Une demi-vie de musique et de maquillage

Chapitre 17

"I'll take responsibility for my actions," Tan Huan said confidently. "Just say that I found it by touching it."

Pei Jin's skin wasn't as thick as hers, and a faint blush appeared on his face, betraying his unease. He turned and climbed off the bed. "If you're not going to sleep, get up. There's a martial arts competition later. Do you want to go watch?"

Tan Huan froze, watching Pei Jin's retreating figure. She jumped off the bed, stood in front of him, and smiled, "Of course I'm going."

Pei Jin rubbed her head and said, "Then hurry up and get ready, I'll take you there."

Tan Huan hugged his arm, nuzzling her head against him. "Mmm, it feels really nice," she said. "I'm injured. Help me change my clothes."

Pei Jin's hand was half-raised above Tan Huan's head, her face as red as pig's liver, but she still pretended to be calm. "Don't joke around. Girls shouldn't say things like that."

Tan Huan suppressed a laugh and said seriously, "I'm very serious." She then pulled open her shirt. "I really hope you can help me change my clothes..."

The girl's clothes were half-open, half-concealed. Pei Jin hurriedly turned her head away, not daring to say a word, and rushed out the door. Afterwards, she didn't forget to close the door for Tan Huan.

Tan Huan finally burst into laughter, laughing and laughing until she finally stopped. A hint of melancholy crossed her face as she turned to stare at the Lonely Dust Sword. From this day forward, her life would be devoid of martial arts; she would have no way to protect herself.

In the final rounds of the Lingfeng Sword Tournament, the two remaining favorites were Ba Ying and Xiang Luyin.

Ba Ying is from Youming Valley. In every Lingfeng Sword Tournament, one of the top three is from Youming Valley, so Ba Ying's inclusion is practically a foregone conclusion.

Xiang Luyin is the eldest son of the Xiang family, the most prestigious family in the martial arts world. The Xiang family has produced the most martial arts leaders, truly deserving its title as the number one family. Xiang Luyin's great-grandfather was once a martial arts leader. Xiang Luyin is one year younger than Pei Jin, but his martial arts skills are comparable to Pei Jin's, at least in their sparring matches a few years ago. Therefore, Xiang Luyin can be considered the hope of the entire Xiang family, their hope for regaining the position of martial arts leader.

This final match was exceptionally eye-catching; even before the competition began, the surrounding crowd was buzzing with discussion. Tan Huan's small hand was held by Pei Jin, and wherever they went, the eyes of the people around them followed. Pei Jin was a famous figure, while Tan Huan had made a name for herself in her match against Ba Ying, and her reputation was considerable as well. Everyone knew that her martial arts had been crippled by Baili Liushang, and the gazes directed at her were a mixture of pity and sympathy, as well as schadenfreude.

Pei Jin ignored them, only holding Tan Huan's hand tightly as they walked forward. Tan Huan's gaze wandered around, and she immediately spotted Wu Qingfeng and Wu Canyang. She smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. Wu Qingfeng looked hesitant, his lips tightly pressed together.

Wu Qingfeng hesitated for a long time before finally walking towards Tan Huan. His injuries had not fully healed, and his movements were not very agile. When he stood in front of Tan Huan, he didn't know what to say.

He didn't speak, but Tan Huan didn't want to see him staring blankly, so she broke the silence first, "Where's Qing Qiu? I don't see her."

"...She went back to the Wu family first."

Tan Huan asked, "Then why don't you go home?"

Wu Qingfeng really disliked the tone of her voice when she spoke to him. "And you? You've lost all your martial arts skills and you're still lingering on Lingfeng?"

Tan Huan suppressed her smile and stared at him indifferently.

Even Pei Jin turned her gaze away, looking at Wu Qingfeng with disapproval.

Wu Qingfeng knew he had said the wrong thing again. He had meant to comfort her, but it had turned into a provocation. He frowned in annoyance, "I didn't come here to argue with you."

It's rare that we agree. "I don't want to argue with you either."

"...Do you want to come home with us?" Wu Qingfeng finally managed to say this after hesitating for a long time, although the tone of his voice was not quite what he had imagined.

"No, I want to stay with Pei Jin." Tan Huan refused decisively. "Pei Jin will take me back. I don't want to go with you."

Wu Qingfeng's face flushed with anger. "Do you think the Pei family would accept a daughter-in-law like you?"

He squinted, indulging in pleasure.

Pei Jin casually interjected, "I'm the one who makes the decision on this matter; there's no need for Young Master Wu to worry about it."

Greedy grinned, "Did you hear that? Don't bother!"

Wu Qingfeng was so frustrated he felt like vomiting blood. He had come with the utmost sincerity to comfort her, and this was the result again! This brat really doesn't know what's good for her. He was worried she would suffer without her martial arts skills, but humph, he had worried for nothing! He glared fiercely at her and Pei Jin's clasped hands, his gaze slowly moving up to her face. "You can come back or not if you want, but don't embarrass the Wu family outside!"

Tan Huan was too lazy to even speak, so he waved his hand, indicating that he could get lost.

Wu Qingfeng turned pale with anger and left in a huff.

Seeing Wu Qingfeng walk away, Pei Jin said softly, "Tan Huan, do you want to stay in the Pei family?"

Tan Huan shook her head without thinking, "I'll go back to the Wu family. After all, that's my home." She paused, then looked up and smiled, "I'll have to trouble you to take me back then."

Pei Jin smiled, "It's no trouble at all, I'll come to see you often."

"However, I want to ask you for a favor." Tan Huan pointed to the Lonely Dust Sword at his waist. "This sword was broken by Baili Liushang, and I want to repair it, but I don't know how..."

A renowned sword like the Lone Dust Sword cannot be repaired by ordinary swordsmiths, who may not even have the right materials. Pei Jin pondered for a moment, "The best swordsmiths in the world are in the Netherworld Valley. If you want to repair the Lone Dust Sword, we'll have to make a trip there."

The final match has begun on the stage.

Ba Ying faced Lu Yin.

Ba Ying wielded a curved saber, while Xiang Luyin used a longsword. The curved saber against the longsword was evenly matched. A circular arc of light flashed as the weapons clashed, sending up bursts of sword light.

It was very quiet around them, and everyone was watching with their breath in suspense.

Ba Ying's moves were as ruthless, fast, and accurate as ever, regardless of whether they belonged to the Xiang family or not; anyone who stood in his way would die. He didn't take Xiang Luyin seriously, and similarly, Xiang Luyin was used to being arrogant and complacent. Apart from Pei Jin, who could be considered his opponent, he didn't take anyone else seriously.

With a slash of swords, the two boys, though only sixteen, displayed a level of skill far beyond their age. Tan Huan had personally witnessed Ba Ying's prowess, and while she knew little about Xiang Lu Yin, she couldn't help but admire his imposing presence. After watching for a while, her dark eyes deepened, and she suddenly smiled, "Xiang Lu Yin's swordplay is somewhat similar to yours. It seems he's imitating you."

If Xiang Luyin heard this, he would be furious. Pei Jin smiled wryly, "Don't say it to his face."

"I just heard someone say that his martial arts skills are on par with yours, but I think he's far inferior to you."

"Thank you for the compliment," Pei Jin explained. "I went easy on them in that competition a few years ago. My father told me to give the Xiang family some face."

The competition was getting more and more intense when suddenly, with a loud "bang," Ba Ying's scimitar was broken.

Ba Ying's previous scimitar was already considered a renowned weapon, but it was unfortunately paired with the Lonely Dust Sword and the Greedy Pleasure Sword, thus adding a crack to its reputation. He couldn't find any other weapon at the moment, so he stubbornly used his original scimitar when fighting Xiang Luyin.

"Xiang Luyin wins!" Pei Gumo declared. "The winner of this year's Lingfeng Sword Tournament is Xiang Luyin."

No sooner had the verdict been announced than Xiang Luyin’s gaze fell upon Pei Jin. His handsome face was filled with seriousness. With a light step, he stood before Pei Jin, cupped his hands, and said, “I challenge Brother Pei.”

Pei Jin was taken aback.

He laughed with pleasure.

Pei Jin glanced at the sky, seemed to sigh, and muttered to himself, "It seems the prize for this year's winner is the Golden Cicada Armor?" He placed his left hand on the hilt of his sword and smiled, "Alright, I accept. However, if I win, please give me the Golden Cicada Armor."

The Golden Cicada Armor was merely a garment, making one impervious to swords and spears. While impressive, it wasn't essential for Xiang Luyin. He was far more interested in competing with Pei Jin; to him, a Lingfeng Sword Tournament without Pei Jin wouldn't be a true Lingfeng Sword Tournament. "It's a deal."

Pei Gu Mo disagreed, "Jin'er, do you really want to compete?"

Pei Jin nodded and smiled slightly, "Don't worry, I'll stop when I've said my piece."

Xiang Luyin's expression was unpleasant. "Stop when you've made your point?" What did that mean?

Tan Huan watched the match with great interest, full of confidence in Pei Jin, and secretly estimating that Pei Jin could defeat his opponent in just a few moves.

One move, two moves, three moves, four moves, five moves, six moves, seven moves...

Xiang Luyin focused on offense, while Pei Jin concentrated on defense. Xiang Luyin was aggressive, while Pei Jin remained calm and composed; their sword auras created a stark contrast. Pei Jin's true energy suddenly surged, the steel-like energy coiling around his sword, forcing Xiang Luyin to retreat several meters. His face was extremely grim; he had originally intended to subdue Pei Jin in public, but now it seemed even escaping unscathed was in jeopardy.

"I have just finished a match, and it seems inconsiderate of me to challenge Brother Pei directly."

Pei Jin raised an eyebrow. "You mean... we're not going to compete?"

"No." Xiang Luyin's expression was complicated as he frankly asked the question that had been on his mind, "Did you deliberately hide your strength in the last competition?"

Pei Jin laughed and said, "Last time? Sorry, I've forgotten about that long ago."

Their figures crossed paths again, and anyone could see at a glance that Pei Jin's strength was superior to Xiang Luyin's. Xiang Luyin's breathing quickened; sensing the difference in their abilities, he said unwillingly, "If you wanted to hide your strength, why did you accept my challenge today?"

Why? He wanted to know too. Pei Jin pointed his long sword at his opponent. When he learned that the prize was the Golden Cicada Armor, his body automatically ran onto the arena and agreed to the match.

By the fifty-third move, Pei Jin had easily disarmed his opponent. Tan Huan even suspected that Pei Jin had held back.

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

The sun shone brightly, and the trees provided ample shade. Pei Jin took the Golden Cicada Armor, the sunlight gilding him with a radiant glow. He walked step by step toward Tan Huan, his smile ethereal. "Tan Huan, this is for you."

At this moment, a gentle breeze caresses my face.

The Netherworld Valley isn't exactly a reputable sect; as long as you're paid and the price satisfies them, they'll do anything, regardless of whether the task is righteous or evil. The Netherworld Valley also has enough skilled individuals, so they're often hired for assassinations and similar activities.

In this sense, their essence is not much different from that of Zhengyang Palace.

However, Zhengyang Palace specializes in doing evil, while Youming Valley only cares about money.

A martial arts alliance leader once advised Youming Valley to avoid going astray and following in the footsteps of Zhengyang Palace. Youming Valley's response was straightforward: they simply sent the alliance leader an invoice. The implication was that as long as the alliance leader could afford the price on the invoice, everything was negotiable.

The bill was astronomical, but the Netherworld Valley was very cooperative, claiming they were just businessmen and that the valley's expenses were considerable, so they had to find their own way to make money. Besides, many of those seeking out the Netherworld Valley were from righteous martial arts sects, although most were doing so secretly. Considering this, the martial arts world's pressure on the Netherworld Valley essentially disappeared.

Having Zhengyang Palace is already enough of a headache; there's no need to add another formidable enemy to the mix.

Every year at the Spirit Peak Sword Tournament, Youming Valley sends children of the appropriate age, simply to prove to the world that their valley has many masters, so that everyone can confidently continue to hire people. They are well aware of the importance of reputation, but they will not fully reveal the strength of their valley to the world, so they only send one or two teenagers to participate in the Spirit Peak Sword Tournament each time.

Ba Ying was not satisfied with his second-place finish. If his curved blade hadn't been injured by Gu Chen's sword, he didn't think he would have lost to the Xiang family boy. However, no matter how hard he fought, he wouldn't get paid, so Ba Ying had no intention of arguing about the result.

"You're coming to the Netherworld Valley?" Ba Ying asked coldly. "What are you going there for?"

Pei Jin said, "The swordsmith Yuan Gu is in Youming Valley. We want to find him to reforge the Lonely Dust Sword."

Ba Ying shook his head. "Even if you get in, Yuan Gu might not agree."

“I will pay for it.” Pei Jin’s words were crisp and to the point.

Ba Ying nodded, "Okay, I'll take you there."

Tan Huan stood beside Pei Jin and laughed, "Aren't you going to ask how much it costs?"

Ba Ying thought for a moment, his expression and tone unchanged, then turned to Pei Jin and asked, "How much?"

Pei Jin sighed, "If Master Yuan Gu is not satisfied with the price, he naturally won't do the repairs. Of course, I will offer a price that satisfies him."

Ba Ying nodded in understanding and didn't ask any further questions. "Let's set off immediately." Just as he turned to leave, he remembered something and turned back to look at Tan Huan, "Wu Tan Huan, are you really out of martial arts skills?"

Why bring up something you shouldn't talk about? In front of Pei Jin, Tan Huan didn't even dare to show a frustrated expression, and looked away, saying, "Yes."

"What a pity." With such great martial arts talent, Ba Ying felt genuinely sorry. "If I were you, I would rather be dead."

Pei Jin's face darkened.

Tan Huan's expression was unreadable; a smirk played on his lips. "Death?"

“Those without strength can only be slaughtered by others,” Ba Ying said. “It is even more tragic for those who were once strong to become weak.” Just like a bird with an injured wing, if it cannot fly and falls to the sea, it will only be devoured by crabs.

The Netherworld Valley is strategically located, easy to defend but difficult to attack. Moreover, it contains the most fortified formation in the world—the Corpse Formation. Even someone as arrogant as Baili Liushang dares not easily attack the Netherworld Valley. If the assassins sent by the Netherworld Valley offend this fiend, Baili Liushang, they will surely die. Yet, the Zhengyang Palace has never retaliated against the Netherworld Valley, and the Corpse Formation has undoubtedly played a significant role in this.

Pei Jinhe suggested accompanying Tan Huan to the Netherworld Valley, but this suggestion was immediately met with opposition from his family. Liao Yue'e objected vehemently, "I disagree. Jin'er, if you spend so much time with a young girl, you'll ruin her reputation."

Pei Jin smiled and said, "Does Mother mean that I should take responsibility for my lust?"

Liao Yue'e was speechless, choked by his words, and angrily turned her head away. Hmph, she had no power over him now; he could go wherever he wanted.

Pei Jin smiled, but his eyes held an unyielding attitude, and his parents ultimately gave in to his wishes. When Pei Jin left home, Shu Yunyao gently saw him off, while Tan Huan watched from the side, feeling conflicted but unable to express his feelings. Shu Yunyao only asked one question, "Brother Jin, you'll come back, won't you?"

Pei Jin nodded, "Of course, this is my home."

Shu Yunyao smiled sweetly, "Then I'll wait for you."

"I'll wait for you, I'll wait for you, I'll wait for you..." Because of this sentence, Tan Huan was almost bursting with jealousy. What did this mean? Was he trying to seduce her man right in front of her? Tan Huan pouted sullenly, not daring to tell Pei Jin what was on her mind. The two of them rode together on one horse, with her in front and Pei Jin behind, heading towards Youming Valley under the guidance of Ba Ying.