After the explosion, the rain that had been pouring relentlessly suddenly stopped. The dark clouds slowly parted, and soft golden sunlight once again shone over Heaven Sword City.
Many citizens forced their exhausted bodies to open their windows. Some cautiously stepped onto the streets before lifting their heads to look toward the sky.
Eleven Saints stood in formation above the city. The aura of each of them was calm yet overwhelmingly powerful, like a sacred wall protecting the entire city.
The people immediately recognized them.
Kang Hao, the City Lord of Heaven Sword City, along with the ten core members of the City Lord's Mansion.
Kang Hao's voice echoed downward once more, firm, steady, and filled with authority.
"For now, we have worked together to eliminate the threat."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"However, it appears there may be hidden motives behind this incident. These rains do not seem to be a natural occurrence. Therefore, the City Lord's Mansion will conduct a thorough investigation. All parties are requested to remain calm."
His voice was about to conclude when he suddenly faltered. Kang Hao's gaze shifted sharply to the side.
"Jin Song… what is wrong with you?"
Beside him, an elderly man meditating in midair began trembling uncontrollably.
Pfft!
Bright red blood suddenly burst from the old man's mouth. Droplets scattered through the air before falling toward the ground below.
The citizens watching widened their eyes in shock.
Jin Song, the City Lord's most important advisor… a Saint-level cultivator… was injured.
He coughed out blood again.
"Ugh…!"
His breathing grew heavy. His complexion turned pale as veins beneath his skin bulged, as though something was violently circulating within his body.
Jin Song lifted his head toward Kang Hao. His eyes were filled with pain as he spoke in a hoarse voice.
"City Lord… it seems… I… have also been poisoned…"
At that moment, other members of the City Lord's Mansion began showing abnormalities one after another. Dry coughing mixed with the sound of blood being spat out continuously.
Pfft!
Bright red blood erupted from the mouth of another Saint. His body trembled violently as the aura he released became unstable. Not far away, another member clutched his chest before collapsing midair. The spiritual power inside his body churned chaotically, as though something was devouring him from within.
Kang Hao glanced left and right. His previously calm expression began showing traces of concern. He took a deep breath before shouting firmly,
"Everyone, calm down first!"
At that moment,
Kang Hao coughed lightly, but his breath suddenly faltered as he sensed a metallic taste rising in his throat.
A droplet of crimson blood slowly trickled from the corner of his lips.
That single sight made the hearts of the citizens watching below tighten simultaneously.
If even the City Lord… had been poisoned, then what hope was left for them?
Chaos began erupting throughout the city. People panicked. Some started crying, others shouted for their families. The sound of fear spread like wildfire.
Suddenly,
A figure shot into the sky at incredible speed. Spiritual power surged outward in waves, causing the people below to freeze instinctively.
The man's voice rang across the heavens.
"Everyone, please remain calm!"
He swept his gaze across the entire city before continuing in a steady tone.
"I know everyone is worried about the poison within the rain… but you no longer need to worry!"
The whispers below fell silent instantly.
"The Cloud Commerce Pavilion… has already discovered an antidote!"
Those words struck like lightning in the hearts of the people. The hope that had nearly vanished began to reignite.
The man continued speaking.
"We must thank the Inner Elder of our pavilion, who discovered this antidote by chance. Although it is only an Earth-grade pill… the refinement process is extremely complex, and the required ingredients are scarce."
He paused slightly before smiling politely.
"Therefore, the price may be somewhat higher than usual. Anyone in need may proceed to the Cloud Commerce Pavilion immediately to purchase it."
His words caused the crowd below to erupt once more. But this time, it was not despair. It was fear mixed with a desperate hunger to survive.
Seeing that even Saints could not resist this poison, the fear of death began slowly consuming everyone's reason.
At that moment, Kang Hao's voice echoed through the air. His tone was calm, yet laced with suspicion.
"You discovered an antidote rather quickly."
His gaze locked directly onto the man.
"Tell me… who are you?"
The man clasped his hands slightly before replying politely.
"My name is Wang Qiang, the leader of the Cloud Commerce Pavilion. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Kang Hao narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Is that so… Aren't you the one who was expelled from the Wang Clan? You are quite suspicious indeed."
Suddenly,
Whoosh!
Fourteen figures clad in black warped into existence behind Wang Qiang within a single instant. Each stood in a combat-ready stance. Their auras erupted without concealment, revealing four Saint King-level cultivators and ten Saint-level cultivators.
The atmosphere across the entire city tightened as if the air itself had stopped flowing. Every faction that harbored hidden intentions fell into silence upon witnessing the terrifying strength of the Cloud Commerce Pavilion.
Kang Hao turned to look at his own subordinates who were struggling to suppress the poison. He slowly let out a sigh before speaking.
"Then… I would like to purchase some antidote pills from you. Eleven pills. What is the price?"
The moment Kang Hao finished speaking, one of the black-clothed men stepped forward half a step and said,
"The Cloud Commerce Pavilion only sells its products within the pavilion itself."
However, Wang Qiang raised his hand, signaling the man to stop.
He turned toward Kang Hao and smiled politely before replying respectfully.
"The total price… is 220 top-grade spirit stones."
Kang Hao raised an eyebrow slightly.
"So twenty top-grade spirit stones per pill…"
He chuckled softly before continuing.
"That is quite an outrageous price. For an Earth-grade pill, this price is nearly one hundred times higher than the market value. It is practically comparable to a low-tier Heaven-grade pill."
Wang Qiang maintained his polite smile. His voice remained calm, making it impossible to tell what he was truly thinking.
"My apologies… but the refinement process of this pill is far too complicated to reduce the price. More importantly, City Lord, are you perhaps trying to stall for time? The lives of the citizens are hanging by a thread, yet you continue to question us, who are sincerely trying to save everyone. May I ask… what exactly are you planning?"
The exchange between the two began stirring emotional waves throughout the entire city. Suspicion, relief, admiration, anger, and disgust intertwined within the hearts of the citizens.
Kang Hao stared at Wang Qiang for a moment before speaking again.
"And what guarantee do you have that the pill you discovered is safe? Can you reveal the formula of this pill?"
Wang Qiang smiled before answering.
"These pills require an Emperor-level alchemist to refine. Even the slightest mistake during the refinement process would turn the antidote into poison instead. I am willing to guarantee it with the reputation of the Wang Clan's heir and my Cloud Commerce Pavilion. If anything goes wrong, I will bear full responsibility."
Kang Hao stared at Wang Qiang silently, as if weighing something in his mind. After a moment, he gave a slight nod.
"Very well… take it."
As soon as he finished speaking, he opened his spatial ring. A flash of white light appeared in midair. Immediately afterward, two hundred and twenty top-grade spirit stones shot out and lined up in a neat stream before being flicked toward Wang Qiang without hesitation.
Wang Qiang raised his hand and accepted the payment with graceful composure. A thin layer of spiritual energy spread outward, supporting all the spirit stones as they floated steadily before him. He swept his gaze across them for a brief inspection, then gave a faint smile before tossing a transparent pill bottle back.
Kang Hao reached out and caught it with precision. He immediately opened the bottle. A faint medicinal scent drifted out. It was neither sweet nor pungent, but instead carried a deep bitterness with a subtle trace of warmth.
He quickly examined the pill with his spiritual sense before taking one out without hesitation.
"Jin Song, open your mouth."
The old man, who was struggling to breathe, forced himself to nod. Kang Hao immediately fed the pill into his mouth.
Within a single breath,
The power inside Jin Song's body erupted gently. A wave of red-gold energy surged through his meridians at astonishing speed. The poison that had infiltrated his body began breaking apart into gray mist before gradually dissipating.
The pale color of his face slowly returned to normal. His trembling body steadied. The weakness that had been suppressing him loosened, as if invisible chains had been shattered.
In the blink of an eye,
Jin Song opened his eyes fully. His spiritual power flowed smoothly and steadily once again.
Under the watchful gaze of the entire city, he took a deep breath before shouting with a trembling yet excited voice,
"It works! The poison inside my body… it's gone… completely gone!"
An uproar erupted across the city instantly. The despair that had weighed upon everyone's hearts throughout the night seemed to tear apart. Many people collapsed to the ground in relief, while others broke into uncontrollable tears.
Wang Qiang chuckled softly before speaking in a gentle tone.
"See? I told you already. But judging from your expression, City Lord, you do not seem very pleased."
He glanced toward the citizens below before continuing sincerely,
"Well then… I shall be waiting for everyone at the Cloud Commerce Pavilion."
He paused briefly before offering a faint smile.
"But I understand the current situation. For the sake of our fellow citizens of Heaven Sword City, I will reduce the price by half. Each pill will now cost only ten top-grade spirit stones."
Another wave of commotion spread throughout the crowd.
"Today… I am willing to suffer losses in exchange for future gains. I hope the Cloud Commerce Pavilion will earn a place in the hearts of all the citizens."
He cupped his hands lightly before giving his final words.
"I shall see you at the Cloud Commerce Pavilion."
As his voice faded,
Wang Qiang's figure, along with the Saints standing behind him, gradually blurred before vanishing from the sky as if they had never appeared at all.