Chapter 57: Martial Contest for a Betrothal

Tie Dan galloped wildly on his horse, not knowing how long he had gone. Estimating that no one was pursuing him, he leapt off the horse, and with a backhand slash, cut off the other ear of the valuable horse, letting it continue to scream and rush forward. He then darted into the alleys, hiding away, slowly returning a breath of Qi.

That was close.

A Martial Cultivator at the Nascent Soul Realm is indeed formidable.

Though Martial Cultivators thrive in their youth, and once their Outer Pill cannot sustain them, their essence wanes and Qi shortens; with age, their bodies deteriorate, and their skills drastically decline.

Yet that old man named Wei could still unleash such combat strength. Even with the sharpness of Qingshuang, it only scratched the skin and couldn’t sever his hand bones. A rare master indeed. Probably if the old man were ten years younger, he could have smashed him into pieces with one punch?

But fortunately, an old man is still an old man, not so nimble, and his toes weren’t refined to be like steel; otherwise, he would have shattered the horse to pieces in a sprinting burst, leaving no escape except awaiting death.

Wiping the blood and sweat off his face with his Daoist robe, Tie Dan quickly carried his sword, swiftly reaching the city’s inner river, where he jumped directly into the river and manipulated the water out of the city. For now, he would avoid the outside to see how things played out. When the market opened and crowds gathered in a few days, he’d chance returning to the city.

Also, what bad luck it was; wherever he went, he’d run into that princely heir nonsense again, being chased by a pack of eagle dogs. But he couldn’t go straight back to the mountain because the sect’s expenses hadn’t been exchanged, the reward for the Immortal Thief hadn’t been claimed... Oh right, the person he promised to kill hadn’t been killed yet.

As for that shopkeeper of Treasure Pavilion, he was a treasure himself, asking Tie Dan to kill someone to write off twenty coins, yet couldn’t say who that person was, or where they lived.

He only said that in a few days, there would be an assembly, where the city would host an auction, at which point the target might appear at the venue. Therefore he gave Tie Dan an invitation, telling him to attend, and if the shopkeeper found the enemy, he would notify Tie Dan to take action, so he must stay until that time.

Of course, it’s not like there are so many True Men in the world; according to the shopkeeper’s estimate, the enemy’s cultivation is not high, at most the Golden Core Stage. Judging by the amount of Golden Core Stage treasures Tie Dan could get, it probably wouldn’t be a problem.

Especially now with the Qingshuang Treasure Sword in hand, it could even chop through Nascent Soul Stage bones and might not fail to kill, right?

Overall, attending the auction to gain insight wouldn’t be a loss; at worst, he could return the twenty coins...

Thus, swimming stealthily along the river to outside the city, likely cutting off any breath and tracks, Tie Dan came ashore, finding an inn outside the city where he traded some furs and mountain produce with the shopkeeper for some cash and clothing, and took a shared room to stay temporarily.

Thankfully, Jindu’s city defense isn’t rigorous. Although the government was alarmed, calling upper and lower levels to severely investigate the assassination of the princely heir by the Immortal Thief, for the past two days, business caravans and Jianghu people from various places have been gathering, coming and going in such numbers that there was no leisure to examine each person. So, the government officers would just sit in the inns, ask the shopkeeper for some wine and meat money in exchange, and then turn a blind eye, fulfilling their duties. Little did they know the assassin was sitting right beside them, drinking.

Seeing government officers’ indolence and laziness from top to bottom, it was apparent Kun Country was also rotten to the core, so Tie Dan wasn’t in any rush.

And so, for two days, he wore a bamboo hat and cloak to hide his form, wrapped Qingshuang with yellow leather to conceal the sword blade, and drank the inn’s homemade Litchi Green, a sweet fruit wine with litchi added to the yeast. He’d order some roast chicken and pancakes, eating and drinking while eavesdropping on Jianghu rumors at the tavern.

Jianghu people emphasize hearsay, exaggeration, with little accuracy in news. Only things like which place had floods blocking roads, where grain prices rose, and where mountain bandits wreaked havoc were worth considering.

And elusive things like Spiritual Treasures appearing, Divine Weapons emerging, or Demon awakenings—how could ordinary people inquire about that? After two days, Tie Dan realized most talk was lowbrow gossip—like scandals of which family’s master shamed himself, or stories of sect ladies eloping with Sect Leaders.

"Heard that the mistress of Hidden Sword Manor is holding a martial arts contest for a husband!"

"Hidden Sword Manor!"

"For a husband!"

"Martial arts contest?"

The inn fell silent immediately. Even the shopkeeper and waiters brought stools to listen attentively. The passerby, who was the center of attention, got enthusiastic, gibbering and spraying saliva, repeating rounds of gossip.

Tie Dan summed it up.

Hmm, so that Shen Family is holding a martial arts contest for a husband.

...

...

That’s all...

Okay, okay, a bit more detailed then.

It’s said that Shen Huai from the Nine Yin Mountain, courtesy name Jun You, was originally the sixteenth-generation Sect Leader of the Beichen Sword Sect, the Heavenly Pivot Sword Master, and a direct disciple of Lord Tian Gang, born with a clear sword heart, a naturally bestowed Dao Seed, favored by fortune, the contemporary Senior Brother of the Mystic Sect, chosen successor as Sect Leader, entrusted with great hopes by Honzan, the Heaven’s Chosen Son and the hope of the Mystic Sect.

Then, whether he became arrogant or was schemed against, Shen Huai succumbed to the emotional tribulation in his youth, losing his Primordial Yang and Dao Body, disqualifying him from becoming a Sword Immortal, lagging behind his peers in progress. Staying on the mountain just to get by wasn’t an option, so he descended into the world, abandoning his sword and returning home to undergo a mortal tribulation and reincarnation.

This Hidden Sword Manor was the bloodline Shen Huai left in the mortal realm. Although he couldn’t attain the Great Dao of the Sword Immortal, he was still a legitimate Sword Sect disciple, quickly making a name for himself in the Jianghu, unbeatable under the heavens. Plus, with the Sword Sect as backing and connections with the Mystic Sect, he became the new generation Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch after Qin Baichuan, leading in the Jianghu.

Many in the Jianghu hoped to secure Hidden Sword Manor’s recommendation to get into the Mystic Sect for cultivation. Hence, they became acquaintances with Shen Huai, respecting him as their senior brother, and Hidden Sword Manor became the Mystic Sect’s representative in the Jianghu, assisting the Mystic Sect in commanding both black and white forces, even making alliances with local vassal kings and warlords to counter the Three Constellation Immortal Palace, being a thorn in the court’s side, known throughout the world.

Although Shen Huai did not achieve Immortal Path and had undergone reincarnation, Hidden Sword Manor’s strength isn’t as formidable as before, and the position of Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch has been handed over to other Mystic Sect representatives.

However, the reputation Shen Huai built for Hidden Sword Manor remains, and he has four sons and eight daughters, all of exceptional talent, with broad social networks. It is a newly emerged, deeply rooted prominent family in Martial Arts.

If one can gain the favor of such a wealthy family, establish a relationship, and form a good marriage, it would be like cutting corners, saving decades of effort; there’s no need to work hard!

"But I’ve heard that Hidden Sword Manor’s power is too great; its prominence has intertwined it into the Three Constellations’ succession strife, facing suppression, with many properties confiscated?"

"Indeed, that’s the case. The deposed Crown Prince colluded with those Jianghu scoundrels and Demon Sect monsters, conspiring to rebel, thus got deposed and imprisoned, his confidants had their homes searched and their clans exterminated, with many heads chopped off. The Shen Family took the brunt too, pursued by the government, scattering everywhere.

So this time, it’s said that the widow of the late Marquis, Third Lady Shen, Shen Xiaorong, escaped to Jindu City, suddenly deciding to hold a martial arts contest to choose a husband."

"Third Lady Shen? Sounds familiar... Ah, is she the one in the novel..."

"Yes, that’s her."

Tie Dan, "What novel?"

"Move along, you young whippersnapper, don’t stick your nose into it."

Tie Dan, "..."

Alright then, that’s about it. One can talk after another, and it goes on without end, to the point Tie Dan’s ears grew calluses.

Nevertheless, the Shen Family’s name is indeed famous in the Jianghu. Although their ancestor has long been dead, the mention of Third Lady Shen’s name seems to spark recognition and admiration among everyone, though they know they won’t be chosen, they express a desire to join in the excitement and witness it themselves.

Even Tie Dan became somewhat curious.

Who exactly is this Third Lady Shen? What martial arts does she practice? Her fame being so widespread, known by all, doesn’t even Chen Huzi have such influence? But that Jian Jia is obviously weak? Is it the person who’s lacking?

Tie Dan decided to see for himself, especially since they plan to set up an arena amid the bustling gathering. He could take the opportunity to sneak into the city.

Thus, after disguising himself, when the day of the martial contest came, Tie Dan mingled into the crowd entering the city, looking up at the arena set up like Mei Hua Pillars.

It’s quite high.

Mei Hua Pillars are usually for step technique training, wooden piles three to five inches in diameter, mostly buried underground, with the pile top rising three feet three inches above ground for initial training. As martial skills advance, the wooden piles grow higher, practiced until one can move swiftly, change direction flexibly, like walking on flat ground, and the placement of piles adjusted according to each sect’s Qinggong Heart Sutra, formation positions, and tactics, evolving from the simplest plum petal to myriad types like the Five Elements Piles, Nine Palace Piles, Beidou Pile, and others.

As for the martial contest’s arena, at first glance, the outer ring is a circle of thirty-six plum flower piles, each over one zhang high, and the inner circle rises with seven three-zhang high longwood, clearly set up as Beidou Seven Stars Piles.

This height cannot be reached by Martial Cultivators without a bit of inner power; unexpectedly, Third Lady Shen, a widow selecting a husband, set a high threshold...

The main person hadn’t even appeared yet when a Golden Core Cultivator flew up onto the stage, using wind manipulation,

"Thunder Leopard of the Eight Banner Tribute Masters! Requesting to see the Third Lady’s grace..."

Before he steadied himself, an Impatient Domineering Body Martial Cultivator quickly jumped up,

"Gao Yi of Genzhou! Please instruct!"

"Please!"

The two were straightforward; without needing instructions, they glared like two rutting rams, immediately starting to fight!

Hmm, money grabbing, fighting spirit, and vying for women—men are just such simple creatures...