His entire being exuded an overwhelming, majestic aura.
Wang Chongyang and the other two remained expressionless, though a faint sharpness flickered deep in their eyes.
Two breaths later, the laughter ceased. Si Hanfei said with an open smile, "Master Wang, pointing out faults as soon as we meet—is that the Taoist way?"
"Heh, when facing wolves, the Taoist way is exactly this," Wang Chongyang replied calmly with a faint smile.
"I've long heard that Master Wang is fiery and sharp-tongued. Truly, you live up to your reputation. Good, that suits the temperament of us grassland men." Si Hanfei's tone carried appreciation and praise.
Before Wang Chongyang could respond, he continued, "If Master Wang is angry with me over the matter of Qi Wang Ling Duxu back then, I have nothing to say. If you seek revenge for Ling Duxu, I'll accept it. It's a fine chance to see how much stronger your Innate Skill is compared to his."
"You'll have your chance to find out." A barely concealed murderous intent surfaced in Wang Chongyang's eyes.
"Good, I'll be waiting anytime." Si Hanfei showed no weakness, brimming with confidence.
"Holy Monk, we meet again, old friend." At this, a figure beside Si Hanfei, clad in a silver-white coat with silver hair and a pale face, spoke in a low voice.
"Yes, Carefree King, we meet again. It's been over eighty years since you fled the Song Kingdom." The Holy Monk waved his feather fan, a hint of nostalgia in his tone.
"Heh." The figure called Carefree King gave a cold laugh, then said calmly and firmly, "I left the Song Kingdom back then, but I believe one day, I will return. Now, I have indeed come back. The lands that once belonged to Song are now part of my Great Yuan. Soon, the entire Song Kingdom will be mine."
"Heh, a fool's dream." The Holy Monk shook his head with a smile.
"The facts are right before us. Who's the one dreaming? The northern lands that once belonged to Song—aren't they now part of Great Yuan? Did all those people like Chuan Ying and Ling Duxu succeed in stopping it?" The Carefree King glanced at Wang Chongyang, his words pointed.
"Heh, if Chuan Ying stood here, would you still dare say that?" The Holy Monk remained unfazed.
"Haha, enough. Chuan Ying was nothing but a failure back then. Even if he reached the realm of transcendence, he couldn't stop my Great Yuan." The Carefree King laughed loudly.
"Well said. In martial arts, Chuan Ying was indeed a prodigy—he defeated me, and I admit it. But before my Great Yuan, he was still a failure. How many of those strong who tried to block my Great Yuan's southward advance are left now? Chuan Ying can only hide away in seclusion." Si Hanfei spoke with arrogance and force.
"Ludicrous arrogance." Wang Chongyang's words were sharp. "If you were truly that strong, would the Mongol Yuan leave the Qing, Jin, Liao, Western Xia, Oirat, and Goryeo standing? You keep these nations entangled with our Great Song and Great Ming, letting them bleed dry to wear us down. Meanwhile, you seize the chance to conquer the west and amass more power. Heh, do you really think the heroes of the Central Plains can't destroy your Mongol Yuan?"
Hearing this, Si Hanfei laughed heartily. "Master Wang, don't try to sow discord between us and the Martial Venerable. The tide of the world is with my Great Yuan. One day, my Great Yuan will unify the realm."
"Ridiculous." Wang Chongyang spat out the word with disdain.
"Lord Bizhen, does your presence here signify war with my Great Song?" At this, the old man who had been silent spoke, turning to another person beside Si Hanfei.
That man was immensely robust, exuding a strange and fearsome aura, as if possessing boundless, terrifying power. Though standing quietly, he seemed like a demon god. He was none other than the pillar of the Jin Kingdom, the Martial Venerable Bizhen.
Hearing this, Bizhen, who had been silent, cast a detached, somewhat haughty gaze at the old man and said calmly, "I am here merely at the prince's invitation to observe this so-called Hero Gathering. The Marquis overestimates things."
His tone carried a hint of frankness, as if he had nothing to do with it.
Si Hanfei's smile remained unchanged upon hearing this.
Wang Chongyang and the other two were half-convinced, but this was not the time to dwell on it. Their gazes shifted to a certain spot.
"Master Wang, Marquis Zhuge, Holy Monk, these are the lads my Great Yuan wishes to test against the martial heroes of the Song Kingdom. How about we watch first?" Si Hanfei said with a hearty laugh.
"Fine. Let's see how they die." Wang Chongyang sneered.
"Who dies remains to be seen." Si Hanfei's lips curled.
Suddenly, he shook his head and sighed. "Speaking of which, I do feel pity for these martial heroes. Just like Chuan Ying, Ling Duxu, and the others back then. No matter how hard they try, what can they achieve? The Song court is already rotten—rotten to the core. No amount of effort can prop it up. Look now, aside from you, Marquis Zhuge, where are the strong of the Song court? They're all busy fighting for power and profit, aren't they? With a court like that, I truly wonder what you, Master Wang, and these martial friends are holding on for. I suddenly think many were right back then—seeing the Song was hopeless, they fled straight to the Ming Kingdom."
Wang Chongyang and the old man narrowed their eyes.
The old man remained steadfast and righteous, speaking calmly without haste, "Prince, I've long heard you admire our Central Plains culture, even naming yourself Si Hanfei. But you've only learned the surface of our culture's words, never its true essence. No matter how much you learn, you remain a wolf who preys on the weak."
Si Hanfei let out a few cold chuckles, disdainfully saying, "Marquis, say what you will, but you can't deny that my Great Yuan is rising like the sun, while your Song grows weaker by the day."
"Then let's watch." The old man, Zhuge Zhengwo, said firmly.
"Fine, let's watch." Si Hanfei spoke as if making a pact, full of confidence.
With that, the six fell silent, all turning their gazes to the arena. There, to some extent, lay the key to today's events.
In the woods, Li Daoqiang's eyes held a hint of curiosity and gravity. Curiosity, because he couldn't hear the conversation among those six. Gravity went without saying. Six peerless powerhouses gathered—if a battle erupted, it would be a world-shaking conflict. No one could take it lightly. If war did break out, what should he do?
This thought arose but yielded no answer. After all, it hadn't happened yet. Any decision would have to depend on the specific circumstances at the time.
After watching for a while, he withdrew his gaze. It seemed those six wouldn't come to blows anytime soon. What mattered more now was likely that group of people.
(Chapter 3, a bit shorter—please forgive me. This segment was really hard to write, with so many powerhouses requiring research and connections. I still have another book to work on later.) ······