The Xingyun Continent had many places abundant with spiritual energy, and many sects chose to establish themselves near mountains and rivers.

Several thousand li outside Qingyang Commandery, there was such a mountain. Spiritual energy lingered throughout the mountain, and the mountain springs contained boundless spiritual power. The people of the world called it the Holy Spring, hence the name Holy Spring Mountain.

Eight hundred years ago, a powerful expert came here to establish a sect, creating the Holy Spring Sect and working with determination to develop it.

To this day, it had become a fifth-rate sect with a pivotal position across several thousand li.

Many martial artists believed that the Holy Spring Sect’s current achievements had much to do with the Holy Spring, because drinking that water year-round would surely provide tremendous assistance to martial cultivation.

Unfortunately.

For those outside the sect, martial artists found it difficult to drink.

On this day.

Before the mountain gate of the Holy Spring Sect, where spiritual energy lingered, forces from all directions came visiting in an endless stream, climbing step by step up the stone stairs with hundreds of years of history.

“Fifth-rate sects truly are majestic and imposing!”

A martial artist looked at the dense spiritual power gathered at the mountainside, his gaze full of envy.

“If it weren’t for the Tiegu Sect challenging the Holy Spring Sect, we probably wouldn’t have a chance to enter this kind of great sect.”

“Speaking of which, that eighth-rate sect from Qingyang Commandery is really bold enough—actually daring to come challenge the Holy Spring Sect like an egg striking a stone.”

“These days, new emerging sects will do anything to gain attention, won’t they?”

“Challenging a sixth-rate sect would still be acceptable, but challenging a fifth-rate sect—if they lose, they’ll never be able to mix in the martial world again.”

The martial artists from all sides climbing Holy Spring Mountain were all discussing this.

They came from other commanderies. Although their purpose this time was to watch the Tiegu Sect challenge the Holy Spring Sect, in reality they wanted to tour a great sect.

Why?

Because they simply didn’t regard the Tiegu Sect at all—once the challenge began, they would surely be abused miserably.

If it were a sixth-rate sect, perhaps they could be optimistic, but eighth-rate versus fifth-rate—any person with a normal brain wouldn’t believe victory was possible.

……

The Holy Spring Sect really was large.

Just the outer courtyard’s Martial Arts Arena alone was comparable to the venue for the sect competition in Liyang City!

The main hall was even more magnificent and imposing, radiating an ancient and simple aura—one look and you could tell it had tremendous historical depth.

This was the foundation of a sect established for eight hundred years. Even some newly emerging fifth-rate sects might not compare.

After the martial artists from various places entered, looking at the distinctive architecture, looking at the solemn and dignified great hall, all showed reverent respect.

Truly worthy of a great sect!

Just standing at the outer courtyard entrance, a feeling of worship rose faintly in their hearts.

However, when they saw disciples with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes bustling back and forth, the auras they radiated all at the Wutu level, they were deeply shocked.

Who hasn’t seen Wutu before?

But the Holy Spring Sect’s Wutu—just from their momentum alone, they were all middle to high tier!

The martial cultivation realms of the Xingyun Continent actually had more detailed divisions within each level: ordinary tier, middle tier, high tier, and extreme tier.

Take the Wutu level, for instance.

Each rank’s strength amplification varied between approximately one thousand to two thousand.

Those with the lowest strength amplification value were called ordinary tier Wutu; reaching fifteen hundred was called middle tier; reaching two thousand was high tier.

Extreme tier Wutu could reach twenty-five hundred!

Strength amplification depended on talent and various factors, so extreme tier Wutu were what people commonly called top-tier geniuses!

So then, what was the difference between extreme tier and ordinary tier Wutu?

There was.

And it was very large!

Take Peak Wutu for example.

An ordinary tier Wutu’s strength topped out at twelve thousand jin, while an extreme tier Wutu’s strength started at a minimum of twenty-five thousand jin!

A difference of two times—an extreme tier Peak Wutu could easily insta-kill an ordinary tier Peak Wutu.

The Holy Spring Sect disciples bustling about in the outer courtyard had steady steps and radiated deep, solid auras. The big shots from various forces could tell at a glance—these were absolutely middle to high tier Wutu!

Having a few middle to high tier Wutu in one’s own sect was already quite good, but in fifth-rate sects they were everywhere—this was the enormous gap!

“Everyone.”

Just then, an elegant and graceful disciple walked over, refined and cultured: “The guest chambers have been arranged. Please follow me.”

Shock rose again in everyone’s hearts.

This disciple’s age should be less than twenty, yet he had Wushi cultivation, and the aura he radiated was also very dense—absolutely extreme tier!

“He’s one of the Holy Spring Sect’s personal disciples, named Qing Linfeng!”

“Is that the Young Master Linfeng who, with a single three-chi sword, alone ascended Dragon Stockade and completely annihilated over three hundred bandits?”

“Tsk tsk, heroes emerge young!”

The crowd followed behind, their gazes rising with awe.

For the Holy Spring Sect to have a personal disciple with a Supreme-grade spiritual root arrange their accommodations—this really gave tremendous face.

Wait!

Just then, everyone’s gaze stopped at the entrance to the inner courtyard, seeing a woman with delicate features, surrounded by female disciples, walk inside.

“That’s… the Palace Master of Miaohua Palace!”

“My heavens, why has a sect master of a fourth-rate sect also come?”

“Could it be she’s coincidentally visiting the Holy Spring Sect?”

Everyone looked astonished.

Qing Linfeng said: “Palace Master Xi heard that the Tiegu Sect was coming to challenge our Holy Spring Sect and specially came to watch the excitement.”

Everyone’s mouths twitched.

An eighth-rate sect challenging a fifth-rate sect was already inconceivable, but to also alarm the fourth-rate Miaohua Palace—this was somewhat hard to accept!

At this moment, two young maidens walked out from the inner courtyard, the lily flower patterns embroidered on their shoulders extremely eye-catching!

Everyone’s eyes widened.

This lily pattern, could it be…

Qing Linfeng said: “They are disciples of the Lily Saint Sect, also here to watch the excitement.”

Hiss!

Everyone sucked in cold air.

The Tiegu Sect challenging the Holy Spring Sect had actually alarmed people from a second-rate sect—what kind of world was this!

“That young girl seems to be Murong Xin, the genius girl from the Murong Family of Tianhai City, right?”

“Tsk tsk, I’ve heard of this girl. She possesses a Supreme-grade spiritual root and is acclaimed as Tianhai Commandery’s heaven’s chosen daughter.”

“The Eleventh Elder of the Lily Saint Sect took a liking to her and personally went to the Murong Family to accept her as a disciple—it caused a huge sensation at the time.”

“Heh heh, speaking of most sensational, it would have to be when she brought people from the Lily Saint Sect to the Xiao Family in Qingyang Commandery to break off the engagement.”

“I heard about that too. Apparently a genius with Supreme-grade spiritual root appeared in that ninth-rate commandery, but later his cultivation regressed and he became a废物, so his fiancée Murong Xin cast him off.”

“On the Xingyun Continent, it’s always men casting off women—never expected there’d be women casting off men. How utterly pathetic.”

The crowd’s discussion reached Murong Xin’s ears, and a trace of anger rose in her bright eyes.

“Junior martial sister.”

Her senior martial sister said in a low voice: “Don’t lower yourself to the level of these shallow men.”

The crowd also saw Murong Xin’s anger and quickly shut their mouths, obediently following Qing Linfeng toward the inner courtyard.

The senior martial sister said: “Junior martial sister breaking off the engagement with that废物 is already a thing of the past, but mouths grow on other people’s faces and can’t be stopped, so don’t take it too much to heart.”

Murong Xin remained silent, guilt rising in her heart.

Only she herself knew clearly—she wasn’t angry because others were discussing her, but because they were mocking Xiao Zuiji.

Undeniably, the two of them no longer had any relationship, but him becoming everyone’s laughingstock was also caused by her own youthful ignorance in going to break off the engagement.

“Xiao Zuiji, I’m sorry. I only wanted to pursue freedom—I didn’t want to hurt you.” Murong Xin murmured in her heart.

Was saying sorry useful?

On this point, opinions would differ.

But in Jun Changxiao’s view, regardless of whether Murong Xin acted intentionally or unintentionally, what she did to Xiao Zuiji, to a man, had already constituted enormous harm to his dignity. Two years from now, he would definitely lead his disciples to the Lily Saint Sect to demand justice!

In the world that once was, the young didn’t need to bear legal responsibility, but on the Xingyun Continent, if you did something wrong, you must pay the price, because here the strong were supreme!

Truly remorseful?

Fine—bring those Lily Saint Sect people who were full of superiority when they went to the Xiao Family to my Tiegu Clanging Sect to apologize. That would count as sincerity!