The encampment of the Zhao Family of the Northwest was nearly as close to the Long Family Plains as possible, yet it lay significantly farther from the grove where the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Peaches grew compared to the strongholds of the Five Great Superfamilies.

Nevertheless, on this particular day, among all the sects and clans stationed in the Kunlun Mountains, those First-Tier great families and sects possessing Fourth-Layer experts had all received an invitation from Zhao Lei, a Fourth-Layer expert of the Northwest Zhao Family, to gather here.

In stark contrast to the current quietude of the Five Great Superfamilies, the Northwest Zhao Family grounds were suddenly bustling with activity.

Just attending to the myriad of sects and families whose leaders were Fourth-Layer experts occupied them for an entire morning; it was only around one or two in the afternoon that most guests had finally arrived.

Due to the sheer number of people, the Zhao Family had to clear a vast open space specifically to host these visitors. However, the master of the Northwest Zhao Family, the Fourth-Layer expert Zhao Lei, remained conspicuously absent.

Deep within the rear of the Zhao Family camp, inside one of the tents.

Zhao Lei sat opposite the hastily arrived Long Jiang. Also present were the Fourth-Layer experts from the Liu Family of Xixia and the Du Family of Jigong Mountain in the Central Plains. Essentially, all the allied families of the Long Family, save for the Ouyang Family, had been assembled here.

The Fourth-Layer expert of the Liu Family, named Liu Bai, had, since leaving the Long Family last time, advanced from the initial peak of the Fourth Layer to the peak of the middle stage of the Fourth Layer, thanks to the three precious spirit herbs sent by the Long Family. He now harbored a faint hope of reaching the later stage within his lifetime, making him exceptionally grateful to the Long Family.

“Brother Zhao, this man is a traitor to the Long Family! What exactly are you plotting?”

Upon entering the tent, Liu Bai spotted Long Jiang, and his expression instantly turned furious. Had the Fourth-Layer expert from the Du Family not restrained him from behind, he surely would have drawn his sword immediately.

“Indeed, Brother Zhao, what is the meaning of this? If you two don’t give us an explanation today, don’t blame us—Liu Brother and I—for showing no courtesy to your Zhao Family either!”

The Fourth-Layer expert of the Du Family, Du Xugang, forcibly held back the impulsive Liu Bai. He looked toward Zhao Lei and Long Jiang, who sat calmly in the main seats within the tent, and spoke with a frown.

Du Xugang himself was only at the late stage of the Third Layer of Inner Strength, but due to the spirit herbs he obtained from the Long Family previously, he had already broken through to the early stage of the Fourth Layer. Coupled with the divine weapon gifted by the Long Family, his actual strength was now second only to Liu Bai, who had just achieved his breakthrough.

Though Du Xugang appeared to be a burly, unrefined man, he was meticulous in thought. Upon entering the tent and witnessing Zhao Lei and Long Jiang conversing amicably, he realized something was amiss, which is why he prevented Liu Bai from acting rashly.

“Gentlemen, please do not be angered. Why not first examine this letter, and then decide your next course of action?”

Zhao Lei rose, completely unperturbed—a stark contrast to his constrained demeanor when he was at the Long Family previously. He tossed the letter in his hand toward Liu Bai and Du Xugang.

The two men accepted the envelope with suspicion. After glancing over it together, their expressions instantly shifted to one of utter shock!

“The Long Family is inviting Shaolin to enter the Long Family Plains? What in the world is this about?”

Liu Bai and Du Xugang exchanged a look, unable to suppress the astonishment surging within them. They had to remember that even as allies of the Long Family, they had not been granted permission to enter the Long Family Plains to utilize the advantageous terrain while waiting for the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Peach to mature, as this contest was for a rare natural treasure.

The simultaneous withdrawal of the Zhou Family, the Hua Family, the Li Family, Wudang, and the Demonic Sect that morning had already spread throughout Kunlun. All sects and clans were watching, unsure of what was transpiring. To suddenly receive word of the Long Family inviting Shaolin—the only major power that hadn't withdrawn—to enter the Long Family Plains carried an implication potent enough to stun them both.

“I imagine that after reading this letter, both of you should have a clearer idea. Long Jiang here will dispense with pleasantries and speak plainly.”

Long Jiang, seated beside Zhao Lei, nodded in satisfaction, then stood up and addressed Liu Bai and Du Xugang again. “The Long Family is a great Superfamily. Even though their Guardian echelon suffered a devastating blow a few days ago, it’s hardly plausible they would attack various great families and sects and then refuse to admit it. I believe, after reading this letter, you won't need to question that point anymore.”

“What exactly are you trying to say?”

Liu Bai fixed Long Jiang with a highly guarded gaze.

“Look at which sects and clans the Long Family attacked: the Putuo Gate of the South Sea, the Yue Family of Mount Hua, the Xin Family of the Northeast… These sects and families all had experts seated at the late stage of the Fourth Layer of Inner Strength, making them First-Tier powers second only to the Five Great Superfamilies!”

Long Jiang grew animated as he spoke, continuing, “Now look at who they finally attacked: the Zhao Family of the Northwest, their own allies! They didn't anticipate that although the Zhao Family was small in number, Brother Zhao, having utilized the spirit herbs gifted by our Long Family last time, had already broken through to the middle stage and become a late-stage expert of the Fourth Layer, second only to the Great Perfection realm. That’s how his presence was exposed, which is why they dare not admit it!”

“But what does this have to do with the Zhao Family summoning us all here?”

“Yes, and besides, haven’t Senior Zhang Daofeng and Senior Zhang Yungan of the Medical Saint Zhang Family already come to your Zhao Family to settle the matter?”

Liu Bai still glared coldly at Long Jiang, but Du Xugang turned directly to Zhao Lei, demanding an explanation.

“Heh heh, it seems neither of you is aware. People from the Long Family arrived early this morning to summon Zhang Daofeng back to the Long Family. Furthermore, after examining the corpses of their Long Family disciples, Zhang Yungan merely stated that these disciples had died long ago and were not killed in the attack on our Zhao Family, before hastily departing my residence. Can such a perfunctory gesture truly lead me to believe such a childish excuse?”

Zhao Lei stood up, his face grim. He pointed at the letter envelope held by Du Xugang and Liu Bai. “It wasn't until the Third Elder of the Long Family delivered this letter that I finally understood why the Long Family has been acting so strangely lately.”

“And the fact that Long Jiang, the Third Elder of the Long Family, is present here reveals a staggering secret to all of us. Last night’s unusual tremors across Kunlun were the result of a massive confrontation over the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Peach, which left the combatants severely injured! Ultimately, Hua Feitian, the Great Perfection expert of the Hua Family; Li Jianyi, the Great Perfection expert of the Li Family; Zhou Gu, the Great Perfection expert of the Zhou Family; Zhang Hefeng, the Great Perfection expert of Wudang; and Di Wanfang, the Great Perfection expert of the Demonic Sect—all suffered grave injuries last night. That is why their five families were forced to withdraw from the contest for this miraculous treasure about to emerge in Kunlun!”

“And the reason the Long Family invited Shaolin and attacked the other First-Tier families and sects is because Master Shi Ming, the Great Perfection expert of Shaolin, along with the two Great Perfection experts from the Zhang Family, were also heavily wounded. Although they won, it was a pyrrhic victory, so they need to guard against us and form an alliance!”

Zhao Lei trembled slightly with agitation. Even though he had broken through to the late stage of the Fourth Layer, uttering these words caused his composure to momentarily slip.

“What!”

Upon hearing this, Du Xugang and Liu Bai turned deathly pale, unsure how to respond.

“Gentlemen, perhaps you firmly believe the Long Family would never commit such acts. But are you not even slightly curious as to why I, Long Jiang, would betray the Long Family?”

Long Jiang stepped forward, facing Du Xugang and Liu Bai, and spoke in a voice laced with profound sorrow. “You all should recall that throughout the history of the Long Family, whenever disaster struck, several Fourth-Layer experts would suddenly appear, correct?”

“But do you know how these suddenly appearing Fourth-Layer experts were trained? Periodically, the Long Family would send out a contingent of disciples from the younger generation to live and cultivate in conditions far harsher than the Long Family Plains, solely focused on increasing their combat power. But that damnable Long Family, taking advantage of my status as an orphan whose mother was left to fend for herself, ruthlessly sent my several brothers away, forcing our mother to die of grief!”

Two streams of hot tears suddenly welled up in Long Jiang's eyes. He clenched his fists tightly and continued, his voice choked with tears, “Now, of my four brothers, only I, who managed to sneak back to the Long Family to change my name and live in obscurity, and my younger brother Long Shou-si are still alive!”

As if recalling the bitter memories of those years hiding everywhere in the Long Family Plains until finally being taken in by others, Long Jiang’s emotions overwhelmed him, rendering him unable to speak further.

Du Xugang and Liu Bai exchanged glances; Long Jiang’s genuine outpouring of emotion suggested that what he said was true.

Long Jiang suddenly looked up, wiping the tears from his eyes, and gritted his teeth. “That is why I fought desperately to attain the position of Elder—so that one day I could make the Long Family pay for the death of my mother and my two deceased brothers!”

“Gentlemen, now that you have both reached the Fourth Layer, if we join forces, we will be the most powerful faction in Kunlun today. While the Great Perfection experts of those several families are heavily wounded and weakened, we can stealthily infiltrate the place where the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Peach grows, seize it, and divide a piece for each of us. That alone would be enough for another breakthrough, and then the Medical Saint Zhang Family won’t seem so terrifying!”

Zhao Lei stepped forward alongside Long Jiang, his gaze burning, fixed on Liu Bai and Du Xugang as he made his proposition.

“Bah!”

Liu Bai suddenly drew the long sword in his hand, staring disdainfully at Long Jiang and Zhao Lei before shouting, “So this is the scheme you’re hatching! Now I understand. The uproar caused by the Long Family attacking various sects and families to incite public outrage was also part of your plot against the Zhang Family!”

“Brother Liu, you cannot say that! If the Long Family had not acted unjustly, how could I, Zhao Lei, have committed such an act of betraying an ally!”

Zhao Lei’s brow suddenly furrowed, and he snapped coldly.

“I recall someone boasting everywhere excitedly after returning home, simply because Senior Zhang Yang spoke a few extra words to him! Zhao Lei, I see you’ve completely changed since becoming a late-stage expert of the Fourth Layer. With a disposition like yours, even if you obtained the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Peach, you’ll never reach the Great Perfection realm!”

Liu Bai laughed loudly, his contempt and mockery utterly evident. He drew the long sword in his hand, wasting no further words, pointing it directly at Long Jiang, and then said to Du Xugang beside him, “Brother Du, I trust the Medical Saint Zhang Family more, and I trust Senior Zhang Yang more. He would never choose to become the guardian of a treacherous and venomous family! Brother Du, why don't the two of us join forces, capture these two, and take them to the Long Family to confront Zhang Yang and the Long Family Patriarch directly?”

Before Du Xugang could reply, he suddenly sensed a dark shadow flash lightning-fast into the tent from outside, delivering a palm strike directly to Liu Bai’s back!

“Ah…”

Liu Bai only managed a shrill cry before his central meridian snapped, and he collapsed, spitting blood.

“Reverting Dragon Palm!”

Du Xugang, who was watching closely, saw clearly that the technique used in the sneak attack by the dark shadow was the secret, closely guarded technique of the Long Family—the Reverting Dragon Palm!