Upon hearing that Zhang Yuhe was the junior disciple who had joined the inner gate through a token a hundred years ago, Ming Fu couldn't help but feel secretly surprised.
To be appointed by the elders as the town guard of Yunzhong Mansion, one's cultivation must at least have reached the Yuan Infant Realm.
Without the support of formidable strength, such a position would be impossible to maintain. How could anyone rely solely on reputation or tokens and not be exposed as a fraud?
"Could it be that he broke through from Qi Refining to the Yuan Infant Realm in just a hundred years?"
"Impossible."
Ming Fu quietly released his divine sense and silently probed Zhang Yuhe's aura.
To his astonishment, he couldn't sense Zhang Yuhe's cultivation level at all.
Ming Fu was momentarily stunned.
"Could it be that he's already broken through to the Nascent Soul Transformation Realm?"
"Absolutely impossible."
He shook his head in disbelief.
Cultivating to that level in a mere century? Even the reincarnation of a true immortal wouldn't achieve it so quickly.
Across from him, Zhang Yuhe sat calmly, sipping tea. Ming Fu's curiosity itched—he desperately wanted to know the extent of Zhang Yuhe's cultivation, but asking directly would be inappropriate.
"I wonder what the current situation in Yunzhong Mansion is like. Would Senior Brother mind giving me an overview?" Zhang Yuhe asked respectfully after taking a sip of tea.
If he was to remain in Yunzhong Mansion long-term, it was crucial that he understood its dynamics. Ming Fu had been stationed here for decades—surely he knew much about the local power structure. This was also standard procedure during the handover of a post, although whether the predecessor would speak honestly was another matter.
Ming Fu pondered for a moment before replying.
"Leaving out the forces below two stars, there are five three-star forces in Yunzhongfu: the Qian family, the Sun family, the Li family, the He family, and the Hyacinth Tower."
"Among them, the Qian and Sun families maintain good relations with the Zhenshou Mansion. They have family members cultivating in the Dao Saint Sect's outer gate, so they're considered trustworthy."
"As for the Li and He families, they've been rooted in Yunzhongfu for tens of thousands of years. Their influence spans dozens of cities and shouldn't be underestimated. They've always tried to send their younger generation to the Dao Saint Sect, though they've yet to succeed."
"By the way, the ancestor of the He family was said to have reached the Great Perfection stage of the Yuan Infant Realm hundreds of years ago. It's unclear whether he has since passed on or broken through to the Nascent Soul Transformation Realm. Junior Brother should keep an eye on that."
"As for the Hyacinth Tower, though they present an air of mystery, their actual strength is limited. Their current landlord is merely a newcomer."
With that, Ming Fu gave a general overview of Yunzhong Mansion's major powers.
Zhang Yuhe listened attentively and nodded in acknowledgment.
In Yu Fantian, the indigenous power structure followed an unspoken hierarchy.
Forces led by Foundation Establishment cultivators were classified as one-star. Those with Golden Core cultivators were two-star. Three-star forces required the presence of Yuan Infant cultivators, and four-star forces were led by cultivators in the Nascent Soul Transformation Realm.
The highest ranking was five-star, typically commanded by Soul Refining cultivators. However, throughout all of Yu Fantian, there were few five-star forces, mostly confined to state capitals.
There were no forces above five-star. The Dao Saint Sect did not allow such powerful organizations to exist—excluding itself, of course.
It was rumored that the Dao Saint Sect harbored Mahayana cultivators. By technical standards, it would be a seven-star force, but being the rule-maker, star rankings held little relevance for them.
The five three-star forces of Yunzhongfu, even with the potential presence of a Nascent Soul Transformation cultivator, did not concern Zhang Yuhe too much.
What Ming Fu described was all surface-level power.
For someone like Zhang Yuhe, open threats were manageable. It was the unknown, the hidden forces lurking beneath, that posed real danger.
With this in mind, Zhang Yuhe pressed further.
"Senior Brother Ming, are there any hidden forces within Yunzhong Mansion?"
Ming Fu shook his head and replied, "Not that I know of. At least, I haven't heard of any."
Still unsatisfied, Zhang Yuhe asked again, "Has there ever been a history of activity from the Demon Clan or the Demon God Sect in Yunzhongfu?"
"None. As for the Demon Clan, they originate from outside this realm. When they appear, they exude a powerful demonic aura detectable from miles away. Their presence is nearly impossible to conceal."
"As for the Demon God Sect, I've been stationed here for decades and have never received any information about them. Even going back thousands of years, there are no records of their activities in Yunzhongfu."
Zhang Yuhe nodded in understanding. He had only asked out of curiosity and wasn't particularly concerned.
After all, the Demon God Sect operated in the shadows. Their appearance anywhere would trigger a major alert within the Dao Saint Sect. It was perfectly reasonable for them to have never surfaced in Yunzhong Mansion.
After chatting for a while, Ming Fu stood up and said, "Let's complete the handover. I need to return to the sect for closed-door cultivation. I sensed an opportunity for a breakthrough earlier—if I miss it, who knows when it will come again."
"Of course."
They quickly completed the transfer of the official seal and control over the city's formation array.
Once done, the two men stepped outside. Ming Fu summoned his flying boat and turned to Zhang Yuhe.
"Senior Brother, take care. I'll return to the sect now."
"Goodbye, Senior Brother Ming. If I have any questions, I'll reach out via jade communication."
"Agreed."
With that, Ming Fu and his entourage boarded the flying boat and departed.
Ming Fu wasn't alone—he had brought his family and subordinates with him when he first arrived in Yunzhongfu, and now that he was leaving, they naturally left with him.
In fact, most inner and outer disciples of the Dao Saint Sect came from various clans or forces. A solitary cultivator like Zhang Yuhe was a rare exception.
This recruitment model was the Dao Saint Sect's strategy to bind the various factions together—by taking in disciples, they tied external powers to the sect.
Once Ming Fu departed, the Zhenshou Mansion suddenly felt empty.
Zhang Yuhe looked at the only two people left—a pair of assistants—and couldn't help but feel exasperated.
How was he supposed to operate with no support? Without aides, he was effectively blind and deaf to the outside world.
He couldn't afford to run around collecting intelligence every day—that would leave no time for cultivation.
Even with the greatest diligence, one person couldn't manage it all.
Yunzhongfu wasn't a single city—it oversaw hundreds of small and medium-sized cities. Any unrest in those territories would ultimately reflect poorly on him.
"If the cities below fall into chaos, I'll be held accountable," Zhang Yuhe muttered.
"I need to find people to help manage things."
His mind worked quickly, considering his options.
Recruiting players was a possibility. However, their current strength was limited—most were only in the Foundation Establishment Realm. He hadn't even heard of any reaching the Golden Core level yet.
Moreover, players were scattered across the world. Yunzhongfu likely hosted very few of them.
Relying solely on players wouldn't be enough. He needed help from local forces as well.