Chapter 100

When Bai Xiaosheng ranked the beauties of the martial arts world, Qi Tingqin was ranked first, which was basically uncontroversial. Ranking her second was even more popular. Both of these beauties were already taken, having been chosen by the two most noble people in the Great Gan Dynasty: Emperor Tianlong and Sword Saint Bai Xifeng.

These two beauties were once outstanding female warriors in the martial arts world. After getting married, they kept a very low profile, rarely leaving their homes. However, no one in the martial arts world would forget them. Whenever the names of these two beauties were mentioned, everyone’s eyes would light up and they would drool with desire!

Unfortunately, no one is qualified to get involved.

After Yan Youruo was seated, Xuantian Daoist stepped forward, bowed to everyone, and said, “Friends who have come from afar, heroes of the martial world, today Princess Da Gan is holding a martial arts contest to find a husband for my Shaoyue Sect, which has brought great honor to our humble sect. I am truly humbled and honored. Here, I would like to apologize to all the distinguished guests. Due to limited space, we cannot prepare a seat for every guest. Please forgive us and we hope you can understand…”

At that moment, a voice suddenly rang out throughout the hall: “May I ask, Sect Leader Xuantian, have you prepared a seat for me?”

The sound was crisp and melodious, resonating in all directions, and everyone could hear it clearly, as if it were ringing right next to their ears.

As the sound drifted over, everyone looked up and saw a purple-gold sedan chair slowly flying in from the distance. The sedan chair shone brightly in the morning sun, and four women carried it from four different directions, their feet flying through the air as they quickly descended onto the square.

Upon seeing the sedan chair, Wang Tianlong and Bai Xifeng’s expressions changed simultaneously. They exchanged a glance and both saw the look of surprise and doubt in each other’s eyes.

Xuan Tian Dao Ren and Kong Ming Chan Shi immediately stepped forward to greet them.

The four women carrying the sedan chair were all stunningly beautiful, three of them dressed in black, sky blue, and pale yellow dresses respectively. Judging from their clothes, they were from the Kun Kingdom. Each of them had their own unique features, some tall and some graceful, but all were exceptional beauties, one in a million. They were the three leaders of the Kun Kingdom’s martial arts world, both the righteous and the wicked: Fang Huaxian, the leader of the Five Immortals Sect; Ji Qiujun, the master of the Hundred Flowers Palace; and Yu Youyang, the master of the Listening Rain Pavilion.

There was another woman, who was large and burly, with ugly features. She wore golden armor and carried a huge black spiked club on her shoulder. The club had sharp spikes on it. This woman was six or seven feet tall, and her gaze was enough to send chills down one’s spine. She was Bai Liangang, the commander of the guards of the Kun Kingdom’s royal palace.

The four women gently placed the sedan chair on the ground. As the curtain was lifted, a woman dressed in a purple-gold phoenix robe stepped out gracefully. She was a woman with a purple-gold crown, gold-threaded boots, and a long robe that trailed on the ground. She had an exquisitely beautiful face and a graceful figure. Her phoenix eyes were like lightning, and there was a red phoenix head mark between her eyebrows. Her lips were slightly pursed, and her eyebrows and eyelashes were very long. At this moment, her eyebrows were somewhat similar to Fang Huaxian’s, slanting into her temples. She was full of an arrogant air that made people bow down in submission.

People from all over the country, from various sects and families, looked up at the square, their eyes glazed over, drooling and swallowing constantly.

“This old Taoist priest respectfully welcomes the Empress to our sect,” Master Xuantian said, bowing deeply.

Zen Master Kongming clasped his hands together and said, “I am sorry for not welcoming the Empress properly.”

The one who arrived was none other than Empress Feng Liyao of the Kun Kingdom, accompanied by the leaders of the Kun Kingdom’s martial arts world and the commander of the Kun Kingdom’s imperial palace.

Feng Liyao’s beautiful eyes swept across the entire room. She took light steps forward and said, “I heard that the Shaoyue Sect is holding a grand event, so I came uninvited. I hope Sect Leader Xuantian will forgive me.”

“Not at all, it is an honor for our sect to have the Empress grace us with her presence!” Master Xuantian smiled and instructed his disciples to arrange seats, inviting Feng Liyao and the others to take their seats. Their seats were separated from those of the Daqian Dynasty and Aojian Manor, facing each other on the east and west sides.

Despite saying this, Xuan Tian Dao Ren was inwardly apprehensive. Princess Wan Ru’s martial arts contest to find a husband was jointly hosted by the Da Gan Dynasty and the Shao Yue Sect. The Da Gan Dynasty and the Kun Kingdom were hostile forces, and the two sides were absolutely irreconcilable. The Empress knew that the Gan Emperor was here, yet she still came to interfere. Wasn’t this just asking for trouble?

Hopefully, a fight won’t break out, otherwise even if he and Zen Master Kongming join forces, they might not be able to stop it.

“Look, my mother is here! And Sister Fang and the others… Godmother, let’s go over there quickly!” Qi Fei was overjoyed and pulled Li Huiyu towards them.

Leng Shuxue glanced around, touched the soft sword at her waist, and followed behind.

“Mother!” Qi Fei came running over excitedly.

Feng Liyao sat on a golden nanmu chair, glanced at him indifferently with her beautiful eyes, and waved her sleeve, telling him to stand aside.

Qi Fei had no choice but to stand obediently to the side. Fang Huaxian, who was sitting next to him, smiled and patted her beautiful black-stockinged legs. Qi Fei quickly walked over and sat down on Fang Huaxian’s lap.

“Sister Fang, why did it take you so long to arrive?” Qi Fei asked Fang Huaxian.

“Shh, don’t talk.” Fang Huaxian hugged Qi Fei and pinched his lips with her slender fingers.

The emperor opposite him glanced at the empress, his eyes like copper bells, filled with intense fighting spirit. Bai Xifeng, standing to the side, narrowed his eyes and chuckled, “Today is the day of Princess Wanru of our Great Gan’s martial arts contest to find a husband. I wonder what brings Her Majesty the Empress here?”

These words implied a lack of welcome for the Empress, so Xuan Tian Daoist quickly smoothed things over, saying, “Guests are always welcome, and harmony is paramount. Please don’t be so unwelcoming, Great Hero Bai. Of course, this old Daoist also hopes that the Empress’s visit is simply to show her support…”

Feng Liyao took a sip of tea, put down her cup, and said calmly, “Regarding the battle at Peach and Plum Mountain, my Kun Kingdom and the Gan Dynasty have agreed not to invade each other for three years. My Kun Kingdom always keeps its word and would never break it, so please rest assured, Daoist. I am here because I heard that Princess Wanru of the Gan Dynasty is holding a martial arts contest to find a husband. I have long heard that Princess Wanru is beautiful, pure, and kind, the kind of virtuous wife and loving mother that everyone desires. It just so happens that the prince and princess of my Kun Kingdom are also of marriageable age. My son is not yet married, and my daughter is not yet married, so I am happy to participate in this martial arts contest to find a husband. I wonder if Emperor Gan has the magnanimity and courage to form a marriage alliance with my Kun Kingdom?”

Upon hearing her words, Wang Tianlong’s eyes narrowed, and he thought to himself, “Damn it.”

Since the other party has said so, how could Wang Tianlong say “no”?

That would mean he was unwilling to create a peaceful and harmonious world and insisted on stirring up trouble, or that he was afraid of the other party and, in order to save face for Da Gan, he would definitely agree to let the other party’s people participate in the martial arts contest to find a husband.

At that moment, Wang Tianlong laughed loudly and said, “Good! Since the Empress wants to form a marriage alliance with me, that’s perfect. However, my daughter Wanru is of noble birth and not just anyone can marry her. Even the prince of Kun Kingdom must win the martial arts contest to be qualified!”

“Of course, everything will be done according to the rules,” Feng Liyao said.

Wang Tianlong and Bai Xifeng exchanged a glance, neither of them knowing what she was up to.

However, it doesn’t matter. Although Feng Liyao’s arrival is a variable, as long as it doesn’t disrupt their plans or affect their actions, it doesn’t matter.

Xuan Tian Daoist was overjoyed and said, “If Da Gan and Kun Kingdom can form a marriage alliance and turn hostility into friendship, that would be wonderful! In the future, the people of the world will not suffer from the ravages of war and can live a good life!”

“Excellent!” Zen Master Kongming exclaimed repeatedly.

Qi Fei looked at Fang Huaxian with some confusion and asked, “Does my mother want me to participate in the martial arts contest to find a husband?”

Fang Huaxian said, “And Jian Qing too.”

“Huh?” Qi Fei looked puzzled.

Fang Huaxian smiled but did not explain.

Qi Fei looked back and saw that in addition to Li Huiyu and Leng Shuxue, there were three more beautiful girls: Feng Jianqing in a tight purple dress, Li Yuyao in a sky blue dress, and Ye Ruiyun in a tight green dress. He didn’t know when they had arrived.

Kazami Haruaki smiled slightly but did not speak.

Li Yuyao stuck her tongue out at him, while Ye Ruiyun stood there dignifiedly, one hand gripping the long sword at her waist.

The three women stood together with Leng Shuxue, the four beautiful girls forming a stunning sight. Many young heroes and noblemen who came to participate in the martial arts contest to find a husband all looked over in this direction with lecherous expressions.

Just when everyone thought everyone had arrived, a carriage suddenly appeared from the mountain road, accompanied by several fine horses. Before long, it passed through the Shaoyue Sect’s archway and entered the square.

Everyone was curious; judging from their impressive appearance, who was this person?

Upon entering, the group finally recognized the newcomers. Several horses carried a person, among whom were none other than Ye Taixuan, the current owner of Red Leaf Manor, his son Ye Jingyun, the former leader of the Yin-Yang Sect Yao Ye, three elderly men, and an old woman. All four had white hair and youthful faces, with strange appearances and clothing quite different from that of the Great Gan Dynasty. Their attire consisted of a combination of an upper garment and trousers, creating a distinct layered effect. It should be noted that in both the Great Gan Dynasty and the Kun Kingdom, clothing was primarily composed of upper garments, skirts, and robes. The upper garment and trousers they wore were styles from hundreds of years ago and had not been worn for a long time.

After the young man who was driving the carriage dismounted, he greeted a young man dressed in black. This man was dressed in a brocade black robe and wore a black hair crown. He was quite handsome, with a radiant and energetic appearance. He was holding a black folding fan with a skull pattern in his hand. His gaze swept over the crowd, and the corners of his mouth were slightly curved with a nonchalant and contemptuous smile.

“Hua Yushu?” Many people, including Qi Fei and Wang Hongyu, were taken aback when they saw this young man.

The person who arrived was none other than Hua Yushu, the former young chief镖头 (chief镖师) of Fengyun镖局 (Fengyun Escort Agency), now known as Xia Yushu.

“Why is he here? He actually dares to come here? He’s really not afraid of death.” Wang Hongyu, standing behind Wang Tianlong, sneered slightly.

Xia Yushu walked forward slowly, chuckled, and said loudly, “How could such a grand event be complete without me, Xia Yushu?”

“Xia Yushu? Isn’t his name Hua Yushu?”

“That’s right, why did you change your name? Did you think that changing your name would allow you to escape the court’s pursuit?”

After hearing his words, everyone started to discuss them.

Xia Yushu was too lazy to explain to them. He simply looked at Xuantian Daoist and said, “Junior Xia Yushu greets Sect Leader Xuantian and Zen Master Kongming.”

“Greetings, Young Hero Xia. Oh, and Hero Ye is here too… But who are these gentlemen?” Xuan Tian Daoist looked at the Four Elders of Qiankun behind Xia Yushu.

Xia Yushu pointed at them with his fan and introduced them one by one: “These four seniors are the Old Man of Dongsheng, the Old Man of Nanshan, the Old Woman of Beihai, and the Old Ancestor of Xitian. You should all have heard of their names to some extent. Now they are my protectors.”

Upon hearing these four names, both Xuantian Daoist and Kongming Zen Master’s expressions changed. They exchanged a glance and quickly stepped forward to pay their respects. Xuantian Daoist said, “So you are the renowned ‘Four Elders of Qiankun’ from the Western Rong Kingdom. I have long heard of your great reputations, and seeing you today, I can confirm that they are indeed well-deserved.”

“Hmph, Xuan Tian Dao Ren? One of the Four Great Grandmasters of the World? Seems to be nothing special.” Old Man Dong Sheng smiled contemptuously. The Four Elders of Qiankun each put on an air of being the best in the world and not taking anyone seriously, not even bothering to look at him.

Xuan Tian Dao Ren remained unperturbed and continued to be humble and polite.

Xuan Tian Dao Ren, Kong Ming Chan Shi, and the Four Elders of Qiankun are all figures from the same era, roughly the same age, and all became famous forty years ago. They are all renowned in the martial arts world. However, Xuan Tian Dao Ren and Kong Ming Chan Shi mainly operate in the Da Gan Dynasty, while the Four Elders of Qiankun are famous in the Xi Rong Kingdom. The two sides keep to themselves and have no interaction. This is the first time they have met.

Most of the people around were young and few knew about the Four Elders of Qiankun. Even if they had heard of their names, they did not know how powerful they were, so they did not have much of a reaction. Only those who knew how powerful they were were moved.

What moved them was not only the arrival of the Four Elders of Qiankun, but also the fact that these four were actually Xia Yushu’s protectors. What does that mean?

Doesn’t that mean that Xia Yushu’s current status in the Western Rong Kingdom is equivalent to that of the king of the Western Rong Kingdom?

Even the king of the Western Rong Kingdom doesn’t seem to receive such treatment!

While everyone was still in shock and uncertainty, the Shaoyue faction had already ushered Xia Yushu and the others to their seats on the south side.

At this moment, the seating arrangement around Yujing Square was quite interesting. The Shaoyue Sect and Dachan Temple were located in the north, the Daqian Dynasty and Aojian Manor were located in the east, the Kun Kingdom Dynasty and Kun Kingdom Martial Arts were located in the west, and Xia Yushu and his group were located in the south. Each of the four sides followed their own rules, enjoying tea in their places and waiting for the martial arts contest to begin.

At this moment, Wang Hongyu smiled mockingly, looked at Xia Yushu, and said, “Eh, Brother Hua, why have you even changed your surname? Have you become a stray dog, changed your allegiance, and recognized a thief as your father?”

With a powerful backer at his back, Xia Yushu was brimming with confidence and didn’t take Wang Hongyu seriously at all. He had already regained his usual composure and was not angry. He simply smiled and said, “Brother Wang, you may not know this, but Hua Zhenbei is my godfather. ‘Xia’ is my original surname. Hmm, it seems your martial arts haven’t improved much in the past six months. Why don’t you become my disciple, and I’ll teach you a few techniques for self-defense?”

“No need.” Wang Hongyu’s expression changed slightly. He hadn’t expected that not only could he not provoke the other party, but he himself was almost provoked.

When they heard the surname “Xia,” most of the people present didn’t react much, assuming that Xia Yushu was just simply acknowledging his ancestry. Only a few people, such as Wang Tianlong, Feng Liyao, and Bai Xifeng, frowned, as if they had thought of something.

Wang Hongyu’s eyes darted around, and he asked again, “I wonder what brings Brother Xia to the Shaoyue Sect this time?”

Xia Yushu smiled faintly, “I’m here to participate in Princess Wanru’s martial arts contest to find a husband. What, does my brother look down on me and think I’m not good enough for Princess Wanru, and doesn’t want me to participate? Or… is it that my brother is still holding onto our past grievances and harbors prejudice against me?”

Upon hearing this, Wang Hongyu narrowed his eyes and said, “How dare I? According to the rules of the martial arts contest, the winner can marry the princess. Anyone under the age of thirty can participate.”

“That’s good.” Xia Yushu flicked her sharp nails.

At that moment, Wang Wanru looked over at Xia Yushu, and at the same time, Xia Yushu also looked over at her with a confident smile on her face. Wang Wanru blushed slightly and looked away.

Many people noticed this detail. Qi Fei, Wang Hongyu, Yuan Fuyao, Bai Bufan… everyone felt a sense of threat, knowing that if they wanted to marry Princess Wanru, Xia Yushu would be their number one enemy.

“Dong—” The melodious sound of the bell came from the main hall of the Shaoyue Sect and instantly spread throughout the entire area.

An official from the Daqian Dynasty stepped into the arena and announced, “By imperial decree, His Majesty the Emperor decrees that, in accordance with the rules of the martial world, Princess Wanru will hold a martial arts contest to choose a husband. Anyone under the age of thirty may participate in a one-on-one duel. The winner will be able to marry Princess Wanru and become the imperial son-in-law of the Daqian Dynasty. The contest is about to begin…”

Qi Fei slowly got up from Fang Huaxian’s lap, his usually frivolous expression turning serious, and stood to the side.

Because next, he will be going to compete against these young heroes from all over the world!

There were thousands of people, including scions of noble families, heroes of the martial arts world, and knights-errant from various countries such as the Daqian Dynasty, Kun Kingdom, Dongyi Kingdom, Xirong Kingdom, Nanman Kingdom, and Beidi Kingdom. Those who were able to travel thousands of miles to come here were all extraordinary people. They were either from prominent families or possessed unique skills.

Feng Jianqing came to Qi Fei’s side and said, “Look at Xia Yushu, he looks so confident. You’d better be very careful of him.”

Qi Fei said, “I know.” Xia Yushu is not only a mortal enemy of the Da Gan Dynasty, but has also offended the Kun Kingdom. Under such circumstances, he still dares to come here, which shows that he has enough confidence. In addition to Yao Ye and Ye Jingyun, the four elders of Qiankun beside him are obviously not ordinary experts. It is estimated that each of them is no less skilled than Yao Ye and Ye Jingyun. They should not be underestimated.

“In this martial arts contest to find a husband, all young heroes are free to use all their skills. As long as you can win, no means are restricted… Alright, the martial arts contest to find a husband shall officially begin. Please, young heroes, step onto the stage!”

The master of ceremonies spoke at length, finally explaining the rules and announcing the official start of the martial arts contest for marriage before stepping down.

The arena used for the martial arts competition was several tens of feet in circumference, a very large area. In the middle, there was a wooden platform, which served as the arena, enough for everyone to perform. In fact, it was not limited to the arena, because the arena was very likely to be damaged during the fight. The platform was made of thick bluestone slabs, which were not easily damaged.

After the master of ceremonies left, a burly man with a thick beard immediately leaped into the arena. This man had a rugged face, a full beard, and was extremely tall, comparable to a piece of steel. He was shirtless and had his arms crossed over his chest.

The man looked to be in his thirties or forties, but when introducing himself, he said, “I am Zhang Qiang from Yunzhou, nicknamed ‘Invincible Iron Fist,’ twenty-nine years old this year. I’m determined to be the prince consort. Who dares to fight me?!”

The sound buzzed and reverberated in all directions.