Dongshan Prefecture City.
This is the heart of Dongshan Prefecture and its most prosperous metropolis, where many wealthy and influential families conduct their businesses.
However, only a handful of exceptionally prominent families can truly take root here.
The Xu family is one of them.
They are one of the three most prestigious families in Dongshan Prefecture, and the family head, Xu Lu, is a martial arts master at the fourth realm of martial arts, renowned for his extraordinary skill with a blade and his formidable reputation within Dongshan Prefecture.
Xu Lu has three sons, among whom the third, Xu Wenxuan, stands out the most in martial arts talent.
At just twenty-five years old, he has already reached the third realm of martial arts and has inherited his father's blade techniques, making him a prominent figure among the younger generation in Dongshan Prefecture.
Some enthusiasts have even dubbed him, along with Dong Hong from the Dong family, Pang Sheng from the Pang family, and Pei Liangji, the son of the prefect, as the "Four Heroes of Dongshan."
At this moment, within the Yugui Tower on the east side of the city, the hubbub of voices is deafening.
In the center of the tavern stands a gigantic arena.
And on the arena, two figures stand facing each other.
One of them is dressed in a splendid robe, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes.
The other wears a black robe and is as burly as a bear!
The youth in the splendid robe holds a blade in a ready stance.
The burly man is focused intently, with his entire being channeled into the spear in his hand, poised to strike.
The two have been locked in a stare for quite some time.
With the arena as the epicenter, violent auras of qi swirl and whip up gusts of wind!
The crowd of spectators around them watches the arena with excited expressions.
"Look! It's Pang Sheng, the young master of the Pang family! He's actually come to challenge Xu Wenxuan from the Xu family today!"
"Who do you think will win between the two of them?"
"I think it'll definitely be Xu Wenxuan. I heard he's already at the peak of the early stage of the Wanxiang Realm and is just one step away from breaking through to the mid-stage!"
"I'm not so sure. Pang Sheng's spear technique isExtremely domineering, and he possesses innate strength. The outcome is still uncertain!"
"..."
Just as the crowd is buzzing with discussions, the two figures move.
"Waves Amidst the Storm!"
Pang Sheng bellows, his right arm surging with power as he swings his spear in a perfect arc, sweeping towards Xu Wenxuan!
A wave of spear shadows rushes forth like a tidal wave.
The endless spear glints seem to engulf Xu Wenxuan!
"Hmph!"
Facing such a powerful attack, Xu Wenxuan remains unfazed, with a cold glint in his eyes.
"Severed Swan!"
He grips his blade with one hand, channeling his profound qi into the blade, and slashes out forcefully!
Instantly, a sharp blade of light whistles forth from the edge of his blade!
RUMBLE!!!
The blade of light collides with the spear glints, and the violent qi explodes outward, instantly engulfing the entire arena!
The two figures are violently knocked back to opposite sides of the arena, stumbling backward several steps.
However, Xu Wenxuan lightly taps the ground, stabilizing his footing.
Pang Sheng, on the other hand, cannot stop his momentum and falls off the arena.
"You've lost," Xu Wenxuan sheaths his blade, his tone flat.
Pang Sheng's face turns red, and he grits his teeth, glaring at Xu Wenxuan.
He feels不甘, but there's nothing he can do: "I've lost."
As soon as his words fade, the crowd erupts into a frenzy!
"Xu Wenxuan! Xu Wenxuan!"
Cheers echo throughout the Yugui Tower.
"They truly deserve to be called the 'Four Heroes of Dongshan'! Their battle is far beyond the level of other martial artists of the same realm!"
"Of course! Today was truly worth the trip!"
"I wonder how they compare to Li Mugui, the city lord of Feiying City."
Just as the excited discussions are taking place, a sudden voice cuts through.
"Li Mugui? Who's that?"
A patron looks confused.
"Don't you know? News about him has been spreading all over Dongshan Prefecture recently!"
"It's said that he used just one move to slay the infamous Shadowless Guest from Liang'an Prefecture!"
"Not only that, I've heard his swordsmanship is divine. With one sword, he can make the heavens and earth lose their color, leaving no place to hide. It's truly astonishing!"
"And he's only twenty years old, even younger than Xu Wenxuan!"
"What? Twenty? No way! How is that possible?"
The crowd is in an uproar!
The speaker looks pleased with himself: "Why not? My relative is from Liang'an Prefecture, and he told me personally that Li Mugui possesses the talent of a dragon or phoenix and the abilities of a unicorn!"
"Does that mean he's even more skilled than the 'Four Heroes of Dongshan'?"
"Could it be just some small-time character trying to make a name for himself by bragging?"
"I've heard he even boasted: Among my peers in Dongshan Prefecture, none can stand as my equal!"
"That's way too arrogant!"
Their discussions are clearly audible to Xu Wenxuan and Pang Sheng on the arena.
Pang Sheng's expression turns sour: "Hmph, it seems like another small-fry trying to make a name for himself by bragging!"
Xu Wenxuan, on the other hand, frowns slightly before saying: "Interesting. I look forward to seeing what kind of person he is."
With that, he turns around and leaves the Yugui Tower.
...
Similar incidents are occurring in various important cities across Dongshan Prefecture.
Countless people are shocked by Li Mugui's arrogance.
As a result, many young heroes begin to make their way to Feiying City.
Determined to challenge Li Mugui!
Meanwhile, a hundred li outside Feiying City.
A group of people bearing the 'Qianzhu' banner leisurely rides along the official road.
The leader is a middle-aged man with a resolute face and a burly build, dressed in a black martial arts uniform, exuding an extraordinary aura.
Behind him follow a dozen men similarly dressed.
"Uncle Yu, Li Mugui has been making a lot of noise recently. I heard that many talented individuals from Dongshan Prefecture are going to challenge him."
"Even the 'Four Heroes of Dongshan' are on the move!"
A youth with a youthful face, riding on a tall horse, excitedly says to the middle-aged man while they travel.
Uncle Yu, as he's called, rides slowly: "According to the information sent by Miss, Li Mugui's talents are indeed extraordinary. At just twenty years old, he's already reached the third realm of martial arts."
"Is it true that he slew the Shadowless Guest?" the youth asks.
"Miss confirmed it," Uncle Yu nods.
Upon hearing this, the youth gasps: "Wow! If only I could be as skilled as him!"
He looks longingly ahead.
Uncle Yu gently shakes his head and pats the youth's head: "Xiao An, don't aim too high. Everyone has their own fortunes in martial arts."
"If you blindly pursue others, it might hinder your own path in martial arts."
The youth, named Xiao An, nods in understanding: "Yes! Thank you for the reminder, Uncle Yu."
As they speak, the sound of approaching hoofbeats echoes from behind them.
A caravan of white horses speeds past them.
Through the windows of the carriage, Uncle Yu and his group catch a glimpse of a young man with a refined and handsome appearance sitting inside.
"That one who just passed seems to be Pei Liangji, the son of Prefect Pei," Uncle Yu murmurs, looking at the gradually receding caravan. "It seems he's also on his way to Feiying City."
Upon hearing this, Xiao An remarks: "This is the nth person we've encountered who's going to challenge Li Mugui. I wonder how the city lord of Feiying City plans to deal with all these self-important geniuses."