Son, Put Your Father To The Test (FF)

Tianmu Mountain.

Originally, Tianmu Mountain was a barren peak, but a few days ago, it suddenly collapsed, revealing an ancient underground relic.

Based on the traces found around the site, some have speculated that this might be the stone cave dwelling left behind by a powerful expert at the Tongtian realm.

As soon as the relic was exposed, the entrance was covered by a barrier formed by a protective array. This barrier gradually weakened over time, which meant that those who arrived early couldn't immediately enter. As a result, more and more people gathered outside the relic, forming a diverse crowd.

It was a mixed bag of individuals.

Among them were direct descendants of Nirvana families, geniuses from various sects, and rogue cultivators who lived by the sword.

Different groups formed their own circles, but one circle, in particular, stood out and drew the attention of many onlookers, who couldn't help but show signs of reverence as they looked over.

At the center of this circle was a young woman dressed in a golden silk gown. Her features were elegant, and she exuded a subtle aura of nobility.

Around her, several young elites with impressive backgrounds were engaged in lively discussions, some even trying to flatter her. However, she remained calm and indifferent.

"Is that Princess Chu Yun?"

In the crowd, Qin Zi silently observed the girl who was the center of attention, his thoughts drifting back to the conversation he had with his father before leaving:

"Xiao Zi, before you go, I have something I'd like to discuss with you."

"Father, go ahead."

"Do you remember the old friend I mentioned, the one I went to pay respects to? I've heard that his granddaughter is also heading to the Tianmu Mountain relic. If that young lady encounters danger inside, I hope you can help her if you can."

"Uh, Father, aren't you worried that I'll encounter danger?"

"Haha, I know your survival skills well, and with your master by your side, what could possibly go wrong?"

"Alright… What's the identity of this granddaughter of your old friend? What's her name?"

"She's Princess Chu Yun from the Southern King's Manor!"

After a while, Qin Zi came back to his senses and rubbed his temples, a wry smile on his face.

The girl opposite him, surrounded by so many young elites, was like the moon surrounded by stars. It would be difficult for him to even squeeze in to say hello.

Moreover, if he approached her now to make small talk, he might be seen as a toad lusting after a swan, and people would look down on him.

So, he decided not to go over.

He would just silently watch from afar.

Slap!

Suddenly, someone patted his shoulder. He turned around to see a handsome young man in blue robes looking at him with a teasing smile.

"Stop staring, she's just a woman. Some women may look glamorous, but once you strip them down… they're all the same."

Qin Zi glanced around and whispered, "Brother Zhao, aren't you worried someone will hear you say that?"

The young man in blue robes, Zhao Yunsheng, just laughed carelessly and said with a swagger, "So what if they hear? Who dares to do anything to me?"

Qin Zi's mouth twitched.

He knew it was true.

The man before him was Zhao Yunsheng, the only son of Seven Martial Sect's Sect Master, Zhao Panlong, and the sect's top genius!

With such a background, as long as he didn't publicly insult the royal ancestors, he could say whatever he wanted.

"Brother Zhao, even so, we still need to maintain the image of our Seven Martial Sect. After all, you are the future heir to the sect master's position," another young man nearby remarked.

This young man was Wu Cen, also the grandson of an elder in Seven Martial Sect and one of its Honor Disciples.

Honor Disciples were above Core Disciples, with strength at least at the Pure Yang realm, and they all had significant backgrounds.

"Haha, don't talk about the sect master position like it's already mine. Who inherits that position will depend on strength," Zhao Yunsheng said modestly, though he visibly straightened up a bit, clearly in a good mood.

In his heart, he had long regarded the sect master's position as his. It was also his father's expectation.

Now, with the sect's upper echelons favoring him and the disciples thinking the same, it was only natural for him to feel that it was his destiny.

This sense of pride and ambition made him feel a newfound warmth, even towards his fellow junior brothers, whom he now found more endearing.

Boom!

Just then, a loud noise rang out, and the blue barrier at the entrance of the relic flickered a few times before shattering.

"Haha, it's finally open!"

"Let's go!"

"Sister, I'm going in."

"Senior Brother, slow down!"

"The treasures are mine!"

Suddenly, those who had been waiting impatiently surged with excitement and rushed into the dark entrance of the relic.

"Shall we go?" Zhao Yunsheng asked with a smile.

"You go on ahead, I'll catch up later."

Qin Zi looked in the direction of Princess Chu Yun and responded absentmindedly.

Since he had promised his father to protect Princess Chu Yun, he needed to keep an eye on her at all times and ensure she didn't leave his sight.

"Hmm?"

Zhao Yunsheng followed Qin Zi's gaze and then smiled knowingly. "Junior Brother Qin, women may be beautiful, but you don't need to keep staring at them."

"I… it's not what you think, actually, I…" Qin Zi blushed, unsure of how to explain.

"I understand, I understand."

Raising his eyebrows, Zhao Yunsheng spoke in a tone of encouragement, "We're not in a hurry. We can wait a bit longer."

Qin Zi's mouth twitched. He knew Zhao Yunsheng had misunderstood, but this wasn't something that could be easily explained.

So, he could only bear the misunderstanding.

Fortunately, Princess Chu Yun didn't linger for long. After confirming that the way ahead was clear, she led her group into the relic.

Qin Zi and the others followed silently behind her.

Zhao Yunsheng, eager to win over Qin Zi, was willing to go along with this, and the tagging-along Wu Cen naturally didn't dare to object.

Among the crowd entering the relic, a few inconspicuous young men exchanged glances, their eyes flashing with a murderous glint.

If one looked closely, they would see faint silver patterns on their necks, like specks of fine sand.

Dark Sand!

This was the most powerful assassin organization in the Jiuyang Dynasty, and they had been tasked with assassinating Princess Chu Yun from the Southern King's Manor!

Normally, Dark Sand wouldn't take on such a risky mission, as they didn't want to provoke a powerful entity like the Southern King's Manor.

But this mission was strange.

They were asked to just put on a show?

Chase her for a day?

No need to actually kill her?

With such low risk and difficulty, how could they pass up easy money like this?

So, they accepted the mission!

But they couldn't figure it out.

Why would the mysterious employer do this? Why spend so much money to hire assassins but not kill the target? What was the point?

Was it just to burn through some extra cash?

Unable to solve the mystery, they simply didn't bother trying to figure it out. Dark Sand never questioned the reasons behind a job; they only cared about getting paid to get the job done!

Time passed slowly.

Inside the relic, various dangers began to surface, and as treasures started appearing, people began to fight over them.

"Ah! There are snakes, they've gotten inside!"

Boom!

"Ah, my kidney!"

"Monkey Steals the Peach!"

"Despicable!"

The place quickly descended into chaos.

The relic's owner had once been a Tongtian realm expert, so it was naturally rich with treasures. Even a simple jade night pot was enough to spark a fierce struggle among many. Rumor had it that someone had smelled a rich aroma of wine inside it…

But those were minor figures. The truly influential young elites of major forces disdained such petty squabbles.

For example, Qin Zi and his group, being Honor Disciples of the Seven Martial Sect, wouldn't waste their time on such trifles.

Qin Zi kept an eye on Princess Chu Yun from a distance, ready to rush to her aid if she encountered any danger.

It wasn't about playing the hero.

It was about not disappointing his father, who had entrusted him with this task. He was determined to complete it perfectly!

In comparison, the prospect of gaining some fortuitous treasure from a Tongtian realm expert's relic wasn't as appealing to him.

Lately, he had been deeply immersed in studying the art of formations. If his father hadn't urged him to get out for a while, he wouldn't have come out of seclusion.