On this fine day, the weather was pleasant, and the warm sunlight, like scattered flowing light, bathed the land.

Within the Chu embassy, Zhong Li Yan, whose fame had spread far and wide due to a scuffle with a stray dog in the street, was currently practicing his sword in the courtyard.

His movements were slow, so slow they seemed to contradict his naturally violent disposition. His feet were rooted to the ground like ancient trees, and a single diagonal upward stroke took a full quarter of an hour to complete. The heavy South Yue sword, at this moment, felt strangely light, as if a careless grip might see it carried away by the wind. His entire being, his blood and *qi*, were converged, contained within, the small courtyard quiet and dreamlike. The barbarian warrior, usually so wild, now resembled a figure from a water painting.

“My lord.” A Divine Sin army soldier entered just then, holding a warm, golden invitation in his hand. “Commander Dou Zhao and the Marquis Wu An of Qi are having a duel today. Would you like to go watch?”

In the midst of his sword practice, Zhong Li Yan cast a disdainful glance at the invitation.

The soldier, though possessing a square head and broad face, was astute. He carefully and cautiously added, “Commander Dou Zhao left this for you. He said you might as well go see if you have free time. There aren’t many spots to observe the battle this time. If you carry this, you won’t be stopped.”

“What is he pretending for!” Zhong Li Yan laughed aloud. “When I fought Jiang Wang, there weren’t many spots either. The people who came to observe and learn were all folks of distinction!”

The soldier remained silent.

Zhong Li Yan suddenly asked again, “What did that guy originally say?”

The soldier replied, “This subordinate’s relay was probably just that meaning.”

Zhong Li Yan said seriously, “I want to hear the exact words.” He added, “Don’t worry, I won’t get angry.”

The soldier cautiously looked at him. “He said to open your dog eyes wide and learn a thing or two, so you don’t bring shame to Chu country again.”

The expression on Zhong Li Yan’s face remained remarkably peaceful. However, the flagstones beneath his feet had already begun to crack.

“Heh.” He let out a cold laugh. “Tell me the truth. When I fought Jiang Wang the other day, did Dou Zhao also secretly watch, didn’t he? Otherwise, how would he have known the result so quickly? I’m telling you, even if he wins today, it’s still my credit. I smoothed out all the pitfalls for him, do you all know that?”

The soldier replied, “Commander Dou truly didn’t go. He was practicing his saber in the courtyard the whole time.”

“He said he was practicing his saber and so he was?”

“It’s true he was practicing his saber. Many of us were watching.”

Zhong Li Yan looked at him and then said, “Then I won’t go today either.” He casually took the invitation from the soldier’s hand and flung it upwards with force, where it instantly vanished without a trace.

Only then did he coldly snort. “Weaklings pecking at each other, what’s there to see?”

The soldier looked up at the sky where the invitation had disappeared, his eyes filled with regret. *If you didn’t want to watch, you could have left it for me! I really wanted to go!*

“What are you looking at!” Zhong Li Yan smacked him on the head. “Alright, alright, scram quickly. I want to close the door and comprehend world-class martial arts. In a few days, I’ll find Jiang Wang and win back my prestige. Don’t any of you come in to disturb me. That’s how it is for now.”

“In a few days?” the soldier asked blankly.

Zhong Li Yan’s eyes widened in a glare. “Is that your concern?”

The soldier held his head and walked away.

The courtyard door closed tightly behind him. Not long after, the radiant light of an array rose, a clear indication of the general’s determination to enter secluded cultivation.

As one of the core temples in Eagle City, the Min He Temple occupied a vast area. With the main hall, Guang Wen Ye Xie Wu Hall, at its center, it had been expanded numerous times over the years and now boasted twenty-eight sub-halls, corresponding to the constellation array. Around each sub-hall were many accompanying buildings. The area where the Chu embassy was located, for instance, was around the sub-hall corresponding to the Well Wood Wolf star.

If viewed from high above, one would see golden radiance like a tide, treasure energy surging like clouds, and intricate patterns. Of course, the sky above the highest royal court was never allowed to be traversed by any living being. Only the wandering clouds in the sky could have the fortune to witness this magnificent scene.

At a certain moment, within the area of the sub-hall corresponding to the Well Wood Wolf star, a black shadow suddenly darted out from the back door of a certain courtyard. Its speed was exceptionally fast and exceptionally light. In a few clever leaps, it vanished without a trace.

The sunlight flowed like water in the sky, illuminating one side and then the other.

The residence of the Jing country’s envoy was located in the area of the sub-hall corresponding to the Fight Wood Xie star. Here, the architectural style was different again, resembling several military forts connected together.

At this time, on a high platform of one of these military forts, a reclining chair was placed, and a sunshade was set up above it. Beside the reclining chair was a wine table, under which mist lingered, carved with mountains and rivers. On the table sat a pot of fine wine and several dishes of snacks. Huang She Li sat in the reclining chair, peeling peanuts.

His mouth was full of indignant complaints. “Jiang Wang is beautiful in divine form, a charming immortal posture. Dou Zhao is beautiful in intent, like a vast and unrestrained ocean. Originally, I was still hesitating who to support, but now there’s no hesitation!”

In front of the high platform was a small semicircular battlement. This area was originally used to place crossbow carts. Murong Long Moreover stood at the battlement, hands behind his back, his gaze cold as ice, seemingly contemplating how to attack the highest royal court, how to cut off this great city’s arteries in the shortest possible time.

Huang She Li, with blatant disregard, crossed his legs, peeling, eating, and scolding as he went.

“Why?” After listening for a long while, Murong Long Moreover suddenly squeezed out a question.

Huang She Li was already used to this. He explained very seriously, “This Dou Zhao fellow actually won’t let me make money! This old lady, with good intentions, went to talk business with him, to provide him with a dueling arena, help him find customers, and drive up prices, and he actually won’t let me sell tickets! He says that for this duel, the people brought by both him and Jiang Wang cannot exceed three.”

“That is to say, he can only sell six tickets?” Murong Long Moreover asked.

Huang She Li took a big gulp of wine, his heart aching greatly, for not earning was a loss. “Not a single ticket was sold. These few spots are decided by him and Jiang Wang themselves.”

Murong Long Moreover seemed to be deep in thought. “Not letting in an audience, this is to move in for the real fight.”

Huang She Li fiercely clenched a fist and swung an imaginary blow in the air. “This unreasonable fellow, watch how my Jiang Wang beats him!”

Murong Long Moreover frowned and said, “Since you can’t earn a single cent, then why are you still so bothered? The cost of opening a venue on the Blue Tooth Platform is not low, and repairing it is even more troublesome.”

“Ah.” Huang She Li relaxed his fist and hung his head in discouragement. “Who told me I wanted to watch? Dou Zhao’s observation spot was given to me.”

Murong Long Moreover said impatiently, “Can’t you have a little ambition?”

Huang She Li smiled broadly and held up one finger. “Rule number one in life: don’t quarrel with beautiful women. It will make them unhappy.”

Murong Long Moreover only replied with a cold snort.

“Then you tell me, if you were me, and Dou Zhao made you unhappy, how would you plan to handle it?” Huang She Li began to peel peanuts again. Three peanuts and a mouthful of wine, happy as an immortal.

“First, stand him up. Wait until they both arrive at the dueling arena, and then suddenly tell them that the dueling arena is not open today. Maintenance, fast, anything, just find a reason that looks very perfunctory.” Murong Long Moreover’s gaze was still cold, but there was a hint of eagerness to try.

“Then?” Huang She Li asked.

“They two will certainly be uncomfortable, and then they will come to provoke me. Then I’ll beat both of them to death—how about that?”

“You old genius.” Huang She Li rolled his eyes, pulling his war robe closer to his body, and then stepped into the air and walked. “I’m still going to watch the beauty perform a big play. I’m too lazy to chat idle with you!”

Murong Long Moreover glanced at the peanut shells on the ground and then looked into the distance again. The distant houses and tents extended like a surging cloud sea. A group of priests wearing splendid divine robes were just passing by in single file. He couldn’t help but frown and say, “When will these grassland people realize that we don’t like living in military forts?”

The pastoral country allocated different living areas for each country’s envoys. In these areas, they also constructed some buildings with local characteristics, which could be considered thoughtful. However, this “thoughtfulness” was a bit too rough.

Jing country, with no natural defenses to the north, had military forts that had evolved into military buildings over the long history of resisting the demon race. They were cheap to build, had high defense, and were very sturdy, completely suited to the war environment against the demon race. But as living environments… You pastoral country people go to the grasslands, do we necessarily ask you to sleep on horseback?

The complaints of the Jing country people did not affect the duel’s progression. At this time, on the spacious viewing stands of the Blue Wolf Dueling Arena’s Blue Tooth Platform, only a sparse few people sat. Three on the east side, and three on the west. This made the guy on the east side wearing a hood and covering his face particularly conspicuous.

Dou Zhao’s refusal to allow the Blue Wolf Dueling Arena to sell observation tickets, and his limitation of the number of people brought by both sides into the dueling arena to within six, was, of course, a kind of value, and even more so, a kind of attitude—he was not hesitating to reveal his bottom cards in this fight! The God Arrival Agreement last year outside the capital of Great Chu, and now the practice in the capital of Great Pasture. He was very serious. And there was no resentment involved, nor did it concern personal or national interests. It was just a very pure expectation of one strong against another strong. Jiang Wang was very willing to respond.

The Marquis Wu An of Great Wen, the White Sell Camp store… The Qi country’s Marquis Wu An, since coming to the grasslands, had not participated in a single day of diplomatic activities. The few people he had met on the first day were still the only ones he knew. So, he simply gave all three of his observation spots to He Lian Yun Yun, to be allocated by the Great Pasture’s imperial daughter herself. Regardless of how Zhao Ru Cheng himself felt, he and He Lian Yun Yun had already agreed to this marriage.

At this time, He Lian Yun Yun sat in the center of the east viewing stand, wearing a rich imperial robe in grassland style, bathed in light, her nobility beyond words. Sitting beside her was a black-clad female nun, about thirty years old, mature and beautiful, yet with a distant and cold temperament. Since Zhao Ru Cheng and Yu Wen Duo, who occupied the last observation spot, were present, they honestly sat in the corner of the viewing stand.

Among the three people sitting on the west viewing stand, the most conspicuous was, of course, the hooded strange guest. He seemed as if no one could recognize him, sitting there stiffly, forcing himself to appear calm. Poor Zhong Li Yan still thought that, like the previous time, there would be at least several hundred people watching. He could casually shrink into any position, gather his aura, and press down the brim of his hood, and who would notice him? He didn’t expect that in such a large viewing stand, only these six people were sitting. Didn’t it feel like a waste?

The occasional glances from the others were all like looking at a fool. He uniformly ignored them, only silently chanting in his heart, “They don’t recognize me, they don’t recognize me, they don’t recognize me.”

The most imposing was Huang She Li. He sat in the center like a golden saber, his eyes crossing the martial platform, directly staring at He Lian Yun Yun opposite him, occasionally moving away to look at the beautiful female nun beside her. He Lian Yun Yun glanced at her, and she gave He Lian Yun Yun a brilliant smile. He Lian Yun Yun politely returned a smile, and she then grinned widely. After several such exchanges, He Lian Yun Yun became accustomed to being looked at.

The last person on the west viewing stand was Jin Gong Hao, the direct eldest son of the world-renowned general Jin Tan Du, a true bloodline child and a God Arrival powerhouse. He also had a younger brother named Jin Ge. He was the one who was eliminated by Zhao Ru Cheng in the Yellow River Meeting selection. Dou clan and Jin clan had some business dealings, so Dou Zhao and Jin Gong Hao knew each other. Although not too familiar, when Jin Gong Hao spoke, Dou Zhao didn’t mind giving him this observation spot.

Jin Gong Hao, who was twenty-nine years old this year, and Yu Wen Lie of the Yu Wen clan, and Wan Yan Du of the Wan Yan clan, were together called the “Qiong Lu Three Jun,” all outstanding among the grassland’s younger generation, and all reaching the God Arrival realm before the age of thirty. However, in the selection for the Yellow River Meeting in the year 3919 of the Dao Li calendar, none of them were able to contend with Cang Ming. And Cang Ming, who was the crown of the grasslands, didn’t even make a move at the Yellow River Meeting before declaring defeat. Time, luck, fate.

The heaviest blow suffered by the Jin clan in the past hundred years was not that Jin Gong Hao was unable to ascend the Viewing River Platform, nor was it Jin Ge being defeated before even taking the stage, but the crushing defeat of the Pastoral Country in the Jing Mu War. Compared to other true bloodline families, his Jin clan was the one who pressed upon the world’s sixth cavalry, the Iron Floating Slaughter!

But sitting in this observation seat today, there was no hint of worry between Jin Gong Hao’s brows. There was only confidence, only composure, only power.

It was precisely under the gaze of these six spectators that the arched doors on both sides of the Blue Tooth Platform slowly opened, and the two protagonists of today’s duel walked onto the field.

One wore martial attire with a red bottom and gold edges, his famous saber Tian Xiao inverted, like a proud sun shifting in the high sky. The other wore a green shirt and carried a hanging sword, walking with slow steps, like a wandering cloud drifting to the horizon.

“Eh?”

On the east viewing stand, the black-clad female nun let out a slightly surprised voice.

“What happened?” He Lian Yun Yun asked in a low voice.

The black-clad female nun smiled thoughtfully. “Some people say Jiang Wang is extremely ugly. Today, seeing him, I realize that rumors are not credible.”

“Beauty and ugliness depend on who you compare him to. Marquis Wu An is not ugly, inverted speaking,” He Lian Yun Yun said, then looked closely at Jiang Wang again. “But he is indeed better looking than he was at the Yellow River Meeting.”

That they could become friends, beyond common interests, naturally had similar interests, such as the appreciation of beauty.

The black-clad female nun then laughed. “History records that Emperor Qin Huai had a world-tilting appearance. I hear that your Ying Zi Yu is no less than Huai Emperor that year. When can I see him?”

He Lian Yun Yun only smiled and looked at the field. “Next time, certainly.”

It was already noon, the fierce sun hanging high. On the martial platform, one red and one green figure stood facing each other. The distance between them was only ten steps.

There was no master of ceremonies today. No extra pair of eyes. The wandering clouds in the sky, the free sunlight, even the flow of the air. Everything suddenly stood still.

And in Dou Zhao’s pair of brilliant eyes, a point of red-gold color suddenly expanded!