Chapter 18: Chapter 18: A Gathering of Heroes

The Yulan Festival.

This was an incredibly grand festival celebrated throughout the ten commanderies and three hundred cities governed by Yulan Mansion.

The Yulan Festival lasted for ten days and ten nights. During this time, all factions would cease their conflicts, and all shops would close for business. The entire populace participated, throwing themselves wholeheartedly into the celebration.

Every year in the ninth month, the water level of the Yulan River, which flowed through the three hundred cities of Yulan Mansion, would drop rapidly.

On the fifteenth day of the ninth month in particular, the Yulan River’s water level would hit its lowest point. Even the riverbed, normally covered by hundreds of meters of water, would be exposed. On this day, the many Demon Beasts and other creatures living in the Yulan River would leave its banks to kill and forage everywhere!

The Yulan Festival was both a celestial celebration and a grand hunt, organized for all the strong to resist the Demon Beasts emerging from the Yulan River!

The Yulan Festival could be divided into three stages.

In every city bordering the Yulan River, there stood a Zhenjiang Stele, forged and placed there by the powerful experts of Yulan Academy to suppress the river.

The first stage of the Yulan Festival was related to this very Zhenjiang Stele.

On this day, the people from the ten commanderies and three hundred cities of Yulan Mansion would gather before the Zhenjiang Stele on the banks of the Yulan River. The younger generation of Martial Artists, all under eighteen, would attempt to leave their mark upon the stele.

The Zhenjiang Stele was thirty zhang tall. Only those who could leave their names at a height of ten zhang or more would qualify for the second round!

Those who failed to reach ten zhang were eliminated. When the beasts arrived around the fifteenth of the month, they would have to hide inside the city like ordinary people.

For a Martial Artist, having to hide in the city and rely on others for protection while the Demon Beasts rampaged was an incredible disgrace and a profound humiliation.

Every young person participating in the Yulan Festival would fight with all their might to leave their name on the Zhenjiang Stele, just for the chance to stay and fight the Demon Beasts!

「The tenth day of the ninth month. High noon.」

In just half a day, the Yulan River’s water level had already dropped a full ten meters, signaling the quiet commencement of the Yulan Festival...

RUMBLE—

The thundering of war drums shook the air, their booming echoes resounding across the Celestial Vault.

The streets of Yandu City were deserted as everyone gathered in the massive square before the Zhenjiang Stele.

"Look, it’s the people from the Lin Family!"

"The Chen Family is here too!"

A train of ten luxurious carriages approached from a distance, occupying the road. It was the Lin Family, one of the Four Great Clans of Yandu City.

Following right behind them, another procession of carriages arrived from the east. This was the Chen Family, also one of the Four Great Clans, whose formidable strength was nearly on par with the Jiang Family’s.

The Lin and Chen Families each occupied a large, separate area, a clear line drawn between them. None of the surrounding experts dared to approach.

The Four Great Clans were like four towering peaks in Yandu City; no one dared to defy them.

"Hahaha, Lin Shengfeng, Chen Tianrun, you two arrived quite early!" a deep voice, like rolling thunder, suddenly boomed from across the river’s surface.

"Xu the Bald, you finally decided to show up!" a cold sneer came from within the Lin Family’s ranks.

From the Chen Family, a lean middle-aged man stepped forward. His vitality surged, marking him as a great master. He spoke, "Xu the Bald, I hear your Xu Family has produced a monster of a talent. I wonder how he compares to my son, Chen Fan?"

"Hmph!"

A displeased snort echoed from the river. The thick mist parted, and an enormous warship—fifty meters high and over two hundred meters long—came slicing through the waves. Standing at the prow was a bald, middle-aged man. He was the Patriarch of the Xu Family, Xu Ying, also known as Xu the Bald.

The Xu Family’s main business was waterway transport, making them a force not to be underestimated among the Four Great Clans. Xu Ying led his experts to another empty plot of land, then turned to face Chen and Lin. "My Xu Family’s genius is naturally invincible. My son will certainly take first place at this gathering of the clans!"

"That’s not a given," Lin Shengfeng said, shaking his head.

Chen Tianrun nodded. "The Jiang Family’s Jiang Ziyou will not be easy to deal with."

"Hmph, just a little slip of a girl..." Xu Ying said with a dismissive look, but the slight narrowing of his pupils betrayed his true thoughts.

Jiang Ziyou!

A fourteen-year-old expert at the Peak of Martial Arts Sixth Stage. There were even rumors that she had already broken through to the Martial Arts Seventh Stage!

This was a level of power that even the experts of the older generation had to take seriously.

Suddenly, the sound of a whistling gale came from the sky. A shadow fell over the crowd, and everyone, feeling a sense of oppression, looked up.

It was a wyvern, a Demon Beast comparable to a human at the Martial Arts Ninth Stage!

Its arrival heralded the appearance of Yandu City’s number one figure, City Lord Sima Tao.

"Lord Sima!"

"Greetings, City Lord!"

The crowd called out one after another.

Sima Tao stood atop the wyvern, clad in silver battle armor with a broadsword at his waist. His presence was imposing without a hint of anger. "You’ve all arrived quite early!"

"City Lord, it has been a while. Your cultivation has improved yet again. You must be close to the Realm of True Monarch!" Xu Ying said respectfully, offering a slight smile.

Sima Tao laughed heartily. "The Realm of True Monarch is an incredibly difficult hurdle. My foundation is still insufficient; I need more time to consolidate. If I am ever fortunate enough to break through, I will be sure to share my experience with all you Patriarchs!"

"In that case, we will eagerly await the good news!"

The four of them chatted and laughed.

A glint flashed in Sima Tao’s eyes as he looked into the distance. A procession of luxurious carriages was slowly approaching. He couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. "It seems Jiang Tai and his people have arrived. Rumor has it that the Jiang Family’s Jiang Ziyou reached the Peak of Martial Arts Sixth Stage at the tender age of fourteen. With such talent, she would be considered a first-class genius even at Yulan Academy!"

"The Jiang Family produced Jiang Taixu, and now they have Jiang Ziyou. In ten years, I fear no faction in Yandu City will be able to keep them in check!" Chen Tianrun said quietly.

Xu Ying and Lin Shengfeng exchanged a look but said nothing.

A short while later, the members of the Jiang Family arrived. Jiang Tai and Jiang Ziyou led the way, and the gazes of the many Jiang Family experts behind them were filled with awe and fervent admiration for Jiang Ziyou.

"Lord Sima, my apologies for the wait!" Jiang Tai announced in a clear voice.

"No matter!"

Sima Tao waved his hand, his piercing eyes landing on Jiang Ziyou as a sharp glint flashed within them. "Patriarch Jiang, this must be your daughter, the Jiang Family’s number one genius, Jiang Ziyou?"

"Yes, this is my daughter!" Jiang Tai nodded. "Ziyou, greet the City Lord!"

Jiang Ziyou gave a graceful nod and said coolly, "Ziyou greets Lord Sima."

"Mm."

Sima Tao frowned slightly, a flicker of displeasure crossing his face, but he didn’t let it show. "Niece Ziyou possesses such strength at such a young age," he said neutrally. "Your future is boundless."

"You praise her too much, City Lord!" Jiang Tai said humbly, but his eyes were filled with pride.

"Chairman Qian Duoduo of the Money Commerce Association has arrived!"

"Chairman Zifeng of the Demon Hunter Guild has arrived!"

"The Black Panther Demon Hunting Team..."

More and more powerful figures arrived at the Zhenjiang Stele.

Eventually, a massive assembly formed, led by City Lord Sima Tao and supported by the Four Great Clans, the Demon Hunter Guild, and the Money Commerce Association. A sea of people, numbering over a million, had gathered before the Zhenjiang Stele on the Yulan Riverfront.

"Lord Sima, shall we begin?" Qian Duoduo, a portly man with a double chin, asked as he looked at Sima Tao.

Sima Tao nodded. "Then I will have to trouble Chairman Qian to preside over this year’s Yulan Festival!"

"It is my honor!"

Qian Duoduo smiled faintly. His plump body moved with surprising agility as he leaped several meters into the air, landing on the altar before the Zhenjiang Stele. He surveyed the crowd and said, "Everyone from Yandu City, I am Qian Duoduo, Chairman of the Money Commerce Association. I am honored by the kindness of Lord Sima and all of you to serve as the Priest for this Yulan Festival. I ask for your forgiveness if I fall short in any way!"

"Hahaha, you’re too modest, Chairman Qian! Who doesn’t know of your immense capabilities!"

"Rest assured, Chairman Qian. Why would we have any objection to you serving as the Priest!"

The crowd chimed in with their agreement.

Qian Duoduo nodded with a chuckle. The smile slowly faded from his face, replaced by an unprecedented seriousness. In a deep voice, he said, "In that case, it would be disrespectful of me to refuse." After a pause, Qian Duoduo’s voice rose several notches as he shouted, "Bring forth—the offering!"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

A muffled rumbling came from the distance, and the entire ground began to shake. The surface of the river grew turbulent, throwing up terrifying, churning waves.

It was a massive prison wagon, a full sixty meters tall, that twenty warhorses could barely manage to drag forward. The wagon was covered by a curtain, but a faint, metallic scent of blood still hung in the air.

Everyone’s hearts leaped into their throats. All eyes converged on the prison wagon, and the crowd held its breath...

’The offering... what on earth is it?’