This magnificent city, though not particularly large, was exquisitely built atop a mountain peak, surrounded by enormous waterfalls cascading down into the valleys below.
Sunlight refracted through the mist, forming arcs of seven-colored rainbows. White cranes circled above the rainbows, creating a scene of breathtaking beauty—like a painting of a celestial realm.
No wonder people said the scenery of Hundred Curve Valley was unmatched under heaven. At least in Chu Feng's eyes, this was the most beautiful place he had ever seen.
Of course, this was only a corner of Hundred Curve Valley—literally just a corner, because this was merely the outer edge.
Although all participants in the Hero Hunt could rest here temporarily, the luxurious palaces were reserved for the big shots of each faction. The disciples waited on an enormous square built at the cliff's edge.
Chu Feng spread his Mental Power outward, searching for Gong Luyun's whereabouts. As he walked, he marveled at the gathering—aside from himself, nearly everyone here was a Xuan Martial realm expert, and all were prodigies of the younger generation.
In terms of actual cultivation, Chu Feng was truly nothing special among this crowd. These were genuine geniuses, nearly all of whom possessed extraordinary techniques. If any single one of them stepped forward, Chu Feng would struggle to win, and those who could overpower him were countless.
That said, the crowd wasn't exactly harmonious. Most gathered in small groups of three to five, though some banded together in large clusters—like the disciples of Lingyun Sect and the young generation of the Qilin Prince's Manor.
These two groups represented the two most powerful factions in Qingzhou. They had the most people and the most elites. Every other faction kept their distance, terrified of offending these arrogant young men and women.
"At last, I've found you." Suddenly, Chu Feng's fists clenched inside his sleeves, and a sharp killing intent flashed through his eyes as he strode quickly toward a spot on the square.
A large group had gathered there—men and women, all around twenty years old. The women were all beautiful, but each carried an air of arrogance between her brows.
The men varied in appearance, but their strength was formidable. All were in the Xuan Martial realm, and most hailed from first-rate sects.
And precisely because of that, when a man wearing the robes of a second-rate sect—one with a rather handsome face—appeared among them, he stood out remarkably.
This, of course, was none other than the first disciple of Azure Dragon Sect: the young master of the Xuan Martial City's City Lord, the man who had secretly orchestrated the destruction of the Chu Family through the Five Tiger Stronghold—Gong Luyun.
Normally, a second-rate sect disciple would have drawn countless disdainful looks here, but Gong Luyun received no such treatment. On the contrary, the men looked at him with respect, and the women gazed at him with admiration.
The group chatted and laughed, with some openly praising Gong Luyun. From their words, one could glean the reason why he faced no discrimination here.
"Brother Gong, congratulations! Becoming Grandfather Lin Ran's adopted grandson—be sure to look after us in the future," one man said with undisguised envy.
"Brother Li is too kind." Gong Luyun smiled politely.
"Oh, Brother Gong, don't be modest. Everyone knows Grandfather Lin Ran is a peak Xuan Martial realm powerhouse—the chief steward of the Qilin Prince's Manor. Countless geniuses in the Qilin Prince's Manor have tried to curry favor with the old man and failed."
"But now he's gone and adopted you as his grandson. Do you know how many people are jealous?" another man, with a rather sleazy face, said with a grin.
"Jealousy won't help anyone. The fact that Grandfather Lin Ran recognized Luyun as his grandson shows his discerning eye. Our Brother Luyun is already at the second level of the Xuan Martial realm at such a young age, and his combat power is extraordinary—he can defeat opponents above his level. Even third-level Xuan Martial cultivators are no match for him. His future achievements will be limitless." A seductive woman sidled up to Gong Luyun.
"Exactly. Brother Gong is a true genius, and we genuinely admire him. It's a shame he joined Azure Dragon Sect—it truly does a disservice to his talent." Another woman edged closer.
"Right, right! I heard there's some blind fool in Azure Dragon Sect who actually dared to challenge Brother Gong. He said he'd take Brother Gong's life in one year. Honestly, I have no idea where that kid gets his confidence."
"Is that true? Really? Brother Gong, is that real?"
"Heh, the world is a big place, full of all kinds of people. I, Gong Luyun, never deign to bother with such people. But since he insisted so aggressively, I had no choice but to agree to a duel. Just a minor pest—nothing to worry about." Gong Luyun waved his hand dismissively.
"So it's true! Brother Gong, what's that kid's name? You're too polite to lay hands on a fellow disciple—let me teach him a lesson for you."
"Exactly. To be so disrespectful to the first disciple while being a fellow disciple—what an uncultured brute. He deserves a beating." Everyone crowded around, eager for details.
"Gong Luyun, you're living the good life, aren't you?" Just then, a voice cut through the crowd.
Every head turned, and all froze in surprise. Standing not far away was a youth—a genuinely young boy who looked no older than fifteen.
The Hero Hunt, while a grand event for the younger generation of Qingzhou, was dominated by young adults. Such a boy appearing here was truly startling.
Especially since he wore the same robes as Gong Luyun—Azure Dragon Sect insignia. That surprised everyone even more, and curiosity burned: who was he?
"You actually made it in here?" Gong Luyun's brow furrowed, surprise filling his eyes. He recognized the boy immediately—it was Chu Feng, the one who had challenged him to a duel in one year.
And when Gong Luyun realized that Chu Feng's cultivation had already reached the fourth level of Yuan Wu, the surprise in his eyes turned to something far more grave.
"Even someone's adopted grandson like you got in—why wouldn't I? Gong Luyun, I'm not here for anything else. Just a friendly reminder: once we head deep into Hundred Curve Valley, watch yourself. Be careful that all the evil deeds you've done don't come back to haunt you." With a flick of his sleeve, Chu Feng turned and walked away.
"Brother Gong, who is that guy? Why is he talking like that?" Everyone demanded answers.
"Weren't you just asking about the one who challenged me to a duel?" Gong Luyun said with a thin smile.
"Don't tell me that was him?" Everyone gasped.
"That's right. It's that bastard." As Gong Luyun spoke these words, his teeth were clenched, and a frigid light blazed in his eyes.