Chapter 49: The Widely Anticipated Battle

Atlas Studios Atlas Studios

When Li Yu and Ye Qiu arrived in Nan’an City, it was already evening.

The streets and alleys of Nan’an City were decorated with ornamental lanterns. The streets were bustling with lively voices of people. It was filled with a festive atmosphere.

On the streets, other than the official lanterns, the various shops also hung uniquely stylish lanterns at their doors, like a hundred flowers in full bloom.

According to Ye Qiu, there would be many exciting activities during the Lantern Festival, such as lantern riddles, river lanterns, and even exciting performances.

Li Yu had experienced the bombardment of various festivals and cultural events in his previous life, so he was naturally not interested in this Lantern Festival.

Hence, after arriving in Nan’an City, Li Yu temporarily parted ways with Ye Qiu.

Ye Qiu returned to the Ye Residence while Li Yu went straight to the Eastern Palace to pay a formal visit to the Crown Prince.

Murong Xingqiao was naturally pleasantly surprised to see Li Yu arrive. She immediately ordered a feast to welcome Li Yu.

Li Yu naturally did not refuse. In his opinion, the chefs in this palace were definitely better than those outside, and that was the truth.

At the banquet, Li Yu told the Crown Prince about the Hundred Sect Recruitment tomorrow, hoping that the Crown Prince could help apply for a place for his sect.

The Hundred Sect Recruitment Assembly was jointly organized by the Great Xia Dynasty and a few large sects. All the sects who wanted to participate in the Recruitment Assembly had to apply in advance before getting a spot on the sect recruitment grounds.

“No problem. I will arrange a good position for your sect. Also, have you prepared your sect’s flag?” Murong Xingqiao asked.

“Yes, we’re ready!” Li Yu nodded. Before he arrived, he had specially requested the clothing shop in town to make flags and even banners.

After all, this was equivalent to the sect’s reputation and advertisement. He was well aware that the recruitment of disciples tomorrow was a competition to grab talent.

If he wanted to develop the Qingyun Sect into the number one sect in the Great Xia Dynasty, he had to have outstanding disciples.

“Oh yes, Cultivator Li, I’ll leave the fight with Ji Qinglan to you tomorrow. I’m very confident that Ji Qinglan is definitely not your match!” Murong Xingqiao said with a smile.

She had seen how powerful Li Yu was. He had defeated eleven young elites with ease.

Even Ji Qinglan was inferior to such strength.

Therefore, she looked forward to Ji Qinglan’s challenge to Li Yu tomorrow. This was the best chance to ruthlessly strike back against the Xi Liang people and bring glory to the Great Xia.

Of course, she had also received the challenge letter from Lu Chunqing, ranked sixth in the Xi Liang Dynasty.

As the sixth-ranked prodigy of the Great Xia Dynasty, she had to accept the challenge. She could not let anyone look down on her country.

However, her battle was only a side dish since Ji Qinglan’s match-up with Li Yu was the one everyone was looking forward to.

Previously, due to the appearance of the 3000 Physique Rankings, the news that Ji Qinglan was coming to challenge Li Yu had already spread throughout the country.

Countless people arrived today to watch the competition between the two countries tomorrow.

“Eh… My battle with Ji Qinglan?” Li Yu was slightly surprised.

He did not plan to accept Ji Qinglan’s challenge. Why did the Crown Prince make this battle sound like an officially arranged program?

Seeing Li Yu’s reaction, Murong Xingqiao hurriedly added, “My apologies, I was too abrupt. Perhaps you don’t know what’s going on!”

She guessed that Li Yu had not received the challenge letter and did not know about this at all, so she explained it in detail.

“The location is at the Hundred Sect Recruitment Assembly tomorrow. I think this is also a great opportunity for your sect to become renowned!”

Li Yu’s eyes swirled. What Murong Xingqiao said made sense.

This battle with Ji Qinglan is the center of attention. It’s absolutely the best form of advertisement.

Plus, isn’t Ji Qinglan another genius as well?

I could consider recruiting this kid into our Qingyun Sect too!

This will help in my quota mission.

Li Yu suddenly felt enlightened.

Previously, it was immensely satisfying to trick the various large sects and families. This time, he naturally could not let Ji Qinglan off.

The night passed uneventfully…

The next day, just as the sun rose, Li Yu met up with Ye Qiu outside the palace.

Murong Xingqiao also arranged for an entourage to follow Li Yu and help.

“Senior Brother, let me tell you something very infuriating!” As soon as he saw Li Yu, Ye Qiu cried out with an indignant expression.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” Li Yu asked.

“The Zhu family and the Five Elements Sect really have no morals. They actually took Senior Brother’s credit!” Ye Qiu told Li Yu about the Zhu family and the Five Elements Sect’s cock and bull story.

He only heard about it from his father when he returned home last night. Initially, Ye Guxiong did not suspect anything. He only realized that something was wrong later on.

“Senior Brother, I know that you like to keep a low profile, but I’m still pissed to hear this. What gave them the right to snatch your credit? Now, everyone believes that the Five Elements Sect’s Patriarch was the true hero, and they are deeply grateful to them.

“Now that the reputation of the Five Elements Sect is also rising rapidly, I’m afraid that many people will enter their sect this time!” Ye Qiu was fuming.

“Senior Brother, we have to go and confront the Five Elements Sect later. How is such a wicked sect fit to enjoy the treatment of a hero on behalf of Senior Brother?”

Li Yu frowned. He did not expect that the Tharman’s head he had thrown in the Nether Hall would be dug out by the Five Elements Sect for their use.

Although he was not interested in being a hero and had never thought of making the world appreciate him and treat him as one, he was quite displeased when he heard Ye Qiu’s words.

It was despicable for the Five Elements Sect and the Zhu family to take away credit like that.

Lying to the world for their own benefits was indeed infuriating.

“Don’t worry, what is false cannot be true. Let’s prepare for the recruitment assembly first. Leave this to me!” Li Yu declared.

It was not difficult for him to expose those people’s lies.

When Li Yu and the others arrived at the Dao Seeking Square in the east of the city, many recruitment stations of the various sects had already been set up.

Flags fluttered with the wind, and the names of the various sects were embroidered on them.

The entire square was surrounded by a fence, and the city guards guarded the perimeter to maintain order.

Outsiders had to wait outside, and the guards would only let them through when the recruitment meeting officially began.

In the middle of the square, an arena had already been built. Array flags were planted around it. It seemed like an array formation had been set up.

“I didn’t expect the Great Xia Dynasty to take the competition between the two countries seriously!” Li Yu muttered to himself.

He and Ye Qiu arrived at the location of their sect and ordered the attendants given by Murong Xingqiao to begin setting up the recruitment station.

Soon, a large group of people began to gather around the square. They were shoulder to shoulder and were bustling with noise.

Other than some young people who were here to participate in the recruitment assembly, the rest came over to witness the competition between the prodigies of Xi Liang and the Great Xia today.

Although most of them did not really want to see the whole competition. The people only wanted to see how Ji Qinglan was defeated by Li Yu.

Of course, this competition was only an interlude in the end. Today’s main topic was the Hundred Sects recruitment.

It was the best opportunity for countless youths of the Great Xia Dynasty to enter the various large sects.

Thus, young people from all over the country gathered here with nervousness and anticipation, waiting for the recruitment assembly to begin.

“Hey, my friend, which sect do you plan to enter?”

“Of course, it’s the Five Elements Sect. The Patriarch of the Five Elements Sect killed the Wolf King and eliminated the Netherworld Demon Sect. He’s the great hero of our Great Xia Dynasty.

“Also, with the Five Elements Sect’s Patriarch so powerful, the sect will definitely become stronger in the future. Entering the Five Elements Sect is the wisest choice!”

“Yeah, that’s right. I also plan to enter the Five Elements Sect. Now that the Five Elements Sect is so famous that entering the Five Elements Sect will give me face. My family all want me to enter the Five Elements Sect!”

“I also plan to enter that sect. Now, disciples of the Five Elements Sect are respected and loved wherever they go, enjoying many privileges! There is limitless potential after joining the sect!”

“I believe more than half the people present today are here for the Five Elements Sect!”

Listening to everyone’s conversation, a young man in ragged clothes in the crowd nodded secretly.

He was Su Mu, who had traveled a long way here.

His only goal today was to enter the Five Elements Sect.

…