Chapter 162 May you enjoy eternal bliss and live as long as the heavens.

"Respectfully welcoming the Vice Leader out of seclusion!!!"

"The Vice Leader's divine skills are unparalleled! Shaking the Jianghu with might! Enjoying immortal blessings forever! Living as long as heaven!!!"

Beneath the main hall, the core members of the World Society shouted in unison. Their voices echoed within the hall and carried far outside Lanjiang Valley, returning in waves of reverberation.

It was evident that their Internal Skill was profound.

Under Wang Ping's leadership, it seemed that everyone in the World Society had experienced some form of genetic Awakening.

Even the usually serious and earnest Song Xingwu showed this tendency, which made Yan Chu feel somewhat unaccustomed for a moment.

Above the main hall, Yan Chu sat on the leader's throne with a domineering posture.

Han Yunlu, the nominal leader, sat by his side, her eyes filled with affection, charming and peerless, giving off a rather doting, submissive air.

Beside them, the Fierce Tiger King lay prone, eyes closed in a nap.

This damn tiger had been well-fed and cared for by the gang members during its days in the World Society, and it had grown quite chubby.

Yan Chu pondered changing its name to Fat Tiger.

"Alright! Everyone, no need for such formalities!"

Facing the crowd below, Yan Chu raised his hand slightly, nodding inwardly.

Now that many more people had defected to the World Society, it was increasingly taking on the atmosphere of a major sect.

Han Yunlu smiled and chatted as she introduced the several renowned Jianghu figures who had most recently defected.

Among them, the one with the highest cultivation was a Grandmaster, along with three at the Late Stage of the Sixth Realm.

They were all people of high prestige in the Cangzhou Prefecture region.

"Foster Father, I have something to report!"

At this moment, Jiang Qingbo, who was standing behind Song Xingwu, suddenly spoke up.

Everyone else in the venue felt their Faces twitch wildly upon hearing this form of address; even Song Xingwu almost couldn't keep a straight Face.

He thought to himself that as expected of a Grandmaster who had lived for several decades, his skin was truly thick enough; he was truly a talent among talents.

Yan Chu looked at this cheap foster son who was much older than him, feeling a bit emotional.

He had heard that when people teased this fellow for bowing to him as a foster father, he was not only unbothered but actually smug and proud, calling Han Yunlu and the other women 'Foster Mother' and being very filial.

He actually admired the guy a little.

"Speak!"

Yan Chu said.

"I have a friend who came to defect early this morning, and he wants to see you!"

"Oh? Bring him in!"

"Yes!"

Jiang Qingbo's Face was beaming with smiles as he accepted the order and left, returning shortly after with a middle-aged man.

"Duan Cheng?!"

Song Xingwu, who was in front, recognized the person and was somewhat surprised.

This Duan Cheng was also a Marquiss Estate Guest Official, but previously he had been somewhat of a non-entity at the Marquis's estate, always overshadowed by Wan Yao and Jiang Qingbo.

Unexpectedly, he had also defected here!

What was going on? Had everyone from the Marquis's estate switched sides?

"Brother Song?!"

Duan Cheng had initially been somewhat apprehensive.

After all, in this main hall, he discovered more than one person whose cultivation aura was above his, especially the one at the very top, whose depth was like an ocean and unfathomable.

Seeing his old acquaintance, Song Xingwu, he was pleasantly surprised.

After all, among their group, Song Xingwu was the only one with a decent reputation.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been framed with the charge of misconduct toward a female Disciple, forcing him to flee the Cold Blade Sect.

"Old Duan, hurry and pay respects to the Vice Leader!"

Jiang Qingbo, who was behind him, gave him a nudge.

Duan Cheng snapped back to reality, hurriedly knelt on the ground, and kowtowed, saying:

"I am Duan Cheng, greetings to Great Hero Yan!"

"Wishing Great Hero Yan divine skills that are unparalleled! Shaking the Martial Forest with might! Enjoying immortal blessings forever! Living as long as heaven!"

He thought to himself, having heard that this Great Hero Yan loved married women and flattery, and that the people of the World Society were all trying every means to cater to his preferences.

Would the other party be satisfied with these two lines of flattery?

At the same time, Duan Cheng was inwardly shocked.

Only by facing this legendary Great Hero Yan could he truly feel how unfathomable the other party was.

Outsiders did not know Yan Chu's true Realm.

Some guessed he was at the Peak of the Grandmaster Realm, while others asserted that since he dared to challenge the Old Marquis, he must be a supreme expert of the Mountain Shaking Realm.

In short, it was recognized in the Jianghu that Yan Chu was definitely the second person in Cangzhou Prefecture after Sima Tao, having the strength to contend with a Supreme Grandmaster.

Facing him directly, Duan Cheng was certain that Yan Chu was undoubtedly a Supreme Grandmaster.

This oppressive feeling, which was not deliberately emitted but was present at all times and made breathing difficult, could only be achieved by an existence in the Mountain Shaking Realm.

Jiang Qingbo, who was beside him, introduced:

"Vice Leader, Duan Cheng was previously a Guest Elder for the false Marquis Sima Yutang. Now, seeing that the false Marquis has lost the hearts of the people, he has come to defect."

"Oh? The Sima Family has lost the hearts of the people?"

Yan Chu leaned back against the seat, asking lazily:

"In what way have they lost the hearts of the people?"

"Great Hero Yan, you might not know!"

"Recently, a guest arrived at the Marquis's estate, the Nine Heavens Vulture from the First Uprising Gang, Ji Guiying. This person Cultivates a wicked technique that extracts the aura of decay from rotting corpses to practice, so he is particularly fond of rotting corpses."

"Not long ago, he was injured in a battle with the Changle Gang Protector, Meng Feixing. To cater to his preferences, Sima Yutang deliberately prepared quite a few rotting corpses for him to heal his wounds."

"In the past two days, many servants in the Marquis's estate have disappeared without a sound, and they were all people with not-low cultivation, causing everyone to be in a panic..."

"The Sima Family is this unwise?"

Yan Chu raised an eyebrow, "No wonder none of you are willing to follow the Sima Family!"

Song Xingwu chimed in: "The Vice Leader is right!"

"The Sima Family has operated in Cangzhou Prefecture for over a hundred years, eliminating dissidents and acting against the natural order. Their subordinates are all sycophants, which has long aroused the dissatisfaction of countless people."

"In order to collect Cauldron for Dual Cultivation for his father, Sima Tao, Sima Yutang even wiped out the hundreds of members of the Shen Family, who were also one of the Five Surnames and Three Sects; one can imagine what kind of person he is."

"Brother Song is right!"

Hearing this, Duan Cheng seemed to recall the grievances he had suffered and began to pour out his complaints,

"Sima Yutang wants to use Ji Guiying's hand to deal with Great Hero Yan. These days, he has acted with increasing disregard for consequences; even two servants I was familiar with were processed into rotting corpses and sent to Ji Guiying."

"Hmph!"

Song Xingwu snorted coldly: "These major Jianghu sects, each one appears righteous on the surface, but in reality, they are all engaged in sordid activities."

"Alright!"

Yan Chu waved his hand and asked: "You mean to say that Ji Guiying also intends to come and cause trouble for me?"

"Yes!"

Duan Cheng nodded: "He has received benefits from Sima Yutang, so naturally he must return the favor!"

"Moreover, the leader of the First Uprising Gang and the Old Marquis Sima Tao have an unusual relationship; Ji Guiying came to Cangzhou Prefecture specifically to assist the Sima Family."

"It is very likely that before your great battle with Sima Tao, he will come to test your strength on his behalf!"

"Very good!"

Yan Chu clapped his hands and sneered, turning to Han Yunlu beside him and asking: "Are you sure the people who came to test us a few days ago were from the Changle Gang?"

"Yes!"

Han Yunlu breathed out and said charmingly: "Protector Song exchanged blows with one of them and confirmed it was the Changle Gang!"

"Furthermore, the other party seemed to have no intention of hiding their identity at all and barged in directly."

"They don't put our World Society in their eyes at all!"

"Is that so?"

Yan Chu sneered and said: "Since these people all want to come and test my strength, then I will go and weigh how much they are worth!"

"It will be just right to warm up before the great battle with Sima Tao!"

... ...

As the date of the battle between Yan Chu and Sima Tao drew closer, the entire Jianghu of Cangzhou Prefecture was like a pot of boiling water, with countless undercurrents surging beneath the surface.

"Have you heard? People from the Hidden Sword Palace have already arrived in Cangzhou Prefecture; it seems that one of the three elders of the Sword Palace, the 'Southern Sky Sword Elder', is leading the team personally!"

In Tianshui Prefecture, at the Biyun Inn, countless visiting Jianghu travelers were discussing animatedly.

Yellow Dragon Mountain was located in Tianshui Prefecture, so this was the place where the most people gathered during this period, with travelers from all over the country.

"What did you say? The Southern Sky Sword Elder? That is the Junior Martial Uncle of Venerable Wen Jian, a veteran of the Mountain Shaking Realm!"

"I heard that the 'Tiger Mane Swordsman' Chen Fenghua was his Disciple. Could it be that he came this time to avenge his Disciple?"

"It must be! Who doesn't know that the Southern Sky Sword Elder is most protective of his own?"

"Blade Demon Yan Chu killed his Disciple, so he must want to avenge him. It is said that he had long wanted to come down the mountain but was stopped by Venerable Wen Jian. This time, he is taking advantage of the battle between Yan Chu and the Old Marquis to come and watch!"

"It would be fine if Yan Chu were defeated by the Old Marquis Sima Tao."

"If he luckily survives, I fear the Hidden Sword Palace will definitely make a move!"

"What?"

The person next to him was somewhat skeptical and asked curiously: "Yan Chu is now the cangzhou assistant administrator, belonging to a high-ranking official of the prefecture. Would the Hidden Sword Palace dare to move against Yan Chu?"

"Pah! If it were before, they naturally wouldn't dare!"

"But now the Great Jin Dynasty is tottering; the rebellion in the northwest has not yet been quelled, and rebellions in the south have risen again. At a time like this, who can worry about Yan Chu?"

"In my opinion, he will be unable to save himself this time!"

"Indeed..."

Others nodded in agreement.

At a window seat on the second floor, a refined-looking middle-aged man listened to the discussion below and shook his head gently,

"This Yan Chu is truly a troublemaker. Offending Sima Tao isn't enough; now even that old immortal Yu Leju has personally come down the mountain!"

"And then there is Meng Feixing of the Changle Gang, a famous fist-art expert in the northern lands. His 'Ten Directions Killing' fist technique is rarely matched, and now he has also set his sights on Yan Chu."

"I don't even know what to say anymore!"

Opposite him sat a peerless, handsome noble Young Master.

Her eyebrows slanted upward into her temples, and her skin was fair and flawless; it was none other than Young Miss Zhao Jiyao.

She pursed her red lips slightly and chuckled: "Those not envied are mediocre talents!"

"It is precisely because Yan Chu has too many enemies that I must ask you, Master, to come and help him."

"The Empress Dowager also values him highly. If he were to unfortunately fall, it would definitely be a loss for the Imperial Court."

Tong Zhiyuan looked at the trace of a married woman's temperament faintly radiating from his Disciple, and sighed lightly: "Yao'er, that direct descendant of the Han Family has been pursuing you bitterly for so many years. If he knew you were like this, I fear he would not let it rest!"

Anyone who knew that the goddess they had groveled to for over a decade, whose hand they hadn't even held, was being ridden by another man would likely have a mental breakdown.

Not to mention that Han Yue was a top-tier Prodigy with high pride.

He was once the sixth on the heavenly pride ranking.

Zhao Jiyao snorted softly, her expression somewhat disdainful: "So what if he doesn't let it rest?"

"Or should I let him come and trouble Yan Chu himself? To be honest, he isn't even worthy of carrying Yan Chu's shoes!"

"But the Han Family's Old Ancestor is a Purple Robe Divine Constable!"

Tong Zhiyuan's expression was solemn and serious: "You don't need me to remind you what the four words 'Purple Robe Divine Constable' represent, do you?"

"Han Yue is the Han Family's number one Prodigy. Do you think Han Ziyi will not stand up for him?"

Hearing the words "Purple Robe Divine Constable," Zhao Jiyao's beautiful eyes flickered slightly, and she fell silent.

Since the founding of the Great Jin Dynasty over a thousand years ago, the number of Purple Robe Divine Constables in the Six Doors could be counted on two hands, representing the highest combat power of the Great Jin.

Purple Robe Divine Constables did not bow to princes or nobles; their status was above all the high officials in the court, and they only obeyed the Emperor's orders.

Currently, the Six Doors had only two Purple Robe Divine Constables.

They had held these positions for nearly two hundred years and were the pillars of the Great Jin Imperial Court.

One of them was the Han Family's Old Ancestor.

Because of the Han Family's Old Ancestor, the Han Family had become one of the top aristocratic families in the Great Jin, far stronger than her Zhao Family.

A flash of worry crossed her eyes; Zhao Jiyao shook her head gently and temporarily cast these matters to the back of her mind.

The urgent priority now was to resolve Yan Chu's predicament.

"Master, Meng Feixing is currently in Tianshui Prefecture. Please help Yan Chu block him first!"

"Sigh..."

Tong Zhiyuan sighed and said slowly: "In the past, as long as I spoke up, Meng Feixing would have given me some Face, more or less."

"But now that the Imperial Court's prestige has greatly diminished, everyone can only resort to a fight first!"

"He has likely confirmed that Mao Dongchen died at Yan Chu's hands. Even if I stop him this time, the Changle Gang will still make things difficult for Yan Chu later; I can protect him for a day, but not forever!"

"It doesn't matter!"

Zhao Jiyao's lips curled up slightly: "I have confidence in Yan Chu!"

"It won't be long before Meng Feixing is no longer his match!"

... ...

The battle between Yan Chu and Sima Tao attracted not only ordinary Jianghu people but also Prodigies from all over to watch.

A few days ago, the Number One Tower Under Heaven posted a new heavenly pride ranking.

Yan Chu rightfully became the first on the heavenly pride ranking.

It was rumored that the former first on the heavenly pride ranking, "Little Martial God" Zhou Xi, had appeared in Longhua Prefecture, the place where Yan Chu had fought Chen Fenghua and the others.

The saber scar left by Yan Chu's slash was still on the main street.

Although the Saber Intent had dissipated, countless Jianghu people still came every day to observe it, hoping to learn a move or half a style from it.

Zhou Xi had once lingered before that saber scar for a long time before finally turning and leaving.

A few days later, someone saw him in Mulan Prefecture, where he was stopped by a young man inviting him to a battle.

Some recognized that person as the third on the heavenly pride ranking, the "Dragon-Elephant Successor" Tie Kuangsheng.

The battle between the two was of great momentum; both had already advanced to the Grandmaster Realm, and the combat fluctuations they caused made the several veteran Grandmasters watching from the shadows inwardly shocked.

In the middle of it, a young man in black also joined the battle.

That young man was not on the heavenly pride ranking, but he fought back and forth with Zhou Xi and Tie Kuangsheng; he was also one of the Prodigies of the current era.

In the end, Zhou Xi defeated the young man in black by a difference of one move.

While Tie Kuangsheng was not a match for the two; after nearly a hundred moves, he could no longer intervene in their great battle.

This incident also became a hot topic in the Jianghu recently, causing much debate among Jianghu people.

Some speculated based on this that there would likely be more Prodigies appearing in the Jianghu in the future.

As Jianghu disputes rose again, chaotic times were about to arrive.

Every time this happened, it was an era where Prodigies emerged together and heroes vied for dominance.

Countless trendsetters would stand at the crest of the era, eventually growing into the top-tier supreme experts.

And in this era, Yan Chu was undoubtedly the most dazzling one.

Leaving everyone else far behind.

At the age of twenty, he could already contend with veteran experts!