Xiang Shaoyun and Gong Qinyin looked like a perfect immortal couple out on a casual stroll. They were completely calm and content, and one would not imagine when looking at them that the two were currently a target of a massive amount of aggression.
The crowd following them was still growing, and they were all inner disciples and overseers of the pavilion, each of them a Transformation Realm cultivator. They were all curious to see how strong this young man who had appeared out of nowhere with such great fanfare was. After all, this was a person who had the audacity to challenge the Lightning Alliance.
"I have been here for a month, but I have yet to properly take in the scenery. Now that I'm getting a good look at the place, it isn't really a paradise. However, it is still a decent place with its verdant hills and limpid water," said Xiang Shaoyun.
Gong Qinyin said, "In Cloud Margin City, this is already the best cultivation place countless people dream of entering."
A trace of pride was apparent in her voice. It was clear she was very satisfied with her current situation. Xiang Shaoyun did not comment. He merely smiled before shifting the topic, "You don't really need to get involved in this. If you end up scaring my opponent away, where am I supposed to find an opponent?"
Gong Qinyin's identity was known by everyone in the Cloud Margin Pavilion. Nobody would willingly become her enemy. Gong Qinyin looked at Xiang Shaoyun in astonishment and asked, "You are heading toward Qiu Chonglei with such fanfare just for the sake of looking for an opponent?"
"Why else?" Xiang Shaoyun asked.
"I thought..." An unnatural look flashed past Gong Qinyin's face as she did not know what to say.
"You think I am doing this because I can't hold in my temper anymore, right?" Xiang Shaoyun completed her words for her.
Gong Qinyin apologized, "Sorry, I was trying to help but have ended up messing with your plan."
Xiang Shaoyun smiled. "It's fine. I'm just kidding. You don't have to be so serious. In any case, these are just tiny fish that will be boring to fight anyway."
Although Xiang Shaoyun wasn't speaking very loudly, the people behind him were all experts with great hearing. They had naturally heard him.
Tiny fish!
That was a very infuriating term for all of them to hear, regardless of whether they were here just to enjoy a show or to claim the bounty on Xiang Shaoyun's head. After all, the people Xiang Shaoyun had defeated were all considered top experts within the Transformation Realm. If even those people were tiny fish, what were they then?
It was simply an insult.
One of them was so angry he stepped out and shouted, "Xiang Shaoyun, you are too arrogant! Let me teach you a lesson!"
This person was no weakling. But still, he wasn't Xiang Shaoyun's match and was instantly defeated. With his defeat, the others could only swallow their anger. At this time, a fiery figure suddenly appeared from far away, streaking toward Xiang Shaoyun at rapid speed.
Someone with sharp eyes among the crowd quickly cried out in alarm, "It's Xie Sanqian from the Lightning Alliance! Is he here to challenge Xiang Shaoyun?"
"It has been a while since Xie Sanqian has shown himself. Since he gave up on the millennium earthcore fire a year ago, he has been missing."
"I heard he left to hunt for other flames. I wonder if he managed to find one?"
"Xie Sanqian has a valiant combat prowess. After a year, his cultivation level has probably grown as well. Looks like there will be a big battle between him and this kid."
...
Xiang Shaoyun had noticed Xie Sanqian as well. An odd smile formed on his face. Xie Sanqian arrived before Xiang Shaoyun and Gong Qinyin on his flame wolf. He was handsome and heroic; his valiant presence made it clear he was a rare genius in cultivation.
"Can I help you?" Xiang Shaoyun asked with a faint smile. His tone was completely calm and filled with grace, as if he had no idea that Xie Sangqian had come for his head.
Even the crowd sighed when they saw this, "What a calm response."
"Submit to spare yourself some suffering," said Xie Sanqian while looking down at Xiang Shaoyun from his mount.
"I can't remember how many times I have heard those exact same words today. You guys are so boring," said Xiang Shaoyun with a shrug.
Xie Sanqian snorted coldly and said, "Since you don't know what's good for you, I'll just have to cripple you!"
He immediately charged forth on his mount as the spear on his back flew out and transformed into a flaming wolf that pounced on Xiang Shaoyun. One ought to admit that Xie Sanqian had grown a lot in one year. His cultivation level had increased from the fifth stage to the seventh stage.
As for his attack, it was powerful enough to pose a threat to even eighth-stage Transformation Realm cultivators. It was understandable, though. He had always been a young genius capable of punching above his weight.
When Gong Qinyin sensed the dreadful pressure from the attack, an anxious look crept on her face. Although she was a disciple of the Zither Empress, her speed of growth was still incomparable to the likes of Xiang Shaoyun and Xie Sanqian. She was currently only a third-stage Transformation Realm cultivator. Thus, she naturally couldn't resist the pressure Xie Sanqian was releasing.
But Xiang Shaoyun stood tall before her like an unyielding mountain, facing the mighty attack head-on. He responded with a heavy punch.
Bang!
The two attacks collided, creating a massive shockwave that spread outward through the area. Xie Sanqian never expected to defeat his opponent with just one attack. After the first collision, his follow-up attacks arrived like a storm.
Wolf Devouring Kill!
Strands of light-blue flame appeared and pounced on Xiang Shaoyun like a pack of wolves. Xie Sanqian had been fighting with his full power the moment he arrived, revealing his combat prowess that was capable of threatening ninth-stage Transformation Realm cultivators.
Even more stunning was his light-blue flame. It emanated an intense sense of danger, as if it was a fire that could never be extinguished once it caught someone on fire. This was a type of high-level beast flame that was much scarier than ordinary flames. However, it was completely incomparable to Yun Flame.
Xiang Shaoyun lightly said to Gong Qinyin, "Step back for now. I don't want to hurt you by accident."
After saying that, he dashed forward to face the incoming attack. He shifted his fist into a claw and raked the strands of flame.
His flame was far more powerful than Xie Sanqian's attack. Moreover, he was completely immune to Xie Sanqian's beast flame. With absolute brute force, he tore open a path to Xie Sanqian before clawing at Xie Sanqian's mount.
Xie Sanqian had completely not expected his opponent to be so strong. He was forced to jump off his mount before unleashing an attack while midair.
"Die! Berserk Wolf Kill!" He unleashed all his power while his light-blue flame turned into azure flame, and he sent a rain of spear energies of dreadful prowess toward Xiang Shaoyun. It was an attack even ninth-stage Transformation Realm cultivators had to face seriously.
Everyone stared unblinkingly at the fight, wondering if Xiang Shaoyun would be able to survive this attack as well.