West of the city, the great plains.
Wan Lei came out two days early this time, having learned his lesson.
Last time he arrived in the capital, he had no place to stay and spent an entire day drinking in a tavern.
This time, he came out early, secured a good spot, and even set up a tent with great interest.
This tent was the same one he often slept in within the Golden Immortal Secret Realm.
Only this time, he didn't have personal guards to set it up for him; he and little sister Yu had to do it themselves.
A large "Shuai" (帅 - handsome/commander) character was painted on his tent, as he was once the commander-in-chief of the army and lived in the commander's tent.
This caused the three armies acting as the order-keeping enforcement team to subconsciously mistake his tent for their own commander's tent upon seeing the character, nearly entering to report their situation.
Of course, there were also generals who came to question him about the meaning of the character "Shuai".
Wan Lei's answer was always the same: because he was handsome and wanted everyone to know it, he wrote the character "Shuai".
The three armies had surrounded the plains for tens of miles around, with the central area, as it were, being the competition grounds.
The wandering heroes, very consciously, lined up behind these soldiers, rubbing their hands in anticipation of showcasing their might when the martial arts大会 commenced.
However, people did not understand why such a large venue was being used, and why numerous fighting stages were not erected for one-on-one duels.
That would have been more in line with the demeanor of martial heroes.
These three families were too careless, too dismissive of this martial arts大会.
The three families, on the other hand, simply did not take these wandering heroes seriously at all.
Today was the day the martial arts大会 was to be held. Wan Lei packed up his tent early and, along with Yu and the old man, stood behind the soldiers, watching the distant battlefield.
The battlefield, yet to commence.
Sounds from the crowd were constant, a buzzing discussion that greatly annoyed Wan Lei.
He scanned the entire venue. The description of the immortal Li Wei, provided by the old man, was deeply etched in his mind. He was diligently searching the crowd, his gaze sweeping across every face, attempting to find that figure clad in elegant white robes.
He didn't find that person, but he saw, to the east, a sedan chair flying over.
The sedan chair was entirely blue, exceptionally luxurious and exquisite, pulled by three Pixiu. It flew from afar.
The crowd immediately erupted in chatter.
"It's the head of the Zhihuo family!"
"It's Zhihuo Qingwu. Rumor has it she inherited the position of family head during the winter solstice last year."
"Is that just a rumor? Everyone in the Great Jin knows it."
"Zhihuo Qingwu! The rumored most beautiful woman in the Great Jin. Today, we have good fortune. I never thought Zhou Fu like me would have the honor of seeing the legendary beauty."
A young man with a scruffy goatee stared intently at the sedan chair ahead, his lecherous expression so strong that he was practically drooling.
"Hey, hey, hold back your drool. Are you going to say next that dying under a peony is also romantic? Look at yourself, do you think she'd even glance at you? With your build, can you handle it?"
"I'm willing to be drained dry."
"Hmph, a toad... Look, she's coming out."
The curtain of the sedan chair was gently lifted, revealing Zhihuo Qingwu dressed in a blue and white long dress. Her figure was graceful, her face alluring, and she toyed with a small fan in her hand.
When she saw the wolf-like cheers from below, a disdainful smile curled her lips, and she glanced contemptuously at the wolves below.
She didn't get out of the sedan chair, remaining at the front. Her long, sky-defying legs dangled in the air, swaying casually, while she fanned herself gently.
This demeanor, akin to a young girl from next door just coming of age, made the wolves below cheer even louder.
With the arrival of Zhihuo Qingwu, her old rival, Xiren Yuanjun, would naturally not be absent.
Then, from the west, a blue flame ignited, surging through the air.
Upon closer inspection, people saw that Xiren Yuanjun, clad in white, was riding a Pixiu, her gaze gloomy and her expression stern.
Xiren Yuanjun did not look at the crowd below but directly at Zhihuo Qingwu.
The latter also looked at her.
Their eyes met.
The people below noticed the gaze exchanged between the two most beautiful women of the Great Jin, and they all became spirited. They eagerly anticipated what sparks would fly between these two renowned beauties of the Great Jin, who possessed such distinct temperaments.
"Look at your seductive display."
Xiren Yuanjun initiated the confrontation.
"Our Zhihuo family has helped your Xiren family, putting aside past grievances."
Zhihuo Qingwu retorted immediately.
"Hmph, looking at you, anyone would think your Zhihuo family are all vixens."
"Our Zhihuo family has helped your Xiren family, putting aside past grievances."
"You can become family head? Heh, your Zhihuo family truly has no successor. Anyone can be dragged out to be family head."
"Our Zhihuo family has helped your Xiren family, putting aside past grievances."
"Can you say anything else?"
Xiren Yuanjun was, after all, thin-skinned. Facing this shameless opponent, she was becoming flustered.
However, what the other party said was precisely the truth. This favor was known to the entire nation; she had to acknowledge it.
"You lost to me before."
"That was when you ambushed me."
"You lost to me before."
"..." Xiren Yuanjun.
"Hmph!"
There was no point in continuing this conversation.
The first confrontation between the two women ended with Zhihuo Qingwu's complete victory and Xiren Yuanjun's total defeat.
Xiren Yuanjun turned her head away, no longer looking at the annoying Zhihuo Qingwu, and instead turned her gaze toward the crowd.
Soon, the figure of a girl in yellow attire caught her attention.
Xiren Yuanjun looked at Fang Xiaoyu. The memory from a year ago immediately surfaced, followed by a surge of high fighting spirit.
This time, she vowed, they would not escape.
People followed Xiren Yuanjun's gaze toward Fang Xiaoyu. When they noticed the girl in yellow, their eyes immediately lit up. This girl, even more beautiful than Zhihuo Qingwu and Xiren Yuanjun, astonished them.
Then, people became even more interested.
Because they noticed that Zhihuo Qingwu's gaze was also directed here, and her gaze actually carried a hint of apprehension.
What kind of person could simultaneously capture the attention of two of the four powerful figures, and moreover, the two most beautiful women?
And the one they noticed was also a beauty.
Were beautiful women destined to carry gunpowder between them?
Under the gaze of countless people, Fang Xiaoyu smiled slightly, raised her right hand, extended it, and gently fanned it twice.
This action, to others, was completely incomprehensible. They likely considered it a provocation.
However, Xiren Yuanjun immediately understood.
In her mind, the scene of her being severely injured and powerless, being casually patted around by this girl as if she were a pet, surfaced uncontrollably.
That feeling...
That feeling of involuntary submission...