"Wu Hao! It's Wu Hao!" The crowd gasped, eyes wide with shock as the young man landed at their feet.

Wu Hao was stronger than Qian Kun, with quite the reputation in Cangyun City. Yet even he was effortlessly kicked out by Li Xiaoyao. This was the price for questioning him.

"Who is this guy? So arrogant," someone muttered.

The crowd exchanged glances, trying to figure out if anyone knew who this young man was. How had they never heard of such a talented person in Cangyun City before?

If they only knew that this brash young man was the so-called "waste" expelled from the Li family, their reactions would be very different.

Inside the hall, the remaining six were just as stunned by Li Xiaoyao's boldness. This guy really didn't hold back.

"Anyone else got a problem?" Li Xiaoyao turned to face them, his cold gaze sweeping the room. The chill in his eyes made everyone tense up, and no one dared to speak.

"Heh." Qiu Lan chuckled lightly, walking over to stand next to Li Xiaoyao. She glanced at the crowd gathered in the courtyard, her gaze finally settling on Qian Kun, who still hadn't left.

"Qian Kun, there's one spot left. It's yours," she said.

Qian Kun hesitated for a moment, then looked at Li Xiaoyao standing beside her before nodding. "Alright."

"Come with me," Qiu Lan said to Li Xiaoyao before turning to walk toward the back of the hall.

Without a word, Li Xiaoyao followed her. They arrived at a small courtyard behind the main hall, where a few elegant, quiet rooms were nestled. It was a peaceful, serene place—quite nice, really.

"So, is this how you plan to enter the tournament?" Qiu Lan asked as they stopped by a stone table.

Li Xiaoyao's lashes fluttered slightly as he looked at her, curious. "What do you mean?"

"If I'm not mistaken, you've recently broken through to the Lingwu Realm, haven't you?" she said with a knowing smile. "Sixteen and already in the Lingwu Realm. That's impressive. But don't tell me you think just entering the realm is enough to take on the Li family and the City Lord's mansion."

There was a glint of confidence in Qiu Lan's eyes as she continued, "You were a 'waste' of the Li family, yet here you are, surpassing many so-called geniuses, breaking through to the Lingwu Realm at sixteen. I'll admit, a lot of people underestimated you. But you should know better. There are quite a few people who want you dead."

Li Xiaoyao looked at her, surprised. This woman knew a lot more than he expected. It seemed Qiu Lan wasn't just a talented martial artist—there was far more to her than met the eye.

"Alright, based on what you said, what should I do?" Li Xiaoyao didn't push for more. Some things are better left unsaid, just kept in mind.

"Would you mind waiting a moment?" Qiu Lan asked with a playful smile, one that was quite unlike her usual demeanor. There was something surprisingly charming and almost flirtatious about it. To be honest, Qiu Lan was already beautiful, but the hint of shyness in her smile was a side of her few had ever seen—especially when paired with her usual fierce attire, the contrast was striking.

"I don't mind," Li Xiaoyao replied with a shake of his head.

Qiu Lan disappeared into one of the nearby rooms. She wasn't gone long before she returned, carrying something in her hands that caught the sunlight, casting a silver gleam.

"See if the size fits," she said, handing the object to Li Xiaoyao.

It was a silver-white mask, designed to cover everything but his eyes and half of his face.

Li Xiaoyao took the mask from her, placing it over his face. It fit perfectly, not too tight, not too loose.

With the mask on, there was an air of mystery about him. Dressed in white, an ancient sword strapped to his back, his clear and deep eyes the only part of his face visible—it was enough to make Qiu Lan momentarily lose herself in thought.

"After this battle, I bet half the women in Cangyun City will be smitten with you," Qiu Lan teased with a light laugh. It wasn't just an exaggeration. People are naturally drawn to mystery, and Li Xiaoyao was already handsome. Now, with the silver mask adding an extra layer of intrigue, paired with his growing strength, it was bound to cause a stir in the city.

"The Li family will probably never imagine that the very Li Xiaoyao they just cast out could steal Li Xin's spotlight in the upcoming tournament," Qiu Lan mused inwardly. Of course, she was certain that while Li Xin wouldn't be the star of this tournament, neither would Li Xiaoyao.

Early morning, and the streets of Cangyun City were buzzing with activity. People gathered early, all heading toward a particular place—the residence of the city's lord.

The Nalan family, rulers of Cangyun City, resided in a massive castle located in the northern part of the city. Towering and imposing, the fortress exuded power and dominance. Its gates, forged from solid iron, stood a staggering five meters tall, a truly awe-inspiring sight.

A wide avenue led directly to the castle, which was open to all today because it was the day of the annual Martial Tournament—a major event in Cangyun City. It was one of the city's biggest spectacles, a chance for people to witness the city's finest young talents and gauge their immense strength. It was also a rare opportunity to catch a glimpse of the important figures from the city's most powerful families.

Li Xiaoyao was among the crowd.

Wearing his silver mask, Li Xiaoyao walked with six others, following behind Qiu Lan. As they moved, the crowd parted to let them pass, whispering in awe. Many people looked on with envy. They knew that soon, these eight would be standing on the tournament stage, commanding attention and admiration. If any of them caught the eye of the city lord, their futures would be limitless. It was only a matter of time before they stepped into the powerful Lingwu Realm.

"A mere city lord's estate that rivals the palaces of emperors from my previous life," Li Xiaoyao thought to himself as he gazed at the imposing castle. On the Shenzhou Continent, human strength was incredible—many people could lift thousands of pounds effortlessly, so it wasn't surprising that the architecture here was grand on an unimaginable scale. By the standards of his past life, this would be nothing short of a miracle.

Inside the castle was an entirely different world. A massive training ground stretched out before them, large enough to easily hold a hundred thousand people. This was where the city lord usually trained his private army. But today, five battle stages had been set up in the middle of the arena, arranged in a square formation. Four stages occupied the corners, while the tallest, main stage stood at the center.

Surrounding the battle stages were grandstands, positioned at the northeast, northwest, southwest, and southeast points, each towering over the stages. These platforms were reserved for the prominent families of the city.

The east, west, and south stands were already packed with people—the Yan family, the Li family, and the Chen family had all taken their places. In front of each group, eight young disciples sat in neat rows, radiating an aura of confidence and power.

"Look over there—on the southern stand, that's the Li family," someone whispered, pointing. "Sitting in the center is Li Batian. It seems the rumors were true. Li Kai's been crippled and, along with his useless son, thrown out of the family."

Many eyes turned to the Li family section, and the air buzzed with murmurs. The rumors surrounding the Li family had caused quite a stir in Cangyun City, and today, they were confirmed for all to see.

"That's Li Xin—she's stunning! A bit cold, though. I heard she's already reached the Lingwu Realm. Sixteen and already at that level? Unreal. Man, if I could make her my woman, that'd be amazing."

"Shut your damn mouth up! Don't drag me into your delusions. If the Li family hears you talking like that, they'll cripple you for sure."

"Chill bro..Chill, I'm just kidding. Look over there—the people from the City Lord's Mansion are arriving. That's City Lord Nalan Kunbu and Princess Nalan Yanran. Yanran's beauty is easily on par with Li Xin's, and her strength is just as impressive. She's also in the Lingwu Realm. Looks like today's going to be interesting."

The crowd was buzzing with excitement. The members of the Nalan family had already taken their seats in the stands.

Nalan Kunbu was every bit as imposing as his name suggested—tall, broad-shouldered, and with a commanding presence that screamed power. One look, and it was obvious this man wasn't to be trifled with.

Surveying the crowd, Nalan Kunbu flashed a smile and said loudly, "I'm glad to see so many of you here at my Nalan estate today. But let me make one thing clear—this is the Cangyun City Martial Tournament. Anyone who tries to stir up trouble, don't expect me, Nalan Kunbu, to go easy on you."

Everyone nodded in agreement. This was the City Lord's estate, after all. Even if someone wanted to cause trouble, they'd need the guts to do it.

"Alright, enough with the chatter. I know none of you are here to see this old man. Let's get to the main event—our city's young talents. Let the battles begin!"

With that, Nalan Kunbu took his seat and nodded to the other family heads. Immediately, the young elites from the four major families stood and began making their way to the battle platforms.

At the same time, Qiu Lan, Li Xiaoyao, and the others also moved toward the stage.