Hun Tiandi gave a faint smile and said casually,"Brother Gu, you're too kind. They may be performing well now, but who can truly predict the future?"
However, his tone alone was enough to show that he was clearly speaking one thing while thinking another.
Gu Yuan smiled lightly without saying more. He looked down at the martial stage and thought to himself:"The foundation of the younger generation in the Hun Clan is truly terrifying. My Gu Clan is inferior in this regard."
"Within less than a century, these people will become the backbone of the Hun Clan."
Seeing Gu Yuan remain silent, Hun Tiandi didn't press the conversation either. He gazed down at the platform and murmured,"The real show is about to begin."
Hun Dun called out,"Hun Yu!"
Whoosh!
A gust of wind split the air, audible to everyone on the plaza. A streak of light shot from the distance and landed directly on the stage.
Hun Yu appeared in a white robe, holding a folding fan. He looked every bit the graceful gentleman, a slight smile lingering at the corners of his lips.
Compared to a few days ago, he seemed far more confident now.
His appearance instantly triggered a wave of cheers across the square, mostly from the young women of the Hun Clan.
Nearby male cultivators couldn't help but shake their heads in dismay upon hearing the shrieks.
"It's just Hun Yu arriving. Is that really something to scream about?"
Hun Yu entered the stage.
Next, Hun Dun called,"Hun Huan'er!"
"Ahhh!""Goddess!"
As soon as her name was heard, the male cultivators erupted in excitement—louder than the screams that had come before.
"Hmph... men."
Amid the exclamations, Hun Huan'er descended from the sky like a celestial being, landing gracefully on the platform—elegant and aloof, untouched by the mundane world.
"Hun Xiu."
The moment this name was called, the entire crowd went silent.
Everyone began looking around—left, right, up—trying to find Hun Xiu.How would he appear? Hovering mid-air? Walking through the air? Riding a horse formed of Dou Qi? Wings of Dou Qi? Tearing space itself?
All sorts of possibilities ran through their minds.
Even those on the stage began scanning the area, hoping to catch a glimpse of this enigmatic figure.
Seconds passed. Then minutes.
Logically, Hun Xiu should have already appeared. Yet, there was no sign of him.
"What's going on?""Why isn't Hun Xiu here yet? Don't tell me he forgot about the clan tournament?""Who knows?"
With no sign of Hun Xiu, murmurs began spreading through the plaza. At first, just a few whispered discussions—but soon, it spread like wildfire. The entire crowd buzzed with speculation.
Even the young elites on the martial platform frowned slightly.
"Could Hun Xiu actually be skipping this?" they wondered.
Sitting beside Gu Yuan, Gu Xun'er became anxious when Hun Xiu didn't show. Blinking her large eyes, she asked worriedly,"Father, why hasn't Brother Hun Xiu arrived yet?"
Gu Yuan responded calmly,"He's already here."
"He is?""Where?"
Gu Xun'er looked around in confusion. She hadn't seen him at all.
Gu Yuan pointed.
Following his direction, in a small, unnoticed corner of the square, stood a young man in white. His arms were crossed, leaning casually against the wall. In his embrace was a wooden sword about three feet long.
It was none other than Hun Xiu.
He had arrived early. It was just that no one noticed him, as most of the attention was focused on the platform.
When he heard his name, Hun Xiu had intended to step up—but the area around the platform was already packed tight.
There was simply no way through.
He stood there, troubled.
"How on earth am I supposed to get up there?"
Hun Dun, seeing that Hun Xiu still hadn't ascended the stage, frowned and looked toward the corner where Hun Xiu stood.
He called out,"Hun Xiu! Are you not coming up? Have you decided to forfeit the clan tournament?"
"Hm?"
Everyone turned to follow his gaze—and there, in that unremarkable corner, they saw Hun Xiu standing with a wooden sword in his arms.
"That's Hun Xiu? He looks... quite ordinary."
"Maybe, but he's so handsome! Even more than Hun Yu or Hun Feng!"
"Ordinary? He possesses a super-divine bloodline. If you think he looks plain, it only means he's hiding his strength. The more 'ordinary' he appears, the scarier his true power is."
Most were seeing Hun Xiu for the first time. Until now, he had only been a legendary name among the younger generation. Now, he stood before them—and all kinds of discussions erupted.
Hun Xiu pushed off from the wall, sword in hand.
"I'm absolutely determined to win this clan tournament. How could I possibly not participate?"
He began walking slowly and said,"Could you all move aside a bit? I need to get to the stage."
As he walked, he muttered,"If you hadn't all crowded around like this, I would've been up there long ago."
Onlookers: "…"
Though the crowd was confused, they instinctively parted and made way for him.
"Interesting little fellow," Gu Yuan murmured, observing Hun Xiu's unbothered demeanor.
Even the four Hun Clan Devil Saints seated nearby began discussing him.
Hun Tu remarked,"This Hun Xiu is certainly amusing."
It was the first time they had seen him in person. They had only heard rumors: his monstrous talent, the super-divine bloodline, and his potential to become an Emperor.
Hun Sha furrowed his brow."What intrigues me more is his strength. He's only a Two-Star Dou Huang? That doesn't match his bloodline or talent at all."
"Hm?"
Hun Yan, Hun Jing, and Hun Tu all began closely examining Hun Xiu's aura.
They clearly sensed it—Two-Star Dou Huang.
That really didn't align with the supposed power of someone with a super-divine bloodline.
Even Hun Yu and Hun Feng, who possessed only divine-grade bloodlines, were stronger than him.Could someone with a superior bloodline really be this weak?
The four of them instinctively looked to the central figure—Hun Tiandi.
Sensing their gaze, Hun Tiandi kept his eyes on Hun Xiu and simply said,"Realm does not equal combat strength."
"He may be a Dou Huang—but even a Dou Zong might not be able to defeat him."