After the scrawny youth left, the crowd of onlookers also began to disperse.

Zhaang Ye shook his head and was about to walk away when he saw a rather handsome young man in his twenties approach him. "Do you know why Jiang Ailiang is looking for trouble with you?" the young man asked slowly.

Zhaang Ye was taken aback for a moment. Instead of answering, he retorted, "Who are you?"

The young man said coolly, "You don’t need to know who I am. I’m telling you, the reason Jiang Ailiang is making trouble for you is because you’ve provoked his fiancée."

"Jiang Ailiang?" Zhaang Ye’s expression flickered. Back in the great hall, he had heard others mention that this Jiang Ailiang was an outstanding genius from the Nine Southern Counties, with a Cultivation that had reached the Martial Arts Fifth Layer Late Stage and exceptionally formidable combat strength. Zhaang Ye had always wanted to meet such a figure, but he never expected the scrawny youth from before to be Jiang Ailiang himself.

Now that he knew the scrawny youth’s identity, Zhaang Ye thought, ’This Jiang Ailiang’s status is extraordinary. His fiancée must have a significant background as well, right?’

Just then, the young man’s words confirmed Zhaang Ye’s suspicion. "Jiang Ailiang’s fiancée is named Feng Tongming. She carries a trace of blood from one of the Ancient Races—the Phoenix Race. This bloodline is of immense benefit to a Cultivator. As for Jiang Ailiang, the Cultivation Technique he practices is called the Linghan Ice Sealing Technique. If he were to dual cultivate with Feng Tongming, the fusion of ice and fire would cause his Cultivation to soar and even increase his chances of breaking through to the True Dao.

"Jiang Ailiang has always doted on his fiancée. But while he pampers her, he’s also paranoid, afraid some other man will seize an opportunity and take her virginity, which would ruin his future dual cultivation. Because of this, any man who gets close to Feng Tongming becomes a target for Jiang Ailiang to kill. Zhaang Ye, I don’t know how you got close to her, but Jiang Ailiang has undoubtedly marked you for death now."

Zhaang Ye’s brow furrowed. "Who exactly are you? And why are you telling me all this?"

The young man chuckled. "My name is Mu Changqing. I’m telling you this because my family and the Jiang Family are sworn enemies. I don’t want him to have even the slightest chance of reaching the True Dao."

Realization dawned on Zhaang Ye.

At that, Mu Changqing lowered his voice. "Brother, to be honest, this Feng Tongming is quite a beauty, and she doesn’t like Jiang Ailiang one bit. If you get the chance, you should just dual cultivate with her yourself. The Ancient Phoenix Clan bloodline she carries has significant benefits for a Martial Artist. If you can win her over, your Cultivation speed will definitely pick up..."

At this, Mu Changqing gave Zhaang Ye a knowing wink and swaggered off.

’The Phoenix Race bloodline sounds good. But dual cultivation? I’m really not interested.’ Zhaang Ye chuckled to himself, then leaped onto a massive boulder and silently watched the strange bees in the distance.

It was now noon.

The best way to get through this area teeming with beehives was to wait for nightfall, then cross at lightning speed.

Many of the young cultivators had the same idea.

But not everyone was willing to wait that long. Zhaang Ye, for instance, was already mentally calculating the odds of using his Body Technique to cross the beehive-filled region.

’If I unleash my Rotating Power at full strength, my body can become an incredibly fast Tornado. The average strange bee shouldn’t be able to get near me. The problem is, I don’t know how strong these bees are. If they’re as powerful as Fierce Beasts, and I’m attacked by thousands, even tens of thousands of them, I’ll be a dead man for sure...’

Zhaang Ye mulled it over for a moment, then shifted his gaze toward Situ Houtu, Feng Tongming, and Jiang Ailiang. The three of them were silently observing the nests of the strange bees. Their eyes glinted, a clear sign that they were also unwilling to wait and were considering forcing their way through.

Seeing this, Zhaang Ye slowly sat down cross-legged. He decided to first regulate his internal energy. Then, when the others made their move, he would use the opportunity to charge through as well.

...

In the great hall, miles away from the canyon.

Four Hall Masters sat leisurely upon a stone platform. Dozens of yards in front of them, a wall emitted a soft, shimmering glow, displaying a clear image of the scene within the canyon.

Seeing the young cultivators waiting motionlessly behind the hives, the Fourth Hall Master chuckled. "It seems this batch of youngsters all plan to wait for nightfall before trying to cross the Golden Light Beehive Nest. This year, Situ Houtu, Feng Tongming, Jiang Ailiang, Dai Ji, Lan Haohan, and Fu Caiwu all possess considerable strength. I wonder if they’ll be able to give us a surprise?"

A plain-featured, youthful-looking man smiled. This was the Second Hall Master of the True Hall. After a moment, he said, "I can’t speak for the others, but I’m certain Situ Houtu, Feng Tongming, and Jiang Ailiang will be able to force their way through.

"Situ Houtu’s Cultivation has reached the Fifth Layer Peak. He can almost manifest his True Qi into a wall outside his body, so getting through should be no problem for him. As for Feng Tongming, she has the bloodline of the Ancient Phoenix Clan, and her Cultivation Technique is exceptionally domineering. When she activates it, the area more than ten feet around her erupts in flames, which just so happens to counter the Golden Light Bees. She should also be able to force a passage.

"Jiang Ailiang has cultivated his Linghan Ice Sealing Technique to the Minor Achievement Realm. When he circulates the technique, the space ten feet around him becomes incomparably cold, which is a powerful counter to the Golden Light Bees. He shouldn’t have any trouble either. As for the others besides those three, it’s hard to say. However, I estimate that most of them will be unable to break through."

The other Hall Masters nodded slightly at the Second Hall Master’s analysis.

A gratified expression appeared on the Great Hall Master’s face. "This swarm of Golden Light Bees is exceptionally dangerous. In previous years, we were thrilled if even one or two managed to force their way through. This year, there are as many as six disciples whose Cultivation has reached the Martial Arts Fifth Layer Late Stage, far exceeding the numbers from past years. Let’s hope their performance is impressive."

The three other Hall Masters nodded in agreement.

The Great Hall Master was about to say more when his gaze suddenly froze, glued to the image on the wall.

Just outside the hives, a gray-robed youth stepped out from the crowd. It was none other than the strongest of the group, Situ Houtu. He walked over to a massive boulder and abruptly kicked it. The multi-ton rock was sent flying. It soared hundreds of feet before crashing down, rolling forward with a deafening RUMBLE and kicking up a huge cloud of dust.

As the great boulder took flight, Situ Houtu’s body moved like a shadow in its wake, using a Shadow-Following Form to cross several hundred yards in an instant and vanish into the canyon’s depths.

The Hall Masters nodded in approval at Situ Houtu’s display. He had kicked the boulder to clear a path through the dense swarm of Golden Light Bees, then used the resulting dust cloud to conceal himself in the rock’s shadow, cleverly evading their attacks. It was an outstanding performance.

Just as Situ Houtu kicked the boulder, two more figures executed their Body Techniques and shot toward the depths of the canyon. The lead figure was wreathed in a faint flame. Wherever they passed, the attacking Golden Light Bees had their wings instantly incinerated, causing them to fall to the ground in droves.

The second figure was enveloped in a faint mist that billowed from their body. This mist was incredibly potent; though the sky was thick with Golden Light Bees, any that touched the vapor were instantly frozen solid and dropped from the air like stones.

One wreathed in fire, the other in mist, the two carved a path right through the dense swarm of Golden Light Bees, speeding toward the canyon’s depths.

A look of satisfaction appeared in the Hall Masters’ eyes. Though the two figures were cloaked in flame and mist, the four Hall Masters were no ordinary men and recognized them at a glance as Feng Tongming and Jiang Ailiang. Both possessed a strange cultivation method and had a Cultivation at the Martial Arts Fifth Layer Late Stage. Based on how they forced their way through, they were not yet a match for Situ Houtu, but they weren’t far behind.

"Hm?"

Just then, the sharp-eyed Fourth Hall Master let out a soft exclamation. "Someone else is forcing their way through besides Situ Houtu, Feng Tongming, and Jiang Ailiang! How interesting!"

The other Hall Masters looked over at once and saw a Tornado suddenly materialize amidst the swarm of Golden Light Bees. The Tornado was spinning at an incredible speed; any bee that touched its edge was instantly flung dozens of yards away. And its forward momentum was just as astonishing. With a single pulse, it could drift dozens of yards. In the blink of an eye, it shot past dozens of hives and vanished into the canyon’s depths.

As the Tornado disappeared into the depths of the canyon, the Hall Masters were all slightly stunned. They realized the person who had transformed into a whirlwind to speed through the Golden Light Beehive Nest was not one of the six great geniuses they knew of.

A look of delighted surprise appeared on the Great Hall Master’s face. "The person who just passed through the Golden Light Beehive Nest as a Tornado has an impressive grasp of Rotating Power. To think such a young genius was hidden among this batch of disciples. What a delightful surprise!"

With that, the Great Hall Master turned to the Second, Third, and Fourth Hall Masters. "Do any of you know the identity of the youth who just passed through the Golden Light Beehive Nest as a Tornado?"

The three Hall Masters shook their heads, looking puzzled.

The Second Hall Master spoke. "I oversee the Nine Southern Counties. While there are many geniuses there, none can comprehend Rotating Power and transform their body into a Tornado."

The Third Hall Master added, "Nor do the Five Northern Counties under my watch have such a talent."

The Fourth Hall Master, who had been frowning in thought, suddenly showed a flicker of realization. A look of delighted surprise crossed his face as he said, "Could that young man be the little fellow from Cyan Forest County?"