As Lou Tianyu stepped away from the battle stage, the Hall of Celestial Eminence remained frozen in a stunned silence, the echoes of his victory still lingering in the air. The spectators—sect elders, influential figures, and thousands watching through viewing talismans—found themselves captivated, their minds struggling to reconcile the reality before them.
Was this truly just a Qi Coalescence Peak Stage cultivator?
His temperament, his mastery, and the sheer precision of his movements were nothing like that of a young disciple—they bore the weight of someone who had walked through eons of experience, someone far beyond what they had initially perceived.
Every eye remained locked onto him, watching as he walked toward his seat, but none dared to break the silence.
Then—Elder Qinxue of the Thousand Peaks Sect furrowed his brows, his expression shifting as if trying to recall a distant memory. His gaze lingered on Tianyu, his thoughts racing.
Where had he seen him before?
And then—the realization struck him.
He spoke aloud, his voice resounding across the grand hall:
"It has been a while since I last saw you, kid. You've grown up so much since the Veiled Hollow Plains."*
The words sent shockwaves through the banquet.
At those words, the murmurs exploded like wildfire, spreading through the hall as guests exchanged astonished glances.
"The Veiled Hollow Plains? That forbidden plains in the west mountains?"*
"Wait… Elder Qinxue knows Lou Tianyu?"
Tianyu, remaining composed despite the scrutiny, bowed respectfully, his voice calm yet carrying the weight of acknowledgment.
"It is my honor to see Elder Qinxue once more. And congratulations on reaching Astral Ascension, senior."
The entire audience held its breath, watching this unexpected exchange between a legendary elder and the youth who had just shaken the banquet with his strength.
But what Elder Qinxue said next sent the banquet into even greater chaos.
With an amused chuckle, he waved his hand dismissively.
"You don't need to call me senior. I already gave you my emblem, didn't I? Technically, you're already part of the Thousand Peaks Sect."
The banquet erupted.
Not only did the spectators in the hall hear this revelation, but everyone across Silverleaf City, watching through viewing talismans, heard it as well.
A disciple from the merchant sector gasped aloud, whispering in disbelief:
"Lou Tianyu… is already under Thousand Peaks Sect?!"
"Impossible! How could this have gone unnoticed?"
"Was this kid recruited in secret? Has he been hiding his affiliation all along?!"
While the crowd struggled to comprehend the unfolding truth, Yue Zhen, patriarch of the Yue Clan, calmly observed the exchange. His eyes flickered toward Tianyu, then shifted to Elder Qinxue.
With a measured voice, he asked:
"You're already familiar with my clan's disciple, Qinxue?"
Elder Qinxue simply smiled, his tone carrying traces of admiration.
"The kid was present during the Veiled Hollow event, when the Starspirit Vine Fruit was ripening."
The murmurs grew louder, the weight of the revelation intensifying as every powerful figure in the banquet leaned forward slightly—curious, intrigued, eager to know more.
Elder Qinxue continued, his voice calm but reverberating with significance:
"He was astounding at that time. He fought through the Spirit Beast stampede for several hours and stood his ground while only at Spiritual Bloom Peak Stage—five months ago."
The hall **shook.**
What had been whispered speculation moments ago had now transformed into undeniable truth.
Five months ago, Lou Tianyu was merely a Spiritual Bloom Peak Stage cultivator.
Yet, he survived the monstrous chaos of the Veiled Hollow Plains.
Now, he stood at Qi Coalescence Peak Stage, dominating Nascent Soul warriors.
How was such a thing possible?
---
Across the banquet hall, powerful cultivators shook in their seats, trying to picture the scene that Elder Qinxue described.
To challenge the Veiled Hollow Plains at such a low realm…
To battle through a Spirit Beast stampede for hours…
To survive in the chaos and attempt to claim a Starspirit Vine Fruit for himself…
Was he suicidal?
A madman?
Or had they simply failed to understand what kind of monster Lou Tianyu truly was?
While the hall was filled with heated discussions about Tianyu's past valor, the youth himself stood in place, awkwardly enduring the attention.
Despite having lived two lifetimes, the overwhelming limelight and scrutiny still made him inwardly shiver.
But outwardly—he kept composed, pretending the grand event was nothing to him.
Yue Zhen's sharp gaze lingered on him, questioning.
Tianyu smiled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck before answering:
"I apologize for my mistake, patriarch. I was too absorbed in cultivation these past months and forgot to mention it to you or Feiyan."
Yue Feiyan, seated beside him, almost face-palmed at the response.
She sighed, shaking her head as she muttered:
"That's why I kept telling you to leave the manor and explore the city with me. All you think about is cultivation."
Tianyu stood there in silence—then laughed awkwardly.
Watching the exchange, the elders of each sect chuckled, trading amused glances.
For a youth who had just shattered expectations with his combat mastery, Tianyu still bent easily when confronted by beauty.
One sect leader murmured to his companion:
"Stoic in battle, noble in presence… but helpless when it comes to a beauty?"
Another elder grinned:
"A heart untouchable by fear, yet pierced effortlessly by a single sigh from a woman. Even the strongest warriors cannot escape this fate."
Yue Zhen simply smiled before speaking again:
"Don't overthink this. You may visit Thousand Peaks Sect anytime you're ready."
Tianyu bowed slightly, his tone measured:
"Thank you, patriarch."
Meanwhile, Elder Qinxue, still amused, reminded Tianyu:
"You can travel with us to the sect once the trials are over next year."
Tianyu only said "Thank you Elder Qinxue, I will follow you to the sect once I've finished everything here in Silverleaf city"
"Good" Elder Qinxue nodded.
And thus, Tianyu's future path had been sealed.
----
Seated at the Crimson Hawk Sect's table, Ren Zixuan clenched his fists, his knuckles white with suppressed rage. The humiliation of his loss to Lou Tianyu burned within him like an unquenchable flame.
He had always believed himself to be untouchable, a prodigy who would carve his name into history. Yet tonight, he had been reduced to a spectacle, his arrogance laid bare before the strongest cultivators of Silverleaf.
His teeth ground together as he watched the murmurs of admiration directed toward Tianyu, the same youth he had once mocked and dismissed. And now—the hall regarded him as a legend, a warrior that even sect elders now watched with profound interest.
Ren Zixuan knew the truth now.
There were heavens beyond heavens. And he, despite his talent, was still a frog within the well, blinded by his own self-importance.
Beside him, Elder Houyan exhaled deeply, his disappointment tangible.
"Let this be your lesson, Zixuan."His voice was firm but not without wisdom.
"Cultivation is more than strength alone. You judged Tianyu at face value, and look where it led you."
Ren Zixuan's fingers trembled as he listened, his pride warring against acceptance.
"You will not step out of the sect until you have reflected on your mistakes."Houyan's tone grew heavier. "Only when you rise beyond this humiliation will you be worthy of your talent."
The words struck deep. Ren Zixuan stared at the battle stage, where Tianyu now sat in quiet contemplation.
He had underestimated the world. Never again.
----
While the murmurs surrounding Lou Tianyu still echoed through the banquet hall, the battles were far from over.
Among the elite disciples that remained, Jian Lin of the Celestial Blade Sect stepped forward, his posture sharp as steel. His eyes, cold yet focused, locked onto the table of Thousand Peaks Sect—where Xiang Tianyi sat in quiet confidence.
His voice rang out, clear and unwavering:
"I, Jian Lin, challenge Xiang Tianyi."
A ripple of excitement surged through the hall.
A clash between sword and saber. A battle of precision and dominance.
At the Thousand Peaks Sect's table, Xiang Tianyi smiled faintly, rising from his seat with composed grace.
Without a single wasted movement, he glided onto the stage, his presence like flowing water, controlled yet limitless.
"I accept." His voice carried the same effortless sharpness as his blade.
The air around them shifted, the tension thick with anticipation.
----
The first exchange was deceptive—neither attacked recklessly. Their strikes were precise, measured, like two musicians weaving a perfect rhythm with each clash of steel.
Jian Lin's saber danced, each slash controlled, infused with Qi that shimmered in ominous red arcs.
Tianyi's sword counters were fluid, deflecting the attacks with seamless ease, his blade humming softly like celestial silk slicing through the wind.
The elders nodded, pleased by the restrain shown by both warriors, knowing that the true battle had yet to begin.
Then—the momentum changed.
Jian Lin unleashed Saber Qi, his Blood Crescent Slash carving through the air like a dying star, its energy rippling with intensity.
The attack was brutal—calculated destruction aimed at cutting through defenses entirely.
Xiang Tianyi, unfazed, shifted his stance, flowing like water down a mountain, meeting the attack with the manifestation of Sword Qi—Celestial River Flow.
Their techniques collided, splitting the stage into two realms of saber and sword mastery.
The banquet hall erupted in astonishment, watching as the battlefield glowed with overwhelming Qi.
Xiang Tianyi's movements slowed, but it was not weakness—it was the gathering of energy.
His voice was low but resonant:
"Symphony of a Thousand Swords."
A divine rain of sword Qi erupted around him—a thousand radiant blades converging upon Jian Lin with terrifying precision.
Jian Lin did not falter.
His saber ignited, a crimson glow enveloping his entire body as he whispered his strongest technique:
"Blood Crescent Moon."
A single saber arc slashed forward—its trajectory so precise that it parted the incoming swords like a moon splitting the heavens in two.
The sect elders and family patriarchs rose slightly from their seats, watching in stunned admiration.
These two warriors—despite being at Nascent Soul Stage 2—had mastered the strongest techniques of their sects.
As the dust settled, both warriors stood still, acknowledging that their attacks had canceled one another.
The tension in the hall had never been higher.
Then—they nodded to one another.
In a final exchange, both executed a single decisive strike, pushing everything into one last slash.
Silence.
Then—Jian Lin coughed blood, his knees buckling slightly.
Yet he did not collapse—instead, he lowered his head in respect, bowing toward Xiang Tianyi.
Xiang Tianyi turned toward his seat, and as he walked, the banquet noticed a blood-mark scar upon his cheek—a silent testament to how close the battle had truly been.
A heartbeat passed—then, wild cheers exploded through the hall.
Sect elders from Thousand Peaks Sect and Celestial Blade Sect exchanged approving glances, standing to congratulate their disciples for their performance.
One elder of Thousand Peaks Sect proudly declared:
"Xiang Tianyi has lived up to our name. His blade shall carve our future."
A patriarch of Celestial Blade Sect nodded in admiration:
"Jian Lin's mastery of saber Qi is terrifying. We couldn't have hoped for a better disciple."
The other sects and clans acknowledged the prowess of both warriors, understanding that these disciples were destined for greatness.
As the cheers continued, discussions about the final battles filled the banquet hall.
But all eyes subtly drifted toward Lou Tianyu, wondering—who would challenge him next?