As a few of us were busy preparing for our journey to the Demon Dragon Continent, Long Xin received a letter from Mengzhong Academy. It turned out that the Youlong Gang had made quite a name for themselves in Cang Yue, and the news had actually reached the Academy. This wasn't surprising; the Battle of the Yellow Springs had shaken the entire continent, and nearly every gang member involved had been reported on by the Red Clothed organization. Although Long Xin and the others hadn't been the most prominent figures, they received significant attention simply because they were my companions. After all, Long Xin was the leader of the Youlong Gang, and I was the vice-leader. Most importantly, the plan to improve the Thunder Formation was first proposed by Jin Hong, making it nearly impossible for them to remain obscure. Thus, the Academy sent an urgent letter summoning them back immediately.

"Why is the Academy so eager to call you all back?" I asked, feeling a touch of concern.

"Don't worry, it certainly isn't bad news," Long Xin replied enthusiastically. "Perhaps we can even graduate early this time."

"If luck is on our side, we might even receive a special recommendation from the Academy. Our standing will skyrocket then!" Long Zhan exclaimed excitedly.

It was a typical celebrity effect, reminding me of certain social phenomena in modern times. Consider how a school that produced a few students recognized for acts of bravery would gain immense public attention. The school would use the opportunity to promote itself, most often through long-overdue commendations or testimonial meetings—a situation where both the students and the institution gained fame and profit.

I never imagined encountering something like this even in the world of Marfa. It seemed the higher-ups at Mengzhong Academy weren't so slow-witted after all.

"Let's not talk about us," Jin Hong and Dong Guan looked crestfallen. "Grandpa found out we actually ventured into the Yellow Springs World and was extremely worried. He issued a strict command that we must return immediately. It looks like a good scolding is inevitable!" Dong Guan fretted, "Grandpa's health isn't good; agitation often triggers his heart pain and shortness of breath. I really can't bear to frighten him further."

"How could this be?" I said with some regret. "It seems our Youlong Gang will have to separate for a while."

"Don't worry," Long Xin assured me. "There will always be a day we meet again."

"Perhaps by the next time we meet, you'll be the undisputed youngest master of Marfa," Long Qi said. "Keep up the good work."

"Take care, everyone," I sighed helplessly.

"You too," Long Xin replied. "Although I know your escape skills are first-rate, I still hope you will act cautiously and try not to draw too much attention."

"Got it," I grumbled. "Do you think I enjoy looking for trouble?"

"Hahahaha." Everyone burst out laughing.

........................................

With the help of Shen Yin, Long Xin and the others successfully boarded the Thunder Eagles returning to Mengzhong. I, on the other hand, set off on my journey toward the Demon Dragon Continent, beginning a lonely and long period of cultivation. Although there was reluctance, everyone had their own missions to complete and challenges to face. I believed that one day we would gather happily, free and unburdened.

After several transitions, I finally arrived at the Demon Dragon City Continent twenty days later.

Dongguan City, the closest settlement to the Demon Dragon Eastern Pass, was a small city, perhaps the size of Ginkgo Small City. Outside the town ran a major road leading directly to the Demon Dragon Eastern Pass. I galloped down the road on my horse, and half a day later, I spotted a small tavern by the roadside.

Exhausted, thirsty, and fatigued, I entered the tavern. Perhaps due to its remote location, the business inside was surprisingly quiet, especially for noon, which should have been the busiest time. Only five or six sparse patrons were chatting and eating. Judging by their attire, they seemed to be rangers. When they saw me enter, the rangers nodded kindly, acknowledging my presence.

I returned the gesture with a slight nod and a cupped fist. It was a form of fate to run into fellow travelers in this desolate area.

The waiter rushed over enthusiastically upon seeing me.

"Bring me whatever food you have," I instructed. "And take good care of my horse."

"Certainly! A trough of the finest fodder!" The stable boy expertly led the six horses toward the stables.

"Young Master, please wait a moment; the fine wine and food will arrive shortly."

Before long, various dishes were placed before me, and I began to devour them eagerly.

After a satisfying meal and drinks, I finally regained my vigor. The fatigue of the preceding days vanished instantly. Taking advantage of this lull, I reclined on a chair, allowing myself a proper relaxation. Since I had arrived here, there was no need to rush the rest of the journey.

Just then, two men and one woman entered the tavern.

The leading man stood about 1.8 meters tall, appearing no older than twenty-five or twenty-six. He had azure hair and emerald eyes, dressed in a white robe, handsome and graceful, exuding an air of ethereal elegance. It was clear he was no ordinary person.

Beside him was a woman as beautiful as a celestial being. Even after witnessing Shen Yin's devastating beauty, I was momentarily stunned. The woman also wore a white robe. Unlike Shen Yin's light, fluid, and transcendent beauty, this woman possessed a more mature aura. Although their temperaments differed, both were breathtakingly captivating.

With the same azure hair and emerald eyes as the man, it was safe to assume they were siblings, given their strikingly similar features. Based on their attire, they seemed less like rangers and more like a wealthy young master and lady out for a spring outing.

Following them was a heavily built man with a rugged face, somewhat resembling Long Zhan. He was clad in War God Armor, a Frost Numbing Greatsword strapped to his back, and his brows carried an imposing aura that suggested great power. He was clearly a warrior of extraordinary skill; I estimated his cultivation level to be at least the peak of the Scarlet Moon realm.

"So beautiful!"

"How stunning."

The other rangers at a nearby table couldn't help but exclaim in awe. As if sensing their admiration, the woman turned toward them, offering a calm and serene smile, which further captivated their souls. Of course, it wasn't just them who were mesmerized; I, too, was captivated, staring blankly at the woman. It seemed that excessive beauty always made one the center of attention, no matter where they went.

However, at that very moment, the sound of urgent horse hooves arrived. Outside the tavern, dozens of riders flashed past, surrounding the entire establishment. A terrifying killing intent instantly erupted.

"Ah!" The people inside the tavern gasped in shock. The newcomers were clearly battle-hardened experts. Leading them was a dashing young man, impeccably groomed, with a gleaming, massive Zhanmadao (horse-slaying saber) casually resting on his saddle. His eyes, filled with ruthlessness and a cruel smile, made one deeply uncomfortable.

"The Yun family siblings stay; kill everyone else." The youth's icy gaze swept over me and the other rangers, treating us like inanimate objects before settling on the woman with an expression of infatuated madness.

Damn it, I immediately classified this arrogant second-generation scion as a major villain character.

"Yes!" The dozens of men raised their weapons and rushed in menacingly.

"The White Tiger Alliance!" The peerless woman in white exclaimed in shock.

"The scoundrel Luo Meng!" The man in white turned deathly pale.

"If you want to touch the Young Master and Miss, you'll have to get past me first." The robust warrior drew his greatsword and blocked the entrance, immediately clashing with the group. However, more than a dozen broke through his defense and lunged toward us.

"Damn, this day is jinxed," I muttered inwardly, not even being able to enjoy a meal in peace. My right hand instinctively moved toward the hilt of the Dragon Shadow Sword.

"How arrogant, treating us like we're already dead." It was the rangers at the other table who finally took up arms.

"Go die!" Two mages among them instantly hurled two spheres of explosive fire toward the dozen charging assassins.

Perhaps none of us expected that a simple stop at a roadside tavern would lead to such terrible misfortune, being targeted for no reason—or rather, being implicated. My first thought was that the woman was a femme fatale.

It was all her fault. In a flash of thought, I had already drawn my sword.

Boom! A loud explosion erupted among the dozen attackers, instantly blasting some of them backward. Yet, the charging dozen seemed unfazed as a dozen piercing sword auras shot toward us, swift and fierce.

"Ah, careful!" It was the peerless woman who cried out a warning.

"Roar! Get away!" A warrior from the other group of rangers, clearly skilled, suddenly swept out a powerful crescent moon sword energy.

Clash! Clash! Clash! A rapid series of concussions followed. The ranger's crescent energy was scattered by the dozen piercing sword auras. Due to the angle, the sharp auras headed straight for my position and theirs.

"You dare bully us!" At the critical moment, I could no longer hold back. I instantly activated the Thunder Dou Qi. With a sidestep and sweep, under the astonishing intensity of the Thunder Dou Qi, a robust Raging Fire Sword Qi swept out along the sword's motion, instantly manifesting a crescent moon blade. However, this crescent blade was unlike ordinary ones; it was composed of fiery-red Raging Fire Sword Qi. Although its size wasn't as exaggerated as the giant crescent blade Feng Qingtian had unleashed within the Thunder Formation, this smaller Raging Fire Crescent Moon was still incredibly potent.

The fiery-red crescent flashed like lightning toward the dozen piercing sword auras.

Clash! Clash! Clash! After a dazzling burst of light, where the flames flashed, flesh and blood flew. In a single exchange, the dozen attackers were cleaved in two by the Raging Fire Crescent Moon.

Two who reacted quickly managed to evade, but even so, they looked at me with sheer terror. However, the two mages weren't about to let them go. Two Lightning Bolts struck their heads almost simultaneously.

Boom! Their sturdy bodies were violently flung back, collapsing to the ground, their fates uncertain.

The dozen assassins who charged into the shop were annihilated in the blink of an eye, but another dozen followed, rushing toward us—all within two or three seconds.

The Yun siblings and the other six rangers instinctively moved closer to me, seemingly relying on my strength to hold off the next wave of killers.

The six behind me quickly set up a formation. The two mages launched several more spheres of explosive fire.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Amidst a series of loud rumbles, several more assassins were blasted away. But these assassins were clearly not easily deterred; this barrage only seemed to ignite their ferocity, making them furious.

"Kill them," The dozen warriors dispersed, attacking us from all directions. They were clearly wary of my Raging Fire Crescent Moon. Unfortunately, the Raging Fire Crescent Moon wasn't my only move.

When practicing the Thunder Formation, to counter the high-speed movements of the Yellow Springs Cult Master, Feng Qingtian had arranged for me to use a dozen speed-focused warriors from the Vermilion Bird Alliance as live targets for a week.

Dong Guan vividly nicknamed this training "Sparrow Shooting." The most direct result of a week of sparrow shooting was that I developed an astonishing, almost conditioned-reflex ability to attack fast-moving objects, and not just in one-on-one combat, but in one-against-N+1 scenarios.

Compared to that, the speed of these dozen attackers was like that of snails. The Dragon Shadow Sword swept out just over a dozen times, launching a dozen piercing sword auras almost simultaneously.

Slice! Slice! Slice!

The dozen warriors who had been attacking us from various sides collapsed simultaneously before they could even utter a scream. A closer look revealed a fist-sized hole pierced through each of their necks, a horrifying sight.

"Ah!" The six rangers hiding behind us, along with the siblings, stared at me in utter horror, their faces pale.

"Young brother, what astonishing sword energy attack!" One of the six rangers, a warrior, exclaimed in shock.

"Passable, I suppose," I smiled.

The assassins inside the shop were wiped out in an instant. Those outside were held back by that warrior and couldn't rush in yet. The battle outside was ferocious; several corpses already littered the ground, clearly slain by the warrior.

But more assassins swarmed the warrior, attacking him frantically. His body was enveloped by countless flashes of sword and saber light. It was evident that this warrior was exceptionally skilled, and to deal with him, the group of assassins had deployed experts of comparable strength.

Clash! With a violent roar, two Frost Numbing Greatswords collided head-on in mid-air. Amidst a dazzling spark of electricity and flint, the warrior was knocked back a few steps. Simultaneously, three green streaks flashed forward—three other warriors—their Infernal Battle Axes slashing toward the warrior's chest, abdomen, and lower body with terrifying speed.

"Tong Lei!" The two white-robed siblings exclaimed in unison!

"Be careful!" The coordinated attack by these three—in terms of speed, angle, and timing—was executed flawlessly. Even two of the six allied warriors couldn't help but shout warnings.

"Roar!" The warrior named Tong Lei roared during the fierce battle, his Frost Numbing Greatsword flipping over, sending his entire body spinning airborne like a swallow descending through the clouds, nimbly avoiding the three sharp axes. At the same moment, a flash of brilliant light erupted as the Frost Numbing Greatsword sliced out three arcs in an instant, targeting the vital points on the three assassins' chests.

Clash! Clash! Clash! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Three metallic impacts were followed by three short, crisp sounds of blades piercing flesh. Tong Lei's Frost Numbing Greatsword had managed to pierce through the thick War God Armor of the three assassins simultaneously, killing them instantly.

Ah! What terrifying penetration!

What frightening sword moves!

Others might not have seen clearly, but I did. The three thrusts were incredibly fast, comparable to my own Three Lines of Sword Qi. This Tong Lei was clearly a master of swift swordsmanship.

The sudden change lasted only a second. As the three assassins were skewered, six other sword lights flashed like phantoms appearing from nowhere, stabbing toward Tong Lei's front, back, and six vital spots. The chilling killing intent, even from twenty meters away, gave me an inexplicable sense of dread. These assassins besieging Tong Lei were on a completely different level from those who had attacked us earlier. Each possessed cultivation at least at the peak of the Scarlet Moon realm, and their coordinated fighting skill was astonishing. These six swords practically sealed off all of Tong Lei's retreat paths.

"Body Protection Divine Shield!" Tong Lei roared. A white light suddenly enveloped his entire body, taking the shape of a massive shield, identical to the Body Protection Divine Shield in Legend.

Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong! Six rapid concussions sounded like bullets hitting steel plates. The six Frost Numbing swords were violently repelled.

"Die!" From within the light shield, Tong Lei's sword drew a circle outward lightning-fast.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

Six columns of blood shot into the sky.

"Yun Family Flying Rainbow Slash!" The two warriors exclaimed loudly.

"Six kills with one sword," I muttered in shock. "What an incredible sword technique."

Boom! Roar! But before we could recover, another muffled thunderclap erupted! The leading youth leaped forward, his snow-white saber light slicing down toward Tong Lei's head like a crack of thunder.

The tragic saber energy and terrifying Dou Qi fluctuation shattered the surrounding tables and chairs into dust, and Long Zhan, the siblings, the six rangers, and I were all forced several steps back by the powerful shockwave of the Dou Qi.

"It's the White Tiger Mad Saber!" The two warriors' eyes widened in alarm. Although they didn't know what formidable technique the White Tiger Mad Saber was, judging by the youth's terrifying aura, I felt a suffocating pressure.

Ah! Tong Lei's expression also changed drastically. It was clear that the siege by the previous nine men was merely a setup for the youth to unleash this single strike. At this moment, Tong Lei had exhausted his momentum and couldn't draw his sword back to block. Furthermore, the Body Protection Divine Shield likely couldn't withstand the youth's full-power thunderous chop. It seemed Tong Lei had fallen into the youth's calculated trap from the very beginning.

"Tong Lei!"

"Brother Tong!"

The white-robed siblings were terrified out of their wits!

However, the youth, meticulous in his calculations, had overlooked me. Naturally, I could not stand by and watch Tong Lei be killed.

In a flash of thought, Raging Fire Sword Qi shot out like lightning. Twenty meters was precisely the effective range for the Raging Fire Sword Qi, and speed was my specialty.

The fiery-red Raging Fire Sword Qi materialized out of thin air, its target undeniably the youth's throat.

"Get lost!" With a furious roar, the youth's earth-shattering chop unbelievably shifted to a horizontal slice.

Clash! The massive saber energy instantly dispersed the lightning-fast Raging Fire Sword Qi. But in that brief opening, Tong Lei had managed to disengage from the saber's trajectory and closed the distance, his Frost Numbing Greatsword moving like lightning. Layer upon layer of sword shadows enveloped the youth like a violent storm, striking at his chest, abdomen, face, and lower body—every sword strike seeming to target a vital point simultaneously, each one impossibly strange and unbelievably fast.

Heavens, it was a combination sword style from Fencing! I was profoundly shocked. Yes, the relentless flurry of sword strikes bore a startling resemblance to my own Fencing style. Upon closer inspection, however, there were differences: his continuity seemed less smooth than my Fencing style, his angles far less tricky than my combination moves, and his speed seemed a beat slower. Even so, I was inwardly stunned. This Tong Lei was wielding a giant Frost Numbing Greatsword! If he could unleash such terrifying speed with this heavy weapon, what would it be like with a fencing foil? I dared not imagine how one could defend against such dense attacks.

But the youth merely executed an electric step backward, his body swaying irregularly like a willow catkin drifting in the wind, miraculously dodging every single thrust of Tong Lei's storm-like sword attacks. Moreover, his composed expression suggested he was handling it with ease.

"Is that guy a monster?" One of the horrified rangers behind me exclaimed. "He dodged swords that fast."

"It seems like he can see the landing point of every one of Tong Lei's strikes," the leading warrior said in astonishment.

"Eye of Death Desire!" I muttered. "No one can dodge such fast and dense attacks except with the Eye of Death Desire." I couldn't fathom that the young man's battle skill had reached this level. He appeared to be around my age.

"That Luo Meng is the fourth-ranked young master on the Demon Dragon Continent," the peerless woman behind me explained. "Although he is only eighteen, his Dou Qi cultivation is among the best of the younger generation. Coupled with the White Tiger Mad Saber, even Brother Tong Lei finds it difficult to contend with him."

"Is your Brother Tong perhaps Tong Lei, the Flying Rainbow Sword, ranked sixth on the Experts List?" the leading warrior asked in surprise.

"Correct," the Yun brother nodded.

As he spoke, the youth transitioned from defense to offense. His massive Zhanmadao (horse-chopping saber) sliced through the flurry of sword shadows. With a single move, "Saber Cleaves Mount Hua," a ferocious blade aura crashed into the dense sword light with the force of a thunderbolt. From our prior exchanges, I could already discern that this youth’s Dou Qi cultivation was impossibly high. His defense relied on elusive, nimble footwork, while his offensive techniques were deceptively simple—a prime example of great skill masked by unrefined execution, emphasizing sheer power. No matter how fast Tong Lei's sword strikes were, or how cunning his angles of attack, that one saber strike managed to neutralize Tong Lei’s assault while forcing him to retreat his blade just to defend himself.

With a resounding CRASH, that thunderous blow struck Tong Lei’s Ning Shuang (Frost-Condensing) greatsword precisely amid the swirling sword shadows. The terrifying force unbalanced Tong Lei, forcing him backward several steps. But those few steps were enough to expose a flaw in Tong Lei’s established sword momentum, leaving his center wide open.

"Die!" Luo Meng surged forward with his Electric Steps, the massive Zhanmadao cleaving downward like a bolt of lightning aimed right at Tong Lei’s head. If this strike landed, even if Tong Lei managed to recall his sword to block and harness his protective energy, he would struggle to withstand it. And the off-balance Tong Lei had no room to evade.

Naturally, I couldn't just watch Tong Lei be killed. Kidding aside, if Tong Lei died, I'd be next.

Blazing Sword Qi shot out like lightning, its target still the vital spot on Luo Meng's chest. Barely five or six seconds had passed since my last strike.

"Damn it!" Luo Meng abruptly shifted his downward chop into a sweeping horizontal slash.

With a sharp CLANG, the Blazing Sword Qi was directly swept aside by the fierce saber energy.

Simultaneously, Tong Lei retreated back to our side.