“Ah?”
Gong Shuo Hong was startled, then immediately gave an awkward smile, “Right, right, right, look at my brain.”
As she spoke, she stood up from the sofa and respectfully bowed to Li Hai:
“Please, Young Military Supervisor, forgive my bluntness.”
“Heh heh heh, no need to be so formal.”
Li Hai casually took the tea handed to him by a waiter and smiled, “We’re just chatting privately, and it will be some time before I officially establish my manor.”
As soon as he spoke, Gai Fu immediately praised:
“Young Military Supervisor, you are truly easygoing. Indeed, a sincere person like Young Military Supervisor always disregards these formalities, but—”
After saying this, he immediately changed the subject: “However, Young Military Supervisor, you might not know that many, many people in this world are not as naturally inclined as you.
If you don't talk about hierarchy with these people, then they will become presumptuous and think they are your equals.
Therefore, your subordinate believes that you should not be too friendly with those below you; maintaining a certain distance might be better.”
After hearing these words, Li Hai became thoughtful.
He felt there was indeed some truth to it.
Then Gai Fu spoke again:
“Of course, your subordinate is just chatting. You don’t have to take your subordinate’s words too seriously. Just chatting, purely chatting, hahaha.”
Just then, rumbling sounds came from the sky above the courtyard, as if something had appeared there.
Li Hai looked up and saw that what had appeared in the sky was Old Lady Feng's Bì Luò Tian Zhou (Azurefall Sky Ark).
“Oh, the Old Military Supervisor has arrived.”
He said to Gai Fu and Gong Shuo Hong, “Let’s go, I’ll take you up.”
The two looked at each other and immediately responded respectfully, “Then we’ll trouble Young Military Supervisor.”
“It’s nothing.”
Li Hai smiled faintly, then, with a burst of Qi from a distance, enveloped Gong Shuo Hong and Gai Fu. He then soared into the air, his figure flashing, instantly crossing several thousand zhang to reach the Sky Ark.
And when all three had entered, the Bì Luò Tian Zhou (Azurefall Sky Ark) trembled slightly and instantly sped towards the distant western horizon.
At the westernmost part of the Great Jing Dynasty, in the center of a vast, ten-thousand-mile Gobi Desert, a colossal arena, built purely from dark green stone blocks, rose from the ground.
This arena was square, with sides measuring three hundred zhang and a height of three zhang and three chi. The surface of the platform was extremely flat with no irregularities, as if it had been formed naturally.
Around this arena, at regular intervals, thick bronze pillars were embedded. The surfaces of the pillars were carved with ancient patterns, and their tops were adorned with fierce beast heads.
Each of these bronze pillars was connected by dark iron chains, and the chains were strung with countless yellow Talismanic Incantations, rustling in the strong winds of the Gobi Desert.
At the same time, to the east, west, south, and north of this arena, four ancient viewing stands, also constructed purely from dark green stone, were situated.
On these four viewing stands, there were dozens of rows of widely spaced long seats, enough to accommodate over a thousand spectators.
Finally, in the azure sky approximately three hundred zhang above the arena and viewing stands, a perfectly circular anti-gravity mechanical platform, about a zhang in diameter, quietly floated.
On this platform, a tall, slender, shimmering silver robot stood silently.
This robot, with its head bowed, clearly not yet activated, held a golden, shining microphone in its hand.
Evidently, it was the host of this Tianjiao Ranking Competition.
At this moment, if one were to start from this mechanical host and continuously pan the view in all directions, extending to hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of miles away, one would clearly see various flying vehicles, large and small, of all shapes, swiftly cutting through the sky, rushing directly towards the arena.
And within one such flying vehicle, which was shaped like a sharp triangle, Oriental Smile, the peerless Martial Dao genius meticulously cultivated for many years by the Special Operations Division, slowly awakened from his deepest Cultivation state.
He had a slender build and a face like jade. As he slowly opened his eyes, a spiritual light shimmered within them, like brilliant stars in the night sky, shining so brightly that the heart of the beautiful woman who had been quietly waiting by his side for a long time began to pound wildly.
The woman suppressed her pounding heart and took a few shallow breaths, then, with a flushed face, quickly walked to Oriental Smile and softly asked:
“Senior Brother, how—how are you? Is your Realm stable?”
“I’m very well, extremely well.”
Oriental Smile looked at the woman, revealing a perfect smile, and gently said, “Ke Qing, thank you for your concern.”
This smile made Ke Qing flustered and she stammered, “No, no, I just hope Senior Brother can maintain your best state, and then—and then win.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll definitely win.”
Oriental Smile said with a confident smile, “I have completely stabilized this initial stage of the Grandmaster Realm. This time’s Tianjiao Ranking victor—I’ve got it locked down.”
“Very good! Very spirited!”
A voice full of praise came.
Tap~ Tap~ Tap~
With a series of light footsteps, a tall, robust old man with a grizzled beard approached with his hands behind his back.
After walking in front of the two, he looked at the tall and elegant Oriental Smile, and said with pride and emotion:
“Oriental, Old Man truly didn’t expect that you could Breakthrough and advance to the initial Grandmaster Realm at merely forty-nine years of age.
And the timing of your Breakthrough was perfectly just before the Tianjiao Ranking began. Tsk, tsk, this truly is—Heaven helping my Special Operations Division.”
“Heh heh heh.”
Oriental Smile chuckled softly, “The reason Oriental could advance to the Martial Dao Grandmaster Realm at such a young age is also due to your excellent guidance, Master.”
“No.”
The old man shook his head, “Old Man is not one to claim credit. Your achievements today are entirely due to your own astonishing talent and diligent Cultivation.”
“Master, I want to ask—”
Ke Qing couldn't help but ask from the side, “Senior Brother should—definitely win the Tianjiao Ranking this time, right?”
“Hmm~” The old man raised his head and pondered for a moment, then nodded, “Old Man thinks it’s almost certainly so.”
Upon hearing this, Ke Qing immediately jumped up in surprise: “Yay! That’s great, that’s great! Senior Brother will definitely win!”
“Heh heh heh heh heh heh~”
Watching her lively movements, Oriental Smile and the old man couldn't help but laugh.
Thus, for a time, this triangular flying vehicle was filled with a joyful atmosphere.
And in another part of the sky, a thousand miles away from this flying vehicle, a square, dark flying ship resembling an iron coffin, was also filled with a similar atmosphere.
“Beihong.”
A gaunt, middle-aged man in armor and helmet looked at a handsome young man with long hair and a long robe, like an Immortal from a painting.
He asked in a deep voice, “You, you really succeeded in creating the technique—and advanced to the initial Grandmaster Realm?!”
“Yes.”
This extraordinary young man—Zheng Beihong—smiled gracefully:
“Beihong has finally achieved the Fusion of twelve Thousand Army Grade palm techniques, creating a true Grandmaster Grade palm technique.
Beihong has named this technique—Jade Cauldron Soaring Great Palm Seal.”