From the fake emperor to the concubine

More than a dozen people simultaneously activated their spiritual power, and streams of spiritual energy surged from their bodies, weaving into a huge net of light in the air, which enveloped Zheng Yi.

Zheng Yi frowned slightly. He sensed that the net of light contained a powerful binding force, and once trapped inside, he would likely be held captive for a period of time.

"A mere trick." He sneered, his spiritual energy surging wildly within him.

The next instant, a powerful aura erupted from him, like a giant dragon awakening, shattering the net of light into pieces.

"What?" The people were shocked.

The Dragon-Trapping Formation was their trump card, said to be able to trap even a mid-stage Mahayana expert. Unexpectedly, it proved so utterly ineffective against Zheng Yi.

“It’s my turn,” Zheng Yi said coldly.

He flashed and appeared in front of the nearest person, striking out with a palm.

The man tried to dodge, but Zheng Yi was too fast. He didn't have time to react and was struck in the chest with a palm strike.

boom!
His body flew out like a cannonball, crashing through several large trees and landing lifeless.

"Kill!" The two gray-robed men, both at the early stage of the Mahayana realm, moved simultaneously.

They attacked Zheng Yi from both the left and right. The man on the left wielded a long sword with sharp, menacing aura; the man on the right wielded a pair of iron claws with menacing shadows.

Zheng Yi did not dodge, but went to meet him.

He struck out with his left hand, blocking the attack of the longsword; his right hand transformed from a fist into a claw, clashing head-on with the pair of iron claws.

clang! clang!
Two metallic clangs rang out, sparks flying everywhere.

The two gray-robed men simultaneously staggered back several steps, their faces showing shock. Their attacks had been easily blocked by their opponent, and judging from the exchange just now, the opponent hadn't even used his full strength.

"Such immense power!" the swordsman exclaimed in shock. "What level of cultivation does he possess?"

Zheng Yi didn't give them time to think; he swayed and charged forward again.

This time, his attack was even more ferocious.

His fist, accompanied by a whistling sound, slammed towards the swordsman's face. The man raised his sword to block, but Zheng Yi's strength was too great; a single punch sent his sword flying.

"Oh no!" the man exclaimed in alarm, and tried to back away.

But it was too late.

Zheng Yi's second punch had already landed, hitting him squarely in the chest.

puff!
He spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backward, crashing into a large tree that broke its trunk.

"Old Chen!" Another man in gray robes, filled with shock and anger, lunged at Zheng Yi.

Zheng Yi dodged his attack by sidestepping, and at the same time struck him on the back with a palm.

The man grunted, staggered forward a few steps, then turned and attacked again.

But his movements were noticeably slower, clearly indicating that the previous blow had caused him internal injuries.

Zheng Yi did not give him any chance.

He launched a series of attacks, combining punches and palm strikes, each move swift, accurate, and ruthless, aimed directly at vital points.

The gray-robed man was struggling to cope and gradually fell into a disadvantageous position.

After more than a dozen moves, Zheng Yi finally found a weakness.

He threw a punch, hitting the man squarely in the temple.

puff!
The man's head exploded like a watermelon, and his body crashed to the ground.

Two experts at the early stage of the Mahayana realm died at Zheng Yi's hands.

The remaining people were terrified and turned to run away.

Zheng Yi did not give chase. His most important task now was to protect Master Zhou, and he could not afford to be distracted by pursuing the enemy.

“Let’s go,” he said, returning to Master Zhou’s side.

Master Zhou nodded, his face pale. Although he had witnessed Zheng Yi's strength before, he still felt his heart pound with fear every time he saw such a scene.

The group continued southward.

During the rest of their journey, they encountered several more ambushes, but Zheng Yi easily thwarted them all. Although the ambushers were quite strong, they were no match for Zheng Yi.

Gradually, fewer and fewer people were lying in ambush.

Clearly, the masterminds behind the scenes have realized that these people are no match for Zheng Yi. Rather than throwing their lives away, they'd better temporarily withdraw and seek another solution.

Three days later, a magnificent city appeared before everyone's eyes.

The city was several times larger than Qingyun City, with walls hundreds of feet high, covered with various restrictions and formations, emitting a faint glow. The city gates were bustling with people, clearly a thriving metropolis.

"We've arrived." Master Zhou breathed a sigh of relief, his eyes filled with the joy of surviving a close call. "This is 'Tianyuan City,' the largest city in the core area of ​​the Tianyuan Domain. Once we're inside, we're safe."

Zheng Yi nodded and led the group toward the city gate.

The guards at the city gate checked their tokens and then let them in.

Upon entering Tianyuan City, Zheng Yi immediately sensed an aura completely different from that of Qingyun City.

The spiritual energy here is several times richer than in Qingyun City, the shops on both sides of the street are more luxurious, and most of the pedestrians have strong auras, obviously they are all people with cultivation.

“Young Master Zhang, the Zhou Family Trading Company is located in the east of the city,” Master Zhou said. “Let’s go back to the trading company first, and then I’ll settle your payment.”

“Okay,” Zheng Yi said.

The group walked through several streets and arrived at a large mansion in the east of the city.

Above the gate of the house hangs a golden plaque with the four large characters "Zhou Family Business" written on it, written in a vigorous and elegant style.

"We're home." Master Zhou looked at the plaque, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.

He pushed open the gate and led everyone inside.

The house was very large, complete with pavilions, terraces, rockeries, and ponds. Several servants saw Master Zhou return and hurriedly came to greet him.

"Second Master, you're back!"

"Go quickly and inform the master that I've returned," Master Zhou instructed.

"Yes!" The servant acknowledged the order and left.

A moment later, a middle-aged man dressed in a brocade robe walked over. He looked very much like Master Zhou, only more prosperous-looking, and was clearly Master Zhou's elder brother.

"Second brother, you're finally back," the middle-aged man said. "I heard there was trouble at the auction; I was worried something had happened to you."

"Thanks to Young Master Zhang," said Master Zhou. "If it weren't for him, I'm afraid I would already be dead in Qingyun City."

He briefly recounted what had happened in the past few days, and the middle-aged man looked surprised after listening.

"Young Master Zhang is so powerful?" He looked at Zheng Yi with a hint of awe in his eyes. "Thank you, Young Master Zhang, for saving my brother."

"You're too kind, Master Zhou," Zheng Yi said. "I was just doing my duty."

“Young Master Zhang is too modest,” said Master Zhou. “Someone, prepare a banquet; I want to treat Young Master Zhang well.” “Thank you for your kindness, Master Zhou,” Zheng Yi said, “but I have other matters to attend to, so I won’t disturb you any longer. Master Zhou, shouldn’t our transaction be concluded?”

"Yes, yes, yes," Master Zhou quickly replied. "Young Master Zhang, please wait a moment, I'll go get the money right away."

He turned and left, and returned shortly afterward carrying a storage bag.

"Here is one million spirit stones. Please take a look, Young Master Zhang." He handed the storage bag to Zheng Yi.

Zheng Yi took the storage bag and probed it with his divine sense, discovering that there were indeed one million spirit stones inside.

"Thank you." He put the storage bag away.

"Young Master Zhang, what are your plans for the future?" Master Zhou asked. "If you'd like to stay in Tianyuan City, the Zhou Family Trading Company welcomes you anytime. With your abilities, you'd be more than qualified to be a retainer in our company."

“Thank you for your kindness, Master Zhou,” Zheng Yi said, “but I have my own matters to attend to, so I won’t stay at the trading company any longer.”

Mr. Zhou was somewhat disappointed, but he did not insist.

“Alright then,” he said. “If Young Master Zhang needs anything in the future, please don’t hesitate to come to me. Although my abilities are limited, I still have some connections in Tianyuan City.”

“Okay, I’ve got it.” Zheng Yi nodded.

He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, then turned and left Zhou's Trading Company.

After leaving Zhou's Trading Company, Zheng Yi did not stay in Tianyuan City for long.

He found an inn in the city to rest for the night, and set off back to Qingyun City early the next morning.

The return journey was much smoother than the way there. Those who had been lying in ambush along the road had either been killed by him or had received word and left. No one dared to provoke him anymore.

Three days later, Zheng Yi returned to Qingyun City.

He returned to the mansion first and found that Su Wanqing and the others were there.

"Master!" Zheng Bowen was the first to greet him. "You're back! Did you complete the mission?"

“It’s done.” Zheng Yi nodded.

"That's great!" Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

They had been on tenterhooks these past few days, fearing something might have happened to Zheng Yi. Now that they saw him return safely, their worries finally subsided.

"Master, was the journey smooth?" Su Wanqing asked. "Did you encounter any trouble?"

"We encountered a few," Zheng Yi said casually, "but they've all been resolved."

He didn't describe the battle on the road in detail, only saying a few words. But from his tone, everyone could guess that the road was definitely not peaceful.

"You've worked hard, Master," Zheng Bowen said.

"It's alright," Zheng Yi said. "By the way, how's the hunting going these past few days?"

"Not bad," Su Wanqing said. "We went to the Black Forest several times and hunted quite a few black wolf demons. We sold all the spoils to Baicaotang and earned a total of over ten thousand spirit stones."

"Over a hundred thousand?" Zheng Yi nodded. "Not bad, it seems you've made rapid progress."

Su Wanqing smiled slightly, a hint of pride flashing in her eyes.

She led a hunting team out these past few days and had quite a haul. Although she's still far behind Zheng Yi, it's a significant improvement from when she first started.

"Master, what are your plans next?" Zheng Hongzhi asked.

Zheng Yi pondered for a moment, then said, "I plan to bring everyone to Tianyuan City. It's the core area; there are more opportunities there, and it's safer."

"Tianyuan City?" Everyone's eyes lit up.

They had long heard of the fame of Tianyuan City, the most prosperous city in the Tianyuan Domain, a place that countless cultivators dreamed of.

“But before that, I need to go to the Jade Pavilion,” Zheng Yi said. “There are some things I need to discuss with Miss Hongyu.”

Everyone nodded and asked no further questions.

Zheng Yi changed his clothes and then went out towards the Jade Pavilion.

Zheng Yi walked straight in, told the maid his name, and was soon led to Miss Hongyu's small building.

Red Rain was reading by the window when she heard footsteps. She looked up and a surprised smile appeared on her face.

"Young Master Zhang!" She put down her book and came to greet him. "You're back!"

"Miss Hongyu," Zheng Yi said, bowing respectfully.

"Please have a seat," Miss Hongyu gestured for him, personally brewing him a cup of tea. "Was the journey smooth?"

"It's alright," Zheng Yi said. "We encountered some trouble, but it's all been resolved."

“I’ve heard about it.” A strange light flashed in Hongyu’s eyes. “You killed fifty or sixty people outside Qingyun City, including three experts at the early stage of the Mahayana Realm. News of this has spread throughout Qingyun City, and everyone is talking about you.”

"Really?" Zheng Yi raised an eyebrow.

He hadn't expected the news to spread so quickly. But thinking about it, it made sense; with so many people dead, it was bound to cause a sensation.

“That’s not all,” Miss Hongyu continued, “On your way to escort Master Zhou back to Tianyuan City, you killed several more groups of people. It’s said that over a hundred people died at your hands, including five experts at the Great Ascension Realm.”

"This matter has now spread to the core areas, and many people are asking who you are. The Zhennan Prince's Mansion, Medicine King Valley, and the Ziyun Gang are all investigating your identity."

Zheng Yi frowned.

He had originally intended to keep a low profile, but he hadn't expected this escort mission to cause such a commotion. It seemed he would have to be much more careful when traveling in the Tianyuan Domain in the future.

“But young master, there’s no need to worry too much.” Miss Hongyu seemed to see through his thoughts. “You’re wearing a mask and using a false name, so they won’t be able to trace you back to us for a while. Besides…”

She paused, a sly glint in her eyes.

"Moreover, this may not necessarily be a bad thing."

"What do you mean?" Zheng Yi asked.

"Young master, think about it, what do you lack most right now?" Miss Hongyu asked in return.

Zheng Yi pondered for a moment, "Money? Connections?"

"Neither," Miss Hongyu shook her head. "What the young master lacks most is fame."

"Fame?"

“That’s right,” said Miss Hongyu. “Young Master’s strength is undeniable. However, you are new to Tianyuan Domain and have no foundation or reputation. Wealthy people who want to hire guards will first consider those with fame and reputation, not an unknown nobody.”

“Even if you are very capable, it will be difficult to get good jobs without a reputation. That’s why last time when you wanted to find a way to make money, Hongyu recommended you to Master Zhou first.”

Zheng Yi nodded, seemingly lost in thought.

Red Rain Girl is right. In this world, fame is indeed a very important resource. With fame, many things become much easier.

“But things are different now,” Miss Hongyu continued. “Young Master displayed extraordinary prowess during this escort mission, killing over a hundred experts, including five Mahayana Realm powerhouses. This news has spread throughout the Tianyuan Domain, and everyone is talking about that mysterious guard.”

"With a little maneuvering, we can give the young master a catchy name and spread his deeds, and he'll quickly become famous. Then, wealthy people will be scrambling to hire him as a bodyguard, and the price will skyrocket."

After listening, Zheng Yi couldn't help but look at Hongyu with new respect. (End of Chapter)