The Merchant Alliance was certainly bustling. The Five Great Families were still searching everywhere for a man named "Ding Yan," and the Ethereal Pavilion had thrown their hat into the ring, scouring the land for someone named "Yang Hai." However, the Ethereal Pavilion's search methods were less overbearing; they employed enticement, offering one hundred purple crystal coins to anyone who could prove they were Yang Hai. With the Martial Arts Tournament fast approaching, the influx of people into the Merchant Alliance was continuous. The unusual activities of the Five Great Families and the Ethereal Pavilion aroused some suspicion, but the majority of people were focused solely on the upcoming tournament. For a time, every inn and tavern in Tianyun City was completely full. Mercenaries and martial artists who spent their time scrapping it out in the Gloomy Forest, the Dead Silence Swamp, and the Cloud Mist Mountains were all rough, hard-living individuals. They didn't settle down when they reached Tianyun City either, frequently leading to heated arguments that escalated into full-blown, life-or-death brawls. Day or night, Tianyun City never lacked fighting martial artists. Every morning, the cleaners would occasionally find a few new corpses in the foul-smelling ditches. There were three days left until the Martial Arts Tournament. Early in the morning, Zuo Xu was still meditating with his eyes closed when he heard Zuo Shi shouting outside: "Huh? Old man, you're here?" "How many times have I told you not to call me 'old man' in front of outsiders?" came Chi Xiao's voice, laced with exasperation. "You are just a little old man! I'm used to saying it, I can't change now," Zuo Shi retorted without fear, giggling outside. Zuo Xu’s spirit sharpened, and he stood up abruptly, hurrying outside to greet the newcomer. Finally, you’ve arrived, he thought.

...

The Shi Family residence. An aged woman, her face a tapestry of wrinkles, stood in the gravity training room, holding a fine brush and applying several heavy strokes to Shi Yan’s brow. Shi Jian stood nearby, silent, watching the old woman work with intense focus. After a long pause, the old woman finally withdrew her hand. She stared at Shi Yan for a moment, then nodded with satisfaction. "I've been coming every day recently to adjust things for him. His appearance is subtly changing day by day. Even those who know him well wouldn't notice such a slow transformation. Compared to a few months ago, he looks vastly different now. No one should be able to recognize him." Shi Yan’s skin had darkened considerably, his eyebrows were thicker, and his physique was slightly more rugged. Compared to his original appearance, he possessed less sharpness and more ruggedness; both his looks and his temperament had changed significantly. Especially after returning from the Gloomy Forest, he had grown taller and much leaner. With the cosmetic adjustments from the disguiser, he truly no longer resembled the person he was back then. Shi Jian studied Shi Yan for a moment and nodded. "Good. This should not cause any issues." Shi Yan leaned closer to a bronze mirror, examining himself with satisfaction. "It’s fine. Um, is the Martial Arts Tournament about to start?" "Three days left. You don't need to train rigorously these three days. Relax a bit," Shi Jian finally conceded. Then, as if recalling something, he immediately adopted a stern expression and lectured: "When I say relax, I don't mean run wild! Don't think I don't know you've been running around with Han Zhong and what you’ve been up to. Hmph, if you dare waste your physical energy on women, I’ll skin you alive!" "So nagging," Shi Yan muttered with visible impatience, waving a dismissive hand. "I'm going to take a bath, then go for some drinks with Han Zhong. That should be acceptable, right?" "Mmm."

...

The Welcoming Spring Pavilion. This was a very famous establishment in Tianyun City, renowned not only for its exquisite cuisine but also for the "Blazing Flame" spirit wine that was famous throughout the Merchant Alliance. Furthermore, the Welcoming Spring Pavilion bordered the Azure Moon Lake of Tianyun City. Enjoying the delicacies and sipping the fine wine on the Pavilion's uncovered third floor while gazing at the beautiful scenery was a great pleasure. If one could also hold a beauty in their arms while doing so, it would be absolute perfection. However, the third floor of the Welcoming Spring Pavilion was not accessible to everyone. Even with sufficient wealth, if one lacked the proper status, they were relegated to the second floor. The third floor primarily catered to guests from the Five Great Families. Only members of those families could proceed directly to the third floor upon arrival; ordinary merchants did not have this honor. Han Zhong led Shi Yan into the Welcoming Spring Pavilion, and the lovely young girl at the entrance immediately greeted them with a bright smile: "Master Han, up you go." Han Zhong squinted, his gaze lingering on the girl as he praised, "Xiao Feng, you’ve certainly grown some more down there, haven't you?" As he spoke, Han Zhong's eyes raked over the girl's chest with an appreciative glance. "Master Han is wicked; you always stare at my chest every time," the girl giggled shyly, possessing a distinct allure. She pointed upstairs. "There are other guests upstairs already—young masters and ladies from the Mo and Ling families are there. Master Han should be mindful of that." "No matter." Han Zhong smiled, foregoing further teasing. He pulled Shi Yan and strode directly up to the third floor. "Hmph." A tall young man, clad in a dark cyan martial artist's robe, glanced askance at Han Zhong from a prime spot on the third floor and sneered, "I wondered who it was. Turns out it’s just a dog from the Shi Family." That spot directly overlooked Azure Moon Lake, occupied by four people: two men and two women, all possessing striking appearances. One of them, radiating cold arrogance, was none other than Mo Yanyu. However, Mo Yanyu didn't spare them a glance, her clear, cold eyes fixed solely on the shimmering Azure Moon Lake under the sunlight, seeming lost in thought. "Oh, look, it's a cockroach from the Mo Family. What terrible luck," Han Zhong muttered, shaking his head. He ignored the youth, pulled Shi Yan to a nearby spot, and loudly bellowed, "Manager Long! Bring four jars of 'Blazing Flame' and a full spread of good food. Hurry up!" "Coming right up!" a hearty reply echoed from the second floor. At that moment, Mo Yanyu, who had been staring blankly at Azure Moon Lake, seemed to snap back to reality. She turned her head, cast a cold glance at Han Zhong and Shi Yan, a flash of disdain crossing her face, before turning back to watch the water, contemplating some unknown matter. Sitting opposite Mo Yanyu was a handsome, elegant young man. The youth maintained a genial smile, engaging in conversation with the young master of the Mo Family while subtly trying to capture Mo Yanyu's attention, though his efforts were consistently in vain. "Shaofeng, Xiao Yu was disciplined by my father recently, so she’s in a bad mood. Don't take it personally," Mo Zhan proposed, raising his wine cup with him. "Let's ignore him. Let's the two of us brothers have a few drinks. The tournament starts soon, this is the last chance we have to be lazy—we shouldn't be mean to ourselves." "Brother Zhan, when have you ever been mean to yourself?" Ling Yueyue said playfully, looking at Mo Zhan with a cunning glint in her eyes. "I heard Brother Zhan is quite the expert regarding the courtesans at the 'Spring Breeze Rain Dew Tower.' When are you taking little me to see the sights?" "Cough, cough, cough..." Mo Zhan choked on his drink, looking flustered. "Yueyue, believe me, I am completely unfamiliar with that kind of place. The only time I went, I was tricked into going. Yueyue, you must believe me!" "Hehe, who knows if what you say is true or not," Ling Yueyue smiled, but her eyes gradually took on a different quality. "Recently, my sisters have been praising me, saying that before my fiancé even marries me, he already has a harem full of wives and concubines. They say I'll have so many maids to serve me in the future—just thinking about it makes me happy." "Cough, cough, cough..." Mo Zhan's face turned ugly, his complexion ashen. He snorted, "Who exactly is smearing my name behind my back? If I find out who it is, I will definitely strip them of their skin!" "Alright, Yueyue," Ling Shaofeng glared at his sister. "Brother Zhan is a man; sometimes social obligations are unavoidable. I trust Brother Zhan's character!" "Of course you trust him," Ling Yueyue snorted softly, muttering under her breath, "Everyone knows you two went together. Of course, you trust him." Mo Yanyu heard this, turned her head to glance at Ling Shaofeng, her brow furrowing slightly, showing a hint of displeasure. However, she didn't say much, turning back to gaze at Azure Moon Lake, though her expression grew even colder. "I'll settle this with you later." Ling Shaofeng shot a fierce glare at Ling Yueyue, quickly diverting the topic to Mo Zhan. "Brother Zhan, Shi Tianyun over there is also at the peak of the Innate Triple Heaven realm, even stronger than Shi Tianke. I hear he's been cultivating diligently recently. He didn't make a big splash in the last tournament, but he'll definitely show up this time. Even though you beat Shi Tianke then, you can't be careless this time." "Relax. I haven't taken any of those third-generation brats from the Shi Family seriously yet," Mo Zhan chuckled proudly, casting a cold glance in Han Zhong's direction. "Just watch. In this Martial Arts Tournament, whoever faces me, I'll cripple them!" "Well said, Brother Zhan! Truly bold!" Ling Shaofeng laughed loudly, raising his cup. "Come, Brother Zhan, a toast!"

...

"Those four people over there are Ling Shaofeng, Ling Yueyue, Mo Zhan, and Mo Yanyu. They are all rising stars of the third generation from the Mo and Ling families and are the most likely opponents you'll face in the tournament. Among them, Ling Shaofeng and Mo Yanyu are engaged, and Mo Zhan and Ling Yueyue are also engaged. Mo Zhan and Ling Shaofeng are both in the Innate Triple Heaven realm; Mo Yanyu is slightly weaker but possesses an Innate Second Heaven cultivation." Han Zhong lowered his voice, explaining the situation of the other group to Shi Yan. He paused before adding, "However, the one you absolutely cannot underestimate is Ling Yueyue. We received word not long ago that the girl broke through to the Human Rank half a year ago, instantly becoming the strongest of the Ling Family's third generation. This time, the Ling Family might arrange for Ling Yueyue to fight Zuo Shi. I hear that to ensure Ling Yueyue's victory, the Ling Family invested heavily in her—not only buying expensive spirit herbs but also equipping her with several secret treasures for self-defense. Zuo Shi might be in trouble this time." "Not necessarily," Shi Yan smiled, casually glancing at Ling Yueyue and lowering his voice. "Zuo Shi is much fiercer than she is. Just watch; Ling Yueyue will lose miserably." Han Zhong was unaware that Zuo Shi had acquired the "Dragon Turtle Elixir," the "Black Tortoise True Aura," and a set of "Dragon Turtle Spirit Armor." With so many advantages, Zuo Shi was almost guaranteed to win, especially since Zuo Shi was a level higher than Ling Yueyue. "What did you just say, you brat?" Just then, Ling Yueyue suddenly stood up, scoffing coldly, "Are you saying I'm inferior to Zuo Shi? Do you think I didn't hear you? Let me tell you, this young lady has excellent hearing! Gossiping behind people's backs—are all you Shi Family people this despicable?"

...

ps: Second update delivered to V