"That's right — the young generation of the Nine Provinces Continent is definitely not limited to Xu Zhongyu and Jie Qingming."
"And Miss Zi Ling's beloved is certainly not one of them, but me… Murong Yu!!!"
Suddenly, a figure with a Divine Wood Sword strapped to his back strode into view. It was none other than the young valley master of Sword God Valley — Murong Yu.
"Hmph, I've seen shameless people before, but never anyone this shameless." Song Qingfeng and the others all snorted coldly at Murong Yu's words. Having deep grudges with him, they were naturally displeased and had no intention of letting him boast under the open sky.
"What, are your hides itching again? Need a beating?" Murong Yu swept his disdainful gaze across the four of them, his arrogance off the charts.
"You're only relying on that extraordinary weapon of yours. Without it, you might not be my match at all." Tang Yixiu shouted defiantly.
"Murong Yu, if you've got the guts, put away that weapon and fight me one-on-one. Let's have a real battle." Song Qingfeng was also eager to take him on.
"Truly ignorant. Having an extraordinary weapon is a skill in itself. What, I have one and I'm not allowed to use it? If you're so capable, go get one yourselves. If you don't have the capital, don't talk down about others." Murong Yu sneered.
"Bullshit! Did you earn that Divine Wood Sword yourself? You're just relying on having a good grandfather!" Bai Yunfei cursed.
"Having a good grandfather is because I did good deeds in my past life. That's why I have this kind of luck."
"Don't be envious or jealous. If you stop doing evil in this life and do some good deeds, maybe you'll be reborn into a good family in your next life. But looking at the way you lot behave, I'm afraid even that's a long shot." Murong Yu mocked them, implying that the four of them had no hope in this life and could only pin their dreams on the next one.
"Speaking of luck, your grandfather really did stumble into a stroke of luck — getting knocked off a cliff and not only surviving but picking up an extraordinary weapon. What a shame, though, that he shattered both his legs in the fall. He'd barely had the weapon for two years before he kicked the bucket. Dead! Hahaha…" Liu Xiaoyao also sneered sarcastically.
"Liu Xiaoyao, you're courting death!" Murong Yu's expression turned ice-cold at those words. He drew the Divine Wood Sword from his back, and a vast, oppressive aura surged toward Liu Xiaoyao.
*BOOM!* But before that oppressive force could even touch Liu Xiaoyao, a ripple of energy exploded outward. When the ripples dissipated, the onlookers discovered with astonishment that a middle-aged man holding a folding fan had appeared silently before Liu Xiaoyao. It was none other than the valley master of Free and Unfettered Valley.
"Valley Master Murong, control your son. We're supposed to be on the same side now — what kind of spectacle is this infighting?" After blocking the attack, the Free and Unfettered Valley Master didn't turn his anger on Murong Yu but instead shouted toward a figure approaching from behind Murong Yu — Murong Yu's father, the valley master of Sword God Valley.
"Yu'er, our Sword God Valley is currently allied with the Yuan Gang Sect, the Fire God Gate, the White Cang Sect, and the Free and Unfettered Valley. From now on, you must stop being so willful and making things difficult for your senior brothers. Otherwise, I will take back your Divine Wood Sword." The Sword God Valley Master's sword-like brows bristled as he scolded coldly.
"Son wouldn't dare again." Murong Yu was clearly terrified of his father, and upon hearing that his Divine Wood Sword might be confiscated, he hurriedly admitted his mistake in a panic.
This scene put color in the cheeks of Tang Yixiu, Song Qingfeng, and the others, who smirked smugly from the sidelines.
"You lot should watch yourselves too. You're all older than Murong Yu — as senior brothers, can't you be a bit more accommodating toward your junior?" But just then, the Free and Unfettered Valley Master turned his rebuke on the four of them.
The various factions including Free and Unfettered Valley had always maintained good relations, so their valley master was essentially an elder to them as well. Thus, when the valley master scolded them, Tang Yixiu and the others lowered their heads in silence, not daring to talk back.
"I never would have thought that Sword God Valley — which has always disliked the Yuan Gang Sect, the Fire God Gate, the White Cang Sect, and Free and Unfettered Valley — would bow its head in the face of profit." In the crowd, Xu Zhongyu frowned slightly at the sight, his eyes flickering with thought, for this was not a good sign for his Spirit Formation Palace at all.
"Sigh, it's all because of those Jie clan people pulling strings behind the scenes. If this goes on, I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before the Spirit Formation Palace and the Jie clan end up in an all-out war," an elder of the Spirit Formation Palace murmured.
"It's fine. We only need to endure for one more year. After that year is up, they'll pay the price." Vice President Gao's gaze turned frigid.
Upon hearing this, Xu Zhongyu, Gu Bo, and the others who had received the transmission all froze for a moment. Gu Bo in particular thought to himself: *A year from now, that old ancestor will emerge from seclusion? I really want to witness his glory.* *But Chu Feng — can you survive that long?* The moment he thought of how the six most powerful factions in the Nine Provinces were all working together to hunt Chu Feng, Gu Bo couldn't help but worry to the point of distraction.
"Look! Miss Zi Ling has arrived!" Suddenly, an excited cry rang out from within the crowd, and every gaze swept toward the distant horizon.
At that moment, nearly everyone's heart began to race, because there, against the sky, an exquisitely decorated palanquin was being carried toward them by four Heaven Martial realm powerhouses.
This distinctive method of arrival was no longer unfamiliar to those present — it was Zi Ling's signature entrance. As the adopted daughter of Qin Lei and the master of the Supreme Villa, Zi Ling held an extraordinarily lofty position within the Supreme Villa.
Moreover, those who knew the inside story were aware that Zi Ling also had a truly formidable grandfather, whose strength was likely not inferior to Qin Lei's — and might even surpass it.
Because of this, every man present harbored hopes of forming a marriage alliance with Zi Ling, of winning the heart of this young maiden.
Finally, the palanquin descended gently, and as its doors slowly parted, Zi Ling stepped out and appeared before everyone's eyes.
Today, Zi Ling was indeed beautiful. Her large, clear eyes were moist and sparkling, framed by long, curling lashes. Those eyes were pure and clean, yet far more captivating than any seductive, fox-like gaze.
And her features went without saying — a perfectly proportioned oval face, a delicate little nose, soft pink cherry lips, and snow-white, luminous skin. Paired with that unique purple dress, she was enough to leave countless people utterly enchanted.
"Wow, she's gorgeous! A woman like this should only exist in dreams — I can't believe I'm seeing her in the flesh!"
"Right now, I feel as though I've stepped into a dream. If I could have a beauty like Miss Zi Ling by my side for the rest of my life, what more could I possibly ask for?"
"Sigh, I just wonder who'll be lucky enough to win Miss Zi Ling's heart."
"Whoever marries a beauty like Miss Zi Ling — their ancestors' graves must be smoking with green mist. It's a blessing earned from past lives."
When Zi Ling made her appearance, exclamations erupted throughout the crowd. Every single person was captivated by the young woman's beauty, and all of them wondered — just who was Zi Ling's beloved?