An invitation to the Young Dragon Tea Party, from Sen Wei, the master of the Cyan Lotus Palace.
Countless young talents flocked to the event, eager and ready for action. They were all preparing to show off their skills and shine at the tea party.
But not every young junior could receive an invitation.
It was said that the youths who received a personal invitation token from Sen Wei were, at the very least, geniuses who possessed a Spirit Body!
As for the other youths who wished to attend, they had to pass a test: "Make the great bronze bell placed before the Cyan Lotus Palace let out a single, resounding chime."
Time passed, and day by day, as the Young Dragon Tea Party drew near, the Thunder Punishment Banner became exceptionally lively.
On the third day of Fang Yang's arrival at the Thunder Punishment Banner, the Young Dragon Tea Party finally began.
A blizzard raged, and the wind was bone-chilling.
The world was a vast expanse of white, with a lone Cyan Lotus Palace standing isolated atop a snowy mountain peak.
"Sigh, isn't Lady Sen Wei the possessor of the Cyan Lotus Saint Body? Why would she live here?"
"I-I don't know. It's so cold."
"I can't go on, I'm not climbing any higher. You guys remember to activate a Memory Stone so I can watch later."
"The bronze bell! I will definitely make it ring! And there must be a seat for me in the Cyan Lotus Hall!"
"..."
One by one, youths climbed the snowy mountain.
But even dressed in brocade and mink, they could hardly withstand such a piercing cold and were forced to circulate their True Essence.
However, due to the mountain's considerable height, it was doubtful that their current reserves of True Essence would be enough to last until they reached the summit.
Under these conditions, some continued to advance while others had no choice but to turn back. The differences in rank and ability between people were instantly laid bare.
It was in this situation that Zhang Ye's figure became particularly conspicuous.
Zhang Ye was tall, powerfully built, and heroic in his bearing.
As he walked, a hundred-foot-tall illusion of a Molten Crocodile roared to life behind him, shielding Zhang Le at his side.
"As expected of the 'Tyrant Crocodile,' Zhang Ye. He even has strength to spare to protect someone else."
"Zhang Ye is here, so where's Fang Yang?"
"Not sure. I heard Fang Yang is very close with Lady Sen Hui. He probably followed her somewhere..."
The remaining youths who were still climbing whispered among themselves.
This made Zhang Le quite proud. He frequently glanced at his cousin, Zhang Ye, his eyes filled with adoration.
Others might not have known how incredible Zhang Ye was, but as his younger cousin, Zhang Le certainly did.
Wrestling against a thousand-zhang waterfall, battling a flame python in a lake of molten lava...
In Zhang Le's eyes, Fang Yang would have difficulty accomplishing any of Zhang Ye's feats!
'That Fang Yang is a fraud who has deceived the world to gain his reputation. How dare he be mentioned in the same breath as Brother Ye?'
The thought that he would soon be able to look down on Fang Yang from the mountain's summit sent a thrill of superiority surging through every pore of his body, making him feel utterly euphoric!
Filled with this emotion, Zhang Le closely followed Zhang Ye's footsteps, taking large, swift strides.
"Fang Xuan? How did you get to the summit so quickly!"
The moment Zhang Le stepped onto the summit, he immediately spotted Fang Xuan, with whom he had never gotten along.
At this moment, Fang Xuan stood with his head held high, a smile on his face. He said nothing, merely looking down at Zhang Le with a condescending air.
Zhang Le seemed to realize something and abruptly raised his head to look toward the front of the palace. In an instant, his face turned deathly pale.
There, before the palace, amidst the fluttering snowflakes, a solitary figure stood with his head bowed, appreciating a plum blossom.
Fang Yang!
Fang Yang's face was as handsome as carved jade, with a high-bridged nose and deep, black eyes that held a detached, cold glint. He wore a great black-feathered robe, its wide sleeves fluttering, possessing a devilishly handsome look and a soul-stirring presence.
"Fang... Yang..." Seeing Fang Yang, a cold glint like lightning flashed in Zhang Ye's eyes.
Zhang Ye's body began to tremble faintly. It wasn't from fear, but from excitement, a release of pent-up energy!
As if sensing something, Fang Yang, who was still admiring the plum blossom, slowly raised his head and looked at Zhang Ye with indifference.
In that instant, their gazes met and clashed.
A storm seemed to stir in the air, as if a Fire Eagle soaring through the heavens was facing off against a Molten Crocodile prowling the vast ocean. The atmosphere grew increasingly tense.
Those who arrived at the summit later felt this atmosphere and were quite astonished. None dared to approach them, standing far away for fear of getting caught in the crossfire if Fang Yang and Zhang Ye suddenly erupted into a fight.
'The Proud Eagle and the Tyrant Crocodile... There are wrongly given names, but never wrongly given titles. It seems these two are second only to Sen Wei,' Chen Xing thought from behind the crowd.
Chen Xing was Chen Yuan's younger cousin. However, because he possessed the Snow Radiance Spirit Body, which could channel the power of the stars, he had a reputation as a genius and was held in higher regard by the clan elders.
Although the Snow Radiance Spirit Body was only a C-grade Spirit Body, what made it special was its ability to evolve into the top-tier Taiyin Spirit Body, and eventually, the Taiyin Saint Body.
Currently, the person in the Changkong clan who possessed the Taiyin Saint Body was named Sen Yue—Sen Yue, the Dao Seed!
But...
What Fang Xuan, Zhang Le, Chen Xing, and the others didn't expect was that the 'Proud Eagle,' Fang Yang, and the 'Tyrant Crocodile,' Zhang Ye, did not start another dispute. The two simply stood at a distance from each other, showing no sign of wanting to fight.
'I was prepared for a prolonged struggle, but I'd much rather break his spirit in a single blow.'
'I didn't expect him to be thinking the same thing. It's a bit like a mirror match...'
'Someone on the same path? Heh, interesting.'
Fang Yang withdrew his gaze and looked toward the Cyan Lotus Palace in the distance.
On this trip, Fang Yang wanted to probe Zhang Ye's depths and then strike him down like a goshawk seizing its prey. Meanwhile, Zhang Ye also wanted to test Fang Yang's abilities before unleashing an all-out, crocodile-like crushing attack.
In other words, in this duel between Fang Yang and Zhang Ye, either they wouldn't make a move, or once they did, the entire situation would change drastically!
To an outsider, however, their conflict seemed to have no highlights.
But to insiders like Fang Xuan, Zhang Le, and Chen Xing, their struggle was all the more thrilling.
One wrong move would basically mean elimination, making one break out in a cold sweat for them!
DONG... DONG DONG...
From within the palace, the crisp, clear sound of a zither drifted out, ethereal and sacred, like a chorus of Immortal Sounds.
A moment later, Qing Que'Er walked out with graceful steps.
Under everyone's gaze, Qing Que'Er pointed to a towering, ancient tree on the south side of the palace. Hanging from that tree, about a meter off the ground, was a great bronze bell.
"Her Eminence has said that whoever can strike the great bell and make it ring nine times may enter, take a seat, and enjoy the tea."
"Those who fail to produce nine rings can only stand within the palace and observe the tea party."
The moment Qing Que'Er's voice fell, the dozens of youths present grew eager to try.
Soon, a youth with the build of a wild bear leaped forward.
He circulated his True Essence, activated his Lifebound Skill, and struck the bronze bell with a giant club.
DANG! DANG!
Only two rings.
He had failed.
After him, youth after youth stepped forward, but not a single one succeeded in making the bell ring nine times!
"Xiaohui, do you see? Wielding power is actually very simple."
"What is power? It is control over status and finances. Grasp these two points, and you control the situation..."
Inside the Cyan Lotus Palace, Sen Wei, dressed in a Dragon Robe, spoke softly, giving Sen Hui, who stood beside her, a throbbing headache.
Fortunately, Sen Wei stopped talking when Zhang Ye was about to strike the bronze bell.
The snow fell heavily against a backdrop of pure white.
Zhang Ye stepped out from the crowd and walked up to the bronze bell.
With a cold snort, Zhang Ye shook his body, his robes billowing.
An illusion of a Molten Crocodile leaped from behind him and rammed straight into the bronze bell.
DANG! DANG! DANG! ... The bronze bell let out nine consecutive, resounding rings.
This wasn't Zhang Ye's limit. He had done it intentionally, unwilling to reveal too much of his true strength!
'He's become cautious. None of his previous arrogance remains,' Fang Yang mused from the side, narrowing his eyes as he watched.
The Zhang Ye of now was like a hungry crocodile, his heart filled with killing intent, yet in no rush to show off. He bore no resemblance to the person Fang Xuan's letter described as "overbearing and revering only strength."
Far from underestimating him for this sudden change, Fang Yang began to take him even more seriously.
Then, under everyone's gaze, Fang Yang also stepped forward.
A Fire Eagle Illusion ascended, soaring high on its wings before diving toward the bronze bell. It, too, produced nine consecutive, resounding rings, revealing little of his true foundation.
At this very moment, the crowd stared blankly at Zhang Ye and Fang Yang, finding them utterly unfamiliar.
The Proud Eagle wasn't proud!
The Tyrant Crocodile wasn't tyrannical!
It was abnormal. Far too abnormal.
'The way this grand show is unfolding... something seems off, doesn't it?'
'We came here to see you fight to the death, not to watch you be all courteous, kind, and deferential!'
"Xiaohui, you must not think that Fang Yang and Zhang Ye have had a change of heart and become upstanding gentlemen."
"In truth, they are merely wearing a temporary disguise. At their core, they are still cold-blooded and cruel."
"Once they tear off that disguise completely, the true face they reveal will be so bloody and gruesome it will be enough to horrify you!"
Sen Wei continued to lecture Sen Hui.
Even as Fang Yang and Zhang Ye walked into the palace, Sen Wei continued her speech, showing no regard for their dignity whatsoever.
Fang Yang and Zhang Ye glanced at each other, remaining silent.
'We're cold-blooded and cruel at our core?'
'Heh. If that's really the case, how much better are you, Sen Wei?'