"King Victor Zhao, you must be joking. How could we possibly bully Brother Evan? To bully Evan would be to disrespect you, and we wouldn't dare. Meeting Brother Evan today is truly our honor. Come, everyone, let's raise a glass to Brother Evan." King Warren Lin lifted his wine cup and addressed the crowd.
Everyone raised their glasses. Even though most of them secretly looked down on Evan, King Victor Zhao's face had to be given. "Brother Evan, drink!"
Evan drained his cup in one bold gulp. "Thank you, City Lords, for not looking down on me. Tonight, none of us leave until we're dead drunk!"
Evan then glanced at King Victor Zhao, and only the two of them understood the meaning in his eyes. The others laughed and chatted, saying one thing while meaning another.
"Evan, I'm not feeling well. Can we go back to the room?" Princess Ivy spoke up.
Evan knew Princess Ivy was saying this on purpose. She felt uncomfortable under the strange looks from these people and wanted to leave early. Besides, these were all top experts, and the pressure they gave off was more than Princess Ivy could bear at her current level.
Evan stood up and said to everyone, "Sorry, everyone. My wife isn't feeling well—probably because your cultivations are so powerful that it's affecting her. I'll accompany her back to our room. Please, enjoy yourselves."
With that, Evan took Princess Ivy and strode out. Jade, the Emerald Immortal Empress, watched Evan go and quietly followed. Everyone knew she was supposed to be Evan's maid, so they didn't say much—but some couldn't help but stare in disbelief. How could someone with such beauty and mysterious aura really be just a maid?
Her strength was unfathomable and her beauty could topple kingdoms, yet she was called a maid—unbelievable! Whispers and rumors immediately swirled: there had to be some unspeakable secret between her and Evan.
After a few more rounds, King Victor Zhao found an excuse to slip away, claiming urgent business for the selection tournament. Everyone saw through the lie, but Evan's arrival had cracked open a new front—each of them was already scheming behind their smiles, eyes gleaming with ambition.
After all, there were members of the Hidden Clans present, so no one dared to openly discuss how to deal with King Victor Zhao—they could only smile quietly to themselves...
The selection tournament continued the next day. Chase and Princess Serene talked late into the night, treating each other with courtesy, but their feelings for each other grew stronger. They were just waiting for Chase to pass the next round so Serene could officially announce him as her future husband.
The Martial Gate test was just as exciting as yesterday, with more and more contestants being eliminated. Many arrived full of hope but left disappointed—if they couldn't meet the requirements, elimination was inevitable.
Just then, a young man in purple stepped onto the stage. He was strikingly handsome, with a warm smile that made him seem approachable.
"King Grant Gu, is this your youngest son? He really is impressive—and already at early Nether Emperor realm! Like father, like son. I can't wait to see what surprises he'll bring us." King Warren Lin commented.
Though his voice wasn't loud, it was clear enough for Evan and King Victor Zhao to hear. No one expected King Grant Gu to send his son to compete this time—who knows what he's really planning.
"King Victor Zhao, looks like Serene Nether City is lively this time. Leave everything to me—just focus on protecting Chase, Ivy, and your daughter. You don't need to worry about anything else. Jade and I will handle it for you," Evan whispered.
King Victor Zhao had no doubt about Evan, the Immortal Realm's number one expert. After fighting him once, he knew Evan's strength was on a level that others could only look up to—far beyond what he and the other monarchs could match. If Evan was willing to help, everything would be resolved easily.
"Surprises? Maybe not, but passing the next round should be possible. My only worry is that King Victor Zhao's daughter might not choose my son. You know, my boy has admired Princess Serene for a long time—he wouldn't have come if this was just a regular tournament," King Grant Gu said.
"Hahaha! King Grant Gu, you're worrying too much. Your son is outstanding—no one can match him in character, strength, or background. If Princess Serene doesn't choose him, who else could she pick? Unless King Victor Zhao has other plans, there's really no other choice."
If King Victor Zhao really does that, it means he's ignoring you—or maybe he's provoking you on purpose, challenging your authority. If you don't want to step in, we can handle it for you," King Warren Lin said.
"That's right—Evan is the perfect target. If we kill him, it'll send King Victor Zhao a clear warning about what happens when you go against our three forces. I hope he won't be foolish enough to force our hand, or he can't blame us for being ruthless," said another middle-aged man.
This man was the City Lord of Dragon Roar City, a king of the Netherbeast race. No one knew his true form, but his strength and influence were immense. Many Netherbeasts had ascended to the Netherworld, and their physical defenses were so powerful that other races feared them.
Netherbeasts are different from Immortal Beasts. Netherbeasts can coexist peacefully with other races in the Netherworld, but that's not possible in the Immortal Realm—otherwise, there wouldn't have been the Immortal-Beast War. Of course, Evan has already resolved that issue.
King Grant Gu smiled and said, "We'll talk about it when the time comes. But if King Victor Zhao really refuses to give me face, I might do something he'll regret—so I'll be counting on your support, brothers!"
"King Grant Gu, no need to be so polite. King Victor Zhao is a thorn in our side. If it weren't for the Hidden Clans, we would've wiped out Serene Nether City long ago. But if he agrees to your son's marriage with Princess Serene, that's another story. This is his test—if we move against Serene Nether City, the Hidden Clans won't be able to say much," King Warren Lin said.
At that moment, the young man in purple produced a large saber. Its blade was jet-black, with a lifelike black dragon carved into it. Even from a distance, Evan could sense something unusual about that dragon.
As a member of the Dragon Clan, Evan was especially sensitive to dragon souls. That carved dragon was actually the soul of a Nether Dragon—a powerful one at that. It might have been a Netherworld dragon, now imprisoned within the saber, and Evan felt compelled to free it if he got the chance.
The young man in purple quickly retreated dozens of steps, then shot into the air and swung his black saber. Though it looked like one strike, it was actually countless blows combined, accompanied by a dragon's roar that echoed overhead.
A massive saber energy, crackling with thunder, smashed into the screen. Everyone below and in the stands was stunned by the young man's strike...