Chapter 9: The Hidden Line is Actually a Romance Show (6)
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“This girl must have hit her head on the door! Staying home to take care of her husband and kids is so much better, yet she decides to challenge ‘Qīngchéng Yī Jiàn’?”
“Clearly just a rookie who hasn’t seen much of the world. Is the Qingcheng Sect that easy to mess with?”
“Who says it’s not? Even if she manages to defeat Mu Zhi, she’ll be provoking the entire Qingcheng Sect. As one of the Seven Virtuous Sects, taking out a nameless drifter like her is easier than squashing a bug!”
“Stepping into the mortal world? More like heading straight for the dust!”
The audience was buzzing with chatter.
Although Lin Nan had a decent appearance, martial arts were all about strength, not looks.
So even though there was a moment of awe when they first saw her, once reason kicked back in, they realized that her chances of defeating “Qīngchéng Yī Jiàn” were practically zero.
In the martial world, the most important thing is a solid foundation.
If you don’t have a big tree to lean on, no matter how strong you are, once the wolves surround you, you could d*e with no one to bury you.
But disciples from prestigious sects were different; even if they weren’t the strongest, the backing of their faction made everyone cautious before acting.
As for the girl known as “Stepping into the Mortal World,” her background was a complete mystery.
Even if Mu Zhi were to defeat her on the spot, people would probably just shake their heads in pity and nothing more.
The referee raised his hands and looked between Mu Zhi and Lin Nan.
“Are both of you ready?”
Both nodded.
“Alright, I’ll count to three, and the duel will officially begin.”
“One, two… three!”
The referee stepped back, yet both sides didn’t immediately clash; instead, they circled each other, sizing up their stances.
The more people watched, the more cautious Mu Zhi became.
After observing, and confirming that Lin Nan’s sword-drawing technique was completely ordinary – not at all like a hidden gem from a prominent sect – Mu Zhi finally made his move.
“Clang!”
Their swords met in the air, sending Lin Nan stumbling back two steps.
Mu Zhi felt a wave of relief. This girl might be loud and flashy, but her internal strength was barely above that of an Outer Door Disciple.
In the eyes of the Qingcheng Sect, swordplay is not merely about skill, but largely about one’s internal power.
A person with abundant internal energy unleashes strikes that boom like thunder; one with weaker energy might not even get close before being overwhelmed.
Thus, Mu Zhi was almost certain that this girl was no match for him.
As his swordplay became increasingly fierce, to outsiders, he radiated a calm, noble demeanor, while his strikes enveloped Lin Nan in a shroud of glimmering silver light.
Lin Nan kept retreating, soon feeling the press of the audience behind her.
d*mn, I thought that with my lv8 Moon-Tracking Skill, I could at least hold my ground for a moment, but during this first round of probing, I felt a huge force surge into my body through his sword.
Clearly, our levels of internal energy were worlds apart.
Before she could react, Mu Zhi pressed on relentlessly.
She utilized her Qinglu Sword Technique to its maximum, but all she could do was keep backing away to avoid his onslaught.
Wave after wave of Mu Zhi’s surging internal force crashed into Lin Nan through their blades.
She was in agony, fully aware that if the impact on her vitals exceeded her limit, she might never be able to wield her sword again, leading to a complete defeat.
What’s a girl to do?
“Nice job! I knew the name ‘Qīngchéng Yī Jiàn’ was earned, Mu Xiaoxia is truly a role model for us all!”
“This… that woman is totally flopping. Up to now, she hasn’t even launched a counterattack. With skills like hers, how dare she challenge Mu Xiaoxia? She clearly doesn’t value her life!”
“Haha, can’t you see? That woman has fallen for Mu Xiaoxia at first sight, but can’t find any way to approach him, so she resorts to this clumsy trick to grab his attention. Didn’t you hear the bet? If Ta Hong Cheng loses, she’ll voluntarily offer herself!”
“Oh, I get it now! No wonder these mismatched opponents are fighting; there’s some juicy background to all this!”
The Little Recipient watching felt his teeth grind as he stared at the scene, speechless.
He wasn’t sure what he was hoping for, but he didn’t want the Woman in Red to lose to a Qingcheng Sect disciple.
After all, that guy had praised the Demon Sect’s female leader to the heavens, even claiming they made lovey-dovey sounds in the bedroom. That was a complete slander against him! So even though he didn’t know much about “Stepping into the Mortal World,” he didn’t believe she could crush a Demoness either and would rather place his bets on her, hoping she could give Mu Zhi a lesson to remember.
As the Woman in Red kept retreating, the Little Recipient couldn’t help but shout inwardly, “Come on! You can do it!”
Unfortunately, his favorability rating for Lin Nan was still negative. While it had slightly moved, it wasn’t nearly enough to grant her any Luck Value.
“Ha! Miss Ta, if you surrender now, I can give you a nice way to exit. What do you say?”
With a heavy swing, Mu Zhi struck Lin Nan’s sword, sending her staggering back a step. He took the opportunity to lean in and whisper to her.
Lin Nan shot him a glare and pushed him away with all her might.
“Ha, if that’s how it is, don’t blame me for being rough!”
Mu Zhi was infuriated. This girl clearly didn’t appreciate his kindness, and he doubted she’d be obedient even if he took her home. He had to defeat her today; there was no way he’d let her off easy.
The moment his words fell, Mu Zhi’s sword danced in the air, sending forth a flurry of sharp attacks targeting Lin Nan’s vital points.
In his mind, he thought, just a little cut on her skin, and she’d scream in pain and give up immediately.
But just as his blade was about to reach her collarbone, her sword, which he had deemed sluggish, suddenly blocked his attack directly.
“Clang…”
Worried that he might accidentally stab the beauty, he hadn’t used much force.
But what? She actually managed to deflect his attack with pure luck?!
Next, she wouldn’t be so fortunate!
With a surge of internal energy, his sword thrust toward both sides of Lin Nan’s abdomen.
This time, he had murderous intent.
“Clang… Clang!”
Two crisp rebounding sounds rang out.
Mu Zhi was stunned… Wait, what’s going on here?
Could it be… she’s been faking it all along? No, that’s not possible! Her shallow foundation of internal energy couldn’t possibly trick him.
It must be a coincidence; it definitely had to be!
This time, he was going all out.
How could the name “Qīngchéng Yī Jiàn” be tarnished in such a small place?
“Watch my sword!”
Mu Zhi leaped into the air, executing his signature move “Qīngchéng Yī Xiào” with flair.
The sword light darted around like a flash of lightning, revealing a smile of d*ath to Lin Nan.
“Clang clang clang clang clang clang clang…”
Lin Nan remained steady, her sword blocking Mu Zhi’s “Qīngchéng Yī Xiào” a total of seven times.
The scene fell into a dead silence, everyone staring in disbelief.
[Clang! Your Luck Value has been depleted.]
She blocked a total of ten strikes, each one draining a bit of her Luck Value.
Lin Nan’s face was expressionless, but inside, she was screaming, “For the love of all that’s holy, stop hitting me! Can’t I just call you ‘bro’ instead?!”
