"Sister Lou, where did you dig up this idiot to crash our Fight Union's event?" Wu Xiaoya pouted, her small lips curling in displeasure.
The crowd's hearts ached at the sight, itching to leap onto the arena stage and challenge Qin Yang to three hundred rounds of combat.
Qin Yang could only scratch his head awkwardly, defending himself: "How is this crashing the event? I'm a member of the Fight Union too!"
He flashed the Combat Badge in his hand, its back emblazoned with a "1" - proof of his advancement to the Qi Sea Realm and one consecutive victory.
Yet everyone knew the true value of this solitary win! Challenging Qin Yang without first defeating Xu Zhan would be nothing but self-inflicted humiliation.
This gesture indeed softened the crowd's hostility.
"But to challenge you requires staking so many spirit stones. How isn't that crashing the event?" Wu Xiaoya pouted, her every expression radiating bewitching charm.
"The Fight Union never required spirit stones for challenges," Qin Yang shrugged. "You can still challenge me without them."
"Winning might be acceptable, but losing would be doubly humiliating! Do you think we all lack pride?"
Wu Xiaoya lightly stamped her foot and said, "Moreover, every time you fight, your spirit stones double. After a few battles, even Jin Wanshan might not be able to afford the stakes here, right?"
Hearing the goddess mention his name, Jin Wanshan hurriedly pointed at himself, "I'm Jin Wanshan!" But his next words came out weak, "I can afford to fight, but the problem is... I can't win..."
Wu Xiaoya rolled her eyes. Did she really not recognize Jin Wanshan? As a prominent figure on the continent, his name was even more famous than the direct descendants of the Eight Divine Clans.
She then looked at Lou Mengyu. From the beginning, Lou Mengyu hadn't been on her side, instead constantly showing concern for Qin Yang. Wu Xiaoya's suspicions grew. This Qin Yang kid wasn't ordinary, but who exactly was he?
"Young and accomplished, with extraordinary talent. I wonder which family you belong to?" Wu Xiaoya asked.
"The Qin Family," Qin Yang replied softly.
Lou Mengyu froze, her expression shifting. Jin Wanshan frowned, why did that name sound so familiar?
Wu Xiaoya's playful attitude vanished. "Which Qin Family?" she demanded, her tone now serious.
"Obviously the Qin Family of the Eight Divine Clans. Which other Qin Family could it be?" Qin Yang shrugged.
"Qin Yang, have you gone mad?! How dare you say such things! Do you realize what this implies?" Lou Mengyu's voice rose in anxiety.
Wu Xiaoya's gaze alternated between the two, then shifted to Jin Wanshan.
The old man's expression proved intriguing - a mix of surprise and understanding, as if everything now made sense.
"Qin Family? Is there really a Qin Family among the Eight Divine Clans?"
"Holy shit, could it be that Qin Family wiped out a thousand years ago?"
"The Heavenly Secrets Sect prophesied that descendants of the Qin Family would rise during a beast tide. Could this be the fulfillment of that prophecy?"
In an instant, everyone began buzzing about Qin Yang's identity, their speculations growing wild. Some even scratched their heads in frustration, burning with curiosity about his past.
The elderly man who had been trailing behind Wu Xiaoya suddenly materialized beside Qin Yang. His sudden appearance brought no words, no expression - he simply stood there like a wooden figure planted at Qin Yang's side.
"You should know not all jokes can be made so casually," Wu Xiaoya said, her face stiffening.
"Did I make a joke?" Qin Yang shrugged.
"How will you prove you're a Qin Family descendant?" Wu Xiaoya demanded.
"How will you prove I'm not?" Qin Yang countered with a question of his own.
"Those who impersonate Qin Family descendants never end well. If you admit your mistake now, there's still time," Wu Xiaoya warned.
Lou Mengyu watched from the side, bewildered. Qin Yang's resolve was unshakable. From joining the Fight Union to declaring himself a Qin Family descendant, everything about his behavior defied expectations.
Qin Yang didn't seem the type to care about such reputations...
"He's doing it for you," Jin Wanshan murmured.
Lou Mengyu's body tensed.
Jin Wanshan continued in a hushed voice: "This is the only way he can be with you openly. And he has the strength to back it up—his cultivation now surpasses even ours. With that kind of power, if he says he's a Qin descendant, then he is."
Lou Mengyu's expression grew complicated. She'd avoided these thoughts for days, but Qin Yang's actions stirred something within her.
"I see... What a bold claim," Wu Xiaoya said, her ears perking up as she caught Jin Wanshan's words. She wore an expression of helpless exasperation.
The old man, caught between laughter and tears, vanished in a flash.
Thus, everyone took Qin Yang's words as a joke, dismissing them as mere bravado in pursuit of Lou Mengyu.
This misunderstanding left Qin Yang genuinely astonished. "But I'm serious about this!"
He sighed deeply, his long breath echoing through the hall. Not a single person believed him.
"Any takers for a challenge? No spirit stones required!" Qin Yang bellowed.
Who would dare challenge him now? Even those tempted to try quickly reconsidered their abilities and retreated.
"If you love combat so much, why don't you challenge others first?" Wu Xiaoya demanded.
Qin Yang shrugged. "I don't want people saying I'm a bully. Better to wait for them to come to me."
What a joke! Challenging others? Copying what?
Wu Xiaoya's frustration boiled over at his infuriating demeanor. "You'll get your chance! Powerful cultivators from across the continent will arrive in days. Let's see if you're still so arrogant then!"
"Excellent," Qin Yang said, his wish coming true.
With the fighting over and his cultivation reaching the peak of the Qi Sea Realm, Qin Yang glanced at Lou Mengyu and Jin Wanshan, his brow furrowing involuntarily.
"The Eight Divine Clans, the Jin family... Tsk tsk tsk. Your talent is truly abysmal," Qin Yang remarked.
"You!" Jin Wanshan nearly choked with fury.
Lou Mengyu rolled her eyes, unable to muster a retort.
"Come, I'll concoct some medicinal pills for you!" Qin Yang waved his hand grandly.
Jin Wanshan's eyes lit up as he hurried after Qin Yang.
After bidding farewell to Wu Xiaoya, Lou Mengyu followed suit.
"Medicinal pills? Is he actually a dan refiner?" Wu Xiaoya found herself increasingly intrigued by Qin Yang.
For several days, Wanshan City appeared calm on the surface, but beneath the placid waters, dark currents surged.
The news of Qin Yang's dominance over the Fight Union spread like wildfire, accompanied by the revelation that he was a descendant of the Qin Family.
In no time, everyone began digging into Qin Yang's background, even unearthing his past conflict with Zhou Shi, an outer disciple of the Thousand Hidden Sect.
Gradually, more rumors began to circulate.
"Qin Yang dared not face Zhou Shi in a life-or-death duel and defected from the sect!"
"Before fleeing, he stole the formula for a second-grade premium Face-Preserving Pill and injured a group of Inner Sect disciples!"
"He must have used some demonic magic to bewitch Lou Mengyu..."
The rumors were vile, but when they reached the ears of Wanshan City's residents, they took on a different tone.
"What does Zhou Shi count for? Some Outer Sect disciple? Qin Yang wouldn't dare face him in a life-or-death duel?" Xu Zhan slammed his fist on the table, enraged. Does this imply I'm inferior to that worthless Zhou Shi?
"A second-grade premium Face-Preserving Pill formula? Does the Thousand Hidden Sect even deserve to possess such a thing?"
"If Qin Yang truly belonged to the Qin Family, possessing these formulas would make sense. And using their methods against them... with the Qin Family's resources, he could indeed accomplish this..."
In an instant, the rumors had the opposite effect, making everyone believe in Qin Yang even more.
Now I remember what I forgot - the duel with Zhou Shi... Qin Yang recalled.
Having just obtained a new batch of medicinal herbs from Elder Wu at the Wanshan Chamber of Commerce, Qin Yang shook his head. He had no time to waste on such trash right now.
After continuous refinement of top-grade Gathering Qi Pills, Lou Mengyu and Jin Wanshan were on the verge of breakthroughs.
"That shameless fat bastard, eating my pills every day..." Qin Yang scowled as he entered the inn, only to find Lou Mengyu missing.
Moments later, Jin Wanshan arrived, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath.
"What's wrong?" Qin Yang asked, surprised by the man's unusual agitation. "I've never seen you so flustered."
"It's terrible! The Thousand Hidden Sect took Lou Mengyu!" Jin Wanshan blurted out. "Some guy named Meng Gaofei came, saying Martial Heaven wants her..."
Qin Yang's fists clenched. A trap! Martial Heaven could reach Lou Mengyu with a single thought—why would he send Meng Gaofei as a messenger? Moreover, Martial Heaven knew about the complicated history between Qin Yang, Lou Mengyu, and Meng Gaofei...
"When did this happen?" Qin Yang demanded.
"Two hours ago!" Jin Wanshan replied.
Qin Yang stormed out of the inn, shouting behind him: "Find Elder Wu! Tell him I've decided about the terms he offered earlier."