Shangguan Tou pretended not to hear.
They've already started taking action on stage.
In a weapons duel, if someone is using a high-grade sword, then that sword technique must be the one they use most frequently. Xia Qingmei carried the Kunyuan Sword, but upon entering the arena, he used the Lingkong Sword Technique. After a few moves, Xia Qingmei switched to the Kunyuan Divine Sword, and after a few more moves, he switched to the Seven Swords of the Void. In short, he had used all the sword techniques of the Spirit Sword Manor, but overall, he didn't break the rules; the Kunyuan Divine Sword was used the most. Every time Xia Qingmei made a move, the girls below would gasp. This was especially true when he used his lightness skill to fly, his flowing belt also billowing.
Mu Yuan, however, seemed to be on a mission, consistently using the Hunyue Sword Technique. His swordplay was not as flashy as Xia Qingmei's, but it was precise and deadly, almost hitting Xia Qingmei each time, yet just missing her.
Zhong Tao said, "I don't know why Mu Yuan is giving in to him like this."
Xuezhi said, "Really? I don't think so. Young Master Xia's martial arts are quite strong."
Shangguan Tou said, "She is indeed not weak, but she is much weaker than Mu Yuan. I think it is probably related to the relationship between Chonghuo Palace and Lingjian. Moreover, I can guarantee that the result of this competition will not be that Xia Qingmei loses her sword or falls off the stage."
Xuezhi looked at Shangguan Tou with a completely bewildered expression.
"It's alright, Zhier. Take a good look. These will be of great help to your martial arts training in the future."
After exchanging dozens of blows, Mu Yuan and Xia Qingmei's swords faced each other, both pointing at one another. The swords of Lingjian Manor were always longer and thinner than those of other sects, so in such exchanges, the opponent usually got hit while the attacker remained unharmed. Just as Xia Qingmei's Kunyuan sword was about to pierce Mu Yuan's face, Mu Yuan suddenly did a backflip, kicking Xia Qingmei in the knee. Xia Qingmei half-knelt down. At this moment, Zhong Tao's face twisted, and he hissed, "Ouch!" as if he himself had been struck.
Xuezhi suddenly realized that it was highly likely that Xia Qingmei's old wounds hadn't healed, and this time it had struck a vital spot. She immediately glared at Shangguan Tou again. Shangguan Tou still didn't react.
At the same time, Mu Yuan's sword was already pointed at Xia Qingmei.
"Chonghuo Palace's Chaotic Moon Sword!" Shi Yan announced loudly from behind.
Before Xia Qingmei could even descend, a slender figure in light purple flew up.
“I’ll fight you.” Lin Fengzi snapped her long whip. “Defeating an injured person doesn’t count as a win.”
Mu Yuan was taken aback: "Young Master Xia, you've been injured?"
"No," Xia Qingmei hurriedly replied, "Junior Sister only said that because she was upset that I lost. Protector Mu's skills are indeed remarkable, and I humbly admit defeat."
Zhong Tao sighed, "It seems that being defeated by Mu Yuan on the stage is less humiliating than being brutally beaten by you on the sidelines..."
"Sister Zhaojun, you still haven't told me why you hit him!"
"When did I say I hit him?"
"you……!"
"Zhi'er, be good, watch the martial arts competition."
Mu Yuan glanced at Feng Zi and said in a low voice, "I do not wish to fight with you, young lady."
"Then you lose."
Mu Yuan suddenly looked up, caught in a dilemma.
Xuezhi shouted, "Brother Mu Yuan, what are you doing? You think she's weak and can't bring yourself to do it? Beat her up! Beat her up!"
Feng Zi, standing on the stage, looked down and said, "Sister, I've always been on your side, and you actually asked someone else to hit me, you..."
"You little brat, how dare you say such disgusting things? I'll beat you to a pulp right here!" Xuezhi made a move to fly up, but Shangguan Tou grabbed her: "Zhi'er, you have no sect, it's no use for you to go up."
"Then I'll enter Moon Valley today and fight for Moon Valley."
"Which of Moonrise Valley's staff techniques and sword techniques do you know?"
Xuezhi looked resentful but gritted her teeth and endured it.
The duel ended instantly and without any suspense. Feng Zi, feeling wronged, flicked her whip and pointed at Mu Yuan, saying, "I can be defeated by my sister, but no one else can! I, Lin Feng Zi, will defeat you one day!"
Mu Yuan felt a little embarrassed by what she said and was about to go forward and say a few more words when Feng Zi had already jumped off the stage.
Players who have played three consecutive matches can rest for one round. Mu Yuan stepped down to rest.
After the disciples of Shaolin and Emei had competed and Emei emerged victorious, it was time to challenge Mu Yuan. The various sect leaders felt it wasn't the right time, and their disciples dared not rashly challenge him. Mu Yuan stood on the arena, exuding an air of unparalleled invincibility.
"Brother Mu Yuan really stole the show for us this time, he's amazing." Xue Zhi turned around to look at Shangguan Tou and found that he was gone.
49 50 51
49
As soon as Shangguan Tou stepped onto the arena, Feng Zi, who had just stepped off, turned around and saw him. After a brief moment of surprise, she quickly retreated back into the Xueyan Sect's crowd, whispered something to Yuan Shuangshuang, and then walked away with her head down.
In that critical moment, a huge golden object, like a shooting star, crashed behind the crowd. When the dust settled, it was revealed to be a person. This person stood on a black, round shell, clad in towering golden armor, and although only his eyes and mustache were visible, many could sense his heroic spirit and solemn countenance through the imposing armor.
At this moment, this statue, which resembled a god of war, actually emitted a deep, resonant voice, like that of the Jade Emperor, reigning supreme over the world:
"Many people are curious about who will win this battle, right?"
As a result, many people turned around and looked at him.
"Let me tell you!" the Golden Hero proclaimed, "That person is—Lady Zhaojun!"
Those who hadn't been looking at him before turned around at the sound of his authoritative voice, their eyes filled with strange and terrified expressions.
"Why did Lady Zhaojun win? Why?" The Golden Hero suddenly took two steps forward, and everyone took two steps back. "Because Lady Zhaojun is actually a very proud person! She wouldn't have stepped onto the stage if she wasn't confident!" After saying that, he stretched out his hand wearing a golden glove, pointed to the arena, and pointed at Shangguan Tou's handsome face.
Shangguan Tou, holding the Cold Soul Staff, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Mu Yuan: "Please enlighten me, Great Protector Mu."
Mu Yuan returned the greeting, drew his sword, and his expression was more solemn than before.
He certainly knew who the person standing in front of him was, and he had also seen Shangguan Tou make a move.
"Lady Yuan is doing this for Chonghuo Palace and Lady Zhaojun, but she's always doing it for herself! Want Lady Zhaojun to risk her life for Yue Shang Valley? No way!" Golden Hero raised his voice. "That's the difference between individualism and collectivism!"
The Cold Soul Staff spun once in Shangguan Tou's hand before flying out and striking Mu Yuan's chest.
"I swear to God, none of you here have ever seen such fast staff techniques! Right? Hahahaha, that's right. The staff is the slowest and most lethal of all long weapons; it's not only clumsy but also difficult to wield. But the person you're seeing is our most beautiful Lady Zhaojun! Lady Zhaojun's speed with the staff is almost faster than Lin Xuanfeng's with the sword!"
The first strike exceeded Mu Yuan's expectations, forcing him to dodge somewhat awkwardly, but he wasn't hit. Shangguan Tou exerted force with his wrist, and the Cold Soul Staff returned to his hand. Next, Mu Yuan thrust his sword at Shangguan Tou. Shangguan Tou immediately threw the staff, leaped into the air, caught it again mid-air, and launched an attack with the staff's base.
"I'm not going to analyze anything further." The Golden Hero pointed to the sky, as if pointing to two completely indistinct figures. "Because I can't see them clearly!"
The two leaped into the air and clashed swords and staffs for more than a dozen rounds. Finally, they landed, and one of them jumped to one end of the ring and rushed over to fight again.
"Since Lady Zhaojun never intervenes for Moonrise Valley, what benefit does he seek for himself?" Golden Hero said, suddenly holding a watermelon-sized ball that seemed quite heavy. He took a few steps and placed it on the ground. "Women, of course! Shangguan Tou entered the martial world at fifteen, and under the guidance of renowned masters, he has already developed an indestructible body, able to water flowers without the leaves sticking to him! Whenever he goes to the battlefield, it's always for women! But this time, for whom? Is it the fiery witch Chong Xuezhi with her fox-like eyes? Or the gentle fairy Lin Fengzi with her peach-blossom eyes? I will tell you my answer after the competition!"
At this point, the two fighters on the ring became quite serious. Every strike was extremely powerful, and the sound of their weapons clashing was deafening. The ring even began to shake, and the scene became unusually quiet.
Xuezhi stood below the stage, completely at a loss: "Why would Sister Zhaojun fight Brother Muyuan? Neither of them can afford to lose."
Zhong Tao said matter-of-factly, "The key point is, if you could only choose one person to win, who would you choose?"
"No, we can't lose either of them!"
"That's impossible." Qiu Hongxiu leaned closer and laughed, "Little sister, tell me, who do you want to win?"
"Of course I hope Chonghuo Palace wins. But... I don't want Sister Zhaojun to lose."
"Haha, Sister Zhaojun looks as gentle as water," the Golden Hero said, pulling out a small fan from somewhere and gently waving it beside his beard. He then winked charmingly. "Shangguan travels the world, making many friends, and his life is endlessly joyful—do you think that's all there is to him? Wrong! Deep down, he's a big bad wolf!" With that, he picked up the enormous ball from the ground and held it above his head. "Even on the arena, it's the same!"
The two fighters on the stage used increasingly sophisticated techniques, culminating in continuous and powerful attacks. Shangguan Tou rarely took this seriously; the tip of his Frost Soul Staff flashed with blinding light, and his steps beneath his white boots quickened. Later, Mu Yuan and Shangguan Tou flew into the air together. The Frost Soul Staff slipped from Shangguan Tou's hand, spun out, and struck Mu Yuan in the abdomen in the blink of an eye. Mu Yuan groaned and landed heavily on the stage, staggering back several steps, but still managed to unleash a powerful burst of internal energy for a final blow against Shangguan Tou. Shangguan Tou reacted quickly, dodging the attack, but the stage cracked with a sharp sound.
The two exchanged a glance and immediately leaped towards the nearby temple. However, Mu Yuan was injured and unable to move, so Shangguan Tou grabbed his arm and lifted him over.
As soon as their toes left the ring, the high platform, made of fine wood, snapped in the middle and collapsed rapidly.
"The Shaolin Temple's facilities are substandard? This is a result that I, Boss Zhuo Buqun, never expected!" Golden Hero said in surprise, holding up the large ball. "Since that's the case, I have nothing more to say!" He then slammed the large ball to the ground.
A miracle occurred: the ground rumbled and cracked, revealing a large fissure.
At this moment, someone stood up and said, "Wait, didn't you say you would announce your answer after the war?"
What answer?
"For which woman is Shangguan Tou fighting?"
"Hahahaha! Yes, I said I would tell you my answer!" Boss Zhuo suddenly flicked his beard, gathered his strength in his diaphragm, and raised his voice with his amazing lung capacity, "My answer is—I don't know! Ahahahaha... Ahahahaha..." With a leap, he gracefully jumped into the crevice like a mermaid, his deep laughter echoing continuously in the abyss.
Everyone crowded around, staring at the hole.
"I never imagined that such a concrete thing as digging one's own grave could actually happen in this world."
"What exactly is this guy surnamed Zhuo here for?"
"If he jumps in like that, will he be able to come back?"
50
Although damaging public facilities is despicable and destroying land is shameful, Moonrise Valley is still rightfully superior to Chonghuo Palace. As soon as Shangguan Tou arrived, Zhong Tao started congratulating him with his arm around his shoulder, and Qiu Hongxiu also smiled and said that Shangguan Tou was not bad. Only Xue Zhi didn't even glance at him, running straight to Mu Yuan. Shangguan Tou hesitated, then silently followed.
Qiu Hongxiu suddenly rested her chin on her hand and said seriously, "Speaking of which, Yi Pintou has been in the industry for so many years and has had so many women. When was his first love?"
“Him? I’m afraid he’s two years old.” Zhong Tao thought for a moment, then said, “No, a two-year-old boy can’t sleep with a woman. Let’s say he’s thirteen or fourteen.”
Qiu Hongxiu sneered: "In your men's eyes, first love is indeed the first night."
"Woman, don't talk nonsense!" Zhong Tao shouted angrily. "I was sixteen when I had my first time, and my first love was twenty!"
"Twenty years old? It's been so many years! So there are times when your lover doesn't care about your breasts?"
Zhong Tao looked at her for a long time and said helplessly, "That's why I said women are all stupid and slow-witted, but Baldy disagrees."
"You'll never understand how to respect women. Yi Pintou is nothing like you." Qiu Hongxiu propped her chin up again. "But when exactly was Yi Pintou's first love? I'm very curious what he would be like if he fell in love with someone else?"
"The answer will damage his image, so don't bother guessing."
"You know?" Qiu Hongxiu's gossipy nature immediately came to the fore. "Tell me, tell me now."
"I won't tell, he won't let me. Men's friendship is as strong as an iron rod, you women can't possibly ruin it."
Qiu Hongxiu suddenly leaned into Zhong Tao's arms: "Brother Langya is so naughty, tell me quickly..."
"No."
"No?"
"The bald man has had his virginity hundreds of times, but he's never had a first love."
"How...how is this possible? He's so good at dealing with women, where would he have learned all these tricks if he's never been in love with a woman?"
"Tricking a woman into bed and loving a woman are two different things. I heard he started seducing women when he was four years old, but he has never been seduced by a woman. Sometimes he hurts women so much that I can't bear to watch, and I've tried to advise him. He told me, very depressed, that he really doesn't know what it feels like to be hurt. If he did, maybe he wouldn't hurt people so easily in the future."
Hongxiu murmured, "Heavens, Yipintou has never liked anyone..."
Meanwhile, at Chonghuo Palace...
Clearly, Mu Yuan's injuries were serious. Normally, if he was injured, he would endure it and avoid touching his wound. But this time, he remained leaning against the eaves, clutching his abdomen, his face pale. Xue Zhi approached, but everyone from Chonghuo Palace acted as if they no longer recognized their young master, pushing her away. The protectors helped Mu Yuan leave, and Xue Zhi followed behind, repeatedly calling him "Brother Mu Yuan."