Bashan City, Ye Residence.
At this moment, the Ye Residence, one of the three major families in Bashan City, was bustling, filled with the clamor of people.
The reason, naturally, was the grand event of the Bashan Wanxiang Trial, which was going to be held at the Ye Residence.
The trial being held at the Ye Residence surprised many in Bashan City.
After all, they were accustomed to the Bashan Wanxiang Trial being held each time at the Bai family.
In the front courtyard of the Ye Residence was an exceptionally spacious square, capable of accommodating at least a hundred thousand people.
This place had always been the gathering spot for significant events and meetings of the Ye family, usually serving as a martial arts arena for the Ye family disciples to practice and spar.
The square was now cleaned and properly arranged.
Viewing platforms surrounded the square, and various other large and small forces in Bashan City had already taken their seats.
Among them, the viewing platform to the north was the most luxurious, with a total of three. Only the three major families of Bashan City were qualified to sit there.
On the viewing platform to the right, members of the Li family had already seated themselves, and their numbers were noticeably greater than in previous years.
What truly drew the public's attention was the head of the Ye family, Ye Nanxin, and the City Lord, Bai Zun, seemingly arguing about something.
"Brother Bai, the central seat has always been reserved for the Bai family. How can the Ye family be in the center? Is Brother Bai still angry with me, thinking my refusal of marriage was disrespectful? It's really because Ye Xin, that girl, insists that cultivation is more important..." Ye Nanxin apologized profusely to the middle-aged man with a long beard in front of him.
The long-bearded man standing before Ye Nanxin, dressed in formal black and white attire, with a gentle expression, quickly waved his hand. "Brother Ye, my son Bai Ren even blamed me for acting on my own, saying I shouldn't have proposed. So, I'm really not angry with you. Since the trial is being held at the Ye Residence, naturally, the central seat should belong to your Ye family."
Having said this, Bai Zun directly led the Bai family and others towards the left viewing platform.
"Uncle Ye." Bai Ren respectfully saluted Ye Nanxin and then turned to follow his father to the left.
"This..."
Ye Nanxin stood there, somewhat bewildered.
Yesterday, after he refused Bai Zun's marriage proposal, the latter was furious, cursing at him and even getting into a physical confrontation.
With things turning out this way, Ye Nanxin originally thought Bai Zun would surely be giving him a cold shoulder today.
But who would have thought that upon arrival, Bai Zun would be so cordial that it was almost unsettling, as if he were a different person.
Even more bizarre, Ye Lin, who had spent a night at the Bai family, returned and was getting along surprisingly well with two disciples from the Wanxiang Sect, engaging in joyful conversations and forming an unexpectedly good relationship.
This scene naturally delighted Ye Lin's father, Ye Nanxin's younger brother, Ye Nanyi, who was grinning from ear to ear.
Given the circumstances, Ye Nanxin could only lead his Ye family to sit at the central viewing platform, a place once reserved for the City Lord.
Once everyone had taken their seats, brothers Zhao Qiang and Zhao Jian leapt from a distance, landing heavily on the stage in the center.
The arrival of the Wanxiang Sect disciples focused all of Bashan City's attention on the platform built of blue steel rock.
"For the Bashan Wanxiang Trial, participants must not be over sixteen!"
"No pills allowed; only the White Elemental Artifact can be used for armament!"
After Zhao Qiang and Zhao Jian ascended the stage, they announced the rules of the Bashan Wanxiang Trial one by one.
All the young boys and girls preparing to participate in the trial were eager, intently listening to the rules.
However, the elders beside them looked puzzled.
They had always assumed that Bai Ren, recently returned from the Wanxiang Sect, would act as the Inspector of Bashan City. Naturally, it should be him announcing the rules on stage.
Why was Bai Ren merely listening quietly below, not taking to the stage, while these two Wanxiang Sect disciples read out the rules?
After reading the rules, the two brothers announced the start of the trial, leaving the stage to sit on the Ye residence's viewing platform beside Ye Nanxin.
The trial officially began!
The young talents of Bashan City took the stage in succession, showcasing their martial skills. Most were only at the Entering Yuan Realm, unable to gather Soul Power on the surface of their bodies, relying entirely on their martial arts.
Even the children of the three major families were mostly like this; only a few family prodigies successfully broke through to the Gathering Yuan Realm, able to concentrate Soul Power on the surface of their bodies, emitting Soul Light.
For instance, Ye Long and Ye Feng, a son and daughter of Ye Nanxing, the third elder of the Ye family.
Their names alone reflected Ye Nanxing's high expectations, and indeed, they were quite outstanding. Ye Long, at fifteen, reached the second level of the Gathering Yuan Realm, and Ye Feng, at fourteen, reached the first level.
"They only won the first round; what's there to be arrogant about?" Watching the pompous attitude of the siblings, Ye Lin, seated next to them, couldn't help but mutter.
However, Ye Lin's words were heard clearly by Ye Feng, who retorted, "Really? Yet some people are so cowardly they dare not even take to the stage, willingly forfeiting the trial while having the audacity to mutter away."
"Ye Lin, hasn't Sister Xin been looking out for you, yet you haven't reached the Gathering Yuan Realm? What right do you have to speak?" Ye Long, also haughty, declared, "Just like that useless Lin Qian, someone who can't even stand on his own."
"I used to be just as narrow-minded as you, but now I know Lin Qian is a hundred times stronger than you. What right do you have to speak about him?" Ye Lin defiantly shouted at Ye Long.
Ye Feng seemed to have heard the world's most outrageous joke, sneering and shaking her head, "Ye Lin, are you out of your mind? You say Lin Qian is a hundred times stronger than my brother? Haha..."
The surrounding members of the Ye family, who were initially watching the quarrel among the juniors with amusement, burst into laughter upon hearing this.
"Silly girl, what are you saying?" Ye Nanyi also whispered angrily to his daughter.
Ye Lin blushed, turned her head aside, and pursed her lips, "Wait until Brother Lin Qian returns, and you'll see."
Meanwhile, on the Bai family's side, Bai Ren played with a folding fan and frowned tightly, "Brother Lin, what are you up to? Why haven't you returned yet?"
At that moment, just as the first round of contests ended with no one on the stage, a dark shadow was thrown from afar, landing heavily on the platform.
"What!"
Instantly, everyone present was shocked, as what landed on the stage was the corpse of a man with a sinister face.
Simultaneously, a figure walked from the passage of the southern viewing platform toward the stage.
When he stood on the stage, he smiled in the direction of the Li family viewing platform, "Hey, Great Spear Sect, do you recognize this guy?"
"Lin Qian?" On the viewing platform, Ye Nanxin was stunned, standing up to look at the youth on the stage.
The one who came to the stage was none other than the infamous Lin Qian, known throughout Bashan City as a good-for-nothing.