The temperature on the mountain was considerably lower. Along the way, it even began to drizzle.
The public recruitment of the Red Lotus Valley attracted so many aspirants for one simple reason: the dream of the Martial World. It was a dream buried deep in their blood, difficult to speak of, yet constantly lingering in their minds. Be it for show or for true ambition, they all sought to wander the world with swords in hand. I find the green hills so alluring; I imagine they must see me the same way. Atop Yuning Mountain, the misty rain was ethereal.
"You? Do you have any idea how strong my master is?" The young man, full of confidence that he would join the Red Lotus Valley, was dressed in a white robe, holding a Three-Foot Green Peak Sword, and carrying a bamboo hat on his back. He certainly had the air of a wandering hero.
Kong Lin gave Yang Hu a disdainful glance, holding his sword with both hands as he said proudly, "My master is the renowned Thousand-Faced Yama. Forget youâeven if both of you came at him together, you couldn't withstand a single move."
SMACK.
Yang Hu snatched the bamboo hat and placed it on his own head. Only then did he open an umbrella to shield Chen Yang, remarking casually, "Kid, thanks for the hat."
Kong Lin was speechless. Thanks for nothing! Did I say you could borrow it?
"Believe it or not, I'll beat you up?" Kong Lin finally blurted out, putting on a fierce expression after holding back for a long moment.
Yang Hu didn't say a word, simply gesturing with a hooked finger.
"YouâŠ" Kong Lin's face flushed red with indignation. "Hmph! I'm ashamed to be seen with the likes of you."
"Kid, the Martial World is a treacherous place. Consider this a free lesson," Yang Hu said with a smile.
"TCH!" Kong Lin sneered, his back ramrod straight. "This sword of mine is not drawn lightly, but when it is, it must taste blood! This young master can't be bothered with you." His implication was clear: it wasn't that he was afraid to fight, but that they weren't worth his time.
Chen Yang and Yang Hu exchanged a smile. This young man is interesting.
The mountain path was narrow and teeming with people, the lines stretching out of sight both ahead and behind.
"I heard the Red Lotus Valley is in some trouble lately. Their gates are being blocked by the Biluo Sword Valley. It's anyone's guess if we'll even get in today."
"Those two powers have been fighting fiercely, it's true. But the Red Lotus Valley is no pushover. How could they let their rivals ruin such an important day?"
Discussions and murmurs filled the air as they climbed. The spring rain fell like silk, creating a mist that made the ascent feel like climbing a stairway to the heavens.
Yang Hu frowned. "This Biluo Sword Valley is truly persistent. Most of the Imperial Clans have already been wiped out, so why are they still causing trouble?"
"Isn't there still one Imperial Clan left?" Chen Yang replied with a faint smile. He just never imagined the entire Red Lotus Valley would get dragged into this.
ăMeanwhile.ă
A hundred meters from the main gate of the Red Lotus Valley, two factions faced off, the atmosphere fraught with tension.
"What a bunch of trash. A single glance is enough to dirty my eyes." A tall, imposing young man with a grand air shook his head as he looked at the aspirants who had already reached the summit for the Red Lotus Valley selection. They'd accept trash like this into the Red Lotus Valley? The Valley truly is in decline.
"Liu Qingmei, your other experts are either tied up or standing by watching the show. You should give up," said the young man, whose name was Gu Tianxing. He held a sword in one hand while toying with a piece of warm, ancient jade in the other. He shot a glance at Liu Qingmei not far away, the corner of his mouth twisting into a half-smile. "Instead of wasting time here, why don't we take a romantic walk in this misty rain?"
His words prompted a roar of laughter from his men.
"Stop laughing, I'm being serious," Gu Tianxing said, waving for silence as he fixed his gaze on Liu Qingmei. "Of course, it would be even better if you would grace my Biluo Sword Valley with a visit."
"You insolent cur!"
"Shut your mouth!"
The members of the Red Lotus Valley bristled with righteous indignation, shouting angry accusations.
"The real question is, do you have the guts?" Today, Liu Qingmei was dressed in white, her hair tied up high. A three-inch dagger danced between her slender fingers as she spoke with an indifferent tone. "Without that old man beside you, could you even last three moves against me?"
She appeared calm and collected, but her mind was in turmoil. Tomorrow. Tomorrow is the day of Tu Su's duel with Chen Yang. She knew Tu Su's strength and the power of the Imperial Clan all too well; Chen Yang stood no chance of withstanding them. Any further delay, and he would likely not survive this ordeal. But... Biluo Sword Valley had come out in full force, completely sealing them off. Compounding the problem were the deep divisions within her own valleyâmany were unwilling to make a true enemy of the Biluo Sword Valley for an outsider like Chen Yang. As a result, this stalemate had persisted for days.
"I just adore that confident, aloof attitude of yours." Gu Tianxing's smile was unshakable. "Qingmei, we are in the same cultivation realm. It's a bit hasty to jump to conclusions before we've even fought, don't you think?"
"Besides, I've always been your most faithful admirer. How could I possibly raise a hand against you?" Gu Tianxing winked, his demeanor utterly flippant. "That piece of trash named Chen Yang has absolutely no blood ties to you. Why bother yourself over him?
"In my opinion, if Red Lotus Valley and Biluo Sword Valley were to join forces, who in Yuning Mountain could stop our rise? Even those thousand-year-old core Sects would have to think twice." As he finished, Gu Tianxing couldn't hide the avarice in his eyes.
For years, how many men in Yuning Mountain had coveted Liu Qingmei's beauty? This ethereal woman, like a celestial fairy descended to the mortal realm, haunted the dreams of countless young prodigies.
"I hope you seize this opportunity. If my Biluo Sword Valley chooses to ally with another power, you'll be left with nothing. Don't let this chance slip by. Please, cherish it."
Beside him, an old manâGu Tianxing's third uncleâsmiled but said nothing.
The members of the Red Lotus Valley, however, were about to explode with rage. What a shameless bastard!
The crowd a hundred meters away held their breath, their anticipation palpable. They all hoped for a fight to break out, and their eyes were wide as they waited.
Having just reached the summit and taken in the scene, Kong Lin couldn't help but curse. "So does this mean this year's recruitment is canceled?"
"Forget about it. We'll have to wait until next year."
"Well, if we get to see a good show, the trip won't have been a total waste."
The crowd buzzed with a mix of disappointment and excitement.
"It's overâŠ" Kong Lin sagged, wiping the rain from his face. He turned to Chen Yang and Yang Hu and said, "Now it's not just you two who are out of chances. Even an outstanding talent like myself is completely out of luck."
Chen Yang merely smiled and, ignoring him, continued walking forward.
Kong Lin was left speechless.
Yang Hu was as sturdy as an ox, his posture as straight as a spear. One hand hung naturally at his side while the other held the umbrella. The man under the umbrella held a sword in his right hand, his left tucked behind him. He walked with a leisurely pace, quietly entering the tense standoff. Unfazed by the misty rain, or by life itself.
"Are you an idiot? Get back here!" Kong Lin shouted sternly after a moment of stunned silence.
Any fool could see the atmosphere was incredibly tense, yet these two just strolled right in as if they hadn't noticed a thing.
Instantly, countless eyes from the surrounding crowd shifted to the two figures. They were shrouded in the swirling mist, their forms unclear, but they radiated an aura of untamed courage.