Ugly Hero - Chapter 8

After seeing Xia Qinyi’s skill clearly, Lu Nanzhu secretly rejoiced. Judging from her age, she seemed even younger than Lu Nanzhu herself, yet in terms of qinggong alone, she was already not below Lu Nanzhu. Presumably, the arena holder’s position this round was already in her grasp.

“Senior Brother Sun, please.”

Sun Xing cupped his hands toward Xia Qinyi, then held his golden-backed great chopping saber upright before his chest, fully on guard.

Xia Qinyi smiled slightly. To everyone’s surprise, she held the saber in her left hand and, under countless gazes, slowly removed the sheath caught on the blade with her right hand.

With a “zheng,” the divine weapon left its sheath.

“Oh…” The instant the Phoenix Blood Saber was drawn, the crowd cried out in astonishment.

Not only was the Phoenix Blood Saber’s hilt scarlet red, even the blade itself was red. Paired with Xia Qinyi’s fiery red clothing, it was so dazzling that people could hardly look away.

Lu Nanzhu stared unblinkingly at the Phoenix Blood Saber in Xia Qinyi’s hand, her back growing hot. There, on her back, she carried the divine weapon that had once been equally famous with the Phoenix Blood Saber: the Canglong Sword!

Unfortunately, the sword had not been preserved well. From hilt to blade, it was already covered in rust, and not the slightest trace of its former appearance could be seen.

Gongsun Qing stepped slightly closer to Lu Nanzhu and asked in a lowered voice, “You know her?”

Lu Nanzhu’s body stiffened. She shook her head.

But this tiny change did not escape Gongsun Qing’s eyes.

The two people on the arena had already finished preparing for battle, and Su Mubai had already called for the match to begin, yet neither of them moved first.

The golden-backed great chopping saber in Sun Xing’s hand weighed more than forty jin. Combined with the Raging Saber Sect’s hard and fierce saber style, it complemented him perfectly. Looking at Xia Qinyi in comparison, she appeared especially small before the tall and powerful Sun Xing.

Even so, facing the legendary Phoenix Blood Saber, Sun Xing did not dare move rashly.

Seeing that Sun Xing did not take the initiative to attack, Xia Qinyi raised the Phoenix Blood Saber and took the offensive herself!

Sun Xing froze for a moment. Seeing Xia Qinyi’s wide-open stance, full of openings from the front, he did not hesitate. With an angry roar, he swung the golden-backed great chopping saber in his hand in a full arc. Using the move “Sweeping Through a Thousand Soldiers,” he aimed at Xia Qinyi’s unguarded waist and slashed horizontally.

Sun Xing used his full strength in this move. He had already made up his mind to end the battle quickly. Even if Xia Qinyi held the Phoenix Blood Saber, given the huge difference in strength, Sun Xing was certain she would not dare take it head-on.

On the high platform, Xia Quan broke into a cold sweat when he saw this move. For many years, Xia Qinyi had almost never made a move in order to hide her strength and bide her time. Even Xia Quan did not know Xia Qinyi’s true ability.

Lu Nanzhu stared fixedly at the situation on the arena. The people below the arena also held their breath at the same time. In their eyes, if Xia Qinyi took this move head-on, she would probably suffer a loss!

But Xia Qinyi showed no intention of retreating at all. Not only that, her speed became even faster!

Sun Xing’s saber was already very close to Xia Qinyi’s waist. It was too late to block!

Amid the crowd’s cries of alarm, Lu Nanzhu curved the corner of her lips.

“Oh!”

It turned out that, at the critical moment, Xia Qinyi used a move called Dry Land Pulls Up a Scallion. Not only did she dodge Sun Xing’s sweeping slash, she also stood atop the back of Sun Xing’s blade in the posture of a golden rooster standing on one leg.

Xia Qinyi did not give Sun Xing any chance to catch his breath. In the blink of an eye, she turned lightness into heaviness, using the Thousand-Jin Drop with the foot that stood like a golden rooster.

Sun Xing only felt a Mount Tai-like weight coming from the back of his saber. His arms trembled. If he resisted by force, he would surely injure himself.

In that brief moment while Sun Xing hesitated over whether to abandon his saber to protect himself, Xia Qinyi, from her commanding position above him, used the move “Splitting Mount Hua with Force” toward the top of Sun Xing’s head!

Sun Xing’s weapon was still beneath Xia Qinyi’s foot. With the blade descending toward his head, there was nowhere for him to dodge.

Only a moment earlier, Xia Qinyi had seemed to be in a passive position. Yet with a single move, she had reversed the situation!

And if this slash fell, it would certainly take Sun Xing’s life!

Su Mubai was greatly alarmed. This Demon-Slaying Assembly concerned the life and death of the Tianqiong Sword Sect. Xia Qinyi had a noble status, so even if she killed Sun Xing, the Raging Saber Sect might not do anything to her. But this debt might instead have to be borne by the Tianqiong Sword Sect.

Thinking of this, Su Mubai anxiously shouted, “Junior Sister Xia, show mercy!”

With a “weng,” Xia Qinyi’s blade stopped three cun above Sun Xing’s head.

She lightly tapped her foot, borrowed force, flipped away, and opened the distance between herself and Sun Xing.

A streak of crimson flowed from the top of Sun Xing’s head, running down his flat forehead and onto his face.

With a “pa,” the hair ribbon on Sun Xing’s head snapped apart, and his hair scattered loose.

Lu Nanzhu saw it very clearly. Xia Qinyi had stopped in time at the final moment. The Phoenix Blood Saber had not touched Sun Xing in the slightest. Yet even so, the saber qi leaking from the Phoenix Blood Saber had still cut through his hair ribbon and wounded his scalp…

The leakage of weapon qi showed, on one hand, that with Xia Qinyi’s current strength, she still could not perfectly control the Phoenix Blood Saber. Anyone who had reached great mastery should be able to release and withdraw power at will, controlling the weapon qi in one place to deal the greatest blow to the enemy.

On the other hand, it was also enough to prove that the Phoenix Blood Saber truly was a divine weapon!

“Senior Brother Sun, Qinyi has offended you.”

With a “clang,” Sun Xing’s golden-backed great chopping saber still fell from his hand. His arm hung down as he used his other hand to pick up his weapon. Sincerely convinced, he bowed slightly to Xia Qinyi. “Thank you, Young Miss, for showing mercy. Sun admits defeat.”

Only after Sun Xing slowly walked down from the arena did the people below come back to their senses. Immediately afterward, cheers erupted like a mountain flood.

Xia Qinze, who had already returned to the high platform, had a gloomy expression. Meanwhile, those loyal to Xia Qinyi were openly delighted. The sect masters of the other sects looked at one another, secretly exchanged opinions, and tacitly reached a certain consensus: Xia Qinyi was only sixteen this year. Even setting aside the divine weapon Phoenix Blood Saber, her martial attainments were enough to make her a standout among her generation. It seemed that for the next several decades, Huaxia Manor’s position still would not be shaken!

Amid the long-lasting cheers, Xia Qinyi stood calmly on the arena, neither servile nor arrogant.

Lu Nanzhu stared blankly at Xia Qinyi. She felt somewhat puzzled. Was the girl on the arena today truly the same person as the one from that day?

Lu Nanzhu still remembered the first time she had met Xia Qinyi: in the bathing pool, Xia Qinyi had been humming a little water-town tune while bathing, her feet splashing in the water, completely relaxed and at ease.

Until Lu Nanzhu suddenly appeared. Xia Qinyi had used a bath cloth to cover her body, her cheeks flushed red, both embarrassed and angry. Curled up in one corner of the pool, she lowered her voice and fiercely threatened Lu Nanzhu, carrying somewhat of an outwardly fierce but inwardly timid air.

But looking at Xia Qinyi at this moment, if Lu Nanzhu had not had such a deep impression of her, she probably would not have believed “they” were the same person.

“Huaxia Manor’s Xia Qinyi wins! Is there any other hero who wishes to come up and offer instruction?”

“Yes!” A woman’s clear and pleasant voice sounded from within the crowd. In an instant, all eyes focused on Gongsun Qing.

Xia Qinyi followed the sound and looked over. At one glance, she saw Lu Nanzhu standing beside Gongsun Qing. She bit her lower lip hard and tightened her grip on the Phoenix Blood Saber in her hand.

Good! You lecherous thief, petty thief, ugly freak! Truly, one may wear out iron shoes searching and still find nothing, only to obtain it without effort at all. You saw this young miss’s body, then stole this young miss’s belongings and sold them cheaply at my own manor’s business. First you were rude, then you provoked me. Today, you have delivered yourself to my door!

Lu Nanzhu also noticed Xia Qinyi’s unfriendly gaze. She let out a heavy sigh in her heart. This is bad. While she is competing with Gongsun Qing later, I should think of a way to leave this place first…

There would definitely be a battle between the successors of the Canglong Sword and the Phoenix Blood Saber, but it was absolutely not now. Lu Nanzhu had originally planned to privately challenge Xia Qinyi. Under all these watchful eyes, her sword’s features were too obvious. Once it appeared, her identity would be exposed, and endless trouble would follow!

By this point, the “meeting friends through martial arts” had already entered its final stage. The jianghu figures standing below the arena no longer had the strength to go up and challenge. Therefore, as soon as Gongsun Qing spoke, all eyes focused on her.

Seeing that it was actually a graceful young woman, although she wore a bamboo hat and her face could not be seen, everyone assumed she must be a beauty.

Everyone had a love for beauty, and watching two young women spar would be even more pleasing to the eye. Thus, the crowd voluntarily opened a path for Gongsun Qing.

Su Mubai cupped his hands toward Gongsun Qing and said, “This young lady, since you have spoken to accept the challenge, please come onto the stage.”

Hearing this, Gongsun Qing gave a light laugh, performed a graceful curtsy, and said sweetly, “Young Master’s words are mistaken. This little woman has no strength even to bind a chicken, and I know I am not Young Miss’s match.”

Su Mubai asked, “Since that is the case, why did you answer?”

“I said yes, but I did not say it would be me. My elder brother’s martial arts are outstanding and unparalleled under heaven. I answered on his behalf.”

One stone stirred up a thousand waves. Though in literature there was no first, and in martial arts there was no second, at present, heroes had gathered and experts were assembled. For someone to suddenly claim to be unparalleled under heaven, no matter what that person’s martial arts were actually like, it would inevitably make people feel disgusted first.

Sure enough, after Gongsun Qing finished speaking, the crowd immediately grew restless. There were those whispering among themselves, and there were also quite a few filled with righteous indignation.

Even the several jianghu elders on the high platform all revealed smiles. The sect master of the Tianqiong Sword Sect stroked his beard and smiled as he said to the old monk beside him, “Truly, the waves behind in the Yangtze River drive on those before, and newborn calves do not fear tigers. Master Jueyuan, you, the number one under heaven, are still sitting here, yet already there are young people eager to try. Hahahaha.”

“Amitabha. Those who have left the household do not covet empty fame. It is merely the generous praise of the benefactors of the jianghu.”

The master of Qingxia Peak beside Master Jueyuan gave an displeased cold snort. “Truly unaware of the height of heaven and the depth of earth. If my sect had such an arrogant disciple, this old man would certainly clean house!”

The sect master of the Tianqiong Sword Sect smiled cheerfully and said, “Brother Mei, why be angry? A person is young in vain if they are not a little arrogant. Now is precisely the time when talent is needed. If this young person is a talent worth shaping, that is also a fortunate thing for those of us on the righteous path.”

Su Mubai frowned. “Then please invite your elder brother onto the stage.”

Lu Nanzhu was still wondering which of Gongsun Qing’s followers was the “elder brother” she was referring to. Unexpectedly, a soft body suddenly leaned against her, and one of her arms was wrapped in two weak, boneless hands. Before Lu Nanzhu could react, that sweet, delicate voice sounded again.

“Elder Brother~ Young Master Su is inviting you onto the stage~”

Author’s Note:

Today’s update is here. Hehehe~

Poor Little Lu. A fierce tigress in front, and a snake-hearted beauty behind.

Tsk tsk. Experience in the jianghu~ It’s very important.