Drifting Flowers City, at the entrance to the stone room behind Drifting Flowers Edifice. Grandmother, with Iris and Peony Overseer, were waiting. Under the warm sunlight, among the refreshing chirping, they were the only ones whose faces showed no change, their eyes fixed on the stone door.
Rumble!
With a heavy sound, the heavy stone door opened and four figures emerged. The first wore a silk cover, but her delicate figure and her graceful poise couldn't be hidden. Her eyes were enough to make anyone in the world flustered and intoxicated by her beauty.
And behind her were three old women. They looked calm, but clearly excited.
Chu Bijun's brow jumped and she sent three silver needles at the woman. But the woman only lifted her delicate hand casually.
A sudden chill came then and a wall of cold mist formed. The three needles rapidly lost speed and ended up falling on the ground into frozen pieces!
Grandmother sighed in praise, "Qingcheng, you've greatly improved, as if reborn. If not for neglecting cultivation for the past decade, you'd be no weaker than the other houses' chosen in the Esoteric Debate!"
Indeed, this person who came out after a long five years of seclusion was Chu Qingcheng. She was no longer as weak as she was five years ago. She was like a towering glacier, worthy of the title Ascending Ice Phoenix!
"You're too kind, Grandmother! It is all thanks to our three Venerables helping day and night with my training. I am grateful, Venerables!"
Chu Qingcheng slightly bowed at the three old women behind her, and so did Grandmother and the overseers. The Venerables spoke, "It is the least we could do as Drifting Flowers Edifice's Venerables. Qingcheng's talent is remarkable, only needing to stimulate her potential. She did the rest!"
The four once again bowed, and the Venerables closed the stone door with a wave. Chu Bijun walked to Chu Qingcheng and looked her up and down.
"8th layer of Profound Heaven Stage, good good! We will show the world the power of Drifting Flowers Edifice in this Esoteric Debate!" Chu Bijun's eyes shined.
Iris Overseer smiled, "With Qingcheng, we will show them who Drifting Flowers Edifice is. Let's see them try to take women lightly again!"
"Ha-ha-ha, true, but…" Chu Bijun frowned, "We must also make our standing clear! We must strike at Regent Estate's arrogance in this Esoteric Debate! Or they will strike back at us many times harder!"
"Yes, that is why, Qingcheng, you must work together with Veiled Dragon Pavilion and Sword Marquise Abode, our two allies. I have talked with them and have reached an agreement!" Iris Overseer said, "As four of your opponents, Pill King Hall, Hell Valley, and Merry Woods, they have all sided with Regent Estate. The Seven Noble Houses are now split in two factions! This is why the Esoteric Debate this time will be so much crueler, so much more savage!"
Chu Qingcheng frowned in worry, "Regent Estate's monster, Huangpu Qingtian, is hard to deal with already. And now that we are three against four…"
"Ha-ha-ha, don't worry. It will definitely be four against four. I heard that the Luo clan will be joining in as well. They were but a third rate clan before and must be planning on standing abreast to us by passing the first two rounds of elimination. I wonder though, who'll they be sending…" Grandmother considered.
Chu Qingcheng's eyes lit up, "Luo clan will come?"
Already clear on who Chu Qingcheng had her mind on, Grandmother shook her head, "It's unclear if he will be there as well. He's been missing for five years already. It is a bad omen. Not even his clansmen know about his whereabouts. So the support we can expect from the Luo clan is minimal!"
"What, he's gone? How? Why?" Chu Qingcheng didn't care if the Luo clan helped them, and was only worried about Zhuo Fan. Grandmother shook her head.
[Such deep love is like a poison, making one forget even oneself!]
Iris Overseer sighed, "I heard he was last sighted where Lightning Canyon appeared five years ago. Then, he vanished. We can only assume…"
Chu Qingcheng trembled and shot down that idea, "Impossible, he will be fine!"
Peony Overseer cursed instead, "That foul and ungrateful prick, how does his fate have anything to do with us? He didn't value your feelings, not one bit!"
Chu Qingcheng's eyes grew hazy, her heart in a mess. Grandmother spoke gravely, "Qingcheng, whether he comes or not, I hope you will keep your distance from him. I met him once. His ambition is unhealthy, much greater than we can imagine. Such a man is very attractive, but also one who can easily harm women. In his heart, women are burdens. Beings he finds no value in. For your own sake, don't get too close!"
Chu Qingcheng was silent, alone with the bitterness in her heart.
[But I can no longer go back…]
In another part, deep in Sword Marquise Abode, there lay a stone gate on the verge of opening. Two youths came from within, Xie Tianyang and a youth with white temples. His eyes were cold like a blade.
There was also the on and off flicker in his eyes, but if one looked, he'd feel two sharp swords stabbing him. The pain would be too much to keep one's eyes focused on him.
He was none other than Sword Marquise Abode's leading talent, Xie Tianyang's elder brother, one of the six dragons, Golden Armored Sword Dragon Xie Tianshang!
"Tianshang, Tianyang, you're out!" Xie Xiaofeng laughed and patted their shoulders.
Xie Tianyang snickered, "Dad, I've mastered our house's entire martial art, Flowing Space's Nine Forms. I can now marry Ning'er!"
Xie Tianshang gave a curt nod, walking past Xie Xiaofeng and to the training area, "I'm off to practice. Later!"
Xie Xiaofeng felt helpless watching his sons.
The eldest was a martial fanatic, always thinking about training, never getting close with anyone. While the second was a love-struck fool, the only thing on his mind was marriage. If he hadn't been smart and tricked him into lifting the sword for her, he probably never would've had.
Xie Xiaofeng sighed, [It'd be great if they were combined into one!]
Jian Suifeng came from behind, "Abode Lord, don't worry, Tianyang's temper will smooth over time. As for Tianshang, he only has one person in mind. He won't stop until he defeats that person!"
"You mean the Regent Estate's monster?" Xie Xiaofeng sighed, "Forget it, I don't want my son to tangle with that monster. It will only bring us shame!"
Jian Suifeng nodded and sighed…
In another part, in the rear gardens of Veiled Dragon Pavilion…
A youth in fine green clothes was taking a walk and showed an infatuated look, "Ah, the air is so much better outside. Bliss!"
"Eldest young master!" Long Jiu rushed over anxious, "When did you get out? Why wasn't I informed of this?"
"He-he-he, if you had you'd be throwing some congratulatory feast to ruin my mood! It was better to come here and get some peace!" The youth's smile turned odd, "By the way, Uncle Jiu, what of little Kui and little Jie? How come I don't see them?"
"Ha-ha-ha, they're hard at training!"
"Ai, when will they come out?" The youth asked.
With a vague chuckle, Long Jiu said, "Eldest young master, you've been in seclusion for a decade. There are many things you have missed! If you'd have witnessed the battle of Drifting Flowers Edifice, you'd have been as stimulated as them!"
"What do you mean?" The youth rose an eyebrow.
But Long Jiu only smiled in response, [Kids these days won't work hard without a well placed stimulus…]
Similar occurrences happened in the other houses as the Six Dragons and One Phoenix came out of seclusion to join the Esoteric Debate. Especially…
In Caged Dragon City, people gathered outside a secret room on the mountain behind Regent Estate. As the stone gate moved, two people were made known to all. One was a calm youth, his every step at ease and firm. His incredible air made even the Profound Heaven elders step back in shock.
Behind him was High Venerable Huangpu Fenglei with pride in his eyes.
"High Venerable, any progress?" Huangpu Tianyuan asked.
Huangpu Fenglei caressed his beard with a smile, "I oversaw his training personally. He is the pinnacle in the world, second to none!"
"High Venerable, that is hardly the case!"
The youth's cold tone came in rebuke, "My current self isn't taught on, only my nature. And father, your words are pointless!"
Shuddering, everyone watched Huangpu Tianyuan speak with such crass and lack of manners. Yet all nodded, [This is the air of a lord!]
Taking a deep breath, Huangpu Tianyuan chuckled, "Seeing you so confident, I won't ask any further. I believe that in the Esoteric Debate you will bring shock on everyone's faces. Let them see that Regent Estate's power shrouds the seven houses!"
"Father, you're wrong again. I am not confident, just my nature! I do not need to amaze them for Regent Estate to shroud the houses. My very arrival turns it into reality! The unification of the seven houses, that impossible matter, will be completed with my ascension!"
Huangpu Qingtian was calm and someone rushed to put a golden cape over his shoulder. His natural grace and demeanor looked down on every single being.
Even Huangpu Tianyuan felt anger inside. The youth was clearly unfilial.
But this was Regent Estate, and they trained themselves to have lordly flairs. It didn't matter if the father and son fought over the Estate Lord position, what mattered was the ability to have it! One's leadership applied to the entire house, even to the Estate Lord.
Leng Wuchang came to Huangpu Tianyuan and bowed, "Eldest young master, it is good to be confident, but one must also be wary in every taken action, lest you'd meet with utter failure!"
"Oh, and where are you going with this?" Huangpu Tianyuan glanced by.
Smiling Leng Wuchang said, "A fiend had recently appeared in Tianyu, by the name of Zhuo Fan. It pushed back the seven houses and killed dozens of our elders. Even the second young master fell victim. I heard he will be joining in the Esoteric Debate. Please remain cautious, eldest young master!"
"Humph, second brother was worthless. He got what he deserved, killed by a nobody. As for those elders, they are even bigger fools! But for that kid to kill so many and still live, that makes you the biggest fools of all! Are you telling me he's as invincible as that Gu Santong from three hundred years ago?" Huangpu Qingtian snapped coldly.
Leng Wuchang shook his head, "Gu Santong is a monster seen perhaps once a millennia. But he is not like Gu Santong. Gu Santong may be unbridled, but gullible. While that kid's treachery runs deep, expert at gathering people to stand by his side. The reason why we've failed to get his head is because three houses have formed an alliance with him. He is also relying on one of the Four Pillars, War God Dugu Zhantian and even the imperial family is protecting him. Our hands were tied…"
"Oh, a schemer you say?" Shaking his head, Huangpu Qingtian said, "Fine then, since you're all so worthless, I will personally end that man in the Esoteric Debate!"
"Eldest young master, please exercise extreme caution. Every single one that has underestimated the kid has died in agony!"
Leng Wuchang bowed, but his words earned a snort from Huangpu Qingtian, "Sir Leng, I admire your talent greatly, but please, do not lump me together with you fools! By the way, once I have that kid's head, the title of Estate Lord… Oh, father, isn't it about time for you to step down?"
Trembling, Huangpu Tianyuan's face was a mask of darkness and rage!
This was his 'good' son, the strongest talent in the seven houses, the head of the six dragons, one that at this crucial time, was only thinking of how to snatch his father's position, the Heaven-shaking Dragon Lord Huangpu Qingtian…