Yao Youwei nodded, then suddenly asked, “How did you hear their conversation? Could it be that Young Hero Qi’s internal strength has reached such a profound level that he can hear sounds from a hundred feet away? Has he already reached the Heavenly Realm?”

“This…” Qi Fei thought for a moment and said, “My martial arts have not yet broken through to the Innate Realm, let alone the Heavenly Realm. It’s just that the martial arts I cultivate are a bit special. When I’m practicing, my eyesight and hearing are different from ordinary people.”

Ye Ruiyun glared and said, “You’re talking nonsense. Only the Four Great Martial Arts in the world possess this ability. How could your Diancang Sect have such a martial art?”

Yao Youwei looked at Qi Fei and asked calmly, “May I ask what martial art Young Hero Qi practices? Is it the ‘Compassionate Voyage Scripture,’ the ‘Wuwei Dao Scroll,’ the ‘Red Sun Shines Over the World,’ or…?”

Qi Fei said, “Please forgive me for not being able to tell you.”

Yao Youwei carefully examined his features and suddenly asked, “Are you from Kun Kingdom?”

Qi Fei was taken aback: “How did Miss Yao figure that out?”

Yao Youwei’s expression seemed somewhat unnatural. She turned her head slightly and looked towards the door, saying, “Your features resemble those of an old friend of mine; she was also from Kun Kingdom.”

Qi Fei asked, “Is Lady Yao also from Kun Kingdom?”

Yao Youwei did not answer, but sighed, “I believe what you said. I really didn’t expect Tai Xuan and Yu Shu to be this kind of people. It’s really disappointing!”

Ye Ruiyun asked, “Mother, do you believe him?”

Yao Youwei nodded.

Upon hearing this, Ye Ruiyun was stunned.

She looked Qi Fei up and down again, but couldn’t see anything special about him.

Such a short guy, it’s embarrassing to be friends with him. If there were other people around, Ye Ruiyun would want to keep her distance from Qi Fei, for fear that others would say that she knew him.

Ye Ruiyun said somewhat angrily, “Mother, how can you not even trust your own people, but instead trust an outsider?”

Yao Youwei said, “He is not an outsider.”

“He…” Ye Ruiyun pointed at Qi Fei with a look of disgust, not knowing what to say.

Yao Youwei said, “Young Master Qi, thank you for telling me about this. I will remember this kindness. You don’t need to worry about things here.”

Qi Fei cupped his hands and said, “Alright, Miss Yao, then I’ll take my leave!”

Yao Youwei nodded, a gentle smile on her face, and her gaze seemed even more tender than before.

Qi Fei turned and left the room.

He had just stepped out of the side room when he saw Ye Taixuan and Hua Yushu walking towards him.

Qi Fei thought to himself, now that Yao Youwei is on guard, he believes she won’t fall for their tricks again. After all, she is the wife of Ye Hongyi, the Sword Master, a top expert at the Innate Realm, with rich experience in the martial world and excellent interpersonal skills. There’s no need for Qi Fei to worry about her anymore.

To be on the safe side, Qi Fei hid behind a wall not far away. After a while, he saw Ye Taixuan and Hua Yushu come out of the side room, looking unhappy. They had obviously had a bad day and left dejectedly.

Qi Fei smirked, pleased with their defeat.

As evening fell, Qi Fei was taking a walk outside, enjoying the night view of Dayue Mountain, when he suddenly heard a scream coming from the direction of the west wing. He immediately flew over.

At the same time, many martial arts practitioners who came to participate in the martial arts conference also rushed over.

When everyone arrived, they saw Yao Youwei and Ye Ruiyun walk out of the side room. There were more than a dozen corpses lying at the door, all dressed in black and masked, and it was unknown who they were.

“Miss Yao, what happened here?” A handsome middle-aged man in white stepped forward and asked.

Yao Youwei looked over and said, “So it was Hua Zun, the leader of the Taihua Sect. A dozen or so masked men came just now. I don’t know who they were, but they dared to try to drug us with sleeping powder. Fortunately, I discovered them in time and killed them all.”

“These people are incredibly audacious, daring to cause trouble here. With so many heroes of the martial world here, even if the Four Grandmasters came, they probably wouldn’t fare well!”

“That’s right, that’s right.” Everyone agreed.

Several people stepped forward and ripped off the masks of the masked men in black. Suddenly someone said, “Hey, isn’t this Qian, the镖师 (bodyguard) from Fengyun镖局 (Fengyun Escort Agency)? Why would he do such a thing?”

Everyone was shocked to see that these men in black were actually from the Fengyun Escort Agency.

Yao Youwei and Ye Ruiyun exchanged a glance, both seeing anger in each other’s eyes. Qi Fei, standing to the side, thought to himself that this was most likely Hua Yushu’s doing.

At that moment, a group of people walked over from the direction of the main hall. Their steps were very hurried. The leader was Hua Yushu, along with the eight protectors of Fengyun Escort Agency, and Ye Taixuan was also among them.

“Young Master Hua, what’s going on?” someone asked.

Hua Yushu hurriedly stepped forward and explained, “Gentlemen…heroes, I have something to tell you. Just now, I intercepted a secret letter from several镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) of my Fengyun镖局 (Fengyun Escort Agency) to His Highness. It details their rebellious intentions, saying that they want to defect from Fengyun镖局 and join His Highness’s forces. They also said that they would bring a gift to express their gratitude before they left. I didn’t believe it at first, but I didn’t expect them to actually do it…sigh!”

As he spoke, he took out a letter from his sleeve. The crowd passed it around and read it, and they were all furious.

“These bodyguards are truly traitors, betraying us in the face of battle!”

“That’s right, Old Hero Hua treated them very well back then, but who would have thought they would do something like this! It’s true what they say, ‘A little kindness is appreciated, but too much kindness breeds resentment!'”

“They’re all opportunists and fair-weather friends, unreliable. There’s no need to bury them; just throw them into the mountains to feed the wild dogs!”

Qi Fei watched Hua Yushu and Ye Taixuan sing in unison, especially Hua Yushu’s sorrowful expression, and felt a surge of admiration.

He clearly sent his men to assassinate Yao Youwei and Ye Ruiyun, but because the operation failed, he directly threw his bodyguards out. He did bad things and lied without even blushing. Impressive!

At this moment, Yao Youwei said, “Everyone, now that the matter has been investigated and the people have been dealt with, let’s all go back and rest early. Don’t stay up too late and delay tomorrow’s business.”

“Indeed! Miss Yao is right,” Hua Yushu said loudly. “Tomorrow at noon, we will officially convene the martial arts tournament, and we will rely entirely on everyone then!”

“No problem.”

Everyone returned to their respective residences.

Qi Fei approached Yao Youwei, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, “Miss Yao, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head back now. If you need anything, feel free to contact me anytime, and I’ll be happy to oblige.”

Yao Youwei smiled and said, “Go back, it’s alright. We’ve done nothing wrong, we’re upright and have a strong sense of righteousness, why would we be afraid of such insidious and shameless scoundrels! Don’t you agree, nephew Yushu?”

Hua Yushu laughed and said, “Aunt Yao is right! On the other hand, the martial arts I practice are based on the Confucian ‘righteous spirit,’ which makes me fearless of those treacherous villains. With me here, nothing will happen!”

“Then I’m relieved.” Qi Fei cupped his hands in greeting and turned to leave.

Hua Yushu watched Qi Fei’s departing figure, a hint of resentment in her eyes.

Nothing happened that night.

The next day, heroes from all walks of life who came to participate in the martial arts conference arrived one after another. In the past few days, more than seventy sects and thousands of people from all walks of life had come to Mount Dayue. Each sect had its own banners and flags, making a very grand spectacle.

At noon, Hua Yushu announced the official start of the martial arts tournament. Thousands of people gathered in the square outside the main hall. Many seats were set up around the square, and representatives of various factions sat in their seats, with their disciples standing around them. In the middle, an open space was set up. Hua Yushu stood in the open space and tearfully recounted how the Fengyun Escort Agency had been attacked by the Gan Emperor and the Ninth Prince, and how Hua Wang Hua Zhenbei had been imprisoned.

Qi Fei stood beside Yao Youwei and Ye Ruiyun, looking around, but he couldn’t see Gu Yinzhang, Li Huiyu, or anyone else, including Feng Jianqing and Fang Huaxian. It seemed they hadn’t come to the martial arts tournament at all.

“That’s right. My sister and Sister Fang represent the Kun Kingdom’s forces. This martial arts tournament is organized by the Fengyun Escort Agency, which is one of the three major forces. Naturally, the sects of the Kun Kingdom won’t participate. My master’s wife and godmother have no interest in martial arts conflicts, so they won’t come here either. How come I didn’t think of that?”

Qi Fei frowned, secretly regretting coming here. He planned to leave after the martial arts tournament ended and look elsewhere.

At this moment, Hua Yushu’s voice resounded throughout the entire venue: “All of you heroes are renowned figures in the martial arts world. My father always said that one relies on friends when traveling. Now that my father has encountered such a predicament, I hope that you heroes can consider our past friendship and lend a helping hand to my Fengyun Escort Agency to rescue my father!”

“Hero Hua has firmly held the top position in the martial arts world. Now that the dog emperor has imprisoned him, we naturally won’t stand idly by!”

“That’s right! Back then, I was being hunted down by my enemies. If it weren’t for the Flower King’s intervention, I would have been dead long ago. Now, I have no choice but to intervene!”

“If there’s anything you need, Young Master Hua, just give us your orders. Please don’t hesitate to ask!”

Chen Chijiao of the Beggars’ Sect, Hua Zun of the Taihua Sect, Lei Chihu of the Five Tigers Broken Blade Sect, Wu Donglai of the White Crane Sect, Shi Dayin of the Iron Sword Sect…

Wait a minute, people from all walks of life in the martial arts world have expressed their willingness to help.

Hua Yushu said with a grateful expression, “On behalf of my father, I would like to thank you all! In that case, we will set off for the capital first thing tomorrow morning, break into the imperial palace, storm into the prison, and rescue my father. The success of this mission depends on the efforts of you heroes!”

At that moment, a Buddhist chant suddenly rang out, instantly spreading throughout the entire venue and drowning out all other sounds!

“Immeasurable Light, Immeasurable Buddha! Excellent, excellent—”

Everyone looked up and saw a monk wearing a bright red robe and holding a staff walk out from the crowd and into the center of the hall. This man was a bald monk who looked to be over fifty years old. He was tall and thin with prominent temples and bright, piercing eyes, which clearly indicated that he had extremely high internal strength.

Upon seeing this, everyone was deeply moved and filled with awe.

Lei Chihu said in a deep voice, “It is Dongfang Jingang, one of the Four Vajras of Dachan Temple!”

Hua Yushu quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, “So you are a master from the Great Zen Temple. Please take a seat! Someone, a chair—”

Dachan Temple is a leading force in the martial arts world, on par with Shaoyue Sect. Who would dare to underestimate the monks who come from Dachan Temple?

Immediately, someone brought over a chair, but Dongfang Jingang shook his head and said, “There’s no need to sit. I’ve come here for no other reason than to advise everyone not to start a fight and to prioritize harmony in all matters!”

Hua Yushu said, “Master, could this be the intention of the Great Zen Temple?”

Dongfang Jingang sighed and said, “Indeed, I represent the Great Zen Temple this time. When my abbot learned that Elder Hero Hua had been imprisoned, he felt very sorry and despised his actions against the imperial court. However, considering that once the martial arts world and the imperial court go to war, it means that the world will be in chaos and the people will face a life of misery. It would be a terrible crime to cause the people to suffer and the world to be in turmoil. Therefore, my abbot asked me to come here to persuade everyone to stop this war. I hope that Young Hero Hua can stop the fighting for the sake of my Great Zen Temple.”

Upon hearing his words, everyone reacted with varying expressions; some showed disdain, while others wore solemn expressions.

Hua Yushu said with a face full of grief and indignation: “Master, my father has always acted chivalrously and never done anything immoral. Yet he is now suffering such treatment. Why don’t you persuade that dog emperor to release my father? Why do you advise us not to save him? What kind of logic is that?”

“good!”

“Exactly, the Great Zen Temple seems to be biased!”

The crowd was buzzing with discussion.

Dongfang Jingang said, “Everyone, everyone! Our Great Zen Temple has always been an outsider and will not take sides. If you are unwilling to listen to my advice, then I will have no choice but to report back to my abbot brother.”

Hua Yushu said, “Could it be that the Great Zen Temple intends to send people to use force to stop us from rescuing people?”

Dongfang Jingang said, “I don’t know about that. It depends on the abbot’s opinion. The abbot’s opinion is that everything should be done with the people of the world as the priority!”

“Well said!” a young and cheerful voice rang out.

Everyone looked up at the sound and saw a white figure leap into the arena, landing lightly on the ground like a leaf, without stirring up a speck of dust.

“What superb light-footed skills!”

“This is the Shaoyue Sect’s lightness skill, ‘Dragonfly Skimming Water.’ Could it be someone from the Shaoyue Sect who has arrived?”

Everyone’s gaze fell upon the newcomer, a young man in his early twenties. He was very handsome, dressed in a white Taoist robe, carrying a long sword on his back. He had an elegant and refined appearance, exuding a unique charm.

Qi Fei thought to himself, “People from Dachan Temple and Shaoyue Sect have come; it seems they’ve all come to dissuade Hua Yushu.”

“Yuan Fuyao of the Shaoyue Sect greets Dongfang Jingang and all fellow martial artists!” The man smiled slightly and clasped his hands in greeting to the crowd.

“Yuan Fuyao?” Chen Chijiao of the Beggars’ Sect was slightly surprised. “You are Yuan Fuyao, the personal disciple of Master Xuantian, and the youngest and most outstanding genius disciple of the Shaoyue Sect in hundreds of years?”

Yuan Fuyao smiled slightly: “I wouldn’t dare, it is indeed I.”

He exudes an extraordinary and refined air, as if he were untainted by the mud, making him stand out from the crowd. On the surface, he appears gentle and refined, but he gives the impression that he looks down on these roughnecks from the bottom of his heart.

Hua Yushu stepped forward and said, “So it’s Brother Yuan. I’ve long admired your name.”

Yuan Fuyao chuckled and said, “Brother Hua, I have long admired your name. I am finally able to meet you today. You are indeed a handsome man, with the demeanor of the old hero Hua in his prime.”

Hua Yushu was displeased. How do you know what kind of demeanor my father had back then? It’s as if you’re a generation above me.

He suppressed his anger, smiled, and cupped his hands, saying, “Brother Yuan, have you come here to support us in rescuing my father?”

“Exactly the opposite!”

Yuan Fuyao sighed, “I know Brother Hua is deeply saddened by the imprisonment of the Flower King, and I am also heartbroken. My master often says that the old hero Hua is a truly upright man and should not suffer such injustice! However, as everyone knows, there are countless experts in the imperial palace, especially under the command of the Ninth Prince. Although there are many experts present, it is probably a pipe dream to forcefully break into the palace and rescue him from the prison. It is almost impossible to succeed. Therefore, my master asked me to persuade everyone to remain calm and not act rashly. If we wait a few years, things may change. If we act rashly, not only will we fail to rescue him, but the heroes present may also perish, and we may also incur the wrath of the court, which could harm the people.”

Hua Yushu sneered, tapping his palm with his folding fan, and said, “Thank you for your consideration, Brother Yuan, but if we wait a few years as you suggest, my father will probably have been tortured to death by now!”

“Exactly, how can we wait for something like this?”

“That dog emperor imprisoned the old hero Hua on trumped-up charges, which is already morally reprehensible. How can he expect us to compromise?”

“Exactly, exactly! How could such a thing happen? It’s utterly absurd!”

Seeing that everyone kept advising against it, Yuan Fuyao could only shake her head helplessly. She and Dongfang Jingang exchanged a glance and both sighed. It seemed that persuasion was futile. However, they had already delivered their message and completed their mission, which was enough. Whatever happened afterward was none of their business.

Seeing that Dongfang Jingang and Yuan Fuyao had nothing to say, Hua Yushu raised his arm and said, “I am not talented, but I am willing to temporarily be the leader of the martial arts world. Fellow heroes of the martial arts world who have come from afar, let’s get drunk tonight and set off early tomorrow morning. We will split up and sneak into the capital. We will set a time, sneak into the palace together, break into the prison, and rescue the person!”

“good!”

“Help! Help!”

The people around them echoed loudly, creating a powerful and imposing atmosphere, with a menacing aura soaring into the sky.

After the meeting, the people from Dachan Temple and Shaoyue Sect left immediately. Qi Fei also wanted to leave, but Hua Yushu stopped him: “Brother Qi, don’t go. Let’s have dinner first!”

Seeing his enthusiastic expression and the way he held onto his hand tightly, Qi Fei had no choice but to say, “Brother Hua, there’s nothing more for me here. I’ll be leaving after we finish eating.”

“Let’s eat first, and we’ll talk after we finish eating,” Hua Yushu said in an extremely friendly manner.

In the evening, several hundred more tables of food and drink were set up. During the banquet, Hua Yushu came to Qi Fei’s table, toasted him, and said, “Brother Qi, if I’m not mistaken, are you going to look for someone?”

“Not bad.” Qi Fei put down his wine glass and nodded.

Hua Yushu smiled slightly and then asked, “Should we go find your sect’s heroine Gu Yinzhang, and the Danxia sect’s heroine Li Huiyu, among others?”

Upon hearing this, Qi Fei frowned and said, “Exactly.”

Hua Yushu sighed, “Brother Qi, I didn’t want to tell you about this. But I feel I have to get this off my chest after all our time together!”

Qi Fei asked, “What is it?”

Hua Yushu looked up at the sky, his face grave, and said, “If my information is correct, Lady Gu and Lady Li have most likely already been captured!”