Xiaoxiao.

"Have you heard? The Ten Great Sects have invited heroes from all walks of life to a martial arts contest at Broken Blade Peak, with the winner receiving the Vermilion Fruit."

"This... deciding the ownership of the Vermilion Fruit through a martial arts contest? How can that sound so childish?"

"Exactly, it's probably just a rumor, isn't it?"

"Who would dare to spread rumors about the alliance of the ten major factions?"

"Really? Everyone can participate?"

"You want to compete with the Ten Great Sects?"

"Uh... let's give it a try!"

Who started it?

"Is it supposed to be the Hundred Flowers Pavilion?"

"The Hundred Flowers Pavilion? Isn't the Hundred Flowers Pavilion a place for buying and selling information? How can it gather other sects together?"

"They're in the business of buying and selling information, but they're still one of the top ten factions!"

"Who said it was the Hundred Flowers Pavilion? Yang Lin and Yun Mengze were the initiators."

"If it's Yunmengze, that's possible. It's said that the palace master of Yunmengze, Jian Xiaotian, fought against Chunyangzi at Taihu Lake ten years ago. They fought for three days and three nights, and in the end, Jian Xiaotian only lost by half a move. Chunyangzi praised him as the number one swordsman in the world, so it would be more convincing if he initiated the fight."

"I've heard about this too."

"It's quite possible that it was made by him."

"Yep."

"Lord Yang Lin is also a possibility."

"Lord Guo Dehao of Yanglin is the number one beast tamer in the world. The guardian beasts of the ten major sects all come from Yanglin. Take the Black Tiger, the guardian beast of Chunyang Temple, for example. It is said to have the strength of a grandmaster."

"I was fortunate enough to see this black tiger once, and it was truly magnificent. It was at least ten meters long and two meters tall. Its jet-black fur shone brightly, and its front paws were at least half a meter in size, which gave people the creeps."

"It makes sense that he initiated it."

"No, I heard it was the idea of ​​the old man Chunyangzi."

"No, it was Master Wuse who made the decision."

"It's the Seven Star Pavilion."

"It is Baidi City."

"yes.."

......

The news that the ten major sects had invited heroes from all over the world to gather at Broken Blade Peak suddenly spread like wildfire among the various forces outside Chengdu.

Initially, it did not attract the attention of major powers, but it was only widely circulated among some small sects.

But for some reason, Longyuan suddenly expressed great interest in this news.

Following suit, Longhua Mountain and Tongtian Tower also expressed their concern.

What happened next was somewhat unexpected; the suggestion was quickly accepted by the ten major factions.

Thus, the Duan Dao Peak competition became a grand event jointly participated in by the ten major sects.

The entire ring mountain range encircles the Tianfu Plain in a circle. From above, the Tianfu Plain looks like a lake surrounded by the ring mountain range, or a giant mirror, with the continuous mountain range serving as the decorative edge of the mirror.

The ring-shaped mountain range has an average elevation of nearly 1,000 meters, with overlapping peaks that are steep and imposing, making it difficult for birds to fly over.

Broken Blade Peak is the highest peak of the ring mountain range, exceeding a thousand feet in height.

Broken Knife Peak is quite steep, but its summit is unusually flat.

The open space, spanning over a thousand acres, is like a giant millstone, embedded on the summit of Broken Blade Peak.

Legend has it that a deity once vanquished a demon here, and at the last moment, he beheaded the monster with a broken sword.

As a result, a large chunk of the mountaintop was cut away, forming the Broken Knife Peak we see today.

Of course, the truth of the legend is unknown, but the flatness of the summit of Broken Blade Peak is indeed true.

Three enormous stone peaks stand on the west, south, and north sides of the millstone.

The stone peaks act as a natural barrier, blocking the relentless winds that blow through the mountains and forests year-round.

Therefore, despite the biting mountain winds that could break trees and damage mountains.

However, the climate in "Big Millstone" is pleasant, with spring-like weather all year round.

The three giant rocks have been eroded by wind and rain, leaving countless pits of varying sizes, some as large as half a meter and others so small that they can barely fit a finger.

The three sides of the stone peaks are densely covered with rocks, with a few ancient pine trees growing occasionally in the crevices.

The tree roots gripped the cracks in the rocks firmly, the branches stretched into the sheltered, sunny slope, and the needle-like pine needles were full of unyielding pride.

Occasionally, some unidentified succulents and low-lying green plants also take root on this barren rocky cliff.

They bloom and grow wildly, like a warrior.

Through years of painstaking efforts, the Broken Blade Sect has built three magnificent main halls and numerous side halls and outbuildings.

From afar, the buildings stand in neat rows, their humble abode gleaming.

Although these buildings are not large in scale or magnificent in style, they uniquely showcase the rich local flavor of Sichuan.

Every detail, from the flying eaves and brackets to the carved beams and painted rafters, embodies the profound heritage and mysterious charm of ancient Shu culture.

Moreover, the buildings here are rationally laid out and fully functional.

It offers both tranquil and comfortable living spaces and spacious training grounds.

It has all the necessary facilities and is comprehensive in every aspect.

All these perfect conditions undoubtedly save the upcoming fierce competition a lot of tedious architectural matters and worries.

This can be considered as the Broken Blade Sect contributing to this rare grand gathering of the martial arts world. It's just unknown whether the coffin lids of those who died in the Broken Blade Sect will be able to hold them back when they hear this news.

It should be able to be suppressed, since the entire Broken Blade Peak clan is currently lying in the cypress forest.

There wasn't even a straw mat, let alone a coffin.

The meat is probably almost dried out by now, so where would they find a coffin lid to press it down?

Ying Yue was also puzzled by Baidi City's initiative to form an alliance: "I also find it strange. We have never had any deep dealings with these Jianghu gangs. I don't know what's gotten into Baidi City."

Wu Ren pondered for a moment and said, "Based on the information we have so far, Guo Dehao and Jian Xiaotian have likely formed an alliance. Although they tried to be very discreet, our people still managed to find out. Baidi City must have also gotten wind of this, which is why they sought out us, who are also 'lone wolves'."

"So these people really took this martial arts competition seriously?" Kuang Zheng said.

Wu Ren also found it unbelievable, but based on the information he had now, it was probably true.

So he said, “This is exactly what I can’t understand. How could the fate of one’s sect be decided by the outcome of a single duel? That’s the Vermilion Fruit! A once-in-a-millennium opportunity. To decide its ownership based on the outcome of a single duel? It seems far too frivolous.”

Ying Yue, however, saw it differently. She said, "But these people are already making preparations. It's said that Feng Yaorao and her five-faction alliance have already moved into Broken Blade Peak. Judging from their posture, they seem to want to be the masters of the place. If they didn't care, why would they make such a fuss?"

All of this was extremely abnormal. First, the various factions formed an open alliance, and then in the blink of an eye, news spread that a martial arts contest would be held to determine who would own the Vermilion Fruit.

If a duel is to be held, will the previous alliance have to be disbanded?

This back-and-forth turmoil is quite damaging to the prestige of the ten major sects.

Why are the ten major sects so influential in the martial arts world?

Strength is certainly indispensable, but being decisive and uncompromising is also a very important reason.

Everyone likes to deal with people who keep their promises, and the same is true in the martial arts world.

If sect strength is hard power, then prestige is soft power.

Soft power needs hard power to support it, and conversely, soft power can also enhance the influence of hard power.

Soft power is what various schools of thought have accumulated over a long period of time; simply put, it's about keeping your word.

Now, however, the policies are being changed frequently, especially at such a crucial time as the appearance of the Vermilion Fruit.

Such fickleness will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the prestige of various factions.

All factions are well aware of this, and they would never do this unless absolutely necessary.

But who exactly has such terrifying influence that the ten major factions are willing to bear the infamy of being untrustworthy in order to act in this way?

Could it be Penglou?

But then I thought it was unlikely, considering that the Ten Great Sects were already at the top of Penglai Planet.

The leaders of each sect are among the most powerful people in Penglai, and the chances of them being coerced are almost zero.

Even Penglou couldn't do it, because the master of Huanghelou wasn't even a match for the leaders of the various sects.

Based on this, it can be inferred that even if the master of the third floor is very powerful, it is unlikely that he could coerce the leaders of the ten major sects at the same time.

But if they weren't threatened, why would the ten major factions behave so unusually?

They didn't even care about the damage to their own reputation, which is clearly unacceptable.

Could there be some hidden key factors that I haven't yet figured out?

In that instant, Kuang was lost in a fog, his thoughts growing increasingly profound as he pondered the various possible reasons and connections.

As for the White Emperor City Lord who took the initiative to seek out the alliance with Kuang Zheng and the others, he was also at a loss for words.

Just last night, a shocking message came from the disciples: Baidi City had been attacked.

Because of the Vermilion Fruit, the city lord of White Emperor City brought out all the elites of his sect.

In fact, it's not just Baidi City; other forces are in a similar situation.

Because the Vermilion Fruit is just too important.

If we can acquire it, we'd be willing to pay any price, let alone take our home base.

In such special circumstances, the slightest difference in strength between the two sides could determine the final outcome.

The city lord of Baidi City wasn't the only one with this idea; almost all the other sects mobilized their entire forces.

It was precisely because he saw this that he felt comfortable bringing all his elites out with him.

Those who remained in each faction were mostly the elderly, women, and children, or disciples who had only recently begun their studies.

Those who remained were all equally matched, so there was no fear of any unexpected events.

But just as he emerged, his stronghold was almost wiped out.

How can this not make people angry?

But after calming down, I felt a chill of fear: Could there be another hidden force?

If my guess is right, then things could get a bit tricky.

After much deliberation, the Lord of Baidi City decided that it was still necessary to stick together and support each other at this time.

However, finding allies at this time is not so easy, and a five-faction alliance is out of the question.

They never intended to include him in the group in the first place, and he wouldn't get anything good by forcing his way in.

Chunyang Temple and Qixing Tower are natural allies, and they have never been heard of forming alliances with other sects over the years.

That leaves Yunmengze and Yang Lin, and logically speaking, Yang Lin is the best choice.

Because of their expertise in beast taming, almost all the guardian beasts of the major sects were created by them.

For this reason, he had some connections with various factions.

However, Yun Mengze had already formed an alliance with Yang Lin, so it would be somewhat inexplicable for him to intervene later.

It's true that one wrong step leads to another, and by the time you come to your senses, you find yourself all alone.

This is really a dilemma; everyone else has allies, while he's all alone.

This is clearly an easy target!

The Lord of Baidi City thought, "This won't do!"

If a fight breaks out, wouldn't we become the "vulnerable group"?

Wouldn't they be bullied to death? If it really comes to that, what's the point of fighting? They might not even be able to save their lives.

Based on this, he began searching the world for allies.

But after looking at them one by one, I still couldn't find a suitable one.

Come to think of it, other sects had already reached their own alliances long ago.

Of the remaining reclusive powerful clans, only a few are actually worth considering.

But it would be beneath me to speak first, after all, I am one of the top ten sects!

It's always others who ask for favors; when have I ever asked others for favors?

But there's no time to worry about that now, and if I were to personally intervene, I'd be at a disadvantage.

The middleman arranged several groups, but those companies all pretended to be stupid.

It's manageable with one or two families, but it's the same with four or five.

Even a fool could see the implication now: the other party was holding out for a higher price!

The goal is to gain more benefits.

He was ready to compromise, but then the attack on Kuang Zheng and his group happened.

This made the Lord of Baidi City curse himself for sitting on a mountain of gold and making money.

Why keep searching for allies? Aren't they natural allies? Could there be anyone more suitable?

In terms of ability, who in the world does not know the name of Zheng Zheng?

Which of the ten major sects doesn't treat him with utmost courtesy?

why?

Their strength speaks for itself!

If it weren't for the strange illness that plagued the seven of them a few years ago, it's hard to say what the martial arts world would be like.

That's why he ignored this option.

But the assassination attempt on Kuang Zheng and his group that night revealed to him several people who were vastly different from the rumors.

Is this person whose life is in grave danger?

Is this how someone living in constant fear should appear?

Is this a stray dog?

Rumors can be deadly!

Seeing the performance of Kuang Zheng and the others, the Lord of Baidi City decisively extended an olive branch.

It must be said that Liu Xuan, the lord of Baidi City, was quite a remarkable person. Before the age of forty, he was obsessed with medicine, and the previous lord, Liu De, was his elder brother.

If we trace the Liu family back ten thousand years, we will find no one with expertise in traditional Chinese medicine, not even a physician.

Liu Xuan began studying under renowned medical masters in Penglai at the age of ten, but he still hadn't achieved anything by the time he was forty.

This has almost become a joke in Penglai, and his brother has repeatedly advised him to find another way out.

But he himself had a very high opinion of himself and always believed that he could become a great medical master.

However, it must be admitted that some things require talent, and unfortunately Liu Xuan did not have the talent to study medicine.

If nothing unexpected happens, he will live out his life happily and persistently in his own world.

But things always take unexpected turns, and his brother suddenly died when he was forty-five years old.

The nephew who succeeded him as the city lord blamed his father's death on him, saying that he had poisoned his elder brother.

The truth will never be buried, but framing someone is not a difficult thing.

As a result, various "evidence" were found, and the situation quickly took a turn for the worse.

To avenge his father, his nephew not only wanted to kill him but also exterminate his entire family.

He, Liu Xuan, lived a carefree life for half his life under the protection of his elder brother.

Powerless and helpless, he could only watch as his own nephew slaughtered his wife, children, and sons one by one.

That beast, with a triumphant laugh, humiliated him to the extreme. After he was done with him, he killed him.

Surprisingly, he didn't die.

Not only did he not die, but in fifteen years he transformed from an ordinary person with no strength to become a peerless master at the Grandmaster level, a dream for countless people.

With his formidable strength, he completed his revenge.

In his nephew's final moments, he asked the question that had always puzzled him: Why go to such lengths to kill them all?

The result he received was something he never expected: because he was his father's most beloved brother, while his nephew had always been a good-for-nothing in his father's eyes.

Whenever his father got angry, he would say that he would hand over the position of city lord to his younger brother and would never pass it on to his own son.

To prevent this from happening, he personally poisoned his own father. Then he wiped out his uncle's entire family.

In this way, no one can threaten you anymore.

Because of his narrow-mindedness, he not only poisoned his own father, but also exterminated his uncle's family, who posed no threat to him whatsoever!

What he didn't know was that his father had always considered him his sole heir.