Chapter Seventy-Two: Night Theft at Qingxuan

Yang Cheng understood business but had never dabbled in the games of power and intrigue; he had no idea that he was now treading on the edge of a blade, heedlessly sleeping through the storm. Fortunately, Li Tianjun was meticulous and had arranged for the seasoned veteran Zhong Qiang to lead a group in gathering intelligence, so that any sign of trouble could be anticipated and preparations made in advance.

As expected, within just a day, the news of the Bai family’s internal strife and Bai Muyun’s uncertain fate had spread throughout the region.

The actions of the great families toward the Bai family were not matters common folk could uncover, but the City Lord’s Mansion, the Four Great Families, and even several influential first- and second-tier families all dispatched spies, offering rewards for information. The targets of their search were, naturally, Liu Changqing and Bai Muyun.

The reasons for seeking Bai Muyun were self-evident—some sought to eliminate old grudges once and for all, while others coveted the immortal weapon, the Azure Profundity Sword. The hunt for Liu Changqing, however, was more intriguing. A master of his caliber was a prize the great clans vied to win over; if he could be retained as their champion, their family’s power would soar.

Even the head of the Yin family had to lay aside the previous night’s grievances, restraining his vengeful elders and adopting an air of humility, all in hopes of bringing Liu Changqing to his side.

Only the Bai family seemed indifferent to Liu Changqing, lacking both the strength and will to compete. After the heavy losses inflicted by Yan Donglai the night before, they dared not provoke anyone who might rival his strength. The Bai family now recognized that they could not possibly control such a formidable figure.

Leaderless and scattered, the Bai family was beset by predators on all sides. Many of the senior members who had avoided showing themselves during last night’s confrontation with Bai Muyun, not wishing to lose face, were now gathered in the council chamber.

As it turned out, when Bai Muyun was chased out the previous night, he hadn’t managed to take the Azure Profundity Sword with him. Deprived of his spiritual power, he could neither bond with the sword nor wield its considerable weight, and it was far too conspicuous to carry about. Thus, he had hidden it in a secret chamber.

After Yan Donglai’s escape, led by five elders in the Golden Core stage, the Bai family dug up the main house and finally retrieved the legendary sword.

Now, this famed blade of Wuzhou lay at the very center of the hall, surrounded by elders of every faction with a voice in the family. Yet, confronted with such a celestial artifact, their initial burning desire had cooled. After all, everyone knew that the Bai family was unlikely to hold on to a treasure of this magnitude.

Since the sword had been discovered jointly by five elders, there was no clear claim; no one could simply hand it over to whichever great family they were allied with in exchange for protection and support. The debate raged on, and so all the elders were summoned to discuss the matter together.

Seated in the lowest places were the elders of the main branch, their spirits utterly crushed. The previous night, their branch had lost Bai Chengbin, a Golden Core powerhouse, as well as Bai Mufeng, a key leader. Many elite members had also perished in the battle with Qiao Xuange and his guards, leaving the faction devastated and without influence in the family.

But one of them, mustering his strength, spoke up: “In terms of power, the Sima family stands above the other three. If we present the Azure Profundity Sword to them, the others will surely think twice before coveting the Bai family, for fear of an alliance between Sima and Bai.”

Bai Chengkai sneered, “You trust the Sima family? Remember how they drove our West District businesses to ruin. The Simas are the least trustworthy of all—who would believe a word they say? In my view, the Yan family is the best choice. Their reputation for honor is unmatched in Wuzhou.”

Bai Chengrui quickly interjected, “Absolutely not! The Yan family’s businesses overlap most with ours. Centuries of rivalry and deep-seated grudges can’t be mended with a few words. Even if the head of Yan promises protection, we’ll still suffer from their factions’ oppression. We’ve seen enough of promises from above being ignored by those below.”

The others fell silent at this, until one elder offered, “What about the Yin family? Their leader is broad-minded—none of the other family heads can compare.”

But another immediately objected, “Why not the Ji family? They act discreetly and bear us far less enmity...”

A branch elder added, “All this talk is just each of you favoring the family you’re connected to. Why don’t we do as some second-tier families do and pledge loyalty to the City Lord? Sooner or later, all of Wuzhou will answer to him.”

“That Tong Meng is notoriously ambitious—everyone knows it. If most families submit to him, his power will become unassailable. In the end, he’ll do everything possible to diminish the strength of the great houses and turn Wuzhou into his personal fiefdom,” an elder stood up, his indignation plain.

The arguments raged on, the hall erupting into chaos like a bustling market. From day into night, no consensus was reached. At last, they agreed to rest and reconvene in the morning, each faction leaving some trusted elites to guard the Azure Profundity Sword before departing.

Bai Chengkai left the hall in a foul mood. The night before, his faction had supplied all the Golden Core experts, yet today the other branches were making their own calculations, ungrateful for his efforts. He ignored greetings from the other elders as he headed for his residence in the rear hills.

He hadn’t gone far—half a mile at most—when suddenly the urgent tolling of the great bell resounded: “Dong, dong, dong!” The Bai family’s emergency alarm sounded only in the gravest crisis, never otherwise. Bai Chengkai wasted no time, leaping swiftly toward the square in front of the main hall.

Already, a crowd had gathered: some had not yet left, others had rushed back at the alarm, all standing ready for anything. Bai Chengkai’s heart pounded—could some power have disregarded all consequences and attacked the Bai family outright?

Before he could think further, the sound of clashing weapons and desperate cries burst from the main hall. Someone inside shouted, “Hurry! Someone is stealing the Azure Profundity Sword!”

Everyone exchanged shocked glances. The main hall was surrounded by several layers of guardians: the five Golden Core elders, dozens of Integration-stage elders, and scores of elite disciples—hundreds in all. Who could dare attempt such a brazen theft?

Illumination orbs were brought out, turning the area bright as day. With the hall encircled so tightly, there was no need to rush in—surely the thief could not escape.

After only a short while, the uproar within died away.

Silence reigned. Then, steady footsteps sounded, unhurried, approaching the great doors. With a slow creak, the doors swung open. A figure appeared, clad in a long, azure robe, a playful smile on his face—and in his hand, the Azure Profundity Sword.

“It’s Liu Changqing!” someone cried out in recognition.

The elders were beside themselves with fury. The entire city was searching for him, and the Bai family alone had not joined the hunt—yet here he was, breaking into their home by night to seize the sword. To call this “theft” was to flatter themselves; Liu Changqing had not even bothered to mask his face. With all eyes upon him, this was no mere robbery, but a public humiliation—a blatant display of contempt for the Bai family.