Chapter 50: The Gathering of Heroes in the Eastern Domain

Li Xingyao had no idea who this “Li Ba” was that the disciples of the Bliss Sect spoke of. But that was hardly important—the real issue was that rumors had spread he had castrated himself. Always one to value his reputation, how could he tolerate such slander?

“Enough! I did not castrate myself. If anyone dares utter such nonsense again, don’t blame me for showing no mercy with my sword!” Li Xingyao thundered, slamming the table and rising to his feet, his face contorted with rage.

The newly acquired, mid-grade spirit sword strapped to his back emitted a biting chill, as if venting its master’s fury.

The once lively great hall was plunged into deathly silence.

“Pfft…” The first to break was Zhou Yuanlong, a disciple of the Spirit Source Sect, who had always been at odds with the Scarlet Flame Sect. He and several others spluttered their tea in unrestrained laughter.

In the corner, Qingxi, who was nibbling on pastries, also burst out laughing.

It was as if an avalanche had been triggered. In the vast hall, the hundred or more young talents from all the major powers of the Eastern Domain could not contain their laughter.

The news that Li Xingyao, a genius with a spiritual-grade spirit root, had castrated himself was simply too explosive to take calmly.

Li Xingyao slammed the table again, unleashing the formidable aura of someone at the peak of the Qi Refining stage, intent on sweeping the crowd with his presence and stifling their chatter. Yet he soon found his aura blocked by the disciples of the Spirit Source Sect.

Leading the Spirit Source Sect this time was a square-faced young man, empty-handed but powerfully built, and likewise at the peak of the Qi Refining stage.

He was one of the ten great inner disciples of the Spirit Source Sect, known as “Iron Tiger” Wan Hu.

Wan Hu sat upright at the head of his sect’s table, chin slightly raised. The thick, steady aura radiating from him effortlessly countered Li Xingyao.

“Li Xingyao, if you have any complaints, you may settle them after the Heroes’ Gathering. Right now, with the brightest of the Eastern Domain assembled, you are not yet qualified to suppress us all alone.” Wan Hu’s voice was deep and composed.

“Wan Hu, I’ll remember you!” Li Xingyao’s eyes flashed like unsheathed swords, his gaze as sharp as blades. But realizing this was not the time for rashness, he withdrew his aura and sat back down.

Still unable to quell his anger, he summoned a few disciples of the Bliss Sect for questioning, and soon discovered he had been slandered. His rage blazed anew.

Yet after searching, he could find no trace of this “Li Ba” the Bliss Sect disciples mentioned.

Grinding his teeth, Li Xingyao had no choice but to sit and wait for the Heroes’ Gathering to conclude, planning to use his sect’s power to hunt down this “Li Ba” afterward.

Meanwhile, Qingxi lounged at his seat, chatting and laughing with the young talents from the various noble families around him.

Anyone who knew him would notice his appearance had changed greatly: his nose was now more prominent, his skin darker, and he even sported two large buck teeth.

It was the effect of the martial technique, “Disguise Art.”

Among the eighteen thousand martial techniques in the Spirit Source Sect’s library, there were all kinds of odd and wondrous skills. Yet most disciples preferred to focus on mainstream offensive, defensive, and movement techniques.

What’s more, the Disguise Art required that one not use elemental energy to perform other techniques while it was active, or else the disguise would fail.

Because of this rather useless drawback, few chose to cultivate it.

As the Heroes’ Gathering had yet to officially begin, Qingxi took the opportunity to survey his surroundings.

This was the main hall of the Volcano Palace, a hundred meters long and wide, with an arena at the center and seats arranged around it.

To Qingxi’s left sat the Spirit Source Sect.

The Bliss Sect and the Scarlet Flame Sect were on his right.

As the hosts of this gathering, the Water Immortal Sect occupied the seats directly in front of Qingxi, separated from him by the vast arena.

Activating his reading ability, Qingxi discovered that the Water Immortal Sect’s group did not include any disciples of Hong Jiu.

“Perhaps they haven’t arrived yet,” he thought, shifting his attention to the Scarlet Flame and Bliss Sects.

This was still the banquet before the formal start of the Heroes’ Gathering; by his estimation, there was about an hour before the main event. An idea suddenly came to him—a brilliant one.

No one noticed as the disguised Qingxi slipped quietly to the rear of the Scarlet Flame Sect’s seating.

“Ding! Gained a wisp of metal essence.”

“Ding! Gained a wisp of fire essence.”

…

Every spirit weapon within a five-meter radius that was exposed was being siphoned for its essence by Qingxi.

This was the effect of his spirit root ascending to spiritual grade.

Though the conversion was slower than direct touch, in the time it took to drink half a cup of tea, he had already gathered hundreds of wisps of the five elemental essences.

He repeated his trick in the Bliss Sect’s section, continuing to absorb.

Everyone was too busy eating and drinking to notice Qingxi.

Some found his face unfamiliar but were only mildly puzzled. After all, with thousands in each sect, even among inner disciples, it was impossible to know everyone.

Besides, at a time like this, who would dare impersonate a member of their own sect?

With such thoughts, the Scarlet Flame Sect disciples paid him no mind, instead enjoying the unique delicacies of the Volcano Palace.

Before long, Qingxi had completely drained the elemental essence from every spirit weapon belonging to the disciples seated at the back of both the Scarlet Flame and Bliss Sects.

With a haul of two thousand wisps of the five elemental essences, he could barely suppress a grin as he glanced toward the chief seat where Li Xingyao sat.

“Senior brother, you’re truly outstanding. In tonight’s competition, you’re sure to astonish everyone!”

“Senior sister, your beauty could make fish sink and birds alight, outshining the moon and shaming the flowers. To marry you would be a blessing earned over lifetimes!”

Sidling up close to the chief seat, Qingxi joined the Scarlet Flame Sect disciples in flattering and bantering.

“Who are you? Do we know you?” Someone eyed the disguised Qingxi, suspicion in their voice.

“I’m a disciple of the Bliss Sect, just here to offer my early congratulations on your coming victory,” Qingxi lied without batting an eye, his composure unshaken.

As Hong Jiu would say, his skin was thick as a city wall, and shameless words came as easily as breathing.

“You sure know how to talk! I like that,” a Scarlet Flame Sect disciple laughed, his cheeks flushed, and took another hearty swig.

Inwardly, Qingxi chuckled, edging himself within five meters of Li Xingyao.

“Ding! Gained a wisp of metal essence.”

…

A rich stream of elemental essence poured in from all directions within range.

Soon, his harvest complete, Qingxi raised his cup and made his way to the Bliss Sect’s section.

“Handsome and elegant brothers and sisters of the Bliss Sect, I’m a Scarlet Flame Sect disciple here to offer my advance congratulations on your coming triumph.”

Beaming, Qingxi continued his string of shameless flattery.

Feeling the five elemental essences accumulating in his system’s space, he nearly burst out laughing.

After making a thorough sweep of both the Scarlet Flame and Bliss Sects, he returned to the seats of the noble families.

The banquet continued, with cups raised and exchanged, music and dance filling the hall with lively splendor.

At a certain moment, the main doors suddenly swung open, and two elegant female disciples of the Water Immortal Sect entered. The hall fell silent at once.

All eyes turned to them.

Though their faces were veiled, their cool, ethereal air captivated every young hero present.

Qingxi too sensed something unusual and quickly turned to look.

Activating his reading ability, his expression changed on the spot.