’The number one martial artist in Yun Port City, a master at the Peak of Huajin, the pillar of the White Cloud Sect... defeated just like that?’
Bai Longfei struggled to his feet. He staggered a few steps before finally steadying himself.
He lifted his head to look at Lu Yun, his ancient face filled with nothing but profound awe.
After a long moment, Bai Longfei slowly bowed low. "Elder, since you are a Grandmaster of Divine Intent, I will do everything in my power to assist you with your commands."
His words stunned the entire crowd. The disciples of the White Cloud Sect looked at one another in disbelief.
"What? His Excellency, the Grandmaster... called Advisor Lu ’Elder’?"
A young disciple’s eyes went wide, his voice trembling. "Wh-what in the world is going on?"
A shorter disciple beside him tugged on his senior’s sleeve. "Senior Brother, Senior Brother, what’s a Grandmaster of Divine Intent? Is that stronger than a Grandmaster of Huajin?"
The senior brother scratched his head, looking completely baffled. "I have no idea..."
An older disciple behind them couldn’t help but smack them both on the back of the head. "Ugh, you two idiots! Do you even have to ask? Use your brains!"
"Who is His Excellency, the Grandmaster? He’s the publicly acknowledged number one Grandmaster of Huajin in Yun Port City! At the Peak of Huajin! A peerless expert the likes of which this city hasn’t produced in a century!"
"So for someone to be called ’Elder’ by him, what kind of high Realm must they have reached?"
The two young disciples exchanged a glance, then asked in unison, "What Realm?"
The older disciple sighed in exasperation. "The Realm above Huajin, you idiots!"
HISS—
The two young disciples gasped.
Although they didn’t fully grasp what "Grandmaster of Divine Intent" meant, they certainly understood the words "above Huajin."
A Grandmaster of Huajin was already a being they could only look up to, a legendary figure.
’What would someone even more powerful than a Huajin master be like?’
The two stared blankly at the distant figure leaning on his cane, their eyes filled with awe.
Meanwhile, in the crowd, someone’s mind was already racing with other ideas. A weaselly-looking young disciple’s eyes darted about before he quietly backed away a few steps, then turned and bolted.
’Quick! I have to sell this story to the newspapers!’ he schemed as he ran.
’What an earth-shattering scoop! This is absolutely massive news!’
’Advisor Lu is actually even stronger than His Excellency, the Grandmaster! And he’s called a... what was it... a "Grandmaster of Divine Intent"!’
’If the papers print this story, how many copies will they sell?’
’For an exclusive story like this, I should get at least... one hundred Oceans, right?’
’No, two hundred!’
The man ran even faster, disappearing in a flash into an alley outside the martial arts training ground.
Back at the training ground, the White Cloud Sect disciples remained frozen in place, looking back and forth at each other. No one dared to move, and no one dared to make a sound.
They had only ever witnessed the power of a Grandmaster of Huajin through their own Sect Leader, and that was already the limit of what they could imagine.
A punch from five or six meters away could crack bluestone; a palm strike from the same distance could unleash Qi that seemed to sunder the heavens.
The occasional glimpse of power their Sect Leader revealed during training was enough to leave them prostrate with admiration.
But now, this "Elder" their Sect Leader spoke of was an existence even more powerful than he was.
Grandmaster of Divine Intent. They had never heard the term before, but after today, they would never forget it for the rest of their lives.
Bai Chongli stood behind his father, his face deathly pale. Just moments ago in the main hall, he had been full of resentment and jealousy. He’d wondered what right this man named Lu had to steal the spotlight. He’d been certain that if his father made a move, Advisor Lu would learn who was truly number one in Yun Port City.
And now? His father hadn’t even withstood a single blow. He had been utterly and indisputably defeated.
Bai Chongli’s face burned with shame, as if he had been slapped dozens of times.
"Sect Master Bai, I will take my leave," Lu Yun called from a distance before turning to walk out the gate.
Only after the man’s back had completely vanished from sight did Bai Longfei slowly come to his senses.
He stared in that direction, muttering to himself, "A Grandmaster of Divine Intent... he’s actually a Grandmaster of Divine Intent!"
After what felt like an eternity, Bai Longfei let out a soft sigh, his gaze finally settling on his eldest son, Bai Chongli.
"Dismissed. Chongli, I want you to announce that from this day forward, the White Cloud Sect will give its full support to Elder Lu. If anyone is dissatisfied... I, Bai Longfei, will personally pay them a visit to hear their opinion."
Bai Chongli was stunned. ’What... what does Father mean by that?’
’Isn’t this basically telling everyone that the White Cloud Sect will now obey the commands of that Grandmaster of Divine Intent?’
He could only lower his head deeply and say in a strained voice, "Yes, Father."
Deep within the Yun Port City Affairs Bureau stood a remarkably quiet building.
It was a place of blue bricks and gray tiles, shrouded by green trees. Guards armed with live ammunition stood watch at the entrance, as a special pass was required for entry.
This was the residence of the City Affairs Bureau’s only Grandmaster of Huajin: Zhou Yi, one of the four advisors for the Yun Port City Divine Land Martial Arts Demonstration and the Commander-in-Chief of Inspections for the City Affairs Bureau.
This position was a direct appointment from the Yanjing President’s Mansion, tasked with overseeing the daily operations of the City Affairs Bureau. To put it bluntly, he was Yanjing’s eyes and ears in Yun Port City.
At this moment, the building’s main door stood open, and two people were slowly emerging from within.
Leading the way was a man in a black suit. He was in his forties, with a medium build and an ordinary face etched with a hint of weariness and resignation. It was Shadakang, the Vice City Manager of the City Affairs Bureau.
Behind him followed a woman of about twenty-seven, dressed in a moon-white satin qipao with a daringly low neckline that offered a tantalizing glimpse of her bosom.

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