Summoning the Gods: Start by creating the Eternal Night.

Two days later.

Qingzhou City.

The headquarters of the Qingyun Sect.

"Greetings, Third Elder and Fourth Elder."

The disciples of the Qingyun Sect bowed respectfully and said...

"Get up. Is there any news about the Drizzle Pavilion?"

The Third Elder's expression was solemn as he asked in a slow voice.

"Reporting to the Third Elder, we have found that the last place the Drizzle Pavilion was located was in Qingzhou City. As for its whereabouts, it is really difficult to find out."

Li Yaochao, the steward of Qingzhou City, clasped his hands in a respectful gesture and reported this.

"A bunch of good-for-nothings! What are you still standing here for? Go to the black market and find out!"

Upon hearing that the exact location of the Drizzle Pavilion had not been determined, the Third Elder was immediately enraged.

"Yes... I'll go right away."

Seeing the Third Elder's anger, Li Yaochao's legs went weak with fear, and he said tremblingly.

Then, he hurriedly led his disciples away in a scramble.

"These kinds of assassin organizations are the most troublesome. We can only wait for them to make their move before we can find any clues."

The Fourth Elder said in a deep voice.

"Third Elder, in my opinion, we can issue a mission on the black market to lure the enemy out."

The fourth elder offered a suggestion.

"This plan is feasible, but the other party may not fall for it."

"After all, we did not conceal our presence when we came to Qingzhou City. The Fine Rain Pavilion must already know this."

"They should be able to see through this plan."

The Third Elder said.

"But it's worth a try, to see if Fine Rain Pavilion has the courage to accept this task."

"After all, they are newcomers, and they may want to use us to establish their authority. There might even be some who are courting death."

The Third Elder picked up the teacup on the table, took a small sip, and then said:

"Let's wait for Li Yaochao to return from the black market and see if there is any news about Xiyu Tower."

"If we don't get any information, then we'll post a bounty on the black market: assassinate the Qingyun Sect's manager in Qingzhou City."

Dusk is falling.

The black market in Qingzhou City was bustling with people, a cacophony of shouts, laughter, and arguments.

The air was filled with the smell of cooking and a sense of mystery.

Li Yaochao, accompanied by several disciples, weaved through the crowd, his sharp eyes scanning every stall and every face.

He would approach any merchant who seemed to be well-informed and ask them in a low voice about the whereabouts of Xiyu Tower.

But the result only made him more and more irritated; the dealers either shook their heads repeatedly,

They either quote an exorbitant price but offer no useful information whatsoever.

It's generally said that Xiyu Tower has just emerged and disappears without a trace, so how could they possibly find out about it?

"Manager, this can't go on. These people in the black market are completely unreliable!"

A disciple approached Li Yaochao and whispered something.

Li Yaochao's face was so gloomy it could drip water; he gritted his teeth.

"Let's go! To Langya Pavilion! Xiyu Tower asked Langya Pavilion to help spread the word before, maybe Langya Pavilion knows about them!"

The group headed straight for Langya Pavilion in the west of the city.

In front of Langya Pavilion, two guards dressed in blue robes stood with long swords hanging at their waists, their expressions solemn.

Li Yaochao stepped forward, identified himself and explained his purpose, and was then led into the room.

Inside the reception room, the decor was elegant, with calligraphy and paintings hanging on all four walls. Shangguan Hong, dressed in a gray robe, was sitting in the main seat brewing tea.

"May I ask what brings you here, sir?" Shangguan Hong asked in a deep voice.

"I am Li Yaochao from the Qingyun Sect. I have come to Langya Pavilion to inquire whether you know anything about Xiyu Tower."

"If so, please inform us of the exact location of Xiyu Tower! Our Qingyun Sect will certainly repay you handsomely."

Li Yaochao clasped his hands in a salute, his tone tinged with urgency.

Shangguan Hong shook his head slightly, poured a cup of tea and pushed it in front of Li Yaochao, then slowly said:

"Although Langya Pavilion is well-informed in Qingzhou, there are still things it cannot find out."

"This Xiyu Tower has recently emerged and its whereabouts are elusive. Its members rarely show their faces, and we do not know its exact location."

"What?!" Li Yaochao's expression changed drastically. "Your Langya Pavilion didn't know either? Didn't they look for you before?"

"We truly do not know! If you do not believe us, please leave." Shangguan Hong's tone was cold, already issuing an order to leave.

Li Yaochao was so angry that he trembled all over. He wanted to capture Shangguan Hong on the spot and take him back for interrogation, but when he remembered that this was a black market, he had no choice but to lead his disciples back in a huff.

Shortly after Li Yaochao and his group left Langya Pavilion, two figures quietly appeared in a restaurant in the black market.

It was Jing Ke and Zhuan Chu.

Both were dressed in black, blending seamlessly into the crowd.

"Were those people from the Qingyun Sect?" Zhuan Chu lowered his voice, glancing at the direction Li Yaochao had left.

Jing Ke nodded, a cold glint in his eyes: "There's no mistake. I heard them clearly inquiring about the Xiyu Tower in the black market just now."

"It seems that the people from the Qingyun Sect have indeed set their sights on us."

As the two were talking, they heard two cultivators talking in hushed tones nearby.

"Have you heard? The Third Elder and Fourth Elder of the Qingyun Sect have both come to Qingzhou City, apparently to cause trouble for the Xiyu Tower!"

"The Drizzle Pavilion? Is that the assassin organization that recently wiped out the City Lord's Mansion of Sunset Glow City? They've got guts, daring to mess with the Azure Cloud Sect!"

"Who knows? Maybe Xiyu Tower has some powerful backer..."

Jing Ke and Zhuan Chu exchanged a glance, both seeing seriousness in each other's eyes.

The elders of the Qingyun Sect have all come in person, so it seems this is quite a problem.

Without further hesitation, Jing Ke raised his hand and took out a black token, infusing it with a wisp of spiritual energy. A faint light immediately shone from the token.

This is the communication token of Eternal Night Heaven, which can directly transmit messages to Yuan Tiangang within a distance of five thousand miles.

"Lord Yuan, the Third and Fourth Elders of the Qingyun Sect have arrived in Qingzhou City."

"His men are searching for my Xiyu Tower in the black market and Langya Pavilion, and the two of us are secretly monitoring them."

The token lit up again just moments after the message was sent.

Yuan Tiangang's voice came through the token, calm and steady: "Understood. You two continue your covert investigation, ascertaining the distribution of Qingyun Sect's bases and the movements of its personnel in Qingzhou City."

"Do not alert the enemy. Wait for the right opportunity to make a decision."

"Yes, sir!"

Jing Ke and Zhuan Chu responded in deep voices, then put away their tokens and, in a flash, disappeared into the twilight like two wisps of green smoke.

On the other side, Li Yaochao led several disciples back to the Qingyun Sect's residence, dejected.

Upon entering the hall, one sees the Third Elder and the Fourth Elder sitting upright, drinking tea. Their expressions are solemn, clearly still waiting for news.

Li Yaochao's heart tightened, and he quickly stepped forward and bowed, his voice tinged with fear: "Your subordinate greets the two elders!"

The Third Elder glanced at him, his brow furrowing. "Any news? Have you found any trace of the Drizzle Pavilion?"

Li Yaochao trembled, not daring to raise his head: "Reporting to the elder, the black market dealers all know nothing about it."

"I went to Langya Pavilion again, but Shangguan Hong said that even Langya Pavilion couldn't find the exact location of Xiyu Tower..."

"waste!"

The Third Elder slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups rattle loudly.

"You can't even track down a small assassin organization? What use are you to my Qingyun Sect!"

Li Yaochao was so frightened that he fell to his knees with a thud and kowtowed repeatedly:

"Elder, please calm down! Please calm down! That Drizzle Pavilion is far too mysterious, its actions leaving no trace. I... I have done my best!"

The Fourth Elder waved his hand, signaling the Third Elder to calm down, then looked at Li Yaochao, his tone softening slightly:

"Get up. It's not entirely your fault. Assassin organizations are skilled at concealing their movements."

He turned to the Third Elder and said in a deep voice, "Since we can't find out openly, let's do as we agreed before and lure them into a trap."

The Third Elder's expression softened slightly. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and coldly snorted, "Hmph, this is the only way."

He looked at Li Yaochao, his voice carrying an undeniable authority: "Li Yaochao!"

"Your subordinate is here!" Li Yaochao quickly got up and bowed in response.

"Immediately find a stranger to go to the black market and post a bounty."

The Third Elder spoke slowly, a sinister glint in his eyes, "The mission target is you—Li Yaochao, the Qingyun Sect's garrison manager in Qingzhou City!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yaochao's face turned deathly pale, and he exclaimed in shock, "Elder! This... why is this happening?"

The Fourth Elder smiled faintly and explained, "Why are you panicking? This is just a ploy to lure the snake out of its hole."

"We will lay a trap around you. Anyone from the Drizzle Pavilion who dares to accept the mission and dares to lay a hand on you..."

"We can capture them on the spot, and then follow the clues to uncover the lair of the Fine Rain Pavilion!"