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Wei Lang, the leader of Wuyun Village, wielded his long whip like a dragon and snake dancing wildly, while Lie Chifeng's blade struck like lightning, cleaving the dragon's head and snake's tail in two.

Xin Jian, the leader of the Short Knife Gang, threw a hundred knives like snow rainbows, while Lie Chifeng stood with his sword drawn, the rainbows shattering and the snow falling like rain.

Peach Blossom Sect's Mei Hongming unleashed a flurry of hidden weapons as swift as a storm, while Lie Chifeng spun his broadsword, gathering countless hidden weapons into his palm.

Master Shen Ling of Tongtian Valley possessed formidable internal strength, his aura overwhelming mountains and rivers. His Lie Chifeng Blade's energy surged and swept away enemies several feet away.

...

XII. The Myth of the Blazing Sun (Part 2)

After his last opponent, Hua Qinghe, was defeated, the plaza fell silent. A gentle breeze blew, trees swayed, and petals fell—these extremely faint sounds were clearly audible to everyone. All eyes were on the man standing in the plaza. He had fought against so many masters, yet he remained upright, his eyes gleaming, his breathing steady, like a tireless god. His black robes were as hard as iron, and he stood as majestic and imposing as a mountain.

On that day, in front of the Shouling Palace on Mount Ying, Lie Chifeng fought alone with a sword against forty-seven top-tier masters. He was incredibly brave and invincible, and a new legend was born in the martial world!

"Brother Lie, you have displayed great prowess!" This was the scene that greeted Ming Er when he returned to his seat.

Several people in the corridor turned to look at him. His face was slightly pale and his temples were sweaty, indicating that he must have exhausted a lot of his strength just now.

"Thank you very much, Young Master Ming." Ren Qi quickly clasped his hands in thanks.

Ming Er simply waved his hand slightly in acknowledgment and said nothing more.

Inside the pavilion, Yuwen Luo looked at Ning Lang, pinched his cheek, and asked, "Are you alright?"

Ning Lang touched his head and smiled honestly.

Lie Chifeng glanced around, waiting for his next opponent, but no one else stepped up, and everyone lowered their heads and held their breath.

His gaze then shifted to the corridor.

The men in the right corridor had all fallen to his blade, but in the left corridor... his gaze was fixed on Lan Qi, unwavering for a moment.

Lan Qi smiled and waved his fan, saying with great regret, "Brother Lie, I am no longer qualified to compete today."

Lie Chifeng curled his lips slightly and turned his gaze to Ming Er.

Ming Er smiled apologetically and said very gently, "Brother, would you like to settle this score with me right now?"

A hint of annoyance flashed in Lie Chifeng's eyes. He then shifted his gaze to Ming Kong.

Ming Kong smiled, clearly refusing. He, Qi Shier, and Sui Qingchen, as arbitrators, would never participate in the competition, but this young man still looked at him, which he found somewhat interesting.

Lie Chifeng's gaze fell on Feng Yi behind him, but Feng Yi didn't even glance at him, standing there indifferently. He then looked at Qiu Changtian and Nan Wofeng, only to receive a polite smile of refusal.

If it were someone else standing there, perhaps Yuwen Lindong, Qiu Changtian, and Nan Wofeng would have given it a try. But just now... they had clearly seen Lie Chifeng's swordsmanship. Their reputation as a chivalrous man, built up over decades, was not worth ruining in an instant!

It's a pity... Qiu Changtian thought of Ming Er, Yuwen Lindong thought of Yuwen Feng, and Nan Wofeng thought of Mei Hongming. Alas, I really didn't expect Lie Chifeng to be so powerful. Today... sigh!

When Lie Chifeng turned his gaze back to the square, it was completely silent.

"Brother, does this mean that Master Lie is the new leader of the martial arts world?" Although Ning Lang didn't witness the fight just now, he could roughly understand what was going on based on the current situation.

“Possibly,” Yuwen Luo nodded. “However, it’s hard to say. According to past practice, after everyone has competed, the tournament arbitrators will select the ten strongest martial artists from both the black and white factions. Then, these twenty people will be divided into two groups for another round of competition. The last one remaining in each group will be ‘Master of Lan Yin’ and ‘Master of Bi Yue’. But now…”

"Third Master Lie, what excellent skills!" A soft voice suddenly rang out in the quiet square, and then a pale pink figure, like a peach petal, floated into the square and landed lightly in front of Lie Chifeng.

Everyone stared in amazement, wondering if she was a fairy from heaven.

Lie Chifeng, who remained unfazed even when facing hundreds of experts alone, frowned immediately upon seeing the newcomer.

"Hua Fushu wishes to learn a few moves from Third Master Lie, and hopes that Third Master will not find it offensive." The one who made all the heroes sigh in admiration was none other than Hua Fushu, one of the two great beauties of the martial arts world. Her pink dress reached her feet, her waist was as slender as a willow, her eyebrows and eyes were as beautiful as a painting, and her natural charm was as beautiful as a painting. A sweet smile bloomed on her lips, and all the heroes stared at her with wide eyes, their eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

So this is the "flower lush and graceful" that is described as "a beauty of nature." It truly is a beauty of unparalleled grace! Everyone sighed in admiration.

Hua Qinghe couldn't sit still in the corridor. He had personally experienced how powerful Lie Chifeng was, and he couldn't let his precious little sister get hurt here. Just as he was about to get up to greet his sister, Ming Er turned to look at him with a smile and said, "Brother Qinghe, don't worry. How could Brother Lie hurt your sister?"

Hua Qinghe thought for a moment. Lie Chifeng was indeed a righteous man and would not bully a weak woman. So she sat down and waited to see what her sister wanted to do.

Lie Chifeng just frowned as he looked at the beauty before him, whom countless men admired, until his eyes ached and his head ached.

"The prize for winning the martial arts contest on Mount Ying is the position of the leader of the martial arts world, but Fushu is just a weak woman. How could she possibly become the leader of the martial arts world? So let's change the prize for our contest." Hua Fushu didn't need Lie Chifeng's reply. She spoke softly, and her stunning beauty made all the heroes in the square want to kneel at her feet and serve her.

Hua Fushu gazed deeply at Lie Chifeng with eyes that seemed to be made of the softest, clearest water. Then, a smile slowly bloomed on her face, like a water lily in bloom, delicate and charming. She spoke softly, her voice like a gentle breeze, reaching the ears of everyone in the square, "I will fight you. If I lose, I will marry you. If you lose, you will marry me."

The entire room fell silent; everyone was stunned.

"My God," Yuwen Luo muttered, "Now all the men on this mountain probably want to be Lie Chifeng, even I want to."

“I didn’t,” Ning Lang corrected him.

Yuwen Luo rolled his eyes at him, too lazy to pay him any attention.

This is an incredible stroke of good fortune! It must be incredibly lucky!

After the initial shock, everyone looked at Lie Chifeng with a mixture of envy and jealousy. This wasn't a martial arts competition; it was practically a beauty delivering herself to their doorstep! And such a heavenly beauty at that! Some people's eyes turned red with envy, some felt a pang of jealousy, and some even regretted that their parents hadn't given birth to Lie Chifeng!

Good heavens! One of the only two peerless beauties in the martial arts world is about to be lost! She's about to marry someone else...

"I refuse," a cold, deep voice said clearly.

The crowd was so startled that they bit their tongues, their eyes immediately welling up with tears. They still stared at each other, forcing a smile: Had they misheard? Then they all turned their gaze to the man and woman in the square. The man was handsome, tall, and dignified; the woman was as gentle as a water lily, exquisitely beautiful. They were truly a match made in heaven…

"Does Third Master's refusal to fight Fushu mean he looks down on her?" Hua Fushu's expression remained unchanged, her smile as beautiful as a flower.

He actually... refused?! Everyone's eyes widened in disbelief, their anger and frustration almost causing them to vomit blood! This was a good thing that thousands of heroes would kill for, and Lie Chifeng actually dared to refuse it!

What does it mean to be a blockhead? Lie Chifeng is one!

What does it mean to be clueless about romance? Lie Chifeng is it!

What does it mean to be blessed but not know it? Lie Chifeng is a perfect example!

Such a beauty... how could he not be interested?

"Alas, even I am moved by such a beauty, yet Brother Lie refused. His heart must be made of stone or ice, Brother Hua, don't you think so?" Lan Qi sighed, shaking his jade fan, while turning to look at Hua Qinghe.

"Ahem." Hua Qinghe chuckled dryly, not answering, his usually amiable face stiffening slightly. His younger sister proposing to a man in front of the entire martial arts world was already shocking enough for him, her older brother, but what shocked him even more was the rejection. Their most precious daughter, the most beautiful woman in the martial arts world, had actually been rejected! Lie Chifeng… you really don't know what's good for you!

Lie Chifeng glanced at Hua Fushu, his expression icy, "Miss, you should give up and go home."

Hua Fushu remained unmoved by Lie Chifeng's indifference and said softly, "If Third Master Lie doesn't fight Fushu, then he has lost."

"If you lose, marry me..." Everyone remembered this line and turned their attention to Lie Chifeng, to see how he would respond.

Lie Chifeng's thick eyebrows furrowed, his eyes revealing extreme impatience. "Don't force me, young lady."

"Forced you?" Hua Fushu raised her eyebrows, but her expression and tone remained gentle. "From Baizhou to Nanzhou, from Nanzhou to Tianzhou, from Tianzhou to Yingshan, I've chased you all the way, and you've avoided me like the plague. Am I, Hua Fushu, really that annoying?" Her clear eyes looked at Lie Chifeng with a hint of grievance. "If you hadn't acted this way, would I have done this? I, Hua Fushu, simply love you, Lie Chifeng, so I want to marry you. What's wrong with that?" These words were directed at Lie Chifeng, but her watery gaze swept across the crowd, as if she were asking everyone.

She actually... openly expressed her feelings in front of the whole world?! Everyone was amazed and full of admiration. They immediately sided with Hua Fushu and complained about Lie Chifeng. How lucky she was to have such a beauty like her! It was foolish and excessive of him to treat her like that!

Lie Chifeng slowly raised the knife in his hand, and everyone tensed up immediately. Had he agreed to the duel? Thinking this, they breathed a sigh of relief, but then felt a little uneasy.

"It's not a matter of victory or defeat, but of life and death," Lie Chifeng coldly uttered as he looked at Hua Fushu.

Hua Fushu's refined and delicate expression finally cracked open with a deep fissure.

"What the lady likes is her business. As long as she doesn't appear before me, it doesn't matter if you like her for a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand years." Lie Chifeng held his sword horizontally across his chest, his coldness surpassing even the ice of the far north. "But your entanglement only annoys me. So now you either give up and leave, or you will fight me to the death." He raised his hand, the sword whistling in the air, his eyes like cold stars in the sky, so high and so cold. "In Lie Chifeng's heart and eyes, there is only the sword and only martial arts; everything else is just a burden!"

"Chifeng!" Lie Chitang could no longer sit still and shouted. His younger brother had actually treated a woman who was in love with him like this in front of so many people. He was a heartless and ungrateful person, especially since she was a daughter of a martial arts family. Wasn't this embarrassing for both families?

"Lie Chifeng!" Another brother couldn't sit still either. Hua Qing and Huo stood up, leaped onto the square, and their usually amiable, chubby faces now contorted with anger, their brows furrowed and eyes blazing. "My sister has such deep feelings for you, and you speak to her like this? Are you even human?!"

Lie Chifeng merely turned his head to glance coldly at Hua Qinghe, and the chilling aura in that glance instantly rendered him speechless. "Does the young lady still wish to compete?"

Hua Fushu stared at him blankly for a long time, then a string of tears silently slid down her cheeks, but a heartbreaking smile bloomed on her face as she softly said, "So you really are hateful." Her voice was so light and crisp, as if it would break and vanish into nothingness with the slightest touch. At that moment, the hearts of all the heroes in the square ached.

Only now did she truly understand that the man before her was a rare gem in the world, the dream man of many women, but he truly didn't need her... He didn't need her, didn't need her heart, didn't need her affection, didn't need what many people in this world wanted to possess. Gentle affection and beautiful women were just burdens to him; he only needed his sword and his martial arts skills.

She was the beloved daughter of the Hua family, the beauty adored by countless heroes in the martial arts world. But she only loved him. She thought that with her... with her status as Hua Fushu, whoever she liked would be grateful and come running to her. But it turned out that... she had misunderstood from the start and misplaced her feelings. She thought his avoidance was just a tactic of retreating to advance, a game of cat and mouse. She was playing it with great enthusiasm, never imagining that there was anyone in this world who could truly refuse her!

It's not a matter of victory or defeat, but of life and death! He's so fed up with this that he'd rather end it all with a single blow to find release!

So that's how it is... hahaha...

Hua Fushu suddenly laughed, her whole body trembling as she laughed through her tears. But her eyes remained fixed on Lie Chifeng, on those cold eyes staring at her, on that indifferent face. It hurt her eyes, it hurt her heart, it brought her endless tears, it shattered her heart, it made her wish she would never see him again in this life!

“Fushu…” Hua Qinghe looked at his sister with concern, reached out to wipe away the tears that kept flowing down her face, and gently comforted her, “Don’t be sad. We wouldn’t even consider someone like that. When we get home, your brother will find you the best husband in the world.”

"Miss." Rong Yue, who had been hiding in the crowd and obeying orders, rushed forward to support her sister, who was heartbroken. However, she couldn't suppress her anger and glared at Lie Chifeng. "How could you make our young lady cry! Are you even a man? How dare you bully a woman!"

Lie Chifeng ignored her, staring blankly at Hua Fushu, that heartbroken yet beautiful woman like a lotus weeping dew. A trace of tenderness and remorse stirred in his heart, but it vanished in an instant. His pursuit had been established long ago, and was certainly not what was before him.

“Brother, I’m fine.” Hua Fushu took Hua Qinghe’s hand off her face, helped Rong Yue up, and turned around. “Rong Yue, let’s go home.”

"Okay," Rong Yue quickly agreed.

The heroes watched them leave, filled with regret and sighing repeatedly. Yet, when their gazes fell upon the man who stood as imposing as a mountain, they couldn't bring themselves to blame him; instead, a sense of respect arose within them. No one present could confidently claim they could so utterly reject such a peerless beauty, and no one could loudly proclaim their own unwavering determination to pursue their goal alone.

Should we call him foolish, or wise?

Thirteen, The Blooms of the Pear Tree (Part 1)

As everyone in the corridor watched the scene unfold in the square, they each pondered their own thoughts. Ming Kong seemed slightly dazed, perhaps recalling some past event. Feng Yi finally glanced at Lie Chifeng, a strange smile appearing on his face. Qiu Changtian and the others shook their heads and sighed deeply. This time, Lan Qi didn't tease, but simply smiled and said, "The beauty's courage is commendable, but alas, the man's heart is like his own." Ming Er praised, "Brother Lie's willpower is beyond our reach."

There were also people praising and sighing in the right corridor.

Qi Shier stood up and announced loudly, "Today's competition ends here. Lie Chifeng is the winner. Is there anyone else who wants to challenge him?"

The square was quiet. Those present today were all figures who could hold their own in the martial arts world, and they naturally had some discernment. They had all witnessed Lie Chifeng's solo battle against dozens of experts, and they knew they were no match for him, so why invite embarrassment upon themselves?

Qi Shier waited for a while, and seeing that no one answered, he said again: "Since no one else is going up, then the result of today's martial arts competition is Lie Chifeng..."

"Wait." Lie Chifeng suddenly interrupted Qi Shier, "The reason I participated in the competition today is only to test my skills against other masters; nothing else is my concern."

Everyone was stunned again, even Qi Twelve couldn't help but furrow his brow. "The rest is none of my concern?" Could it be that he meant... he didn't even care about the position of Martial Arts Emperor? He had defeated everyone else, yet he would never become the Martial Arts Emperor?

"What do you mean by that, Young Hero Lie?" Qi Twelve decided it was best to find out.

"My lifelong pursuit has been martial arts. Today, I am able to compete with many masters, which has fulfilled my long-cherished wish. I have no other intentions." Lie Chifeng made it clear.

It's understandable that he's unmoved by mere beauty, but how could he so indifferently refuse the supreme position that the entire martial arts world dreams of?!

A commotion erupted in the square. Some were excited, still having a chance. Some were delighted, recognizing the rarity of such men in the martial world. Some were furious, having defeated all the heroes and then casually declaring "no further intentions"—where did this place the martial arts world stand? Some were speechless; today's martial arts tournament had been full of unexpected events… A mix of emotions—sighs, lamentations, anger, and joy—swirled together, steaming and bubbling, everyone's emotions running high.

Qi Shier, Sui Qingchen, and Mingkong were also stunned, clearly not expecting that Lie Chifeng had defeated so many masters simply for a martial arts contest, rather than for the supreme position. Although there would be another match tomorrow, everyone present understood that Lie Chifeng was already the only choice for "Master of Lan Yin Order"! But he…

Lan Qi and Ming Er exchanged a glance and smiled faintly at each other.

"Young hero Lie, we can understand your love for martial arts, but where does your action place all the martial arts practitioners in the world? Do you treat this Yingshan Martial Arts Tournament like a child's play?" Sui Qingchen spoke first. She gracefully rose, descended a step, and surveyed the assembled heroes in the square. "Today, you subdued all the heroes with just your sword. If this were a hundred years ago, you would undoubtedly be the emperor of the martial arts world. Each of you here has cultivated diligently for many years to reach this sacred place of martial arts, all for the sake of showcasing your talents and skills, hoping to one day become the leader of all heroes. Yet you defeated them all, then left with the words, 'I only wanted to compete, I had no other intentions.' Tell me, if a man cannot even uphold and shoulder the most basic promises and responsibilities, do you still have the right to pursue the highest realm of martial arts?"