Chapter 1511: 豪赌玉京鸣示世,藏苦独尊请战至

"He's back!"

Ujing City erupted in a roar of excitement. People pointed excitedly at the dazzling spatial array in the sky.

In less than a cup of tea's time, Ye Xiaotian returned, bringing three other people with him—he had successfully crossed the two domains!

"Is this spatial mastery?"

"Look! The one in front is Feng Tingchen, the Seven Swordsman! Oh, wait, he's from the previous generation."

"Is that Elder Yang? I've seen his portrait, the old goat-bearded swordsman, from the same generation as Mei Siyin?"

"Who's that young man?"

"Don't know him, but it doesn't matter."

"Yes, yes, with the Feng family here, the Swordsman Battle can begin!"

The dazzling spectacle was almost disorienting.

The prosperous Ujing City and the dilapidated battlefield outside its walls presented a stark contrast, leaving Feng Zhongzui utterly stunned. Feng Family City was also thriving, but compared to a grand place like the capital, it was merely a drop in the ocean.

"Mr. Siyin."

As soon as Feng Tingchen appeared, he bowed respectfully to Mei Siyin, simultaneously gesturing with his eyes towards the young man behind him.

"Oh, oh, it's an honor to meet you, Mr. Siyin! I've admired you for a long time!" Feng Zhongzui greeted, while pulling out a small mirror from his spatial ring. He knew his duty: to transmit the scenes and the shock of his first arrival to everyone in the Five Domains, so they could experience it firsthand.

He paused. Feng Zhongzui's slightly damp hair ruffled, his sword intent unfurled, and flowed into the Preaching Mirror.

"Buzz!"

The entire city was stirred, filled with cheers and exultant cries. Xu Xiaoshou felt the faint tremor of several swords around him. He turned abruptly, a look of surprise in his eyes.

"A Sword Dao Sovereign?"

Mei Siyin also looked over, a voice of surprise rising from him, as he seriously regarded this promising talent.

Feng Zhongzui's sword intent held a unique nonchalance; it seemed he never truly took anything in the world to heart, including his recent greeting to Mei Siyin. Respect was one thing, but in this young man's eyes, greetings were secondary; his primary duty was paramount—the Preaching Mirror must not be put down!

"This is Feng Zhongzui, a descendant of the Feng family. He's quite mischievous, so I brought him here to temper his character," Feng Tingchen turned to Mei Siyin, introducing him with a smile.

"How old is he?" Mei Siyin pulled out his fan.

"Sixteen."

"Good!" With a flick of his fan, he conveyed the sentiment, "This child is teachable."

The wrinkles at the corners of Feng Tingchen's eyes deepened. A sixteen-year-old Sword Dao Sovereign... Xu Xiaoshou was momentarily dazed. Setting aside his own comparison, this was Xiao Wanfeng's age, and Su Qianqian's talent realized! At the very least, a Sword Dao Sovereign had the initial qualification to challenge a Seven Swordsman. And Feng Zhongzui was from the Feng family; how could he not be deeply versed in the Way of the Sword?

A Sword Dao Sovereign, much like a Spirit Refining Sovereign, encompassed three minor realms. A Swordsman could also be considered a Sword Dao Sovereign, and Mr. Siyin, who could cut down Jiang Buyi before becoming a Saint, could also be considered a Sword Dao Sovereign. This realm was incredibly profound! Many people hid their true strength, each wanting to be a dark horse, making it impossible to gauge their full potential until they made a move.

After a sigh of admiration, Xu Xiaoshou simply offered a heartfelt compliment: "Indeed, a very promising talent."

Feng Tingchen looked over, his expression immediately turning strange. This young man, speaking such antiquated words... He didn't recognize this white-haired, nine-tailed youth, but his face seemed familiar, perhaps from a portrait he'd seen somewhere. Yet, judging by the atmosphere of the situation, the one destined to contend fiercely against the Northern Swordsman seemed to hinge entirely on this young man.

Was he Xu Xiaoshou?

"This is my student, Xu Xiaoshou." Mei Siyin pointed at him at the right moment, offering no further description, simply stating a name.

Feng Tingchen's expression grew solemn, and he bowed respectfully from a distance.

"Master Shou?" Feng Zhongzui's eyes lit up, and he swiftly aimed the Preaching Mirror at the notorious rascal he had long admired.

At that instant, across all the Preaching Mirrors in the Five Domains of the continent, the ethereal, fleeting figure solidified.

Within the Eight Palaces. The Feng family had specifically erected an extra Preaching Mirror in this small town, precisely because Master Shou originated from the Heavenly Sang Spirit Palace. At this moment, the Eight Palaces were bustling. Fu Xing and Fu Yinhong from Heavenly Sang City, along with their accompanying elders, and Qiao Qianzhi and Xiao Qixiu from the Heavenly Sang Spirit Palace had even brought all their inner courtyard disciples to watch and learn: Zhao Xidong, Rao Yinyin, Tan Ji...

The very people who had once played together were now, in the blink of an eye, within the mirror, while he stood before it, seemingly beyond reach.

"He's changed so much..." Zhao Xidong, still chewing on a blade of grass, squatted on a rock, staring blankly. He couldn't believe that the white-haired, nine-tailed figure was the same Xu Xiaoshou who had once blown up the Spirit Treasure Pavilion.

"I can barely recognize him," declared Tan Ji, the true self of Xu Xiaoshou's body double, "Little Stone Tan Ji." He completely disavowed any knowledge of the man, despite having been interrogated multiple times by the Holy Divine Palace due to his absurd ramblings.

"Ujing City..." Rao Yinyin gazed at the Preaching Mirror, her eyes dimmed as she watched the prominent figures surrounding Xu Xiaoshou. She murmured to herself, "You still owe me a Sovereign Pill..."

Fu Xing pointed at the figure in the mirror, both annoyed and a little relieved: "I knew back then that he was no ordinary man!"

Fu Yinhong glared coldly, knowing her brother wouldn't say anything pleasant.

Fu Xing chuckled again: "Good thing you two didn't work out. A husband who's too strong isn't necessarily a good thing. I'm relieved now."

"Shut up!"

Fu Xing sighed deeply: "Ah, after hearing so many legends for so long, I can finally witness his battle with my own eyes. It's just a pity I didn't get to see the Eighth Swordsman..."

Sword Burial Mound. A brightly shining Preaching Mirror stood, almost as if placed defiantly before the mountain. The people who usually devoutly paid respects to the mountain were all gone, gathered around the Preaching Mirror, pointing and exclaiming: "Master Shou!"

"Northern Swordsman!"

"They're here! Mr. Siyin, Senior Feng Tingchen, Elder Gu, Yang Xizhi... Swordsman Liu Fuyu is here too, my goodness, is this a grand gathering? All Swordsmen!"

"Gu Qing Er and San are here, huh, didn't the eldest come? Gu Er, Gu San, what do you think of this battle?" Someone pointed to the back. The crowd parted as Gu Qing Er, with a sword wheel on his back and nine swords suspended, walked silently to sit on a large stone in front of the Preaching Mirror, looking gloomy.

Gu Qing San, however, smiled openly and waved back to the crowd: "I think Xu Xiaoshou will win. He's too strong. After all, I taught him a thing or two about the Way back then."

"Oh? Lessons in the Three Thousand Sword Dao? You two have such a connection?"

"Yes, and my second senior brother was also saved by Xu Xiaoshou on Void Island, so we have quite a connection..."

Gu Qing Er immediately glared at him.

"Hahaha!" Gu Qing San scratched his head and chuckled, pointing to the back, "Actually, you should ask my junior sister about these questions."

Everyone looked back to see a small girl in white, holding a heavy black sword, walking steadily towards them.

"Su Qianqian!"

"She's incredibly lucky! She was taken as a disciple by Swordsman Wen Ting from afar in the Cloud Ridge Mountains... My goodness, I want that too!"

"Look, look, is that the Demon Ancestor of Ten Thousand Weapons? I heard the Holy Divine Palace offered a huge reward back then; anyone who found it and turned it in would instantly rise to prominence... But what idiot would hand it over if they found it?"

"I know this much: the Demonic Sword specifically sought out Su Qianqian, winding its way around the Holy Divine Palace's search network!"

"Tsk tsk, this girl is a bit terrifying. Her exceptional talent goes without saying, but even famous swords are scrambling to seek her out. I heard she was previously the sword-wielder for Tomb-named City Snow?"

"I know! And I also know that all the members of the Su family challenged the Eighth Swordsman in turn and all died in battle... Alas, one can only say that not a single member of the Su family was a coward; they all possessed formidable pride!"

"Shush..."

Su Qianqian walked calmly through the murmuring crowd. Just as her senior brothers used to protect her, they now took it in stride. She had also begun to grasp the realm of not being swayed by external things or personal misfortunes. She remembered the past, but no longer held excessive obsession.

"He will win," Su Qianqian said softly, calmly raising her eyes to the Preaching Mirror.

"Oh? You're rooting for Xu Xiaoshou too? Oh, I forgot you two have history... By the way, where's your eldest senior brother?" Someone turned to ask again.

"He's preparing for battle."

"What battle?"

"The next battle, a fated meeting at the pinnacle."

Senyue Immortal City. Blood flowed across the fields, and dry bones littered the ground. Xiao Kongtong, holding the Kongtong Formless Sword, carved a bloody path, fighting his way to the Preaching Mirror. After a glance at the figure within, he chuckled and turned back to resume fighting.

Eastern Heavenly King City. At the Pilgrimage Plaza, before the Pilgrimage Tower, the former site of the Heavenly First Floor. Dong Ling and Shi Ti from the Alchemist Association, Nangong Yin and Yuan Haisheng from Night Cat, the new heads of Guiyin Pavilion and Great String Sect... all craned their necks to watch.

Crescent Moon Bay. Bazun An, Storyteller, Dao Qiongcang, Gou Wuyue, Wei Feng, and other role-players, with arms linked, all gazed at the figure.

"This Lord guessed it."

"You shut up!"

"As for this greedy spirit, I'll tell you honestly, I anticipated it back then: it was either uncontracted, or definitely contracted..."

"Stop spouting nonsense, okay? Either it's dead, or it's alive. And if it's alive, doesn't that mean it's contracted? You've stated both possibilities, and you call that divine foresight? My brother could do that too."

"Only women and petty people are difficult to deal with."

"Dao Qiongcang, what do you mean? Are you calling people petty?"

"A gentleman doesn't scold, he offers guidance."

"You!"

Four Tombs Mountain. On Thunderclap Peak, around a lone Preaching Mirror, sat a multitude of old figures, scratching their ears and cheeks in anticipation. Long Rongzhi, Lou Yu, the Chi family, Da Yao, Xiao Yao, Mu Lin... Among the younger ones, only Bai Lian and Hua Ying were present, allowed to be there as a courtesy to the Old Ancestor, Long Rongzhi.

High in the sky, a white dragon, gleaming like jade, coiled, with a little girl perched on its head. She wore purple clothes, her face was soft and tender, and her hair was tied in two playful buns, making her look mischievous and adorable. Yet, her voice was surprisingly old-fashioned:

"Is that Xu Xiaoshou?"

"Yes," Lou Yu pointed, then moved his finger, "This rebellious disciple is Ye Xiaotian! But he has mastered spatial mastery..."

"Then don't call him rebellious anymore!"

"Oh, oh, if Lord Zipet is willing to protect him, then Ye Xiaotian's ancestors must be smiling from their graves; he'll survive this battle."

"Watch the show, watch the show."

"Yes, Lord Zipet."

From Acquired Spirit Refiners to Half-Saints and Saint Emperors, Xu Xiaoshou hadn't imagined that his dream would come true so naturally one day, with the whole world watching him.

At that moment, he saw the Preaching Mirror aimed at him. He flashed a wide grin at the world, then shifted his gaze back to Beibei, tilting his head: "With such a grand setup and so many esteemed seniors invited to observe, ending it in just a few quick moves would be disrespectful to everyone present and those watching through the mirror."

"How about this, let's add a bit of a wager, shall we?"

Feng Zhongzui, holding the Preaching Mirror, zoomed in on Beibei's expression at the opportune moment. Beibei's face was a bit stiff, her expression very unnatural. Clearly, she understood the significance of the Preaching Mirror better and knew how many people were watching her at that moment.

"Wha-what kind of wager?" As soon as she spoke, Beibei turned her head and spat, "Xu Xiaoshou, stop pretending, alright? What do you mean 'a few moves to finish me'? Be careful not to bite your tongue!"

Xu Xiaoshou sighed, saying, "You and I are both fighting to protect Ujing City. If you win, you gain fame and profit, becoming a marquis or duke. If I win, I can only turn and leave, gaining nothing. That's too unfair." After speaking, he looked at Feng Tingchen: "Senior Feng, wouldn't you agree?"

Feng Tingchen kept his eyes downcast, thinking, "Don't drag me into this, young man." He said, "You two decide among yourselves. Just let me know when you're ready. Feng Zhongzui will record the battle, and the Sword Tower will give the evaluation results."

Beibei grew tense, raising her Imperial Sword, Sovereign Solitude, high: "Xu Xiaoshou, the time for battle is here. What other tricks are you trying to pull?"

"Emperors take turns, next year it's my turn!" Xu Xiaoshou laughed heartily, pointing to Ujing City beneath their feet: "If you win, all that's yours remains yours, and I won't pursue your Grand Hallmaster Xuanji's faults. I will simply withdraw."

"But if I win, Ujing City belongs to me!"

Ujing City immediately fell into a deathly silence. Everyone before the Preaching Mirrors was puzzled, unable to comprehend the meaning of his words.

"Does he mean that the capital's grand array will fall under his control?" Qiao Qianzhi understood it this way.

"Does he intend for his Heavenly First Floor to establish itself in Ujing City, or like the Alchemist Association, open a branch in the capital, gaining recognition from the Holy Divine Palace?" Shi Ti's thoughts raced.

"Does he want to settle down too?" Xin Gugu's journey to the Central Domain to retrieve the Sacred Beasts was halted by the Preaching Mirror.

Beibei frowned, sweeping her gaze across the city below: "What do you mean?"

"Literal meaning!" Xu Xiaoshou spread his hands. "If I win, Ujing City's land is mine, its grand array is mine, its wealth is mine, its people are mine... Everything will belong to my Heavenly First Floor, no longer to Ujing City or the Holy Divine Palace."

"You're dreaming!" Beibei's eyes turned red. Xu Xiaoshou had an enormous appetite.

"Anyway, Grand Hallmaster Xuanji didn't protect you; she even tried to use the Divine Willow to devour you. In contrast, Half-Saint Ye protected you several times, and I protected you several times too..." Xu Xiaoshou said, looking down.

A low murmur rose from Ujing City. There was some truth to what Xu Xiaoshou said. Compared to Half-Saint Ye, Grand Hallmaster Xuanji was practically Ujing City's enemy! Not only did the grand array fail to protect everyone, but there was also a time it went out of control, when she truly intended to drain living people for vitality to sustain her own survival.

"I agree."

"I disagree!"

"I think Master Shou is stronger than Grand Hallmaster Xuanji."

"You damn traitor! You're protected by the Holy Divine Palace, you feed on the spiritual energy gathered by the capital's grand array, how can you betray them like this?"

"But Master Shou's words are good: Emperors take turns, next year it's my turn. Whoever can make my life better, I'll follow them!"

"How dare you!"

"Nonsense!"

Discontented murmurs arose from various parts of the city. Not only were the people in front of the Preaching Mirrors shocked, but Beibei was also stunned. She had never imagined that Xu Xiaoshou's proposition would genuinely tempt anyone in Ujing City... Just as she was about to refuse again, a soft voice echoed in her ear.

Feng Zhongzui, who was eagerly watching the battle, immediately shifted his gaze. "Something's happening!" He zoomed in on the Northern Swordsman's expression, focusing on her slightly twitching ears, and explained to the Preaching Mirror: "You might not see it clearly, but I'm here on site and can accurately tell you that someone just sent a voice transmission!"

Feng Tingchen was completely dumbfounded. He turned to glare, about to erupt in anger, but then saw Feng Zhongzui aiming the mirror at him. He immediately became gentle and refined, his chest puffed out slightly, and his expression turned profound and inscrutable. He even subtly turned sideways, revealing half of the Crane Sword, Tingchen—half real, half obscured—making it appear even more mysterious and alluring.

—This was for the world to see; image was paramount!

Seeing this, Feng Zhongzui scoffed silently. He was fearless. As the most qualified spectator, whatever details he paid attention to during his usual gossip, he would now reveal to the public. Feng Tingchen? I'm not one to obey!

"I... accept," Beibei said with difficulty.

"Wow!" Feng Zhongzui immediately shrieked, then covered his mouth and whispered, "That must have been Grand Hallmaster Xuanji's order! Otherwise, no one could so quickly change the will of an ancient swordsman. You should know, ancient swordsmen—except for me—are all stubborn, including our old family head, Feng Ting..."

"Feng Zhongzui!" Feng Tingchen could no longer bear it. "If you want to die, don't drag the Feng family down with you!"

"Old family head, times have changed..." The young man aimed the Preaching Mirror at Master Shou, grinning widely as he said: "I bet Master Shou will win. I bet that the student will surpass the master. What about you?"

Feng Tingchen choked, unable to speak.

"Excellent!" In the arena, Xu Xiaoshou laughed loudly, raising the Four Swords in his hand high: "Since that's the case, I have no other questions..."

"I'll give you this chance to defeat me in front of the world!"

Beibei also raised her Imperial Sword, Sovereign Solitude, her face ashen, and said nothing more.

Feng Tingchen, genuinely afraid that the young man from his clan would babble something else, immediately stated: "In that case, for the battle for the top spot on the Seven Swordsmen Ranking, let the swords clash, let the message echo through the world... Declare battle!"

"Seven Swordsman Beibei, sword name Sovereign Solitude, declares battle!" Beibei clasped her fist, and was the first to toss her sword into the air.

Xu Xiaoshou paused, then turned to Mr. Siyin. "During battle, can only one sword be used?"

"Usually, yes, because most people only carry one sword, but there are no actual restrictions," Mei Siyin transmitted.

Xu Xiaoshou then breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the Four Swords in his hand. As one of the Five Chaos Divine Artifacts, this sword could certainly contend with the Imperial Sword, Sovereign Solitude, but the Four Swords were already famous enough... Xu Xiaoshou then put away the Flame Sword, Blazing Python, and the Fiendish Sword, Four Swords. Instead, he flicked a wildly writhing, excited black snake into the sky.

"Ying—"

As the black snake and the Imperial Sword, Sovereign Solitude, touched, and the snake coiled around the sword, beginning to slither lubriciously, both simultaneously emitted startling sword cries, some indicating resistance, others pleasure. Xu Xiaoshou's face twitched, yet he kept his gaze straight ahead, clasped his fists respectfully, and feigned a casual demeanor:

"Seven Swordsman Xu Xiaoshou, sword name Hidden Bitter..."

"Declares battle!"