Xiaoxiao.

"The Chunyang Temple, Xiaoyao Valley, Qixing Tower, Longhua Mountain, and Baihua Pavilion of the Great Tang Dynasty have all come. The Longyuan, Baidi City, Yanglin, Yunmengze, and Tongtian Tower of the Great Han Dynasty have also mobilized their entire forces. As for those aristocratic families with a history of ten thousand years, none of them are missing, and even the smaller families with a little strength have not been left behind," Wu Ren said.

Upon hearing about Chunyang Temple, Ying Yue said with a hint of smugness, "Isn't the abbot of Chunyang Temple in seclusion? Could he really have come out? Hehe... I was right back then, wasn't I?"

"It is indeed Chunyangzi who is in seclusion. Big Sister is truly amazing. I admire you greatly!" Wu Ren exclaimed, bowing repeatedly in exaggerated manner.

"Heh... It seems that Chunyang Temple isn't as upright as they claim! That old man's seclusion was just an excuse to avoid paying some favors. These people really want all the benefits but don't want to get involved at all!" Ying Yue was very disdainful of Chunyang Temple's actions.

Back then, Chunyangzi announced to the world that he would be going into seclusion for ten years.

It's been less than five years, and he's already out of seclusion.

Is seclusion really that casual?

Ying Yue also comes from an ancient martial arts background, and her ten years of seclusion is itself very suspicious.

Whether it's seeking a breakthrough or healing from wounds.

It's impossible for someone to go into seclusion for as long as ten years, let alone a life-long seclusion.

Because seclusion completely isolates one from external contact, the various functions of a martial artist with profound skill are greatly enhanced. The metabolic rate can be artificially adjusted to the lowest level, but it is impossible to completely abstain from food.

A Grandmaster-level martial artist typically eats once a week. A Grandmaster at the Perfection stage can go three months without food, and a Grandmaster at the Great Perfection stage can go a year without eating or drinking.

Above the Grandmaster and Great Perfection realms lies the legendary terrestrial immortal, a level reached only by a select few who obtained the Vermilion Fruit throughout history.

Martial artists at this level have essentially transcended the realm of "human," meaning they cannot completely abstain from food; it is said that the intervals between these abstaining acts range from sixty to one hundred years.

Because the difference in this realm is very large, even though Peng Zu and Zhang Sanfeng are known as terrestrial immortals, their lifespan is only a little over a thousand years.

Lu Chunyang started as a terrestrial immortal, but eventually ascended to the celestial realm, completely breaking free from the constraints of lifespan and transcending the Three Realms.

The earliest Shennong was quite special. Historical records indicate that he eventually died of old age, but folk legends say that he was deified by the celestial realm.

Historical records are generally considered more reliable, yet the tomb of Shennong, which is clearly recorded in black and white, has never been found.

There are no traces of tombs in the areas recorded, which has been one of the hot topics of controversy.

Regardless of the controversy, the fact remains that there are huge differences in strength among the individuals who obtained the Vermilion Fruit.

This was said by Zhang Sanfeng, a terrestrial immortal.

He believes that there are individual differences among the Zhu fruits, and different Zhu fruits have different effects.

No matter how great the differences, the phrase "land immortal" is enough to place one at the very top of the world.

Although Chunyangzi is known as the number one person in the Grandmaster Perfection realm, he is still far from being a terrestrial immortal.

If you don't eat or drink for ten years, you'll starve to death long ago. What's the point of going into seclusion?

"You were right! You said back then that this seclusion was just a pretense. Boss, you're amazing!" Wu Ren said with a smile.

Although it was somewhat unbelievable when he heard the news, Wu Ren felt that the cultivation methods of Taoist practitioners and ancient martial arts practitioners like himself might be different, which was why they were able to go into seclusion for ten years.

Yingyue said that this was just an excuse, and that Chunyangzi probably encountered something he couldn't refuse, but it was difficult to do, so he used the excuse of going into seclusion.

It seems Ying Yue guessed correctly, which is why Wu Ren said that.

"I'm impressed, I'm truly impressed! But how did you figure that out back then, boss?" Wu Ren asked, full of doubt.

After all, none of them had ever dealt with Chunyang Temple before, yet Ying Yue was able to make accurate predictions. How could this not arouse curiosity?

“I have never liked Chunyang Temple. Their reputation in the martial arts world is too good, so good that it’s like an act,” Ying Yue said.

"Uh..." I couldn't respond to that.

"The top ten sects in the martial arts world have all mobilized; this is going to be quite a spectacle," Wu Ren remarked.

"No news from Penglou?" Kuang Zheng suddenly asked from the side.

“That’s what I find strange too. The owners of the lower and middle three floors of Penglou have all arrived, but none of the owners of the upper three floors have been found. Moreover, the owners of the lower and middle three floors appeared and then suddenly disappeared together,” Wu Ren said.

"Disappeared? There must have been quite a few of them, right? So many people just vanished right under our noses without attracting the attention of the people present?" Kuang Zheng said, somewhat incredulously.

“That’s not surprising, because Penglou is just a non-existent organization to them. These people from outside Jin Guan City come and go so frequently, it’s not surprising that they suddenly disappeared,” Wu Ren explained.

Ying Yue wasn't particularly surprised by the sudden disappearance of the Penglou members. To others, they were practically invisible. With everyone's attention focused on Zhu Guo, who would bother with a force that was practically nonexistent in the martial arts world?

Therefore, she said, "We know very little about them, let alone others. They are like an invisible entity to everyone, so who would care about their comings and goings?"

Wu Ren had always been in charge of intelligence, and he felt deeply ashamed that such a big mistake had occurred: "This is my oversight."

Seeing his brother so distraught with self-reproach, Kuang Zheng quickly comforted him, saying, "We've been running around trying to solve our own problems all these years, so it's normal to have some oversights. Don't worry about it too much. How can we control everything in this world? Besides, intelligence is a mix of truth and falsehood, so it's normal to have oversights. It's just that Penglou is hiding so well; I have a feeling they're plotting something big."

Although Wu Ren didn't say anything, he had already firmly remembered this lesson. He secretly vowed that future intelligence work must be comprehensive and without any blind spots.

Ying Yue noticed Wu Ren's psychological burden, but she didn't point it out. Instead, she said nonchalantly, "Who cares? Haven't we encountered enough troubles over the years? We'll just deal with whatever comes our way!"

“That’s right,” the two agreed.

While Kuangzheng was gathering information, the others weren't idle either.

They are all top-tier individuals in the world; who among them wouldn't have some skills?

"Kuang Zheng and his gang are here too? Hmph! They're still alive after all these years, they're really lucky." The speaker was a gigantic man, easily six meters tall. His muscles were bulging and radiated explosive power.

It was Longmen, the third leader of Longyuan, whose body-refining technique was the best in the world.

The most powerful of this generation are the three Long brothers: the eldest, Long Li; the second, Long Xiong; and the youngest, Long Men.

"Give the order to keep a close watch on Kuang Zheng and his men. Remember, do it covertly. Do not engage them in conflict, or you will die!" Long Li commanded.

Longmen scoffed at his elder brother's caution: "Brother, how many years has it been? We brothers have all reached the Great Grandmaster realm. Kuang Zheng and the others contracted a strange illness four years ago. They've been searching for medicine everywhere these past years, barely managing to save their lives. What else is there to worry about?"

“Third brother, it’s better to be careful than to make a big mistake. This Kuang Zhengshan has abilities that ordinary people cannot, and no one can see through his true nature. Although it is said that his seven-man team has been reduced to only three people in recent years, this is a critical moment when the Vermilion Fruit has appeared in the world, so we must not be careless.” Long Xiong said earnestly. He had also suffered at Kuang Zhengshan’s hands before, so he naturally dared not be careless.

“Second brother is right. This is a crucial time to compete for the Vermilion Fruit. Any mistake could have unimaginable consequences. I know you still hold a grudge about how he humiliated you back then, but right now the most important thing is to get the Vermilion Fruit. We can talk about the rest later, understand?” Long Li said.

"Brother, I just can't swallow this insult. He made me suffer all kinds of humiliation back then, and I won't be able to eat or sleep until I avenge this." Longmen said indignantly.

"Third brother, Kuang Zheng is not someone to be trifled with," Long Xiong said earnestly once again.

"Hmph! What's there to be afraid of in a sick man? Second Brother is just encouraging others." Longmen was very unconvinced by his second brother's advice.

"Third brother..."

"The Third Gang Leader is right. The Second Gang Leader only boosts the morale of others while diminishing the prestige of his own brothers."

Kuang Zheng had been diagnosed with an incurable disease four years ago, and not only him, but also Princess Ying Yue of Qin and Wu Ren were in dire straits.

I admit they were very strong in the past, but that was in the past.

"Aren't they all show and no substance now?" Before Long Xiong could finish his admonition, a woman's voice came from outside the tent.

Before the words were even finished, the figure had already appeared at the tent entrance.

Not a single guard along the way bothered us or even notified us.

They all seemed to be asleep, as if they were having indescribable dreams.

The guards only snapped out of their daze when the man reached the door.

The newcomer wore a long brocade dress, and her black hair, like a waterfall, reached down to her lower back.

A striking white dress adorned her chest, and the well-tailored, form-fitting gown accentuated her stunning figure, making her appear exceptionally charming and alluring.

Oval face, cold and aloof eyebrows.

Her eyes were like autumn water, and her nose was like a jade hook.

Cherry lips, peach-like cheeks, and a face as beautiful as jade.

Her skin is as smooth as jade, and even whiter than snow.

The hair ornaments swayed with every step, and the jade pendants jingled in the wind.

With a pair of jade-like feet lightly touching the ground, each step she took seemed to create a lotus flower.

The man entered the tent and bowed to each of the three Longli brothers.

"So it's Feng Yaorao, the Pavilion Master of Hundred Flowers Pavilion. My apologies for my rudeness. What impressive skills you have! Are you here in Longyuan to show off your abilities?" Long Xiong said angrily, staring intently at the other party.

"It was my rudeness, I know I'm guilty," Feng Yaorao said, her eyes brimming with tears and her face full of grievance.

"Stop with your tricks! I'm not buying it. You belong to the Tang Dynasty, I belong to the Han Dynasty. We're not that close." Although he didn't directly kick him out, Long Xiong didn't give him a friendly look either.

"Oh my, my second brother Long! We're all heroes of the martial world, why distinguish between Tang and Han?"

"It is indeed presumptuous of me to come here, but I truly admire the three gang leaders' unparalleled heroism!" Feng Yaorao exaggeratedly twisted her body, and her magnificent breasts trembled, making Longmen's eyes almost pop out.

When Feng Yaorao saw the pig statue at Longmen, she felt a wave of disgust, but she still smiled.

“Pavilion Master Feng is too kind. My three brothers and I are just country folk, and we are not worthy of your praise as heroes.” Of course, Long Xiong did not believe her nonsense.

The predecessor of Baihua Pavilion was Baihua Palace. In Ying Yue's words, "The people in Baihua Palace are all sick."

The people of the Hundred Flowers Palace were a bunch of madmen who thrived on chaos, and they had instigated several major battles in the martial arts world. This eventually aroused public outrage, and the entire sect was wiped out.

More than ten years later, the Hundred Flowers Pavilion appeared. Although it no longer acted as eccentrically as the Hundred Flowers Palace, it was still a group of people who were only interested in profit.

Therefore, although he wasn't universally hated, his reputation in the martial arts world was never very good.

That's why Long Xiong is so cold and unapproachable.

However, because the Hundred Flowers Pavilion was full of women, and all of them were quite beautiful.

They do have unique advantages in intelligence gathering and gossip, so despite their bad reputation, it does not prevent them from becoming a top sect in the martial arts world.

Furthermore, the desire for food and sex is a basic human instinct.

This also provided room for the Hundred Flowers Pavilion to grow.