"The Fox Words Young Master is here!"
The crowd was engaged in discussions, high spirits and grand debates when someone shouted. Immediately, the scene fell silent, and you could hear a pin drop. Everyone turned their gaze to the corridor leading to the small pavilion.
There, two upright figures were slowly walking over. As they moved, a formless pressure stifled everyone, making it hard to breathe.
Chu Ming’s eyes narrowed because among the two figures, there was the young man in purple robes he had seen the night before. The purple-robed youth also noticed Chu Ming, nodded slightly, and sat by the small pavilion table. He lightly swept his eyes over the seated young men and women, then closed his eyes to meditate, calm like still water.
"Everyone coming today is here to honor me, Fox Words Young Master. I will remember this favor!"
Though he was an Inner Sect disciple of Celestial Travel Sect, before joining, he was known in Tieyuan City as Fox Words Young Master. Now returning to Tieyuan City, he naturally used his old title.
The young men and women present did not speak. No one came purely to see Fox Words Young Master; their purpose in attending the tea gathering was the two Spiritual Source Fruits. However, with Fox Words Young Master saying this, opposing him would be quite disrespectful.
Chu Ming lightly glanced at Fox Words Young Master. Fox Words Young Master’s cultivation was only at the peak of True Dao First Layer, but the feeling he gave Chu Ming was even more dangerous than that of Ghost Corpse and Blood Poison. This was the difference between Sect disciples and wandering martial artists. Although the Nether Night Association was decent, it was still inferior compared to the Celestial Travel Sect, which had half-step Life and Death Realm Kings.
"I won’t say much more; the two best performers at today’s tea gathering will each receive a Spiritual Source Fruit. Now we can start!"
After saying this, Fox Words Young Master sat lightly by the table, poured himself a cup of wine, took a gentle sip, and whispered a few words into the purple-robed youth’s ear, who nodded slightly.
"Let me go first. Who will challenge me?"
A white shadow cut across the air, lightly tapping his feet, stopping on the lake’s surface, causing gentle ripples. The crowd looked and saw a white-clothed young man, floating elegantly on the lake. His eyes scanned around, full of provocation.
"Since no one dares, I’ll go then!"
A cold snort was heard as a green-robed young man flew to the lake’s surface, looking coldly at the white-clothed youth.
"Fei Lian, I advise you to step down. If I beat you into the lake and you turn into a drenched chicken, it won’t be good!"
Recognizing the green-robed youth, the white-clothed youth felt assured and mocked coldly. Although there were geniuses from other cities at the tea gathering, most were from Tieyuan City, and everyone privately knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
"Zhao Fan, I hope your mouth stays this sharp!"
Fei Lian wasn’t upset. He lightly took the green long saber off his back. Instantly, cold light appeared, and countless saber shadows emerged on the lake, causing ripples.
The people by the pavilion began excitedly discussing.
"Although Fei Lian is a core disciple of the Demon Fire Sect, compared to Zhao Fan, he is still inferior. He shouldn’t have challenged him."
"Hehe, the world of geniuses is always changing. Perhaps someone’s cultivation technique breaks through a layer, and they soar skyward. There’s no permanent distinction of strength."
"Zhao Fan’s mastery of Wind and Cloud Palm has long reached perfection. Let’s see how Fei Lian resists."
Chu Ming listened quietly. The Qingqiu Kingdom, with three sects: Demon Fire Sect, Flying Corpse Sect, and Vast Earth Sect. Most of the young people present were disciples of these three sects.
Any one of these three sects was a giant in the entire Great Yan Kingdom, capable of easily destroying the kingdom.
As people spoke, the two already began their battle. Zhao Fan lightly tapped the lake surface, causing a fearful burst of water, and his body transformed into intense wind, shooting toward Fei Lian with countless water droplets flying.
Fei Lian’s expression didn’t change. He brushed his saber with his right hand, eyes gleaming coldly, lightly stepping and appearing next to Zhao Fan. He continuously slashed dozens of times, each faster than the last, leaving countless illusions in the air. Strangely, the fierce saber light didn’t create any ripples on the water.
As Fei Lian slashed, Zhao Fan simultaneously struck, with countless palm seals rushing toward Fei Lian. The palm seals clashed with the saber light, creating a terrifying wave that spread out, causing the entire lake surface to explode with water droplets piercing the ground.
In an instant, Zhao Fan attacked again, reaching Fei Lian’s side, his right foot imbued with terrifying force, aiming at Fei Lian’s lower body, kicking the air around with explosive sounds.
Fei Lian showed no panic. In the moment he stabilized his stance, he slashed toward Zhao Fan, the sharp saber aura splitting the lake into two, creating a break.
Zhao Dan’s foot struck Fei Lian’s wrist. The two swiftly disengaged, simultaneously retreating three or four meters, not a single drop of water on them.
"Green Water Profound Technique!"
Fei Lian’s spiritual power surged, instantly forming a green armor around him, with green waves flashing continuously on the armor, filled with profound meaning.
"You’ve cultivated Green Water Profound Technique to Sixth Layer?!"
Now, it was Zhao Fan’s turn to be shocked, with threads of panic flashing in his eyes. But he quickly suppressed it, white spiritual power wrapping around his palm, absorbing all spiritual power around him.
"Even if you break through to the sixth layer, I can still defeat you!"
He said coldly, white spiritual power in his hand surged, transforming into a giant palm over tens of meters, slapping toward Fei Lian on the lake, fierce and wild, causing huge waves in the lake.
"Wind and Cloud Palm!"
The palm was so huge it covered half the lake. Fei Lian couldn’t evade. Seeing the giant palm about to fall, Fei Lian lifted his saber, casting out terrifying saber aura from it. Even the flowing clouds in the sky were sliced into two, with explosive sounds across the space.
In the astonished eyes of the crowd, the enormous palm was instantly slashed into two by terrifying saber aura, transforming into pure spiritual power and dissipating without leaving any traces.
Zhao Fan’s body was also blown away by the terrifying saber aura, his life or death unknown.
"What a terrifying slash!"
A young man beside Chu Ming softly exclaimed, his face full of shock. Chu Ming coldly glanced at Fei Lian, lightly drank a cup of wine, thinking Fei Lian’s strength was just passable.