Chapter 213: Chapter 201: Who Will Battle Me?
Chen Ming set out together with the twenty-five patrol envoys of the Six Gates, walking at the back with Qiu Chundong.
The group originally had twenty-seven people, but one person was injured a few days ago and is still recuperating.
He asked softly, "Brother Qiu, what kind of grudge does the Wan Family have with our Lord Liang?"
To gather all Martial Artists under thirty years old in Xiazhou whose strength exceeds Fourth Grade is no simple task; it requires a lot of intricate procedures.
In these past days, Chen Ming tried to gather information but only knew that the Wan Family was far away in Xiazhou City and could not find out what grudge Liang Zongcheng had with the Wan Family.
Qiu Chundong said, "I’m not too sure about that either."
Judging by his expression, it was obvious he knew but didn’t want to say.
Chen Ming didn’t press further, only said, "I heard that there’s over a dozen Third-Grade experts attending this time. Could the Wan Family also have a Third-Grade expert participating?"
"Don’t worry, among the current Wan Family generation, the Third-Grade ones have already surpassed the age limit. There is only one Fifth Son who is Fourth Grade. However, this person is extraordinarily powerful, and even though we have many colleagues, only one or two have a chance to win against him. This time, we will likely have to rely on you, Brother Gu."
Chen Ming modestly responded with a few words.
There are rarely top-tier talents within the Six Gates because those who choose to join generally don’t come from good families. Like Gu Xianyu, a son from a prestigious family, is among the few.
Even with outstanding talent among them, due to limited cultivation techniques, they usually cannot compare with the geniuses from family sects of the same age.
Therefore, it is rare to hear of any outstanding figures within the younger generation of the Six Gates. Often, it requires another twenty or thirty years of dedicated practice to close such gaps.
Liang Zongcheng is a prime example; although he previously lost to Gu Xianyu’s Uncle Thirteen, if the two were to fight again today, who would win or lose remains uncertain.
Among the twenty or so present, reaching Fourth Grade before thirty years old places them among the best. In the future, several of them might become Third-Grade Admirals, or even First-Grade Governors.
Chen Ming could sense that these people maintained a kind of respectful distance from him.
So far, the only person he’d spoken to was Qiu Chundong.
Qiu Chundong was the host, probably under Liang Zongcheng’s order to take care of him, so he often approached him voluntarily.
...
Not long after, they arrived at the Money Gang.
In the middle, there was a large martial stage, with a big canopy set beside it, and in the center stood a Grand Master’s chair.
Many gang members in matching attire stood guard around the canopy to prevent others from getting near.
By now, quite a few people had already gathered around the stage.
The Money Gang didn’t seem to intend on maintaining order, allowing anyone with the ability to stand at the front.
Chen Ming and his group wore plain clothes, walked straight over, and squeezed out the people originally standing at the front, who could only step aside in silent anger.
Seeing that the main event had yet to begin, he boredly asked Qiu Chundong next to him, "Have you seen what Miss Xia looks like?"
Qiu Chundong replied, "How could I be that fortunate to see her? This lady is rarely seen, she handles Money Gang affairs through a few personal maids. I’ve only heard rumors of her beauty. It wasn’t until her name appeared on the List of Unparalleled Beauties that we knew she had such goddess-like beauty."
He wondered, "She rarely appears, seemingly avoiding trouble due to her looks. How did the World’s First Pavilion know she was so gorgeous and put her on the List of Unparalleled Beauties?"
Qiu Chundong naturally replied, "That’s the World’s First Pavilion; what could possibly be hidden from them?"
Chen Ming wanted to ask more but then heard a commotion in the crowd, "It’s starting."
He looked up and saw a middle-aged man with an imposing demeanor stepping out, followed by several others, all exuding extraordinary auras.
The middle-aged man was very handsome, most likely the Gang Master of the Money Gang, Xia Shaowen.
He walked to the front of the stage and spoke in a loud voice, "Thank you all for honoring us with your presence. I, Xia, have set up this stage to find a worthy son-in-law for my daughter. Anyone under thirty may step onto the stage and give it a try."
At this moment, someone from the crowd shouted, "Gang Master Xia, since it is for your daughter’s matchmaking, why not let her come out so everyone can see her unparalleled beauty?"
This suggestion naturally drew support from many bystanders.
Xia Shaowen didn’t get angry, saying, "My daughter is quite shy and won’t come out. She is watching from upstairs; she will take note of everyone’s performance. Who wants to be the first to step onto the stage?"
As soon as he finished speaking, someone shouted, "I will!" "I will."
Two people almost simultaneously leaped onto the stage, showing exceptional body techniques, both Fourth Grade in cultivation and appearing quite young.
These two stated their backgrounds, both coming from a county within Xiazhou.
Next, the two began to fight.
After watching for a while, Chen Ming’s attention shifted elsewhere, scanning the crowd, and quickly spotted Gu Yuyin, holding hands with another young girl, looking very close, alongside a heroic young man.
The young man seemed to sense his gaze and looked over.
Their eyes met in mid-air, and Chen Ming gave a slight nod.
At this moment, Gu Yuyin also noticed his gaze, whispered something to the young man, who also nodded friendly.
Chen Ming was a bit surprised, not expecting Gu Yuyin’s cousin to be so friendly.
Then, he also noticed the "Peerless Young Master," standing out like a crane among chickens, being the center of everyone’s attention.
After looking around, he had a general sense and continued watching the match on stage.
A moment later, the fight ended.
Below, some cheered, while others sighed.
...
Next, people kept stepping onto the stage.
After several matches, Chen Ming found it odd and asked Qiu Chundong beside him, "Why haven’t those Third-Grade experts taken action yet?"
Qiu Chundong whispered, "The young lady hasn’t arrived yet. Who would they be showcasing for if they acted now?"
"How do you know she hasn’t arrived?"
"She has two close maids. Wherever those maids are, so is she. For now, neither of those maids have been seen."
"Ah, I see."
Indeed, although this was a martial arts tournament for marriage, the final decision still depended on the young lady’s intentions. Those Third-Grade experts had their pride and would only take the stage when the main character appeared.
Qiu Chundong continued, "What’s the point of competing? With that Matchless Young Master here, who could surpass him?"
Chen Ming deeply agreed. In terms of looks, everyone here combined couldn’t match that Matchless Young Master’s charm.
Although Gu Xianyu was also quite handsome, he paled in comparison to the Matchless Young Master.
Any woman with eyes would likely choose the Matchless Young Master.
From Chen Ming’s viewpoint, this tournament for marriage seemed a bit random in its rules.
Those on stage could go down and rest after winning two consecutive matches, while other pairs would continue fighting. Those eliminated naturally wouldn’t have the face to step up again.
The advantage was that those who were self-aware of lacking strength wouldn’t dare step up.
The downside was that those who stepped onto the stage too early might exhaust themselves greatly and won’t have another chance to step up later.
With this format, if a powerful expert came and displayed dominating strength by winning several matches on the stage, it would be an instant conclusion.
As Chen Ming pondered, he suddenly heard Qiu Chundong say beside him, "The Wan Family’s person is stepping up."
He looked up to see a young man in his twenties wielding a Treasure Sword, looking handsome and elegant.
Without the Matchless Young Master here, his looks and demeanor would be considered foremost.
Wan Boliang, Fourth-Grade cultivation, ranked second on Xiazhou’s Cyan Cloud Ranking, only twenty-two years old—a truly outstanding talent.
Unfortunately, he encountered the Matchless Young Master, a Third-Grade expert not yet twenty-five. All his brilliance was overshadowed.
Moreover, this life seemed destined to forever remain under the shadow of the Matchless Young Master. Imagining such a perspective was indeed pitiful.
Soon, Wan Boliang made his move; his swordsmanship was indeed remarkable. In less than ten moves, he had the opponent beaten and in disarray.
Given his age, such talent promised an unlimited future.
No wonder Liang Zongcheng summoned all the eligible Fourth-Grade Patrol Envoys in Xiazhou to stop Wan Boliang.
If Chen Ming were Xia Shaowen, he too would choose between the Matchless Young Master and Wan Boliang. In fact, he might lean more towards Wan Boliang.
The issue with the Matchless Young Master is that he is too exceptional—such a person will soon transcend the mundane world. Those who cannot keep up will be left further and further behind.
"Brother Gu, do you have confidence?"
Suddenly, Qiu Chundong asked solemnly.
At this time, after winning, Wan Boliang stood on the stage proudly. For a while, no one dared to step up.
Chen Ming shook his head.
He had no intention of being Liang Zongcheng’s pawn.
...
Seeing that no one has stepped onto the stage for quite some time.
Finally, a Fifth-Grade Patrol Envoy reluctantly stepped up but was defeated outside of twenty moves.
This person’s strength should be among the best of the twenty-plus individuals, but unfortunately, they still lost.
After Wan Boliang defeated two opponents consecutively, he proudly stepped off the stage.
Chen Ming noticed Qiu Chundong’s face was grim; having failed to complete the task of stopping Wan Boliang, he was sure to be scolded upon returning.
Next, it seemed they wouldn’t have the opportunity to perform.
There were still over a dozen Third-Grade individuals waiting to go on.
Suddenly, Chen Ming noticed on the second floor two extremely beautiful maids stepping out and standing at the window, looking down.
A commotion arose among the crowd below with people saying, "She’s here!" "Finally here."
His heart stirred; he knew the "Rich and Noble Flower" had arrived. Looking intently, unfortunately, a curtain hung from the second floor, only allowing a hazy glimpse of a graceful silhouette.
"Hahaha, finally my turn, who will fight me?"
A tall man ascended the stage, his voice booming like a bell, his aura wild and rampant, terrifying as Gang Yuan exploded, creating an incredibly shocking momentum.
Third-Grade!
Finally, the real drama began.
"I will!"
Chen Ming shouted aloud, drawing countless focused gazes.
