Ouyang Yu also frowned. He frowned not because Xiao Chen had condensed an Immortal's Sword which could ward off the cold frost, but because he felt from the bottom of his heart that his opponent was better than he was, although he did not like to admit it. His sword whizzed through the air, aiming between his opponent's brows.
Xiao Chen leapt back several meters and flicked the Immortal's Sword in his hand upward, warding off the stroke. The Immortal's Sword he had condensed out using his Mystic Cyan Skills could not last long. He needed to defeat his opponent quickly. Ouyang Yu drew back Cold Frost and realized that a flying sword assault was of no use. He turned and made a sword gesture with his left hand. With his right, he brought his sword forward to stab. Suddenly, he was flicking and lifting the blade. Although his sword strokes seemed frantic, it had its own set of rules. Almost immediately, he blocked off Xiao Chen's escape routes at both sides.
Every sword stabbed out was accompanied by the sound of wind and snow, leaving behind streaks of shadow. Ouyang Yu started to execute his strokes with greater rapidity. Most people could no longer see them clearly; they felt as if snow and wind were swirling in the air, and every splinter or flurry seemed an extremely vicious Sword Qi. Although Xiao Chen's condensed Immortal's Sword could parry off Cold Frost, it could not ward off the impenetrable Sword Qi.
Below, many were already nodding to themselves. "The sword skills of the Skygale Sect are indeed unique and powerful."
"The reason why I master this Fierce Wind and Flying Snow skill was because Ah Xue enjoys a snow scene! Have you ever understood her?" Ouyang Yu had already regarded Xiao Chen as his rival in love. Before he had finished his words, his sword had stabbed out.
Xiao Chen was momentarily distracted. His arm was grazed. Liu Fenghuang knitted her brows and yelled, "Go all the way, Junior Brother Han!" Liu Yunzheng beside her said in a deep voice, "Don't distract him! He is memorizing the other man's sword strokes!"
Suddenly, Xiao Chen flicked the Immortal's Sword in his hand upward and struck off the Cold Frost Sword. Quickly afterward, the sword shadow multiplied into three, warding off the Sword Qi assault from both sides. Ouyang Yu's heart sank. "Has he seen through my moves?"
Xiao Chen's sword pierced forward and deftly avoided the other man's attack. Then, he turned the stab into an upward flick. With a loud whizz, he left a grazing wound on Ouyang Yu's shoulder. Astonished gasps resounded from under the platform. "He has managed to break through such impenetrable sword moves!"
It was not over yet. After that upward flick, Xiao Chen immediately switched the sword into his left hand. With another whizz, Ouyang Yu's other shoulder was also grazed. Following that, Xiao Chen kept changing his sword skills. It was more deft and ingenious than Ouyang Yu's impenetrable sword moves. None of his sword stabs were false strokes; every one landed on his opponent's body.
The audience below cried and gasped unceasingly. They had never before witnessed such wondrous sword skills. Soon, a dozen gashes appeared on Ouyang Yu's body. These were his final two strokes: one, an upward flick sending Cold Frost from his hand into the air; the other, the sword inching a few centimeters before the latter's throat, before the man could react.
At this moment, had Xiao Chen exhaled his True Energy and sent Sword Qi streaking forward, the man would be dead. Ouyang Yu gave a sigh. He regretted having pitted his sword skills against Xiao Chen's. No matter what, he was no match to him in the sword. Although he did not want to, he had to admit, "I have lost."
Clamorous cheers broke out from under the platform. Amid the cheers, Ouyang Yu recalled his Cold Frost Sword from the distance. His lonely figure retreated, his back disappearing into the crowds.
Yu Wenji also got up and exclaimed about the wonderful performance. Not only did Xiao Chen win, it also meant victory for the day. Following that, they needed only one win out of the next two rounds.
Watching the lonely silhoeutte disappear into the crowds, Xiao Chen put away his Immortal's Sword. Fresh blood dripped out from his arm.
Liu Fenghuang instantly soared up to the platform and rolled up his sleeve. She discovered seven or eight sword gashes on his arm and gasped in shock. "You are wounded!"
Xiao Chen shook his head. "I'm fine." His heart was still recalling Ouyang Yu's words. He had never understood Li Muxue, just like he did not bother to understand Flower Yet-ending in the past.
The first day of the competition was over. Xiao Chen fought four men alone and turned the tide. He won for himself instant fame, across the streets and alleys of White Cloud City. Even small children composed catchy tunes after him.
In the evening, the Zhou Emperor, Yu Wenji, held a victory banquet to celebrate their first triumph. Even sects which had not participated in today's duels congregrated in his palace. Many Sect Leaders toasted Liu Yunzheng to congratulate him. Such an outstanding talent had emerged from his Teal Jade Sect. They would surely be highly regarded by the Zhou State. All of them had to ingratiate and play up to him. Only the Penglai Islanders looked unhappy.
In the palace, the fragrance of good wine permeated as pipes and strings played melodies together. A dozen beautiful dancers stood in the center performing a dance. Songs and dance went on unabated. Over at Xiao Chen's side, a few dancers handpicked by Yu Wenji were urging him to drink. Soon, Xiao Chen was tipsy.
When the songs and dance ended, Yu Wenji said delightedly, "Young Master Han is truly a talent of our great Zhou State. I wonder what request you have?" He wanted to reward Xiao Chen for turning the tide today, and also spur the other sects to greater glory through this.
Xiao Chen pushed aside the wine vessel brought to him by a dancer and got up unsteadily. "Your... your Majesty! I do have a request you could grant."
Everyone was a little surprised. Mere courtesy made the Zhou Emperor mention a reward before the company. But Xiao Chen was just a little disrespectful to urge a reward before everyone. Hopefully, his request would not go too far.
Yu Wenji laughed and said, "Speak up, Young Master Han. I can agree to anything." He said this to show his generosity and to remind him not to ask for anything excessive.
Liu Yunzheng vaguely realized something and whispered, "Sit down, Han Chen! Don't be disrespectful!" Xiao Chen seemed not to have heard. He eyed Luo Shangyan sitting beside Yu Wenmu and saw her lowering her head and was silent. He spoke up loudly. "I beg Your Majesty to play the matchmaker and marry Miss Luo to me!"
His words shocked everyone in the palace. Even the instrument players were stupefied and put down their instruments. The smile on Yu Wenji's slowly froze. Liu Yunzheng stood up. "Han Chen! Stop your nonsense! After the Immortals League Competition, I will pass the divine zither over to you! Sit down, quick!"
"Please give us your blessings!" Xiao Chen ignored Liu Yunzheng and spoke out again.
This time, even Luo Shangyan had raised her head. Liu Fenghuang, on the other hand, bowed hers down, a grieved expression flashing across her face. Chu Lingjiao knitted her brows tightly, the look in her eyes turning colder and colder.
Everyone cast a look at the Third Prince, Yu Wenmu, sitting in a secondary seat at the front. Although he had not officially proposed a marriage to the Teal Jade Sect, their relationship was long known throughout the Zhou State. Right now, he smiled lightly and asked, "Is Young Master Han drunk?"
"I'm not!" Xiao Chen waved his robe sleeve with a downward flick and stared coldly at him. "Senior Sister Luo has never... " Before he had finished, Liu Yunzheng bellowed out at Liu Fenghuang. "Your Junior Brother is drunk! Send him back to rest!"
Before Xiao Chen could speak again, Chu Lingjiao had inched to his side. "You are drunk. I'll bring you back for a rest." Then, she pulled him out of the palace hall.
Back at the lodge, Chu Lingjiao gave him a forceful push into his room and shut its door and windows with a loud thud. She said coldly, "What do you mean by this?"
Xiao Chen had had too much to drink. His brain was already inebriated and falling into a swoon. He placed his head squarely on the bed and said no more. He was thinking just now: as long as he could prevent the marriage of Luo Shangyan and Yu Wenmu, he would not need to run from the Zhou State, or implicate the Teal Jade Sect. Why was he so concerned now about the sect... ?
Chu Lingjiao snorted coldly. "You will only alert them unwisely! Just two more days! You'd better not make any more errors!" With that, she whisked her sleeve and left. She was very angry. It had been a settled deal. Xiao Chen's act made her feel betrayed.
Xiao Chen stared quietly at the ornamental carvings of the ceiling. The words of Luo Shangyan that day resounded in his ears again. "And you, what can you give me instead...?"
Over at the palace, Yu Wenmu was pacing here and there in his room after the banquet. He was livid. "He is too puffed up with success!"
Xuanyue smiled quietly. "Why are you so angry? Father hasn't agreed to his request." Yu Wenmu answered, "But... there were so many people today! He said that before such a big company... "
"Alright, you'd better calm down. I will take care of the rest."
The following day, Xiao Chen slept until late noon. For the past few days, Liu Fenghuang would wake him up in the early morning. She did not come today.
After rinsing his mouth and a wash-up, he saw the shadows slanting. It was already one. This was the day when Gu Hanxuan and Chu Lingjiao would step out to fight. There would even be Core Forming Realm Cultivators on the platform from the Qing State. He wondered about the situation at the Teal Jade Sect. Xiao Chen changed into another attire and went out of the palace, heading toward Wind Floating Platform.
Today, the Zhou State had lost consecutive duels and not won. Even the two disciples from Penglai Island had lost. Yu Wenji looked absolutely miserable. Xiao Chen saw Liu Fenghuang in the crowd and cried out to her, "Senior Sister Liu!"
Liu Fenghuang acted as if she did not hear and tried disappearing into the crowds. Xiao Chen pushed his way through and grabbed hold of her. "Why didn't you answer me? Have you seen Senior Sister Chu?" He knew Chu Lingjiao should be competing today but did not see her despite searching the entire place.
Liu Fenghuang turned her head back and forced a smile. She seemed to be hiding something. "Junior Brother Han... Senior Sister Chu... I haven't seen her today either."
Xiao Chen saw her strange look and asked, "Why didn't you come and wake me today?" Liu Fenghuang hummed and hawed. "Oh... I thought you were already here."
Xiao Chen did not pursue the matter. After a long while, Liu Fenghuang lowered her head and then lifted it up again. Finally, she asked in a soft voice, "Do you like Miss Luo?"
"What?" Since there was such a din around them, Xiao Chen did not hear her clearly. Liu Fenghuang gave a smile. "No... nothing!"
Xiao Chen saw that she was behaving extremely strangely today. He was about to ask her about the duel situation when a loud crash sounded in the crowds. Another person from the Zhou State had been hurled down from the Wind Floating Platform. Yu Wenji was the face of misery and sadness. He did not want to watch on.
Xiao Chen focused his eyes and gazed upward. He saw that it was Qian Yeli standing on the platform. The man had a cultivation roughly Lvl 7 Foundation Building Realm. After that, he heard Liu Yunzheng shouting loudly in all directions. "Lingjiao! Where are you?"
Liu Fenghuang dashed over. Liu Yunzheng asked, "Have you seen your Senior Sister Chu?" Xiao Chen too walked over. "I haven't seen her today either."
She would be the next to go. Liu Yunzheng became more and more anxious, even a little angry. He said to the few disciples beside him, "Go and search her out now!"
Gu Hanxuan answered, "I'm afraid it might be too late." He cast a glance at the Wind Floating Platform. The presiding officers were already quite impatient. He had to take part in the next duel and could not stand in for Chu Lingjiao.
The surrounding company all started to talk among themselves. Many cast a look in the Teal Jade Sect's direction. Liu Yunzheng flicked his sleeve. "Ai! She... why has she gone away at this moment?"
Liu Fenghuang said, "Why don't I compete on Senior Sister Chu's behalf?" She was already at Lvl 3 Foundation Building Realm. Although Qian Yeli was already at Lvl 7, he had exerted much during his last few duels. If Liu Fenghuang won this duel, even if she lost later, Chu Lingjiao could still compete the next day.
Liu Yunzheng said, "I'd rather let your Senior Sister Shen go instead!" Liu Fenghuang grinned. "It's alright, Dad. You must believe me!" With these words, she swept a gaze at Xiao Chen from the corners of her eyes. Then, she stayed on no longer and soared up to the Wind Floating Platform.
"I will fight this duel on Senior Sister Chu's behalf!"
Xiao Chen watched her faint figure and felt vaguely that she had fought on Chu Lingjiao's behalf because she preferred not to stay with him. Although Qian Yeli's cultivation was higher, he had exerted too much energy in the last few duels. There should be no problem.
At this moment, a nonchalant voice rang out. "Junior Brother Qianye, you are tired. Go down and take a rest. I shall fight this duel." Before his voice had settled, a figure had landed on the platform.
Xiao Chen was shocked. Bad news! It was Ling Yingfeng, whose cultivation was at the Peak of Lvl 9, Foundation Building Realm. He might even have broken into the Core Forming Realm. Xiao Chen felt that this man's gaze was icy, as if aiming revenge on himself!