Chapter 430 – The Three-Move Duel

Hearing this, Valley Master Nie waved his hand and said with a smile: “Since you’ve come to participate in the martial arts contest for marriage, our Huichun Valley welcomes you all. We at Huichun Valley have never engaged in discrimination—whether you come empty-handed, bring family members, or hail from the northern or southern martial world, as long as you are unmarried and under the age of twenty, any outstanding youth may participate.”

Nonsense, of course—it was all a setup from the beginning. Even if the conditions weren’t met, they would create conditions to get Zhang Xiaohua onto the stage. What’s more, Valley Master Nie was the very one who had set the rules. The contest’s criteria even had a clause at the end: “All rights of final interpretation belong to Huichun Valley,” didn’t it?

Upon hearing this, the elderly man smiled and said: “What Brother Nie says suits me just fine.”

Then, he turned to Young Master Long, who had been coldly observing the scene, and asked: “Young Master Long, do you have any objections?”

Young Master Long shook his head and replied: “What objection could I possibly have? He’s nothing more than a cold appetizer to warm me up. However, I ask Elder Yue and Valley Master Nie to take heed—the day is growing late, and fiercer battles lie ahead. Let this be the final match to determine the qualifications.”

This remark truly hit the mark in Valley Master Nie’s heart. He immediately declared in a loud voice: “Heroes beneath the stage, Young Master Long has fought fiercely all day. This should indeed be the final match to decide the qualifications over the past two months. What say you all?”

Zhang Xiaohua inwardly chuckled—this was clearly said to comfort Young Master Long, but in reality…? Sure enough, the crowd below the stage laughed and replied: “We’ve already accepted Young Master Long’s strength. Better just talk it out with this young newcomer.”

Naturally, Valley Master Nie didn’t need to speak with Zhang Xiaohua. He simply gestured to the old man and then found a place beside the judges to sit down.

The elder stepped forward to stand between Zhang Xiaohua and Young Master Long and said: “This old man is Yue Yan of the Luming Sect. I will serve as the chief adjudicator for this bout. Young Master Long already knows this and needs no further explanation. As for you, Young Master Ren, do you have any objections?”

Zhang Xiaohua quickly cupped his fists and said: “Elder Yue, this junior has no objections.”

“Good. A martial contest for marriage is a joyous affair. On this stage, no one is to be killed. Even injuries should be avoided if possible. Since Young Hero Ren has stepped onto the stage, I trust he is familiar with the rules of Huichun Valley’s arena. I won’t say more. You may begin.”

Yue Yan then returned to the chair on the platform, casting an uneasy glance at Valley Master Nie, who sat there as steady as a mountain. Inwardly, he mused:

“Could it be Little Yu has already returned?”

On the stage, Zhang Xiaohua raised his hand and said: “Young Master Long? Please.”

Young Master Long replied arrogantly: “What weapon will you use? Your longsword seems to be lying on the ground below the stage, no?”

Zhang Xiaohua tapped the platform with his foot and thought with a wry smile, This platform is nothing more than solid wooden planks. It should hold a few dozen people just fine, but bringing the longsword up here… that’s not so easy. He simply smiled and said: “Ah, I actually forgot about that.”

Young Master Long said in a courteous tone: “No matter. Go down and retrieve it. I’ll wait.”

Zhang Xiaohua shrugged and said: “Young Master Long, I heard that once someone steps onto this stage, they’re not allowed to step down. Jumping off is considered an automatic forfeit.”

Young Master Long curled his lip and said: “So you know that much? I thought you were some ignorant bumpkin.”

Then he sneered and said: “Even so, you intend to face my longsword barehanded?”

Zhang Xiaohua shrugged again and said: “Judging from how things are now, that seems to be the only option!”

With a loud “Whoosh!” the crowd beneath the platform burst into laughter again.

Someone even muttered in a low voice, “Has this guy lost his mind? He’s going to face the longsword of the Sword Young Master from Dragon Soaring Sword Manor with his bare hands?”

“Idiot, you clearly don’t get it. This is a tactic! He knows he can’t beat Sword Young Master in swordsmanship, so he tossed his own sword off the stage beforehand. Now that he’s up here and can’t go back down, Young Master—famous throughout the martial world for being a master swordman—wouldn’t stoop to using a sword against an unarmed opponent, right? Isn’t that exactly what the kid was counting on?”

Zhang Xiaohua, overhearing it, felt annoyed: Am I really that calculating? Since when did I become so scheming?

Young Master Long also overheard and found it… convincing. Who throws away their own sword before even stepping on the stage?

But… should he use the longsword or not?

Let’s not mention Young Master Long’s face shifting between light and dark as countless thoughts stirred within.

Zhang Xiaohua smiled again and said: “Young Master Long, you’ve already fought multiple bouts on this platform today—surely you must be tired by now. Why don’t we come up with a simple method, resolve this in just a few moves? That way, it benefits you, benefits me, and benefits everyone watching.”

Young Master Long was quite tempted upon hearing this. To be honest, if he weren’t standing on the stage, bound by his reputation, he would’ve jumped up and cursed already: “What kind of stunt are you pulling? I’ve been fighting all day, defeated everyone worth defeating, and just when the count’s about done—you show up? Where were you earlier?”

But alas, wasn’t he known throughout the martial world as the Young Master Jian(Sword)? Face was more important than anything. Even though he had used every trick in the book to defeat his opponents, he couldn’t afford to lose composure in front of this young boy. After a moment’s thought, Young Master Long casually tossed the longsword in his hand aside. The treasured blade soared through the air like a swimming dragon, drawing a graceful arc before landing neatly beside Zhang Xiaohua’s rather unsightly sword blank, now standing together in a row.

Cheers immediately erupted from the crowd below: “Young Master Jian! Young Master Jian!”

Even Valley Master Nie, seated atop the platform, was all smiles. Everyone assumed the smiling Valley Master was applauding Young Master Long’s chivalry—but who would’ve known what he was really thinking? “Little Yu’s judgment is as sharp as ever. What was that saying? ‘Birds of a feather flock together.’ If Little Yu is this clever, how could the one she favors be a fool? This boy had Young Master Long outmaneuvered before even stepping onto the stage—actually tricked him into tossing away his greatest strength, the longsword! Impressive, truly impressive. If this lad doesn’t win, there’s simply no justice in this world.”

Seeing Valley Master Nie’s beaming smile, Young Master Long’s confidence soared. This sword toss was worth it—earned me no small amount of favor with the crowd!

Now, hearing Zhang Xiaohua suggest such a course of action, he felt even more assured. What’s this called? This is called ‘Heaven smiling upon me’! I’d already planned to finish things quickly, and now this brat is even saying exactly what I wanted to hear. If this isn’t the heavens paving my way to victory, what else could it be?

Young Master Long gave Zhang Xiaohua a once-over and smiled faintly. “Little brother, your frame is rather slender. Very well. I, too, have some small reputation in the martial world—how could I take the slightest advantage of you? I’ll go along with your suggestion.”

Zhang Xiaohua cupped his hands. “That’s excellent. Then I’ll trouble Young Master to clarify—shall it be fist against fist, or kick against kick? I’ve not had many chances to spar with others, and I’m not too familiar with the rules.”

Young Master Long quickly waved his hand with the air of a seasoned expert, his tone warm and gracious. “No need for that, little brother. Since we’re doing it your way, then let it stay your way from start to finish. Whether it’s a contest of words or a clash of arms, I, Long, shall accompany you with all I’ve got.”

In an instant, countless thumbs shot up from the crowd below!

Zhang Xiaohua thought for a moment, then said: “How about this, Young Master Long? When I’ve gambled in fights with others before, we’d settle things with three moves. We’ll take turns striking each other—three moves each. You strike first, I won’t retaliate. Then I strike, and you don’t strike back. Whoever can’t withstand it first within three rounds loses. What do you think?”

“This?!” Young Master Long was secretly overjoyed.

Even Valley Master Nie, beside the platfor,m was stunned. He had thought that after Zhang Xiaohua got on stage and forced Young Master Long to abandon his sword, he would challenge him in unarmed combat, using his superior qinggong to gradually wear Long down, especially since Young Master Long had fought many matches already and was likely depleted of inner strength. But now Zhang Xiaohua had proposed a swift duel—and what’s more, one where the opponent got the first move. Wasn’t that unbelievably foolish?

“This youth seems both brave and clever, perhaps he has something else in mind.” Valley Master Nie had no choice but to think this way. But then, a chill ran through his heart as a sudden thought struck him: “Though Dragon Soaring Sword Manor is famed for swordplay, and their sword techniques are indeed superb, the manor also possesses a rarely-known inner cultivation method called the Dragon Soaring Heart Method. Disciples who train in it gain incredibly dense inner strength, and once unleashed, it bears the might of a dragon soaring through the heavens. Aiyo… this Young Hero Ren may have planned everything down to the last detail, but perhaps he forgot—or never knew—about this heart method…”

Valley Master Nie couldn’t help but feel a little anxious.

Just then, the sound of galloping hooves came again from the entrance of Spring Rebirth Valley. Everyone looked up, and sure enough, it was three women riding forward, followed by several disciples of Spring Rebirth Valley.

Needless to say, those three women were undoubtedly the three young ladies of Spring Rebirth Valley.

Instinctively, the crowd below the stage all stood up. Of course—they had all been competing here for over two months, and wasn’t it all for the chance to marry one of the three ladies? Now that the real leading lady had appeared, who wouldn’t be stirred?

Moreover, the matchmaking contest on the arena had been going on for more than two months. Every three days, a victor earned the final qualification, and now nearly twenty young talents were waiting for the last elimination. Yet, during these two months, the Nie family’s third young lady had never appeared. Even when the crowd repeatedly requested to see her, Master Nie always made excuses to avoid it, which made everyone suspicious. Now, seeing Miss Nie finally appear at the last qualifying match, their doubts were greatly dispelled.

However, once the crowd caught sight of Nie Qianyu’s appearance, an unspoken thought rose in many hearts: “Doesn’t quite live up to the name.” Setting aside that Nie Qianyu’s skin was not particularly fair nor were her features especially outstanding, her figure didn’t even look like that of a sixteen-year-old. This made most of those who hadn’t made it to the final elimination secretly relieved: “Good thing I didn’t make it that far. This girl doesn’t seem as beautiful as the rumors said—she’s quite a bit behind her two older sisters. Well, if I lost, then I lost; no big deal.”

The other twenty or so qualified contestants thought instead: “That Old Nie actually dared to deceive us, claiming his daughter was a flawless beauty. Just look at her—she’s nothing like what one would call a beauty at all.”

P.S.: Here’s an explanation for why Zhang Xiaohua looks about fourteen or fifteen years old. Heavenly thunder can generate the Yuan Qi of heaven and earth, and contained within that thunder is a kind of vitality—the power of life. Zhang Xiaohua absorbed the thunder into his body, and this life force followed, entering a mysterious spot behind his brain. He spent nearly four years on a deserted island, mostly drawing on thunder. Under the effect of this life force, his appearance remained frozen as it was four years ago. After returning to the mainland, his growth returned to normal. As for Xiaohua’s lifespan, other effects of this life force, and the mysterious spot—do I really need to explain? Heh, you’ll see, slowly.