Chapter 71
The Wulin conference would be officially held in half a month, yet nearly all the participating sects had already arrived . Kunlun Mountain was full of people .
There were many people in the Wulin . Naturally, many things were related to martial arts .
The conference would last for a whole month . After the official opening, a challenge arena would be set up on the Kunlun Mountain for disciples of different sects to compete in martial arts . At the same time, all the conference participants would watch and have the opportunity to compete in the arena .
Almost every session of the conference had one or two people famous for their outstanding performance . Back in the day, Elder Lan Fang was famous for his combats with the Longyin sword, and the whole Yuehua Sect burned their hands as they felt the heat . At present, the conference had still not officially started, but every afternoon, a challenge arena was erected at the foot of the mountain for anyone who wished to compete . It was a good warmup for the beginning of the conference .
Some ambitious young children would go to the challenge arena to participate or watch the battles each day . Although it was no better than the formal challenge arena, participants could still be well-known for their outstanding performances . It was a good opportunity to learn about other fighters, as well . Some tried their best to defeat their competitors and become famous as soon as possible, while others hid their strengths until the Wulin Conference began . No matter the intent, the challenge arena was certainly lively .
Han Changsheng and An Yuan would go to the challenge arena to watch and request the news . An Yuan was very interested in all the martial arts of the world . He wanted to open his eyes and try out his skills . In contrast, Han Changsheng’s thoughts were more complicated . He believed he needed to work hard to pave the way for An Yuan . It was undoubtedly a good opportunity for An Yuan to stand out .
That afternoon, Han Changsheng and An Yuan went to the challenge arena .
They had several contests in the past few days . Han Changsheng and An Yuan weren’t at the same level they were a few months earlier . Their martial arts were rapidly advancing . Most of the people who went to the challenge arena were ordinary disciples . The headmasters, elders, and others of some repute naturally wouldn’t show up at the challenge arena for the price of their social status .
The famous experts wouldn’t show their skills until the Wulin Conference officially began . Therefore, there weren’t many experts in the early stage of the challenge arena . Han Changsheng and An Yuan would win every battle easily . Almost every match could be won within five moves . They’d be famous just by battling .
During the contest, Han Changsheng and An Yuan refused to show their true faces . They disguised themselves with masks, acting all mysterious, and refused to reveal their sect’s origin . Many people claimed they dressed as God but played the devil, but it couldn’t be denied that even if they dressed as God and played the devil, it would just draw more attention to them . Some even called them the masked double heroes .
In the challenge arena, a young disciple fighting with a long spear had won five games in a row . Many people gathered to watch the battle, cheering one after another . The fighter was a disciple of the Ceyi sect, a renowned spear sect in the Jianghu . His strength was extraordinary, and his skills were like moving clouds and flowing water . The disciples who fought against him most often didn’t hold up for more than seven moves before his long spear swept them away .
Han Changsheng and An Yuan attended the challenge arena for several days . The spearman was the most powerful opponent they’d seen .
The Tianning Cult was proficient in 18 kinds of martial arts . Although Han Changsheng specialized in swordsmanship, as the leader of the Tianning, he’d researched other weapons, too . The spearman’s Kung Fu was outstanding among the young disciples . However, he was just a mid-tier expert . If he and An Yuan fought, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to win .
Another disciple came to the stage to challenge him . His level was also good, and they fought for nearly ten rounds . The spearman’s head only reached the disciple’s chest . By the end of the day, the man gave in and jumped off the stage .
The host called, “Is there anyone else who wants to challenge?”
There was a commotion, but after a while, no one stepped up to the arena . Some people knew that they weren’t the spearman’s opponents, so even if they were itchy to fight, they didn’t want to lose face onstage . Others thought highly of themselves and didn’t want to expose their skills yet . They were still waiting for the ideal opportunity to begin .
An Yuan was a little excited . After learning martial arts with Han Changsheng for so long, he hadn’t had the chance to compete with others until he came to Kunlun Mountain . When he saw an expert, his eyes brightened . He didn’t care much about the outcome .
However, Han Changsheng placed a lot of restrictions on him . He didn’t want to let him do too much . He was allowed to play only one or two matches a day . As long as he could win a beautiful game, it was enough . No matter how many people challenged him next, Han Changsheng wouldn’t let him fight again .
If he wanted to boost An Yuan’s reputation, he had to create a sense of mystery around him . An Yuan’s martial arts were indeed excellent, but presently they were likely not startling or amazing to everyone . Therefore, he only let An Yuan play a few key games, and no more . That way, others knew that An Yuan was powerful, but not how powerful he was . Naturally, his value and intrigue only rose .
An Yuan felt for his sword, and Han Changsheng held down his hand . “Not so fast, it’s not time for you to compete today . ”
Skillfully, An Yuan said, “I just want to fight him . ”
“You may not be able to take this man in three moves,” Han Changsheng said, “Let’s take a look first . ”
Although An Yuan was dissatisfied, he didn’t want to have a fight with Han Changsheng there, so he gave up .
No one dared to challenge the spearman . Some people noticed Han Changsheng and An Yuan wandering in the crowd . Loudly, they shouted, “This guy’s spear skills are so good, I don’t know how the masked double swordsmen could take him . ”
“The double masked swordsmen are here!”
“Double masked heroes, hurry up, and go to the stage!”
“Masked double heroes! Masked double heroes!”
Hearing the noise of the crowd getting louder and louder, An Yuan squinted excitedly, eager to go on stage for a try . Han Changsheng frowned and thought . Suddenly, he pressed An Yuan’s shoulder and said, “Wait here first . ” Then, he jumped onto the stage .
An Yuan didn’t expect Han Changsheng to go compete in person . He was stunned but soon looked at it seriously . After all, he learned his swordsmanship from Han Changsheng . He wanted to see how Han Changsheng made his moves and whether the moves he chose were superior to his own .
As soon as Han Changsheng entered the arena, the crowd below immediately cheered . Although the masked double swordsmen were together and they used the same number of sword techniques, they never fought at the same time . They were both experts . They could defeat all the enemies they met within three to five moves . In recent days, there was a heated debate between which of the two was more powerful .
“Ah, ah, ah, this time, it’s the one with red phoenix eyes . This will be a good show . ”
“Yes, yes, I think the masked man with phoenix eyes is more powerful than the masked man with peach blossom eyes . ”
“I think the one with peach blossom eyes is more powerful, and his eyes are prettier, too . ”
“Well, what does the one with prettier eyes have to do with the stronger one? The one with phoenix eyes was in more fights than the peach blossom eyes . He must be more powerful!”
“Let’s wait to see if he beats the guy from the Ceyi Sect!”
Amidst the heated discussion, the chairman announced the opening of the challenge arena . The Ceyi spearman arched his hand and said, “Thank you for letting me win . ”
Han Changsheng stood straight and said coldly, “No need to thank me– as you ought to . ”
It stunned the spearman . Han Changsheng’s attitude was crazy . If the spearman was anyone else, he would’ve been furious . But, he’d seen two contests in the challenge arena the day before and knew the masked heroes were extraordinary people . He came to the challenge arena hoping to fight them, but was afraid . His mood was contradictory until then . Now, he didn’t care . He was nettled .
The spearman wanted to wait for Han Changsheng to make the first move, but Han Changsheng stood still, not even preparing for battle . It seemed as if he was underestimating the spearman as an opponent . The spearman was also unyielding . How could he bear this contempt? He was so angry, he swept his serpent stick to attack Han Changsheng .
Han Changsheng seemed confident and at ease, but he was in fact on his guard . He fully saw the spearman’s every move in his eyes and purposefully made it seem like he was making light of the spear disciple . His relaxed stance was meant for tricking others into thinking he was slipshod .
The spearman swung his weapon, and Han Changsheng dodged . There were many advantages to fighting with the long spear, especially when his sword was shorter . Han Changsheng was in his opponent’s range, even when his opponent wasn’t in his range . However, once he got close to the spearman, the situation would change immediately . The spear disciple was unprepared for close attack and defense, unlike the swordsman .
Sponsored Content
The spearman also knew it, so he continued to sweep his spear across a large area, trying to keep Han Changsheng at bay . But, how could that stop Han Changsheng? Just as he made another wide sweep, Han Changsheng struck out with his sword, and their weapons collided . The body of his spear was made of steel, which was flexible but could be cut . The spear rebounded due to the impact, but the spearman steadied it mid arc . He shook his hand and continued to jab the tip of the spear towards Han Changsheng, who leaped into a somersault and gently stepped down on it . When it fell under him, the sword in his hand was already pointed at the spearman’s neck .
There was a dead silence under the stage . The competitors had passed a single move, and in an instant, the spearman had lost . The contest was hardly brilliant, it was too fast to watch . Just then, the spearman was so brave in the challenge arena that no one could even get close to him . Everyone watching the battle was too busy thinking of how they’d respond if they had to, but none could think of such a way to defeat the enemy .
Even An Yuan, under the stage, was stunned . Every time he watched Han Changsheng take action, he forced himself into a drill to try to discover their differences . He compared the pros and cons and saved moves to practice later, with the goal to improve . However, at the moment, Han Changsheng’s move wasn’t special, but if it was him, he wouldn’t have found a single move to break through his opponent’s defense . Powerful, he was too powerful, and it seemed that he had not yet fully understood Han Changsheng’s strength .
In fact, no one knew that there were two reasons Han Changsheng could defeat the enemy in one move .
One came from an earlier generation of Tianning Cult predecessors . They had formed an invincible hatred of the Changying Spear Sect and had crafted a series of techniques to defeat an enemy with long spears . Thus, everyone by the Tianning Cult leader’s generation was confident in the face of a spearman .
The second reason was that Elder Lan Fang once locked Han Changsheng in the Peach Blossom Valley . Cutting vines in the underground palace was the perfect way to practice swordsmanship . The thick, tough vines were very similar to the soft steel spear in the spearman’s hands . Han Changsheng knew very well what kind of force the spear could take, and he made it look simple . The trick, in fact, was that Han Changsheng’s strength and timing were very particular, and he chose the spearman’s instantaneous attack to show his flaws!
The whole ring was quiet for a moment, then a loud cheer broke out!
It also stunned the spearman . He saw Han Changsheng make a move two days earlier . Although he couldn’t see through it completely, he didn’t think that Han Changsheng was so powerful . Only when he really played did he discover he was so weak . How powerful was that guy?
Losing his demeanor, the spearman stepped down from the challenge arena in despair . The onlookers had completely forgotten how he conquered seven enemies . They only remembered that Han Changsheng defeated him in one move . The prestige he built up so easily faded with the wind like smoke .
The host of the challenge arena stood on stage and called in a high voice, “Is there anyone else who wants to challenge?”
There was a loud commotion from below, but no one wanted to go onstage . It was because they all secretly wanted to compare notes with Han Changsheng . Seeing the spearman’s tragic fall, everyone secretly let out a cold sweat . Who didn’t want to become famous when they participated in the event? But, instead, if they were to get beaten in a single blow, their efforts would be in vain, because they’d help raise their opponent’s status, instead . Later, they’d be able to achieve fame, but anyone who remembered that the young man was defeated by someone in the ring would always be despised .
After a long time of no one being willing to take the stage again, someone shouted, “The double masked heroes are amazing!”
Immediately, someone asked, “Who is the better masked hero?”
“One on one! One on one!”
The crowd grew louder and louder . Those standing beside An Yuan split apart, giving him a way to the challenge arena . No one wanted to go on it, but everyone wanted to see the master . The two masked swordsmen never fought together on stage . Who was more powerful was a popular topic of discussion .
A little surprised, An Yuan became the focus of their attention . He looked up at Han Changsheng . Standing on stage, Han Changsheng raised his jaw slightly with his hands clasped behind his back, distinguished and unforgettable . Then, An Yuan saw him nod to him and motion for him to come onstage .
An Yuan couldn’t believe it, thinking he must be wrong . Han Changsheng called him to fight? The two of them were going to fight in the ring? What was Han Changsheng playing at?
It wasn’t until Han Changsheng nodded to An Yuan a second time that An Yuan hesitantly walked towards the ring .
The audience under the stage cheered louder . They were just joining in on the fun . The masked double swordsmen were obviously together . No one expected that they would actually fight each other, rather, the crowd thought they’d just cause a fuss . But, they were going to fight . It was a lively event!
Han Changsheng smiled proudly . He didn’t want to let An Yuan build his achievements during the petty combats with amateurs . He chose An Yuan’s competitors carefully, for one reason——The quickest way to become famous was to defeat those who were already famous!
In the challenge arena, one after another defeated the enemy, laborious and thankless . After one defeat, all the previous wins were handed over to the one who beat them . Therefore, it wasn’t wise to take a wheel fight in the challenge arena . The day’s spearman was a good opponent, but it didn’t raise much of a storm to beat him .
Sponsored Content
Word of Han Changsheng’s one move to defeat the enemy would undoubtedly spread and build up a small reputation for him . But if An Yuan defeated him in the next round, and in two successive rounds, it would inevitably cause a big sensation . Before the Wulin conference, An Yuan would already have a small reputation!
An Yuan didn’t know Han Changsheng’s intentions for him . Since Han Changsheng wanted to fight with him in the challenge arena, he had no time for civilities . He rolled up his sleeves to compete and jumped up to the stage .
The challenge arena’s host spouted excitedly, “Are you going to fight today? Who is more powerful, or are you equal? The truth will soon be revealed!”
An Yuan looked at his sword carefully, while Han Changsheng watched him with a smile on his lips .
Not far away, Lu Wenlin and his servants rode past on their horses, only to stop before the arena .
His servant went down and said, “Young master, today’s arena is very lively . ”
Lu Wenlin nodded, contemplating the people standing on the stage .
The servant said, “Who are the two people? Although they covered the lower part of their faces, their eyes look familiar… Ah! Is that the guy who defeated the young master at the inn that day?”
Lu Wenlin narrowed his eyes . “They seem like they are . ”
Indignantly, the servant said, “I’ll send someone down to those two despicable people now!”
“Lady!” Lu Wenlin stopped him, his eyes showing the light of excitement for the fight, “Don’t worry, don’t worry . I’ve long wanted to see who’s better . Whoever wins, I’ll fight them!”
On his other side, Liu Xiaoqi had been dragged by Yue Yu-er to watch the battle near the arena .
Rolling up her sleeves, Yue Yu-er excitedly said, “I’m going to fight, too!”
Helplessly, Liu Xiaoqi said, “Elder martial sister, let’s have a look . People were saying that the masked double swordsmen are fiercely talented . ”
Yue Yu-er didn’t listen to him . She tried to squeeze in close to the challenge arena, staring at the two people on stage . Suddenly, she stopped, widened her eyes, and grabbed Liu Xiaoqi . “Younger martial brother,” She said, “Look at them, those eyes… That man looks a lot like a second elder martial brother, ah!”
Looking at the people onstage, Liu Xiaoqi was stunned .
At the command of the arena host, Han Changsheng and An Yuan raised their swords at the same time . They didn’t notice Lu Wenlin, Liu Xiaoqi, or Yue Yu-er . Nor did they notice a young man in yellow and white clothing sitting on a tree not far away, watching them with great interest .
Han Changsheng was absorbed in the sword in An Yuan’s hand . He wanted to lose in one move, but he couldn’t fake it too badly .
He had to make the audience think that An Yuan was strong enough to take him, not that he let him win .
An Yuan didn’t move . He was also thinking of his first move . Han Changsheng taught him his swordsmanship and was intimately familiar with it .
Sponsored Content
Sword, how could a sword be surprising?
Unexpectedly, Han Changsheng made the first move .
He stabbed An Yuan with his sword, his most common starting move in their many exchanges . An Yuan knew just how to crack it . Sure enough, An Yuan immediately resisted the sword which didn’t disappoint Han Changsheng . His sword wasn’t so easy to block . While blocking, he pulled out his blade, like Han Changsheng was erasing the movement!
Han Changsheng immediately raised his sword to parry, and An Yuan changed his move again . The edge of the blade hit his own, but he just knocked it back, and at the same time, he swept out his foot .
These were the moves they used in their private exchanges . Han Changsheng jumped up at the same time, and An Yuan would stab him in the abdomen . Han Changsheng could still resist as long as he was alert . However, if he was completely unaware of An Yuan’s move, it was reasonable that he could not pause .
This was his chance! Han Changsheng jumped up as usual, but he didn’t parry with the sword in his hand . An Yuan stabbed forward, and Han Changsheng pretended to be alarmed . An Yuan’s eyes flashed a look of surprise——Han Changsheng didn’t stop? Could it be, did he mean to capitulate?
Furious, An Yuan watched as Han Changsheng made like he wanted to trade the move and lose voluntarily to him, but blocked the sword in his hand . Realizing this, he tried to intercept the move, but he couldn’t stop the momentum of his sword . Han Changsheng had mastered the strength of his retreat .
When he landed, An Yuan’s sword wouldn’t hurt him, but it would still be pointed at Han Changsheng . The cult head was certain to lose . There was a long-anticipated smile at the corner of the cult head’s lips .
The man sitting on the tree had a flash of green in his eyes as he snapped his fingers——
Han Changsheng’s body suddenly twisted in midair . The sword in his hand slashed away An Yuan’s sword . When he landed, his sword touched An Yuan’s chest .
In a flash, the whole arena was as quiet as water .
The expression on An Yuan’s face was shocked, just like everyone else’s . Han Changsheng’s unexpected smile didn’t have time to fade .
After an indefinite amount of time passed, the entire arena exploded, with all the onlookers cheering and screaming .
“One move to defeat the enemy! One move, twice in a row! It’s amazing!” The arena host caught Han Changsheng’s hand, spewing his face with saliva as he spoke, “The second masked swordsman has won! The red phoenix eyes——Oh, no, this young hero has won!”
Han Changsheng practically turned into stone . He didn’t know what he’d done or what happened . Somehow, his sword was pointed at An Yuan . Surprisingly, An Yuan looked at him with some admiration at that moment . It appeared to him that he misunderstood Han Changsheng .
Han Changsheng didn’t voluntarily yield . It turned out it was him who was sure of victory . Was this to teach him not to stick to the old routine? Did Han Changsheng call him to the arena to teach him a lesson? It was very well-intended . He made a note of his reasoning .
At that moment, Han Changsheng’s heart held only five words: The heavens played me again!!
Translator(s): Empress
TL Check: Teo
Editor(s): Empress, Nadialuxxor
Proofer(s): Dark