"BIG BROTHER." Qu Banshan looked at a middle-aged man seated in meditation with cupped fists, respectfully calling out.
The middle-aged man appeared to be around fifty, with a strong, resolute face, dressed in a black Martial Arts Uniform, his body surging with condensed True Qi, clearly an Advanced Martial God.
This middle-aged man was the Qu family's Family Head, Qu Qingshan. He opened his eyes and glanced over, frowning involuntarily, "Didn't I tell that girl to focus on her studies? What is she doing here?"
"Dad, I pestered Uncle Qu to bring me here. My grades aren't bad, and I finally have the chance to see the Martial Arts Tournament. Now that I'm already here, please don't be mad," Qu Yao muttered, her lips pouting, looking pitifully aggrieved.
Qu Qingshan sighed, feeling helpless against her, "Since you're already here, I won't say anymore."
However, when Qu Qingshan saw Lin Mo and his two companions, he furrowed his brows and asked, "And who might these three be?"
Qu Banshan explained softly.
Qu Qingshan said, "Since everyone is here to watch the Martial Arts Tournament, you might as well sit here."
"Thank you, Family Head Qu," Yingzi said softly.
Lin Mo and Lu Xing nodded, and the three seated themselves where they were.
Qu Qingshan did cast a few extra glances at Yingzi. After all, this young lady had already reached the realm of Martial God at her tender age. Although her True Qi was not as robust as his, it was a bit more condensed than his, evidently related to the cultivation technique she practiced.
It wouldn't be a bad thing to form a good relationship with her.
As for Lin Mo and the young lady named Lu Xing, Qu Qingshan gave Lu Xing an extra glance - her demeanor was very distinctive, clearly not an ordinary person. As for the youth called Lin Mo, though handsome and radiant, there was not a trace of True Qi fluctuation around him, seemingly just an average person. However, it was quite evident that both girls seemed to implicitly regard him as their leader.
Besides the two middle-aged men, Qu Qingshan and Qu Banshan, there were seven or eight younger men and women nearby, obviously the progeny of the Qu family, though regrettably the strongest among them had just reached the Peak Martial Emperor.
Upon seeing Lin Mo and his two companions arriving together, several young men's eyes flickered with a sparkling light, especially when their gaze landed on Yingzi and Lu Xing. After all, both girls were young and beautiful with extraordinary temperaments, possessing an ethereal aura that set them apart from ordinary pretty women.
But most of the men's attention was on Yingzi, whose young age juxtaposed with her Martial God realm caught them by surprise.
"Yaoyao, who do you think will claim the title of number one in the Martial Arts this time?" a youth in his early twenties asked.
Qu Yao frowned delicately, "In my eyes, of course, it should be Lin Tanyu."
"You mean him? I heard that half a year ago, the host of July directly stated that Lin Tanyu was not worthy to be his opponent. Now that person's whereabouts are unknown; he doesn't deserve to be called number one," the youth slightly revealed a look of disdain.
"Qu Mo, you're spouting nonsense; believe it or not, I'll ignore you from now on," Qu Yao said coldly, snorting.
"Alright, Qu Mo, it's not like you don't know that Qu Yao is a big fan of Lin Tanyu; you're insulting her idol to her face. She's already being nice by not fighting with you," a girl said with a tender laugh.
Lin Mo remained silent, but he did appreciate Qi Yue. Half a year ago, Qi Yue had come to the Imperial City to find him, and at that time, he had already noticed that Qi Yue was on the verge of the Advanced Martial God Realm. With his age, to have reached such a level of cultivation, he could be called a genius among geniuses; perhaps he's already reached the Advanced Martial God Realm by now.
"That's not necessarily the case; Li Yang from the Southwest Li Family, Chen Yanghao from the Taiji Sect, Baji Wu Yihan, Wudang Zhang Yesheng, Zhuang Ziruo from the Emei and several other young people are all outstanding among the younger generation. No one knows their real strength. The champion of the Martial Arts Tournament isn't a sure thing yet," Qu Banshan suddenly said slowly.
Indeed, each name he mentioned belonged to a young powerhouse on the Qingyun List, the geniuses from various major sects and Martial Arts Families. Their strength wasn't much weaker than those of the older generation.
"It's a pity, though. If we could see a match between Lin Tanyu and Qi Yue, that would truly be wonderful. It's too bad we won't get the chance this time," Qu Qingshan sighed, clearly regretful.
Lin Mo smiled lightly; he had stirred up a storm in the Martial Arts World over the past two years, but his complete disappearance half a year ago had indeed become a regret for the Martial Arts World.
From morning till afternoon, Martial Artists from various places also arrived at the venue. The Southwest Li Family, the Aixinjueluo clan, and other such Martial Arts clan lineages sat at the highest peak of the mountain, along with Tai Chi, Emei, Baji, Wudang, and other super sects of the Martial Arts World. It was these Heavenly Sects that organized this Martial Arts Tournament.
"I appreciate the effort it took all of you to come from different places," Zhang Gulu stood out and said slowly, his voice propelled by surging True Qi reverberating throughout the entire mountain. This displayed how formidable Zhang Gulu's strength was, as his voice could clearly reach everyone's ears.
"Sect Leader Zhuang and I have called this Martial Arts Tournament to elect a new leader for the Martial Arts World."
His statement immediately caused a stir among the many martial practitioners on the mountain, sparking debates. It was originally said that the Martial Arts Tournament was just a contest of martial discourse for the younger generation, but now, according to Zhang Gulu's words, it seemed as if they were electing a Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch.
"What's going on here?" Even Qu Banshan couldn't help but furrow his brow. Sect Leader Zhuang then stood out and said, "There are some things that not everyone is aware of yet. Our Huaxia Martial Arts World might encounter trouble. All the Hidden Sects are already eager to act and prepare to emerge. When that happens, our Martial Arts World will inevitably be challenged. So today, in addition to electing the position of the Heavenly Sect Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch, there is another matter concerning those Hidden Sects of the Heavenly Sect."
Lin Mo frowned as he understood the purpose of Sect Leader Zhuang and Zhang Gulu organizing this Martial Arts Tournament.
The Star Palace, Miao Xue Divine Palace, and even the rumored Qingxuan Sect were all Hidden Cultivation Sects that usually remained out of the world. Now with their eagerness to act, it was evident that the Spiritual Energy in their residences was dissipating. When they emerged, they would inevitably plunder resources for cultivation extensively. Both the Martial Arts and Magic Worlds needed such resources for cultivation. If these Hidden Sects appeared, it indeed represented a crisis for the Martial Arts World.
Regarding the Heavenly Sect, only a few Martial Arts Sects and Super Families knew some inside information. As for others, they hadn't even heard of it.
Sect Leader Zhuang said, "I will inform everyone of the details after the competition ends. However, let's begin the competition for now. This Martial Arts Tournament is for the younger generation, with no rules; anyone who surrenders or loses their Combat Power will be deemed the loser. But unexpected incidents are inevitable during the contest; should there be injuries or fatalities, revenge must not be sought afterward."
"I'll go first; I, Pan Yingwu, don't believe in any so-called strong contender on the Qingyun List."
Suddenly, a young man wearing a Martial Arts Uniform jumped out and stood on an open space. The youth was about one meter eighty in height, his figure like a sword, sharp and compelling. He was indeed a young Martial Arts God.