Chapter Sixty-Three: The Turmoil of the Zi Family

Your young master has died, yet you’re in such a hurry that you almost trampled a child.
The old man scolded the group angrily as the little girl began to sob, clinging tightly to him.
“Old fool, do you believe we won’t deal with you? Have you lived so long that you’ve grown impatient with life? Coming here to throw yourself into trouble, making more work for us!”
With that, several gate guards pulled out their magical artifacts and advanced on the old man with menacing intent, causing bystanders to retreat.
But the old man did not yield; he stood his ground, glaring at them with eyes cold as frost. The very air seemed to chill, making everyone uneasy.
“Uncle-Master, we’re here!”
A young man and woman ran over, surrounding the old man and brandishing their own spiritual weapons to confront the guards.
The captain of the city gate guards sensed something amiss. This old man could actually affect the surrounding temperature, and a group of young cultivators stood with him, each holding spiritual weapons that marked them as Foundation Establishment cultivators. With the trade fair approaching, many strangers had come to Purple Immortal City—disciples and elders from various sects. His small team was no match for them.
The other guards exchanged glances with the captain. They were soldiers, bound to obey, but not fools willing to throw their lives away. Charging recklessly into certain death was nothing more than a pointless sacrifice.
The captain, unsure what to do, could only bluff, maintaining his bearing and confronting the group across from him.
“Put your weapons away, all of you. This matter has nothing to do with you. I’ll report to the Purple Immortal Palace myself. There’s no need for unnecessary casualties. Uncle-Master brought you here for the trade fair, not for the arena. Put your spiritual weapons away at once.”
“But Uncle-Master—” The young man in the lead looked unwilling, stabbing his longsword into the ground so forcefully that it cracked the earth, drawing the attention of all around.
“Your master told you to follow my lead outside the sect. I hope you haven’t forgotten.” With a cold huff, the old man ended the argument.
The other disciples quickly withdrew their spiritual weapons, falling silent.
The young man pulled his sword from the ground and stored it in his pouch, then shot the guard captain a sour look before stepping behind the old man, signaling his readiness to fight if provoked.
The captain feigned confidence with his magic artifact, then stepped forward with the guards.
“All of you, fall back one hundred meters! We have orders from above. There are reports of demon spies in the city. We must conduct a thorough inspection.”
He pressed forward, though much more slowly than before, lacking the urgency of their first approach.

After a hundred meters, the guards stopped, posting a notice on a nearby wall. A crowd quickly gathered to read it.
Seeing the guards relent, the old man led his disciples over as well. The crowd was thick, but fortunately, vision was never a problem for cultivators of the Windwalker Continent.
Notice
Recently, we have received intelligence that demon spies have infiltrated Purple Immortal City, plotting to disrupt the trade fair. We have already found clues and expect to apprehend the spies soon. All residents and visiting cultivators are asked to cooperate actively in exposing and eradicating the demon clan’s schemes.
The brief announcement sparked debate in the crowd.
“Demons that can take human form—that requires at least Golden Core cultivation!” someone exclaimed in shock, muttering aloud.
The crowd buzzed with speculation.
“You people have no experience,” someone said. “Every year at the trade fair, the demon clan comes to exchange rare treasures for human pills and magic tools. They’re not as terrifying as you imagine. My friend’s father once traded with them.”
Enlightened, the people calmed—until a squad of guards burst into the crowd, seizing the young man who had spoken. They bound his hands behind his back, and the captain announced under the notice:
“Anyone who cooperates with the demon clan must be reported. Failure to report will lead to consequences—just like this.”
With that, they marched the young man away.
The crowd dispersed, whispering among themselves.
“The demon clan has attended the trade fair every year. Why the commotion this time? Uncle-Master, what do you make of it?”
The young man who had led the group couldn’t help but ask as they walked away.
“You always want to stir up trouble. Young men don’t know the weight of things. Let’s go—we’ll steer clear of trouble at the inn. The Purple Immortal Palace will have plans of its own.”
With that, the old man turned to leave, his group of youths following.
A string of bell-like laughter followed their retreating figures.
“That boy is lively and charming in public. I wonder how he is in private. It’s been a long time since I met such an interesting young man.”

The girl covered her mouth, laughing quietly. She wore a white gauze top and blue shorts, her laughter drawing many glances.
“Yes, it’s been a long time since you saw such an adorable boy. The last ones you met all ended up as skeletons. If they knew how many poisonous thorns hid beneath your innocent face, they wouldn’t dare approach.”
A young man nearby spoke with disdain.
“And you, Senior Brother—you always lure those innocent, lovely girls to ruin, turning them into stepping stones on your path.”
“They deserved it. They came willingly. I never seduced anyone.”
With that, the young man turned and left.
Nearby, several people eyed the girl with longing, but after hearing the conversation, cold sweat broke out on their foreheads. These were members of the Soul Clan—legendary for being the best auxiliary partners for cultivation, said to enhance progress and rival even divine treasures.
But they were also dangerous, able to turn on their masters, absorbing their cultivation and soul. Only powerful clans could afford to raise them, binding them from childhood to grow alongside their masters.
For lesser families, provoking the Soul Clan meant certain destruction. Rumor had it that a top-five clan was wiped out overnight for this very reason.
The girl batted her eyes, flirting with a young man in the crowd, then sidled up to him, and soon the two vanished down the street.
Two luxurious flying carriages rushed toward the southern part of the city from the north and west.
One was drawn by a spirit beast with a human body, elephant head, and white wings; the other by a great purple bird, its body entirely violet with massive wings and a tiny frame—an odd sight.
Most residents of Purple Immortal City recognized these vehicles: they belonged to the Purplefan Sage and the Purplefan Mountain family, the mounts of the two clan heads. Except during grand festivals, they rarely appeared—evidence that something major had happened this time.
A street vendor explained this to itinerant cultivators who had come for the trade fair.