Worry

The moment Yun Ji and his family squeezed into the crowd, they were immediately recognized.

"Isn't that Yun Ji? The one beside him is Yun Long, right?"

"Yun Long! Among Nanshan Town's younger generation, aside from Master Li's disciple, he's the most eye-catching one!"

"Heh, what kind of friendship do the Yun Clan and Lingyue Martial Arts School have? That old Li Pinghu must have brought Yun Long in as reinforcements!"

Discussion rose and fell in waves, and countless gazes turned in unison toward Yun Long.

Yun Long was somewhat famous in Nanshan Town. His father, Yun Ji, was a veteran Xiantian realm expert, and Yun Long himself possessed outstanding Martial Dao talent. He had long been a topic of conversation for the townsfolk over tea and meals.

Li Lingyue stood at her father Li Pinghu's side, her heart rising and falling with anxiety as she searched frantically for something.

When she saw Yun Long's tall figure force his way through the crowd, her previously dim eyes instantly lit up, and a flush quickly spread across her cheeks.

She no longer cared about anything else. Lifting her skirt, she hurried over in small steps, grabbed Yun Long's arm, and dragged him into a slightly quieter corner.

"Brother Yun Long, you're finally here!" Li Lingyue said urgently, lowering her voice. "That Ning Wuhui is incredibly strong! Father says he might... might already be in the Xiantian realm! If you feel anything is wrong later, don't force yourself. Admit defeat immediately, understand?"

She tilted up her little face, her clear eyes brimming with concern. Her fingers tightly clutched Yun Long's sleeve, afraid that he might act rashly.

Feeling the soft touch on his arm and the girl's concern, Yun Long's heart warmed. He grinned, flashing a mouthful of white teeth. "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

Over there, when Li Pinghu saw Yun Ji arrive, he no longer bothered arguing with Zhang Qiaoshan and hurried over in a few quick strides.

"Old Yun, you finally made it!" Li Pinghu wiped the sweat from his forehead and lowered his voice. "That old bastard Zhang Qiaoshan somehow found himself a monster and specifically demanded to challenge the disciples of our martial arts school under twenty. Damn it, it's even a gauntlet battle! One person against all of us!"

Li Pinghu pointed at Ning Wuhui on the arena, then at the few nervous-looking disciples behind him.

"I reckon that Ning Wuhui has probably touched the threshold of Xiantian, maybe he's even already broken through. Long may be formidable, but he's only just..." Li Pinghu paused and glanced at Yun Long, leaving the rest unsaid.

In his heart, he calculated that he could not let Yun Long go first.

"I'll send my two disappointing disciples up first to test the waters and wear down that kid's strength. Old Yun, what do you think..." Li Pinghu hesitated. If he had known Zhang Qiaoshan would pull something like this, he should have given that True Essence Pill to Yun Long back then.

Perhaps Yun Long would have already broken through to the Xiantian realm, and they would not be in such a passive position today.

It was too late to say anything now.

"No need." Yun Ji waved a hand, his tone calm yet unquestionable. "Let Long go first."

"What?" Li Pinghu's eyes nearly popped out, and his voice jumped an octave. "Old Yun, have you lost your mind? Let Long go first? That Ning Wuhui..."

Yun Ji merely gave him a faint glance. Beneath those calm eyes lay absolute confidence in Yun Long.

Li Pinghu's remaining words were forcibly choked back down his throat.

He opened his mouth, but in the end, he could only sigh dejectedly. "Fine, your call. Long, you..."

He wanted to offer a few words of warning, yet he did not know what to say.

Yun Long patted Li Lingyue's hand and grinned at Li Pinghu. "Uncle Li, don't worry!"

With that, he parted the crowd and strode toward the arena.

Li Lingyue was so anxious that she stamped her feet, wanting to pull Yun Long back, only to be stopped by a look from Yun Ji.

She could only watch Yun Long's retreating figure helplessly, her heart filled with both worry and anticipation.

In a private room on the second floor of Wangjiang Tower not far from the arena, a young man dressed in brocade sat by the window, idly toying with a jade wine cup.

He looked around seventeen or eighteen. His face was like polished jade, and his features were handsome, but his peach-blossom eyes carried a languid carelessness and an almost imperceptible scrutiny.

This man was Fang Yuanhua, the ninth son of the current ruler of the Changqing Kingdom.

Beside him stood an elderly man with a stooped frame and a gaunt face. Dressed in a simple gray robe, his aura was deeply restrained. He was Elder Mu.

"Elder Mu, does this backwater place have something interesting after all?" Fang Yuanhua took a light sip of tea, casually sweeping his gaze over the noisy crowd below. A playful curve touched his lips.

Elder Mu's cloudy eyes shifted slightly as his gaze fell toward the arena. His voice was flat and placid. "Your Highness, it is merely a dispute among rustic martial men, unworthy of Your Highness's attention."

Fang Yuanhua gave an "Mm" and was about to withdraw his gaze when Elder Mu suddenly let out a soft "Eh," surprise entering his voice.

"What is it?" Fang Yuanhua raised a brow and followed Elder Mu's gaze.

A broad-built young man was striding onto the arena. It was Yun Long.

"Your Highness, look at that youth who just stepped onto the stage." Elder Mu's voice was no longer calm, carrying a trace of disbelief.

Fang Yuanhua gave him a lazy glance. "Which one? I have already looked at Ning Wuhui from Zhang Martial Arts School. His natural frame is passable. He barely looks like someone newly entered into the Xiantian realm, enough to make up the numbers."

Elder Mu shook his head, his eyes locked firmly on Yun Long. "No, Your Highness. The youth from Lingyue Martial Arts School who just went up, the one carrying a bow on his back."

"Oh?" Only then did Fang Yuanhua look at Yun Long a little more closely, though he still wore that careless expression. "What is so unusual about him?"

Elder Mu drew a deep breath, solemnity appearing on his aged face. "This youth... this youth is also a Xiantian realm martial artist! Moreover, from the vigor of his blood and qi and the solidity of his foundation, he seems to surpass even Ning Wuhui by a measure!"

"What?"

The jade cup in Fang Yuanhua's hand paused slightly. His lazy expression instantly vanished, and a sharp light flashed through his eyes.

He looked once more toward Yun Long on the arena. This time, his gaze held more scrutiny and investigation.

"Interesting. Truly interesting." Fang Yuanhua's lips curled into a meaningful smile. "In a tiny, obscure place like Nanshan Town, two Xiantian realm martial artists under twenty have suddenly emerged at once."

He lightly tapped the tabletop and pondered for a moment.

"Perfect." A calculating glint passed through Fang Yuanhua's eyes. "Two more Xiantian realm experts. When we enter the mountains later, bring them both along for me."

Now Fang Yuanhua had become interested in the contest between the two martial arts schools as well.

To Li Lingyue, Yun Long's back as he strode toward the arena looked like a bull charging headfirst into a southern wall.

Her eyes had turned red with anxiety. That earlier shyness had already flown beyond the ninth heaven. She grabbed Yun He's arm beside her, her voice carrying a sob.

"Sister Yun He, hurry and persuade Brother Yun Long!"

"Even Father says that Ning Wuhui might be in the Xiantian realm! Brother Yun Long, he..."

How could he possibly be a match for him!

Li Lingyue did not say the rest aloud, but her tearful appearance had already laid bare all her worry.

Before Yun He could speak, Yun Hu beside them could no longer hold back. He smugly slapped his chest, his voice not loud, but filled with unquestionable confidence.

"Aiya, Sister Lingyue, just put your heart back in your belly!"

"Wouldn't I know how strong my big brother is? That Ning Wuhui, hmph, just wait and see!"

He cast a sidelong glance at Ning Wuhui on the arena, curling his lips in utter disdain.

Yun He gently patted the back of Li Lingyue's hand. Her voice was calm as water, carrying a strength that soothed the heart.

"Sister Lingyue, don't worry."

"Big Brother knows what he's doing."

Others might not know, but how could the siblings not know?

Their big brother had long since entered the Xiantian realm!

Moreover, could the inheritance bestowed by the Ancestor possibly be ordinary?

Even if Ning Wuhui truly was in the Xiantian realm, he would definitely be no match for their big brother!

Seeing the utterly certain expressions on Yun He and Yun Hu's faces, the anxiety in Li Lingyue's heart receded somewhat, yet her doubts and worries remained heavy.

She knew Yun Long was formidable, but Ning Wuhui's fierce reputation had been spread so wildly these past two days that she could not help being afraid.

Below the arena, the watching crowd erupted even more.

"Am I seeing things? The first one to go up is Yun Ji's eldest son, Yun Long?"

A sharp-faced man rubbed his eyes furiously, his face filled with disbelief.

"Hiss—this Yun Clan kid has some nerve!"

"That Ning Wuhui already said it: anyone under twenty can come up, and he'll take them all on by himself! Is Yun Long going up there to serve himself on a platter?"

"Does Li Pinghu have no one left? Or is this Yun Clan kid going up as cannon fodder for Lingyue Martial Arts School?"

All kinds of discussion rose and fell, and the looks directed at Yun Long were filled with shock, confusion, and even a hint of gloating.

"Heh, what do you know?" An old hunter acquainted with Yun Ji could not help speaking up. "The Yun Clan and Master Li share a friendship forged through life and death! Yun Long is going up out of loyalty!"

"Loyalty? I call it overestimating himself!" Someone immediately retorted beside him. "Ning Wuhui has defeated every young fighter in Nanshan Town without meeting a single rival. No matter how formidable Yun Long is, can he really be stronger than the elite disciples of those martial arts schools?"

"Exactly. Now there'll be a good show. I wonder how many moves that Yun Clan kid can last against Ning Wuhui!"

Within the crowd, Li Pinghu's old face had flushed crimson. He had not expected Yun Ji to arrange things this way.

Watching Yun Long leap onto the arena with unhurried composure, his heart was a jumble of emotions.

This kid truly had some of his father's bearing from back then!

But this wager...

Li Pinghu glanced at Zhang Qiaoshan's smug old face across from him, grinding his teeth so hard they nearly shattered.

Damn it, if they lost today, where would he put his old face?

Letting that old Zhang get the True Essence Pill would be a small matter.

The key was that his future son-in-law must not get beaten to a pulp.

He knew Li Lingyue's feelings perfectly well. She would marry no one but Yun Long.