From all directions, countless pairs of eyes seemed to brighten.
They locked tightly onto that group.
Li Daoqiang was no exception, quickly discerning the identities of these people.
Any renowned grandmaster-level martial artist, if one cared, would have their portrait kept.
The Black Dragon Stronghold had started late and lacked the time to do this.
But the Azure Dragon Society possessed portraits of most grandmaster-level martial artists under heaven.
Not all were perfectly accurate, but the majority could be matched to their names.
Hong Qigong, Xuan Cheng, Yi Jifeng, Duan Zhengchun, Gao Xin Shang, Murong Fu, Song Zhi, Shen Xingnan, Sun Lutang, Wu Qing, Zhui Ming, Li Buyi...
Many faces, both familiar and unfamiliar, came into view.
Finally, his gaze settled on two figures.
One was stocky, with a rather honest face, silently exuding a sense of righteousness and integrity.
Beside him stood a woman, graceful and poised, as if she embodied all the spiritual essence of the world.
Her white robes were purer than snow, carrying the fresh, poetic charm of the Jiangnan water towns. Her eyes shimmered with a radiance that seemed to make all other beauties pale into insignificance.
A faint smile played at the corners of her lips, revealing three parts liveliness, three parts wisdom, three parts maturity, and one part confidence.
She was breathtakingly beautiful.
Even the natural, subtle allure that hinted she was no longer a maiden could not diminish her beauty.
Guo Jing and Huang Rong.
Li Daoqiang’s gaze lingered on them the longest.
Not for any other reason, but because in his mind, they were the most famous.
That was all.
Under the weight of countless eyes, the Heroes’ Assembly officially began.
That group, about half of them, took seats around the arena. Aside from Duan Zhengchun and Ma Yu, every single one was a grandmaster.
Twenty-three in total.
As they sat down, a stark contrast emerged. An unspoken aura swept outward, immediately stirring another wave of excited murmurs.
So many grandmasters—unless it was a rare event like the Heroes’ Assembly, few could ever see so many at once.
Just looking at them was enough to excite and thrill many.
Under the gaze of numerous grandmasters, Guo Jing strode forward to the center of the arena.
Instantly, almost all eyes shifted to him.
"This is Guo Jing, the Great Hero!"
"The Heroes’ Assembly is about to begin!"
...
A mix of envy, jealousy, admiration, disdain, and other gazes converged.
In a spot to the north.
"Heh, so this is Guo Jing? How is he fit to host the Heroes’ Assembly?" Wen Caiting glanced at Guo Jing’s face, curling her lips in disdain.
"Don’t underestimate him. The support behind him is no small matter," Zhu Yuyan said solemnly.
In the forest where Li Daoqiang and his group were.
Ding Chunqiu looked at Guo Jing and Huang Rong, then glanced at Li Daoqiang.
His eyes rolled, and he said respectfully, "Chief, this Guo Jing seems utterly ordinary, yet he gets to host such a grand assembly.
And he has Huang Rong, once hailed as the number one beauty of the Song Kingdom, as his wife. What a stroke of luck.
Chief, a woman like Huang Rong clearly belongs to you instead."
The others, except for Gongsun Zhi, cast more or less contemptuous glances at Ding Chunqiu.
Li Daoqiang simply smiled. Ding Chunqiu immediately grinned back, unfazed by the other gazes.
Suddenly—
"Slap!"
A blur of a palm, and a crisp sound rang out. Ding Chunqiu’s head snapped to the side, his hand covering his cheek, dazed.
"Ch-Chief!"
His face slapped hard in public, Ding Chunqiu showed no anger once he came to his senses—only fear.
Because those indifferent eyes bore down on him.
Trembling, he said, "This subordinate admits fault."
The others stiffened. Though inwardly they were more amused, they were also curious and puzzled.
What had Ding Chunqiu said to anger the Chief?
"Are you deliberately trying to make me, the stronghold leader, clash with the righteous path and the Song court?" Li Daoqiang said calmly.
His calm was chilling.
"This subordinate wouldn’t dare." Ding Chunqiu shook his head frantically, his face growing more fearful.
"It seems you’ve forgotten what I once said. When we return to the stronghold, one hour of the Life-Death Talisman.
If you give such unreliable advice again, it’ll be a day." Li Daoqiang said coldly.
With that, he turned his gaze back to the arena.
Ding Chunqiu shuddered, his fear palpable, but he dared not argue. He replied respectfully, "Yes, thank you for the punishment, Chief."
The others, some confused, some suddenly enlightened, remained silent and more cautious.
They had learned their lesson.
On the arena, under the spotlight of thousands.
Guo Jing’s sincere and resolute gaze slowly swept across the crowd. There was no arrogance, no triumphant spirit.
Only an open, upright sincerity and determination.
The various noises gradually died down.
When it was mostly quiet, he clasped his fists and spoke in a steady, honest voice.
"Fellow martial artists and friends of the jianghu, I, Guo Jing, on the orders of Wang Chongyang and many seniors, am honored to host this Heroes’ Assembly.
If I fall short in any way, I ask for your understanding."
In the brief silence, several loud voices rose.
"You’re too kind, Great Hero Guo!"
"Speak freely, Great Hero Guo!"
"Great Hero Guo has helped defend Xiangyang for over a decade. He is a true hero, and at the right age to host the assembly. It couldn’t be better!"
...
Amid the flattering remarks, Guo Jing nodded solemnly and continued loudly, "Fellow martial artists, this Heroes’ Assembly has only one purpose: to unite our hearts and resist the Mongol Yuan together."
"Resist the Mongol Yuan!"
...
In an instant, a thunderous roar rose, piercing the sky.
Guo Jing smiled joyfully. As the noise subsided slightly, he declared, "To resist the Mongol Yuan together, we must elect an alliance leader.
The leader will guide us all in resisting the Mongol advance."
He paused, and when no one objected, he continued, "For the position of leader, I will be the first to propose Wang Chongyang.
He is highly respected and has spent decades resisting foreign invasions, loyal to his country.
What do you all think?"
"I agree."
Suddenly, a voice rang out. From the twenty-three seats, a figure stood and spoke loudly.
As eyes turned to him, he said with righteous fervor, "Wang Chongyang as leader is the obvious choice. Besides him, no one else could command such respect."
Immediately, others in the seats nodded in agreement.
Then, the whole crowd erupted.
"Right! If Wang Chongyang isn’t leader, who could be?"
"Yes, Wang Chongyang is the natural choice."
"If Wang Chongyang is leader, I, Zhang San, will follow without question."
...
Amid the voices from the arena, Wang Chongyang becoming leader seemed inevitable, with no dissenting voice.
When the noise died down, Guo Jing announced, "Good. Since no one objects, the Anti-Yuan Alliance will have Wang Chongyang as its leader.
Though he is not here now, he will surely lead us to victory over the Mongol invaders and defend our homeland."
"Defend our homeland!"
...
Another round of cheers followed. Guo Jing’s expression turned serious as he added, "There is one more matter. As you all know, Wang Chongyang is a peerless martial artist. He must constantly guard against the Mongol and other foreign peerless experts.
In daily matters, he cannot stay in Xiangyang to handle the alliance’s affairs.
Therefore, we should also elect three deputy leaders to assist him."
At these words, many eyes gleamed.
Determination, ambition, resolve—all were present.
It seemed this was what they had been waiting for all along.
"After consulting with the seniors, we’ve decided to select the three deputy leaders through martial arts competition.
Whoever’s martial skill and character earn the trust of all can become one of the three deputy leaders.
Is there anyone willing to step up first?"
Guo Jing said seriously.
His gaze slowly swept across the three sides of the arena.
The crowd grew quieter. Some were eager to try, while most were content to watch, full of anticipation.
But regardless, few dared to step up so easily.
And those with real ambition naturally wouldn’t rush.
In the forest.
Seeing this, Li Daoqiang had a rough understanding.
By "understanding," he meant the general structure of the Anti-Yuan Alliance, how they would deal with potential troublemakers, and roughly which factions the three deputy leaders would belong to.
Yes, he could even guess the likely affiliations of the three deputy leaders.
It might seem hard to believe—how could he guess before the competition even started?
But in truth, when you stand at a certain level, it’s not hard to see.
Many things that seem full of variables are actually inevitable.
Most people just can’t see it.
Of course, even though he had a rough idea, it didn’t diminish his interest.
Especially—
Li Daoqiang’s gaze flickered, looking north.
Almost at the same time.
Wang Chongyang, the three of them, turned serious and flew northward.
They flew for dozens of li.
Ahead of them stood three figures, as if waiting specifically for them.
"Haha, Wang Chongyang, Zhuge Shenhou, Holy Monk—I’ve long heard of you. Today, I finally meet you. Truly, you live up to your reputations."
The middle figure among the three laughed heartily.
He wore Yuan imperial robes, his build imposing, exuding an air of authority.
In his hand, he held a fine steel spear, its presence fearsome.
"Si Hanfei—I didn’t expect you to come!
Back then, in the midst of ten thousand troops, you were nearly killed by a spear from the Great Hero Chuan Ying, helping him reach the realm of Heaven and Man.
It seems your wounds have healed. Could it be you’re too embarrassed to stay in the Ming Kingdom, so you’ve come to our Song Kingdom?"
Wang Chongyang said with a look of mock surprise.
In an instant, the imposing figure’s smile froze. The hand gripping the spear seemed to tighten, the very air around him solidifying.
The Holy Monk and the old man smiled, calm and composed.
"Hahaha."
Suddenly, Si Hanfei laughed again, this time with unrestrained boldness.
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