First Battle

Time flew by. Basically, all the families of Flowing Wind City had arrived, yet the Wang Family was nowhere to be seen. As one of the four great families, their absence meant the assembly clearly could not begin immediately.

But after waiting so long, many people had already grown impatient and began asking Qi Yunlong why the Wang Family had yet to arrive.

Not even Qi Yunlong himself knew why the Wang Family still had not appeared at this point.

Just as he was about to take out a Sound Transmission Soul Jade and contact the Wang Family to ask what had happened, an enormous shadow suddenly blanketed the sky overhead.

It was a Mystic Ship!

The entire Mystic Ship was pure white, with a faint white glow coiling around it. Its shape resembled a tiger, and merely looking at it was enough to make one's soul tremble beneath its imposing pressure!

This was... the White Tiger Battleship!

Qi Panjian explained to Xiao Feng beside him, "This is the White Tiger Battleship, bestowed by the Wind Cloud Empire. Only the City Lord can use it, and controlling it requires the City Lord's token."

Flowing Wind City's City Lord position rotated among the four great families, and the current City Lord was the Wang Family!

"I see..." Xiao Feng nodded in understanding.

As the White Tiger Battleship arrived above the Wang Family's designated seats, a group of figures descended from the ship.

"Haha... Brother Wang really was 'punctual.' Could it be that becoming City Lord had kept you so 'busy' that you forgot the time?" Qi Yunlong went up to greet them the moment they disembarked.

And he immediately began with a round of pointed mockery.

Among those who descended from the White Tiger Battleship, the leader was the Wang Family's head and the current City Lord of Flowing Wind City—Wang Tianba.

"In terms of overall strength, the Wang Family can only rank last among the four great families. However, their financial resources are exceedingly abundant. Rumor has it that even the combined wealth of the other three great families cannot compare to the Wang Family!" Qi Panjian explained to Xiao Feng.

Hearing Qi Yunlong's words, Wang Tianba hurriedly explained, "Sigh, don't mention it. A few days ago, the Wind Cloud Imperial Family sent orders to every remote city, saying that the City Defense Array had fallen into disrepair and needed maintenance. That delayed us somewhat."

"Oh... It happens every year. Why did it become so troublesome when it came to you?" Qi Yunlong sneered.

"This time, the Wind Cloud Imperial Family specifically assigned someone to supervise the work. We couldn't just muddle through as we had before."

"Besides... muddling through would also be irresponsible toward the people of the city!" Wang Tianba's voice suddenly became forceful and resonant as he said this.

"For the past few days, I haven't rested for a single moment. I've been busy with this matter the entire time. And after the 'envoy' inspected it, he said that because this City Defense Mystic Array had gone unused for so long and had been poorly maintained, it needed to be rebuilt and equipped with new small Mystic Arrays to power it."

"And this reconstruction requires a large number of Mystic Crystals. It left me utterly overwhelmed, so I hurried to arrange the Mystic Crystal transfers. The moment that was done, I rushed here."

He did not lower his voice. He even deliberately infused it with mystic power, as though he wanted everyone to hear that he had a legitimate reason for arriving late.

Qi Panjian had a smile at the corner of his mouth but struggled to hold it in. Xiao Feng looked at him in confusion. "What is it?"

"Haha... mm." The moment he laughed, he quickly covered his mouth with his hand and said while suppressing his amusement, "The previous City Lord was from our Qi Family."

"I see..." Xiao Feng looked toward Qi Yunlong and indeed saw the slight twitch in his facial muscles. Qi Panjian really was something else—how could he find this funny?

After hearing Wang Tianba's explanation, Qi Yunlong pretended to ponder aloud. "The Wind Cloud Imperial Family certainly chose a convenient time, arriving just these past few days and causing the City Lord to be delayed over this very matter."

"Sigh, Yunlong, say no more. I too bear responsibility for making so many people wait for us. How about this? I'll offer our family's Divine Mystic Sword: Hurricane as a prize and give it to the most outstanding person at this assembly. What do you think?"

As he spoke, he took a mystic sword from his storage space. The moment the Hurricane Sword appeared, faint hurricanes began to swirl around it.

"Gasp... A Divine Mystic Sword! There probably aren't more than ten in all of Flowing Wind City, right?"

"Of course. Divine Mystic Swords are things one can only hope to encounter. I'd guess there may not even be five in all of Flowing Wind City."

"The Wang Family really went all out this time."

"Indeed. The Wang Family mainly deals in commerce, after all. They really are generous—offering a Divine Mystic Sword just like that."

"The City Lord is so grand!"

"..."

The moment the Hurricane Sword appeared, it stirred up heated discussion among the people in the seats. The lingering dissatisfaction over having waited for the Wang Family also faded as the crowd's emotions were stirred.

"I naturally have no objection." Qi Yunlong looked toward the audience. "City Lord Wang has offered the Hurricane Sword as a prize to make up for the delay caused to everyone. Are you all satisfied with this arrangement?"

"Of course."

"Absolutely."

That was a Divine Mystic Sword. Who would object?

"Anyone who objects must have been kicked in the head by a donkey."

"Haha... It seems everyone is quite satisfied with City Lord Wang's 'compensation.' Then..." Qi Yunlong looked at Wang Tianba. "We have already delayed for quite some time. Shall we begin this Mystic Dao Assembly now?"

"Alright!" Wang Tianba nodded in agreement.

"Then I shall announce the rules of this assembly." Qi Yunlong stood tall as he stepped onto the martial stage and declared in a powerful voice, "This assembly is being held to choose a husband for my daughter. All the young talents may compete, and my daughter will watch from the side. Should she take a liking to someone, she will state it directly. At that time, that person will become my Qi Family's worthy son-in-law..."

"Hahahaha..."

At this point, he deliberately paused, drawing laughter from everyone.

"The competition will use a king-of-the-hill format. Anyone under thirty years old may participate. The first person will take the stage, after which challengers may compete. The winner becomes the champion, and the process continues. Once someone becomes the champion, if no one steps forward to challenge them within three minutes, they will be considered successful in holding the stage..."

"During the competition, no one may strike to kill. Once one side admits defeat, the other must not continue attacking. Otherwise... if I find out, then do not blame me, Qi, for turning ruthless!"

"Additionally, if any participant loses consciousness, they will automatically be considered to have forfeited. At that time, I will intervene in the match..."

"Furthermore, anyone who performs exceptionally in this assembly and successfully holds the stage may choose one item from the first three floors of our Qi Family's Treasure Pavilion."

"Gasp~ The Qi Family's Treasure Pavilion! That belongs to one of Flowing Wind City's four great families. Even if it's only the first three floors, the items stored inside are absolute treasures within Flowing Wind City. The Qi Family truly is being generous this time!"

"Indeed, but... merely performing exceptionally in the assembly is already incredibly difficult, let alone successfully holding the stage. I imagine only a few geniuses from Flowing Wind City can manage it."

Upon hearing of the generous reward for successfully holding the stage, discussions erupted among the crowd once more...

After explaining all the rules, he took a breath, then declared loudly with mystic power mixed into his voice, "Then... I announce that this Mystic Dao Assembly has officially begun!"

As his voice fell, someone landed on the martial stage. He was enormous in stature and dark-skinned, with a pair of hawk-like eyes shining with undisguised brilliance.

"Mo Changlong has come to seek instruction!"

"This man is a newly risen genius in Flowing Wind City. He is eighteen this year and at the eighth level of the God Tribulation Realm," Qi Panjian explained to Xiao Feng.

An eighteen-year-old at the ninth level of the God Tribulation Realm already counted as a genius in Flowing Wind City. One could imagine just how shocking it had been for Xiao Feng to reach the God Tribulation Realm at the age of six!

Now, at eighteen and the tenth level of the God Tribulation Realm, Xiao Feng could technically still be considered a "genius." But compared with the glory of reaching the God Tribulation Realm at six, he naturally seemed far less dazzling. His failure to break through for twelve years had also earned him the label of "coward who feared death."

"I'll have a taste of your skills."

The moment the words fell, someone walked out from the Si Family. He was tall and powerfully built, and his eyes burned like flames.

"Go, Brother!" a little girl called out sweetly from the Si Family's seats.

This person clearly had no reputation. Only his younger sister cheered him on, while no one else discussed him.

"This man is not from the Si Family. He must have joined them for this occasion and likely came specifically to participate in this assembly," Qi Panjian said.

Stepping onto the stage, he clasped his hands in salute. "Huo Rulie, eighteen years old, eighth level of the God Tribulation Realm. Please enlighten me!"

"Gasp... An eighteen-year-old at the eighth level of the God Tribulation Realm, yet completely unknown. That truly is unbelievable." Qi Panjian was astonished.

"Brother Huo, then you'd better be careful!" After warning him, Mo Changlong hesitated no longer. Hurricanes spiraled around his body as he charged straight at Huo Rulie...

"Gasp, so fast!"

Wind-type mystic power was already famed for its speed. With the enhancement of wind-type mystic power, his speed was far beyond what a normal ninth-level God Tribulation Realm cultivator should possess.

In the blink of an eye, he had arrived before Huo Rulie. A hurricane condensed into a blade in his hand, and he viciously slashed it down toward Huo Rulie's head!

Yet Huo Rulie seemed as though he had been frightened senseless, his body utterly motionless.

Splat—

Blood did not spray out, because a wall of mystic fire suddenly rose before Huo Rulie. The blazing wall firmly restrained the wind blade from descending.

This fire appeared as unique as any ordinary mystic flame, yet it carried a faint, chilling coldness.

"Hmph!" With a cold snort, Mo Changlong's wind blade seemed to transform into a black hole, drawing in the fire wall before it.

As the wall of blazing fire was gradually absorbed, the hurricane blade in his hand changed from its original dark green to dark red. Meanwhile, under the hurricane's absorption, the fire wall gradually thinned, seeming as fragile as cloth.

"Th-This wind-type mystic power is way too unfair, isn't it? It's directly absorbing the flames. How is anyone supposed to fight that?" Qi Panjian said in astonishment as he watched the flames being continuously absorbed.

"No..." Xiao Feng explained to Qi Panjian, "He's going to lose."

"Isn't that obvious? Huo Rulie released his mystic power, and it was immediately absorbed by him.

Huo Rulie's cultivation was already one level lower than Mo Changlong's. Now one was releasing fire while the other was absorbing fire. No matter what Huo Rulie did, he couldn't possibly surpass Mo Changlong. And look at Huo Rulie's face right now—he looks pale as a ghost!"

"..." Xiao Feng fell silent for a moment before deliberately clarifying, "I mean the one named Mo Changlong!"

"Ah... How could that be possible?" Qi Panjian's voice was full of disbelief. The best part is about to come...