The third floor of Hao Han Tower, besides having three sides of private rooms, also had tables and chairs placed in the main hall.
Powerful sects of a prefecture in the past could now mostly only sit in the main hall. Except for a few forces like Ming Xin Xuan, who could have a relatively secluded private room.
Even the Prefectural Governor's mansion of Luoxia Prefecture was only slightly closer to the center.
The vast majority of the private rooms were allocated to forces that dominated a prefecture, as well as many renowned rogue cultivators.
These forces had mostly been passed down for over a thousand years, with at least one Golden Core Grand Cultivator presiding over them, commanding great respect within the prefecture. Those participating in this trade fair were all elders of the third realm, possessing formidable combat power.
When Ji Yuan and his companions arrived, there was still a considerable amount of time before the start of the day's trade fair.
Bored, they looked around and indeed saw many senior experts.
For instance, Zhao Yuan Song and the others spotted several cultivators in the middle to late stages of the third realm, highly respected in Feiyun Prefecture, each having cultivated for over two hundred years.
Within Feiyun Prefecture, even the sect leaders of major sects would show them deference and speak with respect.
It was a pity that these senior experts now mostly had to sit in the scattered seats of the main hall, with only one or two managing to share a private room with friends through connections.
"I really don't know how many major forces and influential figures have come to this trade fair," Xu Qi Qi muttered, her eyes full of curiosity.
As time passed, apart from the main hall below filling up, people also began to occupy the private rooms on all three sides.
Among them, they could recognize the Prefect of Lingyang Prefecture, the banners of several sects with thousand-year legacies, and many renowned rogue cultivators famous throughout the prefecture.
This was only what they could recognize; there were far more they couldn't. However, these forces, without exception, had legacies of at least a thousand years, or if only a few hundred years old, they had a Golden Core Grand Cultivator presiding over them.
"The demon race has also arrived!" Jiang He said in a deep voice.
In fact, there was no need for him to remind them; everyone could feel the dense demonic energy appearing unscrupulously in the trade fair grounds.
As their gazes fell, they saw figures appearing in several prime private rooms. Although most maintained human form, they couldn't help but retain some characteristics of their respective races.
For example, Feng Mian, whose origins were from the Fierce Wind Eagle clan, had the appearance of an eagle's head and a human body. The demon youth beside him also retained features like tiger claws and scales.
"Excluding their respective attendants, there are five demon youths here," Ji Yuan observed carefully and said in a low voice.
Among these five demon youths, besides Feng Mian from the Splitting Wind Demon Domain, there was also Wan Hu, who possessed the bloodline of a demon king and hailed from the Scarlet Flame Demon Domain, one of the nine great demon domains.
As for the other three demon youths, although they were not from the nine great demon domains, the demon race powers behind them were not to be underestimated. They were all beings who occupied mountains and ruled as kings, with the weakest among them comparable to human Golden Core Grand Cultivators.
If it weren't for this, even with the Great Yu Dynasty on the verge of upheaval, how would ordinary demons dare to act so brazenly in human cities?
Just at this moment, the five demon youths freely released their demonic energy, completely disregarding the numerous human cultivators present.
Even in front of everyone, they conversed about which humans were most delectable, and what it would be like to keep them as maids for warmth.
Their words treated humans as livestock to be raised and human women as playthings to be violated at will!
"Mere demons, daring to spew such venom here!" An old man with white hair and a youthful face in the main hall below roared, "Has the human race truly died out!"
A killing aura permeated several feet around him. The invisible force caused the surrounding tables and chairs to frost over, making one doubt if the old man would break the rules and impulsively attack the demon youths in the private rooms.
As his words fell, although there were no accompanying cheers, waves of killing intent emerged, brewing in their fury, ready to erupt at any moment.
"Hmph!" A snort came from the private room, its sound like thunder booming in countless ears, causing cultivators with weaker cultivation to feel a pain in their foreheads and their souls to tremble.
Ji Yuan followed the sound and saw a hunched figure, a demon cultivator with a dog's head, staring coldly at everyone with fierce eyes.
Furthermore, this dog-headed demon cultivator exuded an aura comparable to the peak of the third realm, unleashed without reservation, sweeping towards the main hall below.
Amidst everyone's concern, the old man who had first roared in anger sneered, picked up his teacup, and casually splashed it behind him.
He made no overt moves, neither forming seals nor displaying any flow of spiritual power.
Yet, the cup of tea suddenly transformed into ice needles in mid-air, instantly piercing through the void and appearing outside the demon's private room in a flash.
Seeing this, the dog-headed demon immediately took a step forward, extending a dog's paw from his sleeve. With a heavy slap, immense spiritual power surged out.
*Puff!*
With a soft sound, the ice needles, as fine as threads, instantly turned into countless specks of dust, scattering with the surging spiritual power.
However, the dog-headed demon let out a muffled groan at this moment and staggered back three to four steps. His dog-paw was covered in frost, and wisps of cold air were spreading into his body.
It was clear that he had suffered a considerable loss in the previous exchange.
"It's Old Man Xuan Po!" Seeing this scene, Qian Ni Chang couldn't help but exclaim.
A commotion arose from the main hall below, and even from some of the private rooms. Even elders from major sects showed solemn expressions.
"Who is that?" Ji Yuan asked, confused.
Judging by everyone's reaction, this old man seemed very famous, capable of making elders of major sects look grave.
Even the arrogant demons were now solemn, with a hint of apprehension in their eyes.
Even the dog-headed demon, having suffered a significant loss, did not immediately seek retribution. Instead, he looked at the old man below with an uncertain expression.
"Old Man Xuan Po, a wandering rogue cultivator with immense renown throughout the dynasty," Qian Ni Chang said, her eyes gleaming. "His mastery of ice-cold Dao techniques is unparalleled. Few can break his attacks within the same realm. He can even freeze a gushing river in an instant!"
Although Old Man Xuan Po cultivated ice-cold techniques, he possessed a heroic and passionate spirit, often stepping in to help those in need. For this, he had been forced to drop his cultivation realm three times, falling from a Grand Cultivator at the peak to the foot of the mountain.
For ordinary cultivators, dropping a realm once could sever their Dao path or even lead to their death.
Yet, this man was an anomaly. After falling three times and cultivating anew twice, the quality of each Golden Core he formed was significantly higher than the previous one.
"Legend has it that over a decade ago, Old Man Xuan Po witnessed demons harming human villagers and directly attacked deep into the mountains. At the cost of his third fall from his realm and the shattering of his Golden Core, he forcefully eradicated a demon force," Zhao Yuan Song murmured.
This event undoubtedly caused a sensation at the time. The Great Yu Dynasty had not seen such a fierce battle between humans and demons in three to four hundred years.
With his own strength, Old Man Xuan Po had single-handedly destroyed three great demons of the Golden Core realm, killed hundreds of cultivators in the third realm of Foundation Establishment, and shattered countless mountain peaks.
After this battle, he had disappeared from public view for over a decade. His reappearance now clearly indicated that he had fully recovered.
Although his cultivation realm had likely not been fully restored, no one dared to underestimate him. After all, he was a legendary figure who had formed a Golden Core three times. No one would treat him as an ordinary third-realm cultivator.
Once, Old Man Xuan Po had enemies who, taking advantage of his fall from his realm, gathered several peak third-realm cultivators and a powerful half-step Golden Core cultivator, and laid down numerous great formations.
However, they were still defeated by Old Man Xuan Po, who destroyed their formations. Only one third-realm cultivator managed to escape alive; the rest of his enemies were killed on the spot, their bodies frozen into ice that did not melt for decades.
"I wondered who it was. So it's Old Man Xuan Po, who willingly gave up his great Dao cultivation for a bunch of ants." After a long silence, Feng Mian, with the bloodline of the Fierce Wind Demon King, spoke with fierce eyes.
His words were filled with mockery, showing utter disdain for Old Man Xuan Po's act of sacrificing his Golden Core Dao fruit for the sake of mortal villagers, in order to annihilate a demon force.
Feng Mian's attitude naturally incited the wrath of many. From the main hall below, cultivators of the second and third realms rose, no longer restrained, and began to curse him vehemently.
"A group of bullies who prey on the weak and seek favor with the powerful," a demon youth said with a cold sneer, his face full of ridicule.
However, when he looked at Old Man Xuan Po, his eyes blazed with boundless killing intent, as if he wished to devour his flesh and drink his blood.
In fact, it was not just him; the other demons felt the same. If it weren't for the presence of so many human powerhouses here, they would have likely attacked without hesitation.
In the past three to four hundred years, no demon force had ever been annihilated, let alone by the hands of a single human.
This event was undoubtedly a source of great anger for many demons. The humans, whom they considered weak and insignificant, dared to destroy a demon force?
"Enough. If there is any more conflict, do not blame this old man for intervening!" At this moment, a low shout echoed from somewhere.
At first, it did not cause much reaction, but then it suddenly boomed like thunder, almost causing the spiritual power and blood essence of all cultivators to collapse.
"Is it a Great Power?" Ji Yuan's heart tightened, but he quickly dismissed the thought.
What was the status of a Great Power?
They were beings referred to as gods and immortals by countless mortals and cultivators!
With such status and position, why would they intervene in a dispute between third-realm cultivators? Even a group of Golden Core Grand Cultivators would not warrant their excessive attention.
Indeed, as the voice faded, an old man appeared on a high platform in the trade fair, sweeping his stern gaze across the numerous cultivators present.
Even the private rooms of the major sects received no special treatment.
However, when his gaze passed over the demon's private room, it paused slightly, and his expression softened a little.
Seeing this, many cultivators frowned, showing displeasure. However, this person was a Golden Core Grand Cultivator, so they dared not speak out despite their anger.
Only some cultivators or martial artists with volatile tempers, unable to suppress their anger, let out indignant snorts.
But the old man acted as if he was oblivious to all this. After warning the cultivators present with his gaze, he vanished from the high platform in a flash.
"Is this the attitude of Hao Han Tower's benefactor, or the intention of certain individuals?" Qian Ni Chang's brow furrowed, a bad premonition suddenly arising in her heart.
Even if this person did not represent Hao Han Tower's stance, a Golden Core Grand Cultivator expressing such a clear bias towards the demon race in public was enough to stir up a significant storm.