According to the secret art's description—
The ideal form of the [Profound Origin Demonic Embryo] was faceless. If the embryo developed facial features, it meant it had been corrupted by [Heavenly Demon Malice].
Wang Yu's demonic root was still in its perfect state.
He didn't dwell on it for long. Nascent Soul was still far off—better to focus on the present.
With the Eastern Polaris ruins finally quiet, Wang Yu could begin implementing the long-planned strategy he'd been preparing.
He intended to leverage the specialties of the [Fragrance Sect] to host a new event in Spiritridge City:
The Fragrance Gathering.
Not for spirit stones—but to assemble the region's strongest cultivators.
Centered around himself, the City Lord, it would become a platform for exchange and networking.
Once the time was right, he would launch a full-fledged Treasure Exchange Assembly, aiming to attract cultivators who possessed Core Formation breakthrough materials.
This was a golden path.
It required reputation, trust, and strength—especially to prevent black-market ambushes during the exchange.
He had a plan.
On the outskirts of the City Lord's Manor, he commissioned a three-story palace covering 800 mu. Half of it was protected by formation arrays.
That half would serve as the treasure exchange venue.
The other half—outside the formation—was for entertainment and socializing. He spent heavily and used Zhuo Shouqing's connections to hire a formation master to install a directional illusion array.
It would subtly guide guests into the protected zone while making them believe they were still outside—ensuring safety without appearing sinister.
The Fragrance Gathering would offer rare benefits upfront.
Once enough people attended, he'd introduce the treasure exchange. He already had a solid foundation: the Guan and Jiang clans, Inkveil Sect, Purple Dragon Mountain, and the Fragrance Sect were all likely to participate.
This was thanks to his earlier profit-sharing strategy. Those who followed him earned more spirit stones than before. Small favors had built trust—well worth the cost.
Originally, it was bait. He'd planned to reel in a big harvest when his term ended.
But after the Jin Miaoshan incident, everything aligned perfectly with the treasure exchange plan.
Spiritridge's northern district was full of powerful cultivators—many at Foundation Establishment. The Purple Gold Chamber of Commerce, Yunmeng Pavilion, and others were all potential allies.
This would be a long-term endeavor.
Once established, Wang Yu could acquire rare treasures far more easily.
Even if it failed, it would elevate Spiritridge into a regional hub. Nearby cities like Sanmao, Inkstone, and Mistcloud all had strong cultivators.
Scattered sects, clans, and rogue experts could be drawn in. The Fragrance Gathering would be their gateway.
If Jin Miaoshan hadn't left with her inheritance, using Goldfull Pavilion's venue would've been ideal. But it didn't matter now.
While everyone was still basking in the aftermath of Eastern Polaris, Wang Yu secretly met with the Fragrance Sect's second strongest figure—
A Core Formation early-stage cultivator named Master Goldenflower.
"Senior Goldenflower, it's an honor."
She was elderly, unlikely to advance further, and hadn't taken rejuvenation pills—rare among female cultivators.
Her appearance was that of a kindly old woman. Her gray-white hair was tied in a high bun adorned with golden blossoms and jade pins. Slightly hunched, but radiating warmth and approachability.
"City Lord Wang, you flatter me. Your reputation now exceeds even our sect's. No need for such courtesy."
Living peacefully to old age in the Crimson Kite Territory was no small feat.
As the saying goes: the older, the trickier. Though she couldn't read Wang Yu's mind, she knew he wasn't here for nothing.
Wang Yu smiled and invited her to sit.
"In Crimson Kite, strength is respected. Senior Goldenflower's cultivation far surpasses mine, and your status commands respect.
"I've invited you today to discuss a mutually beneficial opportunity."
She sighed inwardly. When you operate on someone else's turf, you don't get to refuse.
"Speak freely, City Lord."
"Very well. Now that the ruins have settled, I wish to further develop Spiritridge by hosting a Fragrance Gathering…"
Wang Yu laid out his full plan.
The Fragrance Gathering would precede the treasure exchange—an enticing prelude.
Every attendee would receive a benefit. That benefit? Fragrance.
The Fragrance Sect's name and expertise made it perfect. Their incense was ideal for group tasting and cultivation enhancement.
After finishing his pitch, Wang Yu sipped his tea and got to the point.
"I've heard your sect possesses a rare technique—'Twelve Twists of Fragrant Cloud'—a tier-three incense-crafting art.
"Your [Clear Source Mystic Incense] is famed for aiding enlightenment, calming the mind, nourishing the spirit, and enhancing essence condensation.
"Foundation Establishment cultivators who burn it during breakthroughs gain a 30% boost in success rate.
"Even Core Formation cultivators benefit from long-term use. Within 10,000 kilometers, its name is well known."
Master Goldenflower smiled bitterly.
"You praise it too highly. It's not that miraculous."
She knew Wang Yu was targeting the sect's rare incense to boost the Fragrance Gathering's prestige.
The incense itself wasn't the issue. The problem was that if the event succeeded, the fame would explode—and the Fragrance Sect couldn't handle that kind of attention.
They only had two Core Formation cultivators—herself and the sect master, who was only mid-stage.
She hesitated, then offered a compromise.
"The incense's production may not meet your needs. How about using the lesser [Clear Source Incense] instead?"
"—No."
Wang Yu wouldn't let go of such a prize. He understood her concerns and made a proposal.
"Then how about this: Senior Goldenflower joins Spiritridge's City Lord's Manor as an honored guest. The incense will be produced under the city's name. What do you think?"
It was a temporary fix.
Anyone with eyes could see where the incense came from. Any tier-three craft would attract envy.
Among the Hundred Arts, alchemy, artifact forging, talismans, and formations were top-tier. Their masters had deep networks. But niche arts like incense-making were more vulnerable.
Master Goldenflower fell silent.
She saw Wang Yu's true intent:
To pass on the 'Twelve Twists of Fragrant Cloud' to someone in the City Lord's Manor, train them personally, and eventually replace the Fragrance Sect's role.
If Wang Yu knew she thought that, he'd cry injustice—he truly didn't mean it.
His plan was simple: make the Fragrance Gathering famous within three events. Then run the treasure exchange for 30–40 years until it matured.
Training a new incense master? Too slow, not worth it.
Besides, trying to steal someone's core livelihood was a surefire way to make enemies. He genuinely didn't want that.
After a long pause—
Perhaps recalling Wang Yu's meteoric rise over the past decade—his victories over the Tuoba Clan, Bai Clan, and Goldfull Pavilion—Master Goldenflower's expression grew complicated.
"Sigh…
"The Fragrance Sect doesn't excel at combat. Our survival has always depended on adaptability and harmony. Since you've made your case, I have no reason to refuse."
Wang Yu was surprised. He'd prepared two backup offers to sweeten the deal—but she agreed so easily.
"Regarding the incense, I have one condition."
"Please, speak freely."
"Rename it. Say it was acquired from the Blood Reversal Sect. Is that acceptable?"
Wang Yu blinked, then nodded.
"Of course.
"But Senior, are you sure? Fame brings risk. It could be your sect's chance to rise—or just a safe fallback."
Master Goldenflower shook her head.
"Better to cast a net than envy the fish. We have our own way of surviving. City Lord… you blaze trails with a sword, but many before you have fallen."
It was the voice of experience.
Wang Yu took her advice seriously. Others had tried treasure exchanges before.
Small-scale was fine. But once it grew, it could attract predators. One misstep, and everything could collapse.
Still—this was the Crimson Kite Territory. What wasn't dangerous?
With formation arrays protecting the early stages, and his future Moonfiend corpse as backup, Wang Yu would have plenty of ways to maintain order. Eventually, he'd be strong enough to handle it himself.
The risks were worth the rewards.
He had spirit stones—but lacked ways to convert them into rare treasures. Deepening ties with Zhuo Shouqing and expanding his network was the true path.
After finalizing the agreement, Wang Yu personally escorted Master Goldenflower out of the manor.
Everything was ready—just waiting for the wind to rise.
—
Wang Yu returned to his routine: cultivation, alchemy, fox-tending. Even with five placement slots, he was constantly busy.
He refined spiritual energy to build true essence, practiced the [Dark Serpent Technique], and absorbed new versions of dragonblood elixirs to condense more essence blood.
At sunrise, noon, and moonrise, he trained the [Ancient Soul Chant]. Then he retreated to his chamber to exhale Moonfiend energy and nurture his corpse.
In his spare time, he handled City Lord's Manor paperwork—trying to delegate some to Xu Ruzhou.
But one issue loomed larger than the rest:
During the Eastern Polaris exploration, many of Spiritridge's resource sites had been seized by cultivators from other provinces.
These resource sites—spirit mines, herb valleys, talisman stone quarries—were all under the jurisdiction of Spiritridge City. But during the chaos of the Eastern Polaris exploration, many outsiders had taken advantage of the distraction to encroach upon them.
Some had forcibly occupied the sites. Others had set up temporary camps, claiming "joint exploration" rights. A few had even begun extracting resources outright, using the excuse of "unclaimed territory."
Wang Yu couldn't tolerate this.
These sites were the lifeblood of the City Lord's Manor. They supplied the materials for cultivation, alchemy, artifact forging, and formation arrays. Losing them meant weakening his foundation.
But he didn't rush to retaliate.
Instead, he began gathering intelligence—who had taken what, which sects were involved, and whether any of them had ties to the Holy Sect or the Blood Reversal Sect.
Some were rogue cultivators. Others were affiliated with minor sects from neighboring provinces. A few had backing from larger powers.
Wang Yu's plan was simple:
First, identify the most vulnerable targets—those without strong backing.
Second, send emissaries to negotiate, offering compensation or partnership.
Third, if they refused, reclaim the sites by force—using the City Lord's authority and the [Spirit-Sealing Execution Array] as leverage.
For the more complicated cases, he would consult Zhuo Shouqing. The Zhuo Clan's intelligence network could uncover hidden affiliations and potential retaliation risks.
Meanwhile, he began drafting a new decree:
All resource sites within Spiritridge's jurisdiction were to be registered and protected. Unauthorized extraction would be treated as theft—and punished accordingly.
This decree would be announced at the upcoming Fragrance Gathering.
It would serve as both a warning and a declaration of sovereignty.
Wang Yu knew that in the Crimson Kite Territory, strength was law. But law backed by strength—that was true governance.
(End of Chapter)