Chapter 345: The thousand dao city 15.

"She also says the two of you are very affectionate."

Su Yubing became slightly embarrassed.

Mo Yuxin looked completely unbothered.

"We are married."

"That is nice."

Yu Lan smiled.

"It is good to see young cultivators who still know how to enjoy companionship. Most talented cultivators spend their entire lives fighting over resources."

Mo Yuxin nodded.

"We are not very interested in fighting over resources."

Yu Lan smiled knowingly.

"Perhaps that is why you two seem so calm."

The final major group arrived with relatively little ceremony.

Nine Heavens Academy did not have a single sect leader in the traditional sense. Instead, the academy sent a group of lecturers, deans, and senior students.

Their presence changed the feeling of the hall.

Students from dozens of backgrounds had gathered behind them, representing various regional sects.

The academy was less politically aggressive because its entire purpose was to educate cultivators regardless of origin.

Still, its influence was huge.

A young woman wearing academy robes caught Su Yubing’s attention because she was arguing with an older student about spirit beast anatomy.

The woman eventually noticed them and wandered over.

"Are you new to the city?"

Su Yubing nodded.

"We arrived recently."

"You should visit the academy later. The library is enormous."

Mo Yuxin’s eyes changed slightly.

Su Yubing noticed immediately.

"She likes libraries."

The academy disciple smiled.

"Then she will like ours."

Mo Yuxin glanced toward Su Yubing.

"We should go."

"I know."

"Today?"

"After the assembly."

Mo Yuxin nodded happily.

"Good."

The last people to enter the main hall were the Battle Maiden Sect representatives.

The room did not become quieter immediately.

That happened gradually.

People simply noticed them one by one.

The Battle Maiden Sect delegation was smaller than the others.

At its center walked Sect Master Ye Qinglan.

She was beautiful in a way that was difficult to describe as merely attractive. Her features were mature and calm, her dark hair fell down her back, and the red-and-silver robes of the Battle Maiden Sect made her look like someone who belonged on an ancient battlefield rather than a political gathering.

Her presence was powerful.

Late Soul Formation.

But she did not radiate pressure deliberately.

Behind her was First Elder Mu Qingru.

Unlike Ye Qinglan, Mu Qingru looked severe.

Her eyes moved across the hall with a level of suspicion that made even several senior cultivators avoid meeting her gaze.

Then came Ji Ruyan.

Mo Yuxin recognized her immediately.

The young woman who had demonstrated the previous day now wore a formal battle robe. Her spear was strapped across her back. She looked tired already, even though the gathering had just begun.

Beside her walked Su Lian.

Su Lian looked much less intimidating. She carried several formation plates and seemed far more interested in them than in the politics of the hall.

The two walked close enough that their sleeves occasionally brushed.

Mo Yuxin noticed.

So did Su Yubing.

Su Yubing smiled.

"That must be the formation disciple."

"Yes."

"Ruyan seems different around her."

Mo Yuxin nodded.

"Less tired."

"You noticed that?"

"Yes."

"Sometimes I think you notice more about people than I do."

Mo Yuxin looked at her.

"I notice you most."

Su Yubing smiled.

"I know."

The assembly began.

An elderly man from the City Governance Council stepped onto the center platform.

He gave the usual formal speech about cooperation, stability, shared prosperity, and maintaining peace among cultivators.

Nobody was listening very carefully.

Mo Yuxin quietly ate a small piece of fruit from the plate beside her.

Su Yubing saw this.

"You are eating during the opening speech."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I am hungry."

"It is polite to wait."

"Nobody is watching."

The elder on the platform was definitely watching.

He paused briefly when Mo Yuxin reached for another piece.

Su Yubing lowered her voice.

"He is watching."

Mo Yuxin looked up.

The elder quickly looked away.

"No, he is not."

Su Yubing bit her lip to stop herself laughing.

The first formal discussion concerned city defense.

The Heavenly Sword Sect presented a proposal to increase its role in maintaining the city’s external defensive formations.

Fang Zhen’s senior elder stood and explained that the sect’s sword formations were uniquely suited to intercepting large-scale attacks.

The proposal sounded reasonable.

Even Mo Yuxin thought it had merit.

Then the Azure Cloud Sect objected.

Their elder explained that defense formations required more than offensive power. The city needed a unified system that could respond to spiritual, physical, and formation-based attacks.

The Heavenly Sword elder responded politely.

"Naturally. We only ask for authority over the sectors that our sect is best suited to manage."

Azure Cloud replied.

"The entire eastern wall is connected. Separating authority would create unnecessary gaps."

The discussion continued for nearly half an hour.

Both sides remained polite.

Neither yielded.

Finally, the City Governance Council postponed the issue.

Mo Yuxin looked at Su Yubing.

"That was simple."

"You think?"

"They both want the same thing."

"Which is?"

"Control."

Su Yubing nodded.

"Exactly."

The next proposal concerned mining regions.

Golden Mountain Sect wanted priority access to three newly discovered spirit ore veins.

Their argument was straightforward.

They needed rare ores for artifact production, and their contribution to the city’s weapon supply was significant.

Several smaller sects disagreed because those regions were near their traditional cultivation territories.

The Golden Mountain leader, Han Zhenhai, spoke in a calm voice.

"We are not asking for exclusive ownership. We are asking for first access, with fair compensation to surrounding organizations."

A representative from a small sect stood.

"Your definition of fair compensation is half the value of the ore."

Han Zhenhai smiled.

"Then we disagree on the value."

The small sect representative became angry.

"You call that fair?"

Han Zhenhai’s smile disappeared.

"I call it negotiation."

Several elders laughed quietly.

Su Yubing leaned toward Mo Yuxin.

"He is not terrible."

"No."

"A little arrogant."

"Most powerful people are."

Su Yubing glanced at Mo Yuxin.

"Including you?"

Mo Yuxin shook her head.

"I am perfect."

Su Yubing laughed.

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TO BE CONITNUED.