Be a proper Taoist priest in The Condor Heroes

Chapter 71 Martial Arts Tournament for a Bride

The morning mist over the Sword Tomb had not yet dissipated, and tiny dewdrops clung to the bluestone.

Su Yan stood quietly in front of the Divine Eagle, the sunlight falling on its mottled and scattered wings and dark and rough skin, her expression calm yet somewhat moved.

He had already thoroughly investigated the cause and knew that the giant eagle had been eating raw Bosciutto snakes for many years, and that the accumulated cold snake venom in its body had caused its wings to weaken and its appearance to become ugly.

Su Yan secretly made up his mind that once the turmoil in Zhongnan Mountain subsided and he gathered all the rare medicinal herbs, he would return to the Jian family to personally remove the accumulated poison and heal the old wounds of the Divine Eagle. The Divine Eagle stood quietly beside him like a mountain, its sharp eagle eyes lowered gently, as if sensing his goodwill, keeping him company in silence without a trace of ferocity.

"You have been eating raw Bosochry snakes for many years, causing the toxins to accumulate in your internal organs. Although this prescription cannot completely cure the problem, it can temporarily slow down the toxins' erosion."

Su Yan stroked the rough feathers of the Divine Eagle, feeling the veins protruding under its skin with his fingertips, his heart filled with gratitude.

"Once I have finished dealing with the matter in Zhongnan Mountain, I will find the right medicine and return to completely detoxify you."

The eagle seemed to understand his words, raising its head and letting out three clear, melodious cries that reverberated through the valley, echoing long afterward among the peaks. Su Yan and the other turned and walked out of the valley. The eagle watched their retreating figures until they disappeared into the morning mist.

Traveling day and night, the two soon arrived at the nearest county, Gucheng County.

This city was situated on a major transportation route, its streets bustling and lively, with merchants and travelers coming and going in an endless stream. The sounds of vendors hawking their wares, horses' hooves, and laughter mingled together, creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere. Su Ye, who had been living deep in the valley for over a month, was filled with curiosity upon seeing this scene and couldn't help but tug at Su Yan's sleeve to look around.

Su Yan shook her head helplessly, found a tea stall by the street, sat down, and ordered two bowls of tea for her to rest for a while.

"Chai Xiu, the daughter of a storyteller in the west of the city, has even set up a martial arts contest to find a husband!"

The tea drinkers at the next table had barely finished speaking when several voices echoed their agreement.

Su Yan paused slightly in the teacup he was holding, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over there.

The speaker was a burly man with a thick beard, who was spitting as he spoke.

"This Chai Xiu has gone mad from copying others! She heard that the Little Dragon Girl of the Ancient Tomb Sect in Zhongnan Mountain is turning eighteen and is going to hold some kind of martial arts contest to find a husband. The winner will not only marry a stunning beauty but also receive the Ancient Tomb Sect's gold, silver, jewels, and secret manuals. And here she is, copying the same thing and setting up a contest too. Does she really think she's a fairy?"

"you do not say!"

Another person chimed in.

"This Chai Xiu is indeed exceptionally beautiful, but her mind is far from simple. She previously hooked up with the young master of the Liu family, who treated her with utmost devotion, showering her with money and houses, searching for martial arts manuals for her, and hiring renowned teachers to instruct her, doting on her like a precious gem. And what was the result? Now that the Liu family has fallen from power, she turns against them without hesitation, using the popularity of Little Dragon Girl's martial arts contest to set up her own challenge, clearly afraid of getting into trouble!"

Su Ye was so engrossed in listening that she quietly leaned close to Su Yan's ear.

"Brother Yan, who is this Little Dragon Girl? How come I didn't know there was an Ancient Tomb Sect in Zhongnan Mountain?"

Although Su Ye had been in the Quanzhen Sect for four years, he had not met many people, and since no one was allowed to mention the forbidden area in the back mountain, he naturally did not know about it.

Su Yan had no intention of answering her question, and a chill ran down her spine when she heard their conversation.

The words "Little Dragon Girl" and "Martial Arts Contest to Find a Husband in Zhongnan Mountain" are like a pebble thrown into still water, creating ripples.

The secret message sent from Chongyang Palace earlier mentioned that Huo Du, Darba, and others, disciples of the Mongolian National Preceptor, were on their way to Zhongnan Mountain. It seems that Guo Jing and Yang Guo, uncle and nephew, will arrive soon as well.

Now, Li Mochou has stirred up trouble again by holding a martial arts contest to find a husband for the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra. With Guo Jing and Yang Guo, Mongolian masters, and the Ancient Tomb Sect all gathered at Zhongnan Mountain, the already turbulent situation is bound to become even more complicated and unpredictable.

"It seems our trip to Shaolin will have to be postponed."

Su Yan quickly calculated. He originally wanted to try to obtain the Nine Yang Divine Skill from Shaolin Temple, but for now, he should return to Chongyang Palace first. As a disciple of Quanzhen Sect, it was precisely the time when his sect needed his help.

"At this time, we should rush back to help. It is not too late to visit Shaolin after the situation has calmed down."

With this in mind, Su Yan had already made up her mind.

Seeing that Su Ye was still curiously listening to the chatter at the next table, he gently patted the back of her hand.

"If you want to see it, let's go take a look at the arena and then leave. Let's find an inn to rest as soon as possible."

The two paid for their tea and followed the flow of people toward the west of the city.

From afar, one could see a high platform erected in the middle of the street, with crowds thronging below, making it impossible to move, and cheers and discussions rising and falling.

A duel is taking place on the stage. A woman dressed in plain clothes is wielding a long whip and moving nimbly. She is Chai Xiu, as mentioned by the tea drinkers. Her opponent is a middle-aged man with a full beard, holding a large, gleaming ring-blade. He is aggressive but his moves are still clumsy.

Su Yan led Su Ye to the front row, his gaze falling on the two of them, instantly discerning their strength.

Although the middle-aged man's swordsmanship was fierce, his aura was stagnant and full of flaws, indicating that he was only at the peak of the third-rate level. On the other hand, Chai Xiu's long whip was cunning and agile, with a pattern that could be followed in the whip's shadow. His aura was condensed and steady, indicating that he was at the early stage of the second-rate level.

Such skill was clearly the result of considerable investment in honing her abilities, far beyond the reach of ordinary women in the marketplace.

"drink!"

With a rough shout, the middle-aged man swung his broadsword at Chai Xiu with a powerful gust of wind. Although the blow was heavy, he turned slowly, revealing an opening at his waist.

Chai Xiu moved with light steps, dodging the blade with a sidestep. With a flick of her wrist, the long whip shot out like a serpent, precisely targeting the middle-aged man's shoulder acupoint. The middle-aged man hurriedly raised his knife to block, but due to insufficient speed, the whip tip struck his shoulder, causing him to groan in pain and stagger.

Before the middle-aged man could regain his balance, Chai Xiu had already taken half a step closer, and with a flick of her wrist, she wrapped her long whip around the hilt of the middle-aged man's knife.

She exerted force from her dantian and pulled sharply backward. The middle-aged man, already lacking internal strength, was immediately dragged forward, his large ring-bladed sword clattering to the ground. A cold glint flashed in Chai Xiu's eyes. She lightly touched the ground with the toes of her left foot, leaped up, and gently thrust her right knee towards the middle-aged man's chest. Her control of the force was just right, rendering him powerless to resist without injuring any vital organs.

The middle-aged man groaned and collapsed onto the ring, struggling a few times but unable to stand up.

A cheer erupted from the audience. Chai Xiu put away his whip, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and stood with a perfectly restrained smile on his face, but a hint of smugness flashed in his eyes.

Su Yan's gaze swept across the stage, and several calm auras faintly emanated from the shadows behind it. Although they were deliberately concealed, they could not escape his perception. They were all second-rate experts. He wondered if they were people that Chai Xiu had laid in ambush beforehand, or if they had some other scheme.

"As expected, he's not simple."

Based on the conversation at the tea stall earlier, Su Yan became even more certain that Chai Xiu's cultivation level at the early stage of the second rank was mostly due to the Liu family's young master's lavish investment in her training. Now, she was using the popularity of Little Dragon Girl's martial arts contest to set up a challenge, either to lure out someone or to attract a truly powerful backer. It was no simple matter.

Chai Xiu seemed to notice the strange looks from below the stage. Her gaze swept precisely over Su Yan and Su Ye, her eyes sharp as knives, carrying a hint of scrutiny and wariness.

"Brother Yan, won't you watch again? That last fight was amazing!"

After watching for a while, Su Yan pulled Su Ye to leave. Su Ye was reluctant to leave, her eyes still fixed on the stage.

"It's nothing but a carefully orchestrated farce; there's no point in watching it any longer."

Su Yan said in a deep voice.

The two squeezed through the crowd and found a quiet inn away from the bustling city to stay in.

Seeing their simple attire yet extraordinary bearing, the innkeeper quickly led them to a secluded room on the second floor. Su Ye sat down by the window, still reminiscing about the duel on the stage, while Su Yan stood by the window, gazing at the setting sun, his thoughts already drifting to Zhongnan Mountain.

The Mongol masters came with great force. Huo Du and Darba were both the favorite disciples of the Imperial Preceptor Jinlun Fawang, and their martial arts skills were quite profound. If the Seven Masters of Quanzhen were to fight one-on-one, they would probably have difficulty dealing with them. Although Guo Jing was able to save the day in the original story, who knew how much trouble his little butterfly had stirred up?

The Ancient Tomb Sect and the Quanzhen Sect have a long-standing relationship. Given the temperament of Master Ma and others, they are bound to interfere in this martial arts contest for marriage. In addition, the Quanzhen Sect has experienced previous upheavals. Although it has the Six Masters in charge, there are bound to be some weak-willed disciples among its members. If they are misled by the Mongol forces and collude with the outsiders, the consequences will be unimaginable.

"It seems that a tough battle is inevitable when we return this time."

Su Yan clenched his fists, but felt no fear; instead, a sense of anticipation arose within him.

He has just broken through to the top level and needs a real duel to solidify his realm. The Mongolian masters and people from all walks of life are the best touchstones for him.

"Yan-ge, what are you thinking about?"

Seeing his solemn expression, Su Ye couldn't help but ask.

"It's nothing."

Su Yan snapped out of her daze and gave a gentle smile.

"Let's get some rest. We still have a long journey ahead tomorrow. The people in Zhongnan Mountain probably can't wait any longer."