The faint light of a crescent moon pierced the night sky, lost in the deep shadow cast by the city wall, rendering everything at its base dim and obscure.

However, several bonfires burned fiercely at the city gate. The firelight illuminated the surrounding darkness. A cold night wind swept past, carrying smoke up into the air as the flames danced, casting flickering shadows of the people gathered there.

The sudden appearance of a figure in the distance filled the air with tension. The murmur of conversation slowly died down, replaced by a complete silence.

Xu Tieshan and the others parted the crowd, making their way to the front.

In the flickering firelight, the six of them were just able to make out the newcomer’s features, and looks of surprise appeared on all their faces.

The newcomer was dressed in black martial attire and held a Long Saber. His long hair, half-tied at the back of his head, was slightly disheveled, and his chiseled face looked rather youthful. But his eyes held a steady composure that belied his age.

The Stone Stele standing beside him, however, was a source of confusion.

Before Xu Tieshan and the others could speak, however, Cheng Zongyang sensed the general level of their Cultivation. He drew his Tang Blade, planted its scabbard in the ground beside the Stone Stele, and pointed the blade at the men opposite him, his voice chilling.

"A moment ago, who said they were taking West City?"

At his words, the crowd exchanged uncertain glances.

"Heh, interesting." Liu Chengdong chuckled and glanced at Lu Yan. "Patriarch Lu. I believe he’s looking for you."

Instantly, everyone turned to look at Lu Yan with odd expressions.

Lu Yan ignored the mockery in Liu Chengdong’s words, stepping forward slowly to face Cheng Zongyang.

Lu Yan could sense Cheng Zongyang’s Martial Artist aura. ’It’s strong!’ But he didn’t believe an ordinary Martial Artist would dare to come and stir up trouble.

Likewise, Xu Tieshan and the other spectators knew there was more to Cheng Zongyang than met the eye.

’Either he has the strength to back it up, or he’s a lunatic.’

But clearly, judging by his sudden appearance and the strength it must have taken to plant the Stone Stele in the ground, this seemingly young man was the former!

"Boy, which clan are you from—"

However, before Lu Yan could finish speaking, Cheng Zongyang executed his Body Technique and charged!

’He hadn’t lifted the restrictions on the Soul Gathering Stele.’

’They came to steal his property and kill his people! In that case, what he needed to do now was crush them in full view of everyone and seize the West City territory for himself!’

’His opponent hadn’t given him the chance to lay low, so there was no need for subtlety or false courtesy!’

Lu Yan’s expression darkened!

’He was actually being ignored by a boy barely older than his own grandson!’

"Arrogant brat!"

Before Lu Yan even had to make a move, a young man from the crowd, saber in hand, let out an angry shout and charged to meet Cheng Zongyang.

This development surprised no one.

’If a Patriarch had to act in a situation like this, what were his men for?’

But at that moment, an arrow suddenly whistled through the air from an unknown direction, flying toward the young man with the saber.

The young man, startled, quickly stopped and swung his saber. With a sharp DING, the blade deflected the unexpected arrow. He then glared at the area behind Cheng Zongyang and roared:

"What kind of rat sneaks around in the dark!"

But in the next moment, another figure in black charged out of the woods behind them. He tossed aside the bow in his hands, drew the Long Saber from his back, and rushed the young man.

"You want to fight our Young Clan Leader? You’re not worthy!"

It was Zhou Zhendong. Wielding the Refined Long Blade Cheng Zongyang had given him, he charged forward fearlessly and forced the other man back.

Cheng Zongyang didn’t break his stride in the slightest, continuing straight for Lu Yan!

On the way here, he had run into Zhou Zhendong, who had left Tiantuan Village out of concern after the city gates were closed following the entry of the Foreign Race Martial Artists.

To avoid encountering the other party’s forces on the main road, Zhou Zhendong had taken a path through the woods. The two had happened to meet there and then rushed back together.

By now, the Patriarchs of the other five families had already put some distance between themselves and Lu Yan, wanting no part in the conflict.

They wanted to see the boy’s strength, but more importantly, they knew Lu Yan’s.

Seeing their man intercepted, another member of the Lu Family rushed out to block Lu Yan, swinging his saber at Cheng Zongyang’s neck.

Cheng Zongyang glanced at his new opponent without breaking his stride. The Tang Blade in his hand flashed, executing an incredibly simple Picking Blade Technique.

The two weapons clashed with a sharp DING! At the crisp sound of metal on metal, the other man’s Long Saber shattered like porcelain.

An instant later, he was in front of the man.

As the man stared in shocked disbelief, Cheng Zongyang’s left hand shot out and struck him in the chest with a Great Strength Vajra Palm, using roughly sixty percent of his strength.

*Pfft!*

The young man’s chest caved in. A spray of blood erupted from his mouth as his body was sent flying backward!

"Seventh Grade?!"

Among the crowd of watching Patriarchs, every eye widened in astonishment.

"That kid is only sixteen or seventeen, not a day over eighteen, right? And he’s already Seventh Grade?"

Liu Chengdong was also amazed. "Which clan does he belong to, coming here to try and seize territory?"

Xu Tieshan’s expression, however, was grave as he stared intently at the saber in Cheng Zongyang’s hand.

’Although his own Heavy Sword could also shatter one of those standard-issue Long Sabers, he could never do it so effortlessly. It was as if the blade was made of wax, breaking at the slightest touch!’

’And that move just now... wasn’t that the Piercing Blade from the most fundamental Basic Saber Technique?’

"So effortless, cutting through steel like mud! Is that... a Divine Weapon?!"

He Shujun had noticed this as well. His eyes burned with intensity as he stared at the Tang Blade in Cheng Zongyang’s hand and thought to himself:

’It’s said that a decade or two ago, the Huangfu Family of Da Liang, the clan closest to becoming the New Royal Family, possessed the art of forging Divine Weapons. Could this be one of their Weapons that was lost and scattered to the outside world?’