Chapter 284: Chapter 174: Enemies Meet, Old Friends Reunite

"I can’t be bothered to explain why," Qing Yuanfeng replied lazily.

"I know. You must be jealous!" Yong Xingdian huffed. "Wuji, don’t you think Qing Liu is jealous? The younger generation of their Qing King’s family has no one outstanding."

"You’re mistaken about that," Feng Wuji said softly. "Yichan is excellent. She’s not the least bit weaker than the heir from your family’s Inheritance Sect."

"Qing Yichan?"

Hearing this, Yong Xingdian took another look at Qing Yichan and raised an eyebrow. "Approaching the Melting Furnace? In that case, she’s indeed quite capab—"

"Yong Xingdian!!"

A furious roar, laced with hatred, suddenly rang out.

SWOOSH!

The sound of something tearing through the air ripped forth like shredding silk.

CHIII~

It was as if space itself was split in two. The moment the voice sounded, the attacker was already above Yong Xingdian’s head.

BAM!!

Without even glancing at his assailant, Yong Xingdian simply raised a hand and threw a punch upward.

BOOM!

An invisible wave of energy exploded outward, unleashing a shockwave that pressed out for dozens of zhang in all directions.

The nearby lake’s surface was instantly forced down into a hemispherical crater, the water neatly displaced.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Qing Yuanfeng, Feng Wuji, Nangong Yaoguang, Gu Zheng...

The group instantly moved, swiftly getting out of the way.

They stood on a small hill far from the battle, watching two spheres of light collide with one another, erupting with muffled booms as they shot high into the sky.

"The Zhong Family sent Zhong Zhenghong this time?"

Qing Yuanfeng watched the two combatants with a playful smirk. "Now this is a good show. The Yong Family caused that whole mess in the Jing Country’s Royal Capital and even summoned an Evil God. The Zhong Family wishes they could wipe out the Yue Country’s capital in retaliation. Plus, Zhong Zhenghong has a violent temper and is a notch stronger than Yong Xingdian."

"If Yong Xingdian isn’t careful, he might not even make it into the Shadow Realm."

"It’s not that dramatic," Feng Wuji added. "Since the Zhong Family is here, the Yang Family and Fu Family should be arriving soon..."

"Well, speak of the devil, there they are now!"

Feng Wuji lifted his chin, gesturing toward the distant horizon where two groups of people were flying in from the west and the north.

SWOOSH~ SWOOSH~ SWOOSH!

Amid the sound of rushing wind, the two groups landed one after the other by the lakeside, stopping not far from Qing Yuanfeng, Gu Zheng, and the others, each to their own side.

"Wuji, Brother Yuanfeng, long time no see!"

The man who spoke appeared to be in his early thirties, with a very youthful face, but the ancient weariness in his eyes was apparent to anyone who met his gaze.

"Jinlong!"

Qing Yuanfeng clasped his fist in return. "It has been a long time. It’s been almost fifty years since we last parted, hasn’t it?"

"Only fifty years for you? It’s been nearly a hundred since I’ve seen Jinlong!" Feng Wuji said heartily. "Jinlong, you’ve always been a recluse. How did you end up being the one to lead the group this time?"

"I couldn’t help it; I was the only one free." Fu Jinlong smiled. "By the way, this is Dugu Haitang. Brother Yuanfeng, you should know her, right?"

He pointed to a white-haired woman in her thirties beside him.

"Of course, I do." Qing Yuanfeng grinned. "Haitang and I are old friends. Aren’t we, Haitang?"

"I have no old friend like you," Dugu Haitang replied icily.

"That’s right. Who would want to be friends with you?" A cool voice spoke up. It came from the leader of the other group that had just flown in from the west and landed—a tall woman with grand features, radiant and extraordinary. She chimed in, taking a jab at Qing Yuanfeng. "Everyone knows that Qing Liu is a dashing philanderer who leaves a trail of broken hearts wherever he goes. Get involved with you, and even an innocent reputation would be tarnished."

"Third General, you wrong me."

Qing Yuanfeng feigned injury. "I’m merely a man of universal love. How does that tarnish anyone? Haitang, tell them. Back when we were together..."

"Shut your mouth!"

Dugu Haitang cut him off sharply. "Qing Liu, if you want to drag someone into your nonsense, drag someone else, not me!"

"Alright, alright, alright." Qing Yuanfeng held up his hands in surrender. "My fault, my fault. Happy now?"

’My uncle has always been unreliable. When he was younger, he had messy entanglements with beautiful women from all the major Noble Families,’ Qing Yichan transmitted to Gu Zheng via Divine Wondrous Sound Transmission, her face expressionless.

"..." Gu Zheng’s mouth twitched. He sent back, ’I can see that.’

Of the two groups that had arrived, one was from the north: the royal family of Kang Country, the Fu family, led by Fu Jinlong. Dugu Haitang accompanying him was clearly the result of some mutually beneficial exchange. Gu Zheng didn’t recognize the other few people with them.

The other group was from west of Jing Country: the royal family of Shang Country, the Yang family.

Gu Zheng had never met the radiant, grand-featured woman leading them, but he had heard of her.

She was the Eldest Princess of Shang Country, Yang Sanyue, also known as the nation’s famous Female General.

However, his gaze was drawn more to another man than to the Eldest Princess.

This man was also in his early thirties, and squatting beside him was a large, snow-white cat.

’A Snowy Spirit Cat!’

’Someone from the Su Family?’

"That’s your Crown Prince."

As he was observing, Qing Yichan suddenly spoke up. "Zhong Tianlong of the Zhong Family. He’s held the title of Crown Prince securely for ten years. I’m surprised he came this time, too."

’Zhong Tianlong?’

Gu Zheng looked over inquisitively at a group of people landing in the distance.

"Besides the Crown Prince, Lin Yijie of the Dragon Guard Bureau is also there," Gu Zheng replied after a few glances.

The Zhong Family had brought five people, in addition to King Hanshan and Zhong Zhenghong.

There was the Crown Prince, Zhong Tianlong, and the genius from the Dragon Guard Bureau, Lin Yijie, whom Gu Zheng had met once before.

According to Zhuge Tianxing, Lin Yijie had broken through to the Heroic Body Realm even earlier than Gu Zheng.

He was only twenty-five, a disciple of the Dragon Guard Bureau’s Commander, and wielded a high-grade Spiritual Soldier. What exactly it was, no one knew for now.

’This is the benefit of selling yourself completely to the Zhong Family and having outstanding talent.’ 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

’They just hand over a high-grade Spiritual Soldier like it’s nothing.’

BOOM! BOOM~

High in the sky, the battle between Yong Xingdian and Zhong Zhenghong continued to rage.

The power erupting from them both drew upon the Power of Heaven and Earth, churning the air currents into chaos.