The Peach Blossom Sword God Deng Tai'a sat on a stone stool in his courtyard, idly turning a peach branch in his hand. A breeze stirred, and peach blossoms drifted down, settling lightly on his shoulders. When Deng Tai'a heard about Wang Ritain's exploits, a flicker of curiosity appeared in his usually calm eyes. He raised his head slightly and gazed toward Wudi City, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Deng Tai'a was also a renowned figure in the martial world. In his early years, he had been hailed as a prodigy. In his hands, a peach branch became a weapon for swordsmanship so consummate it seemed to approach the Dao. Countless experts had fallen to his Peach Blossom Sword. Now that he had heard of another prodigious swordsman, excitement stirred within him.
"To challenge the Twelve Martial Slaves as a Great Grandmaster... Wang Ritain certainly sounds interesting," Deng Tai'a murmured, an unusual light glimmering in his eyes. He rose and gently patted the donkey beside him. The animal seemed to sense its master's mood and gave a cheerful bray. Deng Tai'a climbed onto its back and slowly set off toward Wudi City. Bathed in the setting sun, his figure looked especially carefree. As he traveled, Wang Ritain's exploits kept coming to mind, and his curiosity grew ever stronger. He could hardly wait to meet the young swordsman and see what made him so extraordinary.
Elsewhere, in a quiet courtyard, an elegant middle-aged man sat at a stone table, absorbed in the chess game before him. This was Cao Changqing. At the chessboard, he displayed a terrifying mastery of the endgame. Yet now, he suddenly rose to his feet, a resolute glint in his eyes.
"I hear a formidable young man has appeared. Perhaps an expert is pulling the strings behind him. I'll go see for myself what's happening in Wudi City," Cao Changqing said softly. With that, he flashed away like a passing breeze. Within a few breaths, he had vanished from sight. As he hurried along, Cao Changqing pondered the matter. He knew that every upheaval in the martial world often concealed a grand conspiracy. Was Wang Ritain's appearance a coincidence, or had someone arranged it? He decided to go to Wudi City and find out.
Meanwhile, Huang Longshi, the fortune-teller, sat in a dim room with his brows tightly furrowed. An eight-trigram board lay on the table before him. He held a copper coin and repeatedly traced its path over the board. Yet his expression grew grimmer by the moment.
"Such an astonishing change has occurred in the grand scheme," Huang Longshi muttered. A sense of unease crept over him. Ever since hearing about Wang Ritain, Huang Longshi had sensed that the young man might become a wild card for the entire martial world. Wang Ritain had already stirred up a storm in the Xuanyuan Family, and now he was challenging the heroes of Wudi City. Stranger still, Huang Longshi had been unable to divine anything about Wang Ritain before, and now he was more baffled than ever.
"This one's too great a variable—he's even changing the grand scheme. I'll see just how capable he really is." Huang Longshi clenched his teeth and made up his mind. He rose, straightened his clothes, and headed toward Wudi City. He knew that if this variable, Wang Ritain, remained unchecked, it would seriously disrupt his plans. He decided to go to Wudi City and try to eliminate him.
Xuanyuan Dapan sat in the Xuanyuan Family's council hall, his face dark as a storm cloud. In his hand, he clutched a report detailing Wang Ritain's deeds in Wudi City. At first, Xuanyuan Dapan had scoffed at the news, dismissing it as exaggerated martial-world gossip. But as more and more people claimed to have seen Wang Ritain defeat the martial slaves, his certainty began to waver.
"Wang Ritain's strength is growing far too quickly. If we don't kill him soon, he'll become the Xuanyuan Family's greatest enemy," Xuanyuan Dapan said through gritted teeth. He sprang to his feet, icy killing intent flashing in his eyes. He knew that Wang Ritain's strength now posed a grave threat to the Xuanyuan Family. If Wang Ritain continued to grow, the family might face annihilation. He decided to go to Wudi City and kill him before he could grow any stronger.
Several days had passed since Wang Ritain's last challenge to the martial slaves. Wudi City had been buzzing with activity ever since. Rumor had it that the Twelve Martial Slaves had received Wang Xianzhi's personal assistance. Their injuries had completely healed, and their strength had even improved. This time, Wang Ritain would face all twelve attacking together.
The Twelve Martial Slaves had always been a mysterious presence in the martial world. Their greatest strength lay in their combined formation. Working together, the twelve could hold off a Heavenly Phenomenon Realm expert; their combined strength was almost on par with that realm. When people heard the news, they began discussing it among themselves.
"Wang Ritain may be a prodigy, but his cultivation is still too low. Against the combined attack of the Twelve Martial Slaves at the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm level, he has no chance of winning," said a veteran of the martial world, his face full of concern.
"That's right. The Twelve Martial Slaves' formation is incredibly powerful. Wang Ritain is probably doomed this time," a young warrior beside him agreed.
Debate filled the streets of Wudi City. Everyone wondered how Wang Ritain would fare against the Twelve Martial Slaves' combined assault. Yet most people were pessimistic, convinced he was bound to lose.
At that moment, Wang Ritain sat in his room with his eyes closed, resting. There was not a trace of tension or worry on his face; he seemed remarkably calm. When he heard about the Twelve Martial Slaves' formation, Wang Ritain felt no fear at all. If anything, he found it intriguing. He wanted to use this opportunity to test the level of his strength.
Wang Ritain spent the night without sleep, continuously circulating his cultivation method until his mental state was at its peak. Now in the Great Vajra Realm, and with the heaven-defying technique at his disposal, he was confident about the coming battle. He knew it would be a tough fight, but he wasn't afraid. Wang Ritain believed he could defeat the Twelve Martial Slaves and work another miracle.
At last, Wang Ritain emerged from seclusion. He slowly pushed open the door, and sunlight bathed him in a golden glow. When people learned he really was going to challenge all twelve martial slaves together, they grew excited. They hurried toward Wudi City's central square to find a good spot from which to watch the highly anticipated battle. In an instant, the city's streets were teeming with people, bustling with excitement.
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