The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace

After meeting with Fang Ting, Fang Luo got straight to the point.

"I know who they are. They're most likely from Seven Kings City, a hegemonic force from the Eastern Continent."

"Seven Kings City is one of the twenty hegemon-level powers in the Tianyuan World, and it's particularly unique. Put simply—they're the biggest bandit force in the world, infamous for raiding and pillaging far and wide."

"The city itself is a haven for criminals. Anyone who's made enemies of powerful forces or committed countless atrocities ends up hiding there."

"The city is ruled by seven mighty figures, each commanding a host of powerful subordinates. Taken together, the city's overall strength ranks among the top three of the twenty hegemon powers."

"That's the main reason why, despite their endless crimes, they still exist."

[In my past life, Seven Kings City did indeed come to Cangzhou once—but not now, and not to plunder Duanshan City. Something must have changed—perhaps an unforeseen event triggered this, causing their plans to shift and their raid to happen earlier with a different target.]

[The brigands of Seven Kings City are no ordinary thieves. Before every plundering operation, they conduct extensive research. No doubt they came to Cangzhou after concluding that isolated Duanshan City was the easiest target.]

Fang Ting clicked his tongue in astonishment. He hadn't expected that the Tianyuan World harbored such a power—one that was both feared and tolerated, and ranked among the top three.

Did the ancient clans, the Imperial Courts, and the Immortal Sects of the Desolate Era really just allow this city to grow unchecked? Or were they deliberately allowing Seven Kings City to exist, perhaps as a balance of power?

Or maybe, Seven Kings City was secretly fostered by one—or several—of the top-tier factions.

Come to think of it, Fang Ting realized he actually knew very little about the full list of the twenty hegemon forces.

Because of Fang Mu Ge and Fang Ying, he only knew of a few like the Profound Heaven Holy Sect, Misty Immortal Palace, and the Nie Clan.

At present, the Fang family was still too far from reaching that level. It would take time to catch up—so knowing all their names now wouldn't be of much use.

"What I want to know is—will they come back to Cangzhou?" Fang Ting asked seriously.

Cangzhou was now firmly under the Fang Clan's control. If Seven Kings City came again, no matter where they struck, they would be stealing from him.

That was something Fang Ting could not tolerate.

Fang Luo replied, "Hard to say in the short term. The movements of Seven Kings City's raiders are extremely unpredictable. But most of the time, they don't send Imperial Realm powerhouses."

Those in the Imperial Realm were already standing at the pinnacle of the Tianyuan World. Most of their time was spent cultivating and seeking their own breakthroughs.

It was the same for Seven Kings City's Emperors. They rarely involved themselves in raids or operations like this.

Fang Ting nodded.

In that case, Grand Qian just needed to bolster its borders and station enough experts at the edges of Cangzhou. If Seven Kings City tried again, they'd ensure the intruders would never return.

With the Profound Heaven Holy Sect and Misty Immortal Palace behind him, Fang Ting wasn't afraid of offending Seven Kings City. And Seven Kings City, knowing what was at stake, likely wouldn't go to war over a few fallen thugs.

Fang Luo added, "Now that we've left, we're planning to go to Seven Kings City for a trial."

"I'd like to take a few Hidden Dragon Guards with me and set up a small faction there. That way, future Hidden Dragon Guards who break into the Saint Realm will have a place to gather."

[In my past life, I only left Cangzhou twice, so my understanding of most of the Tianyuan World's opportunities is limited. But Seven Kings City was one of the key places I marked.]

Fang Ting affirmed, "Those Hidden Dragon Guards who've reached the Saint Realm do need to venture out. You can bring a few clansmen too. If the opportunity arises, consider opening a branch of Drunken Immortal Pavilion in Seven Kings City."

Apart from those newly recruited and still training at the Divine Gate Manor, most Fang family members had been training across Cangzhou.

Once they reached the Saint Realm, the opportunities in Cangzhou were too limited. Like most Saint cultivators, they needed to seek broader horizons.

Opening Drunken Immortal Pavilion in Seven Kings City would be the first step in its expansion across the thousand continents of the Tianyuan World.

Even if they couldn't transmit information back reliably, it could still serve as a business and provide resources.

Fang Luo responded, "We'll see how things unfold. Seven Kings City is chaotic and dangerous. Before setting up shop, we'll need to gain a foothold."

Despite its strength and status, Seven Kings City was known as a den of vice and lawlessness. Establishing a business there would be no easy feat.

At this moment, Yin Xianhong spoke up, "I remember that Old Wang seems to be somewhere near Seven Kings City. If you go, try to get in touch. He might have already broken through to the Imperial Realm."

Old Wang was from the same generation as Master Kongjing, the one Fang Ting had slain. He had spent years traveling across continents. He had reached peak Saint King Realm even before Kongjing and had been only a step away from the Imperial Realm.

Now, with the great age of upheaval in full swing, it was very likely that he had become an Emperor.

"My master's out there?" Fang Luo's eyes lit up. "It's been years since I've seen him."

Because of Old Wang's unpredictable travels, and Fang Luo's own decade-long absence from Cangzhou, they had rarely crossed paths.

If Old Wang had succeeded in becoming an Emperor, having his help in Seven Kings City would be a tremendous advantage.

Soon after, Fang Ting ordered Fang Yan to gather the Saint Realm-level Hidden Dragon Guards so that Fang Luo and the others could select their team.

Since Fang Luo often led operations, he was familiar with most of the seasoned members and quickly made his picks.

He chose twenty True Saint Realm Hidden Dragon Guards, including Fang Yan, a regular squad leader, and Fang Tian, a promising rising star.

Once the roster was set, Fang Luo gave them one month to spend time with their families—because once they left, they wouldn't return for at least ten years.

A month later, Fang Luo, Fang Chen, and Fang Qiufeng, along with the sea beast Hai Yuanbai, set off.

They brought with them the twenty elite Hidden Dragon Guards and a few Fang family members capable of setting up Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

Together, they rode on the back of a massive Azure Thunder Roc, leaving Cangzhou and heading for Seven Kings City in the Eastern Continent.

The journey was long, so they took turns on watch while the others sat in meditation on the beast's back, cultivating to increase their strength.

The stronger they were by the time they arrived, the more secure their position would be.

At this time, Grand Qian Dynasty had already fully taken control of the Western Region, officially bringing all of Cangzhou under its rule.

Under Grand Qian's governance, Cangzhou was rapidly growing and prospering.

Following Fang Ting's instructions, Crown Prince Fang Kong dispatched many strong cultivators to patrol Cangzhou's borders.

If any suspicious groups were spotted, they were to be reported immediately.

This was all in preparation—to prevent Seven Kings City's bandits from returning.