Lave

Chapitre 29

"Good! Well said!" Many people in the square immediately echoed.

The crowd in the corridor nodded in agreement. Although they were all impressed by Lie Chifeng's swordsmanship and martial arts skills, they felt that his actions were somewhat willful and disrespectful to the martial arts heroes and the martial arts tournament.

"Although the current leaders of the martial arts world are divided into 'Lord of Orchid' and 'Lord of Jade Moon,' it's because no one has ever been able to defeat them in the end. There have always been equally matched opponents on both the righteous and the wicked paths, which is why 'Orchid and Jade Moon' were split in two. But now, finally, someone has appeared who can defeat all the masters and command the submission of everyone. This is exactly what all the martial arts practitioners in the world have been hoping for. After more than a hundred years, the martial arts world has finally seen the return of an emperor, and the martial arts world can finally be unified again..." Sui Qingchen sighed slightly, and said with great disappointment, "So many people are watching you, but you just wave your sleeves and leave. Doesn't this chill the hearts of all the friends in the martial arts world? If you, the true leader of the martial arts world, leave, what will happen to us? Everyone is a defeated opponent under your command, and who will be willing to submit to whom? Do you want to cause another bloodbath on Ying Mountain?"

Sui Qingchen's words were both reasonable and firm, with a hidden barb. Those who agreed nodded in agreement, while those who disagreed scoffed inwardly, but remained silent, waiting to see how Lie Chifeng would handle the situation and what the willful and reckless Sui was really up to this time.

Lie Chifeng pondered for a moment, then looked up and coldly gazed at the corridor. "Then you will find someone to defeat me."

Sui Qingchen frowned upon hearing this. "Young Master Lie, aren't you deliberately making things difficult for us? All those who could fight you have been defeated by your blade. Where are you going to find someone stronger than you?"

The heroes were filled with regret. If only they could defeat Lie Chifeng, they could become the emperor of the martial arts world. But... just one look at that man in black made them feel inferior. Sigh!

“There are people.” Lie Chifeng looked directly at Lan Qi and Ming Er. “I have sparred with Young Master Lan Qi and Young Master Ming Er several times, but we have never been able to determine a winner. I, Lie Chifeng, have practiced martial arts for so long and I consider myself to have some skill, but I cannot fathom the depth of their martial arts. So…” He shifted his gaze to the main corridor and looked at Sui Qingchen, Ming Kong, and Qi Shier. “So any one of them could possibly defeat me. I only need one of them to fight me. This is also my main purpose in coming to Yingshan this time.”

Upon hearing this, everyone was both surprised and sighed. They were surprised that Lan Qi and Ming Er's martial arts skills were so high that Lie Chifeng, who had swept away all the heroes, took them so seriously. They sighed because Lie Chifeng was still thinking about a match with a peerless master, and the matter of becoming the martial arts emperor had not entered his mind at all.

Sui Qingchen, Mingkong, and Qi Shier exchanged glances, then looked at Lan Qi and Ming Er. One was waving a jade fan, looking quite carefree, while the other had a slightly pale face and an elegant demeanor.

Seeing everyone looking at him, Lan Qi closed his jade fan and said, "Just now, I inadvertently violated the rules of the competition, and therefore I have lost the qualification to compete with Brother Lie. Alas, what can I do?" After saying this, he shook his head and sighed with great regret, looking very disappointed.

Ming Er stood up, clasped his hands in a fist and said gently, "I just used up a lot of my internal energy to help Brother Ning Shi expel the effects of the medicine. Even if I were to fight now, Brother Lie would feel that it would be an unfair victory."

Upon hearing this, everyone understood that neither of them could compete with Lie Chifeng. Their gazes shifted, and they saw that the black-clad man's icy face had grown even colder, and his star-like eyes seemed to have been ignited with fire.

What to do? Everyone in front of the palace was thinking about this problem, so the square was buzzing. The three arbitrators in the corridor frowned and looked at each other. The others also whispered to each other and exchanged opinions. The most relaxed were Lie Chifeng, who stood proudly in the square, Lan Qi, who was elegantly fanning himself, Ming Er, who was sitting gracefully, and Yuwen Luo and Ning Lang, who were watching the excitement in the pavilion.

In the square, a question was being pondered deeply.

Sui Qingchen was right. Lie Chifeng was the first person in over a hundred years to fight a group of heroes alone without being defeated. It was only natural to honor him as the Emperor of the Martial World, but he refused to accept it! So, the only option was a rematch, a solution everyone would consider. However, that was impossible today. Firstly, many who had already participated had exhausted their strength and would certainly not agree to a rematch now. Secondly, it was getting late, so it would definitely be tomorrow. And tomorrow… Young Master Ming would surely have recovered his strength. Furthermore, since it was a restart, Young Master Lan would also have a chance. The fact that Lie Chifeng valued them so much meant their martial arts skills were undoubtedly formidable. He wouldn't have a chance tomorrow either! So, after much thought, he couldn't come up with the best and most advantageous solution.

After another half a day, still no one had offered a feasible solution. Lan Qi tapped the back of her chair with her jade fan, and Ming Er stood up.

"Senior Ming, Palace Master Qi, and Sect Leader Sui." Ming Er first bowed to the three of them, then clasped his hands in a salute to the assembled heroes in the square. "Esteemed seniors and fellow practitioners of the martial arts world, I am Ming Huayan of the Ming family. I have a few words to say, and I wonder if you would be willing to listen?"

Everyone looked up and saw that the man was dressed in a blue robe like a lotus flower, standing in the wind, exuding an indescribable elegance and grace. Seeing him filled their hearts with joy, and they all said, "Please speak, Second Young Master."

Ming Er then looked at Ming Kong and the other two, and after receiving their unanimous nods, he slowly spoke: "We have gathered here today to retrieve the Sacred Decree, not for the position of Martial Arts Emperor. The reason for choosing a Martial Arts Lord is to have someone to lead us on our journey to retrieve the Decree, to unite the strength of the entire martial arts world, so that we are not scattered like sand, and to plan and strategize for the entire martial arts world, so that we do not destroy our own city." His voice was clear and gentle, like a spring breeze, and everyone felt comfortable and that his words made sense.

"Dongming Island is located in the Dongming Sea, a completely unfamiliar place to us. The dangers there are self-evident. Furthermore, they have stolen the Sacred Decree and harbor ill intentions. Our journey there will undoubtedly face obstacles and traps. Therefore, our leader must not only possess exceptional martial arts skills but also command respect and virtue to gain the respect of all. He must also have wisdom and strategy to contend with the enemy," Ming Er continued, his gaze sweeping across the plaza, its atmosphere ethereal and otherworldly. "And in terms of these qualities, how many of us can truly achieve them? Therefore, I believe that rather than hastily selecting a martial arts emperor, it would be better to recommend several talented and virtuous seniors." He then turned to the sect leaders and patriarchs on the corridor, "These seniors have weathered decades of storms in the martial world, encountering countless dangers. Their life experience and wisdom are beyond our reach. With them leading us, we will surely avoid many dangers and unnecessary actions."

Upon hearing this, some of the people nodded in agreement.

Ming Er then looked at Lie Chifeng, who had remained silent throughout, and smiled slightly, saying, "Brother Lie's martial arts skills are evident to all, but Brother Lie is single-minded in his pursuit of martial arts. If we force him to become the Martial Arts Emperor, we will only be putting him in a difficult position and putting ourselves in a difficult position as well. So let's treat today as a martial arts exchange. Once we find the Holy Decree, we can gather at Ying Mountain and compete again to select the true Martial Arts Master."

Upon hearing this, everyone thought it made sense. The Holy Decree had not yet been found, so choosing a decree master would seem to be a mere formality. Moreover, what if... the Holy Decree were to be lost forever... ptooey!

Ming Er's gaze swept across the square, and everyone felt as if those eyes were looking at them sincerely and expectantly through a light mist, and they couldn't help but submit to those eyes.

"It may take some time for everyone to be convinced after the new leader is chosen, but..." Ming Er looked at Ming Kong, "In the current martial arts world, who can match Senior Ming in terms of martial arts skills and reputation? Who doesn't respect him?" He then looked at Sui Qingchen, "The Sui Cult has been at the top of the underworld for nearly a hundred years. Who doesn't follow them?" He then looked at Qiu Changtian, "Who in the martial arts world doesn't know Senior Qiu's talent and virtue? How many martial arts practitioners does Changtian Manor attract every year?" He then looked back at the square, with a slight sigh, "We clearly have the best leader, so why do we have to go to such lengths? The most important thing right now is to find the most sacred and precious 'Lan Yin Bi Yue' in the martial arts world. Why do we have to waste time and energy fighting here? Everyone desires to be the emperor of the martial arts world, but the peace of the entire martial arts world is everyone's responsibility!"

His words made everyone feel ashamed and lower their heads. Even those who were unwilling had to admit that he was right.

Mingkong looked at the young man who was smiling calmly and elegantly in the wind, and sighed softly.

"Why do you sigh, Brother Ming?" Qiu Changtian asked quietly beside him.

“I’m marveling at how many outstanding individuals have emerged in this generation of martial arts practitioners,” Mingkong said.

"Oh, this is a blessing for the martial arts world." Qiu Changtian was overjoyed.

Little did he know that Mingkong had another thought in his mind that he didn't say aloud: These dragons and phoenixes are all dazzling and extraordinary. How can this small world contain them? If they casually extend their claws and flap their wings, the world will be in turmoil and chaos!

The Yingshan Conference has finally come to an end. This was the shortest martial arts conference in history since the second generation, lasting only one day. It was also the only martial arts conference that did not ultimately elect a martial arts emperor.

This time, the most sensational event in the martial arts world was that "Blazing Sun Divine Blade" Lie Chifeng fought against a group of heroes and was appointed as the leader of the martial arts world.

What people talk about most is that Hua Fushu, one of the two beauties in the martial arts world, fell in love with Lie Chifeng but returned heartbroken.

The most terrifying one is the "Azure Demon" Lan Qishao, who can shatter a person's martial arts and sever their connections with just one move.

The most admirable character is the "immortal" Second Young Master Ming, who, with his simple blue robes and a few words, captivated the entire martial arts world.

Finally, the conference decided that the two sides, the righteous and the evil, would each go to Dongming Island in two groups. The first group of the righteous side would be led by Qiu Changtian, and the second group would be led by Mingkong. The first group of the evil side would be led by Suijiao, and the second group would be led by Jiang Jiutian, the master of Jiutian Pavilion. Shouling Palace would be divided into four groups to go to sea with the two sides.

Then there was the question of who would be in the first batch, who would be in the second batch, and the need to arrange for ships and procurement, etc. By the time everything was in place, the sun had already set.

The heroes and heroines in the square had mostly dispersed, with only a few still chatting about their recent situations. However, many of the sect leaders and patriarchs remained in the corridor, such as Ming Kong, Qi Shier, Qiu Changtian, and Nan Wofeng, who were still together, presumably discussing their plans to go to sea.

Lie Chifeng approached Lan Qi and Ming Er and said coldly, "Tomorrow will be the day I get what I want."

Lan Qi blinked his emerald eyes and said, "Brother Lie, look how young we are. There's plenty of time to settle things with a winner."

Ming Er laughed and said, "Brothers, don't you want to settle things once we've both reached our peak?"

Upon hearing this, Lie Chifeng's eyes lit up, and he nodded, "I'll wait." After saying that, he turned and left, ignoring Hua Qinghe's angry glare behind him and his brother Lie Chitang's calls from behind. In the blink of an eye, he had disappeared from the square.

"I finally understand." Yuwen Luo suddenly murmured, looking at Lie San, Lan Qi, and Ming Er standing together, he suddenly vaguely understood.

Shouling Palace summoned the martial arts world to Ying Mountain. At this supreme martial arts location, how could anyone resist the idea of re-electing the martial arts leader? Therefore, they brought in Lie Chifeng. Having known Lie Chifeng for a long time, they were well aware of his obsession with swords and martial arts. Seeing so many masters, how could they not be itching to test their skills? They also knew that Lie Chifeng's martial arts were absolutely unparalleled, and they knew even more that given his character, he would never become the leader of the martial arts world… This was exactly the situation they wanted: a leaderless horde!

Therefore, both of them lost their chance to fight because of saving Ning Lang. The act of saving him might have been half-truths, but they withdrew honorably and even gained a good reputation. This was because… they didn't want to choose a martial arts master at this moment, as they weren't entirely confident of victory. They… wanted to be the sole masters of "Lan Yin Bi Yue," and absolutely refused to let someone else share the spoils! So they let this martial arts tournament be a waste of time, and then… wait for the next tournament to settle the score! Moreover, the journey to find the token was fraught with danger; their opponent might never return…

"Such deep scheming," Yuwen Luo murmured, his gaze never leaving the two men.

Having understood all this, Yuwen Luo felt no resentment towards the two; instead, he felt respect for them. Born in this prosperous era of the dynasty, he deeply regretted not having witnessed the rise of the prominent figures during the chaotic end of the Eastern Han Dynasty. But now, he felt that Heaven had given him a great mission, perhaps to record the lives of these two! These two individuals, evenly matched in appearance, talent, intellect, martial arts, and family background, how would they contend? And what turbulent changes would the martial world undergo in the future?

He looked forward to it, determined to write it down word for word.

"Brother, what are you saying?" Ning Lang only heard Yuwen Luo muttering something, but it was very unclear.

Yuwen Luo turned to look at Ning Lang, thinking that it was better for such a simple person not to understand such complicated matters. He then said, "It's nothing, I'm just amazed to have met so many experts today."

His gaze shifted to the now somewhat empty plaza, where a master had once stood proudly, sweeping aside all rivals. Lie Chifeng might have known, but he didn't care. That man's eyes and heart held only the blade.

"Junior Brother." Only now could Ren Qi walk to the pavilion to see his beloved junior brother. "How are you? You scared me to death just now. Hmm, you've lost a lot of weight. Have you been having a hard time lately?" He looked his junior brother up and down, noticing that he had lost a lot of weight, and couldn't help but worry.

"Junior brother, are you alright?" Xie Mo and Song Gen came over and asked.

"Senior Brother, Third Senior Brother, Fifth Senior Brother." When Ning Lang saw his senior brothers, who were closer to him than his parents, and received their concern, he felt a pang of sadness and grievance, and his eyes welled up with tears.

"Huh?" Ren Qi was puzzled when he saw his appearance. "Junior brother, what's wrong? I see that you've not only lost weight, but you also seem to have a lot of worries. Come on, tell your senior brother, and I'll help you solve them." As he spoke, he put his arm around his junior brother's shoulder and patted him comfortingly.

Thirteen, The Blooming of the Pear Tree (Part 2)

Xie Mo and Song Gen exchanged bewildered glances. Their junior brother looked like he was about to cry. Had they bullied him again? But wait, this was the first time they had met since their junior brother came down the mountain.

"Senior Brother..." Ning Lang's eyes welled up even more, and he couldn't hold back the tears that welled up in his eyes. The grievances in his heart surged up instantly, and he threw himself into his senior brother's arms, crying loudly, "Senior Brother... Senior Brother..."

"Junior Brother, what... what's wrong?" Ren Qi panicked, holding Ning Lang, who was crying uncontrollably in his arms. "Don't cry, come on, tell your senior brother what happened, and your senior brother will definitely help you." In his memory, this junior brother didn't cry much. Except for the time when the third junior brother caught the wild rabbit he had released and roasted and ate it, the time when the fifth junior brother mocked him for wetting the bed, the time when the sixth junior brother stole the silver spear he always carried with him, and the time when the second junior brother tricked him into eating bitter melon... Sigh, thinking about it carefully, this junior brother was actually very prone to crying.

Ning Lang's wailing startled Yuwen Luo, who was standing nearby, and also attracted the attention of those who had not yet left the square and corridor.

Xie Mo and Song Gen jumped back a distance. Their junior brother could cry really hard, so it was better to keep him at a distance to avoid getting snot and tears all over him.

"Senior Brother..." Ning Lang looked up and pointed at Lan Qi, "Mother said she arranged a marriage between me and Lan Canyin, but is he a man or a woman?" Thinking of this marriage, he immediately recalled Lan Qi's repeated teasing along the way, and he became even more heartbroken, crying even harder, "Waaah...Senior Brother, is he a man or a woman?"

In the corridor, Lan Qi was clearly not expected Ning Lang to do this, and after her initial surprise, she laughed with great amusement.

“This…” Ren Qi was at a loss and turned to look at Lan Qi, “This one, judging from the appearance, should be a man.”

“But… he’s sometimes a woman!” Ning Lang shouted.

“This…” Ren Qi looked at Lan Qi again. The man was tall and handsome and looked like a man no matter how you looked at him. “Junior Brother, how exactly did Aunt Ning arrange your marriage? This Young Master Lan Qi should be a man.”

Ning Lang cried, "He looks like a woman when he changes into women's clothes, even my elder brother says he is a woman."

Yuwen Luo felt wronged. How did the blame fall on him? It was clearly Lan Qi who was confusing people by sometimes being male and sometimes female.

"Huh?" Ren Qi had a headache. He glanced at Lan Qi, then turned to Feng Yi, who was Lan Qi's brother. He should know that, right?

When Feng Yi met Ren Qi's questioning gaze, he froze and slowly turned to look at Lan Qi. Lan Qi glanced at him with her blue eyes and smiled as usual, but that look made Feng Yi's heart clench. It was as if she was questioning him, "Are you going to betray me again?"

He closed his eyes, his pale face and pained expression making it seem as if someone was twisting his heart with a knife. Ren Qi sighed softly and gave up.

"Senior Brother." Ning Lang was still choking back tears.

Ren Qi was helpless. He couldn't very well ask Lan Qishao to take off his clothes in public for everyone to see, so he had no choice but to ask him, "Qishao, are you male or female?"

Lan Qi waved his jade fan, exuding elegance, and said, "I am a bright and handsome young man. Are you saying that Young Master Ren is insulting me?"

"Okay." Ren Qi breathed a sigh of relief upon receiving the answer and helped Ning Lang up from his arms. "Junior brother, you heard it too. He admitted that he is a man. There are so many people here who can testify to this, so you don't need to worry about marriage anymore."

Yuwen Luo, standing to the side, rolled his eyes. Does having a junior brother mean having a senior brother? Senior Brother Ren, you didn't see what happened at Changtian Manor, you didn't see Lan Qi's appearance in her maiden attire. If this matter were so easy to resolve, would you, as the senior brother, need to step in? I, as the sworn brother, would have settled it long ago!

“He admits he’s a man now, but the moment he changes into women’s clothes he’ll say he’s a woman.” Ning Lang was still heartbroken.

“How could that be? No matter how handsome a man is, he won’t look good in women’s clothes. You can tell at a glance that he’s a man in disguise,” Ren Qi said matter-of-factly.

"No, he looks just as good in women's clothes!" Ning Lang exclaimed again. "Senior Brother, is he a man or a woman?"

Ren Qi raised his head and touched his slightly sore temples, then turned to Lan Qi and said, "Seventh Young Master, since you are a man, then it is impossible for you and Junior Brother... um... as Junior Brother's senior brother, I will take the liberty of breaking off this... um... marriage between you."

“That won’t do.” Lan Qi’s jade fan snapped shut. “Ning Lang promised in front of many heroes of the martial arts world at Changtian Manor that he would not break off the engagement and would be loyal to me forever. So how could I do something so heartless? Of course I will be faithful to him to the end.”

If these words were spoken by a woman to a man or a man to a woman, they would surely be deeply affectionate and admirable. But since they were spoken by a man to another man, the remaining heroes of the martial arts world in the square felt a chill run down their spines and goosebumps.

This... is this the legendary homosexual relationship between a man and a woman? But when their eyes fell on the strangely beautiful woman in purple robes and with green eyes, they were all confused, thinking about the rumors, the rumors that she was sometimes a man and sometimes a woman... Bi Yao... is indeed a bewitching enchantress!

Qiu Changtian, Nan Wofeng, and the others had already witnessed the events at Changtian Manor, so they only twitched their eyebrows slightly before turning away, knowing it was none of their business. Ming Kong, on the other hand, was seeing Lan Qi for the first time today and experiencing Bi Yao's words and actions for the first time. He found it somewhat strange, glancing back at the pale-faced Feng Yi before looking back at Lan Qi with a hint of pity.

Xie Mo and Song Gen looked at everyone, then at Lan Qi, and felt that this matter was very thorny and it was best not to get involved. As the ancients said, silence is golden.

Today was the first time Ren Qi had witnessed Bi Yao's prowess. Unlike Hua Qinghe and Mei Hongming, who were well-prepared, or Ming Kong, who had long since transcended worldly concerns and remained unmoved by the winds of change, Ren Qi was merely a young man in his thirties, a young man who rarely ventured out and lived a secluded life in the mountains. Therefore, he was clearly at a loss when facing Bi Yao. He could only stare dumbfounded at Lan Qishao, who was spouting such eloquent words, and then look back at his junior brother beside him. What... should he do?

Ming Er, still kind-hearted, said gently, "Brother Ren, since this marriage was arranged by our parents, it would be better to let them handle it."

"Ah? Yes, yes, yes." Ren Qi nodded repeatedly. "Junior Brother, why don't we go home and find Master and Uncle and Aunt?"

"Waaah... Senior Brother, you won't help me at all." Ning Lang burst into tears again. At this moment, he was just a nineteen-year-old boy. The omnipotent senior brother was not omnipotent today. How could he not be heartbroken? Thinking of Lan Qi, his heart ached. Thinking of all the teasing and playing around along the way, he felt extremely wronged. If he didn't cry to his senior brother who had been with him for more than ten years, who else could he cry to?

Lan Qi, who had just opened his jade fan, looked at Ning Lang, who was crying loudly, and Ren Qi, who was busy comforting him. He seemed a little dazed for a moment, and the hand that was waving the jade fan gradually stopped. Then he suddenly came to his senses, closed the jade fan, gave everyone a slight fist salute, and said, "I will take my leave now. I will meet you all again in Yingzhou on the day I set sail." After saying that, he turned and left gracefully.

Behind Mingkong, Feng Yi's gaze followed Lan Qi's departing figure, his eyes filled with emptiness and despair. Sui Qingchen glanced at Feng Yi, then turned her gaze to the departing Lan Qi, raised a hand to smooth her temple, and a faint smile appeared in her eyes.

Lan Qi descended the mountain alone, moving swiftly. In the blink of an eye, he reached the summit. Suddenly, a figure flashed to his side. It was the leader of the sect he had met on Mount Meng that day. He paused, then bowed respectfully and said, "Young Master Qi, my sect leader invites you."

Lan Qi's green eyes narrowed, then he waved his fan and laughed, "May I ask what business you have with me, Master?"

"Seventh Young Master will know once he arrives. I can guarantee that the Master has no ill intentions," the man said.

"Oh?" Lan Qi blinked. "Then lead the way."

"Yes, please follow me." The man respectfully led the way.