He Yi-ming also turned his head. A flash of excitement crossed his eyes. Although he didn't particularly care about the martial assistance from the Eight Great Xiantian experts, he was deeply moved by their gesture.
It must be known that apart from Shui Xuan-jin and Ting Shi-guang, he had very little rapport with the other six Xiantian realm masters. Thus, when he arrived here, he hadn't expected support from figures like Zhao Rui-pei at all.
But now, sensing those eight auras rushing over like meteors chasing the moon, even the dullest person understood they were here to lend aid.
At this moment, it would be a lie to say He Yi-ming felt nothing.
Regardless of the motives behind their arrival, the mere fact that they had come was more than satisfactory to He Yi-ming. This was a favor, an immense favor that could not be forgotten.
In just a moment, the eight National Protector Masters from the minor states, led by Shui Xuan-jin, arrived.
Instantly, the balance of power between the two sides underwent a drastic change.
On the Tu Fan Kingdom's side, apart from the four Xiantian experts who had fled, only four remained. Furthermore, among these four, one was severely wounded, one was already dead, and even the remaining one had been scared witless by He Yi-ming. If a real fight ensued, utilizing even half of his strength would be considered quite an achievement.
Before arriving, Shui Xuan-jin and the others had anticipated a ferocious battle. They had even steeled themselves for a grueling fight. Yet, when they arrived, instead of witnessing intense combat, they saw an utterly bizarre scene.
Especially upon seeing the Xiantian expert lying dead on the ground, their astonishment grew. Could it be that He Yi-ming had accomplished this solely through his own power?
The several individuals exchanged a look, and the words of Shui Xuan-jin immediately came to mind.
Never mind He Yi-ming's potential; even based on his current strength, he was worth risking offending the Tu Fan Kingdom to come and offer aid.
Mu Jin-tian looked at the eight newly arrived Xiantian experts, sensing the thick hostility emanating from them, and sighed inwardly.
Bu Xing-cong's whip had truly stirred up a hornet's nest. Not only had it drawn out a super expert like He Yi-ming, but it had also summoned as many as eight ordinary Xiantian experts.
He took a deep breath, suddenly opened his eyes wide, and roared, "Master He, what do you intend? Are you planning to wipe out everyone from the Tu Fan Kingdom?"
His voice boomed like thunder, causing hesitation among the crowd.
The Tu Fan Kingdom was one of the super powers, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Kai Rong Kingdom, and it even boasted an expert of the Yi Xian Tian realm. If all these people were truly executed, it would mean a complete and irreconcilable break with the Tu Fan Kingdom.
The mere thought of the Yi Xian Tian expert's strength made even Shui Xuan-jin hesitant.
He Yi-ming’s eyebrows lifted slightly. "Master Mu, you needn't try to provoke me with words. Since I initiated this matter, I shall naturally conclude it. It has nothing to do with them."
Zhao Rui-pei and the others secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although they had presented a united front of advancing or retreating together, rupturing ties with the Tu Fan Kingdom was not something everyone possessed the courage for.
He Yi-ming taking sole responsibility naturally brought them secret delight.
Of course, under the circumstances, no one directly voiced these thoughts.
Mu Jin-tian let out a sudden, long shout. "Good, since Brother He says so, then I, Mu, am relieved." He took half a step back, fixed his gaze on He Yi-ming, and slowly began to unfasten the strange outer robe he wore.
With his level of strength, even fighting while wearing the robe would not significantly impede him. But facing He Yi-ming, he exercised the utmost caution, preparing himself completely, eliminating even the smallest disadvantageous factor.
Though he remained firmly confident in himself, he was filled with apprehension regarding He Yi-ming, who could single-handedly contend against seven Great Xiantian experts.
The strength possessed by this young Xiantian expert absolutely surpassed any prior estimation.
He Yi-ming also retreated a step. He waved his hand lightly, tapping Xie Ming-jin's body.
Xie Ming-jin immediately felt a surge of power, pushing him away gently. After retreating an uncontrollable distance, he realized he had unconsciously moved to Ting Shi-guang's side.
Ting Shi-guang understood He Yi-ming's intention. He reached out and pulled Xie Ming-jin behind him. Shui Xuan-jin also stepped forward, the two great Xiantian experts subtly sandwiching Xie Ming-jin between them.
With their protection, even if He Yi-ming and Mu Jin-tian fought with all their might, they could not accidentally injure him.
Su Jun and the other elder exchanged a glance. They stepped forward and carried the corpse of the deceased elder. Although he had died from severe injuries, his body had to be transported back to the Tu Fan Kingdom.
This was the most basic respect shown to a powerful figure, and the only thing they could accomplish now.
However, as they retreated, they intentionally or unintentionally shielded Bu Xing-cong, the true culprit of this incident, behind them.
Regardless of the outcome of the battle between He Yi-ming and Mu Jin-tian, this man could not be harmed. Even knowing that his future prospects were bleak, this was not the time to completely abandon him.
Unnoticed, only He Yi-ming and Mu Jin-tian remained on the entire training ground.
Aside from them, even several powerful Xiantian experts had voluntarily moved away from that area.
Because the moment the auras from He Yi-ming and the two of them began to spread, everyone, including the multitude of experts, felt an immense sense of danger.
So they all chose to retreat a certain distance. Although doing so in front of experts of the same rank carried a slight connotation of weakness, neither He Yi-ming nor Mu Jin-tian were ordinary Bai San Tian experts. Showing a little restraint did not feel embarrassing to them.
At opposite ends of the plaza, He Yi-ming and Mu Jin-tian stood facing each other.
In their eyes, the entire world seemed to have vanished; the only thing they appeared to see was the powerful opponent directly across from them.
From their bodies emanated a commanding aura, as if they were the sole rulers of their domain.
This kind of aura wasn't something attainable merely through arduous training. It was accumulated bit by bit through countless confrontations with equally matched experts.
Mu Jin-tian being called the foremost expert under the Yi Xian Tian realm in the Tu Fan Kingdom was an honor earned by stepping over the corpses of countless others.
Under his command, all the Bai San Tian experts within the Tu Fan Kingdom were his defeated opponents. Even the Yi Xian Tian experts of the Tu Fan Kingdom placed high hopes on him.
Decades of unchallenged dominance among his peers had instilled in him immense self-assurance, and at this moment, he had completely transformed this confidence into a physical, imposing aura. This almost tangible power continuously spread outwards, seemingly intending to envelop everything within its grasp.
In contrast, the soaring aura emanating from He Yi-ming was in no way inferior to his opponent’s.
If Mu Jin-tian could push his aura to the limit achievable by a Bai San Tian expert, it was due to the confidence built up through countless battles. Then He Yi-ming's escalating aura was the result of his momentum continuously climbing and exploding after overcoming seven simultaneous opponents of the same rank and achieving victory.
These two auras interwove, sharp edge against sharp edge.
Their gazes were profoundly serious. They seemed to sense that the opponent before them was truly extraordinary. However, only such a powerful adversary could truly ignite their desire to fight, allowing them to ascend to higher martial realms through continuous combat.
Finally, as if sharing a telepathic connection, they both moved simultaneously, both vanishing from their original spots at the same instant.
Once they engaged, Shui Xuan-jin and the others realized their speed was so incredible that even they could not clearly track the movements.
Then, at the very center of the training ground, a massive sound like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky erupted, causing everyone’s hearts to tremble violently...
They knew. The two had finally clashed!
※※※※
The eight powerful auras moved in unison. As long as one was a Xiantian realm expert, they could easily sense the change occurring here.
In the distance, within the most sacred Master Hall of the Kai Rong Kingdom—a place every citizen of Kai Rong was intimately familiar with.
Several old men rose in unison, gazing intently in one direction.
Among these individuals were the Xiantian National Protector Masters of the Master Hall. Standing at the forefront was Master Mao Lie-guang.
Although his character was unremarkable, in terms of martial prowess, he had indeed reached the high tier of the Bai San Tian Xiantian experts. While far inferior to He Yi-ming and Mu Jin-tian, he was clearly superior to ordinary Xiantian experts. Therefore, in the Master Hall rankings, apart from the Imperial Family's Old Ancestor—an Yi Xian Tian realm figure—no one surpassed him.
At this moment, everyone looked toward a certain spot with grave expressions, sensing the potent heaven-and-earth energy erupting there.
After a long silence, a beardless, pale-faced old man frowned and asked, "What in the world is happening? Could it be that the National Protector Masters from the vassal states have revolted?"
Mao Lie-guang shot him a displeased glance. "Brother Xu, stop joking. Even if they revolted, their target would be our Master Hall, so why would they go trouble those fellows from the Tu Fan Kingdom?"
The beardless old man’s real name was Xu Kui-ding. While his standing among the ten great Xiantian experts of the Kai Rong Kingdom was lower than Mao Lie-guang's, he followed closely behind, ranking third in the Master Hall.
He coughed lightly. "What should we do now? Should we intervene?"
Mao Lie-guang shook his head slightly. "Let's wait a moment. I have already sent someone out to investigate; information will be relayed soon."
Although they had not witnessed what truly occurred, based on their spiritual sense, they knew that several National Protector Masters from the vassal states within the Kai Rong Kingdom had joined forces and were descending upon the Tu Fan Kingdom's manor as a single swarm.
This sudden event caught even them unprepared. All the National Protector Masters within the city had gathered, ready to deal with any potential upheaval.
After all, the combined total of masters from the Tu Fan Kingdom and the vassal states numbered nearly twenty. If one added the immensely superior He Yi-ming and Mu Jin-tian, the strength of this combined force was formidable enough that even the Kai Rong Master Hall, guarded by an Yi Xian Tian expert, dared not neglect any detail.
A few moments later, just as anxiety began to show on their faces, a figure flashed outside the Master Hall, finally entering.
Upon his entry, everyone except Mao Lie-guang bowed and greeted him. This person hastily returned the courtesies before approaching Mao Lie-guang's side.
If He Yi-ming were present, he would surely recognize this man as Cheng Fu, who had been defeated by him.
However, Cheng Fu now seemed to have undergone a complete metamorphosis. The intense sense of presence he once possessed had vanished, making him look like an ordinary middle-aged man. If not for the faint but piercing light in his eyes as they opened and closed, no one would associate him with a National Protector Master.
Xu Kui-ding smiled happily. "Brother Cheng, your progress is swift; truly commendable."
Cheng Fu nodded slightly toward him but remained silent, not continuing the conversation. The others took no offense, as they all knew that a year ago, Cheng Fu had thrown himself into cultivation with desperation after his defeat, even receiving guidance from the Imperial Family's Old Ancestor, only recently emerging from seclusion.
Since his reappearance, he seemed like a different person; even his master, Mao Lie-guang, could not gauge the depth of his power.
Everyone knew he was waiting for another opportunity to face He Yi-ming, to reclaim his past confidence against the same individual.
"Master, I have ascertained the situation," Cheng Fu announced clearly. "The Fourth Prince of the Tu Fan Kingdom, Bu Xing-cong, wantonly attacked and injured Master He Yi-ming's wife, Yuan Li-xun, while riding through the streets. Consequently, Master He Yi-ming, overcome with righteous fury, has allied with numerous Xiantian experts from the embassy district to seek justice at the Tu Fan Kingdom's manor."
Although his account deviated slightly from the truth, obtaining such news in such a short time indicated that the movements in both areas were still under the surveillance of the Kai Rong Kingdom's spies.
Mao Lie-guang and the others frowned deeply. While conflict between these two factions was undoubtedly a good thing for them, this conflict needed to be contained within a certain boundary. If it exceeded that boundary, it would become a fatal disaster.
For a moment, everyone felt an intense urge to throttle Bu Xing-cong. How dare this dissolute young noble ride aggressively through the streets? Did he still believe this was Tu Fan Kingdom territory?
In reality, a foreign prince riding aggressively might have been a minor incident to them. The problem was that he had struck someone he shouldn't have, turning it into a major incident.
Mao Lie-guang sighed heavily, saying helplessly, "Everyone, let's go join the excitement. We must intervene to mediate this matter."
The Xiantian experts shook their heads with lament and, in a group, hurried toward the Tu Fan Kingdom's manor.
Their speed was astonishingly fast; in moments, they arrived at the manor, only to find a scene of utter devastation. Even the manor gate had been kicked in.
The expressions of the group subtly changed. He Yi-ming and the others had gone too far; kicking down the gate was equivalent to a direct slap in the face. How could the Tu Fan Kingdom contingent accept this lightly?
Upon seeing the arrival of their own Xiantian experts, several troop captains immediately stepped forward to salute.
Mao Lie-guang asked with a stern face, "What happened here?"
The captain with the most articulate speech immediately recounted the events he had witnessed in vivid detail, causing the numerous masters to exchange bewildered glances, their eyes wide, barely believing what they heard.
The muscles in Mao Lie-guang's face twitched inexplicably. "You mean, Master He Yi-ming came here alone and defeated all seven Xiantian masters?"
The captain nodded his head like a chicken pecking grain. He said excitedly, "Reporting to the Master, precisely so. Their exchange lasted only a brief moment before two of the Tu Fan Kingdom's seven National Protector Masters were severely wounded, four fled, and the remaining one revealed Prince Bu Xing-cong's whereabouts before Master He Yi-ming allowed him to leave."
Mao Lie-guang and the others looked at each other again, filled with disbelief. Even Mao Lie-guang, who had nearly been defeated by He Yi-ming in a single move in the past, found it hard to believe He Yi-ming truly possessed such exaggerated strength.
Slowly, their gazes finally settled on Cheng Fu. At this moment, the calmness in Cheng Fu's eyes had completely vanished.
Over the past year, under Zhan Tian-feng's guidance, he had practiced martial arts using a special, extremely painful method that rapidly stimulated potential.
Despite suffering unimaginable agony throughout the year, his strength had advanced by leaps and bounds; he was worlds apart from his state a year prior.
Among the ten Xiantian masters of the Kai Rong Kingdom now, even his own master, Mao Lie-guang, might not be his match.
Yet, even with this level of advancement, he dared not claim he could single-handedly contend against seven experts of the same rank. As for winning, or defeating and scaring them away—that was pure fantasy.
Cheng Fu's fists clenched tightly, his fingernails digging deeply into his palms, yet his heart felt an extreme anguish.
He Yi-ming, how had this man cultivated? Had he attained some sudden enlightenment during this past year...?
Suddenly, a tremendous, turbulent surge of heaven-and-earth energy erupted from within the manor. Everyone’s spirits lifted, and as they sensed the power that inspired terror even in them, a single thought flashed through their minds.
He Yi-ming and Mu Jin-tian had engaged.
Almost without hesitation, everyone rushed toward that location, leaving a group behind to speculate on what had transpired.