Lin Yi dredged up some information from his mind. He was now eager to know: where exactly were the Jade Buddha Temple and the General's Tomb?
Once all five elemental beads are collected, the Qiankun Bracelet can be repaired, and then the process of escaping the tribulation can begin.
As the saying goes, "Above is heaven, below are Suzhou and Hangzhou."
Since the Grand Canal was opened, the route from Yuhang to Suzhou has become an important trade route, with smooth waterways and frequent trade exchanges.
Lin Yi led Zhao Ling'er northward along the Grand Canal, and soon arrived in Suzhou.
Under Lin Yi's guidance, Zhao Ling'er used illusion magic to conceal the snake's tail, and the two walked together into the city.
The roadside is lined with weeping willows, swaying gracefully and turning the sweltering summer into a cool and refreshing shade.
Nothing happened on the way, and soon the two entered the city.
The city of Suzhou was bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder, creating a lively and vibrant atmosphere.
The topic of conversation among people was still the martial arts contest held by the eldest daughter of the Lin family to find a husband.
At this moment, on the arena in the city, a tall, slender girl of about seventeen or eighteen years old stood out, looking down on all the other competitors. Her eyes were bright, and her sword-like eyebrows slanted upwards, adding a touch of heroism to her charming appearance.
Miss Lin said coldly, "Next."
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Chapter 150 I am Zhao Hao
The arena was surrounded by a large crowd, including many small vendors and curious onlookers who pointed and commented on the center.
From afar, one could see a red flag planted on the central arena, with the golden "Lin" character on it fluttering in the wind.
Lin Yi led Zhao Ling'er to the outer perimeter, where they admired the dashing figures of the beauties on stage from afar.
There were also several girls who looked like they came from modest families standing in the back hall, pointing and saying to the men waiting to fight by the arena, "Look, that swordsman is really handsome."
"The one with the double hammers came last year too."
"This is the fifth time the martial arts contest has been held. Isn't the eldest daughter of the Lin family's standards a bit too high?"
"I think it'll be difficult this time too. It's better for us girls to be gentle; at least it'll be easier for us to find husbands!"
"Sigh, I saw that bearded man a couple of days ago. I heard he has several mistresses in the city. He's a real womanizer..."
On the other side, several men were also discussing the marriage proposal scene.
"Martial arts masters from all over the country have gathered here, but who will be able to marry Miss Lin!"
"I don't think so, do I? More than half of the people who came to participate are probably just trying to use Lin Tiannan, the lord of Lin Family Fortress, to rise to the top in the martial arts world, or they really want to get the Lin family's property."
"I was saying that this martial arts contest to find a husband organized by the Lin family is bound to end in a draw again!"
"Yes, that eldest daughter of the Lin family inherited her family's unparalleled sword and finger skills from a young age. Since she was thirteen, no one of her generation in the entire city of Suzhou has been able to defeat her. To defeat her and obtain the Lin family's assets is truly as difficult as climbing to the heavens..."
Just as they were talking, the girl on the stage knocked another person off the stage.
Amidst the jeers and cheers of the crowd, the humiliated defeated general turned and fled, breaking through the crowd.
"Next," the girl on the stage called out again.
The people in the audience looked at each other, but no one stepped forward, and the atmosphere suddenly became awkward.
This scene that gave Lin Tiannan a headache was something else entirely. He was highly skilled in martial arts, incredibly wealthy, and had friends all over the world, including a high-ranking official and a sword saint from Mount Shu. He was the envy of countless people and a true winner in life.
However, there was only one thing that had always been a worry for Lin Tiannan.
My daughter is all grown up now; if she doesn't get married soon, she'll be an old maid.
Parents' hearts are always full of love and worry.
"I wonder if there is any other young hero willing to come up and give it a try?" Lin Tiannan's gaze swept over the crowd below the stage, but no one was willing to meet his eyes.
Lin Tiannan sighed inwardly, "This won't do. Will all our efforts be wasted again this year?"
Every time the Lin Family Manor held a martial arts contest to choose a husband, hundreds or even thousands of people would sign up, but only a handful would actually dare to participate.
Miss Lin is highly skilled in martial arts and extremely ruthless in her attacks; she has left many victims with severed arms or blinded eyes.
Although the principle of choosing a spouse through martial arts competitions is that death and injury are not considered, if the martial arts world were truly so reasonable, where would all these grudges and feuds come from?
If it weren't for Lin Tiannan's skill in handling people and his meticulous efforts to cover things up every time, Lin Family Fort would have offended all the martial arts practitioners long ago.
On the stage, Miss Lin yawned and said to Lin Tiannan, "Dad, none of these guys are any good! They're not fun at all, let's go back!"
Lin Tiannan stroked his long beard and said, "Ru'er, you went too far! Before challenging me to the arena, we agreed to stop when we were about to fight, but you kept injuring people. Who would dare to come up here?"
Miss Lin snorted and said, "Is it my fault? Did these people go easy on me? If you're afraid of dying, don't come!"
After saying that, Lin Yueru turned to look at the audience and said, "Whoever has the ability, come up here!"
A deathly silence fell over the crowd. Lin Yueru turned to Lin Tiannan and said, "Father, look for yourself! All those men below the stage are cowering and trembling. How can they be worthy of being the Lin family's sons-in-law?"
A scholar with no strength to even kill a chicken chimed in, "Yes, yes, Uncle, let's stop competing. Sister Yueru's martial arts are already high enough to enhance the Lin family's prestige. Why not find a suitable match elsewhere..."
The implication is that this perfect match is naturally with him.
Lin Tiannan shook his head with a wry smile. In the martial world, one is often not in control of one's own destiny. He can still manage now, but what will become of Lin Family Fortress if he grows too old to wield a sword one day?
Just as officials cannot be without power for a single day, otherwise they will be devoured by wolves.