Ugly Hero - Chapter 9

The moment Lu Nanzhu realized what Gongsun Qing had said, she immediately shook off Gongsun Qing’s hand and rebuked her in agitation, “Who is your elder brother?”

Beneath the bamboo hat, Gongsun Qing smiled brilliantly. This was exactly the effect she wanted.

The surrounding crowd quieted down. They could not understand what this pair of “siblings” was playing at.

Gongsun Qing slowly lowered her arm. After hesitating for a moment, as if she had made a great decision, she removed the bamboo hat from her head.

A fair, oval face, an exquisite nose, and lips tinted like rouge. Unfortunately, she had a pair of fox-like eyes, which added a few traces of seductive charm to her face. Even so, she was still a beauty.

Moreover, there were many men present. A small, delicate, lively girl like Xia Qinyi was certainly pleasing, but there were also plenty of people who preferred Gongsun Qing’s alluring charm.

Especially now, with Gongsun Qing’s face full of sorrow and crystal tears swirling in her eyes, she won the pity of many people.

“You…” Lu Nanzhu opened her mouth. What she could least bear to see was another person’s tears. She herself rarely cried, so she felt that tears were born from extreme sadness and pain.

“Elder Brother~ You once swore eternal vows to me and privately pledged yourself to me for life. It has only been a few nights, yet how can you be so heartless? Are you going to abandon me?”

At last, everyone heard the gist of it. So this masked “man” was this young lady’s “lover”! Women often admired heroes, so it made sense for her to speak up and win reputation for her beloved.

Lu Nanzhu widened her eyes but did not speak again. Her voice was not rough. Even when she deliberately lowered it, it still carried a few traces of femininity. She already understood that she had fallen into a trap. She had simply never imagined that Gongsun Qing would disregard even her own reputation in order to scheme against her!

Lu Nanzhu’s silence, in the eyes of others, looked even more like tacit admission.

People of the jianghu were not bound by small formalities. Privately pledging oneself for life was not that improper if the two people loved each other. Although this young lady had made their private matter public, which was somewhat inappropriate, compared to the man’s “seducing and abandoning her,” it was not worth mentioning at all.

“Too much! He actually seduced her and then abandoned her!”

“Exactly. That young lady… really must have been blind.”

Gongsun Qing slowly put her bamboo hat back on. In the final moment before the white gauze fell, she deliberately curved the corner of her lips at Lu Nanzhu.

“Everyone, quiet down. Please invite this young master onto the stage.”

“I have no intention of competing with this Miss Xia. My apologies.”

A blazing fire ignited in Xia Qinyi’s eyes. As expected, he was a lecherous thief. He could even do such a heartless and immoral thing.

Lu Nanzhu lacked jianghu experience. This was her first time attending such an occasion, and she did not know that, with one sentence meant to avoid trouble, she had once again committed a major taboo in the jianghu: answering a challenge and then refusing to fight was the greatest insult to one’s opponent.

What status did Xia Qinyi have? There was no need for her to speak at all; someone had already stepped forward on their own.

“Stinking brat, this old man must teach you a lesson today!”

An iron-like man holding a red-tasseled spear pushed through the crowd and came before Lu Nanzhu. First, he gave Gongsun Qing a comforting smile, then pointed at Lu Nanzhu’s nose and cursed, “What do you think this place is? Who do you think you are? Is the Young Miss of Huaxia Manor someone you can insult?” Although he was pointing at Lu Nanzhu, his eyes were fixed unblinkingly on Gongsun Qing.

This person was named Ding Shan. He had some reputation in the Henan region, and people of the jianghu called him Iron Spear.

After seeing Gongsun Qing’s appearance, Ding Shan had become utterly enchanted. Then Lu Nanzhu refused the fight, and a plan formed in his heart. First, he could curry favor with Huaxia Manor. Second, he could also let this little beauty see how unbearable her lover was!

Ding Shan was not stupid. Seeing that Lu Nanzhu was dressed shabbily and also looked very young, he assumed she had no real background, and her martial arts might not be that high either. Ding Shan was already thirty-six years old, and he believed there were few jianghu people below the arena who could beat him.

Lu Nanzhu was silent for three full breaths. Seeing that she did not speak, Ding Shan was secretly pleased. Sure enough, it was just as he had expected. This brat was a silver spear with a wax head—flashy but useless. Today, he had truly picked up a great advantage!

Turning his head, Ding Shan cupped his hands toward Xia Qinyi and said, “Young Miss, for such a filthy little thief, do not let him dirty Young Miss’s hands. Ding Shan boldly asks to deal with this fellow on Young Miss’s behalf.”

Just as his voice fell, Ding Shan heard Lu Nanzhu’s cold voice. “Let’s go up.”

Gongsun Qing froze. She had been waiting for this masked brat to make even more of a fool of herself to entertain her, yet after Lu Nanzhu said those words, Gongsun Qing felt the cold aura radiating from her whole body.

Gongsun Qing withdrew her smile. This was perfect. She could use this chance to see the depth of this person’s abilities. After this gathering ended, this person would no longer have any place to stand in the jianghu. At that time, all she needed was to use a little strategy to make him join the Holy Cult…

Xia Qinyi looked at Lu Nanzhu for a long time, then nodded and agreed to Ding Shan’s request.

She had also sensed the change in Lu Nanzhu, but Xia Qinyi had no intention of retreating. It would be good to borrow Ding Shan’s hand to observe this lecherous thief’s martial arts style, so she could guard against it.

Xia Qinyi was not as shallow-sighted as Ding Shan. How could someone capable of sneaking into Huaxia Manor to steal have weak martial arts?

Ding Shan leaped onto the arena with a Dry Land Pulls Up a Scallion. Lu Nanzhu, however, properly took the stairs. This scene made the spectators burst into laughter. It seemed Ding Shan was certain to win. What luck.

Lu Nanzhu had worries in her heart and did not want to cause trouble, but that did not mean she could let others bully her at will. If anything was to blame, it was that she lacked experience and had fallen into Gongsun Qing’s trap. Since there was no avoiding it, then she would fight.

Xia Qinyi stepped aside, leaving the arena to Lu Nanzhu and Ding Shan. Su Mubai announced the start of the match, and the restless crowd gradually quieted down.

Ding Shan held his red-tasseled spear and said loudly, “Brat, this old man does not cut down nameless nobodies. State your name.”

“You are not worthy.”

“Stinking brat, you’re seeking death!” Ding Shan raised his red-tasseled spear and charged toward Lu Nanzhu.

Lu Nanzhu did not draw her sword. She had just watched quite a few moves earlier, and Ding Shan was perfect for practicing.

Ding Shan rushed before Lu Nanzhu, shook his wrist, and sent several spear flowers toward Lu Nanzhu’s face.

Lu Nanzhu stood with both feet apart. Her head moved along with the swaying of her body, and more than a dozen spear flowers were dissolved by her one by one.

Seeing this scene, the jianghu wanderers below the stage put away their earlier contempt. They knew Ding Shan’s strength. Most of the people below the arena asked themselves and knew they had no way to dodge so easily.

Xia Qinyi held the Phoenix Blood Saber and narrowed her eyes. This person’s feet had not moved even an inch…

On the high platform, the sect master of the Tianqiong Sword Sect asked with a smile, “Master Jueyuan, what do you think of this young person’s skill?”

“Amitabha. In this old monk’s view, Benefactor Ding Shan will likely not last ten moves under this young person.”

On the arena, Ding Shan was greatly alarmed. He had not expected that he had actually misjudged his opponent. He had already used his full strength, yet he could not harm the other party in the slightest. A drop of cold sweat slid down Ding Shan’s temple.

Ding Shan did not dare stop attacking. He continued rapidly shaking out spear flowers with the spear in his hand, praying that by blind luck, he could wound the other party—even an inch would be good.

Lu Nanzhu dodged several dozen more spear flowers and felt deeply bored. She had already seen through Ding Shan’s style. Continuing to defend had no meaning. It was her turn!

Silently, Lu Nanzhu used her left heel as a pivot and turned half a circle. Then she leaped into the air. Using the momentum from that half-turn, she exerted strength from her waist and chopped her right leg horizontally down toward the top of Ding Shan’s head.

“What!” Xia Qinze sprang up from his chair on the high platform.

How was that possible? This was one of the moves from his Thirty-Six Heavenly Dipper Legs: Heavenly Fierce Star Cleaving Strike!

“Virtuous Nephew Xia, what is wrong?”

Xia Qinze looked at Sect Master Mei of Qingxia Peak and said in shock, “He… is using my Thirty-Six Heavenly Dipper Legs…”

Waves of fierce wind came from Lu Nanzhu’s leg. Ding Shan’s pupils shrank. Holding his spear with both hands, he raised it high above his head and used Erlang Carries the Mountain.

With a “bang,” Lu Nanzhu chopped onto the shaft of Ding Shan’s red-tasseled spear. But this was not the end. The moment Ding Shan raised the red-tasseled spear, Lu Nanzhu had already adjusted her force. That strike had only been a feint. She immediately hooked the spear shaft with the tip of her right foot, then stomped her left foot viciously toward Ding Shan’s face!

This stomp was to repay him for his disrespectful words earlier!

“Ah!” Ding Shan shouted and retreated several steps. This kick had landed on his mouth and nose, and the sour pain made him unable to open his eyes.

Ding Shan half-closed his eyes and staggered back several steps. Two streams of crimson flowed from his nostrils.

In Xia Qinyi’s eyes, this match was already over. When experts exchanged moves, victory and defeat were decided in an instant. As long as this lecherous thief took this opportunity to casually add one more move against Ding Shan, he would win.

But to Xia Qinyi’s surprise, Lu Nanzhu landed steadily on the arena and did not press her advantage.

Lu Nanzhu not only lacked jianghu experience, she also lacked experience fighting enemies. Her body had not yet formed the habit of “pursuing victory.” Ding Shan’s inability to withstand a single blow made her feel somewhat regretful, but she did not intend to end things like this. There was still another important matter she needed Ding Shan to verify!

The Silver Dragon Inner Armor left to her by the Eccentric Hero. In the letter, it said that under heaven, only the Phoenix Blood Saber and the Canglong Sword could break through it. Lu Nanzhu had once used her family’s kitchen knife to chop at it fiercely. In the end, the cutting board had been split in two, while the Silver Dragon Inner Armor remained completely unharmed. Such a weak opponent was hard to come by even in a thousand years. Lu Nanzhu planned to borrow Ding Shan’s hand to test it again!

If Ding Shan had any sense, he should have admitted defeat at this moment.

But he did not.

He wiped away the blood with his sleeve, raised his spear, and charged forward again.

Lu Nanzhu let both hands hang by her sides and immediately put what she had just learned to use, using Xia Qinze’s signature skill, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Dipper Legs, to deal with Ding Shan.

Gradually, not only the people on the high platform, but even those below the stage could see what martial art Lu Nanzhu was using. Discussions rose again. However, because Xia Qinyi was not far away, no one spoke too unpleasantly.

Xia Qinyi’s expression was very ugly. She had not expected this lecherous thief to secretly learn this set of leg techniques, and even strike while the iron was hot by using Ding Shan to practice. Although unwilling, Xia Qinyi had no choice but to admire this lecherous thief’s ability to “steal from a teacher.” Without mental cultivation formulas or verbal instructions, just by seeing the moves, he could learn and use them. Most importantly, he was not restricted by the moves themselves. Not only did he know how to adapt in battle, he had even improved the techniques in such a short time…

Xia Qinyi asked herself: she could not do it.

The expressions of the figures seated on the high platform grew solemn. Even Sect Master Mei, who had previously shown disgust toward Lu Nanzhu, began to think. Most of these people had already reached the grandmaster level, so they naturally understood how difficult it was to create one’s own martial arts and establish a sect. Yet in Lu Nanzhu, they saw that possibility.

Looking again at Lu Nanzhu’s shabby clothes, she seemed to have no background. If they could recruit this person into their sect…

Lu Nanzhu, however, remained completely unaware of everything around her, still immersed in her own world. At this moment, the feeling she had was wonderful and joyful.

Without realizing it, Lu Nanzhu had already fully integrated this set of leg techniques. Continuing to fight had no meaning.

Lu Nanzhu made a feint, forcing Ding Shan back. When the humiliated and furious Ding Shan raised his spear and attacked again, Lu Nanzhu stood openly in place without dodging or avoiding.

“Ah!” A burst of alarm rang out below the stage. Even Xia Qinyi revealed an expression of disbelief.

At the same time that Ding Shan’s spearhead stabbed heavily into Lu Nanzhu’s chest, Lu Nanzhu felt a stream of true qi surge uncontrollably toward her chest, protecting her heart meridians.

With a “peng,” Ding Shan’s spearhead was forcefully bounced away!

“What!” The sect master of the Raging Saber Sect stood up from his chair. Seeing that Lu Nanzhu was indeed completely unharmed, he turned his head and asked, “Master Jueyuan, could this young person be using Shaolin Temple’s Iron Shirt?”

Monk Jueyuan also looked astonished. After pondering for a moment, he pressed his palms together and replied, “Amitabha. Judging by appearances, it does indeed look exactly like Iron Shirt. However… to train to the point where one can use a body of flesh and blood to withstand weapons head-on—especially a long spear with all its force concentrated on a single point—would require at least thirty years of bitter cultivation… This benefactor is wearing a mask, so his face cannot be seen, but from his movements, this old monk believes he should not be very old.”

Lu Nanzhu touched her chest, overjoyed in her heart. Master’s words were true! The Silver Dragon Inner Armor was indeed miraculous!

“Stop!” Lu Nanzhu raised her head and saw Ding Shan, eyes red, about to step forward again, only to be halted by a cold, clear voice.

“Ding Shan, you lost long ago. Go down.”

Ding Shan slunk off the arena in defeat. Xia Qinyi held the Phoenix Blood Saber and walked toward the center of the arena.

As she passed Lu Nanzhu, Xia Qinyi heard an extremely quiet sentence. “I still cannot fight you now.”

Xia Qinyi’s steps paused slightly. In the end, she still took another step and walked to the opposite side of Lu Nanzhu.

Xia Qinyi looked at Lu Nanzhu coldly and said, “Draw your weapon!” We will settle new grudges and old debts together!

“Ai…” Lu Nanzhu let out a heavy sigh. Facing the Phoenix Blood Saber, she had no confidence she could win without drawing her sword. Her identity was about to be exposed.

Lu Nanzhu raised her hand, took down the cloth-wrapped Canglong Sword, and shook off the covering.

“Hahahaha… This brat is actually holding a rusty iron rod!”

The Canglong Sword was two cun wide and covered in a thick layer of rust. From a distance, it truly did look like an iron rod.

But there were plenty of people who knew their goods.

“It’s the Ugly Hero!”

“The Ugly Hero? You mean that…”

“That’s right. It can’t be wrong. He stole from all the major sects, fought the Eighteen Riders of Yanyun, and look at the weapon in his hand. A rusty iron sword, a mask—he must be the Ugly Hero.”

On the high platform, aside from Huaxia Manor and the Tianqiong Sword Sect, the expressions of the other sect masters all became somewhat ugly.

Their sects had all been “visited” by the Ugly Hero!

“Miss, it is done.” Huanghuo and Xiuluo returned behind Gongsun Qing and said in low voices.

“Mm. Wait a little longer…”

Behind the veil, Gongsun Qing looked at Lu Nanzhu with feverish intensity. She had vaguely guessed Lu Nanzhu’s identity before, but she had not expected that it truly was him!

Gongsun Qing knew that the Ugly Hero’s reputation in the jianghu was not good. She planned to take him away together.

Moreover, she also planned to take the opportunity to “bring away” the Phoenix Blood Saber as well. Although a saber was not her usual weapon, the Holy Cult needed this divine weapon!

Author’s Note:

It’s not that I wanted to stop the plot here. This chapter is already 4,200 characters—an enhanced version.

I can only stop here for now~

Xia Qinze: What the hell? My leg technique?

Sect Master Mei: WTF? Iron Shirt?

Jianghu wanderers: Oh my god, the Ugly Hero!

Xia Qinyi: Hmph. Lecherous thief.

Gongsun Qing: Oh my! I picked up a treasure. Pack him up and take him away.

Lu Nanzhu: Actually… things aren’t like this. Listen to me explain!

┑(￣Д ￣)┍ You can ship whatever crack pairing you want. I won’t reduce Gongsun Qing’s scenes. I’ll make you willingly feel that Little Lu and Little Xia are the real pair. Some people are good in ways you can’t explain, and no one else can replace them.