After finishing the Lion’s Roar Spell, Liou Yuan stood still for a moment, calming the spiritual power surging within him.

Then he looked up at the sky.

After the first snowfall, it could now be considered winter.

The sky had been rather gloomy, the firmament remained a dull gray, seemingly reflecting the current turbulent situation in Yanhe City.

"Tonight is Star Rotation Day, I better hurry back."

Liou Yuan murmured softly and swiftly dashed down Virgo Peak.

His movements were as light as a feather, with a gentle leap spanning more than a yard, disappearing into the vast white snow within a few jumps.

Liou Family’s new residence.

Just as Liou Yuan reached the doorway, the rich aroma of food wafted from inside.

Liou Yuan didn’t need to look to know who was cooking.

"Kong Yi’s culinary skills are getting better and better."

With a smile on his face, Liou Yuan pushed the door open and entered the courtyard.

Ever since Liou Yuan had been using spiritual power each day to smooth Kong Yi’s meridians, suppressing the plague within her.

The lively girl quickly regained her vitality.

Unable to stay idle for a moment, she eagerly took on the task of cooking three meals a day for the four people in the family.

Her skills were approved by Liou Yuan.

Upon entering the house, Liou Yuan saw at a glance Kong Yi’s petite figure busy in the kitchen, while Bai Xin added firewood under the stove.

Only Kong Dasheng sat leisurely under the eaves, brewing a pot of tea, sipping it contentedly.

Seeing Liou Yuan return, he cheerfully greeted, "Mr. Liou is back, hurry and wash up, lunch will be ready soon."

That demeanor, he had completely made himself at home in the Liou Family.

Considering Kong Yi’s status, Liou Yuan didn’t want to embarrass him.

After all, the person in front of him was his future father-in-law in name.

"Got it," Liou Yuan replied.

Striding towards the well.

In past days, under Liou Yuan’s strong insistence, Xuanhu Clinic had temporarily closed.

Kong Dasheng had been overwhelmed by the plague, desperately wanting to rest.

He had gladly agreed when Liou Yuan suggested it.

With the owner of Xuanhu Clinic resting, Bai Xin also stayed at home.

However, there were always people coming to the Liou Family for medicine, and Bai Xin willingly attended to them.

At the dining table, Liou Yuan discussed the urgent matters: "Tonight, it would be best if everyone stays inside. If the Evil Star Shift occurs, it’d be better to nail the doors shut and huddle in the courtyard for a month."

"There’s a month’s worth of food stored in the cellar, enough for us."

Liou Yuan had earlier explained the seriousness of the situation.

Bai Xin and Kong Dasheng both nodded in agreement.

Liou Yuan’s step into the cultivation path was no longer a secret in the western city.

Thus, regarding the insider information he received, the two had no doubts at all.

Only Kong Yi, biting her chopsticks, gazed worriedly at Liou Yuan across the table, muttering, "From what you say, you’re not going to stay with us?"

"Right now, there are barely any useful people in Yanhe City."

"If I don’t go, what will happen to Yanhe City?"

Liou Yuan replied to Kong Yi while sneakily glancing at Bai Xin.

Afraid that his mother might lose her temper again like last time.

But Bai Xin maintained her usual expression, uncharacteristically refraining from scolding Liou Yuan, calmly eating the food in her bowl.

Kong Dasheng understood Bai Xin, his chubby face glanced over at her, then cheerfully served Liou Yuan a big chunk of meat, laughing: "You focus on your tasks, leave family matters to me and your mother."

"The men of the Liou Family are all capable people."

"Capable people should bear more responsibility."

Kong Dasheng was subtly implying to Liou Yuan why Bai Xin wasn’t stopping him this time.

Liou Yuan was no longer the same as before; he had acquired the ability to deal with the Star Evil.

Previously, Bai Xin lost her temper over the issue with Xuanhu Clinic because at that time, Qinghe Division was full of talented people and didn’t need Liou Yuan.

Despite being Liou Yuan’s mother, Bai Xin naturally worried about her son’s safety.

But now, with Yanhe City in imminent danger and Qinghe Division dissolved, Liou Yuan had the ability and needed to step up.

That’s why Bai Xin didn’t say a word this time.

To say she wasn’t concerned about Liou Yuan’s safety would be impossible.

While the four of them ate, she kept her silence, striving to remain calm.

Yet what her silence represented couldn’t escape Liou Yuan’s eyes.

Liou Yuan swallowed the meat Kong Dasheng had served him, laughing heartily: "Don’t worry, Mother, I’m quite clever."

After finishing lunch.

Liou Yuan got up from the table, then ran to the study.

Taking out Bai Xin’s usual brush, he painted the Magic "Earth-Stacking Talisman" on the four walls of the Liou Family courtyard.

The process consumed about eight strands of spiritual power.

"Though it’s not as powerful as the ones Ge Jinhong painted, it retains seventy percent of its potency." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"It’s better than doing nothing."

After finishing everything, Liou Yuan personally took a hammer and nailed the door shut.

Then, under the gaze of Kong Dasheng, Bai Xin, and Kong Yi, he climbed over the wall and left.

Tonight is an unpredictability.

It was also the agreed gathering time with Mr. Ge and the other cultivators in the city.

Yanhe Government Office’s Qinghe Division.

Led by Chief Constable Xin, Liou Yuan accessed an underground passage through a hidden door.

Only then did he see the secret department of Yanhe Government Office.

"Above is Yanhe Government Office; underground is Qinghe Division." Liou Yuan finally understood why he hadn’t seen the Qinghe Division people at Yanhe Government Office before.

"Mr. Liou, please go in alone. Yanhe Government Office has rules; we ordinary folk cannot approach Qinghe Division."

Chief Constable Xin stopped before the gate with the Qinghe Division stone tablet, gave a hand salute to Liou Yuan, then returned through the hidden door.

"Take care, Mr. Xin." Liou Yuan smiled and returned the hand salute, then strode into Qinghe Division.

Now, Qinghe Division was merely an empty shell, with only Ge Jinhong left, so he had nothing to worry about.

Entering, Liou Yuan immediately spotted four familiar figures in Qinghe Division’s hall.

Mr. Ge, Wei Ying, Di Xi, Hua Xuanyi—these four cultivators left in Yanhe City had arrived before him.

When Liou Yuan saw them, four pairs of eyes turned towards him in unison.

None of the five spoke.

Because there was an additional figure in Qinghe Division.

Liou Yuan’s gaze skipped past the four and settled on the center of Qinghe Division hall.

An elegant man dressed in luxurious yellow attire stood there.

His temples were streaked with white, his appearance striking, looking about forty-five years old.

Liou Yuan sensed spiritual power from him, comparable to that of Mr. Wei.

As Liou Yuan entered Qinghe Division, the man’s gaze fell upon him, and their eyes met; Liou Yuan saw composure and innate grace in those eyes.

His identity was clear.

"Liou Yuan, greets City Lord, Sir." Liou Yuan stepped into the middle of the group, respectfully bowing to the man.

Yanhe City’s City Lord was low-profile, rarely appeared in public.

Besides, Yanhe City had clearly defined roles; the departments maintaining order were Yanhe Government Office and Qinghe Division.

Hence, the City Lord seemed more like a nominal position, and very few had seen the City Lord’s appearance.

Liou Yuan hadn’t seen him either.

Only occasionally heard about him from Mr. Ge, that the City Lord’s strength was probably no less than Mr. Wei’s.

So, upon first sight, Liou Yuan was convinced this man was Yanhe City’s City Lord, Xu Xiang.

"I’ve heard quite a few stories about you here at Qinghe Division; today I finally get to see you in person." Xu Xiang’s voice was gentle, his eyes smiling at Liou Yuan.

After looking him up and down, he added: "I observe your spiritual power is immense; you must be close to the Qi Cultivation Third Layer."

"In just half a year, you’ve progressed from a novice to the Qi Cultivation Third Layer, showcasing talent comparable to your brother back in those years."

"The Liou Family is indeed full of outstanding individuals."