You're Still Not Good Enough!

When Fang Qing displayed his Profound Light before the crowd, shocking the many martial arts experts of this world, experts like Ouyang Xiyi decided to follow Kou Zhong, whom Fang Qing had chosen.

It was an exceedingly wise decision. Anyone with eyes could tell that Fang Qing truly came from the legendary Immortal Realm, and the person he had chosen was bound to possess extraordinary qualities.

If they could follow Kou Zhong and truly carve out a vast domain, they could leave behind an inheritance for their children and grandchildren in the years to come.

The Great Sui was destined to fall. The age when heroes contended for supremacy would soon arrive. If they followed a True Lord who had yet to rise at such a time, they would surely earn the merit of supporting a dragon to the throne. Such merit was immense, enough to let their descendants enjoy wealth and glory for countless generations.

Ouyang Xiyi had decided to follow Fang Qing and to follow Kou Zhong.

The great scholar Wang Tong's expression shifted slightly. Then he clasped his hands toward Fang Qing. "Since an immortal has descended into this world and chosen Young Master Kou, I too am willing to assist Young Master Kou and accomplish great deeds."

This great scholar had made the same choice as Ouyang Xiyi.

"I too am willing to follow Young Master Kou and join the seniors in accomplishing great deeds."

Another middle-aged man spoke, bowing to Fang Qing.

This middle-aged man was also quite renowned here. He was Chen Yuanzhi, the head of the Qingshuang Sect, the largest sect in the region. His Azure Frost Swordplay was famed far and wide, enough to place him among the ranks of experts.

Yet his martial arts were far inferior to those of Wang Tong and Ouyang Xiyi. Seeing senior martial artists like Wang Tong and Ouyang Xiyi choose to follow Kou Zhong, Chen Yuanzhi immediately decided to join them. Perhaps in the future, his Qingshuang Sect could flourish and gain some standing in the new dynasty.

"We too are willing to follow Young Master Kou!"

Seeing that even Chen Yuanzhi, the head of the foremost Qingshuang Sect, was willing to follow Kou Zhong, the leaders of many other factions also spoke up. They were willing to follow Kou Zhong, Young Master Kou, whom Fang Qing favored.

At that moment, Shan Wanjing, the Princess of the East Sea Sect, even wanted to speak and say something about following him.

Yet she did not say it.

First, the East Sea Sect was not currently under her command, but her mother's. Second, she did not want to follow some Young Master Kou. If she had the choice, she would rather follow at Fang Qing's side.

Young Master Kou, Kou Zhong, was not yet worthy of her notice.

Of course, cooperating with Kou Zhong was still possible.

Thus, Shan Wanjing's feelings were somewhat complicated, and her gaze fell more often upon Fang Qing.

The person whose emotions churned most violently in the hall was Wang Shichong. This high-ranking court official had originally led Great Sui's forces to suppress Zhai Rang of Wagang. Hearing that Shi Qingxuan was coming, he had made a special trip here. But now, Wang Shichong felt that he had entered an inescapable vortex. Everyone had become Kou Zhong's people, while he had become an outsider.

Was he supposed to say something like, "I will follow Young Master Kou," as well?

He could not bring himself to say such words, because he too harbored great ambitions.

If the realm descended into chaos, he could seize the Eastern Capital of Luoyang and establish achievements of his own. Why should he follow such a wet-behind-the-ears youth?

Wang Shichong was deeply conflicted, considering whether to submit. But at that moment, sounds came from outside, followed by two people tumbling in through the entrance. With two bangs, they fell flat on their backs.

Everyone's gaze turned toward the doors. Who was so audacious as to cause trouble here?

Just then, a cold snort sounded, and a man and a woman appeared at the entrance.

The man was tall and powerfully built, around twenty-four or twenty-five years old. His features were sharply defined, with a high nose, deep-set eyes, and an incomparably fierce gaze. He looked entirely unlike a man of the Central Plains, seemingly a foreign barbarian from beyond the borders.

A strip of red cloth was tied around his head, and his outer robe was a solemn dark green. A saber and a sword hung at either side of his waist.

The woman was not from the Central Plains either, though she was clearly not of the same people as the man. Still, she possessed exceptional beauty in both face and figure, her expression as cold as frost, like an Ice Mountain beauty.

Although the woman had arrived with the man, after stepping over the threshold, she deliberately lagged half a zhang behind him, as though she wished to maintain a certain distance from him.

This man and woman were clearly uninvited guests.

Yet none of the many guests in the hall spoke as they watched the unexpected visitors arrive. Even martial arts seniors like Ouyang Xiyi and Wang Tong turned their gazes toward Fang Qing, seemingly waiting for him to speak.

"Your name is Ba Fenghan? You came to the Central Plains to temper your martial path?"

Fang Qing indeed spoke, his gaze settling on the arriving youth.

At these words, surprise appeared on the young man's face. Then he smiled. "I never expected someone to have heard my name the moment I entered the Central Plains. That's right, my name is Ba Fenghan. You seem quite formidable. How about we have a fight?"

The young man stared intently at Fang Qing. The instant he finished speaking, his expression became utterly calm, calm like a deep pool untouched by wind or waves.

His face was as still as water. Though he stood in place, he gave off an innate, natural air, as though he were part of heaven and earth itself.

It was a peculiar feeling. Though the onlookers all knew that this man named Ba Fenghan could not possibly be a match for Young Master Fang Qing, the state of mind he displayed far surpassed that of many of his peers.

Surprise also appeared on Wang Tong and Ouyang Xiyi's faces. This Ba Fenghan seemed to possess an unwavering martial heart. Especially once he entered battle, his martial will was even more formidable.

If he continued like this, this young man might truly reach the level of a Grandmaster. Perhaps he would become another figure like Martial Honor Bi Xuan.

But could he truly reach that step?

Fang Qing also sensed Ba Fenghan's unusual state of mind. The peerless young talents of this world were always forging martial paths of their own, paths that fused their inner force with their essence, energy, and spirit as they advanced toward Refining Qi into Spirit.

Although Refining Qi into Spirit was an exceedingly difficult process, these outstanding young geniuses had to temper their martial hearts from the very beginning if they wished to reach the end of the martial path.

Had Fang Qing cultivated in the Great Tang World for more than two months, he would not have been able to develop a martial heart like Ba Fenghan's. Unfortunately for Ba Fenghan, Fang Qing had cultivated for more than two months in the Shrouding Heavens Realm, following the path of unlocking his own potential and winning through absolute power.

"Your martial will is very good, but..."

Fang Qing looked at the spiritual realm Ba Fenghan displayed and beckoned. Ba Fenghan's entire body immediately flew into the air, lifted into the sky under Fang Qing's control of Profound Force.

Then Fang Qing beckoned again, and Ba Fenghan immediately flew out through the doors, continuing to hurtle backward.

"You're still not good enough."