture, there were many powerful Soul Refiners, but the only one who surpassed Master Rongyang in both cultivation and status was the Tower Master of the Soul Master Tower, Master Zuo Yuan. However, Master Zuo Yuan was known to be elusive and was completely dedicated to his research, rarely concerning himself with worldly affairs.

It was said that he came from the Soul Refiners’ holy land, the Divine Capital, and had been assigned to serve as Tower Master in Celestial Capital Prefecture. He rarely interacted with the outside world and generally ignored the internal affairs of the Soul Master Tower. Even the Patriarchs of the Yuchi and Xiao families couldn’t get an audience with him. Therefore, Vice Tower Master Rongyang was practically the highest-ranking official from the Soul Master Tower that the great families could ever hope to meet.

The expressions on the faces of Su Xiuyi and the others were unprecedentedly grave, and their hearts felt heavy.

They were almost certain that this was a conspiracy by the Li family, but they were powerless to resist it. Once the Vice Tower Master of the Soul Master Tower passed judgment, their Profound Light Pavilion would be utterly discredited and become a thing of the past.

"He’s here! Master Rongyang is really here."

Just as everyone was still in shock, gasps of surprise suddenly rang out. The crowd turned to see an exquisite carriage slowly approaching before stopping in front of the Profound Light Pavilion.

"Master Rongyang, you’ve arrived."

Li Rucheng hurried forward and personally drew back the carriage curtain for him. An old man wearing the robes of a Seventh Grade Soul Refiner stepped out. His features were quite ordinary, with nothing particularly special about them. However, anyone who met his gaze felt a chill as if they’d been plunged into an ice cellar, feeling as though they had been stripped of all secrets and privacy.

"Master Rongyang, it really is Master Rongyang."

"I once saw the Master from a distance at the Soul Master Tower and found him incredibly imposing. Seeing him up close now, his aura of dominance is on full display."

"Sigh, if I were a woman, I’d die happy if I could spend one night with Master Rongyang."

The crowd murmured in low voices, each person incredibly excited.

The vast majority of them would never normally be qualified to meet a figure like Rongyang, so they couldn’t help but be overcome with emotion.

"Master, I am Qi Liming of the Ancient Pill Tower. I implore you, Master, you must uphold justice for the Ancient Pill Tower!"

Qi Liming hurriedly and carefully went to greet him, starting to wail his grievances. He looked as if he had just been reunited with his own father.

Although Lin Bo and the others had a bad feeling about this, they couldn’t neglect the necessary courtesies, so they also stepped forward and bowed in greeting.

When Rongyang saw Lin Bo, a sharp glint appeared in his eyes. He frowned and said, "So it’s Elder Lin Bo. Is your Lin family also involved in this matter?"

A look of suspicion appeared on his face as he glanced at Li Rucheng.