A group of beautifully dressed youths walked through the city gates while looking at their surroundings with curiosity. The streets, which should have been bustling with life, were all deserted, and only a few citizens could be seen.

Those citizens were all hurrying around, none of them were strolling the streets, and the whole atmosphere was heavy and dangerous.

This group of people consisted of three women and four men. They seemed to be just around twenty years old, and their eyes contained obvious disdain as they looked at the city.

"I thought Canglan City was supposed to be prosperous," one of the girls said with contempt as she looked around.

"It was indeed known to be one of the more crowded cities, as it is the location for the Blue Water Institute, but this is only for mortals who wish to enter the cultivation world." The one who spoke was one of the men. He was tall and handsome, his face held a gentle smile, and he seemed very friendly, but the smile did not reach his eyes as he glanced around, a bit of questioning evident within.

"It is only natural that the citizens are so cautious." A stoic-faced youth looked around, his eyes flashing with amazement as he continued, "the stench of blood is heavy within this city; I would imagine that numerous lives have been lost within the last week, and these mortals would naturally not be able to take the stimulation."

"They are lowly mortals; it is natural that they are fearful and cowardly." A young woman dressed in a purple dress looked at the area without even trying to hide her arrogance. "Although this place has the Blue Water Institute, that is merely an institute for mortals which wish to enter the cultivation world. Although they might succeed, they will never grow to become anyone special, as their starting point is simply too low, the heaven and earth essence in the atmosphere is lacking, and the resources are scarce."

The others nodded their heads. They had grown up in the cultivation world and knew that while it was possible for mortals to break into their world, they would rarely amount to anything. In fact, they would usually sell themselves to large families as servants in return for cultivation resources.

The experts who had come to Canglan City at first were likely to come from the mortal worldthrough many institutes and academies like the Blue Water Institute.

"I do wonder why the Eternal Shadow Lord's wife would attend such a low-grade institute." The final woman was the one who spoke up. She was rubbing her chin with her slender and fair fingers as if she was deep in thought.

Her eyes were flashing curiously as she could not help but wonder about the relationship between the two figures who had become famous throughout the entire cultivation world.

Many disdained Bai Rouyun. It was no secret that she had been mentally challenged for the majority of her life, and that it was Li Moyun who had cured her.

However, she was merely an abandoned daughter of a mortal general; how was she possibly worthy of the illustrious Eternal Shadow Lord?

Most of the women who had accepted the task had ulterior motives. They had heard that Bai Rouyun was beautiful like a fairy, but they also knew that she had not cultivated much, and that she was merely a mortal.

Pushing her down and taking over her position as the madam of the Eternal Shadow Palace should not be too challenging, even if Li Moyun preferred beauty, the cultivators were rarely ugly, as their bodies were continually being refined and baptized in the heaven and earth energy.

They also belittled Bai Rouyun's importance in Li Moyun's heart, as she was merely attending the Blue Water Institute, and they had found out that her invitation had been gained in the Royal Hunting Feast that had taken place in Richu Empire.

If Li Moyun truly valued her, he would have helped her get an admittance letter to the Holy Dragon Institute or even the Cloudsoar Imperial Academy.

The sects and factions behind these women also approved of their attempts at entering the Eternal Shadow Palace. If they managed to climb onto the position of the main wife, then their factions would benefit significantly from such a union.

Although no one had gotten hold of the new pill formulas that Wen Sihan had begun creating, many knew that the Eternal Shadow Palace had begun advancing at a rapid speed, and that the cause of this were pills with higher purity rate.

These pills were extremely precious, and many wished to get their hands on them, or even the formulas. Still, they were extremely well hidden, and no one dared to directly oppose or pressure the Eternal Shadow Palace into sharing them.

"Should we go to the Blue Water Institute first?" The first woman who had spoken opened her mouth as she looked around the empty streets somewhat apprehensively.

"Our mission was to join the Blue Water Institute and become a student. During our time here, we should become friends with this Bai Rouyun, and use her friendship as a way to approach the Eternal Shadow Lord."

The others nodded their heads, but they were all somewhat hesitant. They did not know where the Blue Water Institute was located, and there was no one on the streets which looked as if they wanted to help them with directions.

"We need to get familiar with the place, so first, let us just stroll around." The one who spoke was the stoic-looking young man. While he had an aura of power, he did not seem arrogant or willful, and the others naturally listened to him when he spoke.