I Have the Martial Arts Heavenly Eye in the Storm Riders

When his father was mentioned, the overwhelming killing intent in Nie Feng's eyes gradually subsided.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to destroy everything in his heart, and looked at Yan Ying with a complicated expression, his voice hoarse:

"My father now lives in seclusion in Niejia Town, spending his days taking care of his granddaughter and enjoying his retirement. He leads a peaceful life."

He paused here, his gaze sweeping over Duan Lang intentionally or unintentionally, a hint of undisguised hatred flashing in his eyes. If it weren't for this man, his mother might have already returned to his father's side, and the family would have been reunited.

However, when his gaze fell upon the two boys who shared half of his blood, his hatred transformed into deep helplessness and sighs.

"But... he always kept his mother in his heart and often called out her name."

Nie Feng let out a long sigh, a sigh that contained so much helplessness and vicissitudes.

What's done is done.

Duan Lang and his mother already have such a grown child. Even if you kill Duan Lang, what difference will it make?

What can be changed besides making the mother a widow again and the two boys lose their father?

At this moment, the god of wind, who had roamed the martial world, felt a sense of desolation in his heart, even more exhausted than when he had fought three hundred rounds.

To everyone's surprise, Duan Lang had already prepared a banquet in the main hall of Mount Tai.

The food and wine were brought up in advance from the best restaurant in Tai'an Town, filling a long table with steaming hot food and the aroma of wine.

"Now that we're all family," Duan Lang said, sitting confidently in the main seat, picking up his wine bowl, and smiling nonchalantly.

"We can't just meet and not even have a meal together, can we? Come, sit down."

Yan Ying wiped away her tears, took Nie Feng's hand, and carefully led him to the table.

She was afraid that her son would lose his temper again if he got upset.

Nie Feng remained silent for a long time.

In the end, he sat down.

It wasn't because he forgave Duan Lang, but because his mother was watching him from the side, her eyes full of expectation.

He simply couldn't bring himself to make his mother cry again.

Bu Jingyun and Wuming exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of relief in each other's eyes.

My heart, which had been hanging in suspense, can finally be put at ease.

Although the situation is absurd, at least it hasn't gotten out of control.

Bu Tian was seated next to Duan Shen and Duan Wu. The three teenagers stared at each other, creating a rather awkward atmosphere.

Duan Shen and Duan Wu stood with their arms crossed on either side of each other, looking at each other with expressions that said, "Who are you?"

Bu Tian remained expressionless, picked up the bowl, and silently drank the soup.

Yan Ying, on the other hand, was busy running around, serving food to Nie Feng one minute and coaxing Duan Shen and Duan Wu the next, wishing she could split herself in two.

After several rounds of drinks...

Nie Feng had drunk quite a bit, and his face was flushed with a slight intoxication.

The alcohol diluted the bitterness in his heart. Looking at the smiling Duan Lang across from him, he suddenly felt that all of this was as absurd as a dream.

His arch-nemesis became his "other father".

His mother became his rival's wife.

He also had two half-brothers who looked exactly like Duan Lang and were equally arrogant.

Fate is something that's harder to sever than any trick.

That night, the main hall of Mount Tai was brightly lit, and people were feasting and drinking.

Although the laughter was tinged with awkwardness, and the silence concealed unspoken thoughts, at least—

We've accepted each other as family.

Yuexin Inn is located at the foot of Mount Tai.

It was late at night, but the inn's lobby was still brightly lit and noisy.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and the exchange of toasts, everyone was talking about the same thing—

The Mount Tai Martial Arts Tournament.

"Bang!"

A burly man with a full beard slammed his wine bowl on the table, wiped the wine stains from the corner of his mouth, his eyes wide open, his face still showing lingering fear:

"Damn it! That battle really scared the crap out of me! Nie Feng's demonic blade and Duan Lang's fiery sword, tsk tsk... that wasn't just humans fighting, it was clearly gods undergoing tribulation!"

Across from him, a scholar-looking man lightly waved a folding fan, feigning composure, but his trembling fingers betrayed him.

"What you say is absolutely right, brother. That battle is worthy of being recorded in the annals of martial arts history! However..."

The scholar abruptly changed the subject, lowering his voice and a greedy glint in his eyes:

"Compared to that battle, the 'Three Beasts of Immortality' mentioned by Alliance Leader Duan is the truly earth-shattering secret!"

Upon hearing this, the martial arts enthusiasts at the nearby tables all perked up their ears and crowded around.

"That's right! Dragon, Phoenix, Tortoise... If it's really as Alliance Leader Duan said, that obtaining just one will grant immortality, then what's the point of practicing martial arts? What's the point of risking our lives?"

"Exactly! I've heard that the dragon is hiding deep in the ocean... I've decided, I'm going to sell all my possessions and head out to sea tomorrow to try my luck! What if I stumble upon something by sheer chance?"

"Let's go! Let's go! Count me in!"

The more they talked, the more excited they became, as if immortality was a foregone conclusion.

At this moment, a young man timidly interjected:

"Seniors, isn't the Fire Qilin one of the Four Auspicious Beasts? And it's located in Lingyun Cave in Leshan, so why hasn't anyone mentioned it?"

"A fire qilin?" The burly man with a thick beard scoffed and waved his hand dismissively.

"Go away! What do you know, little brat? Although the Fire Qilin is also an auspicious beast, that thing is covered in flames and is extremely fierce."

"The worst part is that while drinking its blood greatly increases one's power, it also drives them mad! Turning them into monsters who don't recognize their own family!"

The scholar closed his folding fan and sneered:

"Exactly! What we seek is carefree immortality and the enjoyment of wealth and glory. What's the point of living a thousand years if we become mad? Even if the Fire Qilin were given to me for free, I wouldn't want it!"

"Hahaha! Well said! Come on, bottoms up! Tomorrow we'll go our separate ways, each seeking our own destiny!"

"Dry!"

The clinking of wine bowls echoed throughout the room.

Amidst this cacophony of noise, a frenzied era of beast hunting quietly began.

Several days later, at the palace.

Inside the imperial study, the emperor sat upright behind his dragon-patterned desk, his face so gloomy it seemed to drip water.

Although several days had passed since the fright he suffered on Mount Tai, every night, the image of countless demonic blades clashing with fire swords would still intrude into his dreams, startling him into a cold sweat.

But more than fear, there was something else that haunted his dreams—

longevity.

The secrets of the four auspicious beasts that Duan Lang revealed at the Mount Tai Conference were like a fishbone stuck in his throat—he couldn't swallow it or spit it out.

Dragon, phoenix, dragon turtle—any one of them can grant immortality.

How could something like this fall into the hands of a江湖草莽 (jianghu caomang, meaning outlaws or scoundrels)?

It must be mine!!

"Commander Dao," the emperor called out in a deep voice.

Outside the palace gate, a middle-aged man dressed in a black close-fitting outfit silently entered and knelt on one knee.

"Your subject is here."

"From this day forward, I order you to mobilize all your covert agents—the Imperial Secret Service, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Six Doors… use everything that is available to me."

The emperor stood up, walked to the window, and his eyes gleamed with greed:

"The dragon, the phoenix, the dragon turtle—I need to know everything about them—where they're hiding, how to catch them, who has seen them. At all costs."

He paused for a moment, then added:

"Activate the spies from neighboring countries as well. Fuyu, Southern Frontier, Western Regions, Eastern Ying... wherever there is a clue to the auspicious beast, no matter where it is, I will take it!"

Commander Dao lowered his head: "As you command. I will carry it out immediately."

"Go."

Commander Dao left the main hall, his footsteps disappearing at the end of the corridor.

The emperor sat back on the dragon throne, closed his eyes, leaned back, and rubbed his temples.

He was the only one left in the vast imperial study, and the silence was unsettling.

"His Majesty."

A soft, alluring voice sounded from behind.

The Empress entered at some point, dressed in a plain palace dress, and moved gracefully behind the Emperor.

"His Majesty has been losing his appetite these past few days, and his complexion is getting worse," the Empress said softly, placing her hand on the Emperor's shoulder and gently massaging it.

"Let me serve Your Majesty in a relaxed manner."

The emperor didn't open his eyes, letting out a comfortable groan as the empress's hand slid down his shoulder.

The Empress's actions grew increasingly bold; her soft, boneless fingers slipped inside the hem of the dragon robe...

"Your Majesty," the Empress asked casually as she served him.

"I heard that the trip to Mount Tai... did not go smoothly?"

The emperor grunted but did not reply.

"General Shi and General Yue are both pillars of the court, commanding armies of hundreds of thousands..." The Empress's tone was as gentle as water, but her hands did not stop moving.

"But I've heard that once they reached Mount Tai, they weren't even capable of sharing Your Majesty's burdens?"

The emperor's breathing gradually became heavy, partly because of the empress's hand, and partly because of the pent-up frustration he felt.

"Don't even mention it..." He waved his hand irritably, his tone full of helplessness and dejection.

"I've raised an army for decades, and in the end, it's just a bunch of good-for-nothings!"

"None of my men are capable of fighting..."

The Empress's eyes flickered slightly, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of her lips, but her hands became even more attentive.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured... I'm here..."

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking.

The empress, dressed in a sleek riding outfit, rode out of the palace gate alone.

He didn't bring a single attendant.

The morning breeze blew into her cloak, obscuring most of her face with the hood, revealing only a pair of sharp eyes and a bright red lip.

They galloped south at breakneck speed, without stopping for a moment.

Fifty miles away, Shijiabao.

Looking into the distance, the Empress discovered that the gates of Shijiabao were wide open.

There was no one guarding the entrance.

"Not even a doorman?"

The empress scoffed, pulled on the reins, and spurred her horse straight toward the gate.

"Whoosh—!"

A sharp arrow shot through the air and pierced the yellow earth three feet in front of the horse!

The arrow's fletching hummed and vibrated as it sank half a foot into the ground!

The horse suddenly stumbled, its front hooves rising high, and the empress was nearly thrown off.

She gripped the reins tightly to steady herself, her face turning ashen instantly.

A burly figure slowly appeared on the city wall.

Stone Peak.

He had a large, dagger-like sword at his waist and a powerful bow in his hand, looking down at the people coming from below the city.

His face was expressionless, as cold as iron.

"Shijiabao is a strategically important place. Without His Majesty's decree, no one may set foot here."

The voice wasn't loud, but each word struck the ground with the force of a hammer blow.

"How dare you!!" The Empress flew into a rage, ripping off her hood to reveal her regal face, and screamed shrilly.

"Are you blind?! Look carefully at who I am! I am the Empress, the mother of the nation!!"