Chapter 66

All the guests had arrived, and it was time for the banquet to begin. Qin Wuyou returned to his seat, raised his wine glass, and said loudly, "Today, I have taken on a new role in the Qin family. I am deeply honored that all of you esteemed guests have taken the time to grace this occasion amidst your busy schedules. I have just arrived in New Moon City and know very little about it. In the future, I will need all of you to generously impart your wisdom and provide assistance. I raise this glass to all of you!"

After speaking, Qin Wuyou lifted his wine glass and drank it in one go.

The guests also raised their glasses, and various blessings followed:

"Ha ha, Lord Qin is too polite. If there's anything we can do for the Azure Dragon Gang, please don't hesitate to ask."

"I've heard that Lord Qin comes from the Azure Wind Mansion in the Imperial City, truly a place of great allure! With Lord Qin taking on this new role, I believe the New Moon Mansion will surely flourish."

"Lord Qin's profound mystic power must have already reached the Fifth Level of the Earth Mystic Realm, truly admirable and humbling."

The atmosphere immediately became lively, and those who were trying to curry favor were naturally from the smaller sects and the city lord's faction. The seven major sects maintained a dignified demeanor, only occasionally offering polite words.

While the disciples of the seven major sects were constantly raising their glasses, their eyes were frequently scanning the seats of the New Moon Mansion's disciples, clearly selecting their opponents for the upcoming challenges. The disciples of the New Moon Mansion all had solemn expressions, but their aura was not weak. However, after the elders repeatedly assessed the average strength of the disciples from the seven major sects, they all sighed deeply in their hearts... Each sect had brought only a few disciples, but they were clearly carefully selected, each with astonishing talent, far surpassing the elites of the same age in the mansion. They had thought that the New Moon Mansion had narrowed the gap with the major sects over the years, but it seemed that this was just wishful thinking.

Although the New Moon Mansion had Blue Xue Ruo, she alone could not change the situation. It seemed that this time, they would have to repeat the same humiliation as five years ago. Sigh, there was no way around it; the foundation and resources of the mansion could not compare to the major sects that had been established for at least several hundred years.

"The atmosphere is quite delicate. It seems that this princess will have a good show to watch," Jasmine said.

"What do you think the outcome would be if the elite disciples of the New Moon Mansion were to spar with the seven major sects?" Yun Che asked tentatively.

"At the same age, the disciples of these seven sects are on average two to three levels higher than those of the New Moon Mansion. Do you need me to spell it out?" Jasmine said indifferently.

"…That exaggerated?" Yun Che frowned slightly. A half-level difference could still be fought, but an average one-level difference was almost hopeless. A two to three-level difference... If it were true, the New Moon Mansion would have no chance of avoiding the same humiliation. It seemed that this new mansion lord would also have to face a significant setback. It would be interesting to see how he handles it.

"Hmph, just talking about the Burning Heaven Sect and Xiao Sect, they are on average four to five levels higher!" Jasmine added.

"…I wonder how many levels you are above them?" Yun Che asked casually.

"Compared to them? Are you insulting me?" Jasmine's voice carried a hint of anger.

"Cough, cough, no such intention, just a casual question."

A thirteen-year-old super monster girl who could instantly kill a Dragon of King Mystic! What sect genius, what first among the young generation of New Moon, were nothing compared to her. Yun Che felt that comparing Jasmine to them was indeed an insult...

Qin Wuyou clearly had a good grasp of large-scale situations. After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere of the banquet was already lively, with laughter and joy everywhere. Although Yun Che did not drink, he enjoyed the food and drinks thoroughly. The only thing that made the atmosphere increasingly tense was the prolonged eye contact between the disciples of the mansion and the sects. It only needed a small spark to ignite the situation.

At this moment, the chief elder of the Mystic Heart Sect, Xuan Ao, stood up with his wine glass and said loudly, "This glass of wine, I, on behalf of the Mystic Heart Sect, wish Lord Qin success in leading the New Moon Mansion to fame and glory." After finishing, Xuan Ao drank the wine in one go, turned the glass upside down, and continued, "However, with so many esteemed guests present, it still feels lacking, not lively enough. Lord Qin has just taken on this new role and may not yet fully understand the New Moon Mansion. I have a suggestion: why don't the disciples of our few sects and the disciples of the same age from the mansion engage in some friendly spars? It will not only liven up the atmosphere but also deepen our bonds and help Lord Qin understand the strength of the mansion's disciples. Isn't this a win-win situation?"

"Good! Elder Xuan's suggestion is excellent!"

"Truly a win-win situation!"

"Great idea! What are we waiting for? Let's start now. I'm sure Lord Qin won't refuse."

As soon as Xuan Ao finished speaking, the seven major sects all cheered in response. The elders of the New Moon Mansion sighed... What was to come would inevitably come. The New Moon Mansion changed its mansion lord every five years, and each new mansion lord would face a significant setback from the major sects, almost a rule.

With the seven major sects all responding, the disciples were already standing up, ready to go. Qin Wuyou could not refuse. However, he remained calm, stood up, and nodded with a smile, "Elder Xuan's suggestion is good. How should we conduct the spars?"

"Simple!" Xuan Ao laughed, "The young ones are different from us. They are all at the beginning stage, so one year of age is a world apart. When sparring, they should be of similar age to ensure fairness. Of course, younger ones can challenge older ones, which would be even more glorious, ha ha ha ha."

Xuan Ao's last sentence and his laugh clearly meant that even their younger ones could defeat the older ones of the New Moon Mansion.

"Since I proposed it, let's start with the Mystic Heart Sect... Xuan Yu, you go! Remember to state your age."

"Yes, Elder!"

The young man from the Mystic Heart Sect, who looked to be about sixteen or seventeen, was the youngest of the disciples they brought. He was slender and wore a tight-fitting outfit. He took a deep breath, leaped high from his seat, and landed in the center of the hall. He crossed his hands behind his back and scanned the seats of the New Moon Mansion's disciples with a challenging gaze, "I am Xuan Yu, an unworthy disciple of the Mystic Heart Sect, sixteen years old. Who from your mansion will come to guide me?"

As soon as Xuan Yu stepped onto the stage, the elders of the New Moon Mansion were all silent... Xuan Yu was indeed sixteen, but he was already at the Second Level of the Mystic Realm! The elders knew their own situation well; among the sixteen-year-olds in the New Moon Mansion, the highest mystic power was only at the First Level of the Mystic Realm. Moreover, these sect disciples had sect mystic arts, and in a match of the same level, the mansion disciples had almost no chance of winning, let alone being one level lower.

What was even more unacceptable was that Xuan Yu was only considered average among the disciples brought by the seven sects, far from being the best.

Xuan Yu stood there for a while, but the New Moon Mansion remained silent. The smile on his face had clearly turned into a sneer, and the seven major sects all showed contempt. If the silence continued, the New Moon Mansion would already be thoroughly embarrassed before the "sparring" even began. Sikong Han waved his hand backward, "Li Hao, you go!"

"Yes!"

The disciple named Li Hao leaped out from the disciples' seats and stood in front of Xuan Yu, saying solemnly, "Li Hao from the first class of the New Moon Mansion, please guide me!"

"Heh heh, no need to say, I will guide you well," Xuan Yu laughed, his voice clearly mocking. Facing the New Moon Mansion, which had always been overshadowed by them, the disciples of the seven major sects always had a sense of superiority. Conversely, the disciples of the New Moon Mansion could still show off in front of the medium-sized sects, but in front of the seven major sects, they always felt inferior.

"Hmph!" Li Hao was enraged by Xuan Yu's contemptuous gaze, roared, and condensed his mystic power in his right arm, throwing a punch that brought a sharp wind sound toward Xuan Yu's face.

"Heh heh, is that all?"

Xuan Yu sneered in his heart, raised his right hand, and a layer of light purple glow suddenly appeared on his palm.

"It's the Mystic Heart Sect's sect mystic art—Purple Sun Art!" a New Moon Mansion elder shouted.

The gap between the New Moon Mansion and the seven major sects was not only in mystic power levels but also in mystic arts! The major sects, with their centuries or even millennia of heritage, had mature mystic arts, which were generally kept secret within the sect or clan and never taught to outsiders. The New Moon Mansion would have to create its own mystic arts to teach its disciples. Moreover, in terms of mystic techniques, the New Moon Mansion mainly used basic low-level techniques, far inferior to the seven major sects.

The purple aura on Xuan Yu's palm boiled like boiling water. He transformed his palm into a fist and directly met Li Hao's punch... It was a simple punch, without any mystic technique.

The two fists collided, and a purple light burst at the point of impact. With a "crack," Li Hao's fist dislocated, his face showing pain, and his upper body leaned backward. Xuan Yu sneered, and his left fist swung out, also covered with purple light, smashing into Li Hao's abdomen. This time, it was not just a simple punch but a powerful mystic technique of the Mystic Heart Sect...

"Purple Cloud Palm!"

"Bang!" The fist covered with purple light heavily struck Li Hao's abdomen, deeply embedding itself. Li Hao's face turned pale, and he was thrown backward, flipping several times in the air before landing heavily on the ground. His chest and abdomen churned with blood, and he finally spat out a stream of blood, clutching his stomach and convulsing on the ground, unable to stand up.

"Li Hao!"

"Junior Brother Li!"

Two New Moon Mansion disciples quickly rushed out to help the defeated Li Hao. The disciples of the New Moon Mansion were all filled with fear. Li Hao and Xuan Yu were of similar age, with only a one-level difference in mystic power. They thought that even if Li Hao couldn't win, he could at least hold out for a long time. But unexpectedly, Li Hao was utterly defeated in just two exchanges.

They had heard that five years ago, the disciples of the seven major sects had defeated their senior brothers and sisters ten times in a row, in a very tragic manner. They were still不服 (unconvinced), but after this first "spar," they were filled with dread.

"Thank you for the opportunity." Xuan Yu smiled, not having exerted much effort in the battle. He did not leave the stage but stood there, looking at the New Moon Mansion disciples, "Is there anyone else from the New Moon Mansion who would like to challenge me?"

"Ha, this kid seems to be addicted to showing off," a disciple from