On the morning of the second day, the heavy snow gradually subsided, and the sunlight shone brighter than the day before. The servants of Changfeng Manor had already cleared the accumulated snow from the front courtyard and set up chairs once again. The competition for the Alliance Leader position and the Hall Master of the Council was set to officially begin at the third quarter of the Chen hour (7:45 AM).
Manor Lord Pei, due to his “internal injury flare-up,” appeared somewhat pale. Wrapped in a fox fur coat, he sat in a brocade chair, quietly observing the proceedings. As before, Hui Lu and Tiannan Sou presided over all the trials.
That morning, the first two rounds focused on virtue and wisdom. Through these trials, forty-eight individuals would be selected to advance to the third round of martial combat. Jian Ying, He Qingling, Nangong Jue, Yuan Fang, Feng Yunyao, and others all successfully passed through.
However, the morning’s two rounds of trials weren’t without incident. Over ten participants expressed dissatisfaction with the judgments of the renowned experts, accusing several successful candidates of cheating. They directly pointed fingers at Hui Lu for favoring Shaolin disciples, nearly resulting in drawn weapons. It wasn’t until Pei Yan and Tiannan Sou intervened that these individuals were subdued.
At the first quarter of the Wei hour (1:15 PM), the bronze gong sounded, signaling the official start of the main event of this Martial Arts Alliance Leader selection – the martial arts competition.
After drawing lots, the forty-eight participants were paired off for combat, with the twenty-four victors advancing to the next round.
Following the first round of martial trials, several participants caught the attention of the crowd. Nangong Jue and Feng Yunyao both won their matches with remarkable ease. Nangong Jue defeated Daoist Wu Fei of Yuqing Palace in less than ten moves, demonstrating truly unfathomable martial prowess. Feng Yunyao not only excelled in snake-controlling techniques but also showcased impressive qinggong (lightness skill), causing spectators to view the “Snake Shamans” of the Southern Borderlands in a new light.
However, it was a pair of sisters from Pingzhou that captured the attention of many young onlookers – Cheng Yingying and Cheng Xiaoxiao of the “Twin Gate.” As the Twin Gate exclusively comprised twins and their unique martial arts required two people working in tandem, these sisters participated as single contestants. Both were as beautiful as autumn water lilies, though Cheng Yingying’s dimples showed even when she wasn’t smiling, while Cheng Xiaoxiao’s only appeared with a slight smile. The two moved as one, with impeccable coordination. Their dual sword technique proved victorious over Qin Yingluo, the leader of Bihua Zhai, after a hundred moves, earning cheers from the young spectators below.
Yet, the gazes of Pei Yan, Tiannan Sou, Hui Lu, and others were fixed on one particular individual. This person was barely twenty years old, with delicate features and a refined demeanor. He had registered for the trials as “Su Yan from Youzhou.” Initially, everyone assumed he was a disciple of the Su family’s “Five Tiger Fist” from Youzhou, but once he took the stage, he employed an extremely nimble sword technique. Facing the thunderous blade strikes of Tang Xiaotian, the Sect Leader of Ziji Gate, he remained calm and composed. After a hundred moves, he suddenly changed his technique mid-air, executing dozens of intricate sword flourishes that forced Tang Xiaotian to retreat step by step, ultimately falling off the stage.
Pei Yan and his peers, all being masters of both internal and external cultivation with vast experience and keen insight, silently took note: When had such a young expert emerged in the martial arts world? Though still somewhat inferior to Pei Yan, few could surpass him. This person seemed to have appeared out of thin air, and his swordsmanship left no trace to follow. What was his background?
Pei Yan smiled as he conversed with Tiannan Sou, giving a subtle eye signal to An Chen. Understanding the message, An Chen hurriedly left the venue.
In the first round of duels, He Qingling, the young mistress of Xuanyuan Manor from Hongzhou, drew lots and ended up facing her senior disciple, “Qingshan Cold Sword” Jian Ying.
As these two took the stage, the crowd of heroes burst into laughter. Some whistled through cupped hands, while others made increasingly vulgar comments. It wasn’t until Hui Lu ordered the gong to be struck repeatedly that the audience gradually quieted down, everyone wearing smiles as they watched these beautiful martial sisters compete for the position of Alliance Leader.
Due to yesterday’s falling out with Jian Ying, He Qingling didn’t waste words upon taking the stage. With a cold laugh, she leaped into action, her sword flashing with cold light as she swiftly attacked Jian Ying. Jian Ying remained calm, feinting for several moves to deflect He Qingling’s assault. Her graceful white figure danced in the air like a swallow or a crane, engaging in fierce combat with the green-robed He Qingling. The two women, one cool and composed, the other fiery and passionate, their silken robes fluttering, fought like arguing orioles and scolding swallows, providing a feast for the eyes of all spectators.
After several dozen exchanges, He Qingling was shocked to find that her senior disciple’s sword energy had gained an extra edge of sharpness. She gradually realized that their master had secretly taught her senior disciple the sect’s ultimate technique, which only fueled her anger. The cold light of her blade intensified as she employed desperate moves. Both those on and off the stage could see this, and discussions never ceased.
Jian Ying yielded for dozens of moves, seeing He Qingling’s face full of anger and knowing that their sisterly relationship was beyond repair. She could only sigh inwardly. Her cold sword met He Qingling’s blade, borrowing the force to soar into the air. Her long sword flashed with continuous silver light in the sky, like blooming silver lotuses. He Qingling’s eyes and mind were dazzled, causing her movements to slow for a moment. Jian Ying saw the opportunity clearly and, sword in hand broke through He Qingling’s sword formation. He Qingling felt a chill surge from the sword tip into her body, her right hand going numb, and her long sword clattering to the ground.
She retreated two steps, her face pale, cradling her numb right arm. With a cold laugh at Jian Ying, she leaped off the stage and ran away, disappearing at the end of the main road.
Jian Ying bent down to pick up He Qingling’s fallen sword, sighing inwardly. She bowed to the audience below and gracefully retreated amidst thunderous applause.
In the following second round of trials, Nangong Jue faced Cheng Danlei of the Sunü Sect, while Feng Yunyao confronted Master Tiantan of Puhua Temple. Both emerged victorious after about a hundred moves. However, “Qingshan Cold Sword” Jian Ying struggled for over two hundred moves before ultimately falling to the sword of Liu Feng, the Sect Leader of Cangshan, due to her lack of experience.
The Cheng sisters of the “Twin Gate” once again shone brightly. Their opponent was Master Huizhuang of Shaolin. Although Huizhuang’s martial arts were superior to the sisters’, he was hesitant to go all out against young women. Cheng Yingying eventually saw through this after three hundred moves and deliberately lured him to attack her chest. Realizing the situation, Huizhuang quickly pulled back, but Cheng Xiaoxiao seized the opportunity to strike his right arm’s acupoint, forcing him to concede.
The young gentleman Su Yan continued to amaze the crowd. After eighty moves, he suddenly changed his technique, his sword style becoming grand and powerful, with unparalleled fierce energy. He forced Thunderclap Sect Leader Lei Shun to retreat several steps. Pressing his advantage, Su Yan thrust his sword diagonally from below his ribs, meeting Lei Shun’s blade. With a great shout, Lei Shun felt as if ice daggers were stabbing his internal organs. He retreated more than ten steps, dropped his sword, and sat on the ground, spitting out several mouthfuls of fresh blood before leaving the stage with a bitter expression.
After this round, only twelve remained: Nangong Jue, Yuan Fang, Liu Feng, Feng Yunyao, Song Hongqiu, Zhang You, Shi Xiuwu, Su Yan, the Cheng sisters, Wang Jingzhi (Sect Leader of Nanhua Mountain), Duan Ning (Sect Leader of Qi Mountain), and Master Poqing (Sect Leader of Emei).
Master Hui Lu presented a tray containing bamboo slips to these twelve individuals. As they drew their lots one by one, some were delighted with their groupings, while others worried silently. Shi Xiuwu, seeing that he would go first against the mysterious Su Yan from Youzhou, felt somewhat uneasy.
Su Yan placed his sword behind his back and stood with his hands clasped, motionless and composed. Looking at Shi Xiuwu, he said with a smile, “I, Su, have long heard of General Shi’s great reputation. Please, General Shi, enlighten me!”
Shi Xiuwu, having observed the previous battles, knew that this man’s swordsmanship was both soft and hard, recognizing him as a formidable opponent. Steadying his nerves, he chuckled, “Young Master Su is too modest. Let’s exchange pointers!” Before his words faded, he had already launched his attack, his blade moving through the center.
Su Yan remained calm, his form dodging. When Shi Xiuwu finished his first round of attacks and was about to change his blade position to catch his breath, Su Yan let out a powerful shout. His sword energy was like a heavenly wind and sea rain, vast and boundless. Shi Xiuwu gritted his teeth and withstood over thirty moves before showing signs of defeat.
Knowing he had reached a critical moment, Shi Xiuwu realized that whether he could claim the position of Alliance Leader and complete the task assigned by Lord Bo depended on this moment. Steeling his resolve, he took a deep breath and rushed forward. Su Yan seemed unprepared for this combined body and blade attack, his sword momentum slightly weakening. Shi Xiuwu seized the opportunity to deflect his long sword, suddenly transferring his thick-backed blade to his left hand. His right hand pressed a mechanism on the hilt, and a sharp blade suddenly sprang out from the bottom of the hilt, transforming it into a strange weapon with a blade in front and a dagger behind.
Shi Xiuwu’s right foot tapped the ground, his form soaring into the air. He spun several times, his blade and dagger flashing like a meteor shower. Su Yan’s expression changed slightly as he retreated, finding himself forced to the edge of the stage. He planted his feet firmly, leaning back slightly, his long sword blocking Shi Xiuwu’s seemingly inevitable strike. He smiled, “General Shi, I never expected such a weapon. You’ve truly opened my eyes!”
Shi Xiuwu channeled his qi into the blade, slowly pressing down. Su Yan’s body gradually leaned further back. Just as it seemed he would be forced off the stage, his lips suddenly parted, and a cold glint flashed. Shi Xiuwu sensed danger and, in a split second, released his weapon and quickly dodged. However, he was still struck in the face by several silver needles, falling to the ground with a painful cry, covering his face.
Su Yan straightened up, smiling, “General Shi, you used a ‘blade within a blade,’ and I have ‘needles within lips.’ My apologies!”
Pei Yan and the others exchanged glances, realizing that this man was not only highly skilled in martial arts but also deeply cunning, defeating his opponent without showing his hand. They all felt a sense of awe.
As Su Yan was about to step towards Shi Xiuwu, a sudden shout rang out: “Wait!” A gray shadow flashed, and a person leaped onto the stage like a great roc spreading its wings.
Jiang Ci had always loved watching the excitement, even though it had brought her much trouble and even life-threatening situations in recent months. Seeing the intense battles, she still found it thrilling. Watching Su Yan, with his handsome appearance and witty demeanor, defeat the villainous Shi Xiuwu, she couldn’t help but cheer inwardly.
As the gray-robed figure leaped onto the stage, she focused her gaze, sensing the sudden turn of events. The man in gray was quite tall, with a long sword at his waist, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. He had long eyebrows extending to his temples, a fair and handsome face with thin lips, appearing somewhat effeminate. He was facing Jiang Ci, and she could see a small red birthmark on his forehead, like a red plum blossom. This was exactly as Wei Zhao had described – Yao Dingbang. Jiang Ci’s heart suddenly raced, but remembering that Yao Dingbang hadn’t spoken more than a few words yet, she managed to hold back her exclamation.
Pei Yan’s brow furrowed slightly as he was about to stand up, but Yao Dingbang had already stepped towards Su Yan, his handsome face as cold as frost. He said coldly, “So it’s you!”
Su Yan stood with his sword lowered, smiling, “Brother, we’ve never met. Perhaps you’ve mistaken me for someone else?”
Yao Dingbang’s right foot hooked Shi Xiuwu’s body from the ground, his right hand lightly brushing Shi Xiuwu’s face to remove the silver needles. He examined them in his palm before looking up angrily, “It is indeed you. Return Xiao Qing’s life to me!”
Su Yan laughed, tilting his head back, “So it’s Vice Minister Yao. Indeed, Yao Xiao Qing died by my hand. You haven’t found the wrong person, Vice Minister. However, before his death, Yao Xiao Qing asked me to pass something on to you, General. He said you’d understand once you saw it, and that his death wasn’t in vain!”
Yao Dingbang’s expression grew increasingly fierce as he stepped closer to Su Yan. “Hand over the item, and I’ll spare your life!”
Su Yan smiled, reaching into his robe. He formed a fist and slowly extended it towards Yao Dingbang, then opened his hand. Yao Dingbang looked down and suddenly let out an enraged roar. His shout started high-pitched but gradually became hoarse. His face flushed red as he drew his sword mid-roar and launched a fierce attack at Su Yan.
Su Yan dodged, laughing, “Vice Minister Yao, Yao Xiao Qing was your younger brother. He relied on your influence to forcibly take women and tarnish their reputations. He also did many unspeakable things behind the scenes. I acted on heaven’s behalf to eliminate this scourge. He had a moment of conscience before his death and left these words of remorse to set the record straight. Why do you still seek revenge on me?!”
This sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard. No one expected that at the crucial moment of the Alliance Leader selection, Yao Dingbang, a former general under Lord Bo and current Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, would come seeking revenge. Before Hui Lu, the presider, could intervene, Yao Dingbang and Su Yan were already locked in fierce combat on the stage.
From the moment Yao Dingbang appeared, Jiang Ci had been struggling internally, unsure whether to follow Wei Zhao’s instructions and “identify” him as the “Star Moon Sect” leader whose voice she had heard before. After all, this would be the first great lie of her life, and it concerned a person’s life and death, causing her to hesitate. Upon hearing Su Yan’s words and recalling what Brother Cui had said about Yao’s evil deeds, she finally gritted her teeth and made her decision. She let out a muffled cry of surprise.
Pei Yan turned sharply, seeing the fear in Jiang Ci’s eyes as she covered her mouth, her body visibly trembling. He slowly stood up, his eyes blazing, fixed on Jiang Ci as he pulled down her shaking right hand. Jiang Ci’s lips were slightly pale as she pointed at Yao Dingbang fighting on the stage and whispered, “His, his voice—”
Pei Yan’s eyes narrowed, his lips barely moving as he whispered into Jiang Ci’s ear, “Are you certain this is the man you heard in the tree that night?!”
Jiang Ci nodded slowly. Pei Yan turned, gesturing to An Chen at the edge of the stage. An Chen quickly retreated from the crowd as Pei Yan turned and slowly walked towards the two men fighting on the stage.
Despite Yao Dingbang’s handsome yet effeminate appearance, his sword style was incredibly fierce, forcing Su Yan to move all over the stage. Su Yan, however, remained composed, still able to taunt amidst the clashing of swords, “Vice Minister, Yao Xiao Qing didn’t suffer much. After being struck by the silver needles, I gave him a quick death with a sword through the heart. I showed you some respect in that.”
Yao Dingbang seemed to grow even more enraged, his shouts becoming increasingly hoarse. His sword moves became faster. The audience gradually lost sight of their techniques, seeing only two blurred figures, one gray and one white, dancing across the stage.
Pei Yan, sword in hand, slowly approached. The sword energy from the two combatants ruffled his clothes. He moved like a small boat navigating through a raging storm, or like a pine tree standing firm in a tempest. With seeming nonchalance, he inserted his sword between them. Though his movement wasn’t particularly fast, the sword energy on the stage suddenly dissipated like a rainstorm abating, the fierce wind dying down. Yao Dingbang and Su Yan both grunted and retreated two steps.
Pei Yan turned to face Yao Dingbang, smiling, “Vice Minister Yao—” Before he could finish, Yao Dingbang’s eyes seemed to bleed with rage. With a hoarse scream, he lunged at Su Yan. Su Yan quickly retreated, leaping off the stage, with Yao Dingbang’s gray shadow flashing close behind.
Su Yan increased his speed, flying like a bird through the crowd. In a few flashes, he had reached the corner of the main road in front of the manor. Yao Dingbang pursued relentlessly. Pei Yan waved his hand, and An Chen led a group to quickly follow.
Pei Yan looked back, his sleeve wrapping around Jiang Ci’s waist. Holding her with his left hand, he leaped forward, chasing after Su Yan and Yao Dingbang.
The thousand-plus people in front of the manor watched this scene in stunned silence. By the time they reacted, the group had already disappeared from view. Hui Lu and the others quickly conferred, deciding to continue the competition and determine the outcome between Su Yan and Shi Xiuwu upon Pei Yan’s return. They sent out several disciples from various sects who weren’t participating in the trials to follow and observe.
Due to carrying Jiang Ci, Pei Yan’s qinggong was somewhat hindered. It took him over ten li before catching up to Yao and Su. The two men continued their chase until Su Yan finally stopped at the edge of a cliff.
He glanced at the rushing waters below the cliff, then turned back with a smile. Yao Dingbang was already upon him with a roar, and they engaged in fierce combat once again.
Pei Yan set Jiang Ci down at the edge of the forest. Seeing that An Chen and the others had also arrived, he slowly approached. Just as he was about to separate the two, he saw Yao Dingbang’s sword tip locked with Su Yan’s in a test of inner strength, realizing they had reached a life-or-death moment. He decided to stand by with his hands behind his back, no longer in a hurry to intervene.
Veins bulged on Yao Dingbang’s face, distorting his handsome features into a somewhat fierce expression. Su Yan’s face gradually turned pale, and both of their swords trembled violently. After a moment, Su Yan’s face changed from white to red, then back to white. He suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood with a hidden cold glint. Pei Yan knew he was using his “lip needles” again and stepped forward. He saw Yao Dingbang’s face splattered with the bloody mist, causing him to retreat more than ten steps with a painful cry before collapsing to the ground.
Su Yan spat out another mouthful of blood and sat down, shaking his head. He looked at Pei Yan with a bitter smile, “Manor Lord Pei, please bear witness that I acted in self-defense.”
Pei Yan nodded slightly and walked towards the collapsed Yao Dingbang with his hands behind his back. Suddenly, a loud “bang” rang out, and several plumes of smoke erupted before his eyes. Pei Yan held his breath and leaped backward. Several black-clad, masked figures rushed out from the forest, one of them moving towards the fallen Yao Dingbang to help him up.
An Chen and the others reacted, surrounding these figures. The black-clad individuals remained silent and launched a fierce attack. They used desperate techniques, momentarily overwhelming the Changfeng Guards.
The lead black-clad figure checked Yao Dingbang’s breathing, then suddenly leaped with great force towards Su Yan, who was slumped at the edge of the cliff. He shouted, “You hurt my lord, I’ll avenge him!”
Su Yan sat weakly on the ground, unable to summon his qi in time. The black-clad figure’s sword pierced his left shoulder, causing him to fall backward with a cry of pain, plummeting straight down the cliff.
The black-clad leader turned back, carrying Yao Dingbang on his back. He threw something, causing another plume of smoke to erupt, and quickly disappeared into the haze with Yao Dingbang. Pei Yan immediately flashed into the smoke, channeling his power into his sword tip. He threw it like a shooting star, piercing through Yao Dingbang’s heart and into the back of the black-clad leader.
The black-clad leader staggered and slowly fell to his knees. Pei Yan approached slowly, about to turn over Yao Dingbang’s body, when he saw a cold glint from the black-clad man’s hand. Instinctively, he leaped up. The black-clad man lunged forward, but Pei Yan floated back in mid-air, avoiding this seemingly suicidal strike.
The black-clad leader collapsed to the ground, his left hand raised, throwing a black ball directly at Pei Yan. Recognizing it as similar to the famous “Sulfur Fireball” of Pingzhou’s “Quicksand Sect,” Pei Yan was inwardly alarmed. He quickly gathered his qi mid-air, turning and stepping diagonally to avoid the black ball. The ball flew past him towards Jiang Ci, who was more than ten steps behind.
As Pei Yan landed, he turned to see that Jiang Ci couldn’t dodge in time. His expression changed as he shot forward like an arrow, overtaking the black ball. His right palm cupped it, not daring to let it settle. Knowing that this unique weapon from the “Quicksand Sect” would explode upon impact, he channeled all his qi to keep the fireball spinning above his palm. With a powerful shout, his clothes billowing, he hurled the fireball towards the cliff.
Just as the fireball left his hand, another cold glint flashed. The black-clad leader suddenly leaped up, thrusting his sword at Pei Yan. Unable to dodge in time, there was a “puff” sound as the long sword pierced Pei Yan’s left ribs.
At this moment, the martial artists sent by Hui Lu to investigate had arrived. Seeing Pei Yan stabbed by the black-clad man’s dying strike, they all cried out in shock.