The spacious square was already buzzing with noise early on, as crowds from all directions filled nearly every street, alley, and rooftop nearby. However, no one dared to step onto the square itself. In the center of the square, there was a stone platform spanning dozens of square meters, its marks fresh, clearly prepared swiftly by the Nalan family in recent days. On the side facing Nalan Mansion, there was a large platform, which was already filled with people. Those who could sit there were all distinguished guests invited by the Nalan family, as well as the family's upper echelons. These guests were conversing in low voices, naturally discussing today's duel between Nalan He and Li Yi.
The arrival of Nalan Ba and Nalan Qing seemed to cause a stir among the people on the platform, but given Nalan Ba's reputation, not many were willing to approach and engage in idle chatter at this time. Seated in the place of honor, Nalan Ba's gaze slowly swept around the square, taking a few critical spots into account before commenting lightly, "Your father has become more cautious in handling affairs, knowing to keep those discordant forces separated to prevent them from causing trouble. It seems the trials of these years have made him much calmer."
Nalan Qing, standing by the side, replied, "That's only because they respect Grandfather's reputation that they are so compliant."
Nalan Ba scoffed, "What reputation do I have... Let's not talk about that. What about the imperial city? Who has come this time?"
Nalan Qing casually pointed out, "Ye Qianwu from the Ye family, Hong Yu from the Hong family, Miao Ke from the Northern Dipper Sect... Aside from these three, there hasn't been anyone else remarkable showing up."
"Has no one from the royal family come?" Nalan Ba asked.
Nalan Qing replied softly, "No one from the royal family has come, probably because father did not allow sister to return... However, people from the Martial Deity Hall have come!"
As he said this, Nalan Qing subtly pointed towards a corner on the platform. There, two priests in white robes were sitting with an air of aloofness, creating a noticeable void around them. Nalan Ba grunted, "Those priests are still the same as ever, sticking their noses everywhere... Remember, if you're going to make a move, try not to attract those priests' attention. Under the guise of the Martial Deity above, they have annexed countless forces over the years. Honestly, they're more troublesome than the Northern Dipper Sect, but no one dares to speak out!"
Nalan Qing nodded quickly, his gaze still fixed on that spot for a moment. Then, one of the priests in white, as if sensing his gaze, turned to look over, smiled lightly at Nalan Qing, and then withdrew his gaze. Those from the Martial Deity Hall are indeed peculiar, Nalan Qing thought, quickly shifting his attention to the arena.
Today's battle could have a significant impact not just on him, Nalan He, and the Nalan family, but also on Yunshui City and even the entire northwestern region. This could be what they mean by "a single thread moves the whole body."
As time passed, the originally noisy scene gradually quieted down, the atmosphere tensing up as if a spring being wound tighter and tighter, uncertain of when it might break...
At one moment, when the square had reached a peak of silence, a series of soft footsteps started approaching from afar, making the already tense atmosphere even more strained. The eyes of everyone in the square turned towards the wide street facing the platform, where only two silhouettes were slowly making their way, without any accompanying crowd. Everyone understood that only today's main characters had the right to step onto that place!
Nalan He, who had been standing at the edge of the platform with his hands behind his back, slowly opened his eyes as those footsteps approached. His gaze quickly locked onto the figure making its way towards the square. The footsteps seemed unaffected by the sudden attention, maintaining a steady pace, each step precisely the same interval apart, not deviating in the slightest.
"Dum... Dum... Dum..." Like a giant drum beating in the distance, the sound wasn't loud but continually prickled at everyone's nerves.
Finally, at a certain moment, those two distant figures had stepped onto the square!
"Thump—" The figure following closely behind drifted to the side like a floating willow fluff...
"Thump—" His stance suddenly paused, and the momentum he had carried all the way here soared, like an unparalleled sword, its cold killing intent palpable even sheathed.
At this moment, Li Yi, as if oblivious to the others in the square, swept his cold gaze across the crowd and then fixed it on Nalan He on the platform. Their icy glares clashed in mid-air, sparking a visible friction.
A slight smile appeared on Li Yi's face as he slightly bowed his hands and said lightly, "Li family, Li Yi!"
On the platform, Nalan He's eyes flashed sharply. He could see that Li Yi's entrance had already made a strong impression, putting him at a disadvantage. Indeed, the duel between the two had started the moment Li Yi appeared on the street.
Knowing that showing weakness now could lead to defeat later in the duel, Nalan He, experienced and undefeated, understood this well. At a disadvantage, he made no unnecessary movements, merely raising his hand slightly, "Nalan family, Nalan He!"
In the same calm tone, the voice slowly spread out among the onlookers, as if whispering in their ears. This alone proved Nalan He's extremely skillful control over the wind attribute Dou Qi. Thus, they stared at each other from afar, as if the arena between them didn't exist.
"Is this the kid from the Li family?" Nalan Ba, twirling a jade ring in his hand, commented lightly. Nalan Qing, standing beside him, replied in a low voice, "Yes! He previously went by the name Du Fei and has already defeated Han Zhu from the Han Merchant Group!"
"Oh? That Han kid lost to him?" Nalan Ba pondered. "Yes!" "Although that Han kid is all bark and no bite, he is still a Warrior class fighter. Being able to defeat him means he possesses the strength of at least a Warrior class, or perhaps, he is a Warrior himself!" Nalan Ba said lightly, "Interesting... I didn't expect the Li family could produce such a descendant... Tsk tsk, Li Qing that old fellow must be very pleased right now!"
On the other side, Hong Yu's thoughtful gaze remained on Li Yi. He shook his head slightly before murmuring, "I don't know why, but I feel like I've seen this person somewhere before, yet I can't remember where. It's a strange feeling..." Sitting beside him, Ye Qianwu commented lightly, "Young Master Hong Yu, do you remember where you've seen this kid?"
"It must have been in the Naga Mountains," Hong Yu thought for a moment before hesitatingly saying. He was aware that Ye Qianwu probably knew about the Emperor's Tomb incident, "But, given the circumstances then, with his current strength, he wouldn't even have had the chance to intervene... so it seems unlikely!"
"Maybe you're mistaken," Ye Qianwu frowned slightly, "But, Young Master Hong Yu, this person is definitely not as simple as he appears. Be cautious if you encounter him in the future!"
"Hehe, is Sister Qianwu concerned about me?" Hong Yu smiled lightly, noticing Ye Qianwu's frown before coughing and adding, "Just kidding... But it's clear, he's no ordinary person! In such a situation, if he were an average person, he would've been scared stiff by now, let alone competing in aura with Nalan He! You know, Nalan He is someone even the Northern Dipper Sect and Martial Deity Hall don't dare to underestimate..."
Ye Qianwu hesitated for a moment, not revealing what she had seen at the Li family's back mountain that day. Her gaze remained fixed on Li Yi, subtly feeling as if Li Yi's figure harmoniously matched the shadow she was investigating. "Damn it! How could he be a match for my brother!? What am I thinking about!?" Ye Qianwu shook her head, feeling slightly frustrated inside. Little did she know, her intuition was spot on this time, though perhaps even she herself didn't believe it.
The two opponents, one tall and one short, continued to stare at each other without making a move. However, invisibly, as if two waves were clashing fiercely, making it hard for onlookers not to hold their breath.
"Hehe, young friend Li Yi is indeed trustworthy!" Suddenly, a light laughter emerged, followed by a figure gracefully floating down to the center of the arena. His arrival made the two competitors grunt, their surging auras receding slightly. This sudden intruder also felt a bit frustrated inside; he knew how dangerous it was to interrupt in such a situation, as the clash of auras could've caused both competitors to attack him first. Fortunately, being a King class fighter himself, he managed to suppress this change before it escalated.
"Hehe, gentlemen, and everyone present! I am Miao Ke from the Northern Dipper Sect, acting as the witness for today's duel!" As this statement ended, gasps were heard from the audience. The Northern Dipper Sect's status in the Tianfeng Empire was well-known, and Miao Ke's appearance was a shock. Having a Northern Dipper Sect's outer sect elder as a witness indicated the significance of this event for both the Nalan and the so-called Li families. Otherwise, with the Northern Dipper Sect's lofty attitude, they would hardly agree to this.
Miao Ke seemed quite pleased with this reaction. He nodded and said, "Since I am witnessing today's duel, let me lay down three rules! First, conceding defeat verbally means loss. Second, losing one's life means defeat. Third, falling off the arena means defeat. There are no restrictions during the fight! Both sides rely on their skills, and life and death are left to fate. Should the defeated party seek retribution against the victor's family in the future, they shall become enemies of the Northern Dipper Sect! I, Miao Ke, and all the powerful witnesses present, shall attest to this!"
The crowd was momentarily stunned, then, after exchanging glances, they chorused, "We all bear witness! We all bear witness!"
Miao Ke smiled, gesturing for silence, then took a deep breath, drifted back to a referee's seat near the arena, and sat down gently. Raising his hand, he suddenly released a surge of Dou Qi like lightning, tearing through the sky.
"Let the duel begin!"