Night fell over Canglan City, with the brilliance of ten thousand lights and bustling crowds thronging the long streets.

Gu Zhan wore a bamboo hat as he followed Hong Zhu through the long street alleys. When they reached the entrance of a small alley, a carriage was parked to the side.

Hong Zhu approached the carriage, cupped his hands, and said, "Miss, Lord Gu has arrived."

"Come up!" Bai Jiu’Er’s voice came from inside the carriage.

"Young Master Gu, please."

Hong Zhu respectfully invited Gu Zhan into the carriage.

Gu Zhan lifted the curtain,

and immediately saw Bai Jiu’Er, as extraordinary as ever, almost otherworldly.

"It’s been a long time." Bai Jiu’Er said softly.

Gu Zhan got into the carriage and sat opposite Bai Jiu’Er, cupping his hands, "Miss Jiu’Er waiting for me here?"

Bai Jiu’Er nodded and said, "Last winter, when I first saw you, I knew you were no ordinary person. However, I never expected you to be so powerful. My many plans for you have become meaningless."

Gu Zhan asked, "What plans?"

Bai Jiu’Er said, "Originally, I guessed with your personality, going to Pingyang Prefecture would surely stir up trouble. I wanted to take that opportunity to give Xiaoliuzi a legitimate reason to return to Canglan City, and while the Dragon King was still alive, clear his mother’s name.

According to my original plan, there isn’t much difference from now. Originally, I was setting up Xiaoliuzi to gain a foundation to join a young master. With the fall of the Second Young Master and the Third Young Master, the final choice was the Fourth Young Master. Overall, there wasn’t much change, just a shift from relying to cooperation.

My original plan for you was to take you along when Xiaoliuzi left Pingyang Prefecture. You could choose to stay with Beidou Bang or leave with me to wander the martial world. But now, it seems neither of those arrangements is necessary, and I am not worthy of making arrangements for you."

Gu Zhan asked in confusion, "I can understand staying with Beidou Bang for a future. After all, no matter who takes power, Beidou Bang remains the overlord of Canglan City. But what do you mean by leaving with you to wander the martial world?"

"The literal meaning."

Bai Jiu’Er rarely showed a faint smile on her face but did not explain further.

Gu Zhan did not press on but instead asked, "What’s your plan with the Fourth Young Master here in Canglan City?"

Bai Jiu’Er said, "Previously I had Hong Zhu deliver a message to you that tomorrow the Fourth Young Master will act. Whether it succeeds or fails, we can no longer determine it. We are heading to the Fourth Young Master’s residence now."

...

The carriage moved along and stopped in a small alley. Surrounded by high walls, it was very quiet. There was a small door in the wall with a red lantern hanging, giving a unique charm to the bluestone alley.

They stepped down from the carriage,

Bai Jiu’Er said, "Entering through this door and passing through a secret passage leads directly to the Fourth Young Master’s mansion. The situation is tense now, and both the Eldest Young Master and the Fourth Young Master have placed a lot of informants. Boldly going in would easily alert the enemy."

Gu Zhan nodded without speaking and followed Bai Jiu’Er through the door.

Soon, after passing through a tunnel,

they arrived directly at a hall, where many people were seated, and the atmosphere was rather tense.

Sitting in the main seat was a middle-aged man of about forty, who resembled Mo Beiyan by seventy or eighty percent, but without Mo Beiyan’s elegance.

Gu Zhan guessed this must be Fourth Young Master Mo Zhening.

Seeing Bai Jiu’Er and the others enter, Mo Zhening stood up to greet them with a smile, "Ninth Sister, you are here." Then he looked at Gu Zhan and said, "I suppose this is Brother Gu Zhan, I am Mo Zhening."

Gu Zhan cupped his hands and said, "Greetings, Fourth Young Master."

"No need to be so formal, come, Brother Gu, have a seat," Mo Zhening said with a smile, "Brother Gu’s reputation precedes him, I’ve admired you for a long time. Meeting you today, you truly live up to your reputation, a true celestial prodigy!"

Gu Zhan took a seat and said, "Fourth Young Master flatters me."

Mo Zhening wore a broad smile, introducing a middle-aged man with graying temples across from him, "Brother Gu, let me introduce you, this is Patriarch Tian Ji from the Shangyang Tian Family. Beside him is the Grand Elder from the Jinxi Zhang Family..."

Mo Zhening began to introduce them to Gu Zhan.

The people in the hall were mainly representatives from the Tian Family and other noble families and sects that had pledged allegiance to Mo Zhening. Each one held significant status, hailing from top-tier forces.

Mo Zhening introduced people in order of their status,

and each one stood and returned the gesture.

However, when it came to the last young man, before Mo Zhening could introduce him, the young man spoke first, "I thought that the legendary God of Slaughter would be as fierce as the rumors say, standing three feet tall, but turns out you’re just ordinary. Truly, seeing isn’t as great as hearing!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell silent,

the atmosphere immediately turned sour,

no one expected this young man to show such hostility to Gu Zhan in such a setting.

Mo Zhening’s face showed a hint of embarrassment, and he immediately smiled to smooth things over, "Brother Gu, this is Tian Yun, a celestial prodigy of the Tian Family, known for his lack of tact. Please don’t take his words to heart."

Gu Zhan glanced at the young man named Tian Yun, who had rather handsome features but always had a strong sense of provocation in his eyes.

Gu Zhan couldn’t understand why this person held hostility towards him. After all, it was the Liu Family he offended, not the Tian Family. In fact, the Liu Family and the Tian Family were mortal enemies, and as the saying goes, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Logically, the Tian Family should have a good impression of him, as the others did, except for Tian Yun, who started with a provocation.

Immediately, Gu Zhan frowned, looked at Mo Zhening, and said, "Fourth Young Master, if you do not welcome me, you can say so, but don’t find some alley cat or dog to provoke me. I have a bad temper and sometimes can’t help but crush cats and dogs!"

"Gu Zhan!"

Tian Yun became furious and said, "Do you really think you count for something because you made it onto the Celestial Pride List? If it weren’t for my elder brother being in seclusion, you wouldn’t be on that list!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Zhan immediately understood,

He had heard Mo Beiyan mention before that among the younger generation of the Tian Family, there was a top celestial prodigy named Tian Yu, who had held the eighteenth spot on the Celestial Pride List for two years, serving as the Tian Family’s contemporary face. However, after the battle of Lingxi Mountain, he made it onto the Celestial Pride List, directly knocking Tian Yu off.

And now, Tian Yun’s hostility stemmed from that.

Gu Zhan’s guess was indeed correct,

Tian Yun and Tian Yu were both considered leading figures of this generation of the Tian Family. Tian Yun had achieved the Dao Realm in his twenties, and his elder brother Tian Yu was directly on the Celestial Pride List. Although not brothers by blood, Tian Yun had always idolized Tian Yu, considering him his pride. But suddenly, Gu Zhan appeared, knocking his brother off the list,

he believed it was because Tian Yu was in seclusion that Gu Zhan had this opportunity, and viewed Gu Zhan as someone who took advantage of the situation, gradually developing hostility towards him.

Gu Zhan got up and walked up to Tian Yun, saying in a deep voice, "So, you’re not convinced?"