Chapter 122: Andan City

Seeing the Yun clan ancestor being so courteous, Yun Tian found it difficult to be overly impolite. He hurriedly bowed slightly and offered a salute: "You are too kind, Ancestor. Please, just call me Yun Tian."

"Very well!" The ancestor nodded with a smile and continued, "Yun Tian, I am very pleased that you have come. The fact that the Yun clan has produced a reincarnated immortal is a blessing from the heavens upon our lineage. I know you may still harbor resentment toward the clan for your expulsion. I can tell you truthfully that your father, Yun He, was never a traitor to the family. Even his death was the result of a calculated scheme by Yun Hai."

Yun Tian froze. Looking at the ancestor, he frowned as the realization dawned on him: "Did you know all along that my father was framed?"

"Indeed! I did know," the ancestor replied with blunt honesty. "However, infighting among clan members is inevitable. The Yun clan had already lost an outstanding disciple in your father; we could not afford to lose Yun Hai as well. At the time, Yun Hai had already broken through to become a Wanxiang Daoist. Therefore, not only did I refrain from punishing him, but I also elevated him to the position of clan leader and concealed the truth of the matter."

"For the sake of the clan?" Yun Tian couldn't help but shake his head and sneer. "Ancestor, why tell me this now? Are you planning to clear my father’s name and punish Yun Hai?"

Before the ancestor could speak, Yun Tao, who stood nearby, said in a low voice, "Yun Tian, the ancestor has already personally executed Yun Hai. That should serve as some form of justice for your father."

"Personally executed Yun Hai?" Yun Tian looked at the ancestor in astonishment. If he recalled correctly, Yun Hai was the ancestor’s own direct descendant! This old man was truly ruthless and cold-blooded—was it all just to win him over?

The ancestor said indifferently, "What is it, Yun Tian? Do you find me too cold-blooded and heartless?"

*Old man?* Looking at the ancestor’s youthful appearance, Yun Tian found the whole situation bizarre and muttered to himself: *If you aren't cold-blooded and heartless, then what are you, affectionate and righteous?*

"Didn't you say you would kill him yourself once your strength was sufficient? It was better that I did it," the ancestor continued.

Yun Tian was speechless. Could you not be so literal? Just because I said I would kill him doesn't mean I had already acted! Why were you in such a hurry?

The ancestor looked at Yun Tian solemnly and continued, "Yun Tian, remember this: you are the most brilliant genius our clan has ever produced, and your future potential is limitless. I believe that in the future, the Yun clan will be proud of you and grow stronger because of you. Therefore, do not worry about other matters. I will ensure your mother, your sworn brother, and your sworn sister are well taken care of. Anyone who has a conflict with you, I will handle for you. Until you have truly matured, I, and the entire Yun clan, will be your firmest shield. Everything I do is not just for you, but for the sake of the Yun clan."

Yun Tian truly did not know what to say. The ancestor had played this hand masterfully. Even if Yun Tian had held no fondness for the clan before, he could find no fault in this. The ancestor had been open and sincere, or at least appeared to be so.

Even if there were falsehoods in his words, they were delivered in a way that felt comforting and naturally persuasive. Truly, he was an old fox with deep insight into human nature.

"Yun Tian, although you are a reincarnated immortal, our clan’s foundation is insufficient to provide you with much help in your cultivation. Therefore, I advise you to head to Antan City. Many immortal sects and powers recruit disciples there. Given your potential, it will not be difficult for you to join a major sect. That is where you will grow the fastest," the ancestor said, feigning concern for Yun Tian's future.

Yun Tian nodded, noncommittal: "In fact, I had already decided that after coming to Yun City to meet you, I would head directly to Antan City to seek the Dao."

"Since you have that intention, that is even better," the ancestor said with a satisfied nod. "Although our clan lacks a deep foundation, since we have produced someone as talented as you, we must naturally provide you with some cultivation resources to ensure your path is smoother."

With a wave of his hand, the ancestor produced a silver-white longsword radiating a fierce aura, a small, ink-black boat, and a black jar. "The Silver Dragon Sword is forged from the scales of a Returning Void Earth Immortal-level silver dragon and contains a sealed dragon soul. It is a top-tier Heaven-grade flying sword, and its power is comparable to the peak of the Heaven-grade. This black boat is a low-tier Heaven-grade magical treasure; once activated, it is extremely fast and can generate a thick black mist to confuse enemies, making it perfect for escape. The black jar contains ten thousand catties of Essence Liquid."

"Take them! This is all the cultivation resources our clan can provide. In the future, you must rely on your own efforts and struggles," the ancestor said, pushing the items toward Yun Tian.

Somewhat surprised by the ancestor's generosity, Yun Tian did not stand on ceremony. He waved his hand, stored the items, and bowed slightly: "Thank you, Ancestor! I intend to set off for Antan City now, so I will not disturb you any longer."

"Very well, Yun Tian. Remember, I await the day you return, having brought supreme glory to the Yun clan," the ancestor said, nodding with anticipation.

If he were an ordinary, naive youth, he might have been moved by the ancestor's words. Unfortunately, Yun Tian was not. Given the ancestor’s calculated display of favor, the most he would do in the future was offer the Yun clan some minor protection. If they expected him to be so identified with the clan that he would pour out his heart and soul for them, then they would be disappointed—he was not that selfless.

After leaving Yun City, Yun Tian headed straight for Antan City. He possessed a general map of Antan Prefecture, given to him by his mother, Xia Qing, before he left home, making it easy to discern the direction.

However, Yun City was millions of miles away from Antan City. Yun Tian was in no rush, traveling and stopping along the way, covering at most a hundred thousand miles a day. Throughout the journey, he inevitably encountered some trouble, but the strongest opponents he faced were only at the Wanxiang level—they were essentially seeking their own deaths, which allowed Yun Tian to acquire a few extra fortunes along the way.

After traveling for more than a month, he finally arrived at Antan City.

From afar, Yun Tian, who was lying lazily on his boat-shaped flying treasure, saw a massive city stretching across the endless horizon, so vast it seemed to have no end. Even from a thousand miles away, he could faintly sense the ripples of power emanating from that towering, colossal city. Those ripples seemed subtle, yet they held an infinite, underlying force.

"Antan City, have I finally arrived?" Yun Tian stood up on the flying boat, squinting as he gazed at the distant city.

As he neared the city, Yun Tian put away the flying boat and drifted down to the ground, looking up with a sense of awe at this ancient city that had existed since the era of gods and demons. He could clearly feel the surging natural energy of heaven and earth constantly converging into the city, accompanied by a terrifying sense of pressure. The entire Antan City was a massive formation, at the very least of the Immortal-grade.

Yun Tian walked toward the North Gate. The gate was a thousand feet wide and a hundred feet high, giving him an idea of how magnificent the city walls truly were. Standing beneath it, looking up, the wall seemed to shroud half the sky.

After paying the entrance fee of one catty of thunder gold and receiving a black-covered book from the guards, Yun Tian walked directly into Antan City.

Once inside, he curiously flipped through the book, which served as a guide to Antan City. The city was nine thousand three hundred twenty-one miles long and eight thousand nine hundred ten miles wide, divided into the East, South, North, and West Cities, along with the Antan Marquis Estate. The Marquis Estate, located at the very center of the city, was eight hundred miles in both length and width—an absolute forbidden zone where unauthorized entry was punishable by death.

The East, South, and North Cities were safe havens where killing was forbidden, making them the most secure places to live. Consequently, many rogue cultivators gathered there, and some old masters lived in seclusion, leading peaceful lives. These areas were also favored by wealthy merchants, who used their commercial success to amass fortunes and found the city's security, along with the ability to hire large numbers of cultivators, to be ideal for their needs.