The woman's scream rang out, twisted and distorted, as if it had been torn from the deepest part of her soul.
"Ahhhhh—!"
It was not pain from the body, but torment that gnawed directly into the core of her spirit.
Her body struggled frantically, thrashing like a madwoman. Yet every movement was meaningless. The energy vines binding her were as tight as chains from the underworld, constricting both her physical body and her meridians, leaving her unable to move even a single finger.
Her blue eyes widened. True fear appeared for the first time in her life.
"I… I surrender… please…"
Her voice trembled and broke apart.
"What do you want to know… I will tell you everything… everything… Ahhhhh!"
Another scream burst out before gradually weakening. Her body twitched several times before going completely still. Her eyes closed as her consciousness finally faded into darkness.
The entire room returned to silence.
Only the soft sound of rain tapping against the glass remained, along with the lingering scent of blood that had yet to fade.
Zhang Wen slowly loosened his grip around her throat. His expression did not change in the slightest. His cold gaze looked down at the unconscious figure before him.
A line of information quietly appeared within his vision.
[Name: Liu Qing]
[Cultivation Level: Saint King Level 2]
[Special Physique: Sacred Yin Body (Sacred Rank)]
[Luck: Red]
[Affinity: -90]
From examining her memories, Zhang Wen understood clearly. Although she possessed a soul protection treasure embedded within her body, it could not resist his power at all.
The gap between a Saint King and a Peak Saint Emperor was far too vast to be called resistance.
Moreover, Zhang Wen was not an ordinary Saint Emperor. In terms of foundation, he was far stronger than most.
The woman's identity gradually became clearer through fragments of memory.
Liu Qing, an elder of the Seven-Colored Peacock Commerce Pavilion, the number one commerce pavilion in Sword Heaven City.
As for the man who had been killed earlier, he was not merely the leader of the Cloud Commerce Pavilion. He was also the fiancé of the young mistress of the Seven-Colored Peacock Commerce Pavilion.
The reason Liu Qing had been sent here was to seduce that man.
Zhang Wen tilted his head slightly, a fleeting trace of curiosity passing through his mind.
From the memories he had seen, it seemed more ridiculous than political. The woman simply did not want to marry a useless man, so she chose to disgrace him publicly in order to cancel the engagement without staining her own reputation.
Zhang Wen no longer cared about such details.
To him, it was nothing more than meaningless drama and worthless relationships.
He turned his back on Liu Qing's body before instructing his subordinates to capture her. As for himself, he walked toward the commerce pavilion's treasury in search of medicinal herbs to refine a certain type of pill.
…
…
The chaotic night gradually passed.
A new morning arrived alongside relentless rain that continued to pour without pause. Dark clouds blanketed Sword Heaven City so densely that sunlight was nearly impossible to see, as if the entire city were being suppressed beneath an invisible shadow.
Since early morning, large numbers of citizens began falling ill without explanation. Their bodies weakened, their limbs lost strength, dizziness struck them without warning, and violent nausea followed. The severity of symptoms varied depending on cultivation level. Those with weaker cultivation could barely stand, while stronger cultivators still suffered from disorienting headaches and overwhelming fatigue.
Panic spread throughout the city.
When the citizens recalled the heaven shaking battle that had erupted the previous night at the City Lord's mansion, their anxiety intensified. Yet what was even more shocking was the silence from every major power. The City Lord, the Ye Family, and the Mu Family had all gone completely silent, as though they had vanished from the city. No one stepped forward to explain anything. Both the Ye Family and Mu Family had activated their protective formations, preventing the citizens from learning anything about their situation.
Rumors began spreading rapidly. Some claimed the City Lord had been defeated. Others said the two great families had been destroyed. Some even believed both factions had completely collapsed.
Meanwhile, the afflicted citizens desperately attempted every possible method to heal themselves. They used spiritual energy to purge toxins, consumed detoxification pills, and tried healing techniques that had previously proven effective. Yet no matter what they attempted, their conditions showed not the slightest improvement.
Inside the City Lord's mansion,
Kang Hao sat behind a work desk in complete composure. His expression remained emotionless. During the entire period Zhang Wen had disappeared, he had handled everything with decisive efficiency and absolute secrecy.
The wealth and resources of the Ye and Mu Families had been fully confiscated. Key members of both families had been arrested and detained inside the City Lord's mansion without any opportunity to send messages outside. Meanwhile, the defensive formations protecting both families were intentionally left active, creating the illusion that their households remained normal, though not a single member dared step outside.
The entire city had fallen into an unnaturally quiet state.
Suddenly, the spatial ring on Kang Hao's finger trembled slightly. A voice echoed inside his consciousness.
"From this moment onward, you must immediately declare a state of emergency throughout the city."
Kang Hao raised his head and listened attentively.
"Order every citizen to remain inside their residences. No one is allowed to leave without authorization. I will send ten Saints to assist you. After they arrive, you will cooperate with them to disperse the clouds covering the sky."
"When the clouds disperse, the rain will immediately stop."
The voice paused briefly before continuing in a colder tone.
"But remember… the illness afflicting the citizens will not disappear yet."
There was another short pause before the voice spoke again.
"Use this opportunity to announce that the rain is poisonous. Tell everyone to remain cautious."
Kang Hao accepted the order without questioning its purpose. He understood clearly that this was not something he should doubt.
At the same time,
Inside the White Dragon Trading House,
Ming Yuan's office had completely changed from before. The building was clean and orderly, the shelves neatly arranged, new employees had begun to join, and some customers had started visiting. Although the numbers were still small, it was already a sign of a new beginning.
Ming Yuan worked almost without rest. The spirit stones Zhang Wen had given him were being used efficiently. Every investment was calculated with extreme caution. The trading house was slowly beginning to take shape little by little.
Suddenly, his spatial ring trembled.
"It is me, Zhang Wen. How is the trading house progressing?"
Ming Yuan immediately replied.
"Everything is progressing smoothly for now. The foundation has begun to stabilize, and the new employees are settling in. However, we have not generated any profit yet, as we still lack high level goods to attract real revenue, and most of the spirit stones have been invested into infrastructure."
The voice on the other side fell silent for a moment before responding calmly.
"I will bring them to you."
Whoosh!
The air in front of Ming Yuan distorted. Zhang Wen's figure appeared instantly, as if stepping out from empty space itself.
Ming Yuan was startled before quickly standing and bowing.
"Greetings, Master."
Zhang Wen waved his hand slightly, signaling him to relax.
Then he raised his hand and sent a signal toward Kang Hao's spatial ring, allowing him to listen to the following words at the same time.
"From this moment onward, I will make the White Dragon Trading House… become the number one trading house."
His voice was calm, yet firm.
"Take this ring."
A spatial ring floated out from his hand and stopped in front of Ming Yuan. Ming Yuan accepted it, his heart pounding rapidly, before extending his spiritual sense inside to inspect it.
Inside the spatial ring, countless pill bottles were densely packed, stacked endlessly like an ocean. The sheer quantity caused Ming Yuan to stop breathing in shock. His spiritual sense trembled slightly as he felt the overwhelming medicinal aura radiating from within.
Zhang Wen spoke calmly.
"Last night, I seized control of the Cloud Trading House."
Ming Yuan froze briefly before raising his head to look at Zhang Wen in silence. This time, his shock did not come merely from the statement, but from what he sensed from the man before him. Zhang Wen had become so powerful that Ming Yuan could no longer perceive the depth of his strength. His aura was tranquil like that of an ordinary person. If Ming Yuan had not known Zhang Wen beforehand, he would have believed the man standing before him was nothing more than a normal mortal.