Chapter 24: The Martial Arts Tournament for Marriage
It remains unknown who, with no filter on their lips, leaked the news; by early the next morning, word of Luo Wangchuan’s defeat had spread throughout Lingyun Ferry.
Sensing the wind of change, Yushu Manor dispatched envoys that very noon under the guise of a visit, but in truth to conduct an investigation. They combed through every corner of Lingyun Palace, questioning every detail of that night’s events with meticulous clarity before returning to draft their report.
Upon learning that the white-clad young hero’s sword was inlaid with seven jade stones, Lin Baixiao immediately wielded his brush and wrote: “The Treading Snow Hero breaks into Lingyun Palace at night; the Flowing Wind and Returning Snow Sword suffers a narrow defeat.”
Half a month ago, the name “Ta Xue” had appeared four or five times in the Jianghu Express, detailing his infiltration of corrupt officials’ and treacherous merchants’ estates to steal treasures, along with impromptu acts of heroism where he rescued beauties and beat up a couple of hooligans along the way.
According to the bruised and battered testimony of those hooligans afterward, Ta Xue was wielding the Tian Yu Liu Fang Sword at the time.
Thus, his image in the Jianghu has become firmly fixed: clad in white, bearing the Tian Yu Liu Fang Sword, and leaving behind flowers after killing and stealing treasures.
This time, Mu Bai’s nighttime intrusion into Lingyun Palace sent shockwaves through the martial arts world, causing an immediate uproar among the various sects.
That very day, after reading the express dispatch, Nan Fengyi, the master of Chaosheng Pavilion, arrived at the palace bearing a basket of fruit. His words were dripping with schadenfreude, as if the great vengeance for his own past brutal defeat at the hands of Luo Wangchuan had finally been served.
After Huamei finished changing Master Luo’s bandages, she went to knock on Qiao Mubai’s door.
The door opened, and Mubai poked his head out. “Senior Sister, what’s wrong?”
He had applied powder and rouge to his face, yet it could not conceal his haggard complexion. Huamei asked, “Xiaobai, are you ill?”
Mu Bai coughed twice. “I am somewhat unwell, but I have already taken my medicine. Do not worry.”
“That’s good.” Huamei walked into the room and sat down at the table. “The Li family said they can rent you their arena on the first day of next month. But, Junior Sister Xiaobai, do you truly intend to hold a martial arts tournament to choose a husband?”
Mu Bai quickly calculated in her mind; by then, her injuries should have mostly healed. She nodded. “The sooner I settle this marriage matter, the sooner others will abandon such thoughts.”
“But… what about His Highness the Prince?”
“What does this have to do with him?”
Huamei looked at him, shook her head, and said, “Since you’ve made up your mind, I’ll go settle this matter tomorrow. Once a husband is chosen, don’t come regretting it.”
“If you ask me, although the prince has difficulty walking, he is of noble birth, with appearance and demeanor both superior, in no way inferior to those martial arts masters.”
Mu Bai lowered his eyes. “Oh.”
“Very well, have it your way.” Huamei changed the subject. “By the way, Xiaobai, did Eldest Senior Sister ever mention your father to you?”
“Father?” Mu Bai racked his memory of the original text; there was indeed such a character, though he had appeared only a few times. Unable to recall him immediately, Mu Bai replied, “He was never mentioned. What’s wrong?”
“He is currently in Sect Master Luo’s room.”
Mu Bai asked in bewilderment, “Has he come to see me?”
“No, he has come to mock Sect Master Luo.” Huamei hesitated for a moment before finally telling him, “In truth, your biological father is Nan Fengyi, the Master of Chaosheng Pavilion.”
“…Is he the one ranked second on the Chivalry List?”
“Yes.” Huamei sighed. “But ever since Old Valley Master passed away, he hasn’t set foot in Green Lotus Valley for all these years. After we found you, Eldest Senior Sister originally intended to take you to meet him, but upon hearing that Nan Fengyi already had a new love, she abandoned the idea. He is currently at Lingyun Palace; if you wish to see him, I can take you there.”
Mu Bai quickly waved his hands. “No, no!”
“Very well.” Huamei patted his shoulder. “If you change your mind, you could always sneak over and catch a glimpse, just to see what your father looks like.”
Mu Bai thought carefully and agreed that he should go take a look, memorizing the man’s appearance so he could avoid him in future encounters.
After Huamei left, he stealthily made his way to the door of Luo Wangchuan’s room, peering inside through the crack in the door.
A man dressed in an indigo long robe sat by the bedside, his face obscured yet his silhouette pleasing to the eye. He unfolded a dispatch from the courier station in his hand and began reading its contents aloud.
Luo Wangchuan lay on the bed with his hands and feet tightly bandaged, his expression blank, his eyes clearly conveying: “Too lazy to deal with this fool.”
Mu Bai’s shoulders had been aching severely for the past two days; she avoided moving whenever possible and thus hadn’t yet read the courier reports. She leaned against the door, listening intently.
Nan Fengyi clicked his tongue and shook his head: “Brother Luo, I heard this Taxue is quite young, yet managed to defeat you so thoroughly. Impressive, truly impressive.”
Mu Bai thought to herself: So speaking with sarcastic undertones must be a required lesson at Chaosheng Pavilion.
Luo Wangchuan paid him no heed. Undeterred, Nan Fengyi turned a page and read aloud: “Latest ranking of knights: first place—swordmaster Taxue, Lingyun Palace’s Luo Wangchuan, Chaosheng Pavilion’s Nan Feng… Hmm? How did I drop to third?”
Luo Wangchuan spoke up: “You didn’t know? When someone successfully challenges a fighter in the top ten, all rankings below shift down by one. Ta Xue defeated me and claimed the top spot, so naturally, you’ve been pushed down to third.”
Nan Fengyi exclaimed in disbelief: “On what grounds?”
“Because I am stronger than you.”
“I refuse to accept this. Once you’ve recovered from your injuries, we shall fight again.”
Luo Wangchuan tugged at the corner of his lips: “Make sure to prepare a sturdy zither; don’t break it and then demand compensation from me again.”
“You…”
After that, Mu Bai could no longer hear what they were saying.
Having just stepped into the jianghu, his internal energy was far from profound. That night, his victory over Luo Wangchuan relied mostly on skill, surprise, and a certain amount of luck; in terms of true martial prowess, he still had a long way to go.
Thus, ascending to the top of the heroes’ ranking was something he had never anticipated.
Feeling dizzy and with a dull ache throbbing in the wound on his shoulder, Mu Bai dragged his leg back to his room.
He lay awake in bed for a quarter of an hour, then gathered his spirits and pulled out the sword manual hidden beneath his pillow to read.
Since this honor has already fallen upon his brow, he can only double his efforts to ensure his martial prowess matches his reputation.
As night fell, Mu Bai, sword strapped to his back, knocked on Jiang Cijing’s door.
“Detective Jiang, I’ve obtained what you requested.” He waved the letter in his hand. “Found in Sect Master Luo’s quarters—a love letter from Luo Ziyi to Lady Ling.”
Jiang Cijing’s eyes lit up. “Excellent! Many thanks, young hero!”
He hurriedly welcomed Mu Bai inside, pouring tea as he asked, “May I ask where this love letter was found?”
“Inside the sword scabbard,” Mu Bai replied. “There was a sword on Sect Leader Luo’s bed; it looked quite ordinary. I drew it out to examine it and discovered this.”
“Oh,” Jiang Cijing realized suddenly. “That must be the sword Sect Leader Luo used while disguised as Miss Ling.”
Mu Bai asked, “How do you intend to handle this?”
Jiang Cijing pondered for a moment before saying, “I’ll hand this over to Ziyi first and see what he plans. However, Sect Master Luo’s injuries are severe, so now is hardly an opportune time… Oh, young hero, I didn’t mean to blame you.”
“I understand.” Mu Bai coughed lightly. “I won’t take this reward money. Please give it to Luo Ziyi so he can buy some tonic herbs to prepare nourishing soup for Sect Master Luo.”
“How could I possibly do that?”
“Just consider it a favor to me.” Mu Bai rose to his feet. “It’s getting late; I must take my leave now.”
He reached the doorway, then paused as if remembering something: “By the way, if our paths cross again, don’t push your luck—just yield immediately. I won’t harm you.”
Jiang Cijing asked, puzzled, “What do you mean… Could it be that you, young hero, are plotting a crime?”
Upon careful reflection, he realized that all the recent incidents involving Taxue reported in the newspapers indeed danced on the very edge of legality, yet morally speaking, they had brought great benefit to the common people.
“Young Hero Taxue, rest assured. Our Wanjing Bureau is not some rigid and old-fashioned government office. Everything you’ve done has been for the good. Should we ever meet again, we will turn a blind eye and not put you in a difficult position.”
Mu Bai: “…Never mind, I’m leaving.”
–
First day of the lunar month, Lingyun Ferry.
“Have you heard? The young master from Qinglian Valley who defeated Elder Meng earlier is holding a martial arts tournament to find a spouse outside Yizui Pavilion today.”
“The one depicted in the courier’s report? Though her martial prowess is impressive, her appearance leaves much to be desired; no wonder she must set up an arena to attract a husband.”
“I heard from the disciples of Lingyun Palace that she was the one who performed the sword dance at the last Qiqiao Festival.”
“Surely not? That young lady was so beautiful…”
Inside the teahouse, opinions flew thick and fast, until everyone finally agreed to gather outside the Yizuixuan Pavilion at noon to catch a glimpse of what the young master of Qinglian Valley actually looked like.
Unexpectedly, just as the martial arts tournament began, the very person at the heart of this marriage contest failed to appear.
The onlookers craned their necks, catching sight of a woman in white robes and a cyan skirt ascending the platform. She bowed gracefully and announced, “This humble one is Huamei from Qinglian Valley. As the Young Mistress is unwell, I shall preside over the contest in her stead.”
In a prime viewing spot below the stage, Ye Xing and Jin Yi stood guard beside a wheelchair. Su Mo held a cup of tea, leisurely brushing away the foam before taking a sip.
Jin Yi spotted the disciples of Lingyun Palace behind the arena, eagerly rubbing their fists together. Breaking into a sweat, he asked, “Young Master, shall I have Ye Xing take your place up there?”
“No need.” Su Mo lowered his eyes, lost in thought.
The gongs and drums sound, marking the official start of the martial arts tournament for marriage.
Contenders face off in pairs; the victors advance to the next round. After ten rounds, the last one standing on the platform becomes the reigning champion, who must defend the title for the duration of one incense stick.
Mu Bai announced the event late, so few people participated in the martial arts tournament for marriage; more than half were disciples of Lingyun Palace.
After eight rounds of competition, only three disciples from Lingyun Palace and Inspector Jiang from the Wanjing Bureau remained on the stage.
Seeing Jiang Cijing’s unstoppable momentum, Mu Bai decided to eliminate him early to spare him unnecessary hopes.
As the semifinal match began, Mu Bai leaped onto the stage and stood opposite Jiang Cijing.
Jiang Cijing rubbed his eyes: “Hero Taxue, how could you…”
Mu Bai felt uneasy and spoke gently: “You should go down. Swords and blades have no eyes; I do not wish to hurt you.”
Recalling the words he had spoken before leaving that day, Jiang Cijing furrowed his brows: “Could it be that you already knew Lady Qin would hold a martial arts tournament for marriage today?”
Mu Bai did not answer, only repeating: “Go down.”
Jiang Cijing, seeing him evade the question, furrowed his brows tightly and gripped the hilt of his blade so hard it emitted two sharp “click-click” sounds.
He fixed his gaze on Mu Bai, lifted his sword, and charged straight forward.
Mu Bai did not draw his sword; instead, he stepped forward to meet the attack, caught the blade with his right hand, struck Jiang Cijing’s shoulder with a palm strike from his left, then swiftly pivoted past him to appear behind his opponent and delivered another palm strike.
Jiang Cijing was pushed to the edge of the arena, where he plunged his sword into the ground and barely managed to stop himself from falling.
Mu Bai refrained from drawing his sword to avoid accidental harm, but in Jiang Cijing’s eyes, this was an insult. Enraged, he unsheathed his blade, leaped into the air, and executed a soaring slash straight down.
Mu Bai sidestepped the blow, his left hand once again gripping the blade’s spine. Channeling his internal energy through the steel, he sent a shock that froze Jiang Cijing’s wrist.
Seizing the opportunity, he twisted his wrist to snatch the long blade, hurling it backward with a sharp “hum” as it embedded itself firmly into the ground.
Then, after exchanging several blows of fists and palms, he seized Jiang Cijing’s hands and executed a shoulder throw, slamming him onto the arena floor.
Before Jiang Cijing could break free, Mu Bai dragged him to the edge of the platform and tossed him into the arms of Luo Ziyi, who had brought their master along just to watch the spectacle.
Falling off the platform means defeat.
Jiang Cijing was set back on the ground by Luo Ziyi; leaning on his knees, he gasped for breath several times in rapid succession, then suddenly swung a fist and slammed it against the edge of the arena.
Taking the sword handed to him by Mu Bai, he spoke not another word, turned, and walked away from the crowd.
After watching him depart into the distance, Mu Bai turned around and drew the Tianyu Liufang Sword.
As seven luminous white jade tokens emerged, the three disciples of Lingyun Palace standing on the platform immediately felt overwhelmed by immense pressure.
They had witnessed his swordsmanship; even the sect master had been injured so severely that they knew they stood no chance against him.
One of them steeled himself to endure a beating before slinking off the stage, while the other two immediately forfeited and admitted defeat.
Mu Bai stood on the arena platform, watching Huamei light a stick of incense.
Someone deduced his identity from his swordplay, sparking heated whispers among the crowd below. Everyone knew the reigning champion topped the Heroes’ Ranking; who would dare challenge him unless they were looking for a thrashing?
The incense was nearly burnt out. Mu Bai was about to sheath his sword when a dark shadow suddenly flashed across his vision.
Sensing danger, he immediately crossed his blade, blocking a folding fan.
Though the fan appeared light and insubstantial, Mu Bai, caught off guard, was forced backward by its pressure.
Su Mo reached out to steady his waist. “Careful.”
Silken strands brushed past his ear; Mu Bai finally saw the other’s brows and eyes clearly, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he muttered, “…What the hell?”