Chapter 584: Southeast Five Provinces, Three Clans and Five Surnames!
News of the duel involving Qiu Yi, the Bagua Sect Leader, spread like a whirlwind. When this information quickly spread among the upper echelons of the Southeast Five Provinces, it caused a massive stir.
Qiu Yi was a Martial Arts Grandmaster and the leader of the Bagua Sect!
In his youth, the mere mention of his Iron Eight Trigrams struck fear into many hearts, his fame echoing throughout the entire Southeast Five Provinces. In that star-studded era, the Southeast Five Provinces boasted many renowned and charismatic figures. Qiu Yi was one of them.
Rumor had it that if an instructor from the Divine Machine Camp, surnamed Leng, hadn’t intervened and suppressed him, Qiu Yi would have completely dominated the Southeast Five Provinces long ago.
Martial Arts Grandmasters rarely took action. But when they did, it shook the world!
However, after Instructor Leng vanished from the public eye, Qiu Yi’s legendary feats—capturing fierce tigers in the mountains and wrestling crocodiles in the sea—propelled his prestige to its zenith. Even other Martial Arts Grandmasters had to treat Qiu Yi with a degree of caution. The reason for this was simple: it was said a mysterious and powerful expert stood behind him, though no one knew this person’s true identity. Given how cautiously even Qiu Yi spoke of this individual, they had to be an exceptionally formidable power.
As the years passed, Qiu Yi’s own strength had grown to a terrifying, unfathomable level. As the Bagua Sect Leader, his disciples were scattered across the country, many of them prominent figures in their own right. His mere decision to accept a duel was enough to alarm half of the Southeast Five Provinces. This alone was a testament to how formidable Qiu Yi truly was.
"Have you heard? Qiu Yi, who’s been in seclusion for years, has finally come out and is dueling someone!"
"That news is already causing a commotion. Now, half of the great families and powers in the Southeast Five Provinces are going to watch."
"I just wonder who’s bold enough to agree to a duel with Grandmaster Qiu Yi."
"No matter who the opponent is, Grandmaster Qiu Yi is guaranteed to win this fight."
"That’s right! I heard that before coming out of the mountains, Grandmaster Qiu Yi tore a crocodile apart with his bare hands and rode a tiger down the slope. That’s a sure sign his divine techniques have reached completion!"
"..."
The battle had yet to begin, but it was already attracting attention from all sides, setting the entire region abuzz. This was exactly what Qiu Yi intended. He wanted to make an example of someone to intimidate the others, display his power, and put the entire Southeast Five Provinces on notice.
Qiu Yi was preparing to re-enter the public sphere. Therefore, he not only had to win this battle but had to win it beautifully.
While the crowd was abuzz with discussion, many were speculating about the identity of the person who dared to duel Grandmaster Qiu Yi. After all, who but another Grandmaster would possess such audacity?
The Divine Machine Camp remained silent, and Qiu Yi was not foolish enough to publicize Lin Mu’s name for him. As long as his opponent was strong enough, crushing them would only earn him even greater prestige.
「On the day of the duel.」
A dueling platform, financed by the Shen Family and built with the collaboration of countless prominent families and powers, had become the gathering place for a host of influential figures.
Patriarch Shen of the Shen Family laughed heartily, unable to contain his sheer joy. Shen Lian and Shen Cheng were also visibly excited. Just moments ago, they had received news that the most legendary figure in the Southeast Five Provinces had arrived. And it was their Shen Family who had personally extended the invitation. With that great figure present, who in the entire Southeast Five Provinces could stand as an equal?
"Patriarch Shen, you seem to be glowing today. Has some joyous occasion befallen you?" the Feng Family Head asked with a chuckle. As two of the Three Clans and Five Families of the Southeast Five Provinces, the Shen and Feng Families were quite close.
Therefore, they knew full well that the person dueling Qiu Yi was Lin Mu, the Chief Instructor of the Divine Machine Camp. First, he drove away Professor Feng, then he injured Shen Lian. Even when Shen Cheng intervened, he failed to gain any advantage. Furthermore, he had killed Chang Chun of the Bagua Sect.
These actions were all reasons why Lin Mu had to die. Because Professor Feng was, in fact, a member of the Feng Family.
"Haha, you seem to be in high spirits as well, Family Head Feng," Patriarch Shen replied with a noncommittal laugh, not wanting to mention that great personage.
Although his relationship with the Feng Family was good, it wasn’t *that* good. These powerful families might be all smiles on the surface, but who knew how much they schemed and plotted behind each other’s backs. Truly treacherous!
"Patriarch Huang and Patriarch Shao have arrived." Patriarch Shen suddenly stood up and walked toward the two elderly men.
"The Huang Family came as well?" The Feng Family Head quickly got up, afraid of being a step behind.
Among the Three Clans and Five Families of the Southeast Five Provinces, the Huang Family—one of the three great clans—was naturally the most formidable. Although the Huang Family had long since moved its main operations to Harbor Island, its family members were spread all over the world, a terrifying prospect. Even on Harbor Island, the Huang Family was considered a powerful clan.
The Shao Family was naturally not weak either. They were also one of the Five Families and maintained a close relationship with the Huang Family.
"Patriarch Shen, Family Head Feng, good morning to you both," Patriarch Huang said as he approached, cupping his fists with a smile. He looked even more radiant than Patriarch Shen.
Two people followed behind him. One was a young woman in her early twenties who exuded an air of nobility, yet her disdainful expression made her seem exceptionally arrogant. The other was an old man with a remarkable bearing, though one of his sleeves hung empty, revealing he was one-armed.
This pair immediately drew the attention of the Shen and Feng clans. "Patriarch Huang, and this is...?" Patriarch Shen asked, feigning curiosity as he looked at the young woman.
Patriarch Huang chuckled and replied, "This is a distant niece of mine who just arrived from her hometown."
Patriarch Shen’s eyes flickered with interest for a moment before he lost it. Everyone knew that the Huang Family’s roots in the Southeast Five Provinces traced back to... a small mountain village in Handong Province?
"My dear niece," Patriarch Huang said by way of introduction, "these are Patriarch Shen and the Feng Family Head." The young woman merely nodded curtly, her attitude exceptionally haughty.
The others didn’t take offense. After all, what young person doesn’t have a bit of a temper?
"Patriarch Shen, has the Zhao Family not come today?" Patriarch Huang asked curiously.
Patriarch Shen’s expression darkened slightly before he sneered, "It doesn’t matter. The Zhao Family will show up eventually."
A thought flickered through his mind, but Patriarch Huang’s expression remained unchanged as he began to chat with the heads of the various prominent families, and the atmosphere grew lively.
Countless onlookers marveled at the scene. A single duel had managed to bring together a majority of the Three Clans and Five Families of the Southeast Five Provinces. It was truly a battle for the ages!
「Elsewhere.」
The young woman found a place to sit and suddenly asked, "Master Feng, do you think this will be a battle between Grandmasters?"
The one-armed elder, Master Feng, chuckled. "Miss Huang, you’re overthinking it. How could there be so many battles between Grandmasters in this world? It’s nothing more than baseless rumors."
If Lin Mu were present, he would have definitely recognized these two. The young woman was named Huang Ning, and the old man was Feng Chen.
"Who says? What about Lin Wudi? Since his debut, he’s slain nearly ten Grandmasters! He’s a legend in the Martial Arts World!" Huang Ning said, her eyes glistening. "If I could just have one night with Master Lin in this lifetime... I would be completely satisfied."
Knowing Huang Ning’s characteristically forward nature, Feng Chen could only offer a wry smile in silence.
Yet, for some unknown reason, his thoughts drifted to a certain young man from his past. Even though two full years had passed, the memory was still vivid for the old man. Thinking back on it now, that man had to have been a Grandmaster, at the very least.
With this in mind, Feng Chen cautioned her, "Miss Huang, if we were to meet that person again, you should apologize to him."
"Who?"
"Lin Mu."