Chapter 775: Luo Yue Has Changed

“If you’ve just arrived in the city, I can show you around, if you’d like,” Lu Heshen said eagerly, looking at the girls.

“No need, thank you,” Tang Beiwei replied, waving her hand and returning to her seat, disappointed.

Lu Heshen wasn’t ready to give up. He saluted with his fist. “If you’re looking for Ye Qianbei, I can help. Goddess Zihua is from our All Heaven Sect—”

A crisp female voice interrupted him. “Martial Brother Lu, leave. You have no business here.”

Lu Heshen saw the woman entering and immediately said, “Yes, Martial Sister Yun.”

Yun Ziyi approached Luo Ying and her companions, shocked. She’d heard that several girls were looking for Ye Mo. She’d expected Mu Xiaoyun, but these girls were all stunningly beautiful.

…

Landing, Ye Mo spread his spirit sense. He was excited; he’d returned.

But he soon noticed the formation had recently been opened and was now broken. He remembered the formation at Magical Continent Mountain loosening inexplicably. It seemed he'd helped those crossing over from here, and they'd helped him in return.

Ye Mo shook his head. His priority was returning to Luo Yue.

His spirit sense was exceptionally strong now. Atop his flying sword, he detected a concealment formation outside the valley.

He dashed to the formation. On a small platform within, stood a tree bearing ten bright red fruits.

His excitement was overwhelming. He’d searched the small world for this tree, and now he’d found it so easily.

It was a Bitter Ten Years Tree!

An 800-year-old Bitter Ten Years Tree! If he moved it to his chaos world and sold the fruits in the cultivation realm, he’d become incredibly wealthy.

But he quickly calmed himself. He didn’t know if he could move the tree, and more importantly, he had nowhere to plant it. His golden page world was still gray; he couldn't even enter. The only benefit was that items wouldn't deteriorate inside.

Nevertheless, he was thrilled to have obtained the Bitter Ten Years fruit. He took out ten jade boxes, inscribed formations on them, carefully placed the fruits inside, and stored the boxes in his golden page world.

Then, he set up more formations around the tree. He couldn't move it now, but he could in the future.

…

Luo Yue City was vastly different from when Ye Mo had left. Its population now numbered around two million. Excellent urban planning and advanced technology had made it a desirable destination.

It appeared calm, but undercurrents ran deep. This was because Ye Mo, Luo Yue's leader, had disappeared for nearly ten years, and his wives, unconcerned with power, had left two years earlier to search for him.

Real power rested with Xu Yuehua and Xu Ping. However, they were both dedicated to cultivation. After Luo Yue stabilized, they focused on cultivation. Knowing the city belonged to Ye Mo, they readily left its governance to Ye Zifeng and Ye Ling.

Xu Yuehua remained somewhat involved in Luo Yue's development, but Xu Ping devoted almost all his time to cultivation.

Recently, however, events had begun to challenge Xu Yuehua and Xu Ping. The higher-ups of Luo Yue held a major meeting. Although Xu Yuehua initiated it, she felt uneasy.

City Lord Xu Yuehua, Vice City Lord Dong Tanzhen, Vice City Lord Ye Zifeng, Vice City Lord Ye Ling, Army Marshal Xu Ping, Head of Commerce Xu Qianqian, Navy Commander Shen De, Ground Forces Commander Ye Zhihua, Head of Technology Dong Nana, and Foreign Affairs Minister Dong Chong, among others, were present.

Looking at the assembled people, Xu Yuehua felt a profound loneliness. Many faces were unfamiliar. What had become of Yu Miaodan, Zang Jiayan, and Huang Yinian? And Guo Qi, Li Sandao, and the brilliant, albeit erratic, tech genius Ye Xing?

A sense of betrayal washed over her. She’d unintentionally allowed Luo Yue to become this. She’d focused on technological advancements and expansion, spending her remaining time cultivating, neglecting the highest echelons of Luo Yue's power structure.

If she weren't Ye Mo's appointed City Lord, and if Xu Ping weren't Ye Mo's second brother, would they still hold their positions? Without their Earth Level Peak power, could they maintain control?

In fact, she didn't even know Dong Tanzhen, yet he wielded more actual power than she did!

Before Xu Yuehua could collect her thoughts, Vice City Lord Dong Tanzhen spoke, “Today’s meeting will be led by myself and City Lord Yuehua. Due to Ye Xing’s departure, our new Head of Technology, Dong Nana, can barely access necessary resources, let alone…”

Xu Yuehua’s fury flared. Dong Tanzhen was overstepping his bounds!

…

Ye Mo stood in the thriving city, astonished. Despite his years away, Ye Xing and Xu Yuehua hadn't disappointed him; Luo Yue City was remarkably well-built.

He longed to see Luo Ying and Qingxue, but he didn't know how to face them.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted in the streets. He saw someone smashing a clothing shop.

Ye Mo frowned. This was unthinkable in Luo Yue. What was Fang Wei doing?

“Yuan Gong? Is that you?” He pushed through the crowd and recognized the shop owner—Yuan Gong, who'd joined him in Flowing Snake to establish Luo Yue Pharmaceuticals. He had a sister, Yuan Meixiang. Ye Mo had met them and Zang Jiayan on a train. How could someone attack a founding father's shop?

Yuan Gong, eyes red, held a metal rod, prepared to resist the patrol squad. A woman, presumably his wife, stood behind him.

Hearing Ye Mo’s voice, he turned, his eyes widening in disbelief as he dropped the rod.

“Yuan Gong, what’s happening?” Ye Mo asked.

Yuan Gong knelt, weeping, “Brother Ye, is it really you? You’re back?”

Ye Mo pulled him up. “What’s going on? Why is this happening? Where is that bastard, Fang Wei?”

Before Yuan Gong could answer, the patrol squad leader eyed Ye Mo suspiciously. “Who are you? How dare you interfere with Luo Yue’s law enforcement? Do you want to die? Men, arrest him!”

Ye Mo sneered, dismissing further questions. He casually swept his leg, breaking their legs. Regardless of who was right, he wouldn’t tolerate such law enforcement.

The officers, unprepared for Ye Mo's overwhelming strength and ruthlessness, howled in pain.

Ye Mo's annoyance intensified. He kicked out all their teeth.

“What’s going on? Yuan Gong, tell me,” Ye Mo demanded, his voice ice-cold. He wouldn't tolerate the abuse of civilians on his land. Anyone who dared would be killed!