Just as everyone was wondering who could have such audacity, a large group of people surged into the venue.
There were at least a hundred of them.
That's right!
At least over a hundred people, a dark, imposing mass, each one exuding a powerful spiritual aura. When the crowd took a closer look and recognized their identities, they couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath.
Vice Hall Master of Shanhai Hall, Tang Yuanqing; Vice Hall Master of Canglang Hall, Lian Wenyao; Vice Hall Master of Liuhuo Hall, Jian Yingjie; Vice Hall Master of Liuhuo Hall, Miao Bai, Chai Yangzhou... Besides these, the remaining hundred-plus individuals were all Commanders from the three great halls: Shanhai, Canglang, and Liuhuo.
What was going on?
Why had the Nine-Hua Alliance suddenly sent so many people, and all of them heavyweight experts? These were six Vice Hall Masters and over a hundred Commanders! Who had the capability to command them?
One must know that Wen Yansheng and Tianxiang Yue had only brought a dozen or so Commanders each.
Seeing this scene, everyone present was dumbfounded. Even Young Lord Jingtao couldn't help but frown.
Wen Yansheng and Tianxiang Yue also seemed greatly surprised.
At that moment.
A young man with a face like polished jade walked out from the crowd. This man wore a feathered crown and robes of brocade and jade. Though his appearance was unremarkable, his expression was incomparably arrogant, his eyes even more domineering and overbearing. With a sweeping glance filled with utter contempt and disdain, it was as if he didn't place anyone present in his eyes at all.
Who was this young man?
Those who knew him, knew him.
Those who didn't could still guess.
He was undoubtedly the famous Young Lord Luo Wen, Luo Wenzhenghao.
Only Luo Wenzhenghao had both the capability and the authority to command the six Vice Hall Masters and over a hundred Commanders from the Shanhai, Canglang, and Liuhuo halls.
Anyone with some understanding of the Nine-Hua Alliance knew that many prominent clans and families from over a hundred territories across the Four Great Regions had joined the alliance. The influence of these families had, to varying degrees, infiltrated the alliance's eighty-one halls. For example, the Wenyan family's influence had permeated Half-Moon Hall, which was why Wen Yansheng could bring over a dozen Commanders from Half-Moon Hall today. Similarly, the Tianxiang family had infiltrated Hengfeng Hall, allowing Tianxiang Yue to bring over a dozen Commanders from there.
Both the Wenyan and Tianxiang families were renowned great clans within their respective territories.
But they were only prominent within their own territories.
The Luo Wen family's existence, both in terms of prestige and power, surpassed that of the Wenyan and Tianxiang families. After joining the Nine-Hua Alliance, they had further infiltrated the Shanhai, Canglang, and Liuhuo halls.
Naturally, as a scion of the Luo Wen family, Luo Wenzhenghao's status and position were considerably higher than those of Wen Yansheng and Tianxiang Yue.
Moreover, almost everyone who had heard of Luo Wenzhenghao knew that despite his young age, his natural talent was exceptionally outstanding, and his personality was arrogant, domineering, and utterly conceited. That he dared to make such wild boasts in front of so many people, showing no regard for the Fire Cloud Branch, was enough to illustrate just how haughty and arrogant he was.
Furthermore.
Everyone was aware that before this, upon hearing that the Bingxuan Ancestors intended to have Leng Yanqiu become the dual-cultivation partner of Yunxia Sect's Chiyan Young Lord Gu Qingfeng, Luo Wenzhenghao had personally led his men to charge into the Bingxuan Sect. Failing to persuade them, he had threatened the Bingxuan Ancestors that if they dared to let Leng Yanqiu become Chiyan Young Lord's Dao companion, he would lead his forces to wipe out the Bingxuan Sect.
Everyone had thought he was just speaking in anger.
But now it seemed his words from a few days ago were not mere anger. Otherwise, why would he have charged in with six Vice Hall Masters and a full hundred-plus Commanders?
Luo Wenzhenghao walked forward slowly, his unremarkable face filled with rampant arrogance. His contemptuous gaze swept over Wen Yansheng and Tianxiang Yue, not even pausing for a moment, showing no regard for the two at all. Staring at Young Lord Jingtao, he snorted coldly with even greater disdain. "Jingtao, we meet again!"
Young Lord Jingtao stood with his hands behind his back, his handsome face also wearing a look of arrogance. Staring at Luo Wenzhenghao, he sneered, "I wondered who could be so insolent!"
"I've always been insolent!" Luo Wenzhenghao declared with supreme arrogance. "Jingtao, don't think that just because you have the backing of the Crimson-Letter Manor, no one dares to touch you. Let me tell you, others might fear the Crimson-Letter Manor, but I, Luo Wenzhenghao, don't place you in my eyes at all!"
"Is that so?" Jingtao stared at him, a wild smile playing on his lips. "Today, I will definitely make you experience the awe-inspiring prestige of the three words 'Crimson-Letter Manor'."
"Good! I'll be waiting for you!"
With that, Luo Wenzhenghao ignored Jingtao and finally deigned to look directly at Wen Yansheng and Tianxiang Yue.
"You two actually dare to dream of competing with me for Leng Yanqiu? How utterly overconfident!"
The Luo Wen family might be relatively powerful, but that didn't mean Wen Yansheng and Tianxiang Yue feared him. Otherwise, the two wouldn't have brought their men to the Bingxuan Sect today.
"Luo Wenzhenghao, aren't you celebrating a bit too early?" Wen Yansheng said.
Tianxiang Yue followed with a laugh, "Luo Wenzhenghao, you don't actually think that bringing more people means you can win Yanqiu's favor, do you?"
"Tianxiang Yue! Wen Yansheng! What do you two amount to, that you dare to challenge me? Believe me, I could crush you right now!"
"With just you?"
The Nine-Hua Alliance had many families, and the various clans had been engaged in open and covert struggles to seize control of the halls. Wen Yansheng, Tianxiang Yue, and Luo Wenzhenghao were considered mortal rivals. Naturally, when they met, the atmosphere was thick with gunpowder. However, it was mostly just verbal sparring; none of the three sides took action. The Commanders they brought were the same. They might not belong to the same hall, but they all knew each other. Even if the three young lords truly fought, these Commanders could only try to mediate.
Just as they were locked in a stalemate of mutual defiance, a few more people walked in.
Not many.
Only three.
But the newcomers were anything but ordinary.
One was the famed songstress whose beauty had circulated throughout the Four Great Regions for years, Liu Piaopiao.
Another was the low-key Special Envoy of the Nine-Hua Alliance, Wei Qing.
The third was the rather mysterious Hall Master of the Kaishan Hall of the Nine-Hua Alliance, Wan Wei.
When the three appeared in the venue, many were curious—first, about why these three were together, and second, about their purpose in coming.
In everyone's impression, whether it was Liu Piaopiao, Wei Qing, or even Wan Wei, all were extremely mysterious and low-key.
Don't be fooled by their seemingly modest statuses; all three were not to be trifled with, a fact many knew.
Liu Piaopiao's identity was mysterious, and rumors said her strength was extremely formidable, though no one knew exactly how strong.
As for Wei Qing, though he was just a minor Special Envoy in the Nine-Hua Alliance, rumors said he had once led a team to eliminate a reincarnated expert.
Wan Wei was the Hall Master of the Kaishan Hall of the Nine-Hua Alliance. For a century, his whereabouts had been unpredictable, and his strength was unfathomably deep. Rumors said he had also participated in the elimination of that reincarnated expert.
Whether these rumors were true or false, no one knew.
Outsiders didn't know, and even fellow Nine-Hua Alliance members like Wen Yansheng, Tianxiang Yue, and even Luo Wenzhenghao didn't know. But one thing they were all inwardly certain of: these three individuals were not to be provoked.