Chen Fan followed Wu Heting to his designated seat.
A brief glance, and his gaze met Shang Wushuang's. He nodded slightly in greeting.
Shang Wushuang was seated in the middle section on the left.
Beside her sat a middle-aged man with a lean face, exuding an imposing presence, his eyes cast slightly downward.
This man was the patriarch of the Shang family from the Northeast, Shang Wushuang's father, Shang Rulong.
Besides the two of them, a few other Shang family disciples had arrived, mostly standing behind the father and daughter.
Chen Fan withdrew his gaze and arrived at the seat arranged by the Heroes' Alliance, indeed on the right side, close to the main seat.
To be precise, it was the closest seat to the main seat, highlighting his status.
Chen Fan chuckled, "Is Alliance Leader Zuo trying to put me on the spot?"
Wu Heting replied, "Mr. Chen misunderstands. There are rumors that Grandmaster Gao Hongchang of the Liuhe Sect died at your hands, so this position is truly well-deserved."
"After all, most martial arts grandmasters do not possess the same renown as Mr. Chen!"
Chen Fan did not stand on ceremony, pulled out a chair, and sat down, asking, "Has the Wang family of Langya arrived?"
"Not yet."
Wu Heting gestured, and a martial artist from the Heroes' Alliance brought over tea.
Chen Fan sat back in the armchair and surveyed the scene.
The main seating area had more than one chair; there were three, all currently empty. Zuo Lizhou and the others had not yet arrived.
Directly opposite Chen Fan sat a monk.
The monk was around sixty years old, with kind features and dressed in simple yellow robes.
But his aura was as deep as an abyss, and his gaze profound, indicating he was no ordinary individual.
As their eyes met, the monk brought his palms together in a禮.
Chen Fan also bowed slightly, offering a friendly smile.
Next to the monk, separated by a tea table, was a Daoist priest.
The Daoist was younger, though appearing to be in his forties, with an ancient countenance, and an old sword resting beside him.
He seemed to be with the monk. When Chen Fan's gaze fell upon him, he also nodded in greeting, a smile on his face.
The monk and the Daoist each had a disciple with them, also young monks and Daoists, who were particularly striking.
Chen Fan smiled and his gaze drifted further, continuing his observation.
About five meters from the Daoist, several men and women were seated.
The leader, around fifty years old, was tall, sported a long, three-strand beard, and his gaze was indifferent.
As Chen Fan looked at him, the man's lips curled into a cold sneer.
Those beside him, lacking his demeanor, also looked at Chen Fan with cold eyes.
Chen Fan did not recognize these individuals, nor did he know their origins or how he might have offended them.
Next to this group were Shang Rulong and his daughter.
They merely smiled at Chen Fan's gaze.
Further down were other groups of people whom Chen Fan did not recognize.
Near the very end of the left side were Ye Yunchen and Raman, who had just taken their seats.
Judging by the seating arrangement, Ye Yunchen and Raman were not held in particularly high regard by the Heroes' Alliance.
His gaze shifted to Chen Fan's side, and a familiar face entered his sight.
Song Wuji!
His seat was far behind Chen Fan's, also in the rear section of this side.
Moreover, Song Wuji had evidently not brought any disciples, appearing solitary.
Chen Fan looked over. Song Wuji sensed it, met Chen Fan's gaze, showed no expression, and merely nodded slightly.
As for the others, Chen Fan did not particularly recognize them.
One young man, around twenty-six or twenty-seven, caught his attention.
This person was about Chen Fan's age, with a plain face and an extraordinary bearing.
But he was too young, drawing attention.
He paid no mind to Chen Fan, as if he were oblivious to Chen Fan's scrutiny.
Just as Chen Fan was appraising the young man, a shout rang out: "Phoenix family Grandmaster Feng Chengmo, Phoenix family eldest daughter Feng Qianluan arrive!"
Chen Fan looked towards the direction of the entrance and saw over a dozen people being led into the training ground by Heroes' Alliance disciples.
The leader was Feng Chengmo.
Feng Qianluan followed behind Feng Chengmo, accompanied by two other Phoenix family elders and about ten Phoenix family disciples.
In comparison, the Phoenix family had the largest contingent attending this Heroes' Gathering.
Unlike when Chen Fan arrived, many of the grandmasters already seated had risen.
"Brother Feng, why is the Phoenix family patriarch absent?"
An elder asked, cupping his fists.
"Ah, Brother Feng. My family's patriarch is in seclusion and cannot attend, so Chengmo represents him."
"Brother Chengmo, have you been well!" another middle-aged man spoke, saying, "After our parting in Monan, it must be nearly ten years. Have you been well?"
"Brother Cheng, have you been well!"
"..."
"..."
Many grandmasters greeted Feng Chengmo, demonstrating the heritage and influence of the Phoenix family, a thousand-year-old royal clan.
Even though Chen Fan perceived the Phoenix family as somewhat declining, especially after the death of Feng Qianyuan three years prior, which had significantly impacted their prestige, on the surface, the martial arts grandmasters present still showed respect and deference to the Phoenix family.
Chen Fan and Feng Qianluan's gazes met, and they merely nodded in acknowledgment.
With the arrival of the Phoenix family, the training ground of the Imperial Dragon Villa became much livelier.
Three minutes later, Feng Chengmo led the Phoenix family members to their seats.
Feng Qianluan did not deliberately come over to greet Chen Fan, as if there were no close ties between them.
Just then, more people arrived.
"Langya Wang family, Young Master Wang Shuhuan, Grandmaster Wang Yucheng arrive!"
This group consisted of about seven or eight people. At the forefront, led by Heroes' Alliance disciples, was a young man in his late twenties.
He was handsome, with a tall and straight build, and an extraordinary aura.
Besides the heroic spirit of a martial artist, one could faintly sense an ethereal, detached quality about him.
This was Wang Shuhuan, the eldest young master of the Wang family, the pride and future of the family.
The person beside him, with a composed demeanor, was naturally the martial arts grandmaster Wang Yucheng.
The Wang family's heritage and lineage were no less than the Phoenix family's. Their arrival led to another round of greetings and pleasantries.
Many martial arts grandmasters even rose from their seats to converse with the young master Wang and Wang Yucheng.
The scene grew even more lively.
Ye Yunchen stood up and gave Chen Fan a meaningful look.
Chen Fan nodded slightly but did not approach the Wang family.
In such a setting, asking for things was clearly inappropriate, and Ye Yunchen knew this, yet he seemed very keen on obtaining his father's belongings from that year.
After a period of greetings and lively chatter, the Wang family members took their seats.
Following them, two more groups arrived: the Lu family from Zhaozhou and the Lin family from Ganbei. Neither of these families had a martial arts grandmaster present.
Not long after, the Heroes' Alliance disciples' voices were heard again: "Off-Border Martial Arts Grandmaster Ji Cang, Black Water Martial Arts Grandmaster Ba Zhuo arrive!"
The two martial arts grandmasters, each accompanied by one person, strode in with imposing steps.
The arrival of these two grandmasters together could not be ignored, drawing considerable attention.
At this point, including Chen Fan, the number of martial arts grandmasters within the Imperial Dragon Villa reached twelve, truly a gathering of heroes and a grand occasion.