The Tong family and the Sikou clan were both die-hard loyalists of the Wangting great clan, and they fervently longed to see Wangting supplant the Panlong great clan.
The head of the Tong family probed cautiously, "Clan Head, I've heard that the Panlong clan head has hit a bottleneck in his martial cultivation and can't break through, so he can't extend his lifespan. Is it true he's devoted all these years to pursuing a breakthrough just to prolong his life?"
Sikou Yuan nodded as well. "I've heard that rumor too. I've also heard that the Panlong clan head's natural lifespan is nearly at its end — nothing can be done to reverse it, and he's on the verge of dissipating his cultivation. Within the Panlong clan, several people are qualified to compete for the clan head position. The internal situation is extremely tense. They have no mind to concern themselves with the affairs of Liuli King City. I wonder whether any of this is true?"
Although they were merely ninth-tier noble houses, they could still pick up certain whispers regarding the secrets of the great clans.
As for the secrets surrounding the Panlong clan head, rumors occasionally circulated among the upper echelons of Liuli King City, though whether they were true or false was impossible to verify.
The others hoped to get a definitive answer from the Wangting clan head, but he left them disappointed.
A faint, indifferent smile hung on the Wangting clan head's face, offering neither confirmation nor denial.
"Clan Head?" The Tong family head pressed, unwilling to let the matter go.
The Wangting clan head waved a hand and smiled blandly. "Next year, the Liuli King Tower will open once more. When that time comes, even the seven great emperors will attend. Every major power in Liuli King City — none can be absent. Truth and lies will become clear at a glance."
The Liuli King Tower?
At those words, everyone's expression turned solemn, and a look of reverent longing appeared on their faces.
The Liuli King Tower was the most iconic structure in Liuli King City, housing both the Heavenly Mandate Decree of the ancient Liuli King and his Heavenly Mandate Sarira.
The glory and sacred miracles of the Liuli King had illuminated the fortune of Liuli King City for a hundred thousand years.
In the heart of every person in Liuli King City, the Liuli King Tower stood as the supreme totem — the highest faith they held.
Mention Liuli King City, and whether one was a scoundrel of the vilest sort or a person of pure and kindly heart, all would take pride in the Liuli King Tower, their hearts burning with fervent devotion.
The Liuli King Tower was an irreplaceable faith in the hearts of every person in Liuli King City.
The Liuli King Tower opened once every sixty years. In each opening year, that entire year would become the grandest and most bustling festival in Liuli King City.
From the titled great emperors down to the common folk, all were filled with reverence and longing for the year of the Liuli King Tower's opening.
The Liuli King Tower actually consisted of one main tower and two auxiliary towers.
The main tower stood supreme and unmatched, radiating sacred majesty. From any angle in Liuli King City, one need only open one's eyes to see the holy main tower soaring above the city's center.
The two auxiliary towers flanked the main tower to the left and right.
One was the Alchemy Tower, and the other was the Martial Tower.
As their names suggested, the Alchemy Tower was opened for alchemy masters, while the Martial Tower was for martial cultivators.
The opening of the Liuli King Tower unfolded in three stages.
The first stage: the Alchemy Tower opened.
The second stage: the Martial Tower opened.
The third stage: the main tower opened.
Entry into any of these three towers was not something just anyone could obtain. Participants had to survive round after round of competitions and selections to earn one of the limited slots.
These competitions were ferocious. With the opening occurring only once every sixty years, available slots were extremely scarce, and the competition was utterly frenzied.
Earning even a single slot was considered the highest honor. And it was not merely honor — anyone who obtained a slot and entered the Liuli King Tower to cultivate there would gain benefits from a single day inside equalling ten to fifteen days of cultivation in the outside world.
For this reason, the alchemy and martial arts prodigies of Liuli King City all regarded the Liuli King Tower's slots as the supreme honor, and every one of them strained their utmost to fight for a place.
Whether it was the Tong family or the Sikou clan, upon hearing the news of the Liuli King Tower's opening, they were all buzzing with excitement.
The Wangting clan head swept his gaze lightly across their faces. "The Panlong clan's geniuses have claimed the top spot for three consecutive openings, which is why they are recognized as the unquestioned foremost clan of Liuli King City. If our clan wishes to take Panlong's position, we must crush them in the competition for the Liuli King Tower's slots. Otherwise, talk of seizing the position of the first clan will forever remain empty words."
The crowd was swept up in the Wangting clan head's fervor, and they voiced their support one after another.
"Clan Head may rest assured — the prodigies under the Tong family will give their absolute all!"
"Our Sikou clan will absolutely not be a drag!"
The heads of several other noble families, unwilling to be outdone, also thumped their chests and pledged to the Wangting clan head that they would not hold anyone back.
The Wangting clan head finally let his gaze settle on his son, Wang Teng. "Teng'er, the matter with the Wei family — I leave it to you. But remember, before you have fully broken with the Panlong clan, you absolutely cannot use force openly. You must rely on strategy alone, and never leave anyone a handle against us."
The Wangting clan head was quite satisfied with this son of his. He also wanted to use this opportunity to test whether Wang Teng was capable of shouldering great responsibility.