Qin Chu was not in the Alchemist Guild, so naturally, no one accepted the challenge.
The woman blocked the entrance of the Alchemist Guild for several days but didn't see Qin Chu. The woman remained calm, but the people following her were very ill-mannered, standing outside the Alchemist Guild's main gate and cursing Qin Chu.
This displeased some people, and Lang Lang appeared, saying, "Are you having a great time cursing? Enjoying yourselves?"
"Tell Qin Chu to come out. Our little princess wants to fight," a man said.
"Your princess... so what if she's a princess? Do you think you can challenge Qin Chu just like that? Qin Chu killed a King Realm Cultivator in Holy Martial City. He can fight endlessly here. Do that first! If you want to curse him, you need to see if you're qualified. Don't make a fool of yourselves." After cursing, Lang Lang left. He still had to check the situation in the Alchemist Guild's trading hall.
The people behind them were about to continue cursing, but the leading woman raised her arm. "That's enough, let's go! We'll meet at the Azure Cloud Ranking tournament."
Qin Chu cultivated diligently every day. He knew about the challenge but didn't care. If they wanted to curse, they could. He was indifferent. Besides, it wasn't convenient for him to go out because if he showed his face, he would be besieged by Cultivators below the sixth-tier King Realm from the major Holy Lands. He couldn't withstand that, as it wasn't always a life-and-death arena hosted by the City Lord's Mansion.
"Qin Chu, don't worry about what others say. It's better to settle it on the Azure Cloud Ranking arena. Their shouting now is useless." Qin Lingxi said after watching Qin Chu finish his sword practice.
"Aunt, I don't care about any of this. Let whoever wants to shout, shout. Whether I'm scared or not, the Cultivators of Holy Martial City understand," Qin Chu said.
Qin Lingxi smiled. "Yes, your reputation in Holy Martial City was forged through killing. To say you're afraid of a challenge is a joke. Focus all your efforts on the Azure Cloud Ranking competition. This time, our Vermilion Bird Holy Land will take first place in the Azure Cloud Ranking."
Qin Chu nodded, feeling very confident. Among Cultivators under two cycles of age, not many could reach the fifth-tier Heavenly Origin Realm. Previously, those in the fourth-tier Spirit Origin Realm could make the ranking. Cultivators in the fifth-tier Heavenly Origin Realm generally could make the ranking. Of course, if one had high cultivation but low combat power, that wouldn't count. Even if some fifth-tier Cultivators participated in the Azure Cloud Ranking tournament, they wouldn't be in the Late Stage or Peak of the fifth-tier. There was nothing he couldn't fight, and it wouldn't even pose any danger to him.
Looking at the confidence on his nephew's face, Qin Lingxi felt at ease. She knew that with Qin Chu's strength, winning the Azure Cloud Ranking would be no problem. She had made her assessment; a fifth-tier Heavenly Origin Realm Cultivator, even one in the Late Stage of the Heavenly Origin Realm, might not be able to threaten Qin Chu, unless it was a Peak Heavenly Origin Realm Cultivator. The cultivation gap would be large then, easily leading to an overwhelming victory, but it was very difficult for someone under two cycles of age to Cultivate to the Peak Heavenly Origin Realm.
Qin Longhan was in seclusion again. He had just become a Half-Step Venerable Realm Cultivator not long ago, and after each battle, he would gain some insights and Harvest.
While the Vermilion Bird Holy Land was preparing for battle, the Blazing Thunder Holy Land and the White Tiger Holy Land were also mobilizing their forces. They were now furious because the Vermilion Bird Holy Land had caused them great harm recently. Both of their Holy Lands had been attacked, and it was only due to defensive Formations that they weren't breached.
Even after gathering their forces, the White Tiger Holy Land and the Blazing Thunder Holy Land felt uncertain because the initiative in the war was in the hands of the Vermilion Bird Holy Land. They didn't even know where the Vermilion Bird Holy Land's forces were. The Vermilion Bird Holy Land could attack when it wanted and defend when it wanted.
The City Lord's Mansion patrol team increased its patrolling efforts. Now was not only a critical period for the Azure Cloud Ranking competition but also a time of confrontation between several major forces. The rules set by the City Lord's Mansion could not be challenged or broken.
As he Cultivated, Qin Chu's skill in using the Vermilion Bird Sacred Flame improved significantly. Additionally, during this period, he diligently Cultivated his Sword Intent and Battle Intent, and his Sword Intent also improved quite a bit. This was mainly because he had a powerful Sword Intent Grass in his Dantian, and the Sword Intent it released brought him insights.
After finishing his Cultivation that day, Qin Chu refined some Medicinal Pills, then quietly went to the Cloud Sea Medicinal Pill Pavilion and returned to the Alchemist Guild through the secret passage.
Shortly after Qin Chu returned to the Alchemist Guild, Lang Lang arrived.
Qin Chu gave Lang Lang some Medicinal Pills. "Brother Lang, these are some Medicinal Pills I refined in my spare time from Cultivation. You can take them to sell!"
"Okay, people come to our stall every day to ask when Medicinal Pills will be available for sale. I'm anxious not being able to earn Spirit Stones," Lang Lang said to Qin Chu.
"Brother Lang, my cultivation is not enough right now. When my cultivation is sufficient, I can refine sixth-tier Medicinal Pills. At that time, I'll take care of all the Medicinal Pills you need, Brother Lang," Qin Chu said to Lang Lang.
"Haha! Then I'll be waiting for your Medicinal Pills, Brother Lang," Lang Lang said with a laugh.
After chatting with Qin Chu for a while, Lang Lang went to sell the Medicinal Pills.
Qin Chu rested in the small courtyard for a day, then returned to the Vermilion Bird Holy Land's stronghold through the secret passage. Not seeing Shang Shuyu, Qin Chu felt a little disappointed.
Inside the City Lord's Mansion, Ling Wu listened to the reports from his subordinates.
After listening to the reports, Ling Wu ordered that the Deputy City Lords and Elders of the City Lord's Mansion be notified to return from their travels and emerge from seclusion. He knew that something big was about to happen. He didn't care about the struggle between forces, but if it threatened the stability of Holy Martial City, that was something he would not allow.
Time slipped away little by little. The atmosphere in Holy Martial City was exceptionally oppressive. Although the patrol team patrolled frequently, battles occurred from time to time. Cultivators above the sixth-tier King Realm could not act, but Cultivators below the sixth-tier King Realm could fight. Cultivators generally had strong tempers, and if a disagreement arose, they would directly draw their swords and start fighting.
Originally, these were just skirmishes between ordinary forces, but a sudden event changed the situation. A Disciple of the Black Tortoise Holy Land, at the entrance of the Alchemist Guild, bullied a weaker opponent, killing a fourth-tier clansman of the Azure Dragon Holy Land with his fifth-tier Heavenly Origin Realm cultivation. This enraged the Azure Dragon Holy Land, and their forces in Holy Martial City launched a full counterattack, targeting the Black Tortoise Holy Land's forces.
The battle expanded infinitely, and the final result was that members of the Azure Dragon Holy Land and the Black Tortoise Holy Land would fight whenever they saw each other.
Shang Shu Tianye gave the order: show no mercy, and fight until the Black Tortoise Holy Land retreated. No one had ever dared to bully the Azure Dragon Holy Land.
Originally, the fighting was within the city, a struggle between Cultivators below the King Realm from both sides. However, the problem arose because the Azure Dragon Holy Land's castle was built on the east side of Holy Martial City. The Azure Dragon Holy Land sought a quiet place by mountains and water, which meant the Azure Dragon Castle was not within the scope of the Martial Prohibition Order. Several high-ranking members of the enraged Black Tortoise Holy Land directly attacked the Azure Dragon Holy Land's castle.
This infuriated Shang Shu Tianye. He killed all of the high-ranking members of the Black Tortoise Holy Land and hung their heads in front of a restaurant operated by the Azure Dragon Holy Land within Holy Martial City.
Chaos ensued. Previously, it was a three-Holy Land melee, but now it had become a five-Holy Land melee. However, the struck Black Tortoise Holy Land cooled down, sending someone to notify the Black Tortoise Holy Land and ask their Clan Chief, Zhen Beixuan, to make a decision.
