Chapter 108

Qiu Yichen poured wine for Chen Yi He.

Chen Yi He drank the wine in his cup.

The remote tavern is a place where imperial officials or the Embroidered Uniform Guard cannot find for a while.

"Can we talk now?" Chen Yi He asked.

"In three months, at the Five Absolutes Palace, there will be a gathering of outstanding young heroes; I hope you can join me." Qiu Yichen replied.

"Heroes' gathering?"

"It's just a martial contest, a contest for the younger generation," Qiu Yichen said with a smile to Chen Yi He, "Actually, I didn't have to seek you out; someone would have notified you sooner or later, after all you are the most outstanding rising star in the jianghu this past year—without your participation, the heroes' gathering would lack luster!"

"So you sought me out because you want us to join forces, right?"

"Yes."

"But you're already strong enough!" Chen Yi He's words came from the heart; the fact that Qiu Yichen could shake off Eunuch Zhang in a short time shows his strength, whereas Chen Yi He himself had been beaten half-paralyzed by Eunuch Zhang just three months ago…

Qiu Yichen drank another cup before telling Chen Yi He, "It's still far from enough…"

"Many of the talented youths of the younger generation don't they end up dying in the subterranean world of the Thousand Layers Gate?" Chen Yi He harbored many doubts.

"Then do you think I count as a skilled fighter?" Qiu Yichen countered.

Chen Yi He suddenly realized, "You had already reached beneath the Returning Wild Goose Pavilion back then but weren't selected by the Thousand Layers Gate—not because they didn't choose you, but because you didn't choose them!"

"Among martial practitioners, some value orthodox sect training, some prefer secluded cultivation, some like to train through combat, and so on; the Thousand Layers Gate is not the only option."

Chen Yi He didn't know how to respond.

Qiu Yichen continued, "Of course, being able to enter the Thousand Layers Gate is a glorious lifetime achievement! But its scheming can no longer be concealed; otherwise, countless would flock to it, yet you would not be able to get in."

"No wonder the Little Palace Master and Wu Rong are on guard." Chen Yi He nodded in agreement, feeling the truth that there are always greater heights and stronger people, and he asked, "Then will we encounter them this time?"

"Certainly, but that's not the point."

"Not the point?"

"Corresponding to the younger generation's heroes' gathering, there is also a contenders' gathering."

"Contenders' gathering?" Chen Yi He was about to tell Qiu Yichen he was confused.

"It means all the jianghu masters gather together, duel one by one to decide victory and determine the number one under heaven. If the heroes' gathering restricts age and seniority, then the contenders' gathering has no restrictions, and we will see experts of the level of the Five Absolutes Palace's Palace Master."

"Aren't we participating in the heroes' gathering?" Chen Yi He, his blood boiling from Qiu Yichen's words, had grown tired of being hunted; if he could exchange techniques with masters on a platform, it would be far more interesting than mindless killing—"Will there be no danger to our lives?"

"Both will participate; the Little Palace Master and his group will surely be the same. Think about it—being a young-generation expert and vying for the title of number one under heaven—that is the glory of reaching the pinnacle!" Qiu Yichen said somewhat excitedly, perhaps also swept up by his own enthusiasm, "Whether there is danger to life depends on whom you face; the Palace Master never leaves survivors… figures like the Western Desert Sword Demon and the Breaking Life Great Sword will surely attend as well!"

"Good heavens, isn't this a death sentence?" Chen Yi He thought of those two swordsmen and got goosebumps.

"You have killed Huang Zong and Huang Gao Yu, destroyed the God Sword Mountain Villa, and even robbed the emperor's ancestral grave; altogether that's enough to get you killed tens of thousands of times over. If you go with me to the Five Absolutes Palace to attend the heroes' gathering and contenders' gathering, you can still evade their pursuit—think about it, which imperial official would dare cause trouble at the Five Absolutes Palace?"

"Heroes' gathering… contenders' gathering…" Chen Yi He pondered, never imagining he would one day be qualified to participate in such an affair.

"Of course, you can also choose not to participate." Qiu Yichen had no intention of making things difficult for Chen Yi He.

"Tell me, besides fame, what else can we gain?" Chen Yi He was no fool; figures like the Western Desert Sword Demon, the Breaking Life Great Sword, and the Palace Master were already renowned throughout the world and would not wage war merely for a "number one under heaven" title.

Fame is an external thing; even the strongest would not all risk their lives for it.

"Hehe, I can't hide it from you—besides the title of 'number one under heaven,' there is also a treasure." A rare mischievous smile appeared on Qiu Yichen's face.

"A treasure?"

"The internal cultivation method 'Everlasting Art'."

"An internal cultivation method?" Chen Yi He had always felt he needed a set of internal cultivation suited to himself; the Xiao family's "Wither and Flourish Heart Canon" he simply couldn't stand! This was sufficient reason to move him.

"No one knows the origin of the 'Everlasting Art'; nobody knows who produced it, yet it can draw countless people into contention."

"Isn't that just like the Heavenly Secret Sword?"

"No, it's something the Heavenly Secret Sword cannot compare to; swordsmen are only a part of the jianghu fraternity, many people don't even use swords, whereas internal cultivation methods can be practiced by anyone. It is said that if one cultivates it to the utmost, one can achieve longevity."

"Longevity? Immortality? Undying?!" Chen Yi He finally couldn't hold back, asking the world: who could say no to the two words "longevity"?

"I understand what you mean."

"Then think it over; I must be frank with you—we are very likely to lose our lives." Qiu Yichen said candidly.

Chen Yi He liked such candid people; speaking plainly and effortlessly, he said, "If we succeed, bring me a share of that cultivation method."

"Certainly."

"One word settles it, cheers!" Chen Yi He and Qiu Yichen clinked cups.

Chen Yi He wasn't going just for the internal cultivation method; he also wanted to see the Little Palace Master and Wu Rong, whom he hadn't seen in a while, to know how they were doing now.

"But I still need to make it clear to you—you must think carefully, after all, this concerns your life." Qiu Yichen reiterated to Chen Yi He.

"Don't worry about that—who in the jianghu doesn't get a knife? Just go for it! Hahaha!" Chen Yi He laughed loudly.

Chen Yi He and Qiu Yichen drank for over two hours straight, neither getting drunk, probably because they had clarified their goal.

"Thud… thud… thud…" The sound of horse hooves came from outside the tavern, heading straight for it.

Chen Yi He gripped the Heavenly Secret Sword tightly.

Qiu Yichen gripped the Setting Moon Blade tightly.

The two exchanged a smile.

They set down their wine cups.

"Men, search!" was the voice of Lu Qianchuan.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

Chen Yi He and Qiu Yichen simultaneously broke through the window and fell into the encirclement of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"Really, even having a drink doesn't let one rest in peace!" Chen Yi He muttered.

"If we let you rest in peace, our Western Depot couldn't rest in peace!" a burly man beside Lu Qianchuan said to Chen Yi He.