Little Fox cautiously leaned in closer to Lin Fang, while the simpletons Bashan Tiger and Yi Hailong thought this opportunity to stand out was fantastic. They stiffened their chests proudly, showcasing their towering statures.

At this moment, they were immensely grateful for their choice. Having such impressive physiques really brought them honor. If they had presented themselves as sleazy as the last time, they probably would have wished they were dead today.

The commotion outside quickly drew the attention of everyone in the martial arts school. A very bulky man with a full beard and a deep scar over an eye strode out from the school, exuding an exceptionally ferocious demeanor.

"Who’s the blind fool daring to cause trouble at Zhenwei Martial Arts School?" boomed the burly man’s voice, his eyes glaring wide like bells as he scanned the crowd menacingly.

The local onlookers shrank their necks in terror under the sweep of his fierce gaze, not daring to meet his eyes.

Lord Tiger, originally named Wang Hu, was the top disciple of Zhenwei Martial Arts School, a figure who commanded respect in both the underworld and lawful society. He was ferocious but exceedingly loyal to his fellow disciples, which earned him a high reputation in the school. It was with the support of Zhenwei Martial Arts School that he rapidly made a name for himself in the capital city of Chechi Kingdom and became a significant figure in the underworld.

His gaze quickly settled on Lin Fang and his companions, especially the imposing White Ape.

In his eyes, the White-clad figure seemed like a drawn sword, with a sharp aura thrusting straight toward him.

Several followers behind him, with their faces bruised and swollen, saw White Ape and loudly exclaimed, "Lord Tiger, it’s that guy!"

Wang Hu was worldly and noticed right off that White Ape would be a tough opponent, whereas he regarded Lin Fang as unremarkable, except that he was rather good-looking.

"Is there some misunderstanding, brother? It’s better to resolve grievances than to let them fester. I beg you to drop the matter here, out of respect for me, Wang Hu," said Wang Hu, cupping his hands in a gesture, not willing to make an enemy of someone like White Ape inside.

"Draw your sword," said White Ape coldly, his mere three words carrying a sharp air that rushed towards the people of the martial arts school.

"Hmph, you really think you can treat Zhenwei Martial Arts School like it’s made of mud?" Wang Hu snorted coldly. At this juncture, he was not willing to tarnish the reputation of the school, otherwise, how could they continue to stand firm in this capital city?

With a crisp sound, Wang Hu drew his treasured broadsword, which had a roaring tiger engraved on the blade, and its heavy landing on the ground emitted a sound.

A white figure flashed by in an instant, and before Wang Hu could react, his Treasured Sword flew into the air and plunged straight into the ground.

He looked at his hand with some astonishment, where a cut had appeared on his arm, with blood slowly seeping out. A sudden fear gripped his heart—had that sword strike been aimed with a bit more malice, his arm would have been ruined.

"You..." He took a few steps back in fear, pointing at White Ape, unable to utter a word while trembling.

"Your heart is not sincere to your sword!" White Ape stated coldly, a hint of sigh in his voice because this Wang Hu could hardly be considered a Swordsman. To him, a sword was nothing more than a weapon, a tool, and such a person could never possess transcendent swordsmanship.

Wang Hu’s defeat stunned onlookers. Although he was known to be vicious, his strength was widely recognized. To be so swiftly overpowered by the mysterious White-clad figure, just how mighty must this person be?

"Go and call the Head of the Martial Arts School. This man is no ordinary fighter," Wang Hu commanded his disciple through the pain.

Before long, an elder with a flowing beard walked out slowly, fixing his gaze on the fluttering White-clothed White Ape and sighed, "I never expected a master of your caliber to come to the Capital City."

The White Ape also showed a serious expression, for he sensed a temperament in the old man similar to that of Ancient Sword One—a disposition born from countless victories.

The two men merely stood facing each other, yet the air thrummed with an aura that chilled to the bone.

Suddenly, the two moved, embodying the adage, "still as a maiden, yet quick as a fleeing rabbit."

Shadowy figures flashed across the air, and all the onlookers could hear was the clanging of metal, but they couldn’t discern the movements of the two men. The piercing Sword Qi sliced through the stone lions on either side.

When the crowd took a closer look, they saw that the elder’s long beard had vanished, while the White Ape remained unchanged; victory and defeat had been decided in that brief moment.

"What is your relation to Ancient Sword One?" the old man asked with a hint of wistfulness.

After a moment’s thought, the White Ape replied, "Let’s say he’s a friend."

The onlookers immediately cast odd looks at the White Ape, feeling that he was not telling the whole truth. After all, Ancient Sword One was a figure from a hundred years ago. If he were truly a friend of Ancient Sword One, how could he still look the same? Could he really fancy himself an Immortal, capable of eternal life?

"Then I accept my defeat without complaint, for your Swordsmanship has already surpassed his. I once beheld Ancient Senior’s magnificence in my youth. He beheaded a Flood Dragon at Qing Lake with a strike so mightily it shook the heavens. Had it not been for witnessing that sword strike, I doubt I would have achieved this level," the old man’s eyes flickered with a touch of reminiscence.

In the blink of an eye, time had passed, and he had transformed from a naive boy into an old man. There was a time when he considered tales of Immortals to be mere exaggerations, until he witnessed three State Preceptors summon wind and call rain, only then did he realize that indeed, Immortals existed in this world.

Gazing upon the White Ape’s youthful face, he was filled with a myriad of emotions, lamenting that he had missed his chance, and now with his vital energies waning, the dream of following the path of Immortality was but folly.

"It seems you’ve come to the Capital city for the State Preceptor’s Ascension Feast?" the old man instinctively reached for his beard, only remembering that it had been cut off when his hand found nothing.

"Ascension Feast?" The White Ape looked puzzledly at Lin Fang, not understanding what the elder was talking about.

Lin Fang was equally clueless; he’d only heard about the State Preceptor taking a disciple at the city gates, with no mention of any Ascension Feast.

"You really don’t know?" the old man asked, surprised.

Seeing the White Ape nod his head, slightly bewildered, the elder explained, "The Ascension Feast is a banquet hosted by the State Preceptor specifically for those in the practice of cultivation. It serves two purposes: to make connections with those who are true practitioners and to celebrate taking a new disciple. I thought you came to the Capital city because of the Ascension Feast, as you people tend to enjoy living secluded from the world."

"If it’s not for the Ascension Feast, then why have you come to the Capital city?"

The White Ape pointed towards Gu Zhongtong and said, "I came for him!" 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"He is?"

"He is a descendant of Ancient Sword One." These words, spoken softly, caused a stir among the crowd, who all looked at the ragged little beggar with astonishment.