At that moment, Zhu Kang stepped forward.
"Zhu Kang, Lord of Hua City, pays my respects to Elder Duanmu. Welcome to Hua City for an inspection. These are the heads of the four major families of Hua City."
"Understood. Step aside."
Duanmu Wushan said with a trace of impatience, quickly stepping aside himself.
With utmost care and profound reverence, he said, "Young Master Xia, Lady Xia, please! Watch your step!"
Instantly, everyone present was frozen in stone.
Zhu Kang, Xu Gong, and Zhang, the three family heads, exchanged glances, their eyes filled with utter disbelief.
How could this be?
Duanmu Wushan was an elder from the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion of Luzhou Prefecture, not to mention a Tier 5 Alchemist—a truly heavyweight figure.
Even in the provincial capital, people from various great families would treat him with the utmost courtesy.
Yet now, he was treating Xiayu with such deferential respect. Were their eyes playing tricks on them?
If they didn't know who Xiayu was, that would be one thing.
But they knew exactly who Xiayu was!
Hearing the title "Young Master Xia," all eyes turned toward Xiayu.
Xiayu, however, ignored everyone, turned around, and said, "Sister, you and Elder Duanmu go to the viewing platform. I'm heading to the arena."
"Alright, remember, don't be careless!"
"Sister, don't worry."
Xiayu said softly, making way for Xia Yao.
Duanmu Wushan hurriedly stepped forward, gently nudging the people ahead out of the way, bowing slightly as he said with extreme reverence, "Lady Xia, be careful! There are steps ahead!"
"Thank you, Elder Duanmu."
Xia Yao raised her head, ignoring everyone's gaze, and walked up to the viewing platform.
On the other side, Xiayu walked step by step toward the arena.
"Xiayu actually came."
"Isn't he a cripple now? Can he possibly defeat Xia Longfei?"
"Xiayu was once the undisputed number one of the younger generation in the Xia family. You should know his past battle records. It's just a pity his Dantian is gone; otherwise, what is Xia Longfei even worth?"
The surrounding murmurs turned Xia Longfei's face livid, his grip on his long sword growing pale.
As Xiayu walked toward the arena, he naturally noticed the two people already standing there.
Upon seeing the woman, Xiayu was momentarily stunned.
Isn't this the girl he had saved in the Ten Thousand Beasts Forest?
A sword cultivator at the King Realm!
"Are you also a member of the Xia family?" The woman stared at Xiayu, her gaze sharp.
Xiayu replied calmly, "I used to be, but starting yesterday, I'm not anymore."
"Audacious! You turtle hiding in your shell, how dare you betray the family!" Xia Longfei immediately shouted.
Xiayu ignored him and looked back at the woman.
"I see. If it's you, then it all makes sense," the woman said with a slight smile. "I was wondering how someone who could trigger a heaven-sent anomaly could possibly be trash."
"My name is An Qing! Let's fight later."
"That wouldn't be good. You're already at the King Realm, and a sword cultivator at that. I can't beat you!"
Xiayu shook his head. *We have no grievances or enmities, why should I fight you? Wouldn't that be exhausting?*
An Qing said nothing, merely watching him quietly.
Xiayu finally cracked under her gaze and said, "Fine, just wait until I handle things here first."
"I'll wait for you!"
"I am the one who triggered the heaven-sent anomaly! The number one genius of the Xia family, the peerless genius of Hua City!"
Watching An Qing's back, Xia Longfei couldn't help roaring aloud.
Yet An Qing turned a deaf ear, stepping directly onto the viewing platform.
With a flick of her hand, a token appeared before Lu Tianxiang.
Instantly, Lu Tianxiang's expression shifted drastically. His knees buckled, and with a loud thud, he dropped straight to his knees.
Killed with a Single Spear
"Lu Tianxiang of the Luzhou Lu family, pays respects to the Seventh Princess!"
"Zhu Kang of Hua City, pays respects to the Seventh Princess!"
In a fraction of a second, everyone else was completely dumbfounded.
Who was this breathtaking beauty?
The Seventh Princess?
Throughout the entire Daxia, there was only one Seventh Princess?
Could it be—?
"Xu Mao of Hua City, pays respects to the Seventh Princess!"
"Pays respects to the Seventh Princess!"
In an instant, every single spectator in the surroundings dropped to their knees, their expressions filled with feverish excitement.
The Seventh Princess!
To witness the legendary Seventh Princess—renowned for both her beauty and wisdom, and blessed with peerless cultivation talent—was something one could boast about for ten years.
On the arena stage, Xia Longfei's legs were shaking.
It was actually the Seventh Princess!
He collapsed to his knees on the stage with a thud and shouted, "Xia Longfei pays respects to the Seventh Princess! Not realizing the Seventh Princess was present, I beg the Princess for forgiveness!"
On the arena stage, only Xiayu stood quietly, looking remarkably out of place.
An Qing glanced at him, her expression unchanged.
"Rise, all of you!"
"Thank you, Seventh Princess!"
An Qing took her seat in the primary master's chair and said calmly, "I just came to take a look. Continue with what you were doing..."
"Yes, thank you for your magnanimity, Princess!"
Xia Longfei shouted loudly. At this moment, his heart surged with boundless ambition; his golden opportunity to soar to greatness had arrived.
Right in front of the Seventh Princess, he would thoroughly defeat Xiayu, humiliate Xiayu, and let the Princess witness his true talent.
If he happened to catch the eye of the Seventh Princess, he would undoubtedly soar straight to the heavens.
At this thought, he was trembling with excitement.
He scrambled to his feet, drew his long sword with a crisp *clang*, pointed the blade at Xiayu, and declared, "Xiayu, today I will let you witness what a true genius looks like!"
"Make your move! I'll grant you three strikes!"
Xiayu was stunned for a moment. *This fellow... where on earth do you get such boundless confidence?*
Rubbing his nose, Xiayu said coldly, "Very well."
The next instant, a flash of piercing cold light erupted, reaching an absolute extreme of speed.
Many people only saw a fleeting flash of cold light, and it was already over.
The tip of a spear rested against Xia Longfei's throat.
Xia Longfei was utterly bewildered!
What just happened?
How did this even happen?
When did Xiayu make his move?
He had lost!
Before he could even see how his opponent attacked, he had already lost!
In an instant, cold sweat poured down his forehead and his face turned deathly pale.
"I remember this match was to the death! In your next life, learn to be a bit smarter!" Xiayu said coldly.
"Xiayu, stop right there!"
Hearing that Xiayu intended to kill his son, Xia Hongji immediately leaped to his feet.
Xiayu turned his head, looked at him quietly, and said, "According to our wager, hand over the Sacred Martial Token."
"Wager? What wager? I know nothing of the sort! Let my son go immediately, and my Xia family will spare your life and even allow you to return to the clan!"
Xia Hongji shouted in a panic.
Xiayu shook his head and said, "Unless you've had a peanut or two, you wouldn't be talking such utter drivel."
*Splat!*
The tip of the Ancestral Dragon Spear effortlessly pierced through Xia Longfei's throat.
Xia Longfei's eyes bulged in disbelief; until the moment of his death, he refused to accept that he had actually been killed.
"I am a peerless genius who triggered a heaven-sent anomaly, how could I die?"
That was the final thought that flashed through his mind.
"Longfei!"
Xia Hongji let out a furious roar.
"Kill him! Kill him!"
Xia Hongji was completely driven mad. The son upon whom he had pinned all his hopes had just been slain right before his eyes.
This was his only son!
"Kill him! He betrayed the family, murdered the Young Patriarch, kill him!"
The First Elder also joined in with a furious roar.
Four figures lunged onto the arena stage.
With flashes of blades and sweeping sword qi, they instantly closed in on Xiayu.
In a flash, Xiayu thrust his spear.
Heaven-Shattering!
Four piercing points of cold light flickered and vanished in an instant.
Immediately, the arena seemed as though a pause button had been pressed.
The four figures froze in place on the stage, their throats gurgling as bloody foam bubbled outward.
A single spear strike!
With merely a single strike, four experts of the Xia family were dead.
This scene left both Xia Hongji and the First Elder frozen in their tracks.
Too fast!
Just what level had Xiayu's cultivation reached?
With the tip of his spear pointing forward, Xiayu said coldly, "To save your son, my Dantian was shattered. Not only did you strip me of my position as Young Patriarch and swallow the Sacred Martial Token left by my mother, but you also sent assassins to murder me."
"Today is the day you pay your debts."
Xia Hongji's expression turned grim and icy as he gritted his teeth and said, "If I had known, I should have killed you back then!"
"I'm right here." Xiayu said coldly.
"Hongyu, let's attack together and kill him!"
Xia Hongji and the First Elder leaped into the air simultaneously, charging toward the arena.
The two of them possessed the highest cultivation levels remaining in the Xia family, both having reached the Imperial Origin Realm.
Just as they landed on the stage, Xia Hongji and the First Elder saw a tiny point of cold light rapidly magnifying in their field of vision.
They wanted to dodge; they had prepared themselves the moment they jumped down.
Yet, they realized they couldn't evade it—it was simply too fast!
Instinctively, they raised the weapons in their hands, trying to block in front of themselves.
*Splat!*
Before they could even raise their weapons, the Ancestral Dragon Spear had already pierced through their throats.
"You... you've actually reached the Imperial Origin Realm?"
Xia Hongji pointed at Xiayu, blood streaming endlessly from his throat.
Meanwhile, standing right where he was, Xiayu's aura suddenly surged violently.
An epiphany!
Xiayu had actually experienced an epiphany!
Having slain his enemies, his thoughts were completely clear, leading to a sudden epiphany!
The heads of the Xu, Gong, and Zhang families exchanged glances. Right now was the absolute best opportunity to eliminate Xiayu.
If Xiayu died, the Xia family would be completely finished.
The three of them simultaneously looked toward Zhu Kang.
Zhu Kang remained expressionless, his eyelids drooping as he stood completely motionless.
The other members of the Xia family looked at Xiayu with complex feelings.
"Xiayu has already betrayed the family; we must kill him," the Second Elder of the Xia family said in a deep voice.
He was well aware that once Xiayu died, he would be the one to rule the Xia family.
The position of Patriarch!
At that moment, his eyes lit up.
*Take a gamble!*
With that thought, without a second word, he immediately rushed toward the arena.
However, someone was even faster.
A flash of sword qi abruptly materialized, forcing the Second Elder of the Xia family to an abrupt halt.
"Anyone who dares come within ten steps of Young Master Xia will be executed without mercy!"
Wu Zichi stood proudly, holding his sword with a chilling expression.
His cultivation at the Eighth Heavenly Layer of Imperial Origin Realm instantly erupted into an overwhelming aura that flooded the area.
The Second Elder immediately retreated in a hurry, sighing inwardly as he realized any chance was gone.
"Young Master Xia has bestowed great kindness upon both myself and the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion. Whoever dares make a move is declaring themselves an enemy of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion!" Duanmu Lin declared in a ringing voice.
"Xiayu is my man. Whoever dares lay a hand on him, I will exterminate their entire clan to the ninth degree!"
At that moment, An Qing's voice echoed across the entire plaza.
Instantly, everyone fell silent.
Among all those present, who possessed authority matching the Seventh Princess?
The surrounding onlookers all wore faces of intense excitement.
*Did you hear that? Did you hear that? The Seventh Princess said Xiayu is her man?*
*Good heavens, there is definitely a juicy story here!*
Upon hearing the Seventh Princess's words, Zhu Kang immediately stepped forward and proclaimed, "By order of the Seventh Princess, the City Guard shall maintain perimeter defense! Anyone who dares shout and disturb Young Master Xia's epiphany, or dares approach the arena, shall be executed on the spot! Executed to the ninth degree!"
"Understood!" Over a hundred City Guards immediately stepped forward.
The entire plaza fell into absolute, pin-drop silence!
An hour later, Xiayu slowly opened his eyes, and the surging aura around him rapidly subsided.
"Many thanks, Seventh Princess!" Xiayu cupped his fists in salute.
"First Heavenly Layer of Spirit Origin Realm. Let's spar; I will suppress my cultivation realm." An Qing said calmly.
"Very well." Xiayu nodded.
"Let's change locations."
An Qing soared gracefully into the air, while Xiayu looked toward Xia Yao.
"Young Master Xia, rest assured, I will take good care of Lady Xia," Duanmu Wushan immediately promised.
"Thank you!"
Xiayu gave chase.
Outside Hua City.
In a secluded grove, two figures stood confronting each other across a distance of some thirty feet.
"I have already suppressed my cultivation to the First Heavenly Layer of Spirit Origin Realm. Make your move." An Qing said serenely.
Xiayu remained silent and slowly took a step forward.
With every step he took, the aura around him surged steadily higher, blooming like sesame flowers climbing a stalk.
Thirty feet...
Twenty feet...
"Watch out!"
Xiayu let out a low cry, and the Ancestral Dragon Spear in his hand abruptly thrust forward.
A single point of cold light, carrying the momentum of a crashing thunderbolt, instantly magnified within An Qing's eyes.
Three Styles of Heaven-Rending: Heaven-Shattering!
An Qing raised her sword, crossing it directly in front of her.
The spear was simply too fast; that was all the defense she had time for.
*Clang!*
Staring at the spear tip resting right against her throat, An Qing's expression darkened slightly before returning to normal.
"My spear is too formidable. Winning like this would be unfair. I'll switch to a different spear."
With that, Xiayu put away the Ancestral Dragon Spear and retrieved an ordinary long spear from his Qiankun ring.
He slowly retreated fifty feet.
"Here I come!"
Xiayu shouted softly, exploding with force beneath his feet.
*Bang!*
Having activated three Micro-worlds, he possessed three strands of Ancestral Dragon Power, with a single strand of Ancestral Dragon Power weighing an immense one hundred thousand catties.
The sheer force of his step blasted a massive crater into the ground.
In a fraction of a second, the tip of the long spear was right in front of An Qing.
This time, An Qing was well-prepared. She too had switched to an ordinary long sword, executing a lightning-fast counter-attack.
Sword qi surged and flickered!
*Boom...*
A deafening roar echoed out.
An Qing stumbled backward repeatedly, while Xiayu stood completely motionless.
The long spear and long sword shattered into a skyful of fragments, scattering in all directions.
The sheer force of their power was simply too overwhelming; ordinary swords and spears could not withstand such might.
"Good! Take a strike from my sword!"
An Qing's retreating form abruptly spun, turning into a streak of lightning as she flew straight back in.
Raising a hand, she used her fingers as a sword.
Upon her delicate, slender hand, sword qi raged and sword light surged.
Xiayu clenched his fist and threw a punch!
Ancestral Dragon Fist!
Double-stacked Immeasurable!
*Boom...*
Another thunderous explosion sounded.
An Qing retreated three large steps, while Xiayu didn't yield a single inch.
The slight scratch on his knuckle was healing at a visible rate.
"That physical body of yours... it's terrifyingly strong!"
Xiayu grinned and said, "Without a Dantian, I naturally have no choice but to walk the path of a physical cultivator."
An Qing raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.
Narrowing her pretty eyes, she said, "At the same cultivation level, I am no match for you. However, I want to know just where your limits lie."
"I am going to unleash a strike with my full strength."
"An Qing, is that really necessary? We have no past grievances and no recent enmities!"
Xiayu was momentarily stunned and hastily refused.
He had no desire to expose too many of his trump cards.
A true trump card was something others remained unaware of so that it could produce miraculous effects at a critical moment.
If your trump cards were thoroughly figured out and targeted by others, they would lose all meaning.
The corners of An Qing's lips curved upward as she said, "It is necessary!"
The next moment, An Qing's aura erupted into the sky.
A two-zhang-wide ring of light lit up beneath her feet.
Her entire body instantly soared into mid-air.
Within the halo of light, streams of sword qi wove back and forth, displaying an astonishing sword intent.
An Qing stood amidst the sword-light-filled halo, her long hair streaming and the hem of her skirt billowing, looking like a descending sword immortal.
"This is a full-strength strike from me, and I will hold nothing back. Be careful!"
"Take my sword!"
With a crisp cry, countless strands of sword qi within the halo converged into a massive sword, roughly a dozen zhang long and over a zhang wide.
The giant sword hacked down through the air, creating continuous sonic booms as the very void seemed to be cleaved apart.
Xiayu's expression turned grave. This was supposed to be a mere spar, yet she acted as if he had killed her father.
From this single strike, he sensed danger.
Extreme danger!
He knew very well that if he was the slightest bit careless, he could very well die beneath that sword.
"Immeasurable!"
Xiayu let out a fierce roar, stomped violently onto the ground, and shot straight up into the air.
When meeting on a narrow path, the brave shall prevail!
From the very day he began his cultivation, he had told himself that he would rather fight to his very last drop of blood than ever retreat a single step.
The ground behind Xiayu suddenly exploded, leaving behind a crater a zhang deep.
Dirt and shattered stones blasted backward like a volley of arrows.
The flying debris pierced straight through trees several yards away, snapping several smaller saplings directly in half.
Xiayu charged straight toward the giant sword, channeling his entire reserve of Ancestral Dragon Power into a triple-stacked Immeasurable strike.
*Boom...*
The earth shook and the mountains quivered!
The void trembled!
An invisible shockwave swept outward in all directions like a razor-sharp blade.
Wherever it passed, trees were sheared off as smoothly as if sliced by a knife, leaving cross-sections as smooth as mirrors.
The powerful backlash sent An Qing's body flying upward uncontrollably for several zhang.
Xiayu's body plummeted downward at high speed, slamming violently into the ground.
That velocity was at least twice as fast as when he had charged upward.
*Bang!*
The ground shuddered violently.
Xiayu lay sprawled out flat on his back inside the deep crater he had created, completely motionless.
Countless streams of blood burst forth from his body.
His physique was covered in cracks, resembling a shattered piece of porcelain.
*Splat!*
Xiayu coughed up a mouthful of blood and forced his eyes open with difficulty to look at An Qing in the sky.
"Seventh Princess, we have no enmity and no grudges—isn't this a bit too ruthless?"
As he spoke, Xiayu slowly pushed himself to his feet.
The streams of blood erupting from his body had also ceased flowing.
The Ancestral Dragon Power within his three Micro-worlds was frantically repairing his body.
An Qing was left stunned in mid-air...
In her mind, this blow should have at least left Xiayu half-dead or severely injured.
After all, she genuinely hadn't held back.
Although this wasn't her absolute ultimate technique, she was at the Second Heavenly Layer of Monarch Realm, while Xiayu was merely at the First Heavenly Layer of Spirit Origin Realm.
That was a gap of two entire major realms and a minor realm.
Normally, even a First Heavenly Layer Monarch Realm expert would be killed or heavily injured by this sword strike.
Yet this fellow right before her had just wobbled a bit and stood right back up.
It rendered the high-grade medicinal pills she had already prepared completely useless.
Most importantly, she discovered that Xiayu's body was actually undergoing rapid self-healing.
This...
After a long silence, An Qing murmured, "Just what kind of monster are you?"
"I'm a human being, a hundred-percent pure man! Don't believe me, want to test it out?"
As soon as the words left Xiayu's mouth, An Qing's face darkened and her gaze turned icy.
Only then did he realize that what he had just said sounded somewhat ambiguous.
"Ah? That's not what I meant! I meant I'm just an ordinary person, not some monster—a genuine, absolute man!"
Xiayu offered an awkward smile.
An Qing stared at him coldly and said slowly, "It seems you aren't badly hurt. Then come take another strike from my sword."
"No more! An Qing! Really, no more! I was wrong! I beg for mercy, I concede defeat, alright?"
An Qing was stunned.
"As a cultivator, you actively concede defeat?"
"Yes! An Qing, you're just too formidable! I admit I can't beat you! I concede!"
Xiayu nodded heavily.
This was a completely meaningless battle anyway.
"Do you want to save your sister?"