According to the guidance given by the Candle Sect.

He doesn't need to inquire about the location of Qingyu City and can directly head to the destination.

Soon enough.

A magnificent city appeared in Shen Changqing's sight.

The city walls stood one hundred zhang high.

As far as the eye could see, its length extended no less than a thousand miles.

Though described as an average-sized city, in terms of scale, it surpassed all cities in the Human Clan Realm.

This is a city of the Eternal Ancient Continent.

Even the most ordinary city is exceedingly majestic.

As the long ship approached.

It seemed that Qingyu City also sensed something, and layers of formations rose. A large light barrier had already enveloped the entire city.

The abrupt change.

Made many cultivators in the city instinctively look up, their faces uncertain and surprised.

Moreover.

It caused quite a commotion.

Although the news of the Candle Sect attacking White Jade Sect was spreading, not every cultivator had access to firsthand information.

Inside Qingyu City.

Some cultivators had received the news in advance, while others were still in the dark.

At this moment.

A long ship appeared above Qingyu City, casting a shadow down, making the hearts of some uninformed cultivators sink slightly.

At this time.

A cold voice came from within the long ship, entering the ears of all the cultivators.

"This is the feud between our Candle Sect and the White Jade Sect. All cultivators not belonging to White Jade Sect, please evacuate Qingyu City first. When the battle erupts, so that the innocent is not affected!"

Upon hearing this.

Many cultivators were in an uproar.

The Candle Sect attacking White Jade Sect!

This news was not something they had anticipated.

But now, with the long ship from the Candle Sect hovering over Qingyu City, although they couldn't clearly see the scene above, the strong aura emanating from it was enough to make their hearts palpitate.

While those cultivators were shocked.

Above the long ship, Shen Changqing stood with his hands behind his back and continued speaking.

"I give everyone a quarter of an hour to consider; if you don't retreat, you'll be deemed allies of White Jade Sect, and if you get caught in the crossfire, you can't blame anyone."

As his words fell.

Immediately, a cultivator came to the city gate and shouted loudly: "I'm not a cultivator of White Jade Sect, let me leave!"

"Open the city gates, let us leave."

"I have no intention of getting involved in the grievances between White Jade Sect and Candle Sect, please allow me to leave."

"Open the city gates—"

Many cultivators were shouting loudly.

Anyone could foresee what the situation would be once the two sides started fighting.

Staying in the city, they might become collateral damage if things went wrong.

At this moment.

Leaving was the safest option.

However.

By the time the Candle Sect arrived, the City Protection Formation had already risen, and the city gates were closed, not allowing any cultivators to enter or exit.

The commotion below couldn't escape the perception of the Candle Sect disciples aboard the long ship.

Zhongshan Chong looked at the conflicting parties below, and a smile appeared on his face: "Senior Brother Qiu plans for other cultivators to clash with the White Jade Sect cultivators, thus weakening their strength.

This move is indeed brilliant!"

In his view.

Their side wasn't directly attacking the city but rather letting Qingyu City descend into chaos first.

Obviously.

This approach was correct.

Faced with the praise, Shen Changqing shook his head slightly.

"Let's wait and see. If Qingyu City opens the City Protection Formation, then immediately attack from within."

Just as Zhongshan Chong thought, the purpose of his actions was to let Qingyu City fall into chaos first.

The City Protection Formation is as sturdy as a turtle shell, and breaking through it would require considerable effort. Now, if Qingyu City exposes a flaw on its own, it would be much easier to break through.

Moreover.

Shen Changqing speculated.

The Qingyu Sect didn't inform or evacuate the cultivators in the city beforehand, possibly intending to use them to jointly resist the Candle Sect.

If they had come and directly attacked the city without saying anything, it would have played right into the opponent's hands.

Nevertheless.

Shen Changqing couldn't just rush in blindly.

The commotion in the city had clearly reached a fever pitch.

If Qingyu City didn't respond, then the first to clash with the opposing side wouldn't be their group, but the other cultivators in the city.

"I want to see if you will choose to forcefully suppress those cultivators and refuse to open the City Protection Formation, or decide to yield and open it to let them leave!"

Shen Changqing's heart was calm.

He waited.

Waited for Qingyu City to make a choice.

Having given them a quarter-hour, the cultivators in the city who didn't want to be affected would surely make a move that satisfied him within that period.

To hasten the decision-making.

After silently waiting for a while, Shen Changqing's indifferent voice once again reached the ears of all the cultivators.

"Half of the quarter-hour has passed, there's another half remaining. I hope everyone makes a decision soon!"

——

"Damn it!"

Inside the City Lord Mansion, a middle-aged man with a long beard looked furious, sweeping everything on the table to the ground.

He kept those cultivators in the city, thinking that once the Candle Sect arrived, they'd act forcefully and he could then make use of this position to have those cultivators help defend the city.

After all, in his view.

Once the clan conflict began, the Zhongshan Clan acted very domineeringly.

Killing several Divine Kings aside.

The Dushan Clan was utterly defeated by them in the Void Battlefield.

Under such circumstances.

The Candle Sect should have carried a strong aura.

Yet unexpectedly.

The Candle Sect didn't directly act but instead offered those cultivators a chance to leave, turning what was supposed to be a weapon against Candle Sect's advantage into a problem for themselves.