A challenge? Everyone was stunned. 

No one expected Nanzhou’s Ye Guan to be so arrogant. To think that he would outright challenge him…

Lu Ke’s face soured. He also didn’t expect Ye Guan to react that way. Damn it! Just how reckless can you be? Why are you challenging people just like that?!

He wasn’t planning on fighting Ye Guan. He just wanted to stir up some trouble and make everyone Ye Guan and his group the public enemy. In addition, he wasn’t the only one who was unhappy. Everyone else was unhappy as well. 

Why is Nanzhou seated in the second row?

He decided to speak out and make everyone point their spears at Nanzhou. However, he didn’t expect that Ye Guan would challenge him outright. 

It was such a ballsy move that threw Lu Ke’s plan for a loop. Now, everyone was looking at him. If I don’t like it, then we should fight. How can it be that easy?

Luo Zhaoqi stared at Ye Guan with interest. Nanzhou wasn’t qualified to attend the welcome banquet. However, she suddenly received an order from above to invite Nanzhou and make them sit in the second row. 

Naturally, Luo Zhaoqi was curious about Ye Guan and his group, and she grew even more curious when Ye Guan challenged Lu Ke outright.

Ye Guan slowly walked toward Lu Ke under everyone’s gaze. “You don’t like it? Let’s fight! If it’s not exciting enough for you, we can go for a deathmatch.”

A deathmatch! Everyone reeled in shock. He’s risking it!

Lu Ke’s expression turned ugly. Lu Ke became uneasy upon witnessing Ye Guan’s arrogance, but he knew that he couldn’t back down. 

If I back down, what will they think of me?

Ye Guan definitely has something up his sleeves, and that is why he’s so arrogant. What should I do?

Lu Ke looked up at Luo Zhaoqi. At this point, only the Chief Student Representative of the Upper Realm’s Guanxuan Academy could put a stop to all this. 

Luo Zhaoqi smiled and betrayed Lu Ke’s expectations by saying, “Our Guanxuan Academy will provide the venue for free if you accept his challenge, Lu Ke.”

Lu Ke’s expression worsened, and everyone’s gaze fell on him.

The others were unhappy as well, but they didn’t dare to express it. There was a moment of silence. 

“I was too hasty. The academy must have a reason for arranging the seats this way.” Lu Ke shattered the silence with a smile. He turned to Ye Guan and clasped his hands. “I have no ill intent, Brother Ye. My apologies.”

Everyone looked at Lu Ke, but they stared at him in appreciation rather than mocking him. They acknowledged Lu Ke as someone who knew when to advance and when to retreat. They were convinced that he would achieve great things in the future. 

Ye Guan gazed at Lu Ke and responded, “I forgive you. Be careful and don’t repeat that mistake. Be a good boy from now on.”

With that, he turned around and returned to his seat. 

Lu Ke stared blankly at Ye Guan while everyone else struggled to contain their laughter. 

Siao Ge said to Ye Guan, “He’s definitely going to try something.”

Ye Guan was calm as he replied, “It’s fine.”

Siao Ge was stunned, but he eventually smiled and remarked, “Brother Ye, you really are confident, hahaha!”

Ye Guan smiled and shook his head.

Ye Guan was well aware that there would always be stronger people out there. In his eyes, people should be humble. However, Ye Guan’s personality and principle had always been to beat people up if they dared to stir up trouble against him. 

The chances of winning didn’t matter. It would be embarrassing if he didn’t dare to fight those who were barking in his front yard. Life was difficult enough, so why would he put up with those who were trying to make his life even more difficult?

Luo Zhaoqi smiled. “Starting tomorrow, my Guanxuan Academy will be open for everyone to cultivate. My Guanxuan Academy has thirty-six trial towers with unique trials. You can choose to cultivate in any of them, but you have to pay the corresponding fee.”

The people in the hall were thrilled to hear that the Guanxuan Academy would open their cultivation grounds for outsiders like them. It had been one of their problems since they arrived in the city. 

The city had no suitable cultivation grounds for them, and they had been itching to cultivate properly. After all, the decennial martial contest was only about two months away. 

Two months wouldn’t seem like a long time to other people, but they were extraordinary talents who could improve by leaps and bounds in just two months. In addition, the cultivation grounds they could access from tomorrow onward were on the Upper Realm. 

It couldn’t compare to the cultivation grounds that they had in their state.

Ye Guan was delighted as well because the Siao Residence didn’t really have a decent cultivation ground. 

Luo Zhaoqi’s news was fantastic.

Luo Zhaoqi added, “I’m not done yet. There’s another piece of fantastic news that I’m sure everyone will like. The prizes for the top three cultivators have been made more bountiful, and the first placer will receive a mysterious prize.”

A mysterious prize! Everyone’s interest was piqued.

Luo Zhaoqi swept her gaze across everyone and smiled.

“You have been training for decades, but the upcoming martial contest alone is enough for any of you to rise to fame. On behalf of the Guanxuan Academy, I wish you all the best, and I hope that all of you will achieve your desired ranking. Let's make ourselves, our families, and our clans proud!” she said.

Soon, the hall was filled with music, and maidservants walked into the hall while carrying dishes of delicious food. Luo Zhaoqi walked down the stage while a group of beautiful ladies walked onto the stage and started dancing.

Ye Guan shook his head with a smile. It seemed that the Guanxuan Academy really knew how to have fun. 

Some of the men started inviting the ladies to dance. 

Siao Ge also went to find and invite a lady to dance. The lady didn’t reject him, and they started dancing. 

All of a sudden, a man appeared in front of Nalan Jia. He bowed and smiled. “May I take—”

Nalan Jia shook her head and turned to look at Ye Guan. She smiled and rejected the man. “I’m his fiancée.”

The man smiled. He looked like he didn’t mind it as he said, “It’s just one dance.”

Ye Guan interrupted. “Why don’t I dance with you?”

The man’s expression stiffened. 

Ye Guan stared at the man and said, “Is it because I’m a man that you don’t want to dance with me?”

The man could only leave after being berated by Ye Guan.

Ye Guan turned to look at Nalan Jia and asked, “Do you know how to dance?”

Nalan Jia shook her head. 

Ye Guan smiled and suggested. “Why don’t we walk around?”

Nalan Jia nodded. “All right!”

They stood up and were about to leave the hall, but their eyes captured a man approaching Mu Yunhan. 

Mu Yunhan merely glanced at the man before looking away.

“Get lost,” she spat coldly.

The man froze, but he quickly left without saying anything. 

Mu Yunhan was from Qingzhou, and he couldn’t afford to offend Qingzhou’s representative. 

However, the man wasn’t the only one who couldn’t afford to offend Qingzhou. The entire Upper Realm also couldn’t afford to offend Qingzhou, while the Zhongtu Divine Continent had to be respectful to Qingzhou. 

After all, Qingzhou was the Sword Master’s birthplace.

Ye Guan and Nalan Jia exchanged glances before heading out. 

Lu Ke seemed to be deep in his thoughts as he stared at the two.

It was already night outside, and the sky was filled with stars. The bright moon was also hanging overhead.

The pair slowly strolled down a trail, and the light night breeze felt cool on their skin.

Nalan Jia suddenly blurted out. “That Zuo Fu isn’t simple...”

Ye Guan nodded. He had been paying attention to Zuo Fu as well, and Ye Guan noticed that Zuo Fu never paid any attention to anyone. He was focused on eating his snack. 

Zuo Fu seemed like a recluse, and Ye Guan knew that people like him were the scariest type of people out there!

“Mu Yunhan is a saber cultivator. She’s reserved, but her saber contains immense power. The appearance of her saber in her hand alone is enough to intimidate those with weaker hearts,” said Nalan Jia. She paused for a few moments before emphasizing. “She’s very strong!”

Ye Guan nodded. “I felt that as well…”

“Ao Han is a physique cultivator. Swordsmen and physique cultivators are extremely difficult to handle. Swordsmen possess powerful offensive prowess, far more powerful than others of the same realm, and their swords can pierce almost anything.

”On the other hand, physique cultivators are scarier than swordsmen if one wasn’t strong enough to break their defenses. They’re basically undefeatable as long as their defenses are up…” said Nalan Jia.

Ye Guan chuckled without saying anything.

It seemed that Nalan Jia wasn’t done just yet as she continued. “Qingzhou still has a representative that we haven’t seen yet, and it seems that he’s more powerful than the two representatives we have seen so far.”

Nalan Jia turned to look at Ye Guan and asked, “Are you still aiming for first place?”

Ye Guan nodded. 

Nalan Jia didn’t look away. She continued staring at him without saying anything.

Ye Guan smiled softly and explained, “If I’m not going to fight, then I won’t aim for anything. However, I will be fighting in the contest, so I have to aim for first place! I’ve never thought that I’m invincible, but I don’t think I’m worse than others.”

Nalan Jia grinned at him. “I’ll fight with you, then.”

Ye Guan smiled. “Sure!”

The two of them continued walking in silence. 

Ye Guan eventually broke the ice and said, “Little Jia, I have this burning question about your Holy Spirit Physique. Is it true that you’ll never face any bottlenecks?”

Nalan Jia nodded. “Yes.”

Ye Guan’s voice turned solemn as he said, “Does that mean you can keep going high and higher without stopping?”

Nalan Jia smiled at him and replied, “I decided to stop making any progress for now.”

Ye Guan was confused. “Why?”

Nalan Jia explained, “The cultivation manual you gave me made me understand that I have to thoroughly understand each realm. Otherwise, my foundation will be shaky. My cultivation base is higher than yours, but I’m not confident that I can beat you.”

Ye Guan was silent. 

Nalan Jia added, “My foundation has to be strong.”

Ye Guan nodded. “Indeed. A cultivator’s foundation has to be strong, so I guess that’s the drawback about multiple breakthroughs in a short period of time.”

“Yup, and it’s all thanks to the cultivation manual that you shared with me. If it hadn’t been for it, I would still be engrossed in the thrill of breaking through realms.

”I would have naturally become even stronger than I am right now, but my foundation would have been considerably shaky,” said Nalan Jia with a smile.

Ye Guan smiled as well and said, “I guess we have to work hard together.”

Nalan Jia’s smile deepened. “Yes, let’s work hard together.”

The atmosphere between the pair was warm and peaceful as they walked slowly into the distance beneath the moonlight.

“Ye Guan!” A voice echoed from behind them. 

Suddenly, Sun Xiong ran over. “Ye Guan!”

Ye Guan and Nalan Jia turned around and saw Sun Xiong running over toward them.  

Sun Xiong reached them and said in a solemn voice, “You should go back to the Hall of Ceremonies. Siao Ge is about to go onto the Life or Death Stage with Lu Ke.”

Ye Guan was stunned. “Why?”

Sun Xiong’s expression turned ugly. “Lu Ke stole Siao Ge’s dance partner right in front of him, and his dance partner chose Lu Ke over Siao Ge to intentionally humiliate him… damn it! It was clearly a trap by that trash, Lu Ke!”

“Are they already on the Life or Death Stage?” asked Ye Guan.

Sun Xiong replied, “No, but they’re heading over right now.”

Ye Guan’s eyes narrowed. “Let’s go!”

With that, Ye Guan rushed over to the Hall of Ceremonies, and Nalan Jia followed after him without saying anything. They arrived just in time to see Siao Ge and Lu Ke walking toward the Life or Death Stage. 

Siao Ge’s previous dance partner was standing next to Lu Ke.

Lu Ke smiled at Ye Guan. “Young Lord Ye, this is a fair challenge. Don’t be a busybody—”

Ye Guan abruptly vanished. Lu Ke’s expression changed drastically. He didn’t expect that Ye Guan would attack him outright. He was caught off guard and could only try to defend himself. However, Ye Guan was much faster than him. 

Pak!

A loud and crisp sound echoed. Ye Guan’s slap sent Lu Ke flying.

Everyone was stunned.

“Ye Guan!” Lu Ke glared sinisterly at Ye Guan.

Ye Guan stared coldly at Lu Ke and explained, “There’s no particular reason behind that slap. I just don’t like you. Don’t like it? Let’s fight!”

Everyone was rendered speechless. 

The lady next to Lu Ke spat coldly. “Ye Guan, who do you think you are? We’re in the Hall of Ceremonies. You’re disrespecting Lady Luo and the Guanxuan Academy by making a move here. Are you—”

Nalan Jia abruptly vanished.

Pak!

A loud and crisp noise reverberated throughout the hall, and the lady was sent flying away by Nalan Jia’s slap.

Nalan Jia stared indifferently at her and explained. “There’s no particular reason behind that slap. I just don’t like you. Don’t like it? Let’s fight!”

The scene left everyone utterly flabbergasted.

…