White Emperor City buzzed with fervor, its streets teeming with cultivators. Prodigies from renowned factions emerged, their presence igniting whispers and awe.
The reason was simple: the famed Earth Battle Grand Assembly of the Yellow Sand Continent was about to commence.
"Look, that's Qi Ming from the Seventh-Grade Earth Weak Sect!" a voice exclaimed. "Only eighty years old, yet a Late Spirit Transformation powerhouse, ranked top forty on the Mysterious Yellow List. He's a star at Mysterious Yellow Academy!"
A dashing youth in brocade robes strode confidently, his earthy brown hair flowing, drawing countless gazes and murmurs.
"Indeed," another chimed in. "They say Qi Ming pines for our Little Princess Bai Lian Hua. She's rejected him repeatedly at the academy. He's here to prove himself at the assembly."
"Hmph, him? A toad lusting for a swan!" a man scoffed.
"Exactly! A Seventh-Grade prodigy's impressive, but nowhere near our princess," the city's residents agreed fervently.
To them, no man in the realm was worthy of Bai Lian Hua.
"Laugh now," Qi Ming thought, grinding his teeth at the gossip. "At the assembly, I'll crush every White Sand Empire genius and see who dares belittle me!"
Qi Ming was but one of many prodigies drawing attention. Another figure stood out—a woman with cropped hair, rugged features, and a muscular frame clad in beast furs, her tanned skin and masculine build rivaling any man's.
"That's Da Ling, eldest daughter of the Eighth-Grade Great Earth Tribe," someone identified.
"Is she really a woman?" another muttered, skeptical.
"Shh, courting death? Da Ling's a Peak Spirit Transformation powerhouse with a fiery temper," a companion hushed, covering the speaker's mouth.
Countless earth-attributed prodigies from the Yellow Sand Continent had converged on White Emperor City, the assembly's allure undeniable.
"These talents are formidable, but can they rival the two princes and General Black Bird?" the citizens mused.
To them, only Ninth-Grade faction members could challenge the White Sand Empire's elite. Yu Chen, Bai Lie, and Bai Yang, all on the Golden List, represented the empire's pride. They couldn't let outsiders steal the spotlight.
Amid the throng, Lan An, disguised as Wen Lang, strolled casually, hand in hand with Nangong Yuan. They headed toward a vast dune at the city's edge—the site of the Earth Battle Grand Assembly and the destination of most cultivators present.
With flight banned in White Emperor City, the crowd moved leisurely on foot. The assembly hadn't yet begun, so haste was unnecessary.
"Husband, earth isn't your strength. Are you confident?" Nangong Yuan asked, a trace of worry in her eyes. She wouldn't fret if this were a Fire or Lightning Battle.
Lan An squeezed her soft hand, smiling confidently. "I've prepared thoroughly. In same-realm combat, your husband fears no one."
Her eyes sparkled, anticipation growing. Clenching her fist playfully, she said, "I'll cheer you on with all my heart!"
"Haha, with my treasure's support, I'm invincible!" Lan An teased, chuckling.
Their flirtatious banter drew envious glares from single cultivators, their hearts aching. Recognizing Wen Lang as the madman who challenged Yu Chen, they warily kept their distance, clearing a ten-zhang radius.
Noticing the empty space around them, Lan An and Nangong Yuan laughed, continuing their leisurely pace.
But not all shared their patience. A haughty voice boomed, "Clear the way! Don't hinder this young lord!"
Hooves thundered as a youth galloped through the crowd on a warhorse, stirring chaos.
"It's Young Lord Bai Chun! Make way!" voices shouted, recognizing him.
The crowd parted, creating a narrow path.
Bai Chun, sole son of Lord Bai Zhi—the White Sand Emperor's only brother—was a figure of immense privilege. When the emperor rose to power, Bai Zhi's unwavering support earned him unmatched trust, his status second only to the emperor.
As Bai Zhi's son, Bai Chun's prestige was unparalleled.
Reveling in the crowd's deference, Bai Chun tilted his nose skyward, his Peak Spirit Transformation aura flaring as if to assert dominance. His gaze fell on a couple strolling hand in hand, laughing without regard for him.
Nangong Yuan's beauty struck him like lightning, his heart pounding with possessive desire.
Transformed by Lan An into a woman, nurtured by the Dragon Fairy Sacred Scripture and Beauty-Nourishing Pills, her allure had reached new heights—a peerless young mistress.
"When did White Emperor City harbor such a beauty? Why didn't I know?" Bai Chun mused, awestruck. Only his cousin, Bai Lian Hua, rivaled her.
Bah!
Urging his horse to charge at Lan An, he sought to provoke and claim this stunning woman.
"Make way for this young lord! Are you deaf?" he bellowed, not slowing.
Lan An turned, frowning. The path beside them was wide open—why charge them? Clearly, he sought trouble.
As the Fifth-Grade warhorse reared, hooves aimed at them, Lan An's eyes glinted.
All-Seeing Thousand Miles scanned the surroundings, confirming no powerhouse could detect his Soul Cultivator status. He smirked faintly.
Soul Burst Technique struck invisibly, targeting the horse's soul.
Neigh!
A piercing cry shook the sky. The Fifth-Grade warhorse convulsed, collapsing dead in a heap.
Charging at full speed, its sudden fall flung Bai Chun dozens of zhang, tumbling in disarray, hair and clothes a mess.
The crowd stifled laughter, puzzled by the horse's unexplained demise—no wounds, no trace.
Some prodigies sensed danger, glancing at the couple, only to find them gone.
"How eerie!" they murmured, chills running down their spines. A Fifth-Grade beast, equivalent to Spirit Transformation, matched most cultivators present. If someone could kill it silently, they could claim any life here.
Fear and caution spread.
"Damn you, what happened?" Bai Chun roared, humiliated, venting on the horse's corpse. Realizing it was dead, he kicked it aside, glaring where Lan An had vanished. "You wretched couple, just wait!"
The so-called dune was a miniature desert, teeming with spectators.
Lan An and Nangong Yuan arrived, blending into the sea of cultivators. His gaze settled on a grand pavilion atop the dune, where a celestial figure sat cross-legged, her delicate hand propping her chin, eyes gazing afar.
Bai Lian Hua.
Beside her, Crown Prince Bai Tian and Princes Bai Lie and Bai Yang sipped wine, ignoring the crowd below.
"There he is!" Bai Lian Hua sensed a gaze, spotting Wen Lang with a breathtaking woman.
Lan An waved, flashing a jade pendant to his lips before pocketing it.
Bai Lian Hua froze, her rosy lips parting. Wasn't that her Sound Transmission Jade? Why did he have it?
"You saved me again, Little Princess," his voice echoed in her memory. Her cheeks flushed.
"So Wen Lang is Lan An… that scoundrel, which is the real you?" she huffed, puffing her cheeks, adorable in her indignation.
Yet her eyes betrayed joy. She'd pestered her mother for news of Lan An, receiving only, "Rest easy, that troublemaker will return." Now, clarity dawned.
With a polite nod to Nangong Yuan, she acknowledged her.
Suddenly, Bai Lian Hua, previously indifferent to the assembly, grew eager to see Lan An shine.
Her actions didn't escape Bai Lie and Bai Yang. Seeing their beloved exchange glances with Wen Lang, murderous intent solidified in their eyes.
If possible, they'd tear him apart, flay his skin, and purge their jealousy.
"Is that the princess you mentioned? Truly angelic," Nangong Yuan said, smiling back at Bai Lian Hua, then teasing Lan An.
Her husband was every woman's bane, his charm inescapable.
"Ahem, Lian Hua saved me twice. I see her as a little sister," Lan An coughed, unsure how to address his bond with Hua Qing Zhu, her mother.
The matters with Yan Yue Qi and the Yan sisters were still under wraps.
"Just a little sister?" Nangong Yuan pouted, eyes skeptical.
Could the man who claimed the Yan Clan's mother and daughters spare this radiant pair?
Lan An, despite his thick skin, flushed under her knowing gaze. "Let nature take its course," he mumbled, unable to boast of conquering a mother-daughter pair with the White Sand Emperor still alive.
Nangong Yuan giggled at his rare embarrassment, pulling him to an empty boulder to sit.
The crowd swelled, the clamor unending.
Suddenly, the void above cracked, and two elderly figures emerged, their Body Unity Stage auras sweeping the space.
Silence fell. Body Unity cultivators were revered everywhere, commanding respect.
Lan An recognized the Third and Fourth Elders, smirking inwardly. Despite nearly dying at their hands, he bore no grudge. He'd infiltrated their territory; their pursuit was duty. No personal enmity existed—just opposing stances, enough in the cultivation world to kill.
Under countless gazes, the Third Elder spoke, his voice resounding. "Welcome, Yellow Sand heroes, to the White Sand Empire!"
"Greetings, Seniors!" the crowd roared, eyes ablaze with admiration. Body Unity was their dream.
The Fourth Elder nodded, silencing them, then declared solemnly, "The Earth Battle Grand Assembly begins!"