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On both sides of the street, a sizable crowd had already gathered to watch, with many wanting to see who would be attending the Chaoyang Wine Ceremony this time, or to check if the person they admired was among the participants.

For the citizens of Da Qi’s Imperial City, for a martial artist to be able to attend the Chaoyang Wine Ceremony was a tremendous honor, as it meant fighting for the prestige and reputation of the nation, deserving of respect and admiration.

So when Zhou Heng and the others walked down this ceremonial avenue, the surrounding area immediately erupted with cheers as tumultuous as a tsunami.

To invigorate them.

To celebrate and bless them.

None of the three, including Zhou Heng, had anticipated such an enthusiastic scene. In the midst of such overwhelming shouts and blessings, an ordinary person might immediately feel driven by a sense of mission and honor and might fight desperately for glory.

Even individuals as determined as Zhou Heng and Cheng Jianjian could not help but feel moved by these cheers, silently acknowledging how important the Chaoyang Wine Ceremony was to the citizens of the Imperial City.

As for the young girl Zhu Zhenzhen, she turned beet red with praise, her eyes shining bright and eager, her tiny fists clenched tightly. In her heart, she resolved to achieve noteworthy results and not let down those who had high hopes for her.

However, not long after they embarked on the ceremonial avenue, a new wave of sounds emerged from behind them, some cheering, some even crying out in excitement.

These were another group of people who were coming to attend the Chaoyang Wine Ceremony with Zhou Heng.

Cui Guanlan was among them.

Aside from him, there were “Wrath of Buddha” Cheng Zhi, “Tri-Flower Youth” Chen An, and “Sword Lunatic” Fang Wen.

It was Zhou Heng’s first time seeing Fang Wen, who walked in a white garment holding a sword, his handsome yet pale face, and his slender, fragile figure resembling that of a woman.

These four, added to the three that included Zhou Heng, made up all those who the procession was meant to welcome.

The other three were reserved for the royal family’s own quota, already within the Imperial Palace and thus in no need of a reception.

These three were: the son of Prince Shou, Zhao Bian, the nephew of the Crown Princess Consort, Lin Xianyu, and last year’s champion of the martial examination, Ye Lingfeng.

“The son of Prince Shou.”

Zhou Heng’s thoughts flickered as he maintained a poker face. Suddenly, his eyebrows slightly raised as he sensed a subtle and strange aura.

This aura was both eerie and extremely secretive, passing through his perception for only a moment, even making him doubt whether he had merely imagined it.

“Could I have perceived it wrong?” Zhou Heng wondered with surprise. He had always been very confident in his perception, but the fleeting sensation just now left him uncertain.

“Even if there are evil creatures or spirits, they surely wouldn’t dare to act rashly here—after all, this is the Imperial City of Da Qi.

“Right, I should still stay vigilant, though.”

At the same time, he reminded Cheng Jianjian and Zhu Zhenzhen to stay on their guard. If anything untoward should happen, they were to prioritize staying alive and flee immediately.

Although they were puzzled as to why Zhou Heng would suddenly say this—could it be that Prince Shou really dared to make a move against them?—they knew now was not the time for detailed questions. Both trusted Zhou Heng and heightened their vigilance once more.

…

The Da Qi Imperial Palace was vast, and there were numerous palaces within it.

However, the most eye-catching of all was the Qianyang Palace, which one could see upon entering the central gate—majestic and magnificent, it was simply breathtaking.

This was the place where the sovereign of Da Qi usually held court and managed state affairs.

It also serves as the heart of the entire Imperial Palace.

The site chosen for the Sunrise Wine Banquet was in a palace known as the ‘Palace of Divine Light,’ adjacent to Qianyang Palace.

Although the palace was slightly smaller than Qianyang Palace, its brilliance and vitality surpassed it. Its location was just slightly inferior to that of Qianyang Palace, making it one of the most prestigious palaces.

Normally, the Palace of Divine Light was only used when the royal family held grand ceremonies or banquets.

This highlighted how much importance Da Qi placed on the Sunrise Wine Banquet.

Zhou Heng and the others, guided by the court’s external affairs manager, Cao Man, walked into the Palace of Divine Light and took their seats one by one.

By this time, people had already taken their places on the stage and some seats within the hall.

However, Zhou Heng did not recognize any of them.

Once everyone had arrived, and with introductions from the court’s external affairs manager Wei Chang, Zhou Heng finally learned who these individuals were.

The Sunrise Wine Banquet was presided over by the Crown Prince of Da Qi, Zhao Zhen, who is the legitimate eldest son of the Emperor of Da Qi and has been the heir apparent for three thousand years since the establishment of the dynasty.

The Crown Princess Consort sat beside Zhao Zhen; both wore solemn expressions and were in no mood for light-hearted talk.

Seated alongside Zhao Zhen, the Crown Prince, was the sixteenth Prince, Zhao Qin. In contrast to Zhao Zhen’s seriousness, he appeared much more casual, even his sitting posture seemed careless, and his eyes constantly swept over the attendees.

This represented the royal side hosting the banquet.

The seating below the stage was divided into two rows facing each other. One row was for the ten people from the Da Qi side, including Zhou Heng’s seat, while opposite them were six people from Southern Jin.

Although only three official delegates from Southern Jin participated in the Sunrise Wine Banquet, each of the powers they hailed from had sent personal guards to ensure their safety.

Thus, there were six people.

Southern Jin had its Dragon and Tiger List, with the top three places attending the Sunrise Wine Banquet.

Besides Zhou Yin, whom Zhou Heng had already met, there was Tianyizi from Taixu Viewpoint and Tang Kaiyun from the Southern Jin royal family.

Zhou Yin needed no further mention; he was a sacred reincarnation with many marvelous traits.

Tianyizi, on the other hand, was known as a naturally born Immortal, possessing the innate ability to manipulate the essence of heaven and earth and comprehending Taoist formulas without a teacher, making him a true prodigy.

Even though Tianyizi was only at the peak of Seventh Rank in terms of cultivation, the might with which he wielded the essence of heaven and earth was incredibly strong, nearly approaching the true Secret Six Rank.

Tang Kaiyun was the youngest son of the Emperor of Southern Jin, ranked thirty-sixth.

Compared to Zhou Yin and Tianyizi, he seemed quite “ordinary,” but his talents were said to shake the heavens and earth. He began martial training at the age of seven and reached the peak of Seventh Rank by eight.

However, instead of advancing, he spent the next ten years repeatedly building new pinnacles at the peak of Seventh Rank.

Even now, although Tang Kaiyun was still at the peak of Seventh Rank and had not made significant strides in the methods of channeling the essence of heaven and earth, the amount of Inner Qi within his body had grown to thousands and thousands of times that of an ordinary martial artist at the peak of Seventh Rank.

Hence, in combat, he needed not employ any tactics involving the manipulation of the essence of heaven and earth. His mere vast Inner Qi was enough to completely suppress other martial artists at the peak of Seventh Rank in all aspects.

None of these three were to be taken lightly.

It’s no wonder that Southern Jin dared to send only these three individuals to the Sunrise Wine Banquet this time. Their unique traits alone were reason for vigilance.

While Zhou Heng was sizing up Zhou Yin and the others, the three from Southern Jin were also scrutinizing them.

Especially Zhou Heng and Fang Wen.

Although Wei Chang had given only a brief introduction regarding Zhou Heng and the others just now, the latest edition of the Personage Rankings had just been released, where the descriptions of Zhou Heng and his peers were very clear.

Bang!

The sound of a bell signified that the Chaoyang Wine Event had officially begun.

Zhao Zhen stood up from the high platform, dressed in a brocaded robe with a jade belt, appearing to be a middle-aged man around forty years old, with a square face and divine-like eyes, exuding a majestic presence even without anger.

“Ladies and gentlemen, you are all elites of your time. Now gathered here, let there be fine wine to enhance the occasion.”

He possessed a dignified and commanding presence, and as soon as his voice trailed off, the empty space in the palace seemed to distort slightly. In front of everyone’s table, a white jade cup appeared out of thin air, filled with a fragrant, emerald-green wine.

“The name of the wine is Myriad Manifestations,” Wei Chang’s high-pitched voice declared. “This is the first trial of the Chaoyang Wine Event. Using this wine as a guide, internal sceneries and myriads of forms will manifest to distinguish the superior from the inferior.”

“Your eunuch’s speech is unclear,” Zhao Qin suddenly spoke up, straightening his posture slightly, and said to the crowd below: “These cups of Myriad Manifestations are not for drinking. Thirteen cups of Myriad Manifestations Wine create a special environment.

“Within this environment, even the immature inner sceneries can manifest clearly, demonstrate their principles, and be compared against each other to determine the superior and inferior, the strong and the weak.”

“Thank you, Your Highness, for explaining on behalf of this servant,” Wei Chang respectfully bowed and then smiled at the crowd. “It is as the Sixteenth Prince said. Do all the elites understand?”

“This is different from the past Chaoyang Wine Events,” Cheng Jianjian communicated to Zhou Heng through a voice transmission, saying, “Previously, there would first be wine tasting, followed by a performance, and only then would the competing phase begin.”

“Indeed, it’s somewhat strange,” Zhou Heng also frowned slightly. He had previously inquired about the process of past Chaoyang Wine Events from Yan Shouyi, and there had never been an occasion where the competition began directly.

Moreover, previous competitions had always started with a straightforward martial confrontation.

This time, however, they were to compete over the strength and prowess of their inner sceneries.

And before the wine event had begun, there had been no news about changes to the schedule, which was really odd.

It wasn’t just Zhou Heng and Cheng Jianjian who felt puzzled, the other people from Da Qi also wore expressions of confusion.

Clearly, none of them had anticipated such a change.

“Why suddenly change the procedure of the wine event?”

A young and handsome boy in green clothes who appeared to be only seven or eight years old asked. He was “Triple Blossom Child” Chen An, currently third in the Personage Rankings, and a true disciple of the Qing Emperor Palace.

“This was a request from the Southern Jin’s royal family, and this palace has agreed,” Zhao Zhen said indifferently. “Moreover, the rules of the Chaoyang Wine Event have been changed in the past, so there is no need for surprise.”

“You agreed?” Zhou Heng’s eyebrows rose sharply as he spoke in a heavy tone, “What if you agreed?”

The condescending tone in which the Da Qi Crown Prince spoke irked him, and the sudden change, which had already put him on high alert, now made him openly oppose it, presenting a good opportunity to extricate himself and leave.

Indeed, he had no intention of continuing to participate in the Chaoyang Wine Event.

“Hmm?” Zhao Zhen, hearing this, turned his calm and indifferent gaze toward Zhou Heng and said, “The Chaoyang Wine Event is under my supervision, and since I have agreed to the request of the Southern Jin royal family, I can naturally change the preceding rules.”

“Your Highness, we were invited to be here, not begged to come,” Cheng Jianjian too spoke up. She lightly shook her head and said, “Such an attitude makes it difficult for us to accept.”

She understood what Zhou Heng intended and planned to leave along with him.

For her, the oddity of this Chaoyang Wine Event lay not only in the change of rules but also in Zhao Zhen’s uncompromising attitude.

Why was this Crown Prince of Da Qi so brazen?

“Yes, you are too domineering!” Zhu Zhenzhen also shook her head repeatedly, the little girl expressing her genuine feelings and prepared to stand or fall with Zhou Heng and Cheng Jianjian.

“Since the rules have changed, why wasn’t there any communication with us teachers beforehand?” a burly monk who looked to be in his thirties or forties stood up and glared angrily at Zhao Zhen.

It was “Buddha’s Wrath” Cheng Zhi, a True Disciple of Infinite Temple, who was in fact only twenty-one years old.

Nearly everyone from the sect side stood up.

Yet Cui Guanlan of the Fengzhou Cui Clan remained seated with a proper posture, silent as if he had no objection to the changes in the rules of the Morning Sun Banquet.

This was the difference between the perspectives of the sects and the noble families.

When facing the sects, noble families have always been united with the royal family, never siding with the sects.

As for the three on the royal family’s side, there was no need to say more.

“Everyone seems so agitated, could it be that you are scared?” Just then, someone from Southern Jin suddenly spoke up. It was the true disciple of Taixu Viewpoint, known as the born Immortal, Tianyizi.

This Tianyizi appeared to be around twenty years old, exceptionally handsome, with feathered clothes and a starry crown, holding a dust whisk in his hand, embodying the essence of Immortal elegance. It was hard not to acknowledge his appealing presence.

“If you truly believe that you are no match for us, then simply concede defeat,” Tang Kaiyun said with a smile.

This prince of Southern Jin was a man in his twenties, ordinary-looking and a bit plump, with a rounded face and slender, squinting eyes.

“It would be good to have a match.” Fang Wen, who had been quietly sitting with his sword, suddenly spoke up.

“A match would indeed be good; I’ve always heard that Zhou Wen of Da Qi has the talent to establish his own path,” Tianyizi said with a smile: “I’ve been looking forward to seeing it firsthand.”

“” Zhou Yin fell silent, his brows furrowed, his thoughts racing, and his fists involuntarily clenched. He had a nagging feeling that something was amiss.

Could it be that Tianyizi and Tang Kaiyun had been aware of the changes to the Morning Sun Banquet’s rules all along?

For Tang Kaiyun from the royal family, it was understandable, since according to what Zhao Zhen said, the change in the rules was proposed by the royal family.

But why did Tianyizi from Taixu Viewpoint also know?

And his own side knew nothing?! Something wasn’t right!

At this moment, Zhou Heng had also noticed that there seemed to be something off about the Southern Jin side, and his sense of crisis immediately intensified.

So, without hesitation, he grabbed Cheng Jianjian and Zhu Zhenzhen and left his seat, heading for the doors of the Palace of Divine Light, intending to leave directly.

“Zhou Heng, where do you think you’re going?!” Zhao Qin suddenly shouted sharply, slamming the table, “Who allowed you to leave?”

“You’re not being straight with us; we have no intention of participating in this Morning Sun Banquet anymore, farewell,” Zhou Heng said without even turning his head, continuing to lead Cheng Jianjian and Zhu Zhenzhen forward.

Chen An and Cheng Zhi also followed closely, intending to leave.

Fang Wen also stood up with his sword.

At this point, the behavior of both the people from Southern Jin and the Zhao Family was too strange.

However, when Zhou Heng and his group reached the doors of the temple, mysterious and profound sealing talismans suddenly lit up on the temple doors.

The Palace of Divine Light had been sealed shut.

There was no way out!