"The Nine Yi Divine Archery Manual" is the sacred relic of the Nine Southern Yi Tribes, and also the only secret method that allows the heavenly warriors of the Nine Southern Yi Divisions to cultivate to the Realm of Ten Directions!

Even with all their grievances and anger, the Nine Southern Yi Divisions could only accept it. In fact, with each passing year, the treasures, spiritual herbs, and elemental stones they gathered for their diplomatic missions increased, all in hopes that Philip Ward would utter a single word of approval.

There are always many greedy people in the world. The treasures, spiritual herbs, and elemental stones gathered by the Nine Southern Yi Divisions as tribute are exactly the rare treasures most coveted by heavenly warriors—especially some top-grade spiritual herbs and special elemental stones that are unique to the Southern Yi, which make heavenly warriors everywhere green with envy and drive them mad with desire.

Although the Nine Southern Yi Divisions have suffered heavy losses, in the Southern Yi lands, they are still not a place that ordinary heavenly warriors can venture into.

Therefore, the once-in-a-decade diplomatic mission of the Southern Yi to Tianshan gives countless heavenly warriors across the world a chance!

The decennial journey of the Southern Yi envoys to Tianshan has become a "grand event" for heavenly warriors everywhere. At that time, heavenly warriors from the Northern Barbarians, the Western Regions, the Eastern Sea, the Three Central Kingdoms, and the famous mountains and rivers all gather in the small city of Qingyan, using it as a base. From Yunmeng Marsh onward, they fight to seize the spiritual herbs, elemental stones, and treasures from the hands of the Southern Yi envoys.

It is a bloody feast where crocodiles fight over food!

Whenever this happens, Qingyan City is swept by storms of blood and carnage. The heavenly warrior families of Qingyan City are all on edge, and the clan leaders strictly forbid their disciples from stepping even a foot outside the family grounds.

The heavenly warriors who gather from all corners of the world, once they are blinded by killing, have no scruples at all—imperial power and armies mean nothing to them.

At that time, any heavenly warrior with weak strength who gets involved will not even have their bones left!

But those with great strength will obtain the rich spoils that drive them mad in this feast!

There are even powerful heavenly warriors who treat this feast as an opportunity for their own breakthrough, coming purely for the sake of battle!

Now, there are only three years left until the next bloody feast...

※※※ Half a day later, Grace Harper arrived at Qingyan City with William Harper.

"Chang Kong, let's go to the City Lord's Mansion first. I have something to say to that girl Emily. As soon as I'm done, we'll head straight to Wushan!"

After entering Qingyan City, Grace Harper pulled William Harper along toward the City Lord's Mansion where Richard Clark resided.

With a slight effort, William Harper broke free from Grace Harper's tight grip on his wrist. Under Grace Harper's surprised and puzzled gaze, William Harper gave a wry smile and said, "Forget it, I won't go to the City Lord's Mansion with you. I'll wait for you at David Bennett's place."

"Are you still afraid of that girl Emily Clark?"

Grace Harper was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled softly.

Shaking his head, William Harper wore a strange expression and explained, "It's not fear!

It's just that seeing her makes me uncomfortable. I think if she sees me, she'll feel even worse, so it's better not to meet."

"Wasn't it just three years ago when you and I happened to walk in on her bathing in the courtyard?

You were just a little kid, and yet you had so many wild thoughts. Really, it wasn't even on purpose—you weren't to blame, she was just careless and too casual herself."

A peculiar, odd smile curled at the corner of Grace Harper's mouth, but her words were clearly siding with William Harper. After thinking for a moment, Grace Harper burst out laughing and said, "Alright, alright, don't meet then, lest that girl bullies you.

But don't worry, after we return from Wushan, once you have elemental power, you won't have to be afraid of her anymore."

"When I saw her a year ago, she was already at the Two Yi Heaven stage. I think even Edward Harper isn't her match. For now, I really don't want to provoke her."

William Harper pulled a long face and shrugged, showing his helplessness.

"Watch your mouth!

No matter what, Edward is your big brother. How can you call him by name?"

Grace Harper glared at William Harper, then softened her tone: "Edward and the others, no matter how badly they treat you or look down on you, they're still part of our Ji family!"

William Harper grinned, but said nothing.

Seeing William Harper's expression, Grace Harper sighed inwardly. She knew William Harper harbored resentment in his heart. If he didn't let it out, this knot might never be untied.

Grace Harper waved her hand wearily, not wanting to dwell on the matter, and changed the subject: "Alright, alright, if you don't want to see Emily Clark, then don't. I'll come find you at David Bennett's place later."

With that, Grace Harper said no more and went alone to Richard Clark's City Lord's Mansion.

Watching Grace Harper's figure gradually recede, William Harper let out a soft sigh and walked alone toward the slums of Qingyan City.

……

Half an hour later, William Harper saw from afar the nine shabby yet very spacious rows of blue-tiled houses belonging to David Bennett, three rooms in each row.

The first row of three tiled houses was where David Bennett slept and usually talked with him.

The second row of three large tiled houses was where David Bennett brewed wine, and beneath the third row was a cellar for storing the wine.

In William Harper's eyes, David Bennett was an out-and-out eccentric.

David Bennett brewed wine but never drank it himself. He said he brewed it to exchange for money, but William Harper had never seen anyone come to buy his wine.

David Bennett would often disappear for a while—sometimes three to five days, sometimes ten days to half a month, unpredictably—so those three rows of large tiled houses were often left unattended.