Facing all those gazes, Lian Youming remained unmoved.
His feud with the Yang Clan lineage was a private one, but if he wanted to become the master of Taiji Gate, he would certainly need strength that left no room for objection.
Whether hostility or malice, after this battle, it would all be swept away beneath his fists.
The sky had already turned pale in the east. Dawn burst forth in brilliant golden light, illuminating Lian Youming's figure with particular clarity.
"Li-Style Taiji? Could you be from the lineage of the Taiji Grandmaster Li Ruidong?"
A middle-aged woman answered him softly, "Indeed!"
Even knowing that more than half of the nearly hundred Martial Gate experts present had come for him, Lian Youming remained composed. His arms hung naturally at his sides, and his entire being already exuded an effortless ease that held life and death in contempt.
He said nothing more. His gaze swept toward a corner of the clearing, settling on a young woman carrying an iron sword on her back.
Seeming to sense Lian Youming's gaze, she said, "True Martial Sword Sect!"
Then another young man spoke. "Dragon Gate Sect!"
Lian Youming's expression remained unchanged. "Do you take the Golden Toad Sect as your leader?" he asked evenly.
The woman carrying the iron sword spoke sincerely. "I merely heard that you were an heir to the Zhongnan Elixir Sword and wished to seek your instruction!"
That brief exchange made Lian Youming give her another look. Her eyes were clear, showing that she had spoken truthfully, and her sword heart was lucid and utterly sincere, actually giving him a faint sense of danger.
She was an expert.
"Certainly. A chance meeting is as good as an invitation. Since I've climbed Wudang today, naturally I intend to face every-"
Before he