Chen Fan, with his keen senses, naturally perceived this killing intent.
Moreover, Yan Siyu had not tried to conceal her murderous intent.
He bore no grudge against the Misty Rain Sect, so the source of this killing intent could only be Su Yingxia.
This indicated that Su Yingxia's importance within the Misty Rain Sect was far greater than originally estimated.
However, he did not dwell on it, and instead offered Yan Siyu a smile.
Upon seeing his smile, the latter's brow furrowed, and the killing intent in her eyes intensified.
From the main seat, Zuo Lizhou waved his hand, signaling for everyone to quiet down, and said, "Fellow Daoists, when I first proposed reviving the Hero Alliance, my intention was to deal with potential great enemies."
"I recall that back then, Senior He Zudao, a peak Martial Dao Grandmaster, who had been kind to us, encountered a cultivator and was severely wounded, dying with regret!"
"In his memory, Brother Xin and I established the Hero Alliance."
"For over twenty years, the Hero Alliance has grown in membership, fostering exchanges and significantly contributing to the entire martial world!"
"In the current situation, if any of you are unwilling to join the Hero Alliance, Brother Zuo and I will naturally understand."
"However, I still believe that if we can unite, with the abundance of talent in the martial world today, no matter what happens or what crisis we face, we can calmly handle it, which would be in everyone's best interest!"
"We will leave this matter here for now. I urge you all to consider it carefully, or send word back. If you wish to join us in this grand endeavor, it would be a testament to our martial spirit!"
"The doors of the Hero Alliance are always open for you!"
Zuo Lizhou said this, seemingly without any intention of forcing everyone to join the Hero Alliance.
However, this was merely a superficial appearance. Outsiders could not fathom what Zuo Lizhou would do after this Hero Gathering.
Many fell into deep thought, weighing the pros and cons of joining the Hero Alliance.
"The general matters have been concluded, but since this is a Martial Dao Hero Gathering, the next event will be sparring and exchanges!"
"Let us begin with the younger disciples, so that you may offer your critique and guidance to the younger generation, helping them to improve. Tian Ce!"
"Father!"
Zuo Tian Ce stepped forward a couple of paces and bowed to Zuo Lizhou.
"This is a rare opportunity, so you shall start, Zuo Tian Ce. Cast the brick to attract jade, and showcase your skills before the Grandmasters and seniors!"
"Yes, Father!"
Zuo Tian Ce responded and walked calmly to the center of the training ground.
He was tall and slender, with a handsome face. Under everyone's gaze, he stood firm in the arena, exuding an imposing demeanor.
"Esteemed seniors, Tian Ce will present his humble skills. May I ask which senior's disciple would be willing to offer some guidance?"
Zuo Tian Ce clasped his fists and spoke aloud.
Only when his gaze swept past Chen Fan did a flicker of gloom appear in his eyes.
The various Martial Dao Grandmasters whispered amongst themselves.
"The sparring will be stopped at the first sign of contact. My son is currently at the late stage of Hua Jin. I hope you will offer your pointers, so that the younger generation may realize their shortcomings," Zuo Lizhou said with a laugh.
"I will!"
At this moment, a young man stepped out from the crowd.
He was a martial artist from the Yang family of Ji Bei.
This person had a decent presence. After stepping out, he clasped his fists and said to Zuo Tian Ce, "Yang Yue of Ji Bei. I implore Young Alliance Master Zuo to show mercy!"
"It is merely a friendly spar for mutual exchange and verification. Senior Brother Yang, please!" Zuo Tian Ce said with a graceful gesture.
Yang Yue adopted a starting stance, then took a step forward, punching directly towards the center with a straightforward move.
Zuo Tian Ce raised his hand to block, his body slightly vibrating, and a sound like wind and thunder emanated from within him.
Yang Yue, unwilling to be outdone, also unleashed wind and thunder, his footwork agile as he circled Zuo Tian Ce, seeking an opening to strike.
He employed the Xing Yi Quan style, knowing Zuo Tian Ce's formidable strength, and dared not act rashly.
With techniques like Cannon Fist, Rupture Fist, and Entwined Hands, his offense and defense were well-coordinated, tightly guarding his position.
Zuo Tian Ce did not press too hard, giving Yang Yue an opportunity to showcase his skills. Through various probes and touches, his internal energy displayed a seamless blend of hardness and softness. While appearing evenly matched, he was in fact at ease.
Under the watchful eyes and critiques of numerous Grandmasters, the two exchanged over twenty moves. Zuo Tian Ce then seized an opportunity, altering his technique and using his superior internal energy to break Yang Yue's defense, defeating him.
Yang Yue retreated a few steps, bowed, and said with a smile, "Thank you, Young Alliance Master Zuo, for your guidance. I have gained much!"
"It was a mutual exchange, and I have also gained!"
Yang Yue looked towards Zuo Lizhou.
"Excellent, excellent. Martial Nephew Yang has a solid foundation and a balanced approach to offense and defense. He is quite a capable fighter at the Hua Jin level," Zuo Lizhou commented. "However, your Cannon Fist still lacks sufficient power and a bit of variation. The Cannon Fist should strike like a cannonball, yet it can also incorporate variations in internal energy, making it even more difficult for the opponent to resist..."
Zuo Lizhou spoke eloquently, his observations remarkably precise and astute.
Others chimed in with their critiques, their evaluations largely similar.
Yang Yue's father, Yang Tian Qi, a Martial Dao Grandmaster, also offered a few words of praise to Zuo Tian Ce upon hearing his comments.
Following this, another person entered the arena to spar with Zuo Tian Ce.
The outcome was, predictably, another victory for Zuo Tian Ce.
Such sparring bouts were more performative in nature, but Zuo Tian Ce's strength was indeed extraordinary. Below the level of Martial Dao Grandmasters, very few martial artists could match him.
After this martial artist, Zuo Tian Ce won another match. He bowed gracefully and said, "Thank you, esteemed Grandmasters and fellow Daoists, for your guidance. Tian Ce has benefited greatly. I will now yield my place to the younger brothers and sisters. The opportunity to receive critiques from over ten Martial Dao Grandmasters is rare, so younger disciples, please seize this chance!"
With that, he bowed and retreated.
As he had said, this was a good opportunity, and so, more young martial artists stepped onto the arena to engage in combat.
The scene was quite lively, but for Chen Fan, it was undoubtedly a bit boring.
It was likely that many others felt similarly. At least, Chen Fan saw several Martial Dao Grandmasters with expressionless faces, showing no inclination to offer any commentary.
However, they still had to show respect to Zuo Lizhou and the Hero Alliance, so no one stood up to leave.
Chen Fan leisurely drank his tea, preparing to go and speak with Wang Shuhuan.
Just then, after a sparring match, a female Daoist descended from the arena.
She held a sword in one hand, drew it with a clanging sound, pointed it at Chen Fan, and said sternly, "Chen Fan, come down and face your death!"
Chen Fan was taken aback. He looked at the young female Daoist, then at Yan Siyu.
Yan Siyu was leisurely sipping her tea, her expression calm.
Many in the arena became alert, then their expressions turned somewhat strange.
The Misty Rain Sect had a grievance with Chen Fan; this was indeed an interesting development.
However, for the Misty Rain Sect to send out such a young female disciple, wasn't this just asking for trouble?
After all, Chen Fan was a super expert who could even defeat Martial Dao Grandmasters from the Six Harmonies Sect. A disciple from the Misty Rain Sect was not enough to contend with him. It would be more appropriate for Yan Siyu, a seasoned Martial Dao Grandmaster, to make a move.
The monk and the Daoist exchanged glances, revealing knowing smiles.
From the main seat, Fu Qinglei sneered, clearly pleased with this turn of events.
He wasn't reluctant to act against Chen Fan, but the occasion and Chen Fan's strength prevented him from finding an excuse.
Now that the Misty Rain Sect was making trouble, it was exactly what he desired!