As one of the closest towns to Yun Port City, Ping’an Town was naturally very prosperous.
Riding the coattails of Yun Port City’s success over the years, the town had expanded, its streets had widened, and more and more shops had opened. Its scale was comparable to a small city in any other province.
The streets were bustling with pedestrians, and storefronts of blue brick and gray tile lined the roads in neat rows. Restaurants, teahouses, clothiers, and grain shops—you could find almost anything.
And now, it had fully caught up with all the changes in Yun Port City. Notices were posted all over the streets and alleys, bearing slogans like "Equality and freedom for all," and "Those who oppress the people will be severely punished!"
There were also bounty notices: "Report gangs, opium dens, or gambling halls, and receive a reward of ten Oceans."
After reading them, the townspeople all said, "Lord Lu is truly a Lord of the Blue Sky."
The Gong Family party drew quite a bit of attention, especially Gong Ning, a woman in a black dress with a cold and stunning beauty.
She was like a black rose blooming in a bustling market, causing passersby to turn and stare.
Because rumors about Lu Yun and Yun Port City had become famous throughout the Daxia New Country, heroes and other factions from all corners of the land had flocked there. Most crowded into the city itself, while a small portion sought to develop in the small towns on the outskirts.
’The land in the city is expensive, housing is hard to find, and there are too many rules,’ they thought. ’It’s better to get a foothold outside the city first and move in later once we’re established.’
In any case, these factions, Martial Artists, and common folk, who had all come because of his reputation, simply wanted to be a little closer to the legendary Lord Lu. Even if they never saw him in person, they felt a sense of security just living under his watch.
This led to a rapid population boom in every town on the outskirts of Yun Port City. Even Huajin masters, who were previously only seen in the city, could now be found in these towns.
Gong Ning went directly to a newly built restaurant to rest. It was an impressive three-story building with red lanterns hanging by the entrance. On the plaque above the door were the three large words ’Gathering Talent Building’.
The ground-floor hall was filled with a dozen or so tables, all of which were occupied. She chose a seat by the window, and the three burly men behind her also took their seats.
For the past month, the Gong Family had dedicated most of its resources to hunting down the Lifeless Lotus Sect within the jurisdiction of Yun Port City. Gong Ning herself had just returned from the border of the district. She planned to rest, get something to eat, and then head straight back to the city.
One of the burly men leaned back in his chair, spinning a teacup in his hand, and said wearily, "Sect Leader, we’ve been searching for so long and still haven’t found those charlatans from the Lifeless Lotus Sect. The bastards have probably already fled."
For the past month, the Gong Family and other factions had scoured every town around Yun Port City, but the followers of the Lifeless Lotus Sect seemed to have vanished into thin air, without a single trace to be found.
Another burly man chimed in, his voice rough: "I think so too. Facing Lord Lu’s thunderous wrath, that damned bunch from the Lifeless Lotus Sect probably scampered off long ago."
No one knew exactly what happened a month ago, only that someone from the Lifeless Lotus Sect had supposedly broken into the Lu Family estate and ambushed Lord Lu’s son.
It was unknown where the news came from, but it spread through every street and alley of Yun Port City in less than a day.
Regardless of whether the news was true or not, the actions of the Lifeless Lotus Sect’s followers had already ignited the fury of the city’s populace.
It was one thing for those damn cultists to spread their propaganda everywhere, but to dare offend the Lu Family? That was just pushing their luck too far.
Thus, fueled by public outrage, all the Lifeless Lotus Sect strongholds in the Yun Port City area were dismantled.
Gong Ning nodded in agreement. "Mm, in that case, let’s head back first and decide what to do next."
Meanwhile, at the headquarters of the army garrisoned in Ping’an Town, the highest-ranking officer was Pan Heng. He was one of the officers absolutely loyal to Lu Jingjun.
As the supreme commander of Ping’an Town, Pan Heng had spent the past month not only cleaning up the town’s corrupt practices but also secretly stationing men to watch every corner of the town.
If any trace of the Lifeless Lotus Sect was discovered, he would immediately lead his troops to eliminate them.
At the same time, Pan Heng had planted numerous informants throughout the town. He even had people watching places that normally went unnoticed, like dog holes, ditches, and abandoned courtyards.
If anyone from the White Lotus Sect dared to show their face, he would make them understand the meaning of "iron-fisted methods."
Inside his main office at the military base, Pan Heng stared grimly at the files on his desk.
The documents contained information on the various powers within Ping’an Town. Much of it was provided by the families of past victims, with other leads voluntarily submitted by righteous individuals.
There were many gangs in Ping’an Town that preyed upon the common people. In just one month, Pan Heng had already executed no fewer than a hundred of them.
And this was the result of him deliberately taking his time. Pan Heng insisted on investigating and trying each person one by one, only taking action when the evidence was irrefutable.
Especially Mayor Bi of Ping’an Town. Good lord, his entire family had monopolized this place for three generations, a true dynasty of father to son, and son to grandson.
For over sixty years and across three generations, the Bi Family had treated Ping’an Town as their personal backyard and its people as livestock in a pen.
They taxed as much as they wanted, raised rents as high as they wanted, beat whomever they wanted, and robbed from whomever they wanted.
Those who couldn’t afford the taxes were forced to sell their sons and daughters. Those who dared to resist were beaten to death and thrown into the river.

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