"Who would've thought that this time, both the Junwu Sect and the Royal Family would send their most outstanding young members to participate in the Palace Contest? Looking at this situation, if it weren't for the fact that the Young Sect Master of Junwu Sect had already participated in the last Palace Contest, he might not have been able to resist showing up this time?"

On the other side of the sky, Liu Ba tilted his head and gazed at several figures in the horizon, remarking with a hint of admiration.

"What's so surprising about that? The rewards for this Palace Contest are completely different from the past. It's not surprising at all that both the Junwu Sect and the Royal Family are tempted. But speaking of which, don't tell me you're not tempted?" Standing behind Liu Ba, Liu Yi playfully shook the folding fan in his hand and said with a half-smile.

"Who says I'm not interested? If I wasn't interested in those prizes, why would I bother participating in this tiring Palace Contest? Dare you say you're not?" Liu Ba replied with a smirk.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yi was silent for a moment before replying, "Although I am tempted, I still have some self-awareness. Not to mention the Junwu Sect and the Royal Family, even including our Yunshui's Five Families, every major and minor faction in the Da'an Dynasty has sent their best. Even though the eventual winner might not necessarily be from the Junwu Sect or the Royal Family, it certainly won't be me, Liu Yi."

"The only good thing about you is your self-awareness. However, in the path of martial arts, if you don't progress, you regress. Sometimes, even if you know the odds are slim, you have to give it a try!" Liu Ba retorted, "Speaking of which, in your opinion, aside from the Junwu Sect and the Royal Family, will there be any dark horses in this Palace Contest?"

Liu Yi pondered for a moment and then replied, "I've heard that this time, the Wild Wolf Palace from the Western Regions has sent out their top disciple. Their arch-rivals, the Wanjian Faction, have also sent out no ordinary members. Apart from them, there's a rumored Leng Family from the North that might send out a top expert. And there's also the Ghost Faction. However, although these figures are formidable, I haven't paid them much attention. After all, they regularly participate in the Palace Contest and we know their backgrounds. But there's one person whose background we don't know."

"Who?" Liu Ba asked with a slight frown.

"Ye Fei!" Although Liu Yi said the name lightly, his body slightly shuddered, "Both his skills and temperament are top-notch. For example, after obtaining the item that Long Aotian was determined to get, he boldly used the Yan Sect Pill to set up a massive formation, sealing off his location. This made the members of the Yunshui Long Family unable to lay a finger on him. Moreover, Long Potian, though not as famous as Long Aotian, is still a formidable figure. Yet, he couldn't even withstand a single move from Ye Fei. Without mentioning anything else, just these two points make it clear how challenging it is to deal with him. Furthermore, I heard that both the Yunshui Du Family and Yunshui Yun Family have tried to woo him, but he showed no interest in joining any family. In my opinion, he has big ambitions, and the top position in this Palace Contest might be what he's after!"

"Could it be that he knows what the reward for this Palace Contest is?" Liu Ba was slightly taken aback, "If he's really here for that reward, then this Palace Contest is bound to be incredibly exciting."

"I'm not sure about that," Liu Yi said, shaking his head slightly. He quickly scanned the surroundings and said in surprise, "But it's strange that he hasn't shown up yet. Given his recent behavior, if he had appeared, he wouldn't have been so low-key. If he misses this significant event, he'll probably regret it so much he'd want to bang his head against a wall!"

Liu Ba casually remarked, "Didn't he acquire a scroll of Elixir's Skill at the auction house last time? Maybe he's been in closed-door cultivation these days, focused on that Elixir's Skill. If he isn't here, he probably hasn't finished cultivating it."

"If Elixir's Skill were that easy to cultivate, then alchemists wouldn't be so valuable or so powerful. It's good if he doesn't come. If he did, I'd fear that the rest of us would merely serve as his stepping stones," Liu Yi said, shaking his head with a wry smile.

"Who knows? But it's better if he comes. Honestly, our chances aren't great this time. But if Long Aotian gets the top spot, it might not bode well for us. Now that I think about it, it's actually good if Ye Fei decides to join. At least, if he achieves the top spot, it won't affect our Liu Family," Liu Ba stated.

"Have no effect at all?" Liu Yi pondered for a moment, offering a wry smile. He didn't continue with the topic, and once again, his gaze settled on the horizon.

...

Elsewhere in the sky, a group dressed in white robes stood staggered in the air. The leader of the group, a young man about the same age as Long Aotian, donned a white robe distinct from the others. His robe was embroidered with dense blood-red clouds. His face, though not particularly handsome, carried an air of subdued murderous intent.

Anyone in the imperial capital with some knowledge would recognize this young man. He was the rumored prodigy of the Yunshui Yun Family, the only one said to rival Long Aotian in talent - Yun Pojiang!

Beside Yun Pojiang stood the famously beautiful figure from the Yunshui Yun Family, Yun Yuqing.

At that moment, Yun Pojiang's gaze wasn't directed towards the Yunshui Long Family. He merely glanced in the direction of the imperial family and Junwu Sect. A moment later, he snorted coldly, remarking, "I didn't expect Huangpu Zhuo and Liu Hong to also attend. I initially thought the biggest challenges would only be Long Aotian and Lv Yu. It seems these two have also decided to join the fray."

"Big brother, are you scared?" Yun Yuqing, standing beside Yun Pojiang, asked with a gentle smile.

Yun Pojiang's expression remained unchanged as he lightly grinned, "It's not a matter of fear. Our strengths are on par. If we truly go head-to-head, it's hard to say who would come out on top. But, even if I can't guarantee a victory, losing won't be easy for them."

Yun Yuqing sighed softly, murmuring a moment later, "In recent years, our Yun Family has declined. If we hadn't failed to gather enough Yan Sect Pills for you to break through to the Martial Master Realm, wouldn't this Palace Contest already be in our pocket?"

"It doesn't matter," Yun Pojiang replied with indifference, "I'm well-aware of my own circumstances. To break through to the Martial Master Realm, one needs the right opportunity, not something you can just throw Yan Sect Pills at. Even though I failed, I certainly won't be worse off than those who don't even dare to attempt the breakthrough, right?"

Upon saying that, Yun Pojiang's gaze landed on Long Aotian for the first time. At that moment, Long Aotian, as if sensing his gaze, responded with a faint smile.

After a moment of hesitation, Yun Yuqing whispered, "Based on the information we received, it seems that during Long Aotian's last expedition to the Millennium Ice Enclosure, although he failed to secure the Ice Lotus Pill, he reaped many benefits. So big brother, we shouldn't underestimate him."

"Is that so?" Yun Pojiang replied with a light smile, "I've also heard about that. But now, wasting time on mere words here doesn't make much sense. We'll only truly see who's better in the Palace Contest."

"Yes," Yun Yuqing nodded slightly before softly adding, "Big brother, this time, I'll accompany you inside."

"There's no need," Yun Pojiang calmly responded, "In such a place, I can't guarantee your safety. Just stay outside and wait. Or are you saying you lack confidence in me?"

"No, it's not that."

"That's good to hear. By the way, I heard that you failed to win over Alchemist Ye Fei?" Yun Pojiang abruptly shifted the topic.

"Yes." A fleeting emotion passed through Yun Yuqing's eyes, and she nodded in acknowledgment.

"Well, individuals with such pride and high aspirations are naturally hard to win over. Moreover, his aim might primarily be the Palace Contest. However, if he fails, try to approach him once more. An alchemist capable of crafting the Pozong Pill is invaluable to us," Yun Pojiang remarked lightly.

"But what if he clinches the top spot?" Yun Yuqing hesitated before posing the question.

"The top spot?" Yun Pojiang blinked in surprise, then let out a hearty laugh, "Interesting! It seems that man indeed has lofty ambitions! Initially, I thought only a handful of participants could pique my interest in this contest. But this Ye Fei seems to be the dark horse!"

"Elder brother!" Crazy Blade Lv Yu stood in the sky, addressing the calm-faced man ahead of him, "Senior Brother!"

The man appeared to be in his mid-twenties, dressed in a black robe, with a faint, almost mocking smile on his face. However, what was most striking was the long spear, even larger than himself, strapped to his back! Those with keen eyes would recognize this spear. It was the man's renowned spiritual treasure— the Overlord Spear! His title was derived from this very weapon, indicating its formidable nature.

"You've arrived," remarked Liu Hong upon hearing Lv Yu's voice.

"Elder Brother, you should remember what the Sect Master instructed us about this descent from the mountain, right?" Lv Yu inquired nonchalantly.

Upon hearing that, a hint of irritation seemed to flash in Liu Hong's eyes. Moments later, he replied, "Of course I remember. On this mission, we're all acting to ensure the safety of our junior brother. If our Master wants to protect him and ensure he secures the top spot, then anyone who poses a threat to him should be eliminated."

"I'm afraid it might not be that simple," Lv Yu chuckled, his gaze sweeping across their surroundings before adding, "Members of the imperial lineage can be killed, and indeed should be. However, Huangpu Zhuo is not someone to be taken lightly. If needed, we brothers might have to join forces against him. Additionally, Yun Pojiang from the Yunshui Yun Family has recently failed to break into the Martial Master Realm. Yet, even so, he remains a formidable opponent. Plus, there are various other significant figures. In essence, none of them are easy to deal with. However, we shouldn't be overly concerned with them for now. Our main focus should be on someone named Ye Fei."

"Ye Fei. Is he the one who gave both you and our junior brother a hard time?" Liu Hong's eyes narrowed slightly, pondering for a moment before continuing, "That individual does sound interesting. An alchemist capable of crafting the Pozong Pill, if we could capture and bring him back to our Junwu Sect as a slave, it would be an excellent choice. But, we haven't seen any sign of him yet. Do you think he might not attend at all?"

"No! He will definitely come!" Lv Yu chuckled, his gaze seemingly directed towards a specific place, "Such a rare event that comes once in a decade; any rational person wouldn't miss it. Given his skills and self-confidence, he certainly won't miss such an opportunity. All we need to do is wait."

"He will definitely show up!"