The Legend of Sword and Fairy H Version Chapter 10: Martial Arts Tournament for Marriage

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Xiaoyao was awakened by light footsteps at the door.
"...?" Xiaoyao put on his clothes, puzzled, and asked, "Who is it?"
The person outside seemed startled, hesitating for a long time…
"It's…it's me…" As soon as the words left his lips, Xiaoyao knew who it was—it was Zhiqing.
"What's wrong?" He opened the door and saw Zhiqing standing there; she was wearing a light red silk cotton dress, but there were slight dark circles under her eyes.
"B-Good morning, Big Brother…" Zhiqing blushed involuntarily upon seeing Xiaoyao, looking somewhat awkward.
"Hmm? Qingmei, you have dark circles under your eyes. Didn't you sleep well?" Xiaoyao asked with concern.
"Uh…uh…um…" Zhiqing's heart skipped a beat. Although Xiaoyao probably didn't know what happened last night, Zhiqing still felt a little guilty.
"Um…I have to go now. You and Sister Zhao should rest a little longer," Zhiqing said.
"Huh? So early, where are you going?" Xiaoyao asked.
"I can't sleep anyway, so I'm just going for a walk..." Zhiqing replied. In fact, she wanted to go out to see if she could distract herself from thinking about it.
"Oh... okay then, Qingmei, be careful." Xiaoyao said.
"Okay!" With that, Zhiqing went downstairs by herself.
After closing the door, Xiaoyao returned to Ling'er's side.
(What was Qingmei doing lingering outside the door so early in the morning?) After thinking for a moment, he understood.
(She probably didn't dare to wake me up, but didn't want to leave without saying goodbye, so she hesitated at the door.) Thinking this, Xiaoyao looked at Ling'er's sleeping face...
Looking at her sweet sleeping face, Xiaoyao couldn't help but gently kiss her cheek.
"Ah... right." Suddenly, Xiaoyao thought of something, and he quickly sat up, trying to circulate his internal energy.
Sure enough, as Xiaoyao expected, his internal energy had stagnated again.
(However, my skill seems to have improved a little bit more than before... It seems that as long as I use more alcohol as a medium, I can fully utilize Sister Furong's skills.) Xiaoyao thought, and just thinking about being able to use his martial arts at will made him excited. However, he hadn't forgotten Xiaoyun's advice...
"No... Sister said not to be too complacent. Right..." Thinking of Xiaoyun, Xiaoyao naturally thought of the two manuals.
(Since I have nothing to do, I'll practice now.) So, Xiaoyao took out the two books from his bag and began to read them.
After the battle with that barbaric woman, Xiaoyao also began to pay attention to grappling techniques; since swordsmanship requires a sword, without a sword, wouldn't one be helpless? Therefore, unarmed combat is also very important.
"Flying Dragon Probing Clouds Hand" is the signature move of Xiaoyao's father, Li Sansi. Its foundation is the "Shadowless Phoenix Claw" from the Phoenix Technique. Silent and unpredictable, it attacks with incredible speed, leaving the enemy no time to defend. Since Li Sansi created this move, no one has been able to decipher its movements.
"Ice Heart Technique" is a self-calming internal energy cultivation method, primarily used to regulate the flow of internal energy and stimulate mental clarity. This helps prevent interference with internal energy flow during combat, etc.
After practicing for several hours, Xiaoyao finally mastered both moves. The "Flying Dragon Probing Clouds Hand" technique itself isn't difficult; the challenge lies in its practical application. "Ice Heart Technique," on the other hand, focuses on the regulation and control of internal energy. With Xiaoyao's talent, he learned it in less than half the time of an average person.
Looking at the time, it was almost noon…
"Ling'er, get up and get warm…" Xiaoyao whispered in Ling'er's ear.
"Mmm…" Ling'er instinctively pulled the blanket tighter, seemingly unwilling to leave the bed.
"Get up quickly, or your brother Xiaoyao won't take you shopping!" Xiaoyao laughed.
"I want to go!" This trick worked, and Ling'er immediately jumped out of bed.
"You're just like a little kid." Looking at her excited appearance, Xiaoyao teased.
"No way!" Ling'er blushed slightly and quickly denied it. No wonder, this was what she was most looking forward to.
So, the two of them started to tidy up. Watching Ling'er tidy her somewhat messy hair, Xiaoyao took the initiative to help, but...
"Ouch, that hurts...!" Ling'er cried out in pain.
"Brother Xiaoyao, you can't pull your hair like that..." Ling'er said, teaching Xiaoyao how to comb his hair.
"I'm sorry, I'm really just trying to help..." Xiaoyao apologized. Xiaoyao was a man, and he himself didn't care about combing techniques, so of course he just tidied it up haphazardly.
"I don't know how, I'll get better with practice. Besides, I feel very happy to have Brother Xiaoyao help me..." Ling'er said softly.
"Ling'er..." Xiaoyao felt a sweet warmth in his heart upon hearing this. Combing the hair of his beloved was a kind of happiness, wasn't it?
After tidying Ling'er's hair, Ling'er noticed that Xiaoyao's hair was a bit messy, as if it had been hastily combed. Ling'er then asked Xiaoyao to sit down so she could fix his hair.
Feeling Ling'er's warm hands gently stroking and tidying Xiaoyao's head, Xiaoyao felt a surge of satisfaction. He finally understood the feeling of happiness Ling'er had described... a feeling only lovers could experience...
After checking out of the room, the two stepped out of the inn.
"A fortune teller... Would you two like your fortunes told?" Just as they stepped out the door, a fortune teller approached and asked.
"No..." Xiaoyao was skeptical of such things. He frowned slightly, wanting to politely decline.
"Meeting is fate. Why don't you have your fortunes told? No charge if it's inaccurate." The fortune teller, as if sensing Xiaoyao's reluctance, added.
"...Alright." Seeing Ling'er's eager expression, Xiaoyao agreed.
"Hmm... Young Master, your destiny is extraordinary. You seem destined for great things in the future. This matter will have both good and bad aspects, and its impact on the world will be enormous," the fortune teller said slowly after calculating with his fingers.
"Hmm..." Xiaoyao replied casually. He had already guessed that the fortune teller would say the same thing.
"Moreover, Young Master, you are destined for romance, which is sure to happen soon. Remember, women are like water; water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. Be careful," the fortune teller continued.
"Romantic luck..." Upon hearing this, Xiaoyao couldn't help but smile bitterly to himself. He had already experienced what "happen soon" meant.
"What about me?" Ling'er asked impatiently. Unlike Xiaoyao, she believed in such things because she studied magic.
"Hmm..." The fortune teller calculated again, and suddenly, he showed a surprised expression.
"Truly astonishing... Young lady, your radiance is dazzling, your spiritual energy is overwhelming, you are truly a peerless talent. However... if I'm not mistaken, you will surely face a calamity soon." Upon hearing this, Xiaoyao and Ling'er were startled.
"Pah! Pah! Pah! No way, no way, I'm leaving!" Xiaoyao said unhappily, quickly leading Ling'er away.
"...Sigh, young people these days are all like this, unwilling to listen to the truth..." The fortune teller didn't chase after them; he merely watched Xiaoyao and Ling'er's retreating figures.
"...It's truly unexpected that the turmoil of the era would be caused by them, but whether it will end because of them, that depends on their fate..." The fortune teller murmured, turning and walking away in the opposite direction from Xiaoyao.
After walking for a while, Xiaoyao, confirming that the fortune teller wasn't following, slowed his pace.
Xiaoyao felt strange. Normally, fortune tellers would say nice things to make people happy, that's how they made money. Why was this fortune teller different? Could what he said be true? Of course, he would never believe it.
"Ling'er, don't mind what that fortune teller said, they love to lie." Xiaoyao quickly said, worried that Ling'er would be unhappy.
"Hmm...but, Master once said that sometimes fortune telling really works..." Ling'er said slowly, it seemed she was indeed influenced.
"Okay, even if what he said is true, I think fate is definitely not predetermined, fate should be in our own hands." Xiaoyao said, this was a sentence Xiaoyun taught him, and now he was passing it on to Ling'er.
"Besides, don't be afraid, if there's any calamity, Brother Xiaoyao is here!" Xiaoyao patted his chest.
"...Hmm!" Ling'er finally smiled.
Suzhou was indeed a prosperous place. Although it couldn't compare to the capital, it had everything one needed. Xiaoyao took Ling'er around, eating snacks and treats.
For Ling'er, everything was new and exciting. She had never seen anything like it before, and excitedly dragged Xiaoyao around, making her the one leading the way. Of course, seeing Ling'er so happy, Xiaoyao was also very pleased.
"Sour…!" Taking a bite of a candied hawthorn, Xiaoyao deliberately exaggerated his expression, making Ling'er laugh happily.
"This, this!" Ling'er immediately pulled Xiaoyao to another stall…
It was a jewelry stall, and Ling'er, being a girl, was quickly attracted by the dazzling jewelry…
"…" Xiaoyao looked around, wanting to know what Ling'er liked. He glanced at it and saw Ling'er's gaze linger on a rather beautiful silver hairpin.
"You like this?" Xiaoyao asked.
"But…it seems very expensive…" Ling'er said. She really wanted to try it on, but she didn't want Xiaoyao to spend money.
"If you like it, I'll buy it for you, boss. How much is it?" Xiaoyao asked.
"Young master has good taste, is this a gift for your girlfriend? Hehe... Then I'll do you a favor, originally one hundred taels, I'll give you eighty!" The innkeeper looked at Xiaoyao and Ling'er and said with a smile.
"Eighty taels..." This was no small sum. Xiaoyao took out the money pouch Xiaoyun had given him, looked inside, and was immediately stunned. He hadn't expected there to be so much money inside, at least a thousand taels!
(Wow...! My sister actually saved so much money for me...) Xiaoyao couldn't help but feel extremely grateful. The inn's business wasn't usually very good, so this much money showed how long Xiaoyun had been saving.
Xiaoyao knew that Xiaoyun must have agreed to let him spend money to dress up Ling'er, so he started counting the money, intending to buy it.
"Brother Xiaoyao, no need." Ling'er was worried that Xiaoyao didn't have enough money, so she quickly said. Seeing that Xiaoyao ignored her and insisted on buying it, Ling'er turned around and ran away.
Xiaoyao smiled, and in that instant, he channeled his inner energy into his right hand. With lightning speed, the silver hairpin in his hand was already stuck in Ling'er's hair!
"Huh...?" Ling'er felt something touch her head, and when she touched it, she realized that the silver hairpin had been stuck in her hair without her noticing.
"Xiao... Brother Xiaoyao..." Ling'er looked at Xiaoyao with surprise and doubt. Since it was already in her hair, Ling'er was too embarrassed to return it, so she could only watch as Xiaoyao paid for it.
"Silly girl, girls should dress up nicely. This little bit of money is worth it. Hmm... so pretty..." Xiaoyao praised, and with a little makeup, she was indeed even more beautiful.
"But..." Ling'er still felt uneasy. After all, this thing was very expensive.
"No buts, don't you like what Brother Xiaoyao gave you?" Xiaoyao pretended to be sad, and the naive Ling'er quickly shook her head in denial.
"That settles it then. Don't worry about the money. I've been a waiter for so long, I know how to manage money," Xiaoyao said with a smile.
"Thank you..." Ling'er didn't insist anymore. She gently adjusted the position of the silver hairpin and revealed a joyful smile.
"Brother Xiaoyao, that move of yours... was it 'Flying Dragon Probing the Clouds Hand'?" Ling'er asked. Xiaoyao's move was an unarmed martial art, so it was the only one, and it wasn't hard to guess.
"Yes, but I really didn't expect it to be so powerful," Xiaoyao smiled.
That move was indeed "Flying Dragon Probing the Clouds Hand." It was Xiaoyao's first time using it, and it was indeed incredibly powerful. Xiaoyao himself was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected it to be so fast. This would definitely be very useful in combat. Thinking of this, Xiaoyao couldn't help but feel proud.
A little while later, Xiaoyao took her to a clothing store.
After what had just happened, he realized that Ling'er was a girl, unlike him, and needed to be dressed up properly. Therefore, he wanted to help Ling'er dress up nicely.
Ling'er had never seen so many kinds of clothes before and was a little overwhelmed, so Xiaoyao began to help her choose.
"Boss, what day is it lately? Why do I feel like there are so many people in Suzhou today?" Xiaoyao asked while picking out clothes.
"Don't you know? These two days are the days for the martial arts contest to choose a husband for the daughter of the famous Lin Family Fortress in Suzhou." The boss said with a professional smile.
"Oh? You mean the Lin Family Fortress is none other than Lin Tiannan, the current 'Southern Martial Arts Alliance Leader'?" Xiaoyao said. He had read the notes that Xiaoyun had given him and knew some things.
"That's right, that's right. The Lin Family Fortress has only had one daughter in this generation. Alliance Leader Lin has always hoped to find a talented man to marry into the family so that he can inherit the family business.
But, you know, Miss Lin is always picky and has scolded all the suitors who came in. What's worse, she actually put explosives in the ball during the ball-throwing contest to choose a husband. It is said that the hair of a certain young master from a famous family was burned off."
The boss shook his head and smiled bitterly as he spoke. Judging from the boss's expression as he recounted the story, the situation must have been quite absurd.
"Strange...this girl is quite something. Is she really that beautiful? Otherwise, why would so many people participate in this martial arts contest to find a husband?" Xiaoyao couldn't help but ask. According to the shopkeeper, this girl was terrifying. How could any man be so fearless as to want to marry into the family?
"Hey, she's not bad-looking either. Although she's a bit less beautiful than your girlfriend, she's still pretty. Actually, everyone knows that wanting to marry her is a lie; what they really want is the Lin family's wealth and martial arts skills," the shopkeeper replied.
"Oh." Upon hearing this, Xiaoyao couldn't help but feel disdain for those who wanted to participate. In that case, what is the Lin family's daughter? A freebie?
"Wow..." Xiaoyao couldn't help but exclaim in admiration as Ling'er changed into her new clothes. Indeed, Ling'er's beauty was unmatched by other women.
Seeing Xiaoyao's admiring gaze, Ling'er blushed slightly, feeling very happy.
After buying the clothes, Xiaoyao led Ling'er out of the clothing store. The men beside him couldn't help but exclaim in admiration upon seeing Ling'er, which made Xiaoyao very proud. Ling'er, feeling the envious and jealous gazes of the crowd, grew increasingly shy and could only cling tightly to Xiaoyao's side.
Suddenly, Xiaoyao wasn't paying attention, and a woman hurrying along bumped into him, causing both of them to fall to the ground.
"I-I'm so sorry!" the woman said, enduring the pain and feigning panic.
"I should be the one apologizing! Are you alright?" Xiaoyao quickly got up and helped the woman up. The woman seemed stunned for a moment before letting Xiaoyao help her up.
Seeing that the fruit in the woman's basket had spilled all over the ground, Xiaoyao bent down to clean it up for her.
"No, no need..." the woman said, somewhat surprised, and hurriedly tried to pick it up, but Xiaoyao stopped her.
"Don't do that, let me do it." Xiaoyao smiled slightly and continued to tidy up the fruit for her.
"..." The woman stared at him blankly until Xiaoyao handed her the basket.
"I'm sorry, it's all my fault for not watching where I'm going." Xiaoyao apologized.
"Ah... your, your clothes..." the woman said worriedly.
Only then did Xiaoyao notice that his newly bought clothes were dirty.
"It's okay, just dust. But you, your clothes are dirty too." Xiaoyao didn't care about his own clothes at all, but was worried about the woman.
"You..." The woman looked at Xiaoyao incredulously...
"What? It's nothing for a guy to get a little dirty, but it's not good for a girl to get her clothes dirty." Xiaoyao was a little puzzled by the woman's reaction.
"...It's okay, I live nearby, I'll just change them later." The woman smiled at Xiaoyao and said.
"Okay, then... be careful when you walk, don't bump into anyone again." Xiaoyao said, and continued shopping with Ling'er.
"..." Watching Xiaoyao's retreating figure, the woman's face flushed slightly. She quickly walked away in the opposite direction...
While browsing, the two came across a weapon shop. Xiaoyao pointed, indicating he wanted to take a look, and Ling'er nodded. So, the two entered the weapon shop.
"Oh..." Looking around, he saw all sorts of weapons displayed, a dazzling array. Xiaoyao looked around curiously.
"What would you like, sir?" the shopkeeper asked, approaching him.
"Uh... do you have any good swords?" Xiaoyao asked.
"Swords? Yes, yes..." The shopkeeper said, leading Xiaoyao to the place where longswords were displayed.
"Hmm..." Looking at them, Xiaoyao didn't know what to choose. He had never bought one before.
Just then, he suddenly recalled some weapon knowledge that Xiaoyun had taught him…
(Look at the blade… then the hardness, sharpness, and whether it suits his martial arts style, hmm…) Recalling each point, he slowly selected a sword. He swung it slightly; the weight was just right. Xiaoyao handed the sword to the shopkeeper.
“Oh, sir, you’re amazing! This longsword is one of the best here. Good eye!” the shopkeeper praised.
Xiaoyao smiled sheepishly, surprised that a layman like himself would receive such praise from an expert.
“Ling’er, your weapon?” Xiaoyao asked.
“No, this pair is more comfortable for me right now…” Ling’er replied.
“That’s right, that’s right. A weapon should be comfortable. Using an uncomfortable weapon will not only greatly reduce your martial arts skills, but could even cost you your life,” the shopkeeper said from the side.
Upon hearing this, Xiaoyao knew that the shopkeeper must be a good person. Most people would advise buying a new one, but he didn't. Instead, Xiaoyao asked the shopkeeper about weapons, and the shopkeeper didn't hold back, talking at length.
"...So, weapons are very complex. Although I wouldn't call myself an expert, I at least know a little. If I've seen one, I should recognize it." As the shopkeeper said this, Xiaoyao suddenly remembered that he had a sword there...
"Shopkeeper, I have a sword here, can you take a look?" Saying this, Xiaoyao took out a sword wrapped in cloth from his luggage.
"Oh! This, this is...!" The shopkeeper was speechless upon seeing it.
After a while, he came to his senses, touching it and looking it over from top to bottom, clicking his tongue in amazement.
"This... is called 'Thunder Soul,' a very famous sword. Look, its blade is tough and not easily broken. Those golden lightning engravings, legend says, will shine brightly like lightning when wielded, and look at that luster... it's incredibly sharp..." The shopkeeper became more and more fascinated as he spoke, wishing the sword were his right now.
"You... how do you have this?" the shopkeeper asked suspiciously.
"Uh... there's a reason..." Xiaoyao said vaguely.
How did he get this sword? How could Xiaoyao not know that he had been slashed by this very sword!
That's right, this was the barbaric woman's sword. After slashing Xiaoyao, she seemed too flustered and dropped the sword on the ground. Afterwards, Xiaoyao saw that the sword was so beautiful and must be quite valuable, so he picked it up.
Thinking of this, Xiaoyao suddenly realized that this sword was so sharp, it was really lucky that it didn't kill him... maybe the situation was too chaotic at the time, and he just slashed randomly. Just from hearing the sword's origins, Xiaoyao knew that the woman's family background was definitely extraordinary…
“Boss, I'm sorry, I can't part with this sword.” Xiaoyao saw the boss's desire and quickly said.
“Sigh… I know.” The boss said regretfully.
“…If we could offer this sword to Alliance Leader Lin, the snake demon should be eliminated.” The boss sighed.
“Snake demon?” The boss's words caught Xiaoyao's attention.
“Yes, a half-snake demon came to this area around Suzhou a while ago. I heard that he was lewd by nature, and many wives and daughters of nearby families were captured by him. They haven't been found yet, I'm afraid… Sigh…” The boss said, shaking his head and sighing.
Xiaoyao and Ling'er were both stunned when they heard this. One immediately turned into a face full of anger, while the other lowered her head, her expression somewhat complicated.
“Hmph! If I, Li Xiaoyao, saw such an evil monster, I would definitely tear it apart and skin it alive!” Xiaoyao said angrily.
"Young hero, you are indeed a righteous person." The innkeeper praised Xiaoyao, seeing that he was not only unafraid but also wanted to rid the people of evil.
"Of course! I hate those wicked monsters the most. Half-snake demons? Heh! Just thinking about their lower bodies being snakes makes me nauseous!" Xiaoyao said. For some reason, he couldn't help but feel disgusted whenever he thought of half-snake demons.
Of course, he didn't know that it was because his grandmother's appearance back then was deeply imprinted in his mind. Although he had lost his memory, there was still a sense of fear and disgust in his subconscious.
But... he didn't know that his words had already hurt someone...
"..." Ling'er stood aside, looking at Xiaoyao in disbelief. She couldn't believe that Xiaoyao would say such a thing...
"Brother Xiaoyao, what you said... is it true?" Ling'er asked softly, her voice trembling slightly.
"Yes! I'm not joking. I hate monsters the most, especially snake demons! If I see one, I will definitely kill it." Xiaoyao thought Ling'er thought he was joking, so he said it again with certainty.
"..." This time, Ling'er was truly stunned. Once again, she heard words from Xiaoyao's mouth that hurt more than a sharp blade piercing her heart.
"I hate monsters the most, especially snake demons..." These words kept echoing in Ling'er's mind.
Walking out of the weapon shop, Xiaoyao strolled leisurely, completely unaware of the severity of his words.
Ling'er, following behind Xiaoyao, stared at his retreating figure. She couldn't believe Xiaoyao would say such a thing. Then why was he so kind to her? Was it because she was still human? What if... she wasn't human anymore?
Lost in these wild thoughts, Ling'er felt her mind was in complete chaos, and she felt like she was about to collapse...
"What's wrong? Ling'er, you look strange..." Xiaoyao noticed Ling'er's complicated expression and asked.
"N-nothing... I'm just a little tired..." Ling'er lowered her head, avoiding Xiaoyao's gaze.
"Oh... right, we've been walking all afternoon, you must be tired too. Let's go back to the inn," Xiaoyao said. The two walked slowly toward the inn.
It was already evening, the sun had dipped below the mountainside, and Xiaoyao walked with light steps. In contrast, Ling'er's steps were unusually heavy.
Just then, Xiaoyao noticed a crowd not far away. There seemed to be some kind of commotion there; a group of people were gathered there, watching something.
"Hey! Ling'er, it looks really lively over there, let's go see." Saying this, Xiaoyao took Ling'er's hand and walked towards the scene.
When they arrived, Xiaoyao immediately knew what was going on: it was a martial arts contest to find a husband.
A crowd of people were gathered around the arena, looking up at a fight. The sounds of clashing weapons filled the air. As a martial artist himself, Xiaoyao was curious to see just how powerful the daughter of the Alliance Leader Lin was. So, Xiaoyao pulled Ling'er through the crowd, finally managing to reach the front.
"Hmm?" As soon as he reached the front, Xiaoyao noticed a familiar figure. It was...
"Huh... Qingmei?" Xiaoyao exclaimed in surprise. He hadn't expected to run into Zhiqing here.
"Big brother!? What brings you here..." Zhiqing also saw Xiaoyao, looking surprised.
"Nothing, I just saw something interesting happening here and came to check it out," Xiaoyao replied.
"Oh..." Zhiqing responded. She secretly glanced at Xiaoyao, her face unconsciously turning red again...
"And you? Qingmei, what brings you here?" Xiaoyao asked.
"Ah, because... I came to watch Sister Yueru's martial arts competition," Zhiqing said.
"Oh? Right... You said you and the Lin family's daughter are childhood best friends. She's very skilled in martial arts? I came to see..." As he spoke, Xiaoyao looked up to watch the competition.
A muscular man stood there, his face contorted in pain, sweat pouring down his back as if he were being tortured. He parried and defended with his bronze mallets. In contrast, the woman with her back to Xiaoyao moved swiftly and ruthlessly, each strike aimed at a vital point. Her longsword danced wildly, all in an offensive tactic. The man likely wouldn't last much longer…
"Hmm…not bad…" Xiaoyao nodded. But…
(Strange…that back view…??) For some reason, Xiaoyao felt a strange familiarity with the woman's back. Hearing her shouts, he felt he had heard them before.
Just as Xiaoyao was lost in thought…
"Brother Xiaoyao!" Ling'er cried out in warning, but it seemed too late. Taking advantage of an opening, the woman suddenly darted behind the man and kicked him in the buttocks. The man was sent flying off the stage, and… landed on Xiaoyao.
"Wow!" The man's weight of over 80 kilograms slammed heavily onto Xiaoyao, who screamed and fell flat on his face.
"Hmph! Useless..." The woman on the stage sneered.
"Hey! Anyone else want to come up and get beaten? Come on!" the woman said provocatively.
There was silence below the stage. Although they were dissatisfied, her martial arts skills were not to be underestimated...
"Father, none of them are any good. Let's stop here for today!" The woman turned to a man standing beside the stage.
A dignified face, cold and handsome eyes, he stood there as steady as Mount Tai, displaying his power. He was Lin Tiannan, the leader of the Southern Martial Arts Alliance.
"Ru'er, you really have no restraint. You hit so hard. Look, almost none of those you knocked down were unharmed." Lin Tiannan scolded.
"Blame me? Hmph! Why shouldn't I blame them for being useless? I'm a girl, they're just too weak!" the woman said indifferently.
"Sigh..." Faced with his daughter's willfulness, Lin Tiannan could only shake his head and smile bitterly; he really spoiled her too much...
"It hurts so much..." Pushing the unconscious burly man away, Xiaoyao twisted his body and said.
The woman heard Xiaoyao's voice and was immediately startled, turning her head to look...
"Hey, you... uh!?" Xiaoyao turned her head to complain to the woman on the stage, but their eyes met instantly, and both of them were shocked.
"It's you!?" they exclaimed in unison. The difference was that Xiaoyao's tone was one of surprise, while the woman's tone was a mixture of surprise and joy.
That's right, the woman on the stage was the same unruly girl...
"How... how is it you..." Xiaoyao looked at the woman in front of him in disbelief.
"Hey! I thought it was someone else, but it's just a silly little thief!" The woman was still as arrogant as ever. "Hmph
... you wild girl!" Xiaoyao retorted without backing down.
"...You two know each other?" Zhiqing, standing to the side, looked at Xiaoyao with a puzzled expression.
"Uh... there was some misunderstanding earlier, I didn't expect her to be..." Xiaoyao still found it unbelievable. Was this what people meant by "enemies meeting on a narrow road"?
"Father! It's him! He bullied me, stole my 'Thunder Soul,' and tied me to a tree! He completely disregards the Lin family! Father, you must stand up for me!" The woman turned to Lin Tiannan and complained.
"..." Xiaoyao watched her silently. He never expected that she was actually the Lin family's daughter, and the good sister Zhiqing had mentioned: Lin Yueru. He remembered what Zhiqing had said that night: her sister Yueru was a very beautiful, caring, and protective older sister. But... how did this woman resemble him at all?
"He stole the 'Thunder Soul'... He beat you?" Lin Tiannan's eyes lit up immediately at Yueru's words. Someone had beaten her?
"N-no way! I beat him to a pulp, crying and screaming!" Yue Ru hurriedly retorted.
(Wow...beat him to a pulp, huh?) Xiao Yao was both amused and exasperated. Why was this woman so concerned about saving face?
"Then how did you end up tied to the tree?" Lin Tiannan could easily see through his daughter's lie, and he asked again.
"That, that's because...uh..." This time, she couldn't explain herself anymore, and Yue Ru was incredibly embarrassed. She hadn't expected that she would expose her own boast.
"Hey! You little thief! Come and fight me, so your father will know how weak you are!" Enraged, Yue Ru immediately turned her attention to Xiao Yao...
"Hey, hey...Miss Lin, I did offend you first, but I also took a sword strike from you. That should even things out, right?" Xiao Yao couldn't hold back any longer and spoke up.
"Come on! You made us lose a farmhand and a maid, and we haven't settled the score with you yet!" Yue Ru retorted immediately.
"Go away... you're the one who's interfering with their love..." Xiao Yao muttered under his breath. Of course, the people on the stage wouldn't hear this.
"If you win, everything will be forgiven; otherwise, you'll have to work as their farmhand for a year!" Yue Ru said.
"Ru'er, don't do this. This is a martial arts contest to choose a husband, not a martial arts competition..." Lin Tiannan intervened.
"Father, don't interfere! I have my own ideas." Yue Ru ignored Lin Tiannan's attempts to stop her and insisted on going ahead.
"Sigh... that's enough..." Lin Tiannan shook his head and sighed. The dignified leader of the Southern Martial Arts Alliance was truly helpless against his own daughter.
"Alright! You said it yourself, and everyone here is a witness, so don't try to back out." With that, Xiao Yao used his lightness skill to leap lightly and land gracefully on the stage. He knew that she definitely wouldn't give up if he didn't go on stage.
"Heh...that's more like it!" Yue Ru smiled smugly when she saw Xiao Yao go on stage.
Why would Yue Ru make such a suggestion? Of course, because she knew that he had only won against her in a two-on-one fight, plus by using clever tricks. In a real fight, how could Xiao Yao possibly be her match? Yue Ru had already decided that she wanted Xiao Yao to work as a long-term laborer at his house, so that she could properly "keep an eye on" him.
However, she hadn't expected that the current Xiao Yao was not the same as the Xiao Yao of yesterday...
Glug, glug... Xiao Yao opened the kettle and took a few sips. That wasn't water; it was wine. Before leaving today, Xiao Yao had deliberately changed the water in the kettle into wine. Why? Of course, to unleash his full power.
"Hey! Here you go..." Xiao Yao said, tossing her the "Thunder Soul" weapon.
"I was going to pawn it anyway. Thank my conscience," Xiao Yao said.
"Hmph...!" Yue Ru caught the sword, looked at it, and then threw it into the corner. With a "crack," the entire blade of "Thunder Soul" instantly embedded itself in the stone bricks. Everyone present gasped in surprise, all thinking that Yue Ru's strength was truly immense. However, Xiao Yao knew it was because the sword was extremely sharp...
"What? Not using that sword?" Xiao Yao asked.
"...Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut?" Yue Ru replied. She drew a sword from the side, swung it, and noticed its golden light; it seemed to be a decent sword as well.
(Oh! She called me a nuthammer...that brat!) Xiao Yao cursed inwardly. "Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut?" She deliberately changed "nuthammer" to "nuthammer," so she was obviously cursing him...
"That's right, that's right...how could you take that sledgehammer? Isn't that cursing yourself? It's unlucky..." Xiao Yao retorted sarcastically, not to be outdone.
Yue Ru was taken aback at first, then realized the meaning behind Xiao Yao's words...
(cursing herself... Fine! You call me a cow!) Yue Ru didn't have Xiao Yao's good temper. She pushed off with her right foot and rushed forward, slashing at Xiao Yao with her sword! The battle had begun...
Swish, swish, swish! Three swords clashed in quick succession, each less than three centimeters from Xiao Yao. Ling'er watched in panic from below the stage. This time the situation was different; she couldn't go up to help, so she could only anxiously watch from the sidelines...
Xiao Yao knew how dangerous this was, but he wasn't intentionally letting Yue Ru win. He really hadn't expected this wild girl's swordsmanship to be so good.
Running left and dodging right, Xiao Yao constantly evaded her frenzied sword attacks, each one hitting a vital point. This woman practically wanted to kill him!
"You brat! Draw your sword! Do you want to die?!" Yue Ru grew increasingly furious. Xiao Yao wasn't even drawing his sword; wasn't that a sign of disrespect?
"Heh! I'm only doing this because I pity you. If I drew my sword, this duel would be over. For your sake, I'll wait." Xiao Yao laughed as he dodged, only fueling Yue Ru's anger, her attacks becoming increasingly rapid.
Why wasn't he drawing his sword? Xiao Yao wasn't doing this out of disrespect; of course, he mainly wanted to provoke her. But in reality, Xiao Yao's true energy hadn't yet reached its full potential; the effects of the alcohol seemed to be taking longer to take hold…
"Fine, then you can just wait to die!!" Yue Ru said, suddenly leaping backward, then channeling her true energy into her right hand, reaching the tip of her sword…
"Ru'er! No!" Lin Tiannan seemed startled and quickly cried out.
"Drink!" It was too late. Yue Ru's sword slashed horizontally, a white sword aura shooting out!
Xiaoyao was prepared. He ran towards the flag beside the arena, lightly tapped the flagpole with his light footwork, and used the force of the flagpole to leap upwards, flipping twice in the air to dodge the sword energy. With a snap, the flagpole broke in two.
(Wow, amazing…!) Xiaoyao thought to himself, sticking out his tongue. Compared to the Black Miao leader's sword energy, this move, though not as powerful, was too fast to dodge. If it weren't for Lin Tiannan's warning, he probably would have followed in the flagpole's footsteps…
"Ru'er! You're being too reckless! How could you use that move!" Lin Tiannan said angrily.
That move was the initial stage of the Lin family's famous "Seven Sword Techniques": Qi Sword Finger. Yue Ru using this move, wasn't she trying to kill someone?
"I…" Yue Ru also knew she had gone too far…
"Impressive! But you still couldn't hit it. Even a good move is used differently depending on the person." Xiaoyao laughed.
"You!" Upon hearing this, Yue Ru felt utterly insulted, thinking that while her martial arts skills were good, the person using them was terrible. Yue Ru was furious.
"You're finished!" Yue Ru had been worried about going too far, but now...
*swish swish!* A barrage of powerful thrusts and slashes followed, with Yue Ru constantly trying to find opportunities to unleash her inner energy sword finger attacks. She was giving it her all.
However, Xiao Yao's speed increased, and his light-footed evasions became increasingly fluid. He knew he could now unleash his full inner energy.
(Good! Now she has no excuse...) Xiao Yao thought.
That's right, Xiao Yao wanted to provoke her, to create openings in her attacks and force her to use her full strength. Otherwise, even if he defeated her, she would absolutely refuse to accept it.
"Hey! You brat, take this!" With that, Xiao Yao channeled his inner energy, and his longsword shot out from its sheath, flying into the air.
With a light tap of his toes, Xiaoyao shot upwards, gripping his sword and using the momentum of his fall to thrust at Yue Ru. Yue Ru, startled, quickly dodged to the side, but suddenly her eyes flashed, realizing the danger. She hastily parried with her sword, but with a clang
, it was Xiaoyao's scabbard that flew towards her! "Wh-what!?" Yue Ru was shocked. She hadn't expected the scabbard to fly through the air and attack on its own. The scabbard seemed to be controlled, thrusting and slashing with considerable force. Yue Ru's wrist went numb from blocking, while Xiaoyao seized the opportunity to fight her.
This was Xiaoyao's masterpiece; with enough internal energy, he could wield several swords without difficulty. However, Xiaoyao didn't know that his internal energy had received a small amount of power from the "Earth Stone," increasing his skill by more than ten percent. Otherwise, how could he wield two weapons?
(Wow, so powerful!) Yue Ru dodged left and right, having no chance to retaliate. From the moment Xiao Yao drew his sword, the situation completely reversed, and it became entirely Xiao Yao's attack.
(Why... he wasn't this strong yesterday. Damn it...) Yue Ru desperately wanted to use the Qi Sword Finger to counterattack, but Xiao Yao had already seen through it. The Qi Sword Finger required channeling Qi into the sword, which took some time. He used the sword technique taught by Shui Furong, attacking like a raging storm, leaving her no chance whatsoever.
(How could this be...) Yue Ru blocked, only to see Xiao Yao's movements seemingly wild and erratic, somewhat like someone who was drunk, yet so dashing and unrestrained. Onlookers marveled at how beautiful it was to see martial arts displayed.
In fact, when Shui Furong taught him martial arts, she was, after all, a girl, and her Drunken Immortal Sword
technique was incredibly alluring, like the shy, slightly drunken demeanor of a woman. Xiaoyao improved upon it, adding a wild and unrestrained style, making it surprisingly handsome—something he probably hadn't anticipated. (So...so handsome...) Unconsciously, Yue Ru was captivated by Xiaoyao's elegant martial arts movements. Slightly distracted, she felt her sword's momentum being pulled away. Startled, she quickly steadied her sword, blocking Xiaoyao's sneak attack from the left.
Xiaoyao chuckled and abruptly retreated, now two steps away from Yue Ru. Wasn't this clearly an invitation for her to use her ultimate move...?
"You!" Yue Ru was furious that Xiaoyao looked down on her so much, but remembering how captivated she had been by his moves, she blushed.
"I've gained the upper hand by using underhanded methods, and I'm sure you're not happy about that. How about we each use our ultimate moves and settle the score in one strike?" Xiaoyao said in a slightly louder voice.
"What…" Yue Ru was taken aback, then suddenly realized that Xiaoyao had only mentioned underhanded methods to save her face, but he insisted that Yue Ru use her ultimate move, clearly indicating that he wanted her to lose completely so that she would have no excuse.
"Alright! As you wish!" Yue Ru said, channeling all her inner strength into her right hand and sword. Instantly, a faint white mist rose from her head, causing the crowd to gasp in astonishment. They hadn't expected this young woman to possess over twenty years of martial arts skill.
Xiao Yao smiled, similarly channeling his inner energy. Facing a fast and powerful martial art like the Qi Sword Finger, he couldn't be too careless. In an instant, a dense white steam rose from Xiao Yao's body, leaving everyone even more astonished. Xiao Yao's skill was even greater than hers!?
Both stood still, their inner strength reaching its peak. Yue Ru held a sword incantation in one hand and her sword in the other, poised to strike. In contrast, Xiao Yao appeared calm and composed, his right hand holding the sword hanging down to the ground, showing no sign of preparing a powerful move. Could it be that after seeing it once, Xiao Yao was already confident he could break her ultimate technique?
"Brother Xiao Yao..." Ling'er watched the fierce battle that was about to erupt, her heart filled with anxiety.
"Big brother..." Zhiqing, standing beside Ling'er, felt even more conflicted. Yue Ru was her childhood sweetheart, and logically, she should have hoped for her victory. But... Xiaoyao was her older brother, and she didn't want him to lose either. She hesitated, unsure who to cheer for.
"Hah!" With a shout from Yue Ru, the life-or-death battle began.
A sword-finger strike followed Yue Ru's sword, slashing horizontally with unimaginable speed. Xiaoyao abruptly fell to the side, landing on the ground in an instant. The sword-finger passed less than a centimeter above him, startling Ling'er into a scream.
"Naive!" Yue Ru exclaimed. Xiaoyao was shocked; there had only been one sword-finger strike, but two!
"Brother Xiaoyao!!" Ling'er cried out, her body trembling as she lunged towards the stage...!
In that critical moment, Xiaoyao, quick-witted as ever, thrust his longsword into the ground. Using the force of the impact, he pushed downwards with his right hand, causing his body to spring up like a spring. The Qi Sword Finger swept past beneath him, and with a clang, Xiaoyao's longsword snapped in two.
"!?!" Ling'er was stunned, immediately stopping her movements. But then she saw Xiaoyao deliberately lower his left hand, the remaining force of the Qi Sword Finger slashing his left arm! This instantaneous movement was noticed only by Yue Ru, Ling'er, Lin Tiannan, and other martial arts experts present. They were all puzzled as to why Xiaoyao would take a cut.
"Swift!" Xiaoyao endured the pain, throwing his scabbard aside. Instantly, he used his sword control technique, transforming the scabbard into more than twenty swords, which struck towards Yue Ru!
Yue Ru was startled, seeing sword sheaths attacking from all directions. Unable to defend, she felt her sword suddenly become heavy as a sheath snatched it away. Immediately afterward, another sheath struck her wrist. Yue Ru cried out in pain, her hand loosening, and the sword was snatched away by the sheath. In the blink of an eye, the sheath transformed back into a sword, returning to Xiao Yao's hand. The sword was gone, the outcome was decided…
"Thank you for your mercy, young lady, for not severing my hand…" Xiao Yao smiled. Seeing the blood streaming from Xiao Yao's left hand, and hearing his words, everyone genuinely believed that Yue Ru had shown mercy and immediately stopped, sparing his arm.
"You…" Yue Ru felt at a loss. Xiao Yao's words meant that he had deliberately slashed her arm to save face. She had already lost; she couldn't argue with him anymore…
"Hahaha… Young hero, your skill is excellent, and your character is good too." Lin Tiannan smiled and walked onto the arena.
"Ru'er, you lost." Lin Tiannan's words jolted Yue Ru as if waking from a dream, leaving her stunned.
(I...lost...? Impossible!) After a moment of shock, Yue Ru realized...
"I...!" Yue Ru's face was filled with resentment; admitting defeat was incredibly difficult.
"Yue Ru! He's already shown mercy and been considerate, yet you still act so recklessly!" Lin Tiannan scolded softly. Xiao
Yao, upon hearing this, was both surprised and embarrassed. He took something from his robes, and Yue Ru was startled again—it was the golden hairpin from her hair!
It turned out Xiao Yao had stolen it during the battle using the Flying Dragon Cloud-Piercing Hand technique, mainly so she could tell him he'd let her win if she refused to admit defeat. If he had used that move then, she would have lost long ago. However, Lin Tiannan had actually witnessed this instantaneous action, and Xiao Yao couldn't help but show him admiration.
"I...I..." Taking the hairpin, Yue Ru bit her lower lip, unsure what to do. Giving up was something she simply couldn't do.
"Fellow villagers, the results of my daughter's martial arts contest for a husband have been announced. Thank you all for your participation. Starting tomorrow, I, Lin, will be hosting a three-day banquet at Lin Family Manor. Please do us the honor of attending!" Lin Tiannan announced loudly with a smile, causing an immediate uproar among the crowd.
Only Xiaoyao, Yue Ru, Ling'er, and Zhiqing showed expressions of astonishment...
(I...I'm going to marry him...) Yue Ru stared blankly, as if she couldn't believe her ears.
Originally, she had only invited him up to the stage to work for her family, to be at her beck and call, but...now, it had turned into her having to marry him!?
The thought of marrying him suddenly made Yue Ru blush. She even had a vague feeling that marrying him wasn't so bad after all…
“I…I won’t agree!” Suddenly, Yue Ru realized she actually had such thoughts and was immediately filled with shame. She used her light-footed skill to rush into the house…
“Hahaha…Rare indeed, I didn’t expect Ru’er to be shy…” Lin Tiannan chuckled.
“Kid, hurry up and follow Ru’er, what are you still standing there for?” Lin Tiannan laughed.
“Huh…I…why?” Xiao Yao was still confused…
“Playing dumb? In the martial arts contest for marriage, you defeated my daughter, so naturally you’ll be our son-in-law.” Lin Tiannan’s words startled Xiao Yao as if struck by lightning.
"Wait, wait a minute...!" Xiaoyao stammered, but the crowd gradually dispersed. The maids were packing up their things, Zhiqing was looking at him with a half-smile, and Ling'er was looking at him with a complicated expression. Xiaoyao was speechless, unsure of what to say.
This was truly a dramatic turn of events; Xiaoyao was incredibly embarrassed...

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The Legend of Sword and Fairy H Version Chapter 10: Martial Arts Tournament for Marriage

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