On the way back to the princess's palace.
Ling Xueyao kept looking at Chu Yunfei.
Her gaze moved from his face to the Abyss-Devouring Sword at his waist, and then to his hands.
Last night, this man was only at the First Level of the Heavenly Origin Realm.
Today, with his Heavenly Origin Realm Fifth Layer, he killed Lin Yue with one punch, defeated Wu Changge with one sword, and severely injured two sect holy sons on his own.
Even after witnessing last night's breakthrough firsthand, she still felt it was unreal.
Chu Yunfei suddenly turned his head.
Their eyes met.
Ling Xueyao subconsciously looked away.
Chu Yunfei's lips curled into a slight smile.
"Her Highness the Princess kept staring at me the whole time."
"Didn't you get enough last night?"
Ling Xueyao stopped abruptly.
The embarrassing images from last night flooded her mind instantly, and her cheeks flushed red at a visible speed.
"Shut up!"
"If you dare mention last night again, I will cut your tongue out!"
Chu Yunfei nodded solemnly.
"Your Highness, please rest assured."
I won't tell you that you took the initiative late at night...
Clang!
The golden rapier was instantly drawn half an inch from its sheath.
Chu Yunfei promptly shut his mouth.
Ling Xueyao glared at him for a few moments before pushing the sword back into its sheath.
The two continued on their way.
After a moment, the blush on her face gradually faded, and her expression returned to seriousness.
Chu Yunfei.
"You severed Qin Hao's arm today; this matter will not end here."
" The Cangyun Sect has always acted with a strong hand, and Qin Hao is their designated successor as sect leader."
"By crippling his arm, you've slapped the entire Cangyun Sect in the face."
Chu Yunfei didn't take it seriously.
So what?
"When soldiers come, generals will block them; when water comes, earth will dam it."
Ling Xueyao frowned.
"I am not joking with you."
"The Seven Sects possess a foundation far surpassing that of second-rate sects; the Cangyun Sect even Dao Mysterious Realm patriarch presiding over it."
"If they really disregard their reputation and send powerful warriors to kill you, what will you use to stop them?"
Chu Yunfei suddenly reached out his hand.
Before Ling Xueyao could react, he had already put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to his side.
Ling Xueyao's body stiffened.
"What you do?"
Chu Yunfei laughed and said, "With Her Highness the Princess backing me up, what do I, the prince consort, have to fear?"
Ling Xueyao's ears turned slightly red, and she gave a token struggle.
They couldn't break free.
She should have been angry.
But upon hearing the words "imperial son-in-law," a secret joy inexplicably arose within him.
"I can only protect you for a time, not forever."
Chu Yunfei looked down at her, his tone serious.
"Then I will become stronger as quickly as possible."
"However, before that, I need to borrow a treasure from the princess."
Ling Xueyao turned her head to look at him, her tone puzzled.
"What treasure do you need? I'll grant your request."
Chu Yunfei's expression was serious. "Tonight, I'll lend you a horse."
Ling Xueyao: "..."
In less than half an hour.
The events that occurred at the Jingyuan Hall have already spread throughout the imperial city.
On Huangcheng East Street, there is a three-story restaurant.
The hall was bustling with noise and discussion.
"Have you heard? At today's royal banquet, the prince consort of the Great Qian Princess killed a true disciple of the Cangyun Sect with a single punch, and then defeated the holy sons of three sects while only at the Heavenly Origin Realm Fifth Layer!"
"The Three Sects' Holy Sons? Those are the most outstanding young prodigies of the Cangyun Sect, Puppet Sect, and Divine Martial Sect in their current era!"
"He fought three opponents alone and even cut off the arm of the Holy Son of the Cangyun Sect? Who would believe that?"
An elderly man in a gray robe shook his head and sighed.
"This is outrageous! Heavenly Origin Realm Fifth Layer cultivator defeating Heavenly Origin Ninth Layer cultivator? This is unheard of!"
The person next to him lowered their voice.
"Do you know what's even more outrageous? I heard that Chu Yunfei was a useless Body Tempering Realm just a few months ago."
The moment these words were spoken, the entire table fell silent.
"A few months? From the Body Tempering Realm to the Heavenly Origin Realm Fifth Layer?"
"This speed is astonishing! Even a prodigy couldn't achieve it."
"I believe he possesses an extraordinary destiny!"
"It's either an ancient legacy or a heaven-defying creation left behind by some powerful being!"
Someone else chimed in with a sneer.
"So what if he has a stroke of luck? Putting aside the difference in strength, even if he's still in the Body Tempering Realm, with the royal family backing him, who would dare to touch him?"
Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.
The Great Qian Imperial Family has ruled the Eastern Continent for ten thousand years, and its foundation is unfathomable.
Even though it has declined over the past century, it is still not a force that ordinary powers would dare to provoke.
However, it was in a private room on the second floor of the restaurant.
A young man is toying with a wine glass.
He was handsome, but with a hint of sinister intent.
He sneered as he listened to the commotion downstairs.
"Those two good-for-nothings Yue Chenzhou and Qin Hao."
"Even working together, they were still defeated by an unknown nobody."
He gently set down the glass, the sound like a dull knife cutting flesh.
"One is unconscious, the other has lost an arm."
A hint of disdain flashed in his eyes.
"This kind of trash dares to be compared to the Holy Son of my Heavenly Evil Devil Sect?"
An elderly man in black robes sitting beside him spoke calmly.
"The Holy Son must not be careless."
" Chu Yunfei's combat prowess has far surpassed that of ordinary Heavenly Origin Realm cultivators."
The young man looked up.
"Even at his strongest, he's only at the Heavenly Origin Realm."
"This holy son can suppress him with one hand."
The old man in black robes remained silent.
"The sect's higher-ups have their own arrangements."
"With the Seven Sects Grand Competition imminent, this person is a key piece and cannot be allowed to die for the time being."
The young man sneered.
As the Holy Son of the Heavenly Evil Devil Sect, he naturally knew about the sect's higher-ups' plans.
"A chess piece is a chess piece."
He tapped his fingers on the table, his voice turning cold.
"However, his cultivation speed does pique my interest."
The young man raised his head, his gaze passing through the window lattice towards the direction of the palace.
"After the Seven Sects Grand Competition, I will personally take action and capture this person alive."
"This holy son wants to see what he has obtained to transform from a piece of trash into a prodigy in such a short time."
He spoke very casually.
It was as if even with the backing of the royal family, Chu Yunfei was nothing more than an ant that couldn't escape his grasp.
The northern district of the imperial city.
A quiet teahouse.
Inside the private room.
A young woman in a sky-blue dress put down her teacup.
Si Yunshu, the Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Edict Sect.
"Single-handedly battling three prodigies..."
She looked at the old woman opposite her.
"Mother-in-law, was this Chu Yunfei really only at the Body Tempering Realm a few months ago?"
The old woman sitting opposite her nodded slightly.
"True."
"This person has many strange traits, but he is not a disciple of the Seven Sects, so it will not affect the Holy Maiden's participation in the Seven Sects Grand Competition."
Si Yunshu shook her head.
That's not what I'm worried about.
The old woman was puzzled.
Si Yunshu pointed to the rim of the teacup and said slowly, "According to the information, when Chu Yunfei was in Qingyang City, Nangong Wuhen, the Holy Son of the Heavenly Sword Sect, and Elder Mo Yuan paid close attention to him."
"A holy son of a first-rate sect, usually arrogant and haughty."
Why would someone care so much about a disciple from a second-rate sect?
She paused.
"Furthermore, why would Nangong Wuhen appear in the remote Qingyang City?"
The old woman pondered for a moment.
"All I know is that Nangong Wuhen brought two women back from Qingyang City."
"One of the young women was declared a saintess by the Heavenly Sword Sect on the very day she returned to the sect."
"This woman's name is Situ Shuang'er, and she is quite mysterious."
No one knows her true level of skill.
At this point, the old woman seemed to remember something.
"Speaking of Situ Shuang'er, she does have some connection with Chu Yunfei."
Si Yunshu picked up her teacup, her eyes flickering slightly.
What's the relationship?
The old woman's expression was somewhat strange.
According to the information we have received.
Situ Shuang'er was once Chu Yunfei's fiancée.
"Later, Chu Yunfei's cultivation was completely destroyed, and she took the initiative to come and annul the engagement."
Si Yunshu was slightly taken aback.
The next moment, she couldn't help but laugh.
"Interesting."
She put down her teacup.
What's so special about this Situ Shuang'er is still unknown.
"But his judgment of people is exceptionally poor."
"A peerless genius who broke through from the Body Tempering Realm to the Heavenly Origin Realm in just a few months, and even defeated the three sects' holy sons while at the Mid-Stage Heavenly Origin Realm."
"She actually broke off the engagement?"
Si Yunshu's smile deepened.
"This is the first time I've seen such a perspective."
"I wonder what that new Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Sword Sect is thinking now."
The old woman remained silent for a moment.
She didn't know how to respond to that.
Si Yunshu gently swirled her teacup and asked, "Will she participate in the Seven Sects Grand Competition a month from now?"
The old woman replied, "If nothing unexpected happens, she should come."
" The Seven Sects Grand Competition requires the attendance of both the Holy Son and Holy Daughter."
Si Yunshu's smile deepened.
"Then this will be quite a show."
"Former fiancée, current fiancée."
"And then there's Chu Yunfei, who fought his way up."
She clicked her tongue softly.
"This Seven Sects Grand Competition is likely to be even more exciting than I expected."
Thousands of miles away.
Deep within the back mountains of the Heavenly Sword Sect.
A courtyard stands alone on the edge of a cliff.
A mountain breeze blew in from the depths of the sea of clouds, carrying a hint of chill.
A slender figure stood against the wind.
Her pale purple dress swayed gently in the wind, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders, the ends brushing against her mature and stunning face.
Lin Wanyin stood quietly on the edge of the cliff.
She did not practice cultivation.
He just stared blankly at the distant horizon, lost in thought.
That direction...
It is the imperial city.