The Journey of Yantian Sect, The Martial Arts Summit Begins

The bustling street suddenly fell silent.

Bai Jinghong, a prodigy of the Hidden Dragon Ranking and a true disciple of the Hengyun Sword City, could refuse to bow even to nobility. Yet here he was, kneeling in the middle of the street without the slightest hesitation.

Could it be the lord of the Sword City who had arrived?

The crowd turned to look, only to see two young women and a man standing there. The young man stood tall and straight, his handsome features calm and composed. Beside him, one girl wore ill-fitting clothes with a cloth strip covering her eyes, her delicate face exuding an aura of clever charm. The other girl carried an icy demeanor, like a snow lotus from the highest peaks, her every movement subtly radiating authority.

"Who are they?"

"They seem much younger than Young Master Bai."

"Could that girl have an extraordinary background, making Bai Jinghong kneel at the sight of her?"

"She looks even more breathtaking than the fairies on the Hundred Flowers Beauty Ranking..."

...

As everyone knew, those who roamed the martial world were only ever interested in three things: divine weapons, martial techniques, and beautiful women.

The ice-cold girl's presence was so overwhelming that it successfully diverted attention away from Little Li.

Bai Jinghong remained kneeling, first bewildered, then awkward.

It had been a reflex.

Now, standing up would be strange, but staying on his knees was even worse...

"Little Bai, just yesterday you were boasting about your unyielding sword spirit, vowing to test your blade against the world's heroes. How come you're kneeling the moment you step outside?"

Behind him, the green-robed Swordsman Wu curled his lips in a teasing smirk.

"Is that girl really that strong?"

Swordsman Cao narrowed his eyes, brimming with fighting spirit.

"I wasn’t kneeling to her!"

"Oh? I thought you were so awed by her sword intent that you couldn’t help but bow."

As swordsmen of the Observation Divine Realm, they were naturally sensitive to sword auras.

Jokes aside, both Swordsman Wu and Swordsman Cao were true disciples of Hengyun Sword City. They could sense the intimidating aura emanating from Ying Bing.

"Her sword intent is indeed formidable, but... never mind, you wouldn’t understand!"

Bai Jinghong shook his head.

His mind flashed back to the Blood Phoenix Secret Realm—to the figure who had swung a hammer like a god of war, smashing through the entire realm with a single strike...

That figure was now smiling and walking toward him.

"It was just a small favor I did for Brother Bai."

"I always said Brother Bai was a man of passion, but there’s no need to greet me with such a grand gesture."

Little Li noticed Bai Jinghong’s embarrassment and stepped forward to help him up.

"Ahem, right. I’m just a sentimental person."

"Brother Li speaks wisely."

Bai Jinghong stood up, awkwardly chuckling.

"By the way, I have a letter for you, Brother Bai."

"It concerns the safety of Yunzhou. Please take it seriously—best to deliver it to your sect’s elders."

Li Mo took out an envelope from his robes, containing information about the Fine Rain Tower.

The Fine Rain Tower’s ambitions were vast.

With just a stroke of his pen, he might alter countless destinies.

This wasn’t just for rewards. Even without any return, he would have done the same.

"Rest assured, Brother Li!"

Bai Jinghong accepted the letter solemnly.

Meanwhile, Swordsman Cao and Swordsman Wu frowned.

The Qingyuan Sect was passable in Purple Sun Prefecture, but to Hengyun Sword City, it was nothing more than a minor faction.

After Li Mo and the Qingyuan Sect disciples clasped their hands and left, Swordsman Wu finally spoke with a furrowed brow:

"Little Bai, your actions today have tarnished our sect’s prestige."

Swordsman Cao nodded in agreement.

"The sect has invested heavily in building our reputations."

A name carried weight, just as a tree’s shadow followed its form.

The more awe-inspiring a sect’s reputation, the firmer its control over the region.

And beyond the elders, the younger generation’s fame was crucial—it represented the sect’s future, its face to the world.

To establish their reputations, the three of them had spent months eliminating evildoers, even hiring storytellers to spread their deeds day and night.

Only then had they earned the title of the "Three Heroes of Hengyun."

"You two understand nothing."

Bai Jinghong sneered.

Didn’t they see Brother Li already reaching for his hammer?

He turned and left to deliver the letter.

...

Yunzhou City was now a gathering place for heroes, with countless young warriors arriving daily, eager to carve their names into legend.

Storytellers had become the hottest profession overnight.

But today, the most explosive news was Bai Jinghong’s kneel.

Some said it was gratitude toward a benefactor, others claimed his legs had given out from the cold. The most plausible theory was that the trio were true geniuses from a hidden sect.

Many began investigating the identities of those three youths.

Seizing the opportunity, a picture book titled The Tyrannical Empress Falls for Me suddenly appeared on the market.

The characters’ looks couldn’t just be compared to Li Mo and Ying Bing—they were identical.

Truly the work of a marketing genius...

...

Hengyun Sword City.

Elder Zeng’s residence.

A lean, stern-faced elder sipped tea, displeasure written across his brow.

Bai Jinghong and the other two stood in the hall.

"Elder Zeng, I have something important to show you—"

"Other matters can wait."

Elder Zeng cut him off sharply.

"Why did you humiliate our sect in public today?"

"I—"

"I don’t want excuses."

Elder Zeng’s face was cold. His meticulously arranged, immaculate robes spoke volumes about his obsession with face.

"Wu Chushu, Cao Mu, Bai Jinghong."

"During the Sword Testing Assembly, the three of you must challenge those Qingyuan Sect disciples."

Wu Chushu and Cao Mu accepted confidently.

Bai Jinghong forced a bitter smile.

"Then... I’ll challenge the girl with the cloth over her eyes..."

"The girl with the cloth?"

A woman’s puzzled voice suddenly came from the doorway.

Elder Zeng immediately rose and bowed respectfully.

"Honored Traveler, what brings you here?"

A pair of jade-like bare feet stepped inside, golden bells chiming softly at the ankles. A jade disc hung at her waist.

Her face was serene, but her eyes were like deep, unfathomable pools, filled with countless intersecting lines.

The Traveler of the Yantian Sect.

Her gaze fixed on Bai Jinghong.

"Those Qingyuan disciples you mentioned—describe them."

.........

As the Martial Arts Summit drew nearer, Yunzhou City grew livelier by the day.

Shen Yunfei, Xu Zhiqing, and the others felt the mounting pressure, spending every moment honing their skills and testing their techniques.

Li Mo, meanwhile, spent his days with the ice-cold Ying Bing and his nights with Princess Little Jiang.

In his spare time, he meditated on the divine.

At the break of dawn, Li Mo sheathed his sword and stood still.

After consuming vast amounts of martial insights, his Nine Swords of Dugu had reached the threshold of initial mastery.

The final deduction of his training was:

[Nine Swords of Dugu—to conquer all heroes, you can no longer train in isolation. Point your blade at the world’s talents, using their swords as whetstones to forge an unrivaled edge within your heart!]