The bustling street suddenly fell silent.
Bai Jinghong, a talent on the Qianlong List and a true disciple of Hengyun Sword City, could even choose not to bow to a king.
Yet, right there in the middle of the street, without a shred of hesitation, he went down on one knee.
Could it be the Sword City’s young master?
The crowd turned around to see two girls and a boy standing there.
The boy stood tall and handsome, his face radiating warmth and ease. Beside him, one girl wore oversized clothes with her face partially obscured by a cloth; her dainty features were like a spirit come to life.
The other girl exuded an icy aura, like a snow lotus on a mountain, her every movement hinting at nobility.
“Who are they?”
“They look much younger than Bai Shaoxia!”
“Could that girl be of extraordinary lineage, making Bai Jinghong bow in respect?”
“She seems even more stunning than the fairies on the Hundred Flowers Character List…”
….
It’s a well-known fact that those wandering the martial world are generally interested in divine weapons, martial arts, and beautiful women.
The Ice Chunk’s presence was so overwhelming that it successfully diverted attention from Little Li.
Bai Jinghong knelt there, dazed at first, then feeling a wave of embarrassment.
He instinctively wiped his forehead.
Getting up now seemed wrong, and staying on his knees felt even worse…
“Little Bai, didn’t you just say yesterday that your Sword Bone was so impressive, you wanted to test your skills against the world’s heroes? How come the moment you step out, you’re kneeling?”
Behind him, the Wu-surnamed swordsman smirked, clearly enjoying the spectacle.
“Is this lady some kind of powerhouse?”
The other swordsman, surnamed Cao, narrowed his eyes, brimming with fighting spirit.
“I’m not kneeling to her!”
“Oh? I thought you were bowing before her incredible sword intent.”
As swordsmen of the Observation Realm, they were naturally sensitive to sword intents.
Jokes aside, both Wu and Cao, as true disciples of Hengyun Sword City, recognized that Ying Bing exuded a presence that made their hearts skip a beat.
“Her sword intent is indeed impressive, but… ah, forget it, you don’t understand!”
Bai Jinghong shook his head, his mind drifting back to the bl**d Phoenix Secret Realm, where he swung a hammer like a divine demon, smashing his way through the entire place…
He was smiling, as if it were all coming back to him!
“She saved Bai Bro with just a casual effort.”
“I’ve always said Bai Bro is an emotional person; there’s no need for such grand gestures upon first meeting.”
Little Li noted Bai Jinghong’s awkwardness and stepped forward to help him up.
“Ahem, yes, I’m just a sentimental guy.”
“Li Ge is right.”
Bai Jinghong stood up, feeling sheepish.
“By the way, I have a letter to give to you, Bai Bro.”
“It’s about Yunzhou’s safety; please take it seriously. It’s best delivered to your sect’s elders.”
Li Mo took out a piece of paper containing information about Misty Rain Tower.
The Tower had some grand ambitions. If he scribbled a few notes, he might change the fate of many.
Not just for rewards, even without investment returns, he would still take on such matters.
“Don’t worry, Li Ge!”
Bai Jinghong accepted it solemnly.
However, both Cao and Wu furrowed their brows.
The Qingyuan Sect wasn’t doing too badly in Ziyang Mansion, but compared to Hengyun Sword City, it was still a lesser organization.
Once Li Mo and the others from the Qingyuan Sect left with polite bows, Wu, the true disciple, couldn’t help but frown and speak up:
“Little Bai, your actions just now have tarnished our sect’s reputation.”
Cao, another true disciple, nodded in agreement:
“Our sect has gone through a great deal to bolster our image.”
A name carries weight, like a shadow of a tree.
The more authoritative a sect, the stronger its grip on the local area.
Aside from senior experts within the sect, the reputation of the new generation also mattered, as it reflected the sect’s face to the world.
To elevate their trio’s image, they had done many righteous deeds and even hired a storyteller to spread the word continuously for a full twelve hours.
Thus, the fame of the Three Heroes of Hengyun was born.
“You guys don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Bai Jinghong let out a cool chuckle.
Didn’t you see my bro’s hammer just popped out?
He turned and headed off to deliver the letter.
…..
In Yunzhou City, where heroes gathered, countless young men and aspiring legends sought to carve out stories of their own every day.
Storytellers became the hottest profession.
But the most explosive news of the day was undoubtedly Bai Jinghong’s kneeling.
Some said it was a heartfelt thanks to a benefactor, others speculated it was a sudden attack of an old leg injury, and the most believable theory was that those three were true geniuses from a hidden sect.
Many were eager to uncover the identities of the trio of young men and women.
Seizing the opportunity, a magazine titled “The Tyrannical Empress Falls for Me” suddenly hit the stands!
The characters in it couldn’t be said to resemble Ke Mo and Ying Bing; they looked exactly the same.
Who knows which commercial genius was behind this idea…
…..
At Hengyun Sword City.
In the residence of the external elder.
A thin old man sipped his tea, visibly displeased.
The trio of Bai Jinghong was present in the hall.
“Elder Zeng, I have something for you to look at…”
“Let’s put aside other matters for now.”
Elder Zeng interrupted sternly:
“Why did you do something so embarrassing for the sect in broad daylight today?”
“I…”
“I don’t want to hear your explanation.”
Elder Zeng cut him off, his meticulously arranged luxurious attire indicating that he was someone who cared deeply about reputation.
“Wu Chushu, Cao Mu, Bai Jinghong.”
“At the upcoming Sword Testing Conference, the three of you must challenge those Qingyuan Sect disciples.”
Both Wu Chushu and Cao Mu nodded confidently.
Bai Jinghong, on the other hand, looked bitter and quickly replied:
“Then I’ll… challenge that girl in the cloth headband…”
“The girl in the cloth headband?”
At that moment, a puzzled voice came from the door.
A plump woman stepped in.
Elder Zeng quickly stood up, greeting her with respect.
“Guan Shen, what brings you here?”
Entering the door was a pair of jade-like bare feet, jingling gold bells around her ankles, and a jade plate hanging from her waist.
Her appearance was serene, yet her deep-set eyes seemed like murky depths, teeming with interwoven lines.
She was from the Yantian Sect.
Her eyes fixed on Bai Jinghong:
“What characteristics did you attribute to those Qingyuan disciples?”
………
As the date of the Martial Arts Summit grew nearer, Yunzhou City became even more bustling.
Shen Yunfei, Xu Zhiqing, and others felt the pressure and spent their days testing martial arts and honing skills.
Ke Mo spent his days with Ice Chunk and nights with Little Princess Jiang.
In his spare moments, he practiced Observation.
As dawn broke, Ke Mo sheathed his sword, standing tall.
Having exhausted a lot of martial insights, he had crossed the threshold of familiarity with the Dugu Nine Swords.
His final deduction was:
“The Dugu Nine Swords, defeat all those heroes! You know you can’t keep shutting yourself away; you must aim your sword at the best, using others’ swords as your whetstone to forge your own astonishing sharpness!”
