York Old Lady, though surprised, answered loudly, "I am here, but I wonder who this esteemed guest might be?"

A majestic azure crane descended from the sky, carrying two young Taoists with flying swords on its back. They were elegant and graceful, exuding an aura of transcendence.

The two disciples of the Lake Meditation Cave, upon seeing Shuro, instantly brightened their eyes, then showed full respect, carrying a basket filled with exotic fruits as they descended.

"We, disciples of the eighth-tier Lake Meditation Cave, have come to congratulate York Old Lady."

Passing by the members of Solitary Moon Mountain, the two disciples of the Lake Meditation Cave appeared arrogant, their gazes unwavering, mirroring Leone's previous demeanor. The disciples of Solitary Moon Mountain, of the ninth-tier, showed reverence, not daring to speak.

They bowed respectfully towards York Old Lady, then hopped back onto the crane's back, flying away.

York Old Lady and King Tera's courtiers were stunned.

The Lake Meditation Cave? How could an eighth-tier immortal sect congratulate a mere master of a small country? Leone's heart skipped a beat, sensing trouble.

Before long, more cranes descended from the sky, and three Taoists landed carrying shoulder poles, also coming to congratulate York Old Lady.

This went on for seven groups, leaving everyone in the grand hall dumbfounded.

Immortals personally sending congratulatory gifts... York Old Lady had quite the prestige! It was inconceivable!

King Tera Peppe was filled with envy, but soon he noticed that the immortal gifts were not handed to York Old Lady but were placed at the feet of Shuro's two attendants.

When the young immortals had bowed and paid their respects, it wasn't to York Old Lady at all! It was quite clear they were paying respects to Shuro, who was facing York Old Lady!

They were finding creative ways to present gifts to Shuro!

The courtiers and national champions were not blind; the subjects of Tera were well-versed in such matters, and their gazes towards Shuro became increasingly suspicious, their speculations on the verge of being voiced!

Seven groups of sects came to congratulate York Old Lady, all of them eighth-tier sects. Leone's heart pounded with alarm, an ominous feeling creeping over him.

"You wait and see, Solitary Moon Mountain won't let you off," Leone glared fiercely at Shuro, then hastily said, about to leave.

John, lying on the ground, turned pale, his body trembling, as he tried to speak.

"Bold Leone, what right do you have to represent Solitary Moon Mountain?" A furious rebuke came from above, echoing throughout the palace, buzzing.

At the sight of the newcomer, Leone was stunned, and several disciples of Solitary Moon Mountain beside him also showed astonishment.

A ten-zhang-long white crane descended from the sky, carrying several monks dressed similarly to Leone in Daoist robes. Leading them was a middle-aged Taoist, his demeanor cold and stern.

"The... Sect Master?" Leone was in a frenzy, running up to the Sect Master with a respectful face, "Sect Master, why have you come? And where is my father?"

"You still have the nerve to mention him?" The middle-aged Taoist snorted, his face full of coldness. "Due to his failure in teaching, he has been stripped of his title as deputy sect master by the Elder Council, and imprisoned in the Guning Tower, to reflect on his actions for thirty years."

"What!" Leone's face turned pale.

The middle-aged man reached out his hand; he was still in mid-air, but his hand was already pressing down on Leone's head as he shouted, "Venturing out, yet causing trouble, attempting to defile a virtuous woman and frame others. According to the rules of our Solitary Moon Mountain, your cultivation will be abolished, and you will be cast into the Yin River!"

Leone was firmly pressed to the ground, shouting, "I'm innocent! I'm innocent! I always remembered the teachings of the Sect Master, and never did anything against my conscience!"

"Dare you still cry innocence?" The middle-aged Taoist's anger turned to a smile of disdain, his gaze falling on the disciples surrounding Leone. "Do you all wish to suffer the same fate as him, with your cultivation abolished? Or perhaps, confess and repent, and be allowed to face the wall for penance?"

Previously, under the manipulation of Blanche's disciples who wielded puppetry, they were the first to kneel down, trembling with fear, weeping bitterly: "Forgive us, Master! It's Leone! He forced us to do this!"

Following closely, disciples of Solitary Moon Mountain also knelt down one after another, disclosing piece by piece the nefarious deeds schemed by Leone and John, including their attempt to defile Blanche and frame Shuro.

The entire hall was shocked!

For a moment, all eyes were cast towards John, who lay prostrate on the ground like a dead dog.

Shuro's words were indeed true!

For years, John, hailed as a gentle and virtuous young man in Caelius Capital, turned out to be such a sinister and deceitful individual, with a belly full of wickedness.

If not for the revelation by Lord Chuan today, everyone would have believed that the handsome and elegant Third Young Master was truly as he appeared.

Colluding with outsiders to tarnish the innocence of a noble lady, and plotting against the family's own kin... For his crimes, even death a hundred times over would not suffice to quell the public's outrage!

In the main hall of the Rho Manor, apart from Jordy's pale face, everyone else glared angrily at John.

"That lad doesn't look like a good person at all, with his crafty eyes and shameless ambitions to enter the path of immortality," sneered Sun Zhongyuan, casting a disdainful glance at John.

The people of Wujia couldn't help but laugh scornfully. "He dares to do what even the immortals wouldn't. He even dared to plot against Lord Chuan. Truly, he must be tired of living!"

Feeling the gaze of disdain, disgust, and mockery like that directed at a clown, John was struck as if by lightning, his eyes losing their sparkle, his mind blank.

As the Third Young Master of the Rho Manor, he was once the pride of the heavens.

On the surface, John showed deference and humility, but in reality, he was exceedingly arrogant. With talents that reached the Great Spiritual Realm at seventeen, the Grand Spiritual Realm at twenty, and Half-Master at twenty-five, his potential was not much different from Marco's. But when he realized that he could never surpass the legend of Tera, he began to set his sights on the path of immortality.

In order to please Leone, the son of Solitary Moon Mountain's vice sect master, John not only lavished him with gold but also callously offered up the lady he had secretly admired for so long to satisfy Leone's carnal desires.

As for Shuro, he merely happened to disrupt John's original plans. John didn't pay him much heed, merely letting him take the blame to further suppress the second manor.

However, it was this inconspicuous son of the second manor who ruined everything!

How could he possess such formidable power? He was on intimate terms with Marco, had connections with the Sun and Wujia families, and even received congratulatory gifts from the immortals?

Trembling, John looked up at Shuro, only to meet a pair of eyes brimming with intense coldness.

With a loud "buzz" in his head, John suddenly shouted, "You can't kill me!"

"I am the Third Young Master of the Rho Manor! The future master of the immortals! How dare you kill me!"

"Only by satisfying Solitary Moon Mountain can I enter the realm of the immortals! Only then can our position in the Rho Manor be more secure!"

"You can't kill me!"

Before the Golden Luang Hall, John's disheveled appearance, frothing at the mouth, and hysterical behavior were starkly different from the refined and elegant young nobleman he usually presented.

The members of the main manor were filled with shame, and Jordy even fainted on the spot. On the other hand, those from the second manor were jubilant. If not for the fact that they were in the Golden Luang Hall, they would have celebrated loudly.

Those who had stood by John's side before, including York Old Lady, now wore expressions of shame.

"What a cunning scheme, pretending to be mad even now!" Lee sneered coldly. With these words, John's movements noticeably faltered.

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"Lee, go." Shuro instructed.

"Yes, my lord." Lee smiled slyly, and in the next moment, his body appeared ten steps away.

"You can't kill me!" Staring at the approaching Lee, John let out a heart-wrenching scream: "Grandmother, save me!"

York Old Lady remained unmoved, her face full of disgust.

Crack!

Lee didn't directly kill John; instead, he cruelly crushed every bone in John's body and then began to disable his pressure points.

The sound of screams echoed throughout the grand hall. No one showed any sympathy.

When the torture was nearly complete, Lee smirked, snapped John's neck with a twist of his wrist, and kicked him away. John's eyes bulged wide, filled with fear, regret, and confusion in his final moments. Until the end, he never understood where he had gone wrong.

As John breathed his last, Leone's face was filled with panic and despair.

When his gaze inadvertently fell on Shuro, it suddenly condensed into a point, and he screamed frantically, "Who is he after all? Just a mere mortal! Why? Why?!"

"Pathetic!" The leader of Solitary Moon Mountain's complexion turned exceedingly ugly, gritting his teeth. "The so-called 'mortal' you speak of ascended six levels of stone steps in the Stele Sea and deciphered ninety-six stone tablet techniques! You... you truly are a worthless piece of wood! Solitary Moon Mountain was nearly ruined by you."

In Leone's almost blank gaze, the leader of Solitary Moon Mountain pressed his palm down, instantly draining Leone of his power. He nodded towards Shuro, then left Leone, who lay limp on the ground like a pile of mud, and personally delivered the longevity gift before departing with his disciples, riding on cranes.

The weight of Solitary Moon Mountain's longevity gift was evidently more generous compared to those of the previous sects.

"Immortal disciples?" Lee stared coldly at Leone. Without waiting for Shuro's command, he lunged forward, subjecting Leone to further torment before snapping his neck.

Before long, the ninth batch of immortal disciples arrived on cranes, delivered their longevity gifts, respectfully bowed to Shuro, and then departed.

In the blink of an eye, there were already thirty batches of immortal visitors who came to congratulate York Old Lady. The gifts piled up like mountains beside Shuro's feet. Under Faithe's direction, Lee jumped up and down, checking them.

The disciples who had come with Leone, now dumbstruck, helped Lee tally the gifts.

Auspicious clouds shrouded over Caelius Capital, and the citizens rushed out of their homes, heading towards Caelius Capital to offer incense. King Peppe of Tera was moved to tears. The fact that these immortal sects were willing to visit Caelius Capital of Tera Kingdom indicated that it had caught their attention. In the future, when selecting immortal talents, Tera Kingdom would surely consider Caelius Capital.

Compared to the flattery of Solitary Moon Mountain, the direct visit and congratulations from the immortal sects undoubtedly filled the hearts of Tera Kingdom's monarchs and ministers with a sense of superiority.

Looking at the young man from the Rho Manor who brought all this about, King Peppe sighed softly, "It was a close call; it almost turned into a disaster. Now I don't know how to make amends."

"I think, Your Majesty, there's no need to deliberately make amends," said an old courtier nearby.

"Oh? Why do you say that?"

"Lord Chuan is also an immortal, and he won't stay in our great Tera for long. If Your Majesty wants to make amends, the best way is to treat his relatives and friends well," the old courtier whispered.

Peppe's eyes lit up. "Makes sense."

Sun Zhongyuan looked at Shuro and asked with a smile, "With the vengeance avenged, Lord Chuan, are you satisfied now?"

"Since I entered Warden City, I haven't thought about them again," Shuro replied.

Although both John and Leone had perished, Shuro felt little excitement. Perhaps it was because of the elevation of his own level of consciousness and perspective, or perhaps it was because of the memories of the Nine-Dragon Sovereign, but Shuro only felt that such an outcome was only natural.

He already possessed power surpassing that of everyone in this city. The path ahead was the realm of immortal sects.

Although there was some lingering attachment to Caelius Capital, there was no Dao Fire here for continued cultivation. After reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm, one could only establish a Huangting by receiving Dao Fire, and Dao Fire was only found within sects.

On the other side, Blanche stood alone, gazing at Shuro's profile, her expression slightly bewildered behind her veil.

"If only he could mature ten years earlier, then all would be well," a woman's voice whispered, startling Blanche, who turned to see Faithe.

"The path of immortality is long; ten years, twenty years, even a hundred years, are but a blink of an eye. In comparison, what are ten years?" Blanche replied calmly.

"So, it seems you do have some interest in Chuan after all," Faithe said with a slight squint of her beautiful eyes.

"You, as an aunt, are quite gossipy. Shuro saved me, and I should naturally be grateful. That's all. I heard that Faithe has remained unmarried for the sake of the Rho Manor until now. There are still a few good elder brothers in my family with both character and cultivation. Why not introduce one to you? We can further strengthen our relationship," Blanche retorted, smiling.

"That won't be necessary. After witnessing Chuan's ability to change the course of events at a whim, it's unlikely any man in this world could catch my eye," Faithe replied.

Upon hearing his name, Shuro turned to look. Seeing Blanche and Faithe standing together, he glanced at them strangely before turning away.

Standing side by side in the grand hall, Blanche and Faithe were undoubtedly the most beautiful sight, drawing not only the admiration of the monarchs and ministers of Tera but also occasional glances from a few old wanderers, who sighed at Shuro's good fortune.

"It seems Chuan hasn't matured yet. I'm afraid the Lady Blanche will have to wait a few more years," Faithe teased with a smile.

"What do you mean, wait a few more years? Faithe, are you misunderstanding something?" Blanche pouted innocently.

Faithe just smiled and said nothing.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, five months had passed since the banquet.

During these five months, many things had happened.

For example, many immortal sects of the eighth and ninth grades visited Tera, reaching agreements on immortal talents.

Another example was King Peppe summoning the master and young master of the Rho Manor to serve as officials. The master was granted the rank of Second Rank, and the young master the rank of Third Rank. Blanche and Faithe were also richly rewarded.

Yet another example was the construction of a mansion by the reservoir in the western suburbs of Caelius Capital. Despite not being luxurious and even lacking a name, all the influential figures of Caelius Capital knew that the owner of this mansion was the most prominent and mysterious figure in Caelius Capital: the young master of the Rho Manor, who was rumored to possess immortal powers.

Many children of high-ranking officials received the news and came to pay their respects to the young master, hoping to gain some immortal luck, but none were allowed through the main gate.

There was a legend about the nameless mansion: It had two gatekeepers, both said to have been brought from the netherworld by the young master. One was grotesque, with a protruding belly and odd speech, possessing the power of a half-step wanderer. The other was extraordinarily handsome but spoke sparingly. Some had even seen him withstand flames and headbutt iron mountains without a scratch.

Because of these two gatekeepers, the nameless mansion became even more mysterious.

It was early summer, and the heat was becoming unbearable in the mornings. Yet, on the training ground of the mansion, there was a chilling atmosphere.

Two teenagers sat cross-legged on either side of the training ground. The one to the west appeared somewhat weathered, cradling a Qingfeng sword. The one to the east exuded a domineering aura amid a serene demeanor, a contradiction yet harmony.

Several onlookers stood around the perimeter of the training ground.

Faithe sat in a pavilion, tallying accounts, while Blanche, dressed in a unique scholar's attire, read a book. Lee and Lewis stood by behind them.

"Early in the morning, and they're about to fight again," Faithe sighed, raising her head from the accounts.

"The tiles were just repaired, but given the situation, it seems the repairs were in vain," Blanche remarked, setting down her book with a charming smile. "Who knows, maybe the young master will ask that infatuated King Peppe for money again soon."

For nearly half a year, Faithe and Blanche had been living in the nameless mansion. Marco often came to drink and fight with Shuro but never stayed overnight.

Five months ago, the thousands of Yin coins brought back from Warden City, under Faithe's management, had grown to a hundred thousand Yin coins. Shuro decided to entrust Faithe with the household finances and other minor matters, as cultivating in the immortal path required resources. The events in the Wind Palace made Shuro realize the importance of wealth and resources.

Since regaining her strength with the antidote, Blanche had become obsessed with alchemy. Through Shuro's introduction, she became a disciple of the Elder Tian Can in Warden City, acquiring many alchemical scriptures and delving into the art of alchemy.

Under the guidance of Sun Zhongyuan, Martial Manor, and other wandering cultivators, Lee's martial arts skills improved rapidly, making him unparalleled among the half-step wanderers in Caelius Capital. Lewis diligently practiced the "Moyuan Profound Dragon Diamond Sutra" day and night, breaking through to the Minor Spiritual Realm just half a month ago. In his best condition, he could barely withstand half of Shuro's attacks without passing out.

"Are they really going to fight again?" Faithe complained tenderly. Her interest in fights was evidently greater than Blanche's.

As soon as she finished speaking, the atmosphere above the training ground became eerie, and a series of airwaves spread out from around the two. Upon closer inspection, it seemed as though there were "trees" growing above their heads. However, upon closer examination, it was clear that these were not trees at all but rather cracks in the air that were forming above the two individuals, extending steadily as if two mighty trees were growing.

Faithe, Blanche, Lee, and Lewis were all stunned. With their extraordinary perception and experience, they knew that achieving the level of control over their power that Shuro and Marco had required an extremely high level of skill.

In the next moment, the "tree" marks above their heads shattered and dispersed, causing the entire mansion to tremble. Two streams of aura rose from above their heads, and the next moment, the wind howled, and the clouds rolled, as if dragons and tigers were battling fiercely, colliding with each other violently.

A punch and a sword strike collided, both carrying the force of the wind and clouds, like the breath of gods and demons. The fist was domineering, and the sword was sharp, making it difficult to determine which was superior for a while.

"You've indeed become much stronger since breaking through to the Third Rank of the Foundation Building Stage. However, I've just comprehended a new sword technique. You're no match for me," Marco opened his eyes, full of fighting spirit.

At the same time, Shuro also opened his eyes and smiled leisurely. "Noble Marquis, you're quite confident. But don't forget, I condensed my true qi last month, entering the Third Stage of the Foundation Building Stage, while you're already in the Fourth Stage. Despite being an entire realm below you, I can still fight you to a draw. Isn't that embarrassing? You even call yourself a legend of Tera."

Marco remained unfazed, smiling coldly. "With my current strength, I can defeat even ordinary cultivators at the Fourth Stage of the Foundation Building Stage. Even when facing Southern Sun and Northern Martial, I'm confident of victory. If I have the chance in the future, I'll try to challenge higher realms in the cultivation world. However, a monster like you, who surpasses the realm by two levels, cannot be compared to ordinary people. So, stop pretending here."

Listening to Shuro and Marco bantering with each other, Blanche smiled faintly and continued to study the alchemical scriptures. They had exchanged insults before fighting, not once or twice. The fiercer their insults, the better their relationship seemed to be.

"A new sword technique? Haha, you learned Bruno's swordsmanship from the palace tower back then, and you're still sticking to Bruno's style, never deviating from it. I'd like to see what new technique you have to resist my exquisite magic fist," Shuro smirked as he stood up, his eyes gleaming.

The streams of aura from the punches and sword strikes dissipated simultaneously. In the next moment, two afterimages streaked across the training ground, and in the blink of an eye, the two were engaged in a fierce battle.

The clash of fists and swords produced a constant ringing of metal. With each clash, the air would tear open a rift. The speed of the two had surpassed that of lightning. Even with Faithe and Lee's extraordinary perception, they could no longer keep up and could only rely on sound to locate them and catch the traces of their exchanges.

It was unknown how long they had fought or how many times they had fought. Eventually, two figures retreated in the air, from shadows to illusions, and finally became solid, becoming clearer and clearer.

Indeed, even in a chaotic battle, they still couldn't determine the outcome.

Lee thought to himself as he carefully observed the disheveled appearance of the two. Previously, when the young master hadn't yet condensed his true qi, although he was still unable to determine the winner, it was evident that his appearance was much more disheveled compared to Marco's, completely suppressed.

But now, after the young master had condensed his true qi and entered the Third Stage of the Foundation Building Stage, he was only one realm below Marco, and the appearances of the two were almost equally disheveled. In fact, Marco seemed to be slightly more disheveled.

"Indeed, from the perspective of strength and speed, the Master is now on par with Marco!"

"Who is Marco? He is a legend of Tera, an unrivaled talent in the entire Southern Domain martial world. Even revered figures like Southern Sun and Northern Martial acknowledge his exceptional prowess, ranking him among the top three talents in martial cultivation across the Great Zhou Dynasty and Great Xia Dynasty. In less than half a year, Marco has reached a level where he can contend evenly with both Southern Sun and Northern Martial, and even gain the upper hand against one of them."

"While it is true that Southern Sun and Northern Martial have experienced a decline in their martial abilities due to age and physical deterioration, it only serves to underscore Marco's remarkable talent and rapid progress, reaching unprecedented heights."

"Yet, despite being one realm below Marco, the Master can hold his own against him. This begs the question: what are the Master's true potential and talents?"

"Lee's mind is filled with speculation and anticipation."

"With the arrival of the immortal practitioners from the Empty Mountain Sect just days away, Lee eagerly anticipates witnessing how our Master will astonish the dignitaries from the seven major sects of the Southern Domain, as well as the Great Zhou and Great Xia Dynasties, at the apprentice ceremony."

" 'He's truly a remarkable individual,' Marco mutters to himself, a flash of determination gleaming in his eyes. 'Now, face my blade!'"

"Before the sword is even drawn, Shuro senses the chilling intent emanating from it, reminiscent of the final strike he witnessed in the Tablet Sea memory, the swordsmanship of Bruno."

"While Marco's talent may rival Bruno's, his cultivation level and experience still pale in comparison to the Bruno who clashed with the Nine-Dragon Sovereign in Warden City a thousand years ago. Thus, while his sword technique may seem reminiscent of Bruno's, it is, in fact, a stark departure."

"As the sword thrusts forward, it moves through the air with the grace of a feather yet carries the weight of a mountain."

"Something's not right!"

"A sense of astonishment flickers in Shuro's eyes."

"Marco's sword technique may appear to emulate Bruno's, but it embodies the exact opposite essence!"

"Bruno's final strike sought to harmonize with the natural order, drawing upon the essence of the cosmos. Marco, however, was raised as the Marquis of Cunning, confined within the palace walls since birth, subjected to disdain and mistreatment. Though he inherited Bruno's swordsmanship, he could never grasp Bruno's harmony with the universe."

"Marco's true swordsmanship embodies a different ethos—it is the sword of assassination, of dominance, of rebellion!"