"Don't you know? Just moments ago, outside the Qian Family Tavern, a duel took place."
"It was an old man from the Sacred Light Star River who challenged Tang Xiu."
"That old man actually had some skill — a Ninth-level Martial Venerable. But that kind of cultivation couldn't possibly be a match for Tang Xiu. He was utterly defeated and even had to sever his own meridians." The man explained in detail.
"Where are they now?" Chu Feng asked.
"I'm not sure. They should still be at the Qian Family Tavern, I imagine?" the man replied.
Chu Feng was already soaring through the air, hurtling toward the Qian Family Tavern.
He had a feeling that person was very likely the Saint Light Dao Master.
By the time Chu Feng arrived at the Qian Family Tavern, everyone there was buzzing about the incident. However, there was no sign of the Saint Light Dao Master or Tang Xiu.
Chu Feng made further inquiries and learned the full details.
It turned out that once Tang Xiu learned the Saint Light Dao Master came from the Sacred Light Star River, he deliberately insulted the Sacred Light Star River inside the tavern. The Saint Light Dao Master stood up for his star river's honor and challenged Tang Xiu.
Tang Xiu said he would accept the challenge, but the loser would have to sever his own meridians.
And the result was indeed the Saint Light Dao Master's defeat.
In truth, for martial cultivators, severing one's meridians wasn't that big a deal — as long as the soul and dantian remained intact, one's cultivation wouldn't be damaged.
Put simply, it was a method of humiliation, but beyond that, the actual loss was minimal.
Still, Chu Feng couldn't help but worry about the Saint Light Dao Master.
But no traces had been left behind, so Chu Feng had no way to find him.
As for that Tang Xiu, Chu Feng naturally wanted to deal with him — to stand up for the Saint Light Dao Master.
Not for any other reason, but because the Saint Light Dao Master was his senior, and Chu Feng could not tolerate a senior being humiliated.
Now was not the time, however.
He couldn't openly challenge Tang Xiu — after all, he still had to deal with the young juniors of the Situ Spirit World Gate.
He would have to wait until after the Spirit Beast Hunting and then find an opportunity to settle the score for the Saint Light Dao Master.
For some time afterward, Chu Feng continued searching for the Saint Light Dao Master but never found him.
He never laid eyes on Tang Xiu either.
What Chu Feng didn't know was that Tang Xiu was currently resting inside the warship of the Situ Spirit World Gate.
And the person hosting him was none other than the Situ Spirit World Gate's strongest elder — Situ Tingye.
"Young Master Tang, is Lord Zhuang Qing still in seclusion?"
Situ Tingye poured tea for Tang Xiu as he spoke, his attitude exceedingly cordial.
"Yes. My master has been in seclusion for quite some time."
"Why? Is Elder Tingye disappointed that my master didn't come?" Tang Xiu asked.
"Not at all. Young Master Tang's presence to observe our Situ Spirit World Gate's Spirit Beast Hunting is already a great honor."
"I heard that some time ago, Young Master Tang defeated someone from the Sacred Light Star River in a single move?" Situ Tingye inquired.
"Not one move — three. That old man was no pushover. I underestimated him at first, but if I had been serious, he couldn't have survived even a single blow," Tang Xiu replied.
"Of course, of course. Who doesn't know that Young Master Tang Xiu is the number one expert below the Half-God realm in the Totem Star River?" Situ Tingye flattered.
"The number one below the Half-God realm — that's going too far. Leaving aside that old monster Ouyang Canjian, a Martial Venerable who has stubbornly refused to advance his cultivation just to stay at the pinnacle of the Martial Venerable level in preparation for the tournament..."
"There are at least three geniuses below the Half-God realm who surpass me."
"But the Sacred Light Star River..."
At this, Tang Xiu smiled with contempt.
It wasn't that there was no one he respected, but he would never respect anyone from the Sacred Light Star River.
"Young Master Tang, why the hostility toward the Sacred Light Star River? It's nothing more than a declining star river. I hear that the early stage of the Martial Venerable realm is already their pinnacle of power," Situ Tingye said.
"The early stage of the Martial Venerable is their peak?"
"Then how do you explain my encounter with a Martial Venerable at the very pinnacle today?"
"And from what I heard, his tone was quite grand — that so-called Sacred Valley seems to have even stronger ones," Tang Xiu said.
"That's true. After all, it's a declining star river with limited resources. No one pays attention to them anymore. Perhaps in those unobserved days, some faction with a bit of foundation emerged. But if you'll pardon my words, a place like the Sacred Light Star River — our Situ Spirit World Gate could wipe it out with ease."
"If Young Master Tang truly despises the Sacred Light Star River, I could send some people to slaughter the entire Sacred Light Star River. How would that be?" Situ Tingye offered.
"Elder Tingye, I appreciate your good intentions."
"Putting aside the fact that my grudge with the Sacred Light Star River isn't that deep..."
"Besides, are you truly that familiar with the Sacred Light Star River, Elder Tingye? Are you certain it's something your Situ Spirit World Gate could easily destroy?" Tang Xiu asked.
"Could the Sacred Light Star River possibly have something even our Situ Spirit World Gate can't handle?" Situ Tingye reacted as though he had been struck in a sore spot.
He had previously sent people to the Eastern Region's Nine Souls Star River, including a Divine Garment Spirit World Master, Situ Duanyu, and the Situ Spirit World Gate's top young prodigy, Situ Jinyue.
Under normal circumstances, that lineup should have been more than enough to unify the Eastern Region.
But long ago, the life tokens of every last one of them had shattered.
This made him realize that the Eastern Region's true strength was far beyond what he had known.
"You can look down on the Sacred Light Star River, but don't underestimate them too much. Perhaps they're not as weak as you imagine."
Tang Xiu didn't finish his thought — or rather, he chose not to reveal the real reason for his intense hatred of the Sacred Light Star River.
The reason he harbored such enmity was that his master had once been defeated by someone from the Sacred Light Star River.
And according to his master's account, that person had severely wounded him in just a single strike.
Had that person not shown mercy, his master would have been dead.
Sadly, all that person said was that he came from the Ancestral Martial Star River — and beyond that, his master didn't even know the man's name.