Chapter 31 When will the Sect Leader agree to my marriage certificate?

Everyone was dumbfounded. The sect leader was furious, the disciples of Chaolu Peak glared at him, and even his master, the Third Elder, looked at him with disapproval.

Not to mention Xiao Mingxin, whose sword had quietly transformed into a snake whip, trembling menacingly, it was unclear whether he intended to strike him or Chu Shu.

Xu Zangyu had once imagined this day would come, that he would weather the pressure with Chu Shu, but in reality, it was all a mistake from beginning to end.

Senior sister, not senior sister.

That's completely wrong.

Xu Cangyu lowered her head, the gilded fan pressed against her throat, icy cold: "You might as well kill me, Senior Sister."

Those two words felt like thorns piercing her flesh, and Chu Shu was utterly disgusted: "Don't call me senior sister, you know I'm not."

"Chu Shu." The sect leader hurriedly interrupted him, fearing that he would say something shocking.

He gave a signal, and the disciples of Chaolu Peak went up on stage and forcibly pulled Chu Shu down.

Xu Cangyu, still bound hand and foot, had her black veil torn by the sword that Xiao Mingxin had transformed back into.

They silently led him away.

The noisy sounds stopped, but the quiet atmosphere was even more reassuring. Even Chen Zhiguang, who was usually very talkative, was as quiet as a quail, not daring to strike up a conversation with him.

Xiao Mingxin's face was so cold that even without showing much emotion, people within a few inches of him retreated.

The competition continued, but the gazes directed towards the sword-testing platform were noticeably more scattered, with people secretly glancing in the direction of Xu Zangyu and Chu Shu.

Everyone is waiting for the final showdown.

As expected, Chu Shu and Xiao Mingxin emerged victorious.

Both are equally formidable opponents, and in the past they have been neck and neck, taking turns to win.

In such situations, if a mutual affection doesn't develop, they often become irreconcilable enemies.

In the past, most people would gamble on the first option, but now, things have changed.

The unexpected addition of factors had already disrupted the original balance.

This brought the unexpected incident to people's attention.

Harmless and innocent, the white glutinous rice balls sandwiched between two icebergs might freeze and crumble.

In short, it will be a very interesting thing.

In the final battle between Chu Shu and Xiao Mingxin, everyone was on high alert.

Before the fight even started, an invisible smoke of gunpowder ignited on the stage. The strange sword in Xiao Mingxin's hand could actually transform into a snake whip, roaming on the ground, and you could almost hear it hissing.

If it weren't for the fact that it was under his control, it would have immediately rushed out and opened its venomous fangs to bite people. Chu Shu glanced at the snake whip on the ground and said sarcastically, "How did Senior Brother choose such an unruly beast? It's already trying to bite people before it even starts."

A thin smile curved his lips. "However, this sword is worthy of you."

The snake whip thrashed, its angry roar growing louder, before Xiao Mingxin pulled it back.

"If you want to avoid being bitten by it, you'd better shut up and say less nonsense, junior brother."

The last two words were spoken silently, but Chu Shu saw them, as well as the malice overflowing from Xiao Mingxin's eyes.

Did he think this would threaten him? Did Xiao Mingxin really think he was someone who could be easily manipulated?

As if it could hear what he was thinking, the snake whip lashed across the fan the moment the sect leader announced the start, the sharp sound obscuring the vicious words.

"At the very least, your current identity is not something you can be seen in public, junior sister."

"Do you really think that what you get by deception is necessarily yours?"

"Too naive."

Every word pierced Chu Shu's heart; Xiao Mingxin always knew how to strike at people's hearts.

He is clearly a sharp-tongued and vicious man, but he thinks that by wearing a gentle and refined mask, he is really a kind and warm-hearted senior brother.

It's so fake it's disgusting.

Only a fool like Xu Zangyu would believe that.

Xiao Mingxin is by no means a good person.

He even dared to hide behind Xiao Mingxin.

He could never forget the congratulatory gifts Xiao Mingxin had sent over the years—those vulgar and flashy dresses and hairpins that stood out among all the trinkets.

Others only saw him as extremely considerate and a rare and wonderful husband, caring deeply for him. Only he himself saw the malice hidden in Xiao Mingxin's heart.

"These are perfect for my junior sister."

Ordinary women, mere decorative vases. Tell him that's all Chu Shu is worth.

It was so obvious, Chu Shu had been disgusted by it for many years, yet Xiao Mingxin still acted on it tirelessly.

"You'd better be able to keep up the act for a lifetime and fool that fool forever."

Chu Shu slapped the snake whip away, stepped on it with all her might.

"How long I can act is my skill; I certainly won't be like my junior sister who couldn't hold back and exposed herself."

The snake whip transformed into a sword and was pulled back, almost getting pinned to the ground by the scattered feathers of the gilded fan.

Chu Shu could tell that Xiao Mingxin had found a suitable natal weapon.

Then he'd be even more determined to destroy it.

Compared to the previous matches, these were just minor skirmishes; now, the clash of swords and the shadows on the field truly had the feel of a bloody battle.

In just a few breaths, several moves had already been made, making it impossible to see clearly.

All that could be smelled was the stench of blood carried by the sword energy, and upon closer inspection, both men were already injured.

It was impossible to tell which was lighter or heavier; all that could be seen was that both sides' weapons were stained with blood.

While other sects watched the spectacle with great interest, the disciples of Tianyi Sect appeared much more solemn.

In previous years, these two wouldn't have tried to kill people like they do now.

Their fighting styles are increasingly cunning, targeting every vital point.

The sect leader naturally noticed something was wrong and reminded the two, "Stop when you've hit the mark."

Although both of them paused for a moment, their subsequent attacks were no less vicious.

Chu Shu not only slashed Xiao Mingxin's neck, but Xiao Mingxin also stabbed him in the chest, wiping his heart. If it weren't for the ring that popped out of the sect leader's hand separating the two, they would have been separated.

They estimated that they might not even make it back alive.

Chu Yang leaped down, and the Third Elder followed.

After the bleeding was stopped and Chu Shu's heart was protected, his pale complexion improved somewhat.

"Are you all crazy?"

He then looked at Xiao Mingxin, whose neck had been cut open, the wound extending deep into the throat bone. The Third Elder hurriedly applied medicine to stop the bleeding and repaired the ruptured meridians.

Despite the pain, his face still looked composed and reliable, but the words he spoke made Chu Yang's veins throb.

"It's just a minor injury, Sect Leader, there's no need to worry. I'm perfectly clear-headed and know what I'm doing."

The Third Elder was furious, and even more disappointed. "Minor injuries? We were practically collecting your corpses. You were facing fellow disciples, not mortal enemies. Was there any need to kill you?"

Chu Shu recovered, "If I hadn't known he was from the same sect, his neck would have been broken long ago."

Chu Yang was exasperated. "You're no better, always talking nonsense."

"It was my fault," Chu Shu suddenly said. Chu Yang thought he had finally matured, but then he heard him say, "When will the sect leader agree to my marriage certificate?"

Chu Yang was so angry that he vomited blood.

"You still dare to dream about it? Absolutely not!"

They were all experienced people, with eyes sharper than foxes; how could he not know that Xiao Mingxin had also developed feelings for Xu Cangyu?

These two are locked in a life-or-death struggle.

I really don't know whether taking Xu Zangyu into the Tianyi Sect is a blessing or a curse. Now that his fellow disciples have turned against each other, who knows what troubles will arise in the future.

The Third Elder glanced at Chu Yang's expression and cursed, "You think you're all grown up now? Snatching a disciple from Zhuyu Peak right in front of me. If that kid had given up willingly, that would have been fine, but what kind of nonsense is it to take it by force without any reason?"

"Besides, young people are easily swayed by appearances. They can be easily captivated by physical appearances. You should know that becoming a Daoist partner is a lifelong commitment. How can you say you like someone if you don't see the true feelings beneath the surface?"

A struggle flickered in Chu Shu's eyes, and the Third Elder sighed.

They were too young and impulsive, acting without considering the consequences, only to end up hurting themselves and others, and acting on wishful thinking.

But that will only push people further away.

Chu Yang listened to his words of advice, but no matter how he listened, something felt off.

"If your own apprentice is so useless, how can you blame others for being good-looking!"

"Oh dear, I'll have to give them a good talking to when I get back. This can't go on like this," the Third Elder said, trying to evade the question.

Chu Shu propped herself up and stood up. "It was my doing. There's no need to involve others. And not everyone has the opportunity to get close to me."

Chu Yang felt his eyelids twitching again. "What else do you want to do?"

Chu Shu raised her head, "I still want the sect leader to restore my identity as a man."

It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone almost thought they had misheard; otherwise, how could such an absurd thing happen?

The sect leader's daughter is actually a man!

Xue Wenxiang practically stared a hole through Chu Shu's face. Chu Shu was a man?

What was he doing before?

He was about to lose his seat when some shameless people actually came over to ask him questions.

"Young Master Xue has been pursuing Chu Shu for so long, do you know that she is a man?"

Everyone from the Autumn Water Sect has a big mouth.

Xue Wenxiang's face turned pale, and she replied stiffly, "I don't know, I don't like it, and I hope the sect leader will not spread rumors."

His eyes were fixed on Xu Zangyu, whose face showed surprise and an indescribable emotion.

Did he know that Chu Shu was actually a man?

After Xu Zangyu learned of Chu Shu's identity, he knew there must be a hidden story, a story that even Chu Yang, the sect leader, had to cover up.

Therefore, Xu Zangyu did not ask.

But to his utter surprise, on this day when the sects gathered, Chu Shu actually admitted it directly.

Chu Yang was speechless for a long time, while the Qiushui Sect members smiled and narrowed their eyes as they watched the confrontation.

"Isn't it good that Sect Leader Chu has a precious son? Why hide him away?"

Other sects were also stirred by his words, and they all began to speculate about Chu Shu's identity.

No one knows much about Chu Shu's origins; they only know that he is the sect leader's illegitimate son, and no one has ever heard of his birth mother.

Such words may fool others, but they are hard to hide from a seasoned old fox.

Chu Yang: "I am destined to have no sons, so I had him pretend to be a girl just to avoid the prophecy."

The sect leader of Qiushui Sect spoke gently but aggressively: "If you are destined to have no children, then he should not be your child."

Chu Yang's expression froze instantly.

"I did hear that Sect Leader Chu's child arrived at a convenient time. More than ten years ago, the Second Elder of Tianyi Sect took advantage of the sect to sell fake medicine, which caused many sect disciples to lose their foundation as a result."

"Later, he was hunted down and killed, leaving behind an infant child whose whereabouts are unknown."

"Just then, Sect Leader Chu brought back a woman, so it's quite a coincidence that this boy came."

Chu Yang's expression changed. "You're distorting the truth and forcibly dragging this into things. I hope you'll be careful with your words."

"I was merely asking a question on behalf of someone with ulterior motives; Sect Leader Chu, please don't take it seriously."

Of course, some people won't believe me when I say not to take it seriously.

Even Xu Zangyu didn't believe it. He hadn't understood why Chu Shu addressed his father as "Sect Leader" in such a distant way, and why there was always a subtle layer of respect between them.

Now it seems the answer is self-evident.

The sect leader is protecting Chu Shu, but Chu Shu's identity has suddenly been exposed, making it difficult to avoid those with ulterior motives coming to seek revenge.

Who would have thought that the upright and honorable Tianyi Sect had such a disgraceful past?