It Begins? It Ends!

The vast Sword City lies between two mountain ranges.

The towering Sword Tower pierces the sky, resembling a giant sword reaching for the heavens. At this moment, at sunrise, the sunlight shines on the Sword Tower, casting its enormous shadow in front of the mountain gate.

Beneath the shadows lay exactly ten arenas.

After the elder from Sword City finished speaking, the room fell silent.

"Which hero will step forward and set an example for us?"

"Where did all those heroes go?"

Going on stage now means having to stay on it for three days, and you can imagine how difficult that is.

Only those with extremely strong confidence in their own abilities could stand on that spot at this time.

"Let's try one of them first."

Suddenly, a voice came from the crowd.

Li Mo, who was finishing writing, looked in the direction of the sound.

The man was dressed in armor with animal patterns, his face was resolute, he held a long spear in his hand, and he was surrounded by dozens of personal guards, exuding an aura of majesty and solemnity.

The Cloud-Crossing Sword Mark do not necessarily only lead to the understanding of swordsmanship.

There are many swordsmen here, because martial artists in Yun Province and even the whole country admire swordsmanship.

"It's Young Marquis Zhong."

"Young Marquis, you are truly awe-inspiring! You possess the bearing of a general!"

A sedan chair is carried by many, and the audience showers it with compliments.

Li Mo couldn't help but use his Heavenly Mandate Divine Eye over as well.

He raised an eyebrow slightly.

[Name: Zhong Zhenyue]

[Age: 22]

[Root Bone: Iron Horse and Golden Spear Physique]

[Realm: Five Apertures of Divine Observation]

[Destiny: Blue with a hint of purple]

[Evaluation: Prince of Southern Pacification, joined the army at a young age, a typical straight man.]

[Recent Encounters: On his way to Yun Province, he was deceived by Yin Mianmian, the Saintess Drizzle Pavilion. Even without her using the Heart-Bewitching Great Method, he insisted on marrying her... He unintentionally helped Drizzle Pavilion seize the Cloud-Crossing Sword Mark, and was severely punished by his father afterward.]

Li Mo: "..."

A naive, clueless rich second-generation heir meets a top-tier sea queen, right?

This is a bit tricky.

The other party was neither poisoned, nor was it bewitched by some random martial arts technique, and they were definitely not from the Drizzle Pavilion.

Cloud-Crossing Sword City isn't like Clear Abyss Sect; the higher-ups don't believe everything he says.

Let's take it one step at a time.

Li Mo shook his head.

He currently has two things to do.

Firstly, by Sword Trial, he could hone the Nine Swords of Dugu to a new level.

Secondly, help Ice Block and Princess Little Jiang to see the Cloud-Crossing Sword Mark.

Drizzle Pavilion had designs on Jianhen, but he didn't seem to see through the Heavenly Mandate Divine Eye who was Drizzle Pavilion's assassin.

However, as long as the Martial Dao Summit continues, they will eventually make their move.

"Ice Block..."

Just as Li Mo was about to speak, he noticed that Ying Bing had already taken the stage.

Gasps of surprise rang out from the crowd.

"Isn't that the domineering Empress Liu Wuyan?"

"It's her! It really looks exactly the same!"

"Dude, you've watched 'The Overbearing Empress Falls in Love With Me' too?"

"The characters in this picture book are based on real people, actually?"

"Waaah... I really want to be Sister Wuyan's dog!"

"Empress Wu Yan is invincible under heaven!"

"I raise the banner for the Empress; who dares to oppose her!"

The scene instantly became incredibly lively, even more so than when Zhong Zhenyue took the stage earlier.

The event was starting to resemble a fan meeting.

Ying Bing frowned slightly.

She never expected the picture book to become so popular.

First of all, her name isn't Liu Wuyan...

However, she frowned like that.

The calls grew louder.

Li Mo: "... So, Senior Brother Ouyang, your Liu Wuyan was modeled after Ying Bing?"

"There's nothing I can do. With such a perfect example before us, you know how stunningly beautiful my junior sister is. I've racked my brains but can't think of anyone more fitting for the Empress's aura."

Ouyang shrugged and said:

"By the way, Jiang Chen drew this based on you, Junior Brother Li. After all, art imitates life. You taught him very well."

Looking at the massive, surging waves before him, Little Li never expected this.

One day, he'll get hit on the head by his own boomerang.

I never imagined I'd become a popular idol...

Wow, is that Jiang Chen?

"He really does look so gentle and handsome; he's definitely a gentleman."

"Huh? So, <The Overbearing Empress Falls in Love With Me> is based on the two of them?"

"Waaaaah, I really want to have babies with Brother Jiang Chen."

Those present were not only heroes of the martial arts world, but also ordinary people from all over Yun Province, including the powerful and the common folk.

The serious atmosphere of the Sword Trial vanished completely.

On the high platform of Sword City.

"What's wrong with your External Affairs Hall?!"

Elder Zeng was furious. He slammed his hand on the table, causing the melons and fruits to float in the air and then fall back down.

"Elder, there's nothing we can do."

"We hired about a hundred storytellers to take turns promoting the three True Disciples, and they even drove up the price of Malva nut."

The steward of the External Affairs Hall wore a pained expression.

Storytelling is just about talking until your voice is hoarse; how can that compare to reading a picture book?

"You wouldn't believe it, but these days, bookstores are packed with people lining up every day, and some are even offering a hundred taels of silver just to read the latest chapter of <The Overbearing Empress Falls in Love With Me>."

"Our methods for creating momentum are far too outdated!"

"Outdated methods..."

Elder Zeng snorted coldly and looked at Wu, Cao, and Bai who were standing there.

"These are just trivial skills; in the end, true ability will be revealed through actual combat."

"The three of you must show your spirit and style later!"

"Yes."

All three bowed, with Bai Jinghong letting out a sigh.

After they descended from the high platform of Sword City, Elder Zeng squinted at the steward again:

"By the way, how did you know there were always queues at the bookstore?"

"Oh, well, I was just taking a stroll, just..."

"As a steward of Sword City, don't you feel ashamed? Show it to me!"

"Huh? I haven't finished reading it yet..."

The butler eventually obediently handed over the picture book.

Elder Zeng received the album and, seeing the steward had left, hurriedly opened it, as if he had found an antidote after being poisoned.

"Hehe, latest chapter... hehehe..."

Elder Zeng was a good elder.

They keep their private life and work very separate.

On stage.

The ten platforms were finally filled.

The rules for Sword Trial are very simple!

Each person can only go on stage twice. If their cultivation level exceeds a major realm, they must suppress it to the same realm. After all, this is a martial arts competition, not a contest of who has a higher realm.

Of the ten people currently on stage, nine Divine Observation.

Only Princess Little Jiang is at the Inner Breath Realm.

Naturally, many people who wanted to gain fame on stage also turned their attention to her.

Whose child is this?

"She looks like a little beggar. I saw her feeding stray cats outside last night."

"Hey, kid, get down here, or you'll scare me to tears."

A swordsman at the Profound Pill Realm jumped onto the stage.

This means to take on a challenge.

Jiang Chulong stood there timidly, holding the Jade Sword Peach Blossom Branch, looking somewhat lost and helpless.

She could only purse her lips and look at the arena to the side.

But Li Mo smiled slightly and gave her a thumbs-up from beneath his robes.

Jiang Chulong suddenly felt confident and asked in a low voice:

Has it started?

"Yes, it's starting."

Swish--

The Peach Blossom Branch rose from who knows where, and fell from who knows when.

But once the decision is made, there is no turning back; once the intention to leave is made, it cannot be changed.

Like a spring breeze.

It's over.