"I am truly looking forward to the start of the Hidden Dragon Tournament."

As he sensed the countless powerful auras spread throughout the city, Li Yun felt no fear. Instead, a fierce battle spirit rose within him, and his eyes shone with excitement.

For any martial artist who wished to grow stronger at a rapid pace, secluded cultivation alone was never enough. Real progress required tempering oneself through constant combat.

Only by facing danger, pressure, and powerful opponents could one sharpen strength at the fastest rate. When those opponents were geniuses of the same generation, the gains became even greater.

The Hidden Dragon Tournament was precisely such a place.

It was a grand stage created for prodigies, where the finest young talents of the Southern Martial Domain would gather and clash. Li Yun knew that once the tournament began, he would meet countless gifted opponents and fight to his heart’s content.

The mere thought of it made his blood stir. He could hardly wait for it to begin, yet there were still three days remaining.

Taking a slow breath, Li Yun suppressed the excitement in his heart. He steadied his emotions, then stepped forward and made his way toward one of the major streets within Hidden Dragon City.

The Four Great Sects of the Southern Martial Domain each maintained their own headquarters within the city.

The eastern district belonged to Ice God Valley. The southern district was occupied by Burning Heaven Sect. The western district was under the control of Boundless Martial Palace. The northern district housed the base of Martial Ascension Gate.

Following the wide stone road, Li Yun soon arrived at the Martial Ascension Gate residence.

Four guards stood watch at the entrance, each one radiating the aura of the Essence Qi Realm. Their expressions were stern, and their posture was disciplined as they guarded the gate.

Li Yun calmly presented his identity token. The moment they recognized it, their expressions changed to respect, and the four experts personally escorted him inside.

The residence was already lively with activity.

Many members of Martial Ascension Gate had gathered there, including True Disciples and Inner Sect Disciples. The True Disciples had come to compete in the tournament, while the Inner Sect Disciples had come to observe.

Watching the strongest geniuses battle on such a stage was itself a rare opportunity, and many hoped to gain insight or inspiration from witnessing those clashes firsthand.

After entering, Li Yun headed directly to report to the elder leading the sect’s delegation.

This man was the Grand Elder of Grand Ascension Peak. Few people knew his personal name, so almost everyone simply addressed him as Elder Feiyu.

"Disciple Li Yun greets Elder Feiyu."

Although Li Yun was a True Disciple with extremely high status, he did not dare show the slightest disrespect. Elder Feiyu was the Grand Elder of Grand Ascension Peak, a figure whose standing surpassed even the masters of the Four Peaks.

More importantly, Elder Feiyu was a genuine Mortal Core Realm powerhouse.

An expert of that level stood among the strongest figures in the entire Southern Martial Domain.

Elder Feiyu slowly examined Li Yun from head to toe. His gaze was deep and sharp, as though nothing could be hidden from him. After a moment, a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

"So you are Li Yun."

He gave a slow nod, clearly satisfied.

"Not bad. Very good. With your current strength, you should be able to make a name for yourself in the Hidden Dragon Tournament."

His eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke the final words.

"Perform well."

"As expected of a Mortal Core Realm powerhouse. His eyesight is truly terrifying."

Li Yun sighed inwardly.

He had already done everything he could to conceal his true strength, yet Elder Feiyu had seen through him with a single glance. The difference between the Essence Qi Realm and the Mortal Core Realm appeared to be only one stage on the surface, but the true gap between them was vast beyond measure.

A cultivator who had stepped into the Mortal Core Realm, even one at the very first level, could slaughter ten peak ninth-stage Essence Qi Realm experts in moments. Such a difference was no longer something that numbers alone could bridge.

Elder Feiyu smiled faintly and said, "Alright. The Hidden Dragon Tournament will not begin for another three days. I will have a room arranged for you. Go and rest well, then prepare yourself."

"Yes, Elder."

Soon after, Elder Feiyu personally arranged a spacious and elegant room for Li Yun.

After settling in, Li Yun did not begin cultivating as he usually would. Instead, he filled a bath with hot water and allowed the heat to wash away the weariness from his long seclusion.

Once he finished, he changed into a clean and comfortable robe before preparing to head outside and stroll through Hidden Dragon City to experience its atmosphere.

For the past several months, Li Yun had thrown himself entirely into secluded cultivation. He understood clearly that the martial path required balance. Constant tension could become harmful if carried for too long. One needed moments of calm just as much as moments of struggle.

Just as Li Yun stepped out of his room and had yet to leave the residence of Martial Ascension Gate, several familiar voices suddenly rang out from nearby.

"Brother Li! Li Yun!"

Li Yun turned his head and immediately saw several old acquaintances rushing toward him. They were Fu Ting, Shi Luo, Xu Ming, and Zhu Ximen.

"Brother Li, where have you been all this time? Why can nobody ever find you?" Fu Ting said pouting.

"Exactly. You went out and never brought me along. Brother-in-law is the worst!" Shi Luo also asked.

The group quickly surrounded him, firing questions one after another without pause.

Li Yun could only smile bitterly as he responded, "I have been in seclusion for the last two and a half months to prepare for the Hidden Dragon Tournament."

The moment those words fell, Zhu Ximen suddenly froze. His eyes widened as he stared at Li Yun in disbelief.

"Li Yun... your cultivation..."