In the past, martial arts competitions often started with the lesser-known disciples and gradually moved to the famous ones. However, due to the astonishing actions of this senior brother and sister duo from the Dangshan Sect, the top three most famous young heroes in the martial world were forced to compete in the first round.
Moreover, this match between Bai Yujiang and Lu Chengzhao was significant. Although their martial skills were not as outstanding as the top three, Bai Yujiang was the young master of Baiya Peak, and Lu Chengzhao was the grandson of the manor lord of Tingjian Manor. This match would have been a focal point in any regular competition.
As a result, it was difficult to decide where to focus one’s attention.
All around, the disciples from various sects were engaged in lively discussions. Some disciples were calling out to their fellow sect members who had thought today’s events would be dull and planned to arrive later, urging them to come quickly and not miss the excitement!
The most exaggerated reactions came from the disciples of the Qingcheng Sect. They all stood up, waving anything they could get their hands on, cheering loudly for their senior brother.
“Senior Brother, don’t go easy on her just because she’s pretty this time!”
“Senior Brother, if you lose, you’ll have to clean the latrines for a month!”
“Senior Brother, losing to a little girl from Dangshan will ruin your reputation and get you expelled from the sect!”
In response, the disciples of the Dangshan Sect sitting opposite them sneered with disdain.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the arena was as festive as a New Year celebration.
The match between Zuo Jingshuang and Mu Xuelang had already begun.
Zuo Jingshuang’s three-foot-long sword, named “Qingshuang,” was specially crafted for her by her master, Ling Tianxiao. It was extremely thin and light, yet incredibly sharp.
In contrast, Mu Xuelang’s sword, “Huaxue,” was much sturdier. Despite its gentle name, the Huaxue sword was as robust and imposing as the ability to split the sea.
When “Qingshuang” clashed with “Huaxue,” it appeared fragile, as if it could break at any moment, much like its owner.
Everyone knew that the senior brother of the Qingcheng Sect, Mu Xuelang, had a gentle personality and a good temper. However, those who thought his sword was as harmless as his demeanor were gravely mistaken. Many ruthless villains met their end by his sword every year.
His swordsmanship was both pure and powerful, like an impenetrable wall of copper, surging forward like overwhelming waves, leaving no room for his opponent to breathe.
Zuo Jingshuang wielded her Qingshuang sword, struggling to fend off Mu Xuelang’s relentless attacks while desperately trying to find a flaw in his offensive. Large beads of sweat rolled down her porcelain-like face.
At this moment, disciples from other sects began to jeer.
Although the Dangshan Sect was hosting, and Ling Tianxiao was present today, they dared not directly mock Zuo Jingshuang but chose to taunt in another manner.
“Why is Mu Xuelang so serious against a novice junior sister?”
“Young Hero Mu, she’s a delicate junior sister, show some mercy!”
“Yeah, why are you being so serious with a little junior sister?”
Unlike the earlier playful jests from the Qingcheng Sect disciples towards their senior brother, these voices carried a clear tone of malice.
Hua Yan had a completely different line of thought.
She had already filled in the gaps of Zuo Jingshuang’s story based on the legendary tales she had read.
It was clear to her that this cold and aloof junior sister had fallen in love with this gentle and amiable senior brother from the rival sect!
Unfortunately, she couldn’t express her feelings openly, and their sect affiliations became an obstacle. So, she practiced her swordsmanship diligently, challenging him whenever she got the chance, desperately trying to make her presence known just to attract Big Green Onion Mu’s attention!
So brave!
Hua Yan cupped her hands around her mouth and loudly cheered for her!
The mocking voices of the disciples behind her were completely drowned out by Hua Yan. They were about to turn in dissatisfaction to see who was causing the commotion, but seeing that the sound came from Tingjian Manor… they decided to let it go.
Fortunately, their attention was quickly diverted as the other two matches were about to start.
Undoubtedly, the most watched match was between Lu Chengsha and Chu Jun.
Currently, the two most famous and skilled young heroes in the righteous martial world were these two.
More importantly, the history between them was quite poignant.
Anyone who knew the story couldn’t help but say, “If only Chu Jun hadn’t been born in the same era as Lu Chengsha!”
Chu Jun had gained fame several years before Lu Chengsha. Back then, he carried the outrageously named “Demon-Slaying Saber,” challenging each major sect one by one, defeating all the famous young heroes without losing a single match.
Among those he defeated were Mu Xuelang, Bai Yujiang, and Lu Chengzhao, who are currently competing.
He defeated Mu Xuelang with just one and a half moves, while Bai Yujiang and Lu Chengzhao were utterly overwhelmed by him.
The entire martial world was astonished, wondering if Chu Jun wasn’t afraid of being ambushed by the young heroes he had offended.
But no one dared to ambush Chu Jun, for it soon became known that his master was none other than Ling Tianxiao, the head of the Dangshan Sect.
Chu Jun continued his lone and defiant path, giving no face to the entire martial world. Yet, he was strong; anyone who came to challenge him was defeated, one after another. Chu Jun’s fame grew immensely, and even Ling Tianxiao was proud of this eccentric disciple. Just when the entire martial world thought Chu Jun would take the top spot in the next Sword-seeking Tournament’s disciple battle, Lu Chengsha emerged out of nowhere.
Although Lu Chengsha already had quite a few accomplishments by then, the rumors were always exaggerated, and Chu Jun didn’t take him seriously at all.
Even public opinion at the time believed that Lu Chengsha was too young and inexperienced to defeat Chu Jun, thinking it would be impressive if he could even last a few moves against him.
Then, in the disciple battle finals at the Sword-seeking Tournament hosted by Tingjian Manor, Lu Chengsha thoroughly defeated Chu Jun.
Anyone who attended that tournament would never forget Chu Jun’s livid face, his disheveled appearance, his incredulous expression, and the jeering from the crowd.
Chu Jun had always had a bad reputation and had offended many disciples. Although he came in second, it felt as if he had placed second to last.
Chu Jun himself might have felt the same; after losing, he left without saying a word, leaning on his sword.
After that, Chu Jun disappeared from the public eye for over two years, reportedly in seclusion to improve his martial arts. In the third year, he re-emerged for the Sword-seeking Tournament, facing off against Lu Chengsha. The Dongfeng Buye Tower even cooperated by creating a massive promotional campaign, distributing posters throughout the city, attracting even those who normally didn’t care about martial arts disputes.
Then, unfortunately, he lost again.
That tournament, held at the Qingcheng Sect, was filled with jeers that nearly shook the heavens.
From then on, Chu Jun earned the nickname “Chu Lao Er” (Chu the Second). Of course, no one dared to call him that to his face.
Afterward, Chu Jun disappeared again for three years, as if the person who had challenged the entire martial world and fought whoever he wanted, wherever he wanted, had never existed. It was clear that his reappearance this time was to redeem his previous defeats.
At the ends of the arena stood two figures.
One, dressed in black with a high ponytail, carrying a long sword, exuding an extreme coldness like a human god of death. The other, in a grey-green robe with long flowing hair, holding a long saber, his face filled with arrogance and ferocity as the foremost disciple of Dangshan Sect.
Even Hua Yan couldn’t keep her eyes on her romantic fantasy between Qingcheng and Dangshan; she turned her head to the arena, feeling a bit nervous.
What to do!
She was really a bit nervous!
Even though she knew Great Hero Lu was strong, she was still nervous!
Chu Jun was the first to strike. His Demon-Slaying Saber was as domineering as its name suggested. When he swung it, its momentum was unstoppable, akin to the charge of a formidable army. Just a single swing evoked the image of clashing metal and galloping horses.
Lu Chengsha countered with his unremarkable long iron sword.
This was the first time Hua Yan saw Lu Chengsha in a fight where he didn’t instantly defeat his opponent. Both the saber and sword moved extremely fast. Even the heavy Demon-Slaying Saber in Chu Jun’s hand seemed to move with ease, sometimes overwhelming like a mighty river, other times as swift and unpredictable as the wind. It was dizzying to watch, but the most terrifying aspect was that every slash was powerful and aggressive.
The blade scraped across the ground, leaving deep cracks in the stone wherever it passed.
The spectators were all stunned.
“Chu Jun is still so young, yet his saber technique has reached such a level…”
“It seems his three years of seclusion were not in vain. The outcome of this match is truly uncertain…”
At this moment, even the disciples of the Dangshan Sect could not hide their proud expressions.
Before coming here, Chu Jun had already tested his skills within the sect. His sparring partners were no longer his peers but his seniors, and even then, he won.
Using the Dangshan saber technique, he defeated those who had been practicing martial arts for ten, twenty, or even thirty years longer than he had.
In contrast, Lu Chengsha’s swordsmanship, like his sword, seemed ordinary. There were no extraneous moves or deceptive techniques. It was simple but extraordinarily fast.
Chu Jun’s saber was already extremely fast, but Lu Chengsha’s sword was always just a bit faster.
Sparks flew from the clash of metal due to the sheer speed of their strikes.
Most of the disciples could barely keep up with their moves, only a few with exceptionally trained senses could see the numerous instances where the slightest miscalculation could have resulted in a fatal blow.
Among the very few who could discern this was Ling Tianxiao.
His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
In the next twenty moves, Chu Jun’s saber became even more frantic.
In contrast, Lu Chengsha remained unchanged. Despite exchanging over a hundred moves with Chu Jun, his breathing remained steady, his gaze cold and unyielding, like wood or stone.
In the next move, Chu Jun suddenly slowed by half a beat.
Just half a beat.
The outcome was decided.
Lu Chengsha’s sword halted precisely at Chu Jun’s throat, not a fraction more or less.
He pressed his sword against Chu Jun’s throat, forcing him to retreat rapidly until he was backed against the thin rope.
Chu Jun was defeated again.
The spectators, who had been holding their breath, finally exhaled in relief, their bodies drenched in cold sweat.
Although the duel had consisted of over a hundred moves, their speed was so great that the entire fight lasted less than the time it took for an incense stick to burn.
This time, the jeers came even faster than expected.
Lu Chengsha appeared indifferent as usual, sheathed his sword, and turned to leave.
Chu Jun stood there, seemingly soulless.
As the crowd began to discuss the match, Chu Jun suddenly raised his hand, grabbed his Demon-Slaying Saber, and hurled it with full force at Lu Chengsha, who was walking towards the Tingjian Manor’s seating area with his back to him.
The speed of the saber was astonishingly fast.
At that moment, an urgent female voice broke through the air.
“Watch out!”
The voice was so loud that it drowned out all other sounds in the arena.
Lu Chengsha slightly turned his body, and the Demon-Slaying Saber grazed his outline. Just before the saber could pass, Lu Chengsha raised his hand, caught the hilt just as it was about to fly out, and with a swift motion, hurled it back.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye.
The next moment, the Demon-Slaying Saber was deeply embedded in the ground in front of Chu Jun, the stone floor around it cracking like a spiderweb.
The entire arena fell silent.
Lu Chengsha slowly turned his head to look at Chu Jun, whose face was now blank and bewildered, and said, “You cannot defeat me.”
His voice was cold and piercing.
Lu Chengsha rarely spoke, so when he did, the silence around him grew even more pronounced.
“Why?” Chu Jun instinctively asked, his tone almost panicked.
“Because you want to win against me too much.”
If Lu Chengzhao were present, he might have mocked him for being pretentious, yet he would have known that Lu Chengsha was telling the truth.
Lu Chengsha never lied.
After speaking, Lu Chengsha did not look back again.
No one expected that at this moment, a young girl in a crimson dress, with long pearls dangling by her ears, would come bouncing down from the seating area of Tingjian Manor.
She quickly reached Lu Chengsha, tugging on his sleeve and examining him from head to toe, as if to make sure he was unharmed — leaving the spectators even more speechless.
What was even more surprising was that Lu Chengsha actually spoke again.
“I’m fine.” He paused, then asked, “Were you worried about me?”
The crowd suddenly recalled the earth-shattering female voice from earlier.
No way, no way — was there really someone who needed to worry about Lu Chengsha?
Sure enough, the girl remained silent, seemingly shy, and tugged on Lu Chengsha’s sleeve again.
Lu Chengsha, puzzled, lowered his head slightly as Huayan tugged his sleeve for the second time.
Hua Yan, with a mournful expression, leaned close to his ear and whispered, “…Oh no, I was so nervous earlier that I strained my voice!”