Chapter 455: Martial Arts Competition for Marriage

Chapter 455: Martial Arts Competition for Marriage

“Another one has been crippled.”

“Yeah, it’s more painful than death, so brutal.”

“This isn’t sparring; it’s murder.”

…

The crowd looked at the blood-soaked ground and the fallen figures, shaking their heads in dismay.

This was the venue for martial arts sparring, where the agreement was to stop at the first move, yet the outcome was either death or severe injury, with all sorts of vicious tactics on display.

This martial arts competition was not just any test of skills; it was a competition for marriage.

Generally speaking, in the common folk, such competitions occur when a powerful household seeks a husband for their daughter, gathering martial artists to participate, with the victor earning the right to marry her.

And as for the daughter, she must undoubtedly be a beauty; otherwise, what’s the point of all these people rushing in?

If the daughter is a plain Jane, it wouldn’t look good to parade her around; who wouldn’t feel embarrassed? There must be something wrong in the head to play such a game.

This is an event typical of affluent rural households, aiming to find a prodigious son-in-law.

In this spiritual cultivation world, the concept of martial prowess is deeply ingrained, and powerful martial artists are revered.

Speaking of Lin Nuo makes one seethe with rage; when will scholars ever rise?

This martial arts competition for marriage also belongs to a wealthy household, but not the ordinary kind seen in the common folk.

This is Helong Hall, the Mu family.

And the coveted lady? That would be Mu Yiting.

However, this was not what Mu Yiting’s father, Mu Feng, had in mind; there were ulterior motives at play.

Just a few days ago, after Mu Yiting returned to Helong Hall, news spread within the underworld that the Mu family would host a martial arts competition for marriage, offering Mu Yiting’s hand to the winner.

Completely unaware, Mu Yiting went to inquire about this matter from her father, Mu Feng.

Mu Feng was just as baffled; this news had seemingly popped up out of nowhere, but the headquarters of Helong Hall had allowed it.

Currently, Helong Hall was managed by several leaders together; they were quite united during their times of decline, but once they rose, it was all power struggles.

Yet, even with many leaders now, the ultimate authority still rested with Mu Yiting’s grandfather, Mu Yuanfeng.

After all, he had led Helong Hall through tough times and helped it rise, giving him the highest power.

But he was getting old; he couldn’t manage Helong Hall for life, and it was time to pass the reins to his children for power and influence to be distributed gradually.

Although Helong Hall was growing swiftly, it was still seeking talent and lacked a genius capable of expanding its influence to unify the world.

Mu Yuanfeng thought about his several sons, all exceptional, yet still lacking something; the talented people being recruited didn’t meet his standards.

Recently, someone suggested to Mu Yuanfeng that Mu Yiting had reached marriageable age and should consider her lifelong happiness seriously but emphasized that organizational interests must come first, thus proposing the idea of a martial arts competition for marriage.

After all, Mu Yiting was exceptionally beautiful; this would attract various heroes, bringing powerful individuals into Helong Hall, and through marriage, they would become a family—essentially adding them to their side.

The advisor weighed the pros and cons with Mu Yuanfeng, arguing that this suggestion would undoubtedly benefit Helong Hall.

Convinced, Mu Yuanfeng accepted the plan.

This was quite similar to royal marriages, sacrificing a girl’s personal happiness for the sake of benefit.

Of course, it couldn’t be called a sacrifice; if she happened to meet someone she liked, that would be great, but the odds of that happening were low.

Now, Mu Yiting found herself at the center of attention, with numerous heroes arriving, and Mu Yuanfeng personally attending the martial arts competition to scout out talent.

Mu Yiting felt trapped; she couldn’t leave. If she did, it would be seen as deception, angering the entire underworld; her father and his followers would be left with no escape, and anyone connected to her would end up faring poorly.

So, Mu Yiting remained, intending to be present during the upcoming martial arts competition.

In truth, she was waiting for someone, but unfortunately, he hadn’t shown up yet.

…

Bang!

The arena was drenched in blood, and individuals lay battered and bruised on the ground, beyond recognition.

Being severely injured or killed in a martial arts competition was exceedingly common.

“Another one from Xu Hu; he’s already crippled a few. The opponents aren’t weak either.”

“His methods are extremely violent and ruthless; several have already dropped out.”

“He might be the last one standing, winning the beauty!”

…

Amidst the murmurs, a muscular man named Xu Hu swaggered off, his subordinates hurriedly cleaning the blood from his hands.

“Heh.”

He sneered dismissively, striding away from the scene.

He possessed a muscular build, immense strength, and an aura reminiscent of a mighty mountain—powerful and as hard as a diamond wall.

He had already crippled several opponents without breaking a sweat.

“Hahaha, Tiger Brother is amazing! Those guys are no match for you; they’re using hidden weapons, but they’re utterly useless!”

“Exactly, exactly! Tiger Brother’s moves make it easy for him to get that little Mu Yiting!”

…

A crowd of underlings followed Xu Hu, flattering him, and in high spirits, he declared:

“Today, I’m treating everyone to something nice!”

“Tiger Brother is so generous, so generous!”

The gang cheered, constantly praising Xu Hu as they pepped along in his wake.

As the various matches concluded, Mu Yiting’s brow knitted deeply; it was certain that someone would emerge as the final victor, and according to the rules, she was to marry that winner, with her grandfather witnessing to represent the authority of Helong Hall—there would be no choice.

Now, all she could do was wait.

“These heroes and warriors are truly impressive; I’m having quite the feast for the eyes today!”

Mu Yuanfeng stroked his long beard, chuckling heartily. He didn’t care how many were left bloodied; after all, in the underworld, ruthlessness was what made it interesting.

“Yiting, what do you think?” Mu Yuanfeng inquired, turning to her with a grin.

“They are all quite capable; each hero is exceptional, truly a model for our generation.”

Mu Yiting forced a smile and replied briefly.

No matter their skill, she wasn’t interested in any of them.

After all, her heart belonged to another.

…

Yunli Inn.

“Tiger Brother, how about this place?”

“Good, this’ll do.”

Xu Hu swaggered in, and his underlings quickly cleared a path for him, shouting to the people inside:

“I, from Hu Tian Gang, am dining here today; everyone, leave—immediately!”

Upon hearing Hu Tian Gang’s name, the patrons inside scattered in panic; they were known for being a notorious gang, capable of committing all sorts of heinous acts, and no local officials dared to confront them due to their overwhelming power.

With everyone fleeing the inn, even if someone tried to sneak away without paying, the boss had no choice but to let it slide.

“Boss, hurry and clean up! Bring out the best dishes and drinks; we from Hu Tian Gang are honoring you with our presence here.”

The crowd of underlings settled down and began yelling, turning the place into a cacophony.

“Wait—there’s still someone here?”

One of the underlings noticed a kid sitting in a corner eating and approached him.

“Hey, kid, didn’t you hear? This place is reserved by my Hu Tian Gang; hurry up and leave!”

At that moment, the boy turned his gaze and coldly uttered just one word:

“Scram.”