The night was utterly black, visibility near zero. On the Marfa Continent, if you weren't at some sort of entertainment venue, people generally turned in early after dark.

I pushed open the inn window and slipped out with practiced ease.

Ever since my time in the Dragon World, I had long since adapted; darkness held no advantage over my sight.

After carefully discerning my direction, I ghosted along the rooftops toward the White Tiger Alliance's fortress. The streets were unnervingly quiet, save for the occasional patrol of Blade Guards, identifiable by the faint glow of their Phoenix Pearls, silently pacing the shadows.

Stealthily concealing myself, I finally reached the street opposite Tiger Fort. The outer walls were ablaze with torchlight—red and bright—and the patrolling Blade Guards moved with the same diligence as they did in daylight. Yet, their expressions were grim, their vigilance focused on every minute shift in the surroundings. Furthermore, every squad led two hounds, a detail that gave me a major headache.

The defenses were far stricter than anticipated; the main gate was clearly out of the question. I was forced to circle the exterior perimeter, searching desperately for a blind spot where I could scale the wall.

The high, thick walls supported a battlement walkway, a full five meters wide, manned by guards posted every five steps and sentries every ten—there was simply no gap. Below the battlements, masses of Blade Guards patrolled the base of the wall constantly.

I carefully navigated the rooftops, tracing a wide circuit around the entire fortress, only to end up right back across from the main gate of Tiger Fort, still having found no viable entry point.

The entire perimeter of Tiger Fort was encircled by guards.

And that was just what was visible. With my Eye of Dead Desire, I could also see hundreds of hidden sentries positioned outside the outer walls, spread across the twenty-meter buffer zone opposite the fortress.

Inside the walls, a vast, pale-blue hemispheric shield hummed—a massive Holy Word Barrier powered by a Magic Convergence Array. During wartime, the barrier could intensify its strength using the magic output from the array, becoming an impenetrable shield against all external attacks, even those launched vertically from the sky.

At rest, however, the magic flowed at a steady, stabilized current, significantly reducing the barrier's strength. But it remained acutely sensitive to any disturbance in its vicinity; anything attempting to breach Tiger Fort would be instantly detected upon approaching the barrier layer. Not even a mosquito could slip through. It functioned exactly like the alarm system of Long Xin’s Holy Word Barrier back in Woma Forest.

Though I kept my distance, the information I gathered through the Eye of Dead Desire was more than sufficient.

Clearly, infiltrating Tiger Fort, whether by day or night, was impossible by conventional stealth. Not only could I not evade the guards' sightlines, but even flying and executing a vertical drop from the sky would fail to escape the Holy Word Barrier's detection.

Hiding in an alley, I rapidly brainstormed methods for infiltration, but came up empty.

Helpless, I had no choice but to retreat temporarily to the inn.

As expected of Tiger Fort, this comprehensive, three-dimensional defensive grid made stealth infiltration impossible. Still, I believed that even the tightest defenses must possess a flaw somewhere.

In the following days, I began a meticulous survey of the area surrounding Tiger Fort, focusing on details most overlooked—drainage channels, chimneys, and the like.

After two days of fruitless effort, I found nothing. Tiger Fort had clearly anticipated and fortified every potential entry point, leaving not a single opening for exploitation.

Desperate, I considered blending in, trying to bluff my way in. But entering the Alliance stronghold required specific countersigns and familiar faces. Infiltration by disguise was impossible, and critically, being completely ignorant of the internal situation, I dared not risk alerting them by a clumsy attempt.

For a time, I was gripped by a sense of utter resourcefulness exhausted and profound frustration.

Three more days flashed by! Yet, I remained unable to penetrate Tiger Fort!

Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump!!

Deep, resonant drumming erupted from outside, signaling festivity. Firecrackers and celebratory explosions echoed down the street. I rushed to the window and saw a large troupe of performers dressed in colorful garb, parading with gongs and drums toward Tiger Fort. Only then did I recall: today was the grand wedding day of the White Tiger Alliance leader.

I scrambled downstairs and bumped right into the inn attendant.

"Young Master! Someone is looking for you!" The attendant stopped me.

"Someone is looking for me?" I felt a flicker of curiosity—who could it be, and how had they found my location?

A figure stood downstairs. It was the leader of the group of blue-clad, blue-haired, blue-eyed youths I had encountered in the inn a few days prior—that particularly sunny-looking boy.

"Are you looking for me?" I asked, curious.

"Are you Bing He?" the youth asked, studying me with open curiosity, murmuring, "Age, height, appearance match. It seems correct."

"Yes, I am Bing He," I replied instinctively.

"Come with me." The youth grabbed my arm and pulled me into a private room. He then produced a letter and handed it over. "Brother Yun asked me to deliver this to you."

"Brother Yun?" I realized instantly. "You mean Yun Xi?"

"Hush!" The youth clapped a hand over my mouth, sounding annoyed. "Are you trying to get us killed? This is White Tiger Alliance territory."

"Heh heh." I could only manage a strained chuckle.

The youth withdrew his hand, but shot me an annoyed glare while continuing to appraise me.

I couldn't afford to worry about his mood; I quickly broke open the seal on the letter.

Bing He Brother!

The situation is understood. Act according to the plan upon reading this!

March seventeenth is the wedding day of Luo Hao, the White Tiger Alliance Leader. Brother Bing He must find a way to cause a scene during the wedding banquet and publicly expose the truth about the Alliance kidnapping our senior. Make the commotion as large as possible.

Someone will meet you then.

Yun Xi

"Wonderful! With Brother Yun's help, this is guaranteed to succeed," I exclaimed happily.

"The letter is delivered. I'm leaving now," the youth said.

"Thank you," I said quickly. "I never caught your name, brother."

"I don't want trouble," the youth dismissed me with a wave and turned to leave.

"..................." I was slightly taken aback; the kid had quite the temper.

But since Yun Xi had devised a plan, I would simply execute his strategy.

Making a scene—that was hardly difficult! Lu Zhao and I had already intended to cause trouble; we had only been held back by caution until now.

The White Tiger Alliance Leader, who was also the City Lord of Su City, was thirty-six years old, in the prime of his career, now marrying a beautiful wife—a man at the height of his triumph. The White Tiger Alliance threw a massive banquet to welcome guests from across the land, displaying an undeniable atmosphere of grandeur and boldness.

As a result, Su City became even more lively and prosperous, largely due to the throng drawn by Luo Hao’s wedding feast. Dignitaries from the Dragon Continent's commerce and politics, as well as leaders from various sects across the martial world, gathered. Su City and its surroundings were decorated with lanterns and brilliant lights—a truly festive scene.

Yet, at this moment, I was studying everything around me with malicious intent, searching for the perfect opportunity to sow chaos. I walked into the plaza where the Luo family was hosting the lavish banquet. I saw that the guests were so numerous that the feasting tables had to be set up in the open square.

Because it was the White Tiger Alliance leader's wedding, quite a few people attended. No matter past grievances, unless the falling out was catastrophic, custom required them to pay their respects. Even rivals sent representatives to offer congratulations—it was impolite to ignore a smiling face.

The large number of celebrants naturally meant a mix of all sorts of people. As the core stronghold of the Alliance, Tiger Fort was naturally closed to the public; thus, the wedding venue was set up in the massive plaza before it, large enough to comfortably accommodate guests from all four directions. Guards were stationed everywhere to prevent any unforeseen incidents.

No one seemed to object to this arrangement.

It was only now that I truly saw what kind of man Luo Hao, the White Tiger Alliance Leader, was. He looked barely twenty-five or twenty-six. This forced me to marvel at how little the martial artists of the Marfa World seemed to age; if I hadn't inquired, I would never have believed Luo Hao was thirty-six. He was powerfully built, his long, brown hair cascading over his shoulders, hinting at a rugged and untamed nature. Today, he wore a crimson robe, moving among the guests, frequently offering toasts, engaging in lively conversation, and often drawing cheers.

During this time, I also spotted members of the Azure Dragon Gang and the Black Tortoise Alliance attending to offer congratulations. What shocked me further were the attendees from the Sabak Tiger Roar Gate, Eagle True Gate, Bear Hegemony Gate, as well as the Dragon Abyss Gate, Dragon Shadow Manor, Cang Yue, Vermillion Bird Alliance, and the Demon Sealing Brotherhood—members from factions across all continents. They had clearly traveled great distances for the White Tiger Alliance Leader's wedding. Though none of the attendees were top-tier leaders within their factions, the gesture was significant. After all, they had crossed oceans and traversed vast lands to celebrate, illustrating the immense prestige and influence of the White Tiger Alliance.

While I desperately wanted to signal the disciples from Dragon Shadow Manor, my identity there was strictly classified; at least in the martial world, no one knew who I was yet. I quickly abandoned that thought. As for the contingents sent by the Feng, Xia, and Han families, they were all young reserves; even if they wanted to help, what use could they be? After careful consideration, I decided to stick to the plan. I trusted that since Yun Xi wanted me to create a massive uproar, he had already prepared for the clean-up.

While sizing up the environment, I secretly deliberated on the most impactful way to crash the party and seize everyone's attention. After much deliberation, I chose to start with the massive White Tiger statue placed right before the main gate.

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

The plaza echoed with cheers; everyone was exuberant, debating loudly. Martial artists, merchants, and political figures all engaged in their respective conversations. Just as the entire venue was celebrating with fervent enthusiasm—

BOOM! RUMBLE!

A sound like a lightning strike tore the sky. The colossal White Tiger statue standing in the center of Tiger Fort Plaza had just had the better part of its head blown off. Debris and shattered stone flew everywhere, catching many guests off guard. Several people were immediately injured and bleeding profusely.

"Luo Hao! Hand over my uncle!" Riding the shockwave of the explosion, I roared. I had definitely utilized the technique of Lion's Roar. While my Raging Lion Battle Qi wasn't fully mastered, I had learned the method for channeling the roar. Although it wasn't as powerful as my shout during the Nine Luminaries Chasing the Heavens in the Sacred Temple of the Heavenly Demons, it was vastly louder than my natural voice—enough, at least, to stun everyone present.

"Ah!" Every single person gasped in shock, countless eyes instantly snapping towards me, displaying expressions of utter horror. No one expected anyone to be so audacious as to crash the party publicly, especially here, where elites and influential figures from across the entire Dragon Continent were gathered, and on the wedding day of Luo Hao, the White Tiger Alliance Leader. Truthfully, I felt a touch of fear myself, but the statue was destroyed, and the shout was out; I had no choice but to push through.

The banquet fell into an intense silence. Every gaze was locked between Luo Hao and me, seemingly waiting to see how Luo Hao would react.

Hmph! That entrance was certainly impactful; I was almost impressed with myself.

Luo Hao’s face, however, was utterly grim. His blood-red eyes were locked onto me: "Who are you? If you want to die, you didn't need to come here."

"Who I am, you should already know," I shouted. "You captured my uncle, Lu Tong, and tried to silence us to hoard the secret of the Crimson Blood Demonic Sword. And now you dare ask who I am?"

Damn it, if I kept shouting like this, my throat would shatter. I wondered if this world had a "Golden Throat Soother" potion.

"Crimson Blood Demonic Sword." Everyone present looked aghast. "Divine Craftsman Lu Tong." Just those eight words had convinced seventy percent of the audience.

"Nonsense! Kill him!" Luo Hao's expression flickered. In fact, before he could issue the order, several people charged forward, eager to dismember me with their blades.

But my objective was achieved.

Looking at the expressions fixed on Luo Hao, I believed that everyone present now saw the situation clearly.

Luo Hao's face changed drastically. He never imagined that a member of the Lu family would dare cause trouble here.

"Courting death." The few warriors who rushed me looked like they wanted to cleave me in two. Several bursts of fierce fire instantly slashed toward me.

"Is it too late to kill me now to silence me, Luo Hao?" The previous shouts had already made my throat ache; I couldn't roar anymore, so I maximized my volume and shouted loudly. Facing the streaks of fire flying toward me, I didn't evade or dodge.

Battle Qi surged! A massive crescent wave swept out instantly.

Swish! Swish! The gigantic crescent, like a reaping scythe, immediately shattered the incoming streaks of fire. The terrifying Battle Qi energy, undiminished, shot forward like lightning toward the warriors who had attacked.

Thwack! Thwack!

With flashes of light, flesh and blood scattered. The dozen or so warriors who had surrounded me were instantaneously cut in half at the waist by the horrific sword energy.

"Ah! Such fast sword energy!" Everyone sucked in a collective cold breath.

"Those dozen or so were mostly Gold Blade Guards of the White Tiger Alliance!"

"Each one possessed cultivation at the high tier of Crimson Moon!"

"And they were cut in half in less than a single exchange?"

Someone in the crowd exclaimed in awe, "Who exactly is this kid to have cultivation at the peak of Crimson Moon?"

"Is the White Tiger Alliance truly this weak? If you want to silence someone, you should send someone with real weight!" I mocked mercilessly.

"How arrogant!" Luo Hao was so angry he nearly spat blood. "You want to die? I'll grant your wish!" Looking at the reaction of the crowd, Luo Hao knew the matter could no longer be kept secret, but he absolutely refused to swallow this insult.

"It's you." Luo Meng stared at me in utter shock.

"Hey, Luo Meng kid, long time no see. Can you still use a blade?" I recognized Luo Meng instantly; I hadn't noticed him earlier due to the sheer number of people.

"I was looking for you, and you delivered yourself right to my door!" Luo Meng roared, drawing his blade and charging. Five subordinates followed closely behind him; it seemed they intended to kill me in one decisive blow.

"Luo Meng kid, you shouldn't be so reckless. Release my uncle, and all will be well. Otherwise, I will make sure the White Tiger Alliance lives in constant turmoil and never knows peace," I said, gathering my focus. If Luo Meng had confronted me a year ago, I would have needed to take a detour, but now, he was a perfect opportunity to test my strength.

The Eye of Dead Desire deployed instantly.

The movement patterns of the six blades immediately became clear and slow. Strength, speed, angle, and their weaknesses were all laid bare in my mind. In a flash of thought, I selected the optimal angle of attack.

The six golden blades, like six venomous dragons emerging from the sea, locked onto me. Clearly, apart from Luo Meng, the other five were no pushovers; I dared not relax. I urged my Battle Qi, my long sword dancing lightly. The Blue Dragon Shadow Sword instantly stirred up a massive wave of sword energy that coiled around the blade. Simultaneously, I launched a Sweeping Thousand Troops followed by another Super-sized Crescent Wave, roaring out—a move that had felled countless creatures in the Dragon World. This strike was at least three times faster and more powerful than the previous crescent wave, and delivered at such close range suddenly, unless Luo Meng also possessed the Eye of Dead Desire, he couldn't possibly dodge it. The giant crescent flew out like lightning, hurtling toward the six men surrounding me.

"Retreat quickly!" Luo Hao's alarmed shout broke the tension.

Luo Meng, deep in combat, looked stunned! He likely couldn't imagine my crescent wave being so devastatingly fast.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! As the crescent flashed, flesh and blood flew, just as before.

The five warriors were cleaved in two; until their dying moments, they hadn't seen how the crescent passed through their bodies. The only one left standing was Luo Meng, frozen like a wooden statue. This was because I deliberately chose not to kill him; I knew he was Luo Hao's brother, and if I pushed too far, Luo Hao might lash out and kill Lu Tong, resulting in a loss for me. However, my long sword was now resting against Luo Meng’s throat.

"You! Who exactly are you?" Luo Meng stared at me as if seeing a ghost.

"Interesting. You captured my uncle, and you ask who I am?" I retorted irritably.

"Luo Hao, your brother is in my hands now. Can you trade him for my uncle?" I settled in comfortably.