Everyone in the Lingnan Mountains, and perhaps the entire Martial Forest, knew exactly what Qingqiu was.

Its history stretched back three or four hundred years, and its legacy was immensely powerful. Furthermore, its reputation for accepting only female disciples had reached legendary status, making it highly sought after by the Martial Forest's many connoisseurs of romance and beauty.

Not to mention, the sect's own foundation and strength were formidable. It ranked second among the Four Great Hidden Sects of the Lingnan Mountains, surpassed only by the Bitter Cold Sword Sect of the Northern Domain, which spoke volumes of its power.

After all, that a sect supported entirely by women could reach such heights was truly astonishing.

From a certain perspective, a power composed entirely of women was, at its very core, a fearsome thing. Many of its members were peerless fairies and proud daughters of heaven. In their youth, they had been pursued by the elites of various Ancient Martial Arts sects and families, some of whom later grew to become heaven-defying experts.

Take Ruan Qingxiu, who now stood before them, for example. It was said that thirty years ago, she shared a complicated relationship with that demonically cunning old master of the Bai Family. Now, one was an Innate Ancient Martial Artist, and the other was the head of the Bai Family.

When one really thought about such connections, they were truly terrifying.

"Is that Shadow Immortal Dance? So beautiful…" Just then, another enchanted voice rose from the crowd, causing many to instinctively turn their gaze toward the short-haired figure standing behind Ruan Qingxiu.

Aside from the Strong Innate Ancient Martial Artist Ruan Qingxiu, she was the most eye-catching figure, a silhouette from which one could not look away. Her legs were long and slender, her skin fair, and her stunning figure was showcased in a cream-colored dress adorned with light aquamarine accents, a vision of exquisite beauty.

Her shoulder-length hair swayed in the gentle morning breeze, dancing like a sprite's, and she possessed an indescribable, heroic spirit and a moving beauty.

Nearly everyone present in Tian Kui Market on Tian Kui Peak was a martial artist of considerable skill. Their eyesight was naturally excellent, allowing them to see the young woman's features clearly. Her eyebrows arched like crescent moons and her soft skin was like snow, but most captivating of all were her eyes, which sparkled like a clear stream, and… the small rabbit-like teeth gently veiled by her soft lips.

Combined with the Butterfly Dagger slung across her supple waist, she was truly a unique and captivating sight.

"A rumor has long circulated in the Martial Forest that on the Qingqiu Master's birthday, a young woman in the bloom of her youth performed a dance so unforgettable that many still feel their hearts race at the memory. Is that her? The one whose dance made her an immortal in shadow, Shadow Immortal Dance?" an old veteran of the Martial Forest sighed softly. This generation's heir of Qingqiu seemed far stronger than any they had seen before.

"So beautiful."

Even Chen Fei found himself momentarily captivated by the sight and unconsciously murmured the words.

It wasn't that he was unworldly or had never seen beautiful women. Rather, it was Shadow Immortal Dance's aura that was different from ordinary women; it had a spiritual quality to it. Moreover, her ability to break through to the Half-Step Innate Ancient Martial Artist realm at the tender age of twenty-five truly set her apart. She was far too exceptional.

As such, even the other Qingqiu disciples behind her, who would have otherwise been dazzling, now seemed to dim in comparison, drawing little attention.

"Let's go. To Tian Kui Pavilion," Chen Fei said, shaking his head slightly before turning to leave. He failed to notice, however, that within the most brilliant group of young women in the crowd, a pair of beautiful eyes watched his retreating back, their gaze fixed and flickering slightly.

* * *

As the central structure in the Tian Kui Market complex, the Tian Kui Pavilion had been the focus of everyone's attention for the past several days.

One reason was the standoff between the various experts and faction representatives on its top floor. Another was that many of the younger generation's geniuses had made the first and second floors their main battleground, setting up their own confrontations in imitation of their seniors above.

"Gasp! Is that him? The man from Flying Leopard?" When Chen Fei calmly appeared on the first floor of Tian Kui Pavilion, many in the crowd drew a sharp breath in shock.

The rumors about Chen Fei had been rampant lately, especially since the discovery of those bodies a few days prior.

Furthermore, he himself was a Half-Step Innate Ancient Martial Artist. And he was so young, looking to be twenty-six or twenty-seven at most. Could this young man truly stand shoulder to shoulder with the most outstanding heirs of the Four Great Hidden Sects?

"Brother Chen, it's been a while," a voice called out. Bai Bin, dressed in a white shirt, appeared before the crowd and walked toward Chen Fei's group, clasping his hands in a smiling greeting.

"So it's Brother Bai. It has indeed been a few days," Chen Fei replied with a nod and a smile.

Without hesitation, Bai Bin extended an invitation. "Would Brother Chen care to join us upstairs? Nearly everyone is already there."

"Upstairs?"

Chen Fei paused for a second before realizing who "everyone" referred to. A slight smile touched his lips, and his dark eyes narrowed. "Then I shall humbly accept. Please, lead the way, Brother Bai."

"This way, please," Bai Bin said, gesturing for Chen Fei to precede him to the second floor of Tian Kui Pavilion.

The arrival of unfamiliar faces like Chen Fei's group caused the atmosphere on the second floor to stutter to a halt. Many eyes immediately focused on them, taking their measure. After a moment, a few people showed looks of surprise.

"It's him. The one who has represented Flying Leopard at the martial arts conference in recent years. They say he's already reached the Half-Step Innate realm of Ancient Martial Arts. And…" The speaker suddenly trailed off.

"What? So that's him!"

"He looks so young… Does he really have a Half-Step Innate cultivation level?"

"I heard that two Half-Step Innate Elders from the Qiy Family and the Holy Fire Sect died by his hand. I wonder if that's true."

...

Whispers immediately broke out as people began discussing the matter in hushed tones.

After all, Chen Fei's identity was anything but ordinary. He represented Flying Leopard, a special department of the nation. Combined with the rumors swirling outside, everyone present had more than enough reason to take him seriously.

He was a Half-Step Innate Ancient Martial Artist in his twenties, and then there was *that* incident… How could anyone ignore him? Who would dare?

"And who might this be? So, it's someone from Flying Leopard. Don't you people know you're not welcome here? What an eyesore." Just then, a cold, mocking voice cut through the air.

The atmosphere instantly froze. Everyone, including Chen Fei, instinctively snapped their gaze toward the source of the voice. It was a young man in his twenties wearing casual clothes. His expression was one of proud arrogance as he stared at Chen Fei's group with open contempt.

"Who is he?" Chen Fei asked, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at the wryly smiling Bai Bin beside him.

After a moment's hesitation, Bai Bin shook his head and answered truthfully, "He is Zhan Lingfeng, a disciple of the Huadao Fort of Evil Dragon Pool and the younger brother of 'Fierce Crocodile' Zhan Hu."

"Fierce Crocodile Zhan Hu?"

Hearing the note of confusion in Chen Fei's voice, Bai Bin explained in a low tone, "He's the most outstanding disciple of this generation from the Huadao Fort of Evil Dragon Pool. He's two or three years older than me and has apparently reached the Half-Step Innate Peak cultivation level." His tone was tinged with apprehension.

This was understandable. After all, the other man was two or three years his senior and had more time to cultivate to his current level, making him stronger than Bai Bin. This kind of gap would become especially apparent in a competition.

"After skipping two consecutive Lingnan Mountain Martial Arts Conferences, I can't believe I have to see you people again. What rotten luck. Aren't you afraid of a repeat of what happened back then?" the rude young man, Zhan Lingfeng, spoke again, his face a mask of mockery and menace.

Everyone knew that the incident from years ago was orchestrated by the Huadao Fort of Evil Dragon Pool. It had forced Flying Leopard to miss two consecutive Conferences, causing them to lose all face. For him to bring it up so brazenly now, the derision was palpable.

SLAP!

In the next instant, Zhan Lingfeng felt a sharp pain in his cheek and his entire body spun around in place. He had been viciously slapped across the face.

The room fell silent. Everyone stared at the slapped Zhan Lingfeng. Of course, even more people shot strange looks at Chen Fei, whose hand was still raised from the follow-through of the blow.

"You know, some things aren't your concern," Chen Fei said nonchalantly, picking at his ear.

"You motherfucker… You dare hit me? Do you have any idea who I am? Do you know who my brother is?" It took Zhan Lingfeng a long moment to process what had just happened. His face stinging, he shot up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, pointing a trembling finger at Chen Fei, his voice seething with uncontrollable rage.

SLAP!

Another slap flashed before everyone's eyes, and Zhan Lingfeng once again spun uncontrollably.

"Who are you? Who's your brother? What the hell does that have to do with me? Are you an idiot?" Having done this, Chen Fei looked at him as if he were a moron.

"What did you say!?"

Clutching his face, Zhan Lingfeng's eyes looked ready to pop out of their sockets. He stared back, his expression ferocious as he trembled with fury.

He was the younger brother of the great Fierce Crocodile Zhan Hu of the Huadao Fort of Evil Dragon Pool! His status was noble, his position superior! Yet now, he had been slapped twice across the face by Chen Fei. How could he possibly endure such a colossal humiliation?

"You son of a bitch, I'll kill you!"

Unable to suppress his murderous intent, Zhan Lingfeng's face twisted in a snarl as he drew the saber from his waist. The blade glittered with a cold light as he gathered a massive amount of force and swung it directly at Chen Fei's head.

However, in Chen Fei's eyes, his strength was pathetic. A smirk touched Chen Fei's lips as he raised his leg and lashed out with a brutal kick, his limb moving like a steel whip.

BANG!

A dull thud echoed through the room as a figure was launched into the air in a parabola before crashing back down.

Zhan Lingfeng was sent flying by Chen Fei's ferocious kick. He tumbled like a gourd, crashing through tables and chairs, shattering them before finally landing in a pathetic, bloodied heap. This sight made the expressions of the onlookers turn strange.

It seemed Flying Leopard… had truly come prepared, showing no mercy at all.

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