At this moment, the entire mountain fell silent as if the night itself had swallowed all sound — even a dropped needle could be heard. Venerable Lei nodded with satisfaction and raised his palm. A clear, resonant chime echoed once again across the Thunder Mountain.
"This session's Four Pavilion Grand Meeting will include fifty-four contestants in total, among them the four disciples representing the Four Pavilions. As per tradition, the opening will be a free-for-all battle. The fight continues until only eight remain standing. All participants — enter the arena!"
His voice rolled like thunder, followed by another deep, lingering toll of the bell. The moment his final word fell, the whistling of wind split the air. One after another, agile figures flashed into the great arena, scattering along the perimeter with guarded stances.
Their entrance instantly ignited the crowd's fervor. Deafening cheers surged like tidal waves, rising skyward and shaking the mountain to its roots.
Among the arriving figures stood Mu Qingluan of the Falling Star Pavilion, Tang Ying of the Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion, and Wang Chen of the Yellow Spring Pavilion. As they stepped forward, all three glanced briefly at Liu Xi, eyes filled with complicated emotions before respectfully bowing their heads and looking away.
They were all young talents of this generation, destined to fight for the championship. But Liu Xi — though still young — now sat among their elders, calm and poised, watching from the judges' seats above.
Their footsteps lightened, and they descended into the center of the field. The crowd instinctively parted, leaving a wide circle around the trio.
A clear crane's call pierced the air as a magnificent seven-colored giant crane descended from the mountain peak. Upon its back stood a graceful young woman, descending silently like a spirit, her every motion carrying noble poise and unmatched elegance.
Her appearance instantly sent the crowd into a frenzy. Judging from the reaction alone, Liu Xi could easily guess her identity — Feng Qing'er of the Wind Lightning Pavilion, descendant of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe.
Liu Xi's gaze softened. After all, the bone wings on his back had been refined from the very feathers of her clan — wings that had once aided him through countless battles and remained invaluable to this day. Still, he refrained from flaunting them out of respect for the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe.
The moment Feng Qing'er appeared, Venerable Feng, Venerable Jian, and Venerable Huang all revealed faint surprise. Venerable Jian chuckled. "Venerable Lei, you've gone to great lengths this time. You even helped her conceal her true strength — perhaps hoping to let your pavilion claim victory again?"
Venerable Lei smiled faintly.
"I concealed her strength only because of her unique identity. As for capability — tell me, in today's younger generation, who could possibly compare to Master Liu?"
All eyes turned toward Liu Xi. Indeed, his mastery as a High-Level 8th Tier Alchemist often overshadowed his true power as a Dou Zong expert.
Liu Xi returned their gazes with an easy smile and raised a hand toward the arena below. The crowd stirred in confusion — could there be someone among the contestants he knew personally?
Everyone followed his gesture, only to see a young man in the arena jumping excitedly and waving both arms at the high platform, completely oblivious to the awkward stares around him. He stood out among the composed fighters like a stray husky thrown into a pack of wolves, drawing every eye in the coliseum.
Beside him stood a cool and elegant young woman who covered her face with her hand, as if wishing to deny any connection to her excitable companion.
Venerable Lei's eyes flickered with curiosity. Turning toward Liu Xi, he asked, "Master Liu, those two down there — they seem quite close to you. May I ask who they are?"
Liu Xi lowered his hand, resting it casually on the armrest, a warm, nostalgic smile crossing his face.
"Heh, I believe most of you already know my origins. Those two are my juniors from Jia Nan Academy. Meeting them again here in the Northern Region — quite a coincidence."
Hearing this, Venerable Lei, Venerable Feng, Venerable Jian, and Venerable Huang exchanged knowing looks. They could sense Liu Xi's fondness for the pair. Without a word, each secretly sent a voice transmission to their disciples — if they encountered these two during the match, defeat them if necessary, but never harm them.
After all, offending an 8th Tier Alchemist who had a Dou Zun at his side would be the height of folly.
Truthfully, even without the elders' reminders, most contestants had already guessed at the connection between those two and Liu Xi — mainly because the young man's antics were far too obvious.
"Senior! Over here, senior! It's me, Lin Yan!"
"Han Yue, I already felt lucky to see you again, but to meet Senior here too — I didn't expect it! It's been so long, and now Senior sits among Dou Zun powerhouses!"
The woman beside him — Han Yue — could no longer tolerate his behavior. Her cold and pleasant voice carried a faint reproach.
"Lin Yan, that's enough. Stop shouting like a fool — you're embarrassing Senior. He's watching from above. What we should do is fight well and earn a place of honor for him."
At her words, Lin Yan finally composed himself. His expression shifted from childish excitement to fierce determination. His fists clenched tightly, eyes burning with confidence.
"Winning the championship might be tough, but surviving the melee and making it into the top eight — that much I can do!"
Han Yue glanced up toward the viewing platform. A trace of reverence and gratitude flickered in her eyes. On the Dou Qi Continent, admiration for strength was natural — especially for someone like Liu Xi. But her gratitude ran deeper.
A year ago, when Hong Chen of the Wind Lightning North Pavilion returned to Tianbei City, his Hong Clan had schemed to annex the Han Clan. Their first step had been to force an engagement between Han Yue and Hong Chen. Though her family saw through the plot, they had no way to resist.
Then came Liu Xi's meteoric rise across the Central Plains. His name spread like wildfire, elevating the status of Jia Nan Academy in turn. Those who had once studied there now stood a little taller — sharing in his reflected glory.
One man's success brought blessings to all who followed in his path.
Thanks to Liu Xi's fame and the Han Clan's hidden Dou Zong ancestor, the Hong Clan dared not act recklessly. Even the Wind Lightning North Pavilion refrained from interfering too blatantly, fearing to damage its reputation.
Yet Hong Chen persisted, harassing Han Yue endlessly under the guise of courtship. Finally, weary of his pursuit, she took her younger sister Han Xue and left home to wander the Northern Region. By chance, they had come to witness this Grand Meeting.
Meeting Lin Yan was unexpected. Meeting Liu Xi — fate itself.
The butterfly that was Liu Xi had flapped its wings long ago, and the ripples of his influence continued to change countless destinies.
(End of Chapter)
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