Chapter 15: Continue Fighting

"Everyone!" A tall man with a long mustache stood on the ring. "I, Baili Cheng, am deeply grateful to you all for coming all the way to Cunying Mountain for the Ten Years Alliance. Today's competition will focus on discussion and exchange of ideas. The winner will enter the martial arts examination. Remember to stop when you are ready and do not risk your life!"

Gao Shaoshan said, "This is the head of the Baili family, General Baili Cheng."

The swordsman was quick to act, and Baili Cheng came down after saying this. The competition then began without delay. This time, the competition employed an offensive and defensive system, with one person challenging the other. The one who won the most matches was the winner. After leaving the arena, Baili Cheng walked towards the pavilion and greeted each of the princes.

The Baili family belonged to the Qin Wang camp, and Baili Cheng was only unfamiliar and respectful to both the Yong Wang and Xiang Wang. Arriving in front of Zhao Xuanxu's pavilion, he bowed and saluted, his eyes glancing over the two figures flanking Zhao Xuanxu before politely addressing him as "Your Highness, Prince Yan."

Zhao Xuanxu lowered his head and concentrated on peeling a small plate of fruit. He didn't react at all, and his eyelashes didn't even tremble.

Baili Cheng was not surprised at all. He bowed and left.

His youngest son, seeing his father being ignored, walked away a little further, his face filled with indignation. He said, "Prince Yong is kind and gentle, Prince Qin is brave and powerful, Prince Xiang doesn't get involved in government affairs but is deeply engrossed in poetry and song, showing considerable literary talent. Only Prince Yan, how could he be so ignorant of etiquette and so arrogant and domineering?!"

Baili Cheng raised a hand to smooth the hem of his sleeve. Since entering the court as an official, he had become increasingly particular about etiquette, hardly acting like a military commander, but more like a civil official. Upon hearing this, Baili Cheng glanced indifferently at his youngest son. He did not stop him from criticizing the prince, but simply twitched his beard and said, "Prince Yan has been frail and insane since childhood. As he grew older, his frailty healed, but his temper grew increasingly perverse. Your Majesty disliked seeing your Highness quarreling with Prince Yong, and instead favored Prince Yan even more."

"Yes," his son sighed, "but it doesn't matter. The Prince of Yan will be no more than a vassal prince in the future. As for this rebellious man who dared to whip someone in the court, my Baili family should just avoid provoking him. There's no need to deliberately befriend him."

"Yes." Baili Cheng nodded, then took a few steps forward to talk to some of the sect leaders. As he took a step forward, his expression suddenly froze and became serious. "Who are those people?"

I just heard a sudden noise coming from the front.

Several men dressed as guards were forced to retreat repeatedly by a group of tall, round-necked, narrow-sleeved barbarians. The leader wore brightly colored clothes, his belt and hat inlaid with gems, giving him an appearance of great wealth.

Wen Yao had excellent eyesight. He looked outside when he heard the noise and blinked: "Liao people?"

Gao Shaoshan stepped forward, rolled up the bamboo curtain, and took a closer look: "Indeed, it is. What is this Liao person doing here?"

"Who are you?!" The guards who were blocking the group of Liao people shouted at the top of their lungs, "The Tianshui Martial Arts Competition is being held here. All outsiders, please leave immediately!"

Upon hearing this, the Liao people across the street burst into laughter. A burly man with shaved hair kicked the guard away and cursed in a strange Tianshui dialect, "What kind of martial arts competition is this! You Tianshui people have always been weak. Let me, the Khan Warrior, teach you what bravery is!"

"You!" The martial arts hero beside him flew into a rage and slammed the table when he heard this.

"Shi Ya, don't be disrespectful." Despite saying this, the Liao man standing next to Shi Ya rubbed his sturdy belly, his dark face devoid of any respect. A cunning, provocative glint shone in his eyes. "Everyone, we are merchants from the Khanate. We have learned some martial arts, and today we heard that masters from the Tianshui Kingdom were gathered here, so we came here to compete."

Hearing this, Wen Yao understood: "Oh, it's a challenge."

"No, you are not from the Tianshui Dynasty, how can you have the qualifications to participate in the Ten-Year Alliance of the Central Plains Martial Arts World!" Someone on the side refused.

"Really? That's a shame." The Liao man smiled. "In our Khanate's martial arts competitions, anyone from the entire grasslands and even the entire world can participate. The strongest are respected, regardless of their background. Tianshui is so restrained, it's no wonder the border troops are weak, repeatedly defeated by our Khanate's cavalry!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the group of sturdy Liao people behind him burst into laughter. Seeing that some people had already drawn their swords and knives, and the bamboo curtains in the pavilions not far away were also raised, Baili Cheng waved his sleeves and hurried over with a sullen face: "How dare you talk nonsense!"

"Nonsense? You dare not accept that the Khan's warrior competition was true, and the border army's defeat was also true. Which of my nonsense is it?!"

People on both sides became more and more excited. The people around them stood up from their positions and surrounded the provocative Liao people with weapons in hand.

Wen Yao stood in front of the bamboo curtain with his hands folded across his chest, slightly bent over, and watched intently. Zhao Xuanxu was not distracted by the external things and continued to sit in his seat peeling fruit.

The two pavilions nearby were no longer quiet. Prince Yong had the curtains drawn and frowned as he looked over at the group. He wore a long, golden robe with a crescent-shaped pattern, exuding an air of nobility. He had a gentle and handsome appearance, and a small mole between his eyebrows accentuated his magnanimous bodhisattva-like demeanor.

The King of Qin's reaction was even greater. Raised pampered by the Emperor and his concubine, he possessed a fiery temper. Furthermore, it was he who had proposed the combined ten-year alliance and martial arts examinations to recruit talented individuals, and he would not tolerate anyone sabotaging such a crucial moment. With a swish of his sleeve, he flung open the bamboo curtain and declared in a deep voice, "Of course, I'll participate in the competition!"

The King of Qin spoke, and the servants of the Baili family gritted their teeth and staggered back, allowing the group of Liao people to swagger to the front of the arena.

The Liao people laughed and patted the hat of one of the shorter men. The man nodded, took two steps forward, and instantly rose into the air, landing on the stage. His landing was firm and steady, his powerful internal energy shaking the entire arena.

Wen Yao stared at him for a while and said, "He's a martial artist, and his Kung Fu is pretty good."

The Liao man drew his sword from his waist and swung it down, the tip of the sword instantly sinking into the ring: "Come!"

What an arrogant attitude! Someone in the crowd couldn't contain themselves anymore, leaping onto the stage, sword drawn, and charging at the man. Wen Yao sighed and closed his eyes, and within twenty moves, the man was slammed down to the stage by the Liao warrior, blood gushing from his mouth.

Then two more people came on stage. It was unknown what the origins of these Liao people who had appeared out of nowhere were, but their martial arts and internal strength were so great that they could hold off three people in a row until the fourth, a Wudang Taoist priest, arrived and defeated them. The atmosphere at the scene was somewhat lifted, but unfortunately, it was not long before the Wudang Taoist priest was seriously injured by the second Liao person who entered the stage.

Gao Shaoshan was so itchy that he couldn't help but knock on the pillar: "This group of Liao people is quite interesting."

"Yes, that's right. Someone with that kind of skill must be no ordinary person," Wen Yao said, unable to help but lament the decline of the martial arts world in recent years. Perhaps it was because the Ten-Year Alliance was held simultaneously with the martial arts exams, but none of the people she knew well were there. She had barely even met any of the so-called heroes present.

"That's right, only four or five people can resist the warriors of my Khanate. You people from Tianshui are really good!" The Liao man clapped his hands and laughed, and the sound was almost harsh as another person fell to the ground, seriously injured by the vicious internal force of the Liao man on the stage.

The atmosphere gradually solidified and became tense. The King of Qin's face suddenly darkened and he cursed, "What a bunch of losers! They call themselves martial arts masters, but they are just this kind of trash!"

Standing behind him was a member of the Baili clan, once a renowned knight in Shanyin, sword in hand, who had followed the King of Qin. Hearing this, he felt a certain displeasure, but his face concealed it. He simply said, "Your Highness, you don't know that the martial arts world has its own rules, and one of them is not to be involved with the imperial court. This time, my Baili clan has violated a taboo by holding the Ten-Year Alliance and the Martial Arts Examination together. Not to mention those veterans who have long since faded from the martial arts world, even none of the top twenty on Bai Xiaosheng's Master List in recent years have come. The audience consists of only young people with a modicum of fame. How can they represent the Tianshui martial arts world?"

"Really?" Zhao Xuanshuo pressed the tabletop, his tone frighteningly dark. "Then tell me, if this continues, will Tianshui still have any face left?"

There was also some movement from Prince Yong's side. Zhongli He, sitting on a makeshift chair, heard Prince Yong sigh and immediately stood up, saying, "I'll go."

"Linghan, don't be impulsive." Seeing Zhongli He walk to the pavilion in two steps, Zhao Xuanfeng hurriedly called him: "These people are not simple. You are injured and haven't recovered yet. Don't-"

Zhongli He raised his voice and said, "I will not lose."

"Idiot." The veiled woman sitting across from him sneered, flicking the lid of her teacup. "Do you know why the other generals and commanders present didn't come on stage? They're just nobody, but you're a great general of Tianshui, renowned far and wide. So what if you go on stage and defeat a few nobodys? You'll still lose face."

Zhongli He looked at her coldly, but did not lift the curtain and go out.

Prince Yong had no choice but to appease his right-hand men: "Don't worry, Linghan. There are still many masters under us who have not yet made a move. Qingyu, don't say that. Linghan is confused because of his concern."

"Yes, Your Highness." Guang Qingyu said in a low voice, lowered his eyes and drank tea without saying anything.

In that short moment, another so-called martial arts master was thrown off the stage. The Liao had only replaced two men, but the Tianshui side still had nearly a dozen. The Liao man standing on the stage, his hands smeared with blood, his eyes glowing red like a wild animal, and he was extremely proud. He turned, raised the sword he had severed from his opponent, and roared provocatively at the pavilion, pounding his chest.

What a beast.

Wen Yao took the peeled fruit from Zhao Xuanxu's mouth, chewed it, and with a push of his tongue, he spat out the core, pinched it between his fingers, and then, gathering strength in his fingertips, snapped it out. The round core flew out with incredible force and swiftness, instantly piercing the Liao man's raised sword!

The Liao man was so majestic the moment before, but the next moment he was hit by a huge force. He had no time to react at all before he was kicked in the chest and fell to the ground on the ring!

Wen Yao, wearing a mask, looked down at the shaved, dark-faced man, curled his lips, and slowly moved his foot to his face, whispering, "How dare you disrespect His Highness the Prince of Yan?"

The Liao people, who had been so smug, instantly lost their smile as they watched a woman in a dark, formal outfit, her hair tied up with a red rope, leap out of the pavilion on the far right. Their faces twisted as they struggled to stand, their limbs thrashing about, their faces twisted. Not only the Liao people, but also the surrounding Jianghu people and the martial artists taking the martial arts exams stared at Wen Yao, their faces filled with surprise and suspicion, whispering among themselves.

Zhongli He, who had just sat down next to King Yong, stood up again, walked forward and pulled back the curtain, staring at the familiar figure with his thick eyebrows furrowed.

Prince Yong glanced outside, then looked at him again: "Ling Han?"

In the audience, the Liao people pointed at Wen Yao and shouted, "Who are you?!"

"An ordinary guard beside His Royal Highness Prince Yan." Wen Yao pulled her hair back and waved to the audience like a dog: "Come on, keep fighting."