West Mountain Range, a small mountain range in the northern part of Black Dragon City, stretches for hundreds of miles with its ridges rising and falling like a sleeping giant dragon.
Though small, the West Mountain Range conceals many demon beasts. Every night, the cries of apes often echo for miles, chilling listeners to the bone.
Lin Qingxuan narrowed his eyes, standing high above. The entire West Mountain Range was in his view. He gently patted the head of the Black-winged Blood Eagle standing at the forefront. With a piercing cry, the eagle began to slowly dive downwards, the rushing wind whipping Chu Ming’s robes fiercely.
The Black-winged Blood Eagle circled in the sky once, then steadily descended in a chosen direction.
"The spiritual energy here is so abundant!"
Standing on the back of the eagle, Chu Ming could clearly feel the increasingly rich spiritual energy around them as they descended. The spiritual power here was already three to four times that of Black Dragon City.
Even Lin Qing’s face looked a bit more flushed due to the rich spiritual power.
"That’s the Spirit Pool below!"
Lin Qingxuan looked down and spoke mildly. Following his gaze, Chu Ming looked over. Even with his keen eyesight, he could only make out a small green lake-like spot due to their high altitude.
As they got closer to the ground, Chu Ming finally took in the full view of that green lake. Calling it a lake was an overstatement; it was more of a small pool with only a five-meter diameter, filled with a swirling green spiritual energy. The abundant spiritual energy in the surroundings emanated from here.
On either side of the pool stood two groups of around twenty people each. The left group wore green robes similar in quality and craftsmanship to the Lin Family’s attire.
"Grand Elder, the Patriarch is here!"
A guard from the Lin Family respectfully informed a white-haired elder at the front. The old man nodded slightly, eyes narrowed, taking in everything happening on the Black-winged Blood Eagle.
"Who is that? An outside helper the Patriarch invited?"
The elder, who was Lin Yuan, the Lin Family’s Grand Elder, and a True Dao peak martial artist, was slightly puzzled. Aside from the ancestor, he was the second strongest in the Lin Family after Lin Qingxuan.
The arrival of the Black-winged Blood Eagle didn’t escape the notice of the other group, whose members in yellow robes had cloud-like patterns embroidered on their sleeves. The man leading them, a robust forty-something man with hawk-like eyes exuding sharp sword aura, glanced at the Black-winged Blood Eagle, frowning slightly.
"Hu Xinming, the Lin Family is here!"
Lin Yuan said sharply, facing Hu Xinming, who was also the Hu Family’s Grand Elder and a strong True Dao peak martial artist. He had helped the Hu Family annex many minor clans over the years, leading to their current status.
"Early arrival, early death!"
Hu Xinming’s eyes glinted with coldness, his face grim. Originally, the Hu Family discovered the Spirit Pool, but the Lin Family somehow got wind and intervened, creating this awkward situation.
"Life and death rely on strength, not idle talk!"
Lin Yuan retorted sarcastically, about to continue when a piercing cry from the other side of the sky grabbed their full attention.
A massive Ice Bird, like a blue aurora, streaked through the sky, wings slightly spread with a fine ice line trailing along the edge, turning the air’s moisture into ice shards.
The Ice Bird was similar in size to the Black-winged Blood Eagle but carried an extra sense of sanctity. Several figures stood on its back, their powerful presence dispelling the clouds around them in an instant.
"The Hu family’s reinforcements have arrived as well!"
Lin Qingxuan, standing at the forefront of the Black-winged Blood Eagle, narrowed his eyes and murmured as he observed the figure leading on the Ice Bird’s back.
In his mind, he already pictured everything on the Ice Bird’s back, including the martial artists’ faces.
As expected, the three people the Hu Family dispatched were Hu Zipei, Hu Zifei, and a third person wearing a black hat, whose figure suggested he was a young man, seemingly hiding his appearance. Even Lin Qingxuan’s attempt to probe the young man’s strength felt shrouded, as if veiled by a thin film.
Hu Long, on the Ice Bird’s back, also sensed Lin Qingxuan’s gaze, a cold gleam flickering in his eyes.
The Black-winged Blood Eagle lightly flapped its wings, creating numerous cyclones on the ground before landing steadily.
Lin Qingxuan ordered the martial artists behind him. One by one, they leaped off the eagle’s back. Chu Ming stood firmly on the ground, instinctively scanning the surroundings.
The Hu Family’s martial artists also jumped off the Ice Bird’s back, forming a standoff with the Lin Family’s martial artists. The imposing Ice Bird and Black-winged Blood Eagle let out a series of high-pitched cries before taking off into the West Mountain Range, disappearing without a trace.
"No more talking. When does the duel start?"
Lin Qingxuan got straight to the point. The Hu and Lin Families were mortal enemies with nothing to say. If not for the Spirit Pool, any meeting between them would end in a death struggle.
"Anytime is fine, but just don’t break the agreement when the time comes."
Hu Long spoke confidently. He had spared no expense to find a strong external ally to prevent the Lin Family from obtaining the Spirit Pool. His thoughts aligned with Lin Qingxuan’s—anyone but the Lin Family could have it.
Lin Qingxuan snorted coldly, then made a vow, which was only relinquished after three thunderclaps resounded in the sky. Hu Long glanced cunningly at Lin Qingxuan and also made a vow, with three thunderclaps echoing.
Both men stepped back. Hu Zifei was the first to step forward, calmly saying, "I’ll go first, who will come up?"
Hu Zifei’s face was pale and not exceptionally beautiful, but her eyes were full of determination. With a red slender sword at her waist, intricately engraved with patterns, she lightly stepped forward, standing in the middle between the Lin and Hu Families, her sword momentum peaking, as if countless sword intents were being wielded.