After tracking Li Yundong's footsteps all the way to Dongwu City, the three foreigners, Christine, John, and Alba, knew that the Lotus Picking Assembly wouldn't start until the next day, so they first found an inn to settle down and get a good night's sleep.

When the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month arrived, the three of them were up early, setting out along the ancient Grand Canal of Dongwu City, walking toward the Xinshi Bridge Pier.

Along the way, the trio ceaselessly snapped photos and videos with their cameras and mobile phones, marveling at the picturesque scenery of this ancient city spanning a millennium.

Alba, while capturing pictures with her phone, exclaimed sincerely, "It's truly breathtaking. This city is magnificent. I never imagined China held such a beautiful city."

John nodded in agreement. "I’ve been to Tiannan City before. In my memory, Tiannan was a developed, modern metropolis with rapid urbanization, but it felt essentially no different from cities back home. If you just swapped out the people for Americans, you wouldn't be able to tell if it was a Chinese city or an American one. But Dongwu City is different; it possesses such a profound Eastern charm that it feels as if I've stepped back into ancient China."

After Christine was teased mercilessly by her grandmother upon returning to America last time, she had dedicated herself to rigorous study of Chinese culture, history, and local customs. She offered a slight smile, stepping into the role of an impromptu tour guide.

She remarked with a smile, "Dongwu City is rich in natural treasures and blessed with outstanding people. Construction began here in 514 AD under King Fuchai of Wu. Since then, this city has been renowned nationally as a center of culture, economy, and politics."

The three foreigners, with their deep-set eyes and high noses, strolled slowly along the willow-lined bank of Dongwu City's moat, as John and Alba listened intently to Christine describing this famous historical Chinese metropolis.

Christine, possessing striking looks and a tall figure, spoke eloquently as they walked along the embankment, drawing considerable attention. She proclaimed, "Because Dongwu City has enjoyed continuous prosperity and flourishing development from ancient times to the present, it is hailed as a paradise on earth. Furthermore, due to its world-renowned beautiful landscapes and elegant gardens, it holds the commendation: 'The gardens south of the Yangtze are the best under heaven, and the gardens of Dongwu surpass all others in the south.'"

Pointing to the bridges spanning the moat and the numerous arched bridges visible along the path, Christine continued, "In the thirteenth century, Marco Polo visited here. Witnessing the water-town charm of small bridges, flowing water, and local homes, he praised Dongwu City as the 'Venice of the East' in his Travels."

Alba smiled in admiration. "I’ve been to Venice; it’s also a beautiful city. Its style, compared to this place, is completely different, but it’s impossible to say which is superior."

The three chatted and laughed as they followed the moat for a distance—perhaps one or two kilometers—finally reaching the vicinity of the Xinshi Bridge Pier.

Upon arrival, they noticed that the area surrounding the pier was filled with various luxurious clubs and entertainment venues, hardly resembling a place where cultivators would convene for a gathering.

Alba surveyed the surroundings, unable to suppress her curiosity. "The so-called Lotus Picking Assembly is here? Held in a... dance club?" John looked around perplexedly as well. "Didn't that person say it was on some kind of tanker last time? Where is a luxurious cruise ship here?" Christine couldn't help but give a wry smile. "John, please stop joking. Look closely; this is a moat. Where would a luxury cruise liner possibly come in? Do you think a ship like the Titanic could even navigate this waterway? Honestly, the Titanic would choke the entire channel!" John glanced around and suddenly spotted a medium-sized pleasure boat moored near the Xinshi Bridge Pier. This vessel had two decks; the upper one featured a large open terrace, clearly intended for guests to enjoy the scenery, while the lower section consisted of enclosed cabins capable of holding perhaps three to four hundred people.

John pointed at the boat and asked curiously, "Hey, is it this one?" Christine and Alba both glanced over and nodded in unison. "Possibly! Let's go ask!" The trio moved quickly toward the pier to board, but just then, two people dressed like ordinary tourists approached them. One was stout, the other thin; both eyed the foreigners up and down before blocking their path.

Seeing this, Christine immediately spoke in fluent Chinese. "Hello, may I ask if the Lotus Picking Assembly is taking place here?" The two men instantly froze, exchanged a look, and asked in surprise, "Who are you? How do you know about the Lotus Picking Assembly?" John quickly stepped forward, forcing a casual manner. "We are..." Christine, fearful he would act impulsively again, stomped her high heel down hard on John’s foot. John winced, his features contorted in pain.

Christine pulled the near-tears John behind her, then smiled sweetly. "I am Christine, an intern reporter for the Philadelphia Daily. These two gentlemen are my colleagues. We heard that today is the day for the ancient Chinese Daoist Lotus Picking Assembly, and we hoped to conduct an interview. I wonder..." Before she could finish, the two men impatiently interrupted. "What Lotus Picking Assembly? We don't know anything about it! Go, go, go! This place isn't open for business today. Didn't you see the sign?" As he spoke, he pointed to the 'Temporarily Closed' sign hanging near the ticket booth.

Christine paused, about to protest further, when she saw the two men waving their arms, ushering them away. Just then, a long, luxurious Mercedes-Benz pulled up beside the road near the pier, and several men and women dressed in fine suits stepped out.

Upon seeing these newcomers, the two greeters immediately froze, then broke into wide smiles, greeting them with cupped hands. "May I ask which sect's esteemed Daoist friends have arrived?" The leading man, square-jawed with sharp eyebrows, returned the salute and announced, "I am Du Fei of the Quanzhen Longmen Sect!" The greeters smiled and cupped their hands in return. "So it is the True Person Jade-Faced Golden Monkey, Du! We are deeply honored; we have long admired you!" Du Fei then introduced a rather short man beside him. "This is my junior martial brother, Yue Sheng, known as Three-Eyed Erlang!" The stouter greeter gasped, his face instantly solemn. "It is True Person Three-Eyes! We are remiss!" Yue Sheng was not tall, but his aura was overwhelmingly powerful. He arrogantly assessed the two greeters with a sniff, then tilted his head back, refusing to look at them further.

The two greeters, seemingly familiar with Yue Sheng's temperament, did not take offense and maintained their smiles.

Du Fei then introduced a woman in professional attire beside him. He chuckled, "This is my junior martial sister, Wei Qing."

Wei Qing, wearing light makeup, smiled charmingly. "I'm hardly a famous cultivator; I'm just tagging along with my senior martial brother to enjoy the excitement. I don't have a special nickname; just call me Wei Qing."

Seeing Wei Qing's youthful beauty and pleasant, approachable smile—a stark contrast to Yue Sheng's haughtiness—the two greeters laughed heartily. "It shall be so, it shall be so!" Wei Qing, being rather familiar, leaned toward the two men and asked curiously, "Ah, have the other sects arrived yet?" The thinner of the two greeters chuckled, "The Yin-Yang Sect from Wuhua Mountain is here, and the Qingwei Sect members have arrived, as well as people from the Donghua Sect, Donghai Sect, Penglai Sect, Jinshan Sect, Louguandao, Qingshuidao, and many others."

Hearing this, Yue Sheng snorted coldly and muttered contemptuously, "A bunch of nobodies..." The two greeters shot Yue Sheng a glance, silently seething: Does the Quanzhen Longmen Sect think they are the only major sect, and is Yue Sheng the only truly famous cultivator in the world, rendering everyone else insignificant? Wei Qing, noticing the awkward atmosphere, quickly smoothed things over. "Oh my, so many fellow Daoists have arrived! It's quite lively! I thought we were early! Has True Person Li arrived yet?" The two greeters exchanged confused glances. "True Person Li? Which True Person Li? A True Person Li from which sect?" At this, Yue Sheng couldn't help but coldly scoff, "Which Li in this world is worthy of the title True Person Li?" The two greeters were inner disciples of the Gezao Sect of the Outer Elixir School. They possessed considerable strength, which is why they were assigned greeter duties; otherwise, if cultivators from other sects saw them, they might think: Look how insignificant the Gezao Sect's cultivators are! Yet, they never expected that even their level of cultivation was considered substandard by Yue Sheng, and furthermore, every cultivator surnamed Li in the world was beneath notice! This was arrogance beyond measure! What angered them most was that both of them happened to be surnamed Li! This single remark felt like a slap in the face! The stouter greeter suppressed his anger and said, "May I ask True Person Yue, which Li in this world is worthy of being called True Person Li?" Wei Qing saw the ill humor on their faces and the brewing confrontation, so she quickly interjected with another smile, "Oh, of course, Li Yundong! It was my fault for not being clear—Li Yundong!" Upon hearing this name, the faces of the two Gezao Sect disciples changed immediately. The stouter one asked seriously, "Is this Li Yundong, the successor to the position of Sect Master of the Fox Zen Sect on Tianlong Mountain?" The thinner one asked, "Is this the Li Yundong who caused such a commotion at our ancestral court, Mount Gezao?" Wei Qing secretly cursed herself, thinking: Disaster! How could I forget that Li Yundong has enmity with the Gezao Sect? I really brought up the sorest subject! Wei Qing forced a laugh. "I think... I think it might be that Li Yundong, haha..." The two men snorted coldly. The stouter one sneered, "So it is that True Person Li! I wondered who could possibly catch True Person Yue’s eye! I heard True Person Yue and True Person Li had a confrontation last time, and you suffered a slight loss, is that right? No wonder you keep bringing up True Person Li!" The thinner one also mocked, "If he doesn't come, so be it. But if he does show up, he needs to be thoroughly taught the might of our Outer Elixir School, lest he think our Gezao Sect has no capable members!" Yue Sheng glanced at them, sneering internally, and was about to speak when a clear voice suddenly drifted from a distance, laced with a strong Sichuan accent, laughing heartily. "Who is so audacious as to look down upon the Gezao Sect, the leader of the Outer Elixir School? Do they not know that a strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake?" The group followed the sound of the voice and saw three young men in Daoist robes approaching gracefully. The leader was tall and handsome, with an extraordinary demeanor, carrying an unremarkable longsword wrapped in grey cloth on his back.

The stouter greeter cupped his hands and asked, "May I ask which Daoist friend you are?" The young leader formed a palm with one hand, bowed slightly, and smiled. "I am Zhang Cunyi, from Qingyang Palace in Chengdu, Sichuan!" What they heard made everyone startle, and their gazes immediately fixed upon Zhang Cunyi. They thought: Is this Zhang Cunyi, the future Sect Master of the Qingcheng Sect, who boldly declared he would take first place before the Lotus Picking Assembly even began? They scrutinized Zhang Cunyi, noticing his complete vitality and the sharp glint in his eyes. Standing still, he exuded the presence of a towering mountain, truly embodying the bearing of a master from a reputable orthodox sect—a top-tier expert among the younger generation of cultivators. However, with so many sects and masters at the Lotus Picking Assembly, Zhang Cunyi’s bold proclamation of taking first place undoubtedly relied on the Qingcheng Sect's supreme artifact: the Three Sovereigns Sword! Their gazes finally settled on the dull, grey, unremarkable three-foot-long sword wrapped in grey cloth on Zhang Cunyi’s back. They thought: Is this the famous Three Sovereigns Sword, hailed as the absolute ultimate artifact under heaven?