After they made love in bed, the two leaned against the headboard, embracing. Wan Yunting told Zhou Ruoxi about his month of seclusion and cultivation in the valley beneath Kunlun Mountain, avoiding dual cultivation with the women. He described his current martial arts realm, which startled Zhou Ruoxi. She couldn't help but ask, "When will you take me to the valley to cultivate in seclusion too?"
Wan Yunting held her close against his chest, looked down at her, and smiled, "That depends on when you, the Sect Leader Zhou, have free time!"
Zhou Ruoxi gave him a coquettish roll of her eyes, then sighed, "Ever since I became the Sect Leader, I've lost my personal freedom!"
Wan Yunting smiled and comforted her, "It's a critical period now. Once you have complete control of the Emei Sect, you'll have time."
Zhou Ruoxi rested her head on his chest and nodded, "Let's hope so."
Wan Yunting asked, "Are you participating in the Huashan Sword Debate at this Martial Arts Gathering?"
Zhou Ruoxi nodded and said, "Uncle-Master Yun Bai wants me to participate. He believes this year's Martial Arts Gathering is very important and wants me to perform well and bring honor to our Emei Sect."
The previous incident where Grand Elder Jun Xuan Shitao seized the position of Sect Leader had caused significant damage to the Emei Sect's reputation.
Therefore, Zhou Ruoxi's personal participation in the martial arts competition at the gathering was intended to stand out, win back some reputation for the Emei Sect in the eyes of the public, and solidify her position within the sect.
Wan Yunting smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll help you during the competition."
"I'd prefer it."
Zhou Ruoxi felt a warmth in her heart, gave him a charming glance, and then said, "I heard the Wudang Sect arrived at the Huashan Sect this noon. When you go tomorrow, are you going to discuss uniting the various sects with Sect Leader Zhong of Wudang?"
"Yes."
Wan Yunting nodded and said, "Sect Leader Zhong is the president of the Martial Arts Association, our martial arts alliance leader. It would be better if he took the lead."
Zhou Ruoxi raised an eyebrow and said, "Even though Sect Leader Zhong is the president of the Martial Arts Association, it's difficult to organize the various sects, as they are like loose sand."
Wan Yunting chuckled, "Still, I have to try."
Zhou Ruoxi nodded, then nestled herself entirely in Wan Yunting's arms. Her autumn eyes gazed earnestly at his, saying, "No matter what, I will lead the Emei Sect to support you!"
Wan Yunting flipped over, pinning her beneath him. He caressed Zhou Ruoxi's stunningly beautiful face and said gently, "Don't worry, I won't let that kind of situation happen."
Zhou Ruoxi wrapped her jade arms around his neck, her autumn eyes sparkling with desire, and charmingly looked at Wan Yunting, saying with a smile, "I think I'm also close to breaking through to Gang Jin. Do you need to help me now?"
"Alright, I'll help you break through then..."
The next morning, before dawn, Wan Yunting stealthily slipped out of Zhou Ruoxi's room. After glancing left and right down the corridor and seeing no one, he quickly left and went up the stairs, then hurried back to his own room. Seeing that Gu Luotang and Qi Miaomiao were still fast asleep, Wan Yunting didn't disturb them and went to the small balcony outside to meditate and cultivate...
By seven-thirty, Gu Luotang and Qi Miaomiao woke up and discovered him on the balcony. The sunlight shining on Wan Yunting's face woke him up. He smiled and said, "You're awake..."
"Hmph."
Qi Miaomiao cast a wistful glance at him with her almond eyes, then turned and went into the bathroom.
Gu Luotang covered her mouth with a smile and pointed at Wan Yunting, "Miaomiao is quite difficult to appease when she's angry."
Knowing he had snuck out last night, Qi Miaomiao was angry. Wan Yunting gave Gu Luotang a glare and followed her into the bathroom. Seeing Qi Miaomiao in a pink nightgown, standing at the sink brushing her teeth, Wan Yunting went up behind her and hugged her, acting childishly, "Miaomiao, I was wrong..."
Held by the man, Qi Miaomiao stared at him with her almond eyes in the mirror, snorting softly, "It's useless for you to admit you're wrong. Don't expect me to forgive you..."
Wan Yunting leaned on her fragrant shoulder, a playful smile on his lips, "Are you sure?"
Qi Miaomiao nodded, but the next moment she exclaimed, "Ah, Brother Yunting, what are you doing? No, don't, you're bad..."
At nine o'clock, in the hotel's third-floor restaurant, Wan Yunting, Gu Luotang, and Qi Miaomiao arrived punctually. Yang Jingyi, along with Duan Yingying, Qi Wu, Xu Lingwei, Li Zihang, and Lin Dachun, and other disciples, had already come down.
Duan Yingying looked at the man with Gu Luotang and Qi Miaomiao and felt a pang of envy. But she was helpless, as her mother had forbidden her to show affection with Wan Yunting...
"Good morning, Master Wan..."
Liu Bing, dressed in a luxurious robe, along with his son Liu Zaiyi, Grand Elder Jia Hongji, Second Elder Feng Yimin, and among the younger disciples, the senior disciple Lu Fengqiao and the female disciple Zhong Mubai, led over thirty disciples from the Qingcheng Sect to attend the Martial Arts Gathering.
"Good morning, Sect Leader Liu..." Wan Yunting and Yang Jingyi stood up and greeted them with smiles and politeness...
Following this, Zhou Ruoxi, dressed in a white ancient-style long dress with a hair tie on her head, her raven-black hair cascading down to her waist like a waterfall, her full and proud snow peaks towering, a blue sash tied around her waist accentuating her perky hips and her curvaceous figure, and her devastatingly beautiful face, immediately captured the attention of Liu Zaiyi of the Qingcheng Sect and other young disciples like Lu Fengqiao. They silently marveled at the Emei Sect Leader's stunning beauty and outstanding demeanor...
Sui Tai Yun Bai, with a stern face dressed in a grey robe, with just a glance, scared away the lascivious thoughts of the Qingcheng Sect's young disciples like Liu Zaiyi. She led Zhou Ruoxi, Jiang Tingxia, and other young male and female disciples towards Wan Yunting and Yang Jingyi. Sui Tai Yun Bai bowed, "Master Wan, Senior Sister Yang, I didn't expect you to be here too..."
"Sect Leader Zhou, Sui Tai Yun Bai, we only arrived late last night."
Wan Yunting maintained a calm and composed demeanor with a smile, not daring to reveal that he had secretly entered the sect leader's room last night, lest Sui Tai Yun Bai discover it.
Zhou Ruoxi, now the Sect Leader, exuded a cool and distant aura. Her autumn eyes deliberately glanced at the man, and she did not reveal to her Uncle-Master Yun Bai that Wan Yunting and his group had checked into the hotel last night, pretending it was the first time they had met the people from Wuliang Daoist Temple today.
"Junior Sister Yun Bai, when did you arrive in Xidu..."
Yang Jingyi pulled Sui Tai Yun Bai to sit together. Wan Yunting also beckoned Zhou Ruoxi to sit. Seeing Sect Leader Liu of the Qingcheng Sect shamelessly join them, they all sat at one table, chatting about the Martial Arts Gathering while having breakfast...
After everyone finished breakfast, they left the hotel together for the lobby entrance. Xia Shu and the hotel lobby manager had already prepared the cars, saying, "Young Master Wan, the cars are ready. You can depart anytime."
Wan Yunting looked at the two business vans parked at the entrance, which could accommodate thirteen people. However, seeing that Zhou Ruoxi and Sui Tai Yun Bai and the eighteen people from the Emei Sect had come, Wan Yunting said to Xia Shu, "Manager Xia, please arrange for three more cars."
Xia Shu immediately understood and instructed the lobby manager to arrange for the hotel's reception business vans and send three more over...
"Master Wan, isn't this hotel yours?"
Liu Bing, who was beside them, noticed something and guessed.
Wan Yunting smiled and asked, "Sect Leader Liu, shall I arrange cars for you as well?"
Liu Bing, understanding, waved his hand and pointed to a bus outside, "No need, Master Wan. We've already chartered a bus. Shall we go together then?"
"Alright, let's go everyone."
Wan Yunting nodded, clasped his hands in greeting to Liu Bing and the Qingcheng Sect members, then signaled Yang Jingyi, Gu Luotang, and the others, as well as Zhou Ruoxi and Sui Tai Yun Bai and the others from the Emei Sect to board their respective vehicles...
The journey from Xidu to Huashan took over an hour. By eleven o'clock in the morning, five business vans, with a bus following at a distance, arrived at the foot of Huashan Mountain...
Huashan, anciently known as Xiyue and elegantly called "Taihua Mountain," is one of the Five Great Mountains. It borders the Qinling Mountains to the south and overlooks the Yellow and Wei rivers to the north. Since ancient times, it has been known as the most perilous mountain in the world and the supreme among mountains.
The "Hua" in "Zhonghua" originates from Huashan, hence Huashan is known as the "Root of Chinese Civilization." It is also a major center of Taoism, where the Quanzhen Huashan Sect is rooted.
Since ancient times, there has been the saying of the Huashan Sword Debate. In modern times, what makes Huashan familiar and attracts countless tourists to visit it is precisely the Huashan Sword Debate depicted in martial arts television series.
However, in the actual martial arts world, there is indeed a grand event called the Huashan Sword Debate, which is a martial arts gathering organized by representatives from major righteous sects across China, primarily to showcase the various sects and promote traditional martial arts.
It is held once every three years, not only in Huashan but also rotating among major sects. This year, it is the Huashan Sect's turn to host the Martial Arts Gathering.
Since May, the Huashan Sect has been preparing for the Martial Arts Gathering, making arrangements for the competition venue of the Huashan Sword Debate, and also conducting extensive publicity through various media and online platforms to attract external attention, leveraging Wan Yunting's fame for promotion.
It must be said that Shi Yi, the Sect Leader of the Huashan Sect, is truly cunning. Knowing that Wan Yunting is currently famous, he has been promoting him on various online platforms as a martial arts prodigy, attracting widespread attention from the outside world.
As a result, many tourists have flocked to the area. Today, the tourist center of the Huashan scenic area is crowded with people, a throng of visitors filling every tourist spot, all eager to witness this grand martial arts feast.
Consequently, the Huashan Sect has specifically set up the competition arena for the Huashan Sword Debate on the Northern Peak of Huashan, a peak that is not open to tourists.
However, another peak near it, the Eastern Peak of Huashan, adjacent to the Northern Peak, allows tourists on the Eastern Peak to view the Huashan Sword Debate taking place on the Northern Peak.
The two peaks are only fifty meters apart. The Huashan Sect Leader has strategically placed the competition arena for the Sword Debate atop the Northern Peak precisely to allow tourists to ascend the Eastern Peak and witness the panoramic splendor of the Huashan Sword Debate competitions with the naked eye, thereby attracting more visitors.
Furthermore, the Huashan Sect charges an entrance fee to the Eastern Peak for viewing. This is indeed a shrewd business tactic.
After all, one already needs to pay an entrance fee to enter the Huashan scenic area. Now, an additional fee is required to ascend the Eastern Peak to watch the Huashan Sword Debate competitions. Is this not the act of a shrewd businessman?
However, the tourists are willing to pay, and many are coming specifically for Wan Yunting, willing to buy the tickets. As soon as the tickets were released, they were snapped up by tourists.
It is thus evident how successful the Huashan Sect's publicity for this Martial Arts Gathering has been, at least in terms of profitability...