On both sides of the hall, the elders, commanders, and heads of various departments of the City Lord's Estate, as well as the family heads and sect elders of Shuolin City, rose to their feet one after another.
Everyone raised their wine cups at the same time, looking toward Yun Heng and Xiao Cen.
“Our thanks to Young Lord Yun.”
“Our thanks to the Third Prince.”
Xiao Cen was the first to stand up from her seat.
Yun Heng, however, took her time, being the last to rise.
Holding her wine cup, she first glanced at the City Lord sitting at the head of the hall, and then her gaze slowly swept over everyone present.
“My Yun Family has not entered the secular world for a very long time.”
“However, my elders have taught me since childhood to care for the common people of the world.”
“Yesterday's beast tide was merely an effortless effort.”
“Anyone from our Yun Family would not sit by and do nothing when encountering such an event.”
Yun Heng raised the wine cup in her hand.
“Thank you for your hospitality today, City Lord.”
With that, she tilted her head back and drained the wine in her cup in one gulp.
Her movements were clean and decisive.
Below, someone immediately cheered.
“Young Lord Yun is truly straightforward!”
“Wonderful!”
The rest of the crowd also drank the wine in their cups.
Xiao Cen looked at Yun Heng opposite her, the smile on her face becoming increasingly pronounced.
She raised her wine cup and similarly drained it in one gulp.
After everyone reseated themselves, a wave of hushed whispers soon rippled through the hall once more.
“Where did this Yun Family spring from?”
“How have I never heard of them before?”
“Among the named top-tier families on the Taiyan Continent, there doesn't seem to be any with the surname Yun.”
“Forget about top-tier families, even among those ordinary families, there aren't many famous Yun families.”
Someone nearby lowered their voice to remind them:
“Didn't you hear what Young Lord Yun just said?”
“The Yun Family has not entered the secular world for a long time.”
“For a family that never interacts with the outside world, isn't it completely normal that we haven't heard of them?”
“Could they really be a secluded clan?”
Someone nodded.
“Most likely.”
“There have been rumors circulating in the Eastern Region for a while now, saying that Yun Heng is the young lord of a secluded clan.”
“Looking at it now, this is likely true.”
“I wonder just how long this Yun Family has been secluded, and where their clan is located.”
“To casually send out a Body Integration Realm powerhouse and ten Soul Transformation Realm cultivators to protect their young lord, their foundation is probably deeper than even those few top-tier forces in the Central State.”
While discussing in low voices, everyone cast occasional glances behind Yun Heng.
Hearing the conversations around her, a flicker of amusement passed through Xiao Cen's eyes.
She looked toward Yun Heng and took the initiative to speak:
“Young Lord Yun.”
Yun Heng raised her eyes to look at her.
Xiao Cen's gaze fell upon Yun Zhao and the Shadow Guards behind her.
“The cultivation bases of those behind you are all so extraordinary.”
“Would you care to introduce them to us?”
Having come to the Northern Wilderness this time, Xiao Cen had naturally brought many imperial guards with her.
However, the cultivation of most of those guards was in the Nascent Soul Realm, with only a few having reached the Soul Transformation Realm.
This already indicated that the imperial family placed great importance on her safety.
Yet, compared to the people Yun Heng had brought, it was still a far cry.
Bringing a Body Integration Realm powerhouse along as a guard was something those present had never even dared to dream of before.
Hearing Xiao Cen's question, Yun Heng was instantly delighted.
The Third Prince was practically her perfect wingman.
Just moments ago, she was still pondering how to naturally bring up Yun Zhao and her own family.
If she were to proactively introduce these people to everyone, it would inevitably seem a bit abrupt.
Now that Xiao Cen had asked, everything fell into place perfectly.
Yun Heng cast a glance at Yun Zhao.
Yun Zhao instantly understood her meaning, stepping forward to stand beside Yun Heng.
Yun Heng raised her hand in gesture.
“This is Yun Zhao.”
“A guard sent by the elders of my family to protect me.”
Her tone was incredibly calm.
“With me traveling outside alone, the elders of my family were always somewhat worried.”
“Therefore, they assigned Yun Zhao to me.”
As soon as these words were spoken, a collective gasp resounded through Pingshuo Hall.
She was actually just a guard!
Although they had already made their guesses earlier, they had still harbored a sliver of hope.
Perhaps this black-robed female cultivator was an elder of Yun Heng.
Or perhaps she was a guest elder or enshrined expert of the Yun Family, merely accompanying Yun Heng on her journey temporarily.
Who could have imagined that she was merely a guard protecting her safety?
A late-stage Body Integration Realm guard!
How could Yun Heng talk about her as if she were as common as cabbage?
The hand of a family head holding his wine cup tightened slightly.
“A late-stage Body Integration Realm cultivator serving as a guard.”
“Just how strong is the strength of this Yun Family?”
The more everyone thought about it, the more alarmed they became.
If Yun Zhao was merely a guard, then how powerful must the actual elders of the Yun Family be?
Could it be that there was more than one late-stage Body Integration Realm cultivator in the Yun Family?
Perhaps there even existed Grand Ascension Realm cultivators, who had not publicly appeared on the Taiyan Continent for tens of thousands of years.
The power they were witnessing right now was already enough to send shockwaves through all the major factions of the Taiyan Continent.
Yun Heng took in all the reactions of the people around her.
The notifications of incoming Awe Points also rang out in her mind.
After a brief moment, Yun Heng continued:
“As for my leaving the family to enter the world this time, it was also arranged by the elders of my family.”
“After I was born, I spent the first eighteen years cultivating within the clan.”
“I have never left the family, nor do I understand the state of the current cultivation world.”
“The elders of my family felt that staying in the clan to cultivate behind closed doors all the time is not a good thing.”
“That is why they had me venture out alone to broaden my horizons.”
Having said this, Yun Heng paused for a moment.
“Additionally, they wanted me to interact more with the young prodigies of this era.”
“To spar, exchange pointers, and progress together.”
She raised her eyes to look at Xiao Cen opposite her.
Xiao Cen met her gaze and nodded slightly at her.
After hearing these words, the last lingering doubts in the hearts of those present gradually vanished.
Thus, the matter of the Yun Family being a secluded clan was basically confirmed.
And Yun Heng was the first person sent by the Yun Family to formally make contact with the current cultivation world.
A sect elder could not help but sigh with emotion:
“The cultivation environment and heritage of the Yun Family are likely far beyond our imagination.”
“With the strength the Yun Family has displayed now, once they formally emerge in the world, the entire Taiyan Continent will probably tremble.”
Sitting at the head of the hall, the City Lord also completely understood Yun Heng's objective today.
The smile on his face became increasingly warm, as if his previous displeasure had never existed.
“Hahaha!”
“The Yun Family indeed produces many brilliant talents.”
“For Young Lord Yun to possess such cultivation at such a young age, you truly deserve the title of a young prodigy.”
The City Lord raised his wine cup and asked with a smile:
“I wonder if Young Lord Yun will participate in the Five Domains Prodigy Gathering three months from now?”
Everyone's attention focused on Yun Heng once again.
Yun Heng's expression remained natural.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to spar and exchange pointers with the outstanding cultivators of various clans and families.”
“I naturally will not miss it.”
Hearing this, the expressions of several people in the hall instantly turned somewhat stiff.
Their disciples or the younger generation of their families had also secured spots for the Five Domains Prodigy Gathering.
If their luck was poor, it was entirely possible they would run into Yun Heng.
A twenty-five-year-old late-stage Soul Transformation Realm cultivator.
Who knew how many magical artifacts and trump cards bestowed by the Yun Family's elders she had on her.
Rate on N.U.
