Chapter 395: The Truly Strong

The battle at Huishan was grand and sweeping, with many spectators, among whom were many famous figures of the martial arts world and officials of the Imperial Court.

After the banquet ended, the details of this battle swept across the entire Jianzhou at an unimaginable speed, and subsequently, the news radiated in all directions, spreading throughout the entire Liyang Dynasty.

Xuanyuan Guoqi, Xuanyuan Jingyi, and Xuanyuan Jingxuan were all prominent figures in Jianzhou; if they stomped their feet, the entire Jianzhou would tremble.

Yet, they just died like that.

As for the Xuanyuan Ancestor, Xuanyuan Dapan, he was even a Great Truth-Seeker with the potential for longevity, on the verge of becoming a Land Immortal. Even placed within the entire Liyang Dynasty, he was a figure who could be counted on one's fingers.

But such a supreme expert with profound cultivation was defeated and severely injured by an obscure junior at his own birthday banquet; had the other party not shown mercy, the celebratory banquet would have instantly turned into a funeral banquet, a seamless transition.

Various factions such as Longhu Mountain and the Wu Family Sword Tomb also received the news one after another, most expressing schadenfreude and clapping in approval, simply because the Xuanyuan Ancestor was notorious and had finally exhausted his evil deeds.

As for the prestige he had accumulated over decades, it all became a stepping stone for "Murong Tonghuang," making the other party a sensation in Jianzhou, shaking Guangling with his might, and spreading his name throughout Liyang.

For a time, the whole world knew, and countless people competed to guess the origins, background, and cultivation of Murong Tonghuang.

Any well-informed faction could easily dig out that Murong Tonghuang came from the Murong Family of Jianzhou, but the Murong Family was merely a third-rate family in Jianzhou; how could they cultivate such a peerless figure? It was likely that someone was pulling strings behind the scenes.

And what spread throughout the world was not only Yu Liancheng's peerless cultivation, but also his peerless face, which was handsome to the point of being demonic.

Everyone who had seen his appearance praised it as beauty that transcended all physical forms.

It was beautiful to the point of being eerie.

It was feared that next time, he would ascend both the "Martial Evaluation" and the "Rouge List" simultaneously.

It was said that "Murong Tonghuang" was only seventeen or eighteen years old, or perhaps even younger.

One could imagine that this person would surely be a peak of Martial Dao in the future, like Wang Xianzhi, suppressing several generations of the martial arts world so they could not lift their heads.

Huishan.

Whether they were Guest Ministers, Elders, or direct descendants of the Xuanyuan Family, everyone was in a state of panic.

The old family head and several key figures like Xuanyuan Guoqi were dead, and the only one with the highest seniority was the eldest son of the main branch, Xuanyuan Jingcheng, but Xuanyuan Jingcheng was merely a well-known good-for-nothing, and no one would take him seriously; for a time, they were a group without a leader.

Of course, no one was stupid enough to fight for the position of family head at this time.

"Murong Tonghuang" had not left, but had grandly moved into Guniujiang, never appearing since, as if in seclusion, digesting the gains from this battle.

But it could be imagined that the other party would certainly not let go of such a big piece of fat as the Xuanyuan Family.

Whoever became the Xuanyuan family head at this time would surely be blasted into slag once the other party came out of seclusion.

Now, some Xuanyuan descendants and Guest Ministers had already fled overnight, while the rest were in a wait-and-see state.

Although the Xuanyuan Family had fallen, its roots were deep, and this behemoth could re-sprout and Take Root at any time.

And if Yu Liancheng wanted to take over Huishan, he would naturally need to fill the vacancies in the upper echelons. For many ambitious people, this was an opportunity.

"Perhaps, it is time to go to Guniujiang and take a look." Dressed in green, with a desolate air, Xuanyuan Jingcheng glanced in the direction of Guniujiang.

He turned around, took a jar of wine from the room, and then walked toward Guniujiang.

"You are going to Guniujiang?" A crisp, cold female voice rang out. Xuanyuan Jingcheng turned his head and saw Xuanyuan Qingfeng, who was dressed in black, with dark, bright eyes and skin as white and crystalline as snow.

Ever since that day when Yu Liancheng, in his black robes fluttering in the wind, severely injured the Xuanyuan Ancestor with an incomparably domineering and fierce posture, Xuanyuan Qingfeng had abandoned her original men's clothing, wrapping herself in black, like an elf in the dark night.

"Mm, Qingfeng, do you want to go?" Xuanyuan Jingcheng immediately revealed a smile; in recent years, this was the first time his daughter had taken the initiative to speak to him.

Xuanyuan Qingfeng hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Xuanyuan Jingcheng smiled and said, "Then let us father and daughter go together."

"Okay." Xuanyuan Qingfeng bit her red lip with her pearly teeth and followed behind Xuanyuan Jingcheng.

When her beautiful eyes swept over the wine jar, her delicate body trembled slightly, and countless sealed memories came flooding back.

The wine was named "Dangui," brewed with the old tea leaves of Huishan's pre-rain tea and osmanthus flowers picked every Mid-Autumn Festival; its color was golden, transparent, and slightly greenish, sweet and long-lasting, with an endless aftertaste, making it a rare delicacy.

Huishan originally had many osmanthus trees, but after the Xuanyuan Family occupied Huishan, their wealth did not last, their Luck gradually diminished, and one by one, the old osmanthus trees died. It was feared that before long, this Guizi Wine would become a lost legacy.

In the past, every year, Xuanyuan Jingcheng would take his young daughter to the oldest Dangui tree to mark her height, but after she turned fifteen, the precocious Xuanyuan Qingfeng regarded this as a humiliation and refused to do it again, drifting further and further away from her father.

In recent years, only a few Guest Ministers like Huang Fangfu, who could actually speak with Xuanyuan Jingcheng, had the good fortune to drink a pot of Guizi Wine.

Thinking of this, Xuanyuan Qingfeng faintly revealed a look of nostalgia.

Nostalgia for that carefree childhood, nostalgia for the father of the past, nostalgia for that pair of warm hands...

She looked at Xuanyuan Jingcheng's back, and her heart suddenly palpitated.

All these years, had she gone too far?

No matter what, this man was her father.

Furthermore, this man did not seem as unbearable as she had imagined. Except for martial arts, he was proficient in everything.

Xuanyuan Qingfeng suddenly remembered the way Xuanyuan Jingcheng had lightly swept onto the railing.

Was he hiding something?

Or perhaps, she had never truly seen him clearly.

Xuanyuan Qingfeng wanted to converse with Xuanyuan Jingcheng, but it was like a fishbone in her throat; she did not know what to say.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her: "What kind of person do you think... Murong Tonghuang is?"

Xuanyuan Jingcheng hesitated for a moment, pondered for a long time, and then said, "A truly strong person."

"Ah?" Clearly, Xuanyuan Qingfeng was a bit confused by this answer.

Xuanyuan Jingcheng explained, "You are still young and have seen few people. Among those you have met, besides Murong Tonghuang, the people who truly have power and martial arts are probably your second uncle, third uncle, grandfather, and the Ancestor's group. But are they truly strong..."

Xuanyuan Qingfeng frowned slightly and said, "Are they not strong enough?"

As soon as the words were out, she knew she was wrong. If they were truly strong, they would not have ended up dead or captured, suffering a crushing defeat.

"Xuanyuan Jingyi appears to cultivate scholars and accumulate power, possessing the demeanor of a gentleman, and is close to everyone, but in reality, he is aloof and self-admiring, arrogant and conceited. Xuanyuan Jingxuan appears domineering and cold, decisive in killing, but in reality, he is cowardly and timid, fearing the strong and bullying the weak."

Xuanyuan Jingcheng said indifferently, "Even your grandfather and the Ancestor are the same; they appear strong and majestic, but in reality, they have to change themselves to cater to the eyes of others."

"True strength is like Murong Tonghuang, Wang Xianzhi, Deng Taie, and Li Chungang; they follow their hearts and are unrestrained. They face the world only with their true selves, and no one can make them compromise. This is not only because their strength is sufficiently formidable, but also because they are unyielding due to having no desires."

After hearing these words, Xuanyuan Qingfeng lowered her head, her brows tightly furrowed, with a thoughtful expression.

Yu Liancheng might indeed be a useless scholar, but what he said was always very reasonable and convincing.

It is just that this world is very realistic. When the weak scream and roar in anger, no one ever cares. But when the strong whisper, even their soft words are like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

Xuanyuan Qingfeng recalled her father's various behaviors that were completely different from the secular world and could not help but ask: "What about you..."

Xuanyuan Jingcheng lowered his gaze: "I... I am just a scholar, a very poor husband, a very poor father..."

After a moment of silent speechlessness, Guniujiang was already not far away.

Guniujiang.

This is where the residence of Xuanyuan Old Ancestor is located.

It is a stretch of winding and continuous buildings, with forests of towers and pavilions, flying eaves and arched corners, magnificent and grand. The details, however, are quite exquisite and ingenious.

A string of wind chimes hangs under the eaves, ringing incessantly all year round due to the strong winds blowing on the mountain peak.

Xuanyuan Old Ancestor had returned to Guniujiang, but this time he no longer had that domineering posture that despised everything; instead, he was thrown onto the ground like trash.

Xuanyuan Dapan was covered in serious injuries and was further controlled by Yu Liancheng using a special acupoint-sealing and pulse-locking method; his whole body was stiff, and he could not even move a single finger.

"Xuanyuan Old Ancestor, look at how kind I am. I originally intended for your Xuanyuan family to hold a wedding and a funeral at the same time, but in the end, I still spared your dog life," Yu Liancheng said with a smile on his face.

"What do you want to do... As long as you let me go, no matter what you want, this old man can satisfy you." This was the first time Xuanyuan Dapan felt the taste of being unable to control himself, just like the little girls and little boys he usually ravaged.

Originally, he wanted to say a few tough words, but once the words reached his mouth, he could not help but start begging for mercy. As long as one can live, who would want to die?

"Knowing that I won't let you go, you still say such laughable things. Bring out the spirit of a Heavenly Human expert; at least die generously like a man."

Yu Liancheng suddenly glanced at Xuanyuan Dapan's crotch and shrugged: "Sorry, I forgot that you are no longer a man now."

"You..." The corners of Xuanyuan Dapan's mouth twitched, and then a fierce look appeared, his voice slightly shrill: "What exactly do you want to do? Whatever tricks you have, just use them. Although this Old Ancestor is greedy for life, he is definitely not a cowardly person."

"That's more like it." Yu Liancheng nodded: "To tell you the truth, I originally wanted to find a few men with special hobbies, feed them aphrodisiacs, and then lock them up with you, so you could taste the feeling of those women and catamites you ravaged."

Xuanyuan Dapan could not help but tremble all over, looking at Yu Liancheng with terrified eyes: "You... you..."

At the thought of such a terrible situation worse than death, even this old head of the Xuanyuan family, who had seen great storms and waves, felt huge waves crashing in his heart.

"But thinking about it, forget it. After all, for me, a Great Heavenly Phenomenon expert has countless mysteries waiting to be excavated." Yu Liancheng looked at Xuanyuan Dapan, a strange smile appearing on the corner of his mouth: "What's more, with my methods, there is no need to be so troublesome to make you sweat profusely."

After saying this, he tapped his finger lightly on the center of his brow, and an invisible ripple dispersed from the center of his brow, wrapping Xuanyuan Dapan inside, causing the look in his eyes to immediately scatter and his expression to fall into a trance.

When Xuanyuan Dapan came back to his senses, he found himself lying in a room with incense burning. The biggest feature of this room was that it had a very, very large bed.

It was not only the largest, but also the most wonderful and luxurious; perhaps a second one could not be found in the world.

This is not an exaggeration.

At least fifteen people could lie here, and everyone could still move their arms and legs.

Xuanyuan Dapan had once toyed with countless catamites and women on this big bed.

"What is going on? Could it be that everything before was a dream?"

Just as Xuanyuan Dapan was wondering, the door was suddenly pushed open, and a tall figure walked in.

"Hey, beauty, if you serve me comfortably, there will be benefits for you. Otherwise, not only will you die, but your whole family, including your clansmen, will die." That person was burly, with pitch-black temples and lecherous eyes; it was actually "Xuanyuan Dapan".

"He is Xuanyuan Dapan, then who am I?" Xuanyuan Dapan, lying on the bed, was shocked and could not help but turn his head to look at a mirror. In the mirror was actually a very young and beautiful girl, her pretty face still bearing a look of fear.

He remembered this woman; she was offered to him by Xuanyuan Jingxuan. She seemed to be the daughter of some wealthy merchant, and he had toyed with her very happily, ravaging her wantonly. It was a pity that her body was too weak, and she was soon ravaged to death.

And now, he himself had become that merchant's daughter.

Before Xuanyuan Dapan could react further, the other "Xuanyuan Dapan" had already pounced on him, and a pair of large hands had already torn his clothes.

"Ahhh!"

Yu Liancheng looked at Xuanyuan Dapan, who had fallen into a coma with his brows tightly furrowed, and nodded with satisfaction.

From now on, as long as Xuanyuan Dapan did not die, or before his consciousness was completely collapsed and destroyed, he would be trapped in the nightmare he had woven for himself.

This kind of punishment is undoubtedly more terrifying than any other torture.

Swish!

Yu Liancheng slashed a finger through the air, cutting a slit in Xuanyuan Dapan's wrist, and drops of blood flew out, each drop exuding powerful and majestic vitality.

The reason he kept Xuanyuan Dapan alive, besides not wanting him to die too quickly, was that he wanted to explore the mysteries of martial arts in this world.

The body Yu Liancheng currently occupied still practiced the Postnatal and Innate martial Dao system. If he could comprehend the system of this world and verify them against each other, he would naturally be able to go a step further.

"Hmm, it has arrived as expected."

A moment later, Yu Liancheng looked out the window.