Chapter Ninety: An Invitation

As one of the few renowned great cities in South Sun County, Everpeace City naturally held several hundred thousand people within its walls. To maintain order, the Nangong family had specially established five thousand Blood-Clad Guards, all of them experts in the Blood Force Realm, tasked with suppressing riots and any conduct that might threaten the city.

Above the Blood-Clad Guards stood nine commanders, each holding dominion over a district. Each commander possessed the power of life and death. In an ordinary city, however, a peak Origin Realm cultivator would be enough to run rampant and could serve as a guest elder for any major faction without the slightest problem.

Yet in Everpeace City, a figure like Wang Yang, already at the peak of the Origin Realm, was only ranked third among the nine commanders. As for the first and second commanders, just how formidable must they be? One could see from this that the Nangong family truly possessed astonishing strength, enough to inspire fear.

"I wonder what realm the Grand Commander and Second Commander have reached." Ye Cheng muttered inwardly in shock. Even he had been startled by the Nangong family’s depth in Everpeace City.

After his shock faded, he cupped his hands toward the man in the blue robe and said, "Greetings, Senior Wang."

The blue-robed man before him was already at the peak of the Origin Realm, no weaker than Ye Cheng’s own grandfather, and he also held the post of commander in a great city like Everpeace City. It was by no means improper to address him as a senior.

"Young Friend Ye, I would not dare accept such a title from you, Commander Wang," Wang Yang replied hastily. "You may simply call me by my name, or if you prefer, call me Third Commander."

Anyone mentioned by Miss Xue in the jade talisman was surely connected to her in some way. He served the Nangong family; how could he dare to accept the title of senior from a young man related to Miss Xue?

"Very well, then I will call you Third Commander," Ye Cheng said after a moment’s thought.

Only then did he suddenly remember the black-blade swordsman, Li Yang, who had just helped him. He quickly looked around, but did not find the man anywhere. It seemed he had already departed without a sound, leaving Ye Cheng to smile wryly. Still, he silently committed this favor to memory.

"Commander Wang, if you have something to say, then say it. He is my friend, not an outsider," Nangong Xue’s cool voice rang out.

"Yes!" Wang Yang could not help but look at Ye Cheng again after hearing Nangong Xue’s words. He knew very well that Miss Xue was cold in temperament and spoke little. In Everpeace City, countless outstanding young men had found it extremely difficult even to become her friend. For this seemingly delicate youth to be accepted by Miss Xue as a friend meant he must have something extraordinary about him.

"I was originally under Miss Xue’s orders, guarding the Nangong family’s main residence together with the Second Commander. But half a month after Miss Xue left, the Blood Fiend Gang suddenly sent a messenger, saying that all the powers in Everpeace City had agreed to bring forward the contest for the ‘Chosen’ quota by half a month. By the original schedule, the match should have been held a month from now, but they have forcibly shortened it by fifteen days."

Wang Yang recounted the matter’s beginning and end.

"The original agreement stated that only the younger generation could compete. Among the younger generation of our Nangong family, only Miss Xue can be certain to defeat the Blood Fiend Gang’s youths. But we worried that Miss Xue would not be able to return within half a month, so after discussion with the Second Commander, I was sent out to find Miss Xue and bring her back to fight."

"What a bunch of shameless and cunning villains," Nangong Xue said, grinding her pearly teeth against her soft red lips, anger flashing in her tone. Her cool face only grew colder.

"Those petty scoundrels took advantage of the family head’s grave injuries and unconsciousness to join forces and pressure my Nangong family into yielding the Chosen quota. If not for a few of our stewards using delaying tactics to stabilize the situation, agreeing only until the family head awakened, their scheme would already have been ruined," Old Wu said indignantly.

"I never expected them to become so greedy, showing no restraint at all. And now, seizing on the fact that the young lady is away, they have advanced the contest. Isn’t that plainly just to keep the young lady from taking part and to increase their chances of victory? Their wolfish ambitions are truly exposed for all to see."

"Even if I return, I’m afraid it will still be difficult to win," Nangong Xue said with a faint furrow in her brows. "After all, the agreement we made at the time was best out of three. At most, I could only secure one win by myself, and that would not determine the final outcome."

"Miss Xue, the collateral branch member Nangong Lin of my Nangong family could perhaps give it a try," Wang Yang offered. "He reached the Great Achievement stage of the Blood Force Realm not long ago. With his natural prodigious strength, he is certainly stronger than the other few disciples of our family who have also reached Great Achievement, and he should still have some chance of victory."

"Nangong Lin is indeed a talent," Old Wu said. "The family head once valued him greatly. Though he is a collateral branch disciple, his martial talent is enough to place him among the top ten of the younger generation in Everpeace City."

"Oh? He has broken through to Great Achievement in the Blood Force Realm?" Nangong Xue said calmly, as if Nangong Lin’s attainment had not interested her much at all. "Unfortunately, Great Achievement in the Blood Force Realm gives very little chance of victory in that contest. Before I left, I had already received word that the Blood Slaughter Gang had invited a genius at the peak of the Blood Force Realm. Added to Tie Muqing, that makes two peak Blood Force Realm fighters already. Against experts at the peak of the Blood Force Realm, Great Achievement is simply no match. If we want to win the contest, we must also arrange for someone at the peak of the Blood Force Realm."

Hearing this, Wang Yang nodded in agreement. As a commander who guarded one district, he naturally dealt with the Blood Fiend Gang often and understood their methods well. The current leader of the Blood Slaughter Gang, the poisonous serpent Tie Mu Clan, was an exceptionally cunning man, famous throughout Everpeace City. Yet who knew where he had managed to find such a genius?

"Yes, that is true enough. But Miss, this old servant must remind you: among the younger generation of our Nangong family, only you can firmly suppress their genius. Aside from you, it seems there is no other disciple who has reached the peak of the Blood Force Realm. Even Great Achievement is rare," Old Wu said, his aged face filled with worry.

"After all, it is already extremely difficult to reach the peak of the Blood Force Realm before the age of seventeen. Even in my Nangong family, very few such geniuses can be found."

"If the Blood Fiend Gang can invite outside help, why must we insist on sending only our Nangong family’s own disciples? The original agreement never said that only our own clan members had to fight. Since the Blood Slaughter Gang can invite outsiders, of course we can as well," Nangong Xue said slowly.

"But it is universally acknowledged that only those under seventeen count as the younger generation, and if one must also be at the peak of the Blood Force Realm, then I’m afraid it would be hard to find such a person in just half a month," Third Commander Wang Yang said, his sword-like brows lifting as he voiced the concern in his heart.

"It is indeed difficult to invite one. Fortunately, our luck is not bad. Aside from me, there is another person here who meets the conditions. And his strength is even above mine," Nangong Xue said with a light laugh.

As soon as her words fell, Ye Cheng felt four gazes turn toward him, each carrying a look of shock.