The Aristocratic Clans Clash, Qin Yi Flees

"Damn it, are you all useless?" Seeing that Qin Yi was about to escape the cave abode, Liu Shihong felt his heart burning with anxiety.

When Qin Yi saw the entrance appear before him, he immediately picked up speed and burst out of the cave abode in the blink of an eye. Outside, the heads of the various Lineages felt their hearts sink when they saw someone emerge so soon. Usually, someone fled like that only after facing a deadly crisis inside.

Once Qin Yi slowed down, everyone could finally see the panic-stricken face of Song Qingyun on his back. Song Yunian's expression darkened, and he rushed over to take Song Qingyun from Qin Yi. But before he could ask Qin Yi what had happened, Liu Shihong came charging out with his men.

Liu Shihong held his sword aloft and stared at Qin Yi, murderous intent rolling off him. Song Yunian stared at Liu Shihong and the members of the Liu Household behind him. Everyone present instantly understood: Liu Shihong, the young master of the Liu Household, was hunting down Song Qingyun, the young city lord of Star City. Even the head of the Liu Household was dumbfounded. What's wrong with you?

Liu Shihong hurriedly put away his sword. "No, listen to me. It's not what you think..."

Song Yunian's face was so dark it looked ready to drip water. The first thing Song Qingyun had said upon seeing him was "Don't kill me," and he had kept repeating it. Song Yunian's eldest son had just been murdered, and the killer had yet to be found. Now his younger son had gone mad too. Song Qingyun's Foundation Establishment Late Stage spiritual pressure erupted in an instant. Qin Yi was closest to him, and even with his Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivation, his spiritual power struggled to circulate under the pressure.

"Speak. What happened?" Song Yunian asked Qin Yi.

Qin Yi pretended he could barely catch his breath. "City Lord, just after I came out of the corridor, I found that the young master of the Liu Household and his men had killed everyone from the Tang Household and all the young city lord's people. I arrived just as he was about to attack the young city lord. After I stepped in and saved him, I didn't dare delay and rushed straight out."

Song Yunian gave a self-mocking smile. Decades of accumulated strength in the city lord's estate had been destroyed in a single day. He then summoned a longsword and pointed it at the members of the Liu Household from afar. "Today, the Liu Household shall be erased from Star City."

When the head of the Tang Household heard that the young people of his Lineage had all been killed by Liu Shihong, his eyes turned bloodshot. He summoned his own pair of jian and declared war on the Liu Household.

The head of the Liu Household threw back his head and roared, "Liu Shihong, you beast! You've brought ruin upon the Liu Household! You'll be the Liu Household's sinner for all eternity..."

Liu Shihong's head spun as he listened. What's going on? I clearly didn't kill anyone, so how did I become a sinner for all eternity? He immediately shouted to the Foundation Establishment Lineage heads, "It wasn't me! It really wasn't me! I only attacked Song Qingyun. I didn't do the rest, I really didn't! You have to believe me..."

At those words, Song Yunian's anger soared three thousand feet. He flicked his longsword and charged at the Liu Household. It would have been one thing had the Liu Household kept the peace as usual, but a dragon had a reverse scale, and whoever touched it would die.

The scene instantly descended into a chaotic battle. Rather than stand by and watch, the other Lineages joined the fray. After all, wiping out a Lineage meant its resources could easily be taken. Qin Yi set his sights on Liu Shihong, who stood foolishly off to one side. He gathered his strength, and his demon blade plunged into Liu Shihong's chest in an instant.

Liu Shihong dropped to his knees, his eyes wide. He struggled to turn his head and look at Qin Yi. "So... it... it was you. You're... Found..." His voice grew fainter and fainter until it finally fell silent.

Qin Yi turned and fought his way toward the edge of the battlefield. Along the way, he took advantage of a moment when no one was paying attention to kill a Liu Household disciple. His face twisted and shifted until he looked like the man, and the Nine Dragons Illusory Cloud Robe instantly transformed into Liu Household clothing. He then mixed in with the fleeing Liu Household disciples and escaped into the distance.

Half a month later, Heavenly Sea Commandery City.

Heavenly Sea Commandery bordered the Endless Sea, where cultivators could hunt Demon Beasts in the ocean, allowing martial cultivation to flourish throughout the commandery. Heavenly Sea Commandery City was its center, and the Prince of Heavenly Sea was a renowned figure among Golden Core cultivators. As a result, the entire city had become extraordinarily prosperous.

Qin Yi strolled leisurely down the street, having already resumed his original appearance. The Nine Dragons Illusory Cloud Robe had transformed into a purple outfit, and his handsome, distinguished face made the women on the street turn back to look at him again and again.

Qin Yi entered a teahouse, found a seat by the window, and sat down. He ordered a cup of refreshing tea and took a sip, then looked at the sea outside the window before listening to a storyteller recount the major events that had taken place in Heavenly Sea Commandery City recently.

"Now, the foremost beauty in Heavenly Sea Commandery is none other than the Prince of Heavenly Sea's daughter, the Commandery Princess of Heavenly Sea. At just nineteen, she has already reached the Qi Refining Ninth Layer and has hopes of reaching Foundation Establishment at twenty-one. The Prince of Heavenly Sea treasures his daughter as the flesh of his heart, and he is about to hold a martial competition."

"The Azure Cloud Imperial Family already intends to betroth the Commandery Princess of Heavenly Sea to one of its princes, strengthening its relationship with the Prince of Heavenly Sea. But the prince has insisted on holding a martial competition to find her a husband. The rules are all to be set by the commandery princess herself, and whichever man catches her eye will be the one."

"The imperial family knows that the Prince of Heavenly Sea treasures his daughter as the flesh of his heart, so it agreed to the request. However, the imperial family restricted the contestants to geniuses under twenty-five whose cultivation is below the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, in order to secure the greatest possible benefit for itself."

"Everyone, the martial competition for her hand will be held in three days. If you think you have what it takes, you may all take part."

With that, the storyteller turned and left the stage, and the crowd immediately began whispering among themselves. Qin Yi sipped his tea as he admired the vast, boundless sea in the distance. All was peaceful and serene, and the change in his State of Mind allowed his cultivation to advance a little further.

As Qin Yi admired the distant scenery, he suddenly felt someone watching him. He swept the area with his Divine Sense and found a girl looking at him, but the moment his Divine Sense touched the guard beside her, it met with resistance.

Seeing that they meant no harm, Qin Yi withdrew his Divine Sense. He turned his head slightly and glanced at the girl and her guard, then tossed a few Spirit Stones onto the table, rose, and left the teahouse.

The girl frowned when she saw Qin Yi leave. Dissatisfied, she said to the tall guard beside her, "Uncle Tie, do you think those princes might look much like you, with thick limbs and a face full of whiskers?"

Uncle Tie was immediately embarrassed. The commandery princess had both talent and strength, but she was far too naive. The only men she had seen in the estate were rough soldiers, so when she saw someone as handsome as Qin Yi, she naturally thought of her future husband.

"Rest assured, Commandery Princess. I hear the Azure Cloud Imperial Family has a noble bloodline, so I imagine... I imagine they can't be bad-looking..." Uncle Tie himself was a little uncertain, but since the man was a prince, he presumably wouldn't look like him.

"Mm. I don't want to make things difficult for Father either. My fate was decided long ago. The imperial family wouldn't tolerate a prince who could break through to Nascent Soul at any moment becoming too powerful, would it?" The young woman suddenly gave a self-mocking laugh and shook her head helplessly.