C633 A Slap in the Face!

In Gavanas, there were two bustling hubs of activity.

The first was the teleportation circle constructed by the Ethereal Void Sect, which cultivators frequently used to traverse the Forgotten Ruins.

Rumors of the revival of spiritual energy in the Lost Lands had attracted not only Evil Demon magnates in hiding but also Fellbeasts from the Godsblight Marsh.

Consequently, the seven lower sects, along with the Skyblight Cult, Colddeath, and sects of similar stature, had sent their young disciples to the Lost Lands for training.

The second hub was the local branch of the Skyreach Consortium in Gavanas.

Cultivators from various sects, along with the scions and elders of the empire's affluent families, flocked to the Skyreach Consortium's branch to procure suitable magic items and pills.

They also utilized the Consortium to sell the rare treasures that were of no use to them.

"Wow!"

Yu Yuan and Qin Yun stood before the bustling pavilions, observing the throngs of cultivators and transformed archdemons, and couldn't help but exclaim in awe.

In the span of half a month, Gavanas had flourished even more, and the Consortium's branch was particularly impressive.

Amidst the pavilions peddling pills, artifacts, and arrays, Yu Yuan felt as though he was back in the Sundering Isles, on the island owned by the Skyreach Consortium.

"Recently, Gavanas has indeed become more vibrant," Qin Yun remarked with a light smile, his mood buoyant. "It might sound a bit like schadenfreude, but ever since the turmoil began on the Aetherius Continent, with the Sunblessed Empire and the Empire of Dawn at war, and the Shadowlight Empire clashing with the Crimson Sun Empire, Gavanas has suddenly become a magnet for people from all corners."

He was well aware that Gavanas was Yu Zhu's private domain and was intimately familiar with the relationship between Yu Yuan and Yu Zhu.

The burgeoning prosperity of Gavanas was undoubtedly good news for both Yu Zhu and Yu Yuan.

"So it's war that's driving this," Yu Yuan mused, nodding slowly as he pieced everything together.

The Evil Statue had been returned to the Moonfall Sanctuary, altering the destiny of the continent and sparking fierce conflicts between empires.

Cultivators were the bedrock of warfare, requiring an array of weapons and pills to bolster their combat prowess.

To endure the harshness of war, cultivators from the Four Great Empires would offer their most prized possessions in exchange for pills and magic items that could swiftly enhance their strength.

This drew a multitude of cultivators to Gavanas.

"Yu Yuan..."

A group emerged from the pavilion showcasing artifacts, led by Su Xiangtian, who cast a complex glance at Yu Yuan.

Yu Yuan, taken aback, acknowledged Su Xiangtian with a nod from a distance of over ten meters, a silent greeting.

Recently, the independent cultivator Liang Jingyin had fallen victim to an attack by Lord Dusk Raven, and Su Che of the Su family had been casually slain by an enraged Dusk Raven.

Su Che was the one Su Xiangtian had brought to Gavanas and entrusted to Liang Jingyin.

His intention had been to leverage Su Che to fortify the Su family's influence.

But now...

With a touch of bitterness in his heart, Su Xiangtian stood there, devoid of any desire to engage with Yu Yuan.

In contrast, the strapping man beside him, brimming with vigor, exclaimed, "Haha, Xiangtian, is that Yu Yuan?"

Su Xiangtian gave him a brief glance and nodded subtly.

"Come on, let's go say hello!"

The man, clad in a black robe with gilded trim, broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, unceremoniously grabbed Su Xiangtian and made a beeline for Yu Yuan.

A group of cultivators, resembling counselors, trailed behind Su Xiangtian and the burly man.

"Enemies often cross paths," Qin Yun remarked softly.

At those words, Yu Yuan instantly recognized the man's unique status and inquired, "Who is he?"

"Gao Zhengxing!" Qin Yun revealed.

"So it's him!"

Yu Yuan's expression grew stern, curious to see what the newly appointed mayor of Asvetaesi intended by approaching them.

Soon enough, Gao Zhengxing, dragging Su Xiangtian along and flanked by their entourage, reached where Yu Yuan and Qin Yun stood.

"Mr. Qin, congratulations!"

After settling in, Gao Zhengxing greeted Qin Yun, who had recently ascended to the Spirit Walk realm, before turning his attention to Yu Yuan with evident interest. "I am the head of the Gao family, appointed to take Yuan Lianyao's place in overseeing Asvetaesi. You're Yu Yuan, correct? I had the pleasure of meeting your grandfather a few days ago, and we hit it off immediately."

"I've heard quite a bit about you before coming to Asvetaesi. Yu Yuan, would you be interested in serving as the head of my guards at the Keep?"

Gao Zhengxing beamed as he lavished praise, then extended an unexpected offer.

Yu Yuan gave him a piercing look, shook his head, and responded with a hint of sarcasm, "Mayor Gao, you've only just reached the Lunar Spirit realm. Now that you're the mayor of Asvetaesi, you expect me to serve you? Why don't you ask Qin Yun what he calls me?"

"Young Master!" Qin Yun declared with utmost respect.

"Did you catch that?" Yu Yuan flashed a sly smile. "He's at the Spirit Walk realm, and he addresses me as Young Master. Mayor Gao, by what right or capability do you presume to recruit me as your chief guard?"

His words triggered laughter among the onlookers.

The loudest laughter came from Gao Qin of the Skyreach Consortium, who, with a sword in hand, leaned casually against the wall in the shadows, chuckling, "How amusing, truly amusing."

"That's Yu Yuan? The Yu Yuan of Asvetaesi?"

"Who else could it be? I've heard from Qi Nandou, who returned to our sect, that this young man displayed remarkable abilities at the bottom of the Embers Sea. Qi Nandou himself holds him in high regard."

"A returnee from the Taintborn Sect spoke of Yu Yuan in the same glowing terms!"

"He's the one who eluded Lin Zhuyun, even after being targeted by a Sky Fiend, and the cosmic giant beast couldn't take him down either."

"Moreover, rumor has it that he's the one who freed numerous archdemons!"

"And this Gao Zhengxing, I've never even heard of him before! He has the audacity to ask Yu Yuan to be his bodyguard? At his age, he's merely in the early stages of the Lunar Spirit realm. Isn't he overestimating himself a bit?"

"…"

Many from the Starmoon Sect, Abyssal Dawn, Cloudwater Sect, and Forgeroses converged, drawn by the name "Yu Yuan."

Cultivators from the Skyblight Cult and Taintborn Sect also flocked to the scene, buzzing with excitement.

They paid no mind to Gao Zhengxing, openly dismissing him.

In their eyes, Gao Zhengxing, the new mayor of the city, was merely a minor figure.

In stark contrast, Yu Yuan, who had recently ascended to the Subtlety, was renowned and widely recognized.

"Yu Yuan, surely you haven't forgotten that your Yu family is still in Asvetaesi, under my jurisdiction?" Gao Zhengxing felt as if each raucous laugh was a slap to his face, his pride stinging.

He hadn't anticipated the young Yu family member to be so celebrated.

"You're the mayor of Asvetaesi, not the emperor of the Shadowlight Empire," Yu Yuan retorted with a sneer. "What's this? Do you intend to use your mayoral authority against the Yu family? Haven't you already done what you set out to do? The mines we reclaimed, you had the Gao family take over, did you not?"

"I acted within the rules!" Gao Zhengxing barked in response.

"The war is upon us. I'm due to join the fight with the next group. I only came to Gavanas to purchase some supplies," Su Xiangtian interjected, nodding to Yu Yuan. "My business is settled; I must be going now."

"Understood," Yu Yuan acknowledged with a nod.

Gao Zhengxing opened his mouth to speak, but Gao Qin of the Skyreach Consortium cut in loudly, "Yu Yuan, don't waste time on him. The head of the Consortium requests your presence!"

Gao Zhengxing, on the verge of speaking, was so infuriated he nearly choked.

He had just approached Gao Qin alongside Su Xiangtian with questions, only to be met with Gao Qin's dismissive arrogance.

Yet the moment Yu Yuan appeared, Gao Qin's demeanor shifted to one of obsequiousness, even mentioning Zhu Peining's invitation.

It dawned on him that his status as mayor of Asvetaesi held no weight in Gavanas.

How had Yu Yuan earned such respect from these people?

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