Chapter 114

Mercifully, these five characters did not hinder her participation in the Bride’s Blade Challenge the following day.

After all, the Leader of the Martial Arts Alliance sought the Valley of Villains’ “Strategist”, not a bona fide son-in-law. So, age, appearance – none of these had been placed as restrictions.

Those several individuals who had mocked Chen Shu the previous day, upon seeing her still show up below the competition ring, were unavoidably and greatly disappointed.

But this time, the venue wasn’t limited to competitors; hordes of ordinary folk, drawn merely by the spectacle, pressed in ring upon ring until the arena was packed to the brim. Thus, how could Chen Shu even spot those two or three “young nobles”? Occupied solely with clasping the hands of Yun Shen and He Yu tightly for fear of separation, losing her own “Strategist”—she couldn’t spare attention for anything else. The chatter fell on deaf ears altogether.

With so many people, and unlike the Sword Discussion Tournament with its layered sorting processes that would span half a month—this event must conclude in a single day, on a competition ring so small it became indistinct from the outer rings.

Moreover, the participants were uneven in quality. As no restrictions had been set beyond screening out unscrupulous wastrels who dared attempt entry despite having wives, by the time the Leader of the Martial Arts Alliance, Xu Yuan, led his daughter onto the pavilion upstairs—she was clad in her bridal robes, face concealed by a wedding veil—and leaned on the balustrade to look down, the excited mass of contenders below could scarcely contain their fervor. They shouted loudly, wishing desperately for the girl to set her eyes on them that instant and render the tournament unnecessary.

Among them were not only the two or three young nobles who had mocked Chen Shu, but also some wholly unprincipled ruffians.

It must be said, those noble scions of esteemed families had at least dabbled in a move or two; even if it were mere surface-level moves, once on stage, they at least knew how to assume stances. But those wanton idlers who loitered perpetually in the brothel districts? They possessed no such competence. They likely signed up merely to join the fray, holding scant hope originally. Yet when the Leader emerged with his veiled daughter in wedding attire, simply imagining the girl’s fine figure beneath the robes drove these crude men utterly beyond the bounds of propriety.

Chen Shu also raised her head with the crowd and gazed through the carved balustrade at the prospective Bride. The Leader shielded most of the young woman’s form, seemingly in protection, but the girl stood ramrod straight. Indeed, she wasn’t relying wholly on Xu Yuan’s guidance; while he spoke, she took two steps closer to the railing. With a slight gesture, she lifted a corner of her veil to peer downward.

At this glance, the uproar below intensified. Beyond the previous wavers and shouters, some now yelled in eerie cries, directing what could only be described as lustful stares, trying to peer beneath the partially raised veil.

However, no matter how much the onlookers strained on tiptoe, this maiden revealed only a flash of fair neck and a fraction of her chin. The rest remained hidden behind the deep crimson veil, utterly indistinct.

Chen Shu stared, her thoughts drifting for a moment, until Yun Shen tugged irritably at her sleeve as she tried to edge forward: “Curiosity is fine, but curb it somewhat. Don’t draw undue notice.”

“I’m not curious! Well… fine, I am, but not about what she looks like,” Chen Shu turned back, her expression serious. “I’m curious… because I feel certain I’ve seen her someplace before.”

As they spoke, Xu Yuan above them finished his address—little more than bland encouragement to the contestants, promising various boons, of course. Besides the Bride, whose bearing alone marked her as extraordinary, there was one most vital treasure.

—That sword.

Other than Chen Shu and her two accomplices, who had prior knowledge, most of the others had only heard of this item through the whispers and hearsay.

Since it was hearsay, naturally its existence couldn’t be confirmed. But within the jianghu—the realm of martial artists—rumor and reality, the relentless quest for fame and fortune were never scarce.

Therefore, among the crowd downstairs, many had not come seeking marriage but rather for this legendary sword.

Upon hearing Xu Yuan’s promise, these individuals were naturally thrilled, while those who had originally come for matrimony, now discovering unexpected prizes, grew even more excited.

Thus, the small arena grew increasingly chaotic. Many scrambled onto the competition ring, seemingly afraid that a moment’s delay would cost them a spot. This hastily organized contest had no rules, nor was it clear who should compete first, plunging everything into a tangled mess.

The Leader of the Martial Arts Alliance, of course, did not descend downstairs himself; he escorted the young lady into the building to watch the proceedings, sending only two or three Martial World Alliance bailiffs to struggle and restore order.

Finally, after Xu Yuan left, the troublemakers regained their composure. One bailiff climbed onto the makeshift platform and shouted at the crowd below, barely managing to steady the scene.

This bailiff, his own robe still disheveled, proceeded to point people onto the ring one by one. The two he randomly pointed to near the front, overjoyed, hastily ascended while shooing away everyone else.

And so, the clamorous “Bride’s Blade Challenge” finally began.

It was merely a crude sparring match. The victor stayed; the defeated voluntarily withdrew. Had it not been for capturing people, even the prior day’s registration would have been unnecessary. After the first two contestants sparred, a third came, then a fourth. With the Leader gone and the onlookers thinning, it was no longer as chaotic as before.

But Chen Shu had been on the fringes of the crowd. She wasn’t unable to push forward; she simply feared being recognized and disrupting the contest — for if she participated, who could ever best her?

The crowd ahead was thick. Each time one person ascended, the next was roughly pushed down. Thus, even after watching several contestants lose over a full hour, she had yet to reach the front, content only to stand on tiptoes and scan the fighters for any sign of the fleeing “Strategist” from the Valley of Villains.

After several matches, the ruffians who had caused the commotion earlier, seeing no advantage to be gained, began drifting away. Those who remained were mostly earnest suitors or spectators like He Yu and Chen Shu.

Yun Shen, however, suffered. Disinclined toward spectating, he endured Chen Shu’s “coercion and persuasion,” letting her cling to his arm as he strained to lift “the short-statured” Chen Shu higher for a clear view of the ring.

Since it was a contest, occasional injuries and bloodshed upon the stage were unavoidable.

Given the mixed nature of the participants — some having never faced real combat — as soon as the early displays of flashy but weak boxing gave way to one or two who could break bones and limbs, the surging tide of eager aspirants halted. Those pushing from behind stopped forcing them forward, and some near the forefront even experienced a “wise retreat.”

Chen Shu didn’t even need to push forward anymore. As soon as she jumped down from Yun Shen, and the others drew back, she stood revealed in the space they left. Coincidentally, another match ended; someone, screaming, was helped off. A Martial World Alliance bailiff clambered up and, upon surveying the scene, likely mistook her volunteered advancement when he pointed carelessly and beckoned her onto the ring.

Chen Shu was bewildered. How could the once-jostling mass grow so faint-hearted at a little blood? Hesitating momentarily, unable to step forward, she instinctively turned back as she walked, casting a glance toward Yun Shen and He Yu.

Yun Shen wore a light expression, a slight furrow in his brow, his gaze flickering with what seemed concern but notably refraining from any urging words. He Yu, however, seeing her hesitate, advised with a laugh:

“But you’ve already competed… why shy away now?”

Chen Shu froze, then snapped back. The faintest traces of uncertainty instantly vanished.

Muttering an “Oh, right…” to herself, she flicked her long hair, took a few brisk steps, and leaped onto the ring to face a long-bearded man who had already cut down several opponents.

Accustomed to the formalities of the Sword Discussion Tournament, Chen Shu stood upright expectantly, waiting for a starting bell or call that never came. She simply stood facing him, smiling brightly, oblivious to the Martial Alliance Bailiff who had swiftly vacated the ring the moment she stepped on.

Her opponent, however, gripping a blood-dripping scimitar, didn’t return her smile. Silent and grim, he charged directly at her.

In that instant, before she could even dodge, the spectators behind her — already spooked by the earlier bleeding — recoiled in panic, scrambling backward. As Chen Shu stood motionless on the ring, the crowd below pulled back in perfect unison, leaving a comically large, empty half-moon gap behind her.

Perhaps mistaking her stillness for paralysis, her attacker’s face flickered with a hint of triumph as if victory was assured, ready for the next challenger. It wasn’t until he closed in, face-to-face, and Chen Shu didn’t even blink, that a delayed sense of wrongness finally dawned on him.

But it was too late.

All Chen Shu did was lightly move her arm. Then, a flick of her wrist sent two fingers straight at the blade sweeping toward her. Using less than half her strength, she pinched the steel — halting his charge. But first, with those slender digits, she wiped the bloody blade clean.

Up close, his frozen smile hadn’t fully faded when he witnessed the swift clean flick of her fingers mar his prized weapon. His expression twisted before her eyes — triumph morphing into stark terror —

Only he, this close, could see Chen Shu’s seemingly effortless wipe didn’t just clean the blood. It curled the very edge of his cherished scimitar!

Before the crowd below grasped what happened, the man recoiled in horror. Stumbling back several steps, he pulled the scimitar away, his face a mask of incredulous dread.

The spectators, having recoiled fearfully earlier, hadn’t gotten a close look at the exchange. All they saw was the ferocious attacker suddenly switch from offense to defense in the blink of an eye. With many view obscured by the crowd, fresh ripples of confusion and commotion spread through the mass.

A shove here, a shout there — some dared to try pressing forward again for a better look. The clamor resumed.

But, when the upheaval erupted, Chen Shu also sprang into action.

Chasing the man retreating to the other side of the competition ring, she stopped using just two fingers. Instead, she grabbed with her entire palm, clutching this man who still tried to back away and steady himself, then yanked him towards her.

Finally, as if catching prey, Chen Shu pulled the two close again, seeing the sheer terror written all over his face.

Her dark, gleaming eyes fixed tightly on him. Right as he was about to open his mouth to concede defeat, she spoke first.

“—Are you the ‘strategist’ who fled from the Valley of Villains?”

“…Huh?”