Star Martial Soaring Cloud

Wherever the fist passed, rocks crumbled, and countless peach blossoms were swept into the shockwave, swirling and howling like a pink storm.

Wang Xiao maintained his punching stance, his pupils suddenly contracted, staring intently at the spot where Song Qing had disappeared, his heart filled with turmoil.

It wasn't teleportation, it wasn't a stealth technique, and it wasn't a light and shadow illusion—the unique aura belonging to Song Qing, along with his figure, vanished completely into the air like ice and snow melting in the warm sun, leaving no trace whatsoever.

For a person to vanish into thin air, disappearing without a trace in an instant, is something that the Fish Leap Realm could never accomplish.

At the mountaintop, there was a deathly silence.

Whether it was the onlookers eagerly waiting at the foot of the mountain or the cultivators holding their breath watching the battle near the summit, they all froze in place, their faces still bearing the expression of extreme tension from before, but now replaced by deep astonishment.

"I have lost. I will leave Liangshan today and never set foot in Zhongyun again."

Song Qing's voice suddenly rang out, gentle yet with an undeniable penetrating power, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up thousands of waves on the mountaintop and at the foot of the mountain!

"You won? Young Master Wang won?"

"A powerful cultivator at the Divine Sense Void Realm, who sealed his cultivation, actually lost to a youth who had just entered the Fish Leap Realm?"

Exclamations and commotion spread from the foot of the mountain to its summit.

The most excited people in the crowd were the gamblers who had placed bets. They had long lost their previous solemnity and were now flushed and looked like madmen.

Someone clutched their hair and wailed, "My money! I bet everything on Song Qing! How could he lose? This is impossible!"

Some were so agitated they jumped up and down, pointing at the summit of Liangshan and cursing, "Song Qing, you coward! You took my money and ran away? You'll have to compensate me for my mine!"

In contrast, the gamblers who had correctly bet on Wang Xiaosheng were overjoyed. Some hugged and cheered each other, while others immediately pulled out their betting tickets and waved them, shouting, "I won! I won! Ten to one! I'm rich now!"

Some people were so excited they were trembling, clutching their gambling tickets tightly, afraid that their hard-earned wealth would slip away.

The people in the city lord's mansion finally relaxed their tense backs, their eyes filled with the relief of surviving a disaster.

The reactions of the many cultivators present were far more complex. Unlike ordinary people who were often bewildered, they naturally understood what what had just happened meant.

Xiao He stood on the bluestone, a trace of solemnity flashing in his deep eyes, which then turned into a faint admiration: "What a brilliant move to use light to defeat the enemy! That golden light was no ordinary move, but rather the condensation of vital energy into a tangible form. It could not only interfere with vision, but also instantly accumulate power and unleash it. Caught off guard, Song Qing had no way to deal with it. It is not unjust for him to be defeated by this unexpected move."

"Brother Xiao is absolutely right. Although Wang Xiao has only just entered the Fish Leap stage, his grasp of battle opportunities and his understanding of martial arts are already unmatched among his peers. If he reaches the Fish Leap perfection stage, I'm afraid even you and I will have a hard time defeating him." Xuanyuan sat on his golden warhorse, a playful look on his handsome face.

"Brother Xuanyuan, are you trying to put Young Hero Wang on the hot seat?" Su Qinhe, her face veiled in white gauze, looked like an immortal amidst the falling peach blossoms. The eyes behind the veil were no longer as cold as before; instead, subtle waves surged within them. Her gaze was fixed on Wang Xiao, and her doubts deepened—Wang Xiao's combat prowess was already among the top of the younger generation, yet why couldn't Fengyuxuan find any trace of him?

Besides being amazed, the cultivators were also secretly relieved. The danger of the previous duel was far beyond their imagination. The power of Wang Xiao's last move was such that even if they were in the midst of it, they probably wouldn't have been able to escape unscathed.

But after today, it will be impossible for Wang Xiao to use this tactic against them again.

For them, witnessing such a wonderful duel between players of the same skill level was a rare opportunity.

Compared to the uproar among ordinary people, the prodigies were not much surprised by Song Qing's "defeat".

The path of cultivation ultimately values ​​the height of one's cultivation. Otherwise, even if someone is invincible in the Fish Leap Realm, if they cannot cross the Dragon Gate, their cultivation cannot reach a higher level. What use is being invincible in the Fish Leap Realm?

The four realms of martial arts each have their peak and boundaries. The path paved by predecessors and the pursuit of light by successors is an ironclad rule in the cultivation world.

The younger generation surges forward, all building upon the foundations laid by their predecessors. The various martial arts records and realms established by their predecessors will eventually be caught up with or even surpassed by their successors.

Even the once-in-a-millennium, once-in-ten-thousand-years geniuses, the benchmarks and legends they leave behind will only take a little longer to establish. In the long river of time, anything is possible.

Therefore, in the eyes of the geniuses of the Nine Provinces, when they fight against others of the same realm and level, they are never weaker than others.

This deep-rooted confidence and insightful understanding of the essence of cultivation are precisely what distinguishes ordinary cultivators from the chosen ones.

So what if Song Qing is a powerful expert in the Divine Sense Void Realm? In their view, in a battle between equals—if Wang Xiao could win today, they could do it too.

Without this mindset, how can one pursue the supreme path?

This is what makes Wang Xiao so remarkable. He not only saw it, but more importantly, he accomplished it, enabling Song Qing to fight against him at the same level. This is something that no one else dares to even dream of.

Just then, a rough shout suddenly rang out, breaking the silence among the cultivators: "Even Yu Yue Song Qing is nothing special!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Ye Changtian striding towards the top of Liangshan Mountain.

The ancient longsword he carried trembled slightly, his fighting spirit surging: "Since Song Qing has admitted defeat, then it's my turn to face you!"

He moved nimbly, taking only a few steps to the long staircase paved with peach blossoms. His gaze was sharp as a knife, fixed on Wang Xiao atop the mountain: "You were able to force Song Qing to retreat, so you do have some skill. Enough to make me, Ye Changtian, draw my sword once."

The long night in Yanyi Palace.

Yan Yi Palace is one of the most powerful forces in the Nine Provinces.

The name "Yan Yi" represents the process of creation from nothingness, the evolution of heaven and earth; anyone who dares to choose such a name is naturally extraordinary.

But just as Ye Changtian was about to step onto the summit, another unexpected event occurred!

Suddenly, peach blossoms began to flutter down again, completely enveloping Wang Xiao's figure.

As the petals swirled, they emitted a faint spiritual energy, forming an invisible barrier that blocked Ye Changtian's path.

Ye Changtian frowned and swung his sword, unleashing a sharp blade of energy. The energy struck the petal barrier, but it sank like a stone into the sea, failing to create even the slightest ripple.

Just as he was about to make another move, he discovered that the peach blossoms had gradually dispersed, and Wang Xiao was nowhere to be seen. Only the ancient peach tree, which had stood for a thousand years, remained lush and verdant, with peach blossoms fluttering in the air.

Song Qing disappeared.

Wang Xiao has also disappeared.

It was as if they had never been there.

Deep in the Liangshan Mountains, in a stone chamber hidden by an array, a flickering green lamp casts the shadows of three people onto the stone wall, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.

Song Qing had changed out of his black attire, and all the domineering aura he had previously exuded had vanished, leaving only a calm and gentle demeanor.

He stood beside the green lamp and slowly spoke to Shen Yue, "Lord Shen, please personally deliver the winnings from this gambling game to Loulan."

He paused, then added, "Be sure to hand this over personally to Li Guang, the God of War of the Great Qian Dynasty, and use it entirely for frontline supplies. Also, instruct Feng Yuxuan to keep an eye on those who are risking their fortunes in this gamble to save the day; do not make a fuss, but secretly provide them with assistance."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yue's body trembled violently, replaced by an overwhelming surge of emotion. Tears instantly blurred his vision as he bowed deeply to Song Qing and Wang Xiao: "You two gentlemen have shown me immense kindness. On behalf of the countless soldiers on the front lines of Loulan, I thank you! On behalf of the Great Qian Dynasty, I thank you! And on behalf of all the people of Great Qian, I thank you!"

The last figure was none other than Wang Xiao, who had previously fought Song Qing to the death.

Shen Yue kowtowed three times, his eyes red-rimmed as he rose, his voice still choked with emotion: "Young Master Song, rest assured, Shen Yue will personally go to Loulan and live up to your trust! I will also immediately send a message to Fengyuxuan to ensure everything is carried out!"

Song Qing nodded slightly: "Lord Shen, there's no need for such formalities. Loulan is the shield of the Great Qian Dynasty. To protect Loulan is to protect all the people of the world from suffering. This journey is long, so we must proceed with caution."

Shen Yue cupped his hands in greeting again, his gaze sweeping over the two men with admiration and gratitude. He then said no more, turned and strode out of the stone chamber, his figure quickly disappearing into the light and shadow of the array.

Only Song Qing and Wang Xiao remained in the stone chamber, the glow of the lamp bringing them very close together.

"Senior brother, is war really that expensive? Has the Great Qian's tax revenue become so strained that it needs to raise its own funds for military supplies?"

Upon hearing this, Song Qing turned to look at him, her fingertips gently tracing the patterns on the stone table. Her gaze gradually deepened, as if penetrating the walls of the stone chamber and looking towards the distant Loulan front.

He remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, his voice carrying a barely perceptible heaviness: "You've cultivated on Seven Star Mountain since childhood, never witnessing the suffering of the world, unaware of the cruelty of war, and even less aware that wealth, like water, accumulates like a collapsing tower. If it grows ever thicker and heavier, its collapse is not far off. Forget it, let's not talk about these things!"

However, Wang Xiao was still puzzled. Was it too unbelievable that a powerful cultivator with a mere spiritual sense would spend ten years planning and procuring military supplies in this way?

Song Qing looked at Wang Xiao, his eyes softening as if he could see through his thoughts. He gently flicked the wick with his fingertips, and as the flame flickered, he slowly began to recount a long-forgotten ancient secret: "The root of all this lies in the Eight Emperors' Decree."

"In ancient times, the strong were respected in the world, and cultivators roamed freely, fighting endlessly. At that time, cultivators only cared about victory and defeat, and endless war swept across the land, eventually causing the land to sink, the mountains and rivers to break apart, and the chaos to continue. Where could mortals find refuge? When the smoke of war subsided, the entire continent was in ruins, and everywhere became barren land. The original billions of living beings withered and died, and only a few hundred cultivators, including the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, survived."

"But cultivators are originally mortals who have transformed. Looking around, their former homes are now scorched earth, all living beings are dead, and they themselves are like rootless duckweed. Even if they have extraordinary cultivation, where can they rely on? It was only at this time that the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors truly understood what a true strongman is. A true strongman does not take pride in crushing the weak, but rather takes the survival and development of the weak as the boundary. Only when the weak become strong can the strong become stronger."

"Therefore, the Goddess Nuwa reopened creation, molded clay to create humans, and reshaped the vitality of the mortal world; the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors joined forces to use their great supernatural powers to reshape the rivers and mountains, and deeply engraved the law of 'the strong protecting the weak and cultivators and mortals coexisting' into the origin of this new world. This is the origin of the Eight Sovereigns' Decree."

"Since the Eight Emperors' Decree was established, it has become increasingly difficult for cultivators to be born in the Void Immortal Realm. All cultivators have been bound by an invisible shackle, and from then on, cultivators and mortals are equal in this world—mortals can hardly harm cultivators, but cultivators cannot kill mortals at will either; any transgression will bring down a heavenly tribulation. Even if one wants to influence the affairs of the mortal world, one must enter the world and follow worldly rules, and the higher one's cultivation level, the heavier the oppression brought by this shackle becomes."