Qi Taicang gritted his teeth and said, "Old Patriarch, it was Xu Qingyang of the Xu Family!"
"Xu Qingyang?"
At this, Qi Yue froze, then said in disbelief, "Isn't he the Xu Family's young master? They say he failed to awaken his martial soul for over a decade!"
"He awakened an Emperor-Rank Sword Martial Soul yesterday, only for it to mysteriously disappear?"
"How could a wastrel like that kill Qi Tai'a?"
Seeing that Qi Yue did not believe him, Qi Taicang sighed and said, "Old Patriarch, I didn't believe it either at first. Today, the Xu Family released some startling news: after losing his Sword Martial Soul, Xu Qingyang suddenly encountered a fortuitous opportunity!"
"I wanted to seize that opportunity from Xu Qingyang, but I never imagined it would give him combat strength at the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm!"
At those words, shock filled Qi Yue's face. Clearly, the opportunity Xu Qingyang had obtained had stunned him.
At the same time, excitement stirred in his heart. If he seized Xu Qingyang's opportunity, not only could he advance his own strength, but he could also send the Qi Family's strength soaring.
"Hahaha!"
Under everyone's gazes, Qi Yue laughed heartily and said in excitement, "To think that Xu Qingyang would encounter such an opportunity!"
"But soon, it will be mine!"
Xu Taicang and the others all nodded in complete agreement.
However, a moment later, something occurred to Qi Yue, and he said, "Although the Xu Family is no longer as powerful as it once was, that Desolate Sky Sword Master left many safeguards there before he disappeared!"
"With our current resources, it seems unlikely that the Qi Family could raze the Xu Family and seize Xu Qingyang's opportunity!"
As Qi Yue's words rang out, Qi Taicang immediately grew anxious and hurriedly said, "Old Patriarch, are we giving up on Xu Qingyang's opportunity?"
Qi Yue shook his head and said, "What I mean is that we may not be able to raze the Xu Family ourselves, but the Ye Family of Nanyang Prefecture—or the experts of the War God Academy backing them—certainly could!"
Hearing this, Qi Taicang nodded in firm agreement. "If the Ye Family of Nanyang Prefecture is willing to act, taking down the paltry Xu Family would be all too easy!"
Indeed, that was the case. With their strength, the Ye Family of Nanyang Prefecture could crush any faction in Heavenly Martial City.
Then Qi Yue opened his palm, and a sword token appeared in his hand. He passed it to Qi Taicang and said, "Qi Taicang, send Qi Yunkong to contact the Ye Family of Nanyang Prefecture!"
"If necessary, ask Ye Shuangshuang, Qi Tai'a's daughter who married into the Ye Family, to help. I believe she will be more than willing!"
"As you command!"
Qi Taicang cupped his hands and answered.
The next day.
Early morning.
Having just finished breakfast, Xu Qingyang went to the training grounds and basked in the sunlight.
Just then, Xu Juren appeared before him and said in surprise, "Qingyang, your cultivation has broken through again! You're already at the peak of Blood Moving!"
Hearing him, Xu Qingyang looked at Xu Juren's familiar face and smiled. "Grandfather, have you come to see me so early because something has happened?"
Xu Juren smiled. "Last night, there was a disturbance in the Boundless Mountains outside Heavenly Martial City. Someone saw an enormous golden dragon appear out of thin air. It seems a treasure may have emerged!"
"I want you to go and take a look. Whether you obtain the treasure isn't all that important!"
"What matters is giving you a chance to temper yourself!"
"You must understand that the only way to keep growing stronger is to keep tempering yourself through experience!"
Hearing Xu Juren's words, Xu Qingyang smiled. The Desolate Tower really predicted things like a god. An upheaval actually occurred in the Boundless Mountains. As long as the Azure Lotus Demonflame is there, I'll have no problem.
"All right!"
Xu Qingyang nodded.
Then, under Xu Juren's gaze, Xu Juren left the Xu Family and headed toward the Boundless Mountains outside the city.
According to legend, the Boundless Mountains had fallen without warning into a valley several dozen li outside Heavenly Martial City a thousand years ago.
After a thousand years of merging with their surroundings, the Boundless Mountains had become an exceptional treasure land for growing spirit herbs.
They held not only the Spring of Life, but also the Seven-Treasure Willow Tree, Refining True Flame, Bridal Robe Houtu, and Grand Mystery Treasure Gold.
As a result, the natural treasures here were dozens, even hundreds of times more abundant than elsewhere!
Clop, clop, clop!
Hoofbeats rang out as several men and women in long robes and dresses rode fiery red horses to the outskirts of the Boundless Mountains.
Had Xu Qingyang been there, he would certainly have recognized one of the women in a long white dress as his fiancée, Su Zilian.
They had been sent by the Azure Waves Academy to investigate the cause of the upheaval in the Boundless Mountains.
At that moment, Su Zilian gazed into the depths of the Boundless Mountains with her beautiful, slender eyes, then turned to the woman in a long green dress beside her and said thoughtfully, "Little Yu, I have a feeling that there must be dangers beyond our imagination in these mountains!"
Luo Yu was about to reply when the black-robed man beside her spoke first. "Come on, Goddess Su, are you joking with us?"
"What danger could there possibly be in these mountains?"
Hearing this, Su Zilian glanced at the black-robed man and frowned.
"Wang Pan, you certainly have some nerve, daring to question our great beauty Su like that!"
Just then, a cool voice suddenly rang out.
Everyone turned toward the voice and saw a man in a long crimson robe walking slowly toward them.
"Ye Xingchen? It's you!"
Wang Pan, dressed in black, stared at the crimson-robed man and exclaimed in surprise.
He knew that Ye Xingchen was one of Su Zilian's suitors—and a deeply devoted one at that.
To win Su Zilian over, Ye Xingchen had wiped out all the other suitors around her.
"Are you so surprised to see me, Ye Xingchen?"
Ye Xingchen spoke with a faint, enigmatic smile.
His gaze immediately settled on Su Zilian. Then he took several steps forward and extended his palm, and a beautiful bouquet of roses appeared in his hand.
"Zilian!"
Holding the roses, Ye Xingchen dropped to one knee before Su Zilian and said with passionate devotion, "Be with me!"
Almost as soon as his words rang out, everyone behind him began shouting excitedly.
"Beauty Su, say yes!"
"Be together!"
"Be together!"
Everyone was moved by the depth of feeling on Ye Xingchen's face.
Su Zilian, however, frowned and looked coldly at him. "Ye Xingchen, we aren't close. Please use my full name!"
"Besides, I already have a fiancé. Please stop playing these confession games!"
Hearing this, Ye Xingchen froze on the spot, as though someone had slapped him across the face.
For a moment, fierce fury surged in his heart. How dare Su Zilian reject me again?
Before you continue