The two simple words weighed heavily on everyone’s heart. All eyes turned to the other four youth sovereigns hovering in midair; they were the only ones who could challenge Lu Yun now.

The world had fallen silent. All eyes were now on the youth in high spirits at the center of the Spiritrial Arena. Full of pride, Qing Han looked straight at Lu Yun and was met in turn with a bright smile. The imperial envoy quickly looked away, face flushed.

Weird, why is he blushing? A strange feeling rose from Lu Yun’s heart. For a quick second there, there’d been something familiar about Qing Han, but the inklings of a thought scattered as four sources of powerful battle intent locked on him.

Wu Tulong, Dongfang Hao, Zi Chen, and Mo Qitian fixed bright looks on Lu Yun, eyes blazing with the desire to fight the governor then and there.

The four of them had fought each other countless times, and knew each other like the back of their hands. Having Lu Yun join their ranks had reignited their desire to fight. This motivation differed from their earlier admiration; they now considered the young governor a true rival at their level!

“He’s a handpicked youth sovereign by a celestial emperor, alright! Defeating a peerless immortal on his own! He’s bound to become a dao immortal in the future!” Normalcy didn’t return to the crowd for a long while.

“The Five Youth Sovereigns?” a mocking voice rang out. “You immortals of the nine majors really have no shame.”

A young man with green hair descended upon the gathering on a green cloud. “I have no interest in the so-called heritage of the ancient lord… Given enough time, I will surpass the ancients.”

His hair, eyebrows, and lips were all green, and there was a strangely fey aura about him as he continued, “I’m not here for that mess of a heritage, but to take down the Five Youth Sovereigns!” He manifested a spear as he spoke, the tip of which shimmered in green as it swept over Lu Yun and the other four youths.

Swoosh!

“Lü Guhong of Mist Land!” someone called out. “The one who slew an august immortal as a peak transformed spirit cultivator!”

A cultivator killing an immortal! And not a true or empyrean immortal, but an august one!

August immortals were leagues above the lower realm immortals, having refined their power and spirit to the fullest. Cultivators were nothing more than insects in their eyes, ants to be crushed in great numbers with a flip of their hands.

Lü Guhong, however, had killed an august immortal, and a powerful one at that!

His name further stoked the battle intent in the four youths’ eyes. They, too, had slain immortals before, but never an august immortal.

Let’s fight.

“Lü Guhong of Mist...” Lu Yun considered the green-haired young man, cocking an eyebrow. “A monster spirit from Mist Land, one of the ten lands?”

……

There were nine majors, ten lands, and four immortal seas in the world of immortals. The nine majors were home to humans, the ten lands to monster spirits, and the four seas to the dragons. Each of the dry territories were connected by the North, South, East, and West Seas, forming the geography of the entire world of immortals.

Mist was one of the ten lands.

Lü Guhong was the best genius of his land over the past ten thousand years. Even the monster spirit emperor of Mist was cultivating him as the next emperor.

Such a proud being didn’t care for any heritage. He trusted only himself and believed he could forge a path to supremacy, exceeding all those who came before him.

News about the heritage had reached Mist fifteen days ago, and the land had sent representatives to fight for it. Being dismissive of the heritage, Guhong hadn’t come with the delegation.

Then news spread of a human celestial emperor bestowing the title of the Five Youth Sovereigns. That naturally reached his ears, which was why he was here now.

……

“Problem?” Lu Yun stood atop the Spiritrial Arena. “Then fight.”

Lü Guhong shook his head slightly. “Get off the arena, then we’ll fight.” Contempt filtered into his gaze. “Those who reign sovereign should indomitably push themselves forward and rise above all others. There’s nothing to be had in huddling in a greenhouse, under the protection of the rules.”

“Hahaha!” Lu Yun laughed heartily at the words and leapt out of the arena. “That’s just as well. I will kill you outside the arena and have you die with no regrets!”

The governor retaliated in kind and gave as good as he got.

Lü Guhong was a peak transformed spirit cultivator, much more powerful than Lu Yun’s initial nascent spirit cultivation. In the challenger’s eyes, however, there was no difference between insects and dragons.

“Hold!” Mo Qitian stepped forward. “Senior brother Lu has fought a few battles already. He must be tired. Allow me to face the top genius of Mist at this time.”

“This is my turf and I am the reason for this fight.” Lu Yun shook his head. “I have yet to be defeated, which means I’m still the champion of this arena. I should be the one to accept this challenge.”

“Do whatever any of you wish to.” Contempt colored Lü Guhong’s face. “All five of you can attack me at the same time, for all I care.”

Wu Tulong and the others didn’t even raise an eyebrow at his provocation.

“Then we leave it in your capable hands, senior brother.” Dongfang Hao moved back and stopped Mo Qitian from speaking. With a smile, he said, “Don’t lose face for the human race in front of monster spirits.”

After a pause, Mo Qitian inclined his head.

“You’ve just undergone a big fight,” Guhong proclaimed. “I can give you an hour to recover your stamina.”

“No need.” Lu Yun shook his head and smoothed his clothes. “I was just testing my technique on a piece of trash. That didn’t take that much of a toll on me.”

In the arms of his sect, Zhao Tiefeng had just recovered consciousness with the aid of a pill. Lu Yun’s words made his eyes roll back into his head, fainting again from anger.

“This place is too small. Fight me in the sky!” Purple light rose from Lu Yun’s body and he vanished into thin air.

Immortals and cultivators alike hurriedly took flight to keep an eye on the proceedings.

“Oh?” Lu Yun soared three thousand meters into the sky, only to find his opponent already waiting for him.

“You’re too slow.” Guhong shook his head slightly at the governor’s slow arrival. “I’ll kill you in three moves.”

Before Lu Yun could respond, the monster spirit raised his spear and attacked, moving so quickly that he became a blur of green light.

So fast! Lu Yun’s pupils contracted as purple radiance flashed before him, blocking the ferocious strike just in the nick of time. Before he could sigh in relief, another flash of green light pierced toward him from an angle where his opponent shouldn’t be.

Clink!

Violet sword energy once again blocked the attack.

Lü Guhong reappeared before Lu Yun, his eyes tinged with surprise.

He wants to kill me through speed? Lu Yun laughed inwardly. Aoxue is ten times faster than this punk! He’d undergone years of grueling boot camps with the dragon princess in hell. Lü Guhong wasn’t going to defeat him like this.

“You have one more move.” Lu Yun beamed merrily. “If you fail to kill me, I’m going to start fighting back.”