Young Noble Be Monster Slaying

Chapter 531: The Most Shocking Turn of Events

As Chu Liang stepped out of the Celestial Observatory Pavilion, a wave of relief finally washed over him.

Originally, all he'd planned to do was enjoy the banquet, say a few nice words, and make some connections. That would've been enough to wrap up his evening. Yet somehow, the night had spiraled out of control, leaving him feeling as if he'd just been grilled over hot coals.

He hadn't taken more than a couple of steps when he suddenly heard a voice calling from behind, "Young Hero Chu."

The sound made Chu Liang's back stiffen. He turned slowly, and just as he'd expected, it was Shen Qingyan. A faint, wry smile tugged at his lips as their eyes met.

What now? Why did you follow me out?

"I know this is a bit abrupt," Shen Qingyan said, "but there are things I need to ask you..."

"It's about this jade pendant, isn't it?" Chu Liang raised his hand, holding out his half of the jade pendant.

"That's right." Shen Qingyan responded, her fingers opening to reveal the other half of the pendant in her palm.

As they brought the two halves together, they clicked into a perfect, seamless fit.

The two halves of the pendant fused together in an instant, as though made of living flesh. When it fell back into Shen Qingyan's palm, it began to emit a soft glow.

A realization dawned on Chu Liang—it was no ordinary pendant. This was an enchanted tool, likely used to verify bloodlines.

Wealthy families sometimes crafted such artifacts to confirm their lineage and avoid potential scandals, a safeguard against pretenders.

"I only came across this pendant by chance..." Chu Liang said, glancing at her.

Although Shen Qingyan was incredibly beautiful, Chu Liang had no intention of being too involved with matters related to her. And so, he decided to reveal everything he knew about the abandoned Shen family residence.

But before he could speak, a sudden gust of black wind burst from the shadows, snatching the jade pendant from Shen Qingyan's hand in an instant and left at lightning speed!

Someone dared to rob them in broad daylight on the streets of Yu!

Moreover, this person had an exceptionally high level of cultivation and had been able to conceal their presence so skillfully that neither Chu Liang nor Shen Qingyan noticed anything, even with their strong cultivation levels.

"Who's there?"

In that moment, Shen Qingyan felt a surge of shock and fury. This pendant was her only proof of identity from birth. As soon as the two halves were combined, it was taken from her. Without hesitation, she rushed forward to chase after it.

With a burst of speed, she raced forward, her red dress swirling around her, and in no time, she had traversed the long street.

Chu Liang was reluctant to get involved in this, but the thief's high cultivation level made him anxious about Shen Qingyan's safety. Therefore, he had no choice but to leap forward and pursue her.

The black wind rushed through the streets and alleys, finally soaring out of the city, with both of them in close pursuit. The shadowy figure darted nimbly, occasionally blending into the shadows, and in the blackness of night, they could easily lose track of him.

Now that they were out of the city, Shen Qingyan had no further reservations. She immediately took out a flute and brought it to her lips.

The sharp notes of the flute resonated like ten thousand arrows raining down from the sky. Suddenly, the forest was filled with rustling noises, leaves shattered, and trees collapsed. It was a sweeping attack that affected everything in its path.

The sudden and powerful divine technique caught Chu Liang off guard. Earlier, when he saw Xue Lingxue, he thought the members of the South Melody Conservatory played a supportive role in battles. But now, he realized that even musicians could unleash strong attacks.

Despite this, the shadowy figure showed no sign of retreat, breaking past the attacks of her divine technique and swiftly moving through the dense brush.

By the time Chu Liang caught up again, the battered forest was marked with bloodstains scattered across the ground, suggesting that the thief had been injured.

Who is this person, and why would they steal Shen Qingyan's jade pendant? Chu Liang wondered. Moreover, the pendant was stolen right after the two halves combined, which means that the person has been tracking them all along. But who was the actual target—Shen Qingyan or me?

This left Chu Liang somewhat puzzled. The thought of someone so well hidden trailing him around day and night was undeniably eerie.

As Shen Qingyan glanced back, she looked a bit downcast. Chu Liang then went on to explain everything he had seen at the abandoned Shen Family Residence that day.

Shen Qingyan, after hearing his words, felt a wave of melancholy wash over her.

Thus, her parents were indeed dead long ago, and her mother had remained a ghost for many years. But why hadn't her teacher shared this with her? Was it to shield her from the harsh reality that the Shen family had met their end because of greed and desire?

After the matter concerning the Shen Family was settled, Chu Liang found himself with some unanswered questions. Now, with the sudden appearance of the shadowy figure, everything was becoming increasingly complicated.

Fortunately, this matter no longer concerned him. After handing over all his doubts to Shen Qingyan, he could finally rest easy and head back.

As they made their way back to Emperor's Mound, Shen Qingyan turned to Chu Liang before they parted and said, "Regardless of everything, thank you, Young Hero Chu, for telling me everything. If you hadn't, I would still be in the dark about the origins of my identity after all these years."

"Oh, it was no bother," Chu Liang said nonchalantly.

With a look of sadness and loss, Shen Qingyan appeared quite pitiable. But on this night, she wasn't alone in her feelings of sorrow.

As the Second Prince's carriage left the Celestial Observatory Pavilion, his face was also filled with sadness.

The Second Prince grumbled inwardly, What was this all about?

In truth, he had always been resistant to the idea of an arranged marriage. But as the future crown prince, he knew his marriage would never be under his control. So, when the chancellor proposed the name Shen Qingyan, the Second Prince was overjoyed.

Compared to the numerous aristocratic women with impressive backgrounds but less-than-appealing appearances, Shen Qingyan was practically perfect. If all arranged marriages were with women like her, the Second Prince wouldn't mind having a few more.

So, he had eagerly awaited this meeting with Shen Qingyan. But somehow, a mishap happened and the spotlight was stolen by someone else.

He couldn't honestly say there was no resentment in his heart, but he realized it was not right to blame Chu Liang. After all, Chu Liang never intended to take the spotlight. The situation just unfolded that way.

He could only say that he felt deeply aggrieved, very much so.

As the carriage made its way forward, a loud, boisterous voice suddenly rang out from the roadside.

"Speaking of that Young Hero with the Divine Whip, Chu Liang, ha! His romantic adventures are not few," an old man continued to chatter on the street. "Everyone's heard the tales of his love for Jiang Yuebai, but what they don't know is how many hearts this handsome young hero has won..."

The Second Prince tapped on the carriage window, and a servant quickly approached.

"I want someone to give that old man a beating tonight," the Second Prince commanded, his voice filled with anger. "And make sure they wear masks."

...

In a flash, the Great Selection of the Four Seas had reached its last day. After today, the eighty-one chosen teams would be confirmed and would compete with the sects of the Divine Nine and Terrestrial Ten in the Competition of the Hundred Sects, marking the official commencement of the Assembly of Immortal Sects.

Although there weren't many duels today, a grand opening ceremony was set to follow the matches, and it promised to be quite spectacular. Many spectators had rushed here to witness the event.

The teams still in the competition were all extremely powerful. All the matches today were contests between some of the most formidable participants.

As soon as Chu Liang and his group arrived, they observed that most of the spectators were clustered around a particular stage.

At the center of the stage stood a dark golden flame giant, towering about seven to eight zhang. With each swing of its fists and legs, it radiated an immense destructive power!

"Primordial Earth Core Fire!"

Chu Liang instantly recognized the flame as the same furnace fire he had encountered that night at the Sword Forging Sect. It was clear that the contestant on stage was a disciple of the Earthfire Sect.

The Earthfire Sect, which had a close affiliation with the Sword Forging Sect, was part of the Chancellor's Sixteen-Faction Alliance.

It was a strong sect that appeared out of nowhere and had recently risen to a position of prominence.

The contestant facing him was a disciple of the Imperial Supervisory Bureau.

The young disciples raised by the Imperial Supervisory Bureau were few, yet they were all incredibly gifted and no less impressive than the brilliant prodigies from the sects in the Divine Nine and Terrestrial Ten.

Based on historical records, the Imperial Supervisory Bureau was recognized as stronger than the sects within the Terrestrial Ten. Their team would often make it to the third round—Battle at the Imperial City—and would stand shoulder to shoulder with the immortal sects in the Divine Nine.

However, from the conversations around him, Chu Liang discovered that both the Imperial Supervisory Bureau and the Earthfire Sect had won one match each, and this final duel would be the decisive round to determine which side would advance.

If the Imperial Supervisory Bureau lost, they would be eliminated in the first round!

Boom—

The Earthfire Giant lunged fiercely, delivering a punch that cracked the ground at the center of the stage. At the same time, the young disciple of the Imperial Supervisory Bureau leaped into the air, his sword transforming into a dazzling array of shimmering light shadows.

Whizz, whizz, whizz—

The figure dressed in white zipped back and forth, thrusting his sword into the Earthfire Giant until it was filled with holes. His divine technique resembled that of Li Chengfeng, indicating that he must be his disciple.

Yet, in the blink of an eye, the Earthfire Giant healed all its injuries and lunged at him with even greater strength!

Boom—

The disciple of the Imperial Supervisory Bureau slashed the air with his sword, creating this black rift in the void. When the Earthfire Giant punched into it, a deafening roar echoed.

However, the giant did not back down; instead, it charged forward with even greater ferocity.

Boom—

With most of its arm engulfed by the black rift, the hole started to tremble with fierce intensity!

Bang!

With a thunderous boom, the Earthfire Giant's fist broke through several zhang beyond the black hole!

This was sheer power, overwhelming enough to break the limits of the disciple's divine technique and pierce right through it!

Rumble—

The Earthfire Giant, undeterred by the black hole, punched the Imperial Supervisory Bureau disciple, sending him flying through the sky like a shooting star!

"Roar!" With a proud roar, the giant's flames swirled away, unveiling the tiny, thin figure of a young boy.

A wave of shocked gasps swept through the audience!

He won!

Twelve years ago, the Earthfire Sect didn't even exist. This was their first time competing in the Assembly of Immortal Sects following the establishment of their sect. Although each Assembly of Immortal Sects brought its fair share of unexpected endings, there hadn't been one this shocking in years.

The Imperial Supervisory Bureau, in whom the audience had placed such high hopes, was unexpectedly eliminated in the first round, defeated by the Earthfire Sect!