Chapter 224: The Lost Pearl of the Azure Sea, Peerless Talent (Combined)

Li Yuan held his hammer, clasped his hands in a bow, said nothing, and stepped back to join the line with Yu Yu Xuanji and the others.

"He..."

Watching the youth in the Daoist robe standing with a heavy hammer, the crowd of martial artists in the wind and snow instantly fell silent, struck with shock and astonishment.

Over the past few months, as news of the Longhu Banquet spread, Li Yuan's name had become widely known; though few present had seen him, hardly anyone failed to recognize him.

Many even knew he was among the earliest invited to the banquet.

Yet seeing him step out of the crowd and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Yu Yu Xuanji and the other two still left them unable to suppress their shock and doubt.

"Li Yuan..."

After a brief silence, the crowd instantly erupted; no one had expected the fourth guardian to be Li Yuan.

Yue Yue Zhongtian, Lin Lin Dongping, and others all changed color; as fellow invitees to the banquet, they had not yet taken their seats, yet this man had already entered the Longhu Temple.

Even...

Yue Yue Zhongtian's eyes flickered.

"Junior brother, he, he..."

Let alone the others, even Ba Ba Wanli, Fang Fang Bao Luo, and Qiu Qiu Changying were wide-eyed; especially the latter, whose hand gripping the long bow tightened involuntarily.

"As expected..."

Some were astonished, while others suddenly understood.

Linghu Linghu Baiwan, blending inconspicuously into the crowd, felt a stir in his heart; he was somewhat envious, but on reflection, he did not find it surprising.

After all, as far as he knew, the very reason for this Longhu Banquet was this true disciple of the Divine Weapon Valley.

He even suspected this one had already caught the eye of Master Master Fulong...

"Elder Gong, who is this?"

Yan Yan Qingyuan narrowed his eyes slightly, concealing the flickering light within, and asked with feigned surprise.

The moment he spoke, the surrounding martial artists all turned their gaze toward Gong Gong Jiuchuan and, beside him, Yan Yan Sanxing.

Gong Gong Jiuchuan's expression remained unchanged; he merely glanced at Li Yuan before speaking himself:

"Today, any martial artist present may choose one of these four juniors and disciples of mine to spar with; regardless of victory or defeat, anyone who performs outstandingly may enter the tower and the banquet."

He directly ignored Yan Yan Qingyuan's question as well as everyone's astonishment and confusion.

Yan Yan Sanxing lowered his eyelids, pretending he neither heard nor saw.

Their reactions caused considerable commotion, but Yan Yan Qingyuan only smiled without speaking, while the rest certainly lacked the courage to question two elders of the Longhu Temple.

"Everyone, please step back a few paces."

Standing beneath the eaves, Gong Gong Jiuchuan swept his gaze over them with Longhu Longhu Dandan.

The onlookers, having suppressed their doubts and astonishment, all stepped back, clearing the open space before the tower.

Amidst the wind and snow, only Li Yuan, Yu Yu Xuanji, and the other four stood armed; in a corner, Yu Yu Xuanfeng felt both resentment and envy, truly wishing to step onto the field.

'That old fellow is not playing fair...'

Leaning on his hammer, Li Yuan glanced sideways at Gong Gong Jiuchuan; the old fellow deliberately avoided answering, clearly intending to test him.

Compared to Yu Yu Xuanji and the other three, he, a guardian who had practiced Wu Gong only briefly, enjoyed a considerable reputation despite not necessarily possessing high skill, and was thus far more likely to draw attention, even hostility.

However...

Glancing at the somewhat restless crowd, Li Yuan calmed once more; Old Han's high-pressure training for over a month had indeed made him eager to test his skills on a few opponents.

Among the people before him were many famous figures from the prefectures of Huizhou; no better candidates existed.

Nevertheless, for safety's sake, he still sensed the Bing Lu.

Within the dark star map, the Fire Dragon Sword, Chen Shan Zhong, the Divine Fire Hundred-Forged Armor, the Thirteen Spirit Leather Boots, the Mixed Gold Great Xiyi Hammer, and the Strange Weapon Forging Hammer all shone brilliantly.

Capable of attacking, retreating, and defending, covering multiple aspects—this was his current optimal configuration.

He reckoned that with his current Wu Gong plus the enhancement of these six weapons, even facing Feng Feng Yuanqing wielding the Fire Dragon Sword, he could slay him!

"Hoo!"

Feeling the enhancement of the various weapons, Li Yuan's heart grew even calmer; glancing sideways at the onlookers, a hint of eagerness to try his hand appeared.

Yu Yu Xuanji beside him seemed to sense something; her glance shifted slightly.

"This person..."

Yu Yu Xuanji's heart skipped a beat; several years ago, she had already woven the various forms into the Fish-Dragon Transformation, making her extremely sensitive to external sensations.

For a fleeting instant, she actually sensed danger?

Whoosh~

The wind and snow were fierce, yet the martial artists present felt nothing, all discussing in low voices; those who knew each other gathered in small groups to deliberate.

"Gu Yang and Liu Liu Huahong—these two hail from the Seven Fiends Gate of Youzhou; before joining the Longhu Temple, they had already achieved great mastery in Form Shifting; now, they likely have reached great mastery in Channel Opening!"

"Yu Yu Xuanji... the Young Lady of the Yu family; heard her talent is exceptional, born with the Twelve Forms, achieving great mastery in Form Shifting within two years; it is said she has cultivated supreme arts..."

"Li Yuan... hmm, I am not familiar with this person; Brother Wang, do you know him?"

Under the eaves, someone brought chairs and tables; Gong Gong Jiuchuan and Yan Yan Sanxing took their seats, holding teacups, with the murmurs of the crowd faintly audible.

"Senior brother, although this youth's talent is good, he has practiced Wu Gong for far too short a time; letting him guard the gate, isn't that..."

Yan Yan Sanxing frowned slightly.

Previously, even with Chu Shan Xuan Kong's involvement, he believed Li Yuan possessed the aptitude for an inner sect disciple; when that junior uncle personally brought him here, his regard increased further.

With his talent and having entered that junior uncle's sect, to say nothing of the distant future, he would at least qualify to become a fleet commander; why make things difficult for him?

"Enduring some hardship before entering the sect is better than enduring it afterward; at least for now, you and I are here."

Gong Gong Jiuchuan raised his teacup, his gaze deep and dim: "Furthermore, that boy is not so simple..."

Regarding Li Yuan, he knew little, but regarding that junior uncle, he knew very deeply.

For Fu Long Chan Master, whose memory had been damaged by injury to his mind and spirit, the one thing he had not forgotten was his vision; what ordinary person had the qualification to enter his sect?

"Why not begin?"

Not far before the two, Li Yuan was somewhat speechless; a thick layer of snow had already covered him. Were these people so cautious even when crushing soft persimmons?

His perception was not dull either; from time to time he could hear his own name, and he could feel many people sizing him up.

But after more than half an hour, not a single person had made a move; all were waiting for someone else to test the waters.

"... Still no one has made a move?"

Ba Ba Wanli's eyes widened; if not for Fang Baolao holding him back, and Li Yuan's prior warning, he would have already made a move.

"Wait a moment."

Qiu Qiu Changying held a long bow on the left of the two; her peripheral vision swept over the crowd to the south. Yue Chongtian's face was expressionless, but behind him there was already some commotion.

"Let each of you reflect for yourselves; I, Jiang, cannot wait any longer!"

Suddenly, a voice came from the crowd.

A middle-aged man with a scar on his face stepped out slowly; his hands were empty, holding neither weapon nor blade. He walked out of the crowd and bowed slightly:

"I am Jiang Jiang Shaochong; I wish to spar with Li Yuan, young hero Li!"

Jiang Jiang Shaochong?

The crowd all turned their heads; his choice of Li Yuan was not surprising to many, and quite a few were inquiring about this person's background.

Fang Baolao, however, frowned slightly; he recognized this person.

"This person was once second on the Zhe Long Manor's Proxy List..."

Qiu Qiu Changying also recalled this person's background and frowned slightly: "This person is a disciple abandoned by San Yuan Wu; how did he come to Dechang Prefecture?"

"Why choose anyone else but choose a junior brother?"

Ba Ba Wanli's brows furrowed deeply.

"Although this person has undergone the Transformation of Form, he is still far from being able to fight a junior brother."

Fang Baolao sneered coldly, yet remained very calm; he had seen Li Yuan display his divine might.

Under the eaves, Gong Gong Jiuchuan nodded:

"Stop when the point is reached; do not injure anyone."

As he spoke, Yu Yu Xuanji and the other two also stepped aside, leaving the open space for the two of them.

Few could pass the second trial, and even fewer had the courage to make a move; naturally, they need not seek another venue.

"Jiang Jiang Shaochong!"

In the open space, Jiang Jiang Shaochong bowed slightly; looking at Li Yuan, who stood holding a hammer amidst the wind and snow, his expression changed.

The first time he heard Li Yuan's name was three and a half years ago; at that time, that person was merely a forging genius with the hope of entering the inner court of Divine Weapon Valley.

And now...

"Li Yuan."

Li Yuan also bowed; he was also paying attention to the martial artists outside the open space and discovered that most were stealing glances at him; this was not good.

If this truly was to stop when the point was reached, would he not have to fight dozens of matches?

"Please instruct me!"

Before Jiang Jiang Shaochong's words had even drifted through the air, his person suddenly darted out.

In an instant, from stillness to motion, the qi and blood within his body erupted to the extreme in a single moment; his person was like a kestrel, and between the opening and closing of his ten fingers, a sound of tearing silk emerged, as if the very air had been torn apart.

The form of the kestrel, the Eagle Claw Grappling Hand!

Transformation of Form, but not yet fully accomplished.

In the blink of an eye, Li Yuan's heart was already clear; he not only saw the foundation of Jiang Jiang Shaochong's Wu Gong, but the techniques of this grappling hand even surged into his mind.

When he transformed into the form of the kestrel, he used the fundamental diagram of this Wu Gong.

Hiss! Hiss!

Jiang Jiang Shaochong attacked with full force; his twin claws were sharp and generated wind; with one pounce he darted out more than twenty zhang, the force surging and causing the crowd to turn their heads.

He seemed to have been gathering momentum for a long time; with one explosion, it was full power; his aim was to seize the initiative with the first sound.

Whoosh!

However, as the twin claws tore through the air, one after the other, and reached before his face, Jiang Jiang Shaochong's heart suddenly startled; the person before his eyes had simply vanished, like a ghost.

Then, he felt a chill along his spine, as if a sword edge was pressed directly against him, instantly making every hair on his body stand on end.

"This person's movement technique is actually faster than mine?!"

Jiang Jiang Shaochong's heart trembled with fear; he was born with only Three Forms, yet all were the form of the kestrel, and the Wu Gong he learned was all based on birds of prey.

Although he could not fully accomplish the Transformation of Form due to lacking superior martial arts, the speed of his movement and lightness skill was still above that of ordinary fully accomplished Transformation of Form.

This person?!

As Jiang Jiang Shaochong's heart was startled, his form suddenly turned; like a kestrel flipping over, his twin claws extended forward and backward, the force already sufficient.

Hiss!

But in the next moment, he felt a pain at the back of his neck, and his vision instantly turned pitch black.

"I yield!"

Li Yuan held the hammer in one hand and pinched the back of Jiang Jiang Shaochong's neck with the other; he exhaled internal qi, waking him, and threw him out.

Jiang Jiang Shaochong landed, stumbled backward, and stared fiercely at Li Yuan; cold sweat had already soaked his clothes, and his heart was filled with incredulity.

He had thought he might not win quickly, and he had thought he might be defeated, but he never expected that in less than one move, he would be pinched by the back of the neck.

If this were a life-or-death battle, he would already be dead!

"Li, Li Xiong Wu Gong is profound; I, Jiang, am not equal..."

Jiang Jiang Shaochong's heart was bitter.

The onlookers among the martial world erupted in uproar; most did not know who Jiang Jiang Shaochong was, but his transformation was clearly perfected, and his lightness skill had unique subtleties.

He lost in just one move?!

"Could this man really have trained for only four or five years?"

Among the crowd, Linghu Baiman felt sweat soaking his back; he naturally recognized Jiang Jiang Shaochong—not only that, he had fought him several times, with no clear victor.

An opponent on par with me lost in less than one move?!

"To compete in lightness skill with Brother Li…"

Only Fang Fang Bao Luo was unsurprised; he even felt like laughing, until the memory surfaced of being dragged along the riverbank, his feet never touching the ground.

"His Wu Gong has advanced too quickly."

Qiu Qiu Changying's grip on her longbow had grown damp; she believed she could defeat Jiang Jiang Shaochong, but in one move…

"Good!"

Only Yu Yu Xuanji shouted praise loudly.

Standing beneath the eaves, he had clearly seen Li Yuan turn and strike with his claw—a move unmistakably Eagle Claw Grappling Hand, yet far more refined and ruthless than Jiang Jiang Shaochong's.

Beneath the eaves, Gong Gong Jiuchuan and the other man were also startled.

"This kid…"

The two exchanged glances, then Yan Yan Qingyuan spoke, his voice booming:

"The snowstorm is so fierce—how much longer are you all waiting?"

"Excellent grappling! Excellent Eagle Claw!"

Yan Yan Qingyuan clapped in approval, and immediately someone stepped forward from behind him—a slender youth with two short-handled curved knives at his waist.

Not far away, Yue's weight's group also sent forth someone.

Huh~

But before these men could step out of the crowd, a gust of wind had already descended upon the arena.

A broad, heavy iron sword slammed onto the ground, spraying snowflakes; a tall, muscular youth stood gripping the blade, forcing the others back.

Yan Xiong?

Seeing this man, the several who had been about to act froze in place. Yue's weight's gaze sharpened as he turned toward Lin Lin Dongping and the others.

The ones who drank tea with him this morning weren't just two.

"Do you all take me for a soft target?"

Li Yuan stood leaning on his hammer, his peripheral vision sweeping over Yu Yu Xuanji and the other three—they all had their arms crossed, watching him with detached indifference.

They're giving him not even an inch of face!

Glancing again at the eager crowd, Master Li lowered his eyelids: if no one dares to squeeze the hard persimmon, then everyone's going for the soft ones, is that it?

Wu!

The cold wind blew gently as Yan Xiong's voice rang clear:

"Iron Sword Sect, Yan Xiong—I humbly request Master Li's instruction!"

Boom!

Before his words had even faded, and before Li Yuan could return the greeting, Yan Xiong exploded into motion.

He leapt over twenty zhang, churning air currents, snow and wind swirling behind him—truly like a dragon of snow and storm.

"Clang!"

In the instant of his stride, Yan Xiong's longsword was drawn; its ringing pierced the entire Huiyuan Manor, like a dragon emerging from the abyss, a tiger roaring in the deep mountains.

In Huizhou's eight prefectures, there are four prefecture-level sects.

Yet among the hundreds of sects beneath the Four Major Sects, Iron Sword Sect stands first; its "Eight Iron Sword Forms" combine grandeur with sharpness, opening and closing with fierce, yang strength.

On the Shelong Prefecture's list of superior martial arts, the Eight Iron Sword Forms rank twentieth, second only to the Soldier's Dao Battle Hammer.

And Yan Xiong is the most gifted of Iron Sword Sect's current generation.

Zing!

At the instant Yan Xiong drew his sword, Li Yuan felt a tingling numbness across his third eye; amid the howling snow and wind, he felt as if a giant human-shaped sword had pierced straight through him.

Is he transforming into sword form?

Li Yuan's mind stirred.

He had seen Yan Xiong fight before—his lightness skill and swordplay were superb, moving like a celestial riding the wind, with mist, clouds, and shadows shifting in countless forms, his sword art exquisite beyond compare, already bearing the demeanor of a master.

But…

"You said 'stop when sufficient'—but you strike with lethal intent, is that it?"

Seeing Yan Xiong's violent attack, Li Yuan's heart grew cold; his foot tapped lightly—the fight with Jiang Jiang Shaochong hadn't even warmed him up.

Boom—!

Beneath his foot, thunder seemed to explode; the blue stone floor of the courtyard cracked instantly, dirt, sand, and stones spraying outward.

"Huh?!"

Beneath the eaves, Gong Gong Jiuchuan frowned slightly; invisible force spread before him, halting all flying dirt and stones.

He looked up, seeing only snow and earth flung into the air.

Li Yuan's body was surrounded by tangible inner qi; the heavy hammer in his hand spun like a whirlwind, stirring every snowflake within a radius of dozens of meters, making them dance and spiral through the air around him.

As if a tornado had been summoned in an instant!

Wuu~

Instantly, the entire Huiyuan Manor was filled with the thunderous sound of his hammering, completely drowning out Yan Xiong's sword ring.

Is this kid that strong?!

Li Yuan's sudden outburst not only raised Yan Xiong's eyebrows, but also changed the faces of all the invited guests in the crowd.

What immense strength is required to wield a heavy hammer weighing over six hundred jin to such a degree?

Normally, a person with a strength of a hundred jin cannot wield a ten-jin sword, and even with a strength of a thousand jin, it is difficult to swing a hundred-jin heavy hammer, while the requirements for a long-handled weapon are even higher.

To swing such a heavy hammer, over two meters long, with enough force to create a sound that breaks the air, the strength in his two arms must exceed ten thousand jin!

"Excellent!"

Ba Wan's face instantly flushed red as he shouted his praise; the way this hammer was being wielded was already faster and more ferocious than his own!

"Do not block it head-on!"

If those observing from a distance react this way, let alone Yan Xiong who is at the forefront of the attack?

He felt a malicious wind sweep over his face, a tangible oppression suddenly descending; his forward momentum instantly dropped by more than thirty percent, his body slowed, and the momentum of his sword strike followed suit.

But his reaction was fast; upon sensing the danger, his arm shook like a snake, and the sword blade, which had been thrust straight, instantly tore through the air, sword qi erupting.

For a martial artist who has mastered the Great Perfection of Yi Xing, long weapons certainly have advantages, but they are not insurmountable.

Shishishish!

Once the sword qi was released, the sound of tearing silk filled the area within three zhang.

Yan Xiong spun his sword like a dragon whipping its tail, avoiding the crushing force of the heavy hammer, and thrust straight toward the figure seemingly wrapped in wind and snow.

"Want to dodge?"

Li Yuan's gaze remained calm:

"Pity, you are too slow."

Boom!!

In the next instant, the hammer and sword collided.

A wave of air and a violent wind spread out, stirring up vast amounts of accumulated snow, earth, and stones; Yan Xiong's expression changed drastically.

Too fast!

Too fast!

Yan Xiong's heart pounded wildly; the person using the long-handled heavy hammer was changing moves faster than his own sword, much faster.

At the moment the weapons clashed, his right hand instantly lost all sensation, and his tiger's mouth was torn open.

"Ah!"

Yan Xiong clamped down hard on his long sword, still trying to change moves, but Li Yuan had already taken the opening to deliver another hammer strike.

The fierce battle experience from the Shan Xuan Bing Mi Jing cannot be directly applied to the mortal world, but his own experience in killing and fighting is already extremely rich; take advantage of his illness to take his life!

Zing!

Yan Xiong had been in a stalemate, but this strike instantly made his vision go black.

But this hammer strike was heavier than imaginable; he glared with wide eyes, struggling with all his might, and when Li Yuan delivered another hammer strike, he finally let out a miserable cry, forcibly dragged backward by his sword.

Even until this moment, he had not let go.

Shh!

Finally, Yan Xiong shouted and let go; the famous sword in his palm instantly erupted with thunderous sound, and in the blink of an eye, it had pierced the ground and vanished.

Hoo!

Almost simultaneously, a violent, aggressive wind descended, blowing up all the accumulated snow in the courtyard; even the onlookers standing ten or twenty zhang away were blown until their clothes snapped loudly.

Four hammer strikes, front and back, disarmed Yan Xiong's long sword?!

Seeing this scene, even Yan Yan Qingyuan's expression inevitably changed, and the others felt even more shocked.

The few who had stepped out of the crowd earlier now had cold sweat dripping down, silently retreating back.

"You..."

Bead-sized sweat drops slid down from his face, which was stinging from the wind; Yan Xiong's voice seemed to tremble, and his entire right hand hung limp at his side.

That heavy hammer, much larger than his head, hovered less than three feet above his head, the violent wind tearing his upper garment apart like knives.

What about saving face?

What about stopping at the right point?

Feeling the gazes from all around, Yan Xiong's vision went black, and the regret in his heart even overshadowed the shock.

He stared fiercely at Yue Yue Zhongtian, the latter's face full of Solemnity, his eyes filled with apprehension.

"I yield!"

Li Yuan withdrew his hammer at the appropriate moment, his expression cold.

If you want to step on him, you must be prepared to be stepped on.

Glancing at the utterly defeated Yan Xiong, Li Yuan turned and returned to the distance; looking up again, those who had been eager to try earlier had all shrunk back.

If Yan Xiong's Wu Gong was defeated so miserably, how would they dare to make a move?

Hoo hoo~

The wind howled within the manor, yet there was a strange silence.

Someone from the Iron Sword Sect helped Yan Xiong up and led him back into the crowd; the expressions of the other invited guests were quite Solemn, and their gazes shifted from Li Yuan to look at Yu Yu Xuanji and the other two.

"Great Perfection of Yi Xing, and at least thirteen forms, and possessing Ling Xing!"

Liu Liu Huahong pressed her hand on her long sword, her eyes showing some surprise; setting aside Jiang Jiang Shaochong, the ability to quickly defeat Yan Xiong meant that this Yi Shen Wu Gong would make even her take notice.

She remembered clearly that this person was not yet twenty years old and had been practicing martial arts for only four or five years...

"No wonder Chutang..."

Gu Yang instinctively pressed his hand on the long blade at his waist, only letting go when he noticed Yu Yu Xuanji's gaze.

"Chu Shan Xuan Kong..."

After warning Gu Yang, Yu Yu Xuanji withdrew her gaze.

She disliked Li Yuan mainly because of that letter; someone who had been forced into the sect of her master's master's master, naturally, she could not stand.

But now his view had indeed changed considerably—at the mere age of twenty, with just these few hammer strikes, it was more than enough to enter the inner gate of Dragon Tiger Temple.

"Not bad."

Li Yuan heard Gong Gong Jiuchuan's voice.

Under the eaves, Yan Yan Sanxing pinched his beard, frowning slightly. Of course he wouldn't care about Yan Xiong's face, but those few hammer strikes had given even him a bit of a fright.

'Uncle-master truly hasn't grown dim in his old age. At this age, with such Wu Gong, this is clearly a pearl lost in the deep sea…'

He glanced at Gong Gong Jiuchuan, whose brow had eased considerably.

"Young Hero Yan, you may enter the banquet!"

Gong Gong Jiuchuan spoke, and as his voice echoed, quite a few people snapped out of their shock.

"Many thanks, Elder Gong."

Yan Xiong bowed with his hair loose; his right hand was broken, so he couldn't cup his fists in greeting.

He pushed aside the Iron Sword Sect disciples beside him and walked toward Returning Goose Tower, his peripheral gaze sweeping the surroundings, lingering for a moment on Yue's weight and the others.

Yue's weight stepped out from the crowd, glanced at the expressionless Li Yuan, and cupped his fists slightly:

"Fire Dragon Temple, Yue's weight, I request—Gu Yang, Brother Gu—to give me a few pointers!"

"Five Sword Gate, Lin Lin Dongping, I request Lady Yu to give me a few pointers!"

"Withered Glory Gate…"

"Lesser Yang Gate…"

With Yan Xiong being the first to enter the tower, the others no longer hesitated.

Losing so badly and still getting in—what was there left to hesitate about?

Clang clang~

Soon, the ringing of blades and swords sounded one after another.

Including Yu Yu Xuanji, the three who had watched from the sidelines for a long time stepped down one after another. They held back far more than Li Yuan had—at the very least, anyone who had achieved Body Transformation had to be exchanged with for over a dozen moves.

The area in front of Li Yuan had grown quiet instead. Occasionally, when someone stepped forward and saw him, they would lower their heads in awe. He spotted Qiu Qiu Changying.

That woman, who never normally smiled, had actually taken the initiative to nod at him…

"Does this count as having made a name for myself?"

Comparing the change in everyone's attitude before and after, Li Yuan tasted something of the flavor of it.

Making a name in the jianghu was nothing more than stepping on those who already had names, borrowing their fame to make oneself even more famous—and Yan Xiong was more famous than most of those present.

"Twin Swallow Gate, Hua Hua Qingwu, I request Brother Li to give me pointers, and please show mercy…"

After roughly a little over an hour, once most of the invited guests had entered the tower, yet another person came to challenge Li Yuan.

She was a petite woman in a red dress, around thirty, with a soft, sweet voice, wielding a long whip.

Her moves were perfectly normal, so naturally Li Yuan wouldn't go hard. The two of them sparred for over a dozen moves, ending with the woman voluntarily retreating in defeat.

Afterward, Li Yuan dealt with five or six more challengers, mostly gentle trial bouts—in a real fight, one wouldn't open with killing moves.

Thus, as the sun tilted past the crown of the sky, the duels before Returning Goose Tower had also reached their end, and Li Yuan took the opportunity to invite Ba Ba Wanli forward.

This was his first time crossing hands with Ba Ba Wanli. The two martial brothers thoroughly enjoyed themselves; in hard exchanges, Li Yuan also came to understand what was meant by innate divine strength.

His Body Transformation was close to thirty in number—though it lacked things like Xiong Hu, with far more in quantity, his pure strength was only a notch higher than Ba Ba Wanli's.

Of course, this was without activating the Hundred Beasts Thunder Dragon. If he brought out Old Han's ultimate art, Li Yuan estimated that even Ba Ba Wanli couldn't take his full-powered hammer strike.

"Good, good!"

After a bout of clashing, Ba Ba Wanli felt thoroughly refreshed; he had never been able to exchange hard blows so many times with anyone.

He was somewhat reluctant to part, but Fang Fang Bao Luo had already pulled him down. Afterward, he too took out his hand-hammer and sparred with Li Yuan.

"Ba Ba Wanli…"

Watching the martial brothers exchange blows, Gong Gong Jiuchuan under the eaves paused slightly, then spoke:

"Enter the banquet!"

Yan Yan Sanxing gave a light snort, but did not object.

"Many thanks, Elder Gong."

Ba Ba Wanli grinned broadly, while Fang Fang Bao Luo shrugged and left together with Qiu Qiu Changying. Though they too had a banquet, it was not in this Returning Goose Tower.

At this point, of the invited guests, sixteen people aside from Yan Yan Qingyuan had all stepped down, and aside from the two screened out by Yu Yu Xuanji, all had entered the tower.

"Does Young Master Yan not wish to step down and duel?"

The wind and snow had gradually lessened. Seeing that Yan Yan Qingyuan seemed to have no intention of stepping down, Yan Yan Sanxing spoke to inquire.

The others all looked at him as well.

Regarding this true disciple of Huai Dragon Palace, the people present paid quite a bit of attention, but he seemed to have no intention of stepping down.

"It's not that I don't wish to, it's just…"

Yan Yan Qingyuan's gaze swept past Yu Yu Xuanji and the others, then settled on Li Yuan, who stood leaning on his hammer.

Li Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly, and he slowly raised his hammer.

"Young Master Yan has already achieved Meridian Opening; there is no need for a duel—you may enter the banquet."

At this moment, Gong Gong Jiuchuan stood up, cutting off Yan Yan Qingyuan's words. He glanced at the sky:

"Young Master Yan, please?"

Yan Yan Qingyuan raised an eyebrow slightly, but did not refuse, and nodded:

"Yan has no objection."

"Begin the banquet!"

Gong Gong Jiuchuan spoke, and the crowd filed into the tower.

Li Yuan released his great hammer and entered the banquet shoulder to shoulder with Ba Ba Wanli.