245 Mountain Top Martial Arts Duel
Ye Ying asked, "Then what does mother intend to do"Lady Wang clearly had everything planned out and said with a self-satisfied smile, "Mother has already thought of something; you just focus on prepa...Vol.1 Chapter 245: Mountain-top Dueling Match
Xu Qingchen kept a watchful eye on the situation in An City and the Mu Sang Family, making Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao even more at ease. Every day, Mo Xiuyao would drag Ye Li to wander around inside and outside the city aimlessly, as if they were an idle couple killing time before the martial arts conference. This made the people sent to follow them extremely frustrated; they could not figure out what was unusual about this young couple. Although the man was handsome and skilled in martial arts, and the woman was beautiful and seemingly more outstanding than ordinary noblewomen, there seemed to be no connection between them and their master at all. They couldn't understand why their master insisted that these two people were dangerous.
After following for two days without finding any problems with this couple, even Ren Qining felt embarrassed about continuing the surveillance and withdrew his men.
Leaving the house, Ye Li was surprised to find no one tailing them. "They left so quickly"
Mo Xiuyao said indifferently, "He's smart enough to know that if he can't figure out our backgrounds, continuing would only make things awkward for everyone." Ye Li frowned and asked, "Do we have any information on Ren Qining"
Mo Xiuyao shook his head. "No clue. This person and the power behind him don't seem to have appeared in martial arts circles or among nobles in various countries before; otherwise there would be some clues. But it doesn’t matter… this is Westling territory." Since Ren Qining appeared in Westling, it should be Lei Zhenting who's worried about his appearance. "Your brother has already sent people to remind Lei Zhenting and Lei Tengfeng. We'll see how they react."
Ye Li nodded. If it weren’t for Ren Qining sending men to track them out of curiosity, she wouldn't have been interested in him either. Since Mo Xiuyao had a handle on the situation, Ye Li didn’t feel like getting involved.
Over these days while they were wandering around An City, although there was an annoying tail behind them, they gathered quite a bit of information. Although the Mu Sang Family wasn't prominent in northwest and Great Chu, it was only about ten miles from An City, making most of An City fall within their sphere of influence; naturally, news about the Mu Sang Family was also abundant.
It was said that the Miss Mu was as beautiful as a flower and had a gentle and kind disposition. Her reputation in this area was excellent, like an incarnation of Bodhisattva for many commoners. It was rumored that every first day of the month, Miss Mu would go to Zhao Ning Temple outside the city to burn incense and pray blessings for her grandfather. Happily today happened to be the first day of the lunar month; despite the martial arts conference being imminent, it didn’t seem to deter Miss Mu from this habit. As a result, many martial artists and nobles received news about this early morning and rushed to Zhao Ning Temple without even time for breakfast.
Since Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao came here just to watch the fun, they naturally headed to Zhao Ning Temple as well after breakfast. When they arrived at the temple, people were already bustling everywhere; any outsider seeing this would be amazed by the temple’s prosperity.
Although there was a crowd, thankfully Zhao Ning Temple itself was still worth visiting, especially its scenic back mountain covered in tranquil forests. Most visitors crowded the front to catch sight of Miss Mu, leaving the back mountain unusually serene and quiet. Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao strolled along the small paths on the back mountain, where faint noises from afar only emphasized its solitude. Recalling those eagerly waiting people, Ye Li couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Mo Xiuyao looked down at her and asked, "Why are you smiling, Alu
Ye Lü lifted her head to look at his expression, and with a suppressed laugh said, "I was wondering if Mo Jingli and Lei Tengfeng are among those people. And… what would it be like if the prince regent also joins them in eagerly awaiting you"
Murong Xiuyao lightly snorted unhappily. Prince Regent Ding had always been proud, and he was always the one that others waited for; there was never a time when he waited for someone else. "Besides A’li, who else is worth this prince waiting for" Ye Lü helplessly rolled her eyes. She felt somewhat immune to the sweet words of Prince Murong.
Just as they were chatting, Murong Xiuyao’s gaze turned serious and he looked ahead. Then he picked up Ye Lü off the ground and leaped onto a small slope covered with green vines on an ancient tree.
Murong Xiuyao's actions didn’t startle Ye Lü. She leaned against him, looking in the direction he was gazing at, and soon she heard crisp conversation sounds. A group of people walked down from the mountain, and among them were over a dozen strong men holding swords and knives. In their midst was a young lady dressed in light purple robes, accompanied by six maidservants wearing green dresses and two matrons.
Ye Lü took one look at that young lady and recognized that her light purple robe was the Water Cloud Silk from Nanzhao's three treasures. The gauze cloak she wore outside her robe was made of Lotus Gauze.
The people of Nanzhao esteemed blue and white colors most highly, so the color scheme of the Water Cloud Silk was always light and clean; they did not produce dark purple silk. Therefore, this piece of Water Cloud Silk wasn’t a tribute from Nanzhao. No one in the world except Nanzhao could make such high-quality silk, which meant that it must have been made elsewhere. This also implied that someone already knew about the most valuable secret techniques of Nanzhao. Once they started producing large quantities of Water Cloud Silk, it would undoubtedly be a huge fortune. However, there was no news of any place outside of Nanzhao having such silk. It might be that the people involved didn’t consider this business worth mentioning.
Looking at the jade pendants and hairpins on the young lady, as well as her bead necklaces and gemstones, all were top-quality items. Such luxurious attire was not just beyond ordinary citizens but even imperial princesses. Without thinking, Ye Lü had already guessed who this young lady surrounded by guards was.
"Miss, there are many people at the main gate of the mountain. Why don’t we take a side door" the matron next to the purple-robed young lady suggested softly. Although no one was around here, it was because everyone thought that Miss had not arrived yet. Little did they know that they had already climbed up before dawn. If they exited from the main gate now, it might disturb Miss. The purple-robed young lady smiled faintly and said, "Don’t worry, Su Mama. Those people are all heroes attending the martial arts conference. They should understand proper conduct."
"That’s right, Miss is correct. Those people would be eager to please Miss and wouldn't dare offend her," a maid next to the purple-robed young lady laughed.
"The Patriarch and Great Uncle have said that they will choose the finest men from all under heaven as Miss’s husband. They also want everyone to know that Miss is not only the daughter of the richest family but also an unparalleled beauty."
“You brat, don’t say nonsense. When we get back, Grandpa will give you a good scolding!” The purple-robed young lady scolded.
The water-like eyes peeking out from under her light purple veil were filled with a faint smile, clearly without any real blame in mind. Knowing that their Miss was usually kind-hearted, the little maid wasn’t afraid and laughed嘻嘻笑道：“Miss is so kind, she wouldn't let Grandpa punish Greenie.” The purple-robed young lady sighed lightly and said, "Alright, let's go back to avoid worrying Papa and Uncle."
"Miss is right." As they walked and talked, the group gradually moved away from them. Murong Xiuyao then carried Ye Lü down onto the path again.
Seeing that there was no one on the deserted path anymore, Ye Lü smiled thoughtfully and said, "It looks like we were lucky. We didn’t have to squeeze through the crowd but saw the Miss of the Mu family first."
Murong Xiuyao merely hummed indifferently.
Ye Lü helplessly poked him and said, "I don't believe it; I know you noticed."
Murong Xiuyao looked down at her and smiled. "What did I notice"
Ye Lü replied, "Miss Mu’s clothes have hidden phoenix patterns, and the hairpin she wears also has a phoenix motif. It looks like Miss Mu is very fond of phoenixes."
In Western Ling and the Great Chu, where cultural customs are similar, not everyone can use phoenix patterns. Given Ye Li's status, no one could dictate what she liked to use, but when she was still in the capital of Chu, she rarely used phoenix designs herself. Earlier, there had been an inconspicuous hidden pattern on that Miss Meng's clothes, which did not escape Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao’s eyes; it was a nine-tailed phoenix motif, the true totem of the queen of all birds. This alone was enough to prove that the Meng family, including this Miss Meng, had unusual intentions.
"Trying to impress people," said Mo Xiuyao quietly as he wrapped his hand around Ye Li's waist and continued climbing towards the mountain peak with her.
The scenic back mountains of the Temple of Auspicious Tranquility often attracted visitors who came to burn incense. Therefore, a pavilion had been built on top of the hill for people to rest in. When the two reached the summit, they found someone already there inside the pavilion.
Ling Tiehan was seated with Leng Liuyue and the Ill-Health Scholar inside the pavilion chatting, and upon hearing their footsteps turn around to see Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li, he looked rather surprised. He paused before saying, "Duke Ding Your Excellency Lady Ding" Although Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li had only made minor changes in appearance, people who didn’t know them would not be able to connect them to each other, but those who did recognize them could never keep it a secret.
Mo Xiuyao wasn't evasive. He helped Ye Li up the last step and raised his eyebrows as he looked at the trio with a smile: "Master Ling It’s an honor." Seeing Mo Xiuyao's cheerful expression, Ling Tiehan laughed loudly in response, "Indeed it is an honor! Originally I thought Duke Ding would not be able to come this year. But unexpectedly here you are! What about that duel you owed me several years ago; can we settle it now"
Mo Xiuyao raised his brows and looked at Ling Tiehan with a smile: "Master, do you really want to fight with the king right now Then at the Martial Art Conference... earlier I saw that Miss Meng is extremely beautiful. Has Master not been moved by her" If they fought their hardest here and still had energy left for the Martial Art Conference, it would mean both of them were just going through the motions.
Ling Tiehan sneered with a look of contempt: "Just a little girl who thinks she’s clever. I’m not here because of the Meng family." Even though Ling Tiehan was the leader of an assassin group, his personality was steady and resolute; he rarely showed such disdain in public, so it wasn’t clear what Miss Meng had done to annoy him.
"I originally planned to find Lei Zhengting. Since I’ve encountered you here, Lei Zhengting won't matter anymore. How... will Duke Ding show me your skills"
Ling Tiehan spoke openly and honestly; even though he wanted to make trouble for Lei Zhengting, there were always times when the latter could be found. But Mo Xiuyao was not available at any given time to have a match with him. In recent years, Ling Tiehan had gradually felt that his cultivation wasn't progressing as it should, reaching a bottleneck; perhaps facing such an expert like Mo Xiuyao would bring new insights and allow him to break through.
Mo Xiuyao looked down at Ye Li who smiled faintly, patted his arm lightly before letting go of him. She then stepped back inside the pavilion while Ling Tiehan walked out first.
With a smile, Mo Xiuyao said: "Since that is so, this king will also be honored to learn from Master Ling’s superior skills."
In the pavilion, Ye Li only nodded at Leng Liuyue and the Ill-Health Scholar; all three of them watched intently as the two outside the pavilion fought. They had no time for small talk.
Ling Tiehan was in a blue robe, more mature and stately compared to several years ago. Despite being over forty, his profound inner strength made him look like he was still in his early thirties. A cold light flashed as an ancient sword appeared in Ling Tiehan's hand. On the mountain top, the man in blue stood with a saber, his imposing figure comparable to Mount Tai, drawing everyone’s attention.
Moxiuyao also wore plain white clothes, with his black hair as smooth as clouds and a faint smile at the corner of his lips. Clearly, being able to fight against Ling Tiehan had put him in an excellent mood. With a flash of his eyes, a streak of snow-white light flashed before them, revealing a soft sword that was gleaming coldly and brightly in Moxiuyao's hand. Unlike the ancient-looking heavy sword held by Ling Tiehan, which seemed to be made of ancient bronze, Moxiuyao's soft sword was as thin as cicada wings, with its blade lightly trembling in mid-air whenever his wrist shook.
However, neither of them initiated an attack first and stood there staring at each other. Their robes and hair moved gently around them without any wind.
The three people inside the pavilion held their breaths and stared intently at the two standing figures. The gradually forming aura on either side of the two fighters made them feel a sense of pressure as well.
No one knew how long it had been when they suddenly leaped up from the ground, turning into countless illusory shadows that flashed across the sky. Ye Li couldn't help but widen her eyes and tried to observe their fighting process, yet she could only see blue or white illusory figures.
Ye Li knew that they didn't truly turn into illusions; it was just that their speed was too fast for her sharp eyesight in the palace to discern clearly. At this moment, Ye Li understood something: even though her abilities might be enough to deal with ordinary experts, she would still fall far short if she faced top-notch experts like Moxiuyao and Ling Tiehan. She felt a faint pain in her heart and couldn't help but frown.
A hand landed on her shoulder; Ye Li reflexively wanted to retaliate when Cold Flow Moon's voice sounded softly, "Don't force yourself."
Ye Li turned her head and saw that both Cold Flow Moon and the Sick Book Scholar had stopped watching the two fighters. Instead, they occasionally glanced at them. While Cold Flow Moon was still fine, the Sick Book Scholar's complexion, which had improved considerably after a few years of recuperation, seemed to have paled again.
Cold Flow Moon explained seriously: "When true top-notch experts fight, there is too much disparity between us; watching it won't be beneficial and might even lead to inner turmoil."
Before, Moxiuyao had also fought with the Southern Prince Regent Wang but that wasn't a fully committed battle as both sides held back. This time, however, Ling Tiehan and Moxiuyao were meeting each other at their peak strength, with all-out commitment leading to an aura and combat intent sufficient to cause inner injuries or even inner turmoil for those with shallow cultivation levels or unstable temperaments. Ye Li's temperament was among the top ten in this world but her internal energy practice had started much later; at most, she could only be compared to the Sick Book Scholar and was still inferior to Cold Flow Moon. Had it not been for Cold Flow Moon’s intervention, she likely would have sustained inner injuries from straining herself to observe Moxiuyao and Ling Tiehan's moves.
Ye Li thanked Cold Flow Moon sincerely and looked at the two fighters with a sigh in her heart. She wasn't envious of their martial arts cultivation levels but felt regretful that she had started much later than they did. Practicing martial arts, especially internal energy training, needed to start from childhood; those stories where someone acquires a miraculous elixir or secret manual and becomes an expert overnight were just fiction.
Cold Flow Moon seemed to have a good impression of Ye Li and said with a frown: "It's fine to watch. Just don't strain yourself too much. Both the Prince Regent and your brother will know their limits and won’t let things get out of hand." Ye Li nodded, saying, "Thank you, Pavilion Master Cold." She helplessly watched outside but found she could barely make out anything without straining herself.
Thinking about it, Ye Li stopped looking outside and instead closed her eyes to listen carefully to the sounds from outside.
Cold Flow Moon saw this and a hint of faint approval flashed in his cold eyes.s wife, how could he let a girl like you travel such a long distance to the Southern Frontier"Ye Li lowered her head, feeling somewhat embarrassed; she herself had insisted on going to the Southern Fr...