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Chapter 22: Martial Arts Contest to Win a Bride (Part 1) 

The sixth day of the sixth lunar month is a very ordinary day, but for Huanxiu Villa, and even the entire martial arts world, it is a special day! 

A square platform was built in the training ground, about two meters high and four meters wide, covered with a Persian carpet. Behind the platform was a small attic. Although it was a temporary structure, it was very delicate and beautiful. There was only a round table on it, with fruits and cakes on it. There were a few pearwood chairs next to the round table. Obviously, this would be the place where the host would watch the competition! 

There were also twenty tables and chairs arranged on the left and right sides of the platform. The furnishings were a little simpler. They were prepared for the important figures of each sect. In front of the platform was an open space. The people from the martial arts world and those who came to join in the fun were arranged here! 

Shen Yuqing walked to the training ground and found that it was crowded with people from all over the world. There was a lot of noise and laughter, and the chairs on both sides were already full. Only the attic behind the high platform was still empty. It seemed that the owner had not appeared yet! 

The twenty chairs on both sides were occupied by important figures from the sects who came to participate in the competition. From left to right were Mo Haoyu, Hong Zhanlin from the Dian Cang Sect, Jiang Jun from the Kunlun Sect, Du Huanshan from the Qingcheng Sect, Zhu Xinping from the Huashan Sect, Ren Xiong from the Iron Palm Sect, Zhao Tong from the Wind and Fire Sect, Chu Shijian from the Yellow River Sect, He Jin from the Eight Diagrams Sect, and Qiu Heihu from the Black Tiger Sect! 

From right to left are Murong Qiu from Baiyun Villa, Tang Tianzong from Tang Sect, Gongsun Ju from Tianhong Villa, Han Qinren from Julu Gang, Zhao Biwu from Hengshan Sect, Taoist Master Bailong from Jiuhua Mountain, Liu Ziran from Huangshan Sect, Jian Cheng from Taihu Gang, Lu Yu from Songshan Sect and Zhang Yida from Wugong Mountain! 

These twenty people were all the best among the younger generation in the martial arts world. Most of them had followers standing behind their chairs, holding the banners of their own sects, looking very majestic! 

Shen Yuqing was looking around when she suddenly heard Shen Xueqing's joyful call. She looked in the direction of the voice and found Shen Xueqing waving at her from the attic! 

Shen Yuqing walked over and saw Shen Yao was also there. Shen Xueqing said happily, "Sister, we will sit with Sister Tianqi later! They are considered her family! Here, it's in the attic! Let's go up!" 

When Shen Yao saw Shen Yuqing, she nodded slightly, but Shen Yuqing ignored her and took Shen Xueqing's hand and went up to the attic! 

It was midsummer, and the sun at 9:00 PM began to show its power, making the audience sweat profusely. Many people in the arena had been waiting here for a long time, and although the people sitting on the left and right sides had big umbrellas to shade them, they could not help but feel dissatisfied with the host's lateness! 

At this moment, a loud voice shouted: "Master Nangong is here!" 

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a group of people walking slowly towards them, and the one walking in front was Nangong Lie. 

As the saying goes, "When a person is happy, he feels refreshed." Nangong Lie is no exception. He put on a golden-edged cinnabar robe and strode towards the attic with his head held high! 

Nangong Tianqi followed closely behind. She usually didn't like to dress up, but today she made an exception and dressed up carefully, which made her already beautiful as a fairy even more dazzling. When the audience saw Nangong Tianqi appear, they stretched their necks to look at her, and some even jumped up. At this moment, they wished they could turn into giraffes! 

Walking at the end were Lingxuzi, Xue Hongfei, Tie Rufeng and others. What surprised many people was that there was an ugly black-faced man among them. Everyone was whispering to each other, discussing who this mysterious man was. 

The black-faced man was naturally Zhu San. After Zhu San accidentally flirted with Shen Yuqing yesterday, it goes without saying that he was very proud. At this moment, there was even a hint of lewd smile on the corner of his mouth! 

When Shen Yuqing saw Zhu San coming, she twisted her body unnaturally. It was not easy to change seats with Shen Yao, so she had to stay in her original position, looking away, trying to avoid Zhu San! 

After a while, Nangong Lie and his party had already arrived at the attic and sat down. After a burst of exciting drumbeats, Nangong Lie said loudly: "My fellow martial artists, I am Nangong Lie, the owner of Huanxiu Villa. You have come from afar today because you think highly of me. I would like to thank you in advance!" 

Because there were so many people at the scene, Nangong Lie used his inner strength to spread his voice to every corner of the scene. As expected, the scene immediately became quiet, and everyone responded in unison: "Master Nangong, you are too polite!" 

Nangong Lie continued, "Today is the day for my daughter Tianqi to compete for a husband. Although it is a competition, I hope everyone will be peaceful and stop when it is time. If there are any accidental injuries, don't make enemies because of this! This time, all single men, except those from this village, as long as they are upright people in the martial arts world, regardless of age, can participate in the marriage proposal!" 

As soon as Nangong Lie finished speaking, a loud voice shouted, "Master Nangong, can you marry your daughter as long as you win the duel?" 

The one who spoke was Chu Shijian, the second in command of the Yellow River Gang. The Yellow River Gang was located at the Hukou Waterfall of the Yellow River. After decades of operation, it merged the Giant Shark Gang, the Shocking Waves Gang, the Long Whale Gang and the Sea Sand Gang, unified the entire Yellow River Basin, and also monopolized the ferrying and freight transportation in the Yellow River Basin. It was quite powerful, but the Yellow River Gang was originally a gang. Although it stopped killing and arson in recent years, it could not avoid doing some things to oppress fishermen. Therefore, decent people, especially those from the nine major sects, still looked down on the Yellow River Gang! 

Nangong Lie replied: "That's roughly true, but my daughter has said that the winner of the duel must also get her approval before he can marry into the Nangong family!" 

Nangong Lie's words caused an uproar, and someone shouted: "If Miss Nangong doesn't agree, wouldn't it be a waste of effort?" 

Another person who was curious even shouted: "Isn't this inappropriate? Could it be that the Nangong family is so proud of their wealth and power that they are playing tricks on us? It's really better to meet in person than to hear about it!" 

Someone immediately started to make a noise, "If that's the case! It's useless to come here, and it's useless to compete! Let's go! Let's all go!" 

Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, suddenly, a loud shout interrupted everyone's discussion and complaints! 

Everyone looked up and saw a beautiful figure rising from the attic and landing lightly in the center of the competition platform. It was Nangong Tianqi! 

She was lightly made up, with thin eyebrows like indigo, eyes like spring waves, white jade makeup to make her face look like ice and snow, lips slightly closed with a hidden smile, long black hair that dragged on the ground and was tied into a bun with a plum blossom hairpin. When the breeze blew, her hair fluttered, just like the spring breeze blowing the willows, or like the Milky Way spreading across the sky! 

Nangong Tianqi wore a bright red brocade dress today, with a thin plain gauze covering the outside. The dark green silk belt around her waist perfectly showed off her slender waist. Her rose-embroidered shoes were hidden under her skirt, not visible at all. When she flew through the air just now, she looked like the goddess of the sky descending to the mortal world. She was as graceful as a startled swan and as graceful as a swimming dragon, which stunned everyone present. Some people were already drooling like a river of spring water flowing eastward! 

Nangong Tianqi smiled slightly, clasped her hands together and said, "Dear martial arts elders, heroes of the martial arts world, I, Nangong Tianqi, feel honored to have you here today! I have something to say, please listen carefully, after listening, you can leave or stay, it's up to you!" 

Seeing that Nangong Tianqi was not only beautiful but also graceful, everyone present fell silent and only listened to her words! 

Nangong Tianqi said in a clear voice: "I am a girl with little talent and knowledge, and my father feels sorry for me because I am a girl, and I am afraid that it will be difficult for me to inherit the great cause. He wants to find a hero to inherit the foundation of my Nangong family, so he wants to marry me! In my humble opinion, the people who come here today are either well-known figures in the martial arts world, or have special skills and want to show their skills and leave a good name. There is no coward who would not fight, right?" 

Nangong Tianqi looked around and saw that everyone looked ashamed. She continued, "Although I am a girl, I have great ambitions and want to make friends with heroes. Today, no matter who wins or loses, we are all friends of the Nangong family! The winner of the duel needs my approval. This is true, but I will never judge people by their appearance. Do you believe this?" 

As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd began to talk again. Some said, "Just for Miss Nangong's beauty, I'm going to fight!" 

Someone immediately responded, "That's right! And marrying into the Nangong family is such an honor! After a hundred years, the owner of Nangong Manor will be able to inherit Huanxiu Manor. Then...tsk tsk!" 

Some people also said: "It's just Miss Nangong's one-sided statement, I'm afraid it's not credible? If she regrets it later, who can I go to for justice?" 

One person immediately laughed at him, "You are afraid of wolves in front and tigers behind. I think you should go home and grow sweet potatoes!" 

At this time, Hong Zhanlin on the left suddenly said loudly: "Miss Nangong is a heroine. I, Dian Cang Hong Zhanlin, admire her. What Miss Nangong said just now is very reasonable. We all came here today and fled without fighting. Aren't you afraid of being ridiculed by the people in the martial arts world?" 

Once these words were spoken, the criticisms in many people's hearts were almost suppressed. People in the martial arts world have always been competitive. As the saying goes, "there is no first in literature and no second in martial arts." Even if there is no hatred, there are people who challenge others in the name of learning from each other. Today not only provides an opportunity to challenge others, but also has the possibility of winning the beauty. How can these martial artists refuse? 

Nangong Lie had been standing in the attic, silently watching his daughter. Seeing that his daughter was doing things properly and politely, he could not help but be delighted and said loudly: "Good! I wonder if you have any objections? If not, the competition will begin soon! Tianqi, come back!" 

Upon hearing this, Nangong Tianqi jumped lightly and returned to the attic to sit down again. Her graceful demeanor once again caused a burst of exclamations! 

Shen Yuqing and Shen Xueqing both gave her admiring looks. Shen Xueqing even said, "Sister Tianqi, you were so beautiful just now that the group of people below were stunned!" 

Nangong Lie looked around and saw that everyone stopped criticizing him. He laughed and said, "Then I will also announce the rules of this competition: There are no restrictions on weapons in this competition, but poisoned weapons and hidden weapons are not allowed. There are various weapons around the training ground, and you can use them at will! During the competition, if one party falls off the platform or gives up, the winner will be decided immediately and no one is allowed to pursue! Do you understand?" 

Everyone said in unison: "Understood!" 

Nangong Lie said, "In addition to me, there are four other highly respected people in the martial arts world who will serve as judges for this competition. Let me introduce them to you: This is Taoist Lingxuzi of the Wudang Sect, this is Xue Hongfei, the head of the Kongtong Sect, this is Tie Rufeng, the Six Gates Divine Constable, and the last one is Lin Yue, the owner of Ziyue Mountain Villa!" 

As soon as Nangong Lie finished speaking, the crowd became lively again. Someone said, "So he is the owner of Ziyue Villa. No wonder he is so impressive!" 

Another person asked, "Huh? Hasn't this Ziyue Villa appeared in the martial arts world for many years? Why are they here today?" 

A thin man with sharp features said: "This Lin Manor owner is really not that good looking, hehe! I am better looking than him!" 

The people around him sneered, "With your sharp-nosed and monkey-faced appearance, you dare to compete with Master Lin?" 

The first person who spoke immediately agreed, "Yes! Yes! Look at Master Lin. Although his facial features are not good-looking and he is a bit dark, he has a heroic spirit. Don't you think so?" 

Zhu San heard all these words clearly. He was not without pride in his heart, but his face remained calm. He just glanced at Shen Yuqing secretly, and saw that she kept turning her head away, not daring to look at him. Then he started to make evil plans in his mind again! 

After a while, Nangong Lie waved his hand, and the housekeeper Zhuang Neilu shouted: "The competition has officially begun! Which hero is willing to come on stage?" 

After a burst of exciting drum beats, the sharp-nosed and monkey-faced man jumped onto the stage and shouted, "Hey, I'm Hou Yun, the Flying Rat. Today I'm here to learn from all the heroes' skills! Hehe!" 

Before he finished speaking, a thin man jumped onto the stage and said, "I'm here to fight you, so go ahead!" 

Hou Yun screamed "OK" and suddenly jumped forward, his hands like hooks, attacking Ma Ziran's face. Ma Ziran raised his palms like two iron gates, blocking Fei Tianshu's move, and then he swept his leg to attack Hou Yun's lower body! 

Hou Yun was known as the Flying Mouse, and he was good at Qinggong. He just lightly tapped his toes and leaped over Ma Ziran's head. At the same time, he stretched his legs backwards and kicked Ma Ziran's back. The kick was so heavy that Ma Ziran had no time to dodge and was kicked off the ring! 

Everyone cheered, and Hou Yun clasped his fists and said, "Thank you! Hehehe!" 

At this time, a man as tall and strong as an iron tower shouted: "Don't be complacent! I, Song Jingang, am here to meet you!" 

Song Jingang did not jump onto the stage directly like Hou Yun and Ma Ziran did. Instead, he walked to the bottom of the stage, jumped with all his strength, grabbed the edge of the stage with both hands, and climbed up. When everyone saw Song Jingang actually climbed onto the stage like this, they all burst into laughter! 

Song Jingang didn't care. He was nine feet tall, with broad shoulders and a round waist. His thighs were like two pillars. The six-foot-tall Hou Yun looked like a child in front of him! 

Hou Yun did not say anything, and used the same trick again, striking Song Jingang in the face. Song Jingang did not block, but punched Hou Yun in the chest with both fists. He was tall and had long arms. If Hou Yun continued to attack, he would be hit by two punches before he could knock Song Jingang down! 

Hou Yun changed his moves quickly, falling down, and then dodging to the side, leaving Song Jingang empty-handed. Hou Yun took advantage of the situation and struck Song Jingang on the back. Seeing that he had succeeded, Hou Yun could not help but feel secretly delighted! 

What Hou Yun didn't expect was that Song Jingang didn't dodge, but resisted Hou Yun's attack head-on, and with a wave of his arms, he knocked Hou Yun out of the ring. Hou Yun's Qinggong was not bad, he grabbed the corner of the big flag beside the ring, flashed back again, and rushed straight to Song Jingang from top to bottom! 

Song Jingang still did not dodge. Seeing that Hou Yun's attack was coming, he raised his huge hands and grabbed Hou Yun in mid-air. Hou Yun struggled for a few times, but Song Jingang's hands were like iron pliers and did not move at all! 

Song Jingang carried Hou Yun for a few steps, came to the edge of the ring, and threw Hou Yun out with both hands like a sandbag. This time, Hou Yun was so powerful that no matter how good his Qinggong was, he was powerless to recover. He had to accept the result of failure. After the failure, Hou Yun said nothing, pushed away the laughing crowd, and left Huanxiu Villa! 

Lingxuzi said: "This Song Jingang is the best among the lay disciples of Shaolin. He has a golden bell that is impenetrable to swords and spears. He is also very proficient in the powerful Vajra Palm and grappling skills! It is difficult for ordinary people to defeat him!" 

Lingxuzi was right. After that, Song Jingang accepted nine challenges in a row and won them all easily. Including the previous one against Hou Yun, he had won ten games in a row! 

Song Jingang was very proud of his successive victories and could not help but raise his arms and shout, "Who else?" 

At this time, a familiar figure jumped onto the stage and said in a deep voice: "And I'm here! I'm here to play with you!" 

Everyone looked closely and found that this person was Chu Shijian, the second in command of the Yellow River Gang. They couldn't help but think: "So many good fighters have been defeated, how can this Chu do it? Doesn't the Yellow River Gang always bully fishermen? It's hard to say how good his martial arts are!" 

Chu Shijian held two short daggers in his hands and pointed them at Song Jingang, saying, "Take it!" 

Chu Shijian crossed his hands, and the dagger was divided into two paths, one was aimed at Song Jingang's eyes, and the other was aimed at Song Jingang's crotch. Both of these were extremely dangerous. Usually, when people in the martial arts world fight, they will not use such cruel methods at the beginning, but Chu Shijian can't care so much, he just wants to win! 

Seeing the other party's ruthless attack, Song Jingang was furious and used his two palms to separate Chu Shijian's two daggers, intending to grab Chu Shijian's wrists! 

Chu Shijian dared to come on stage to challenge, he must have been confident. He had been using the dagger for many years, so he was very skilled in it. With a turn of his wrist, he easily avoided Song Jingang's claw attack, and at the same time, he opened his hands and attacked Song Jingang's waist with a left and right bow! 

Anyone who practices the Golden Bell Cover has weaknesses. The more refined the practice, the fewer weaknesses there are, and the harder it is to be hit. It can even shrink to a tiny point. Song Jingang is obviously far from reaching that level. He has only practiced the front and back, but both sides are weak points. When he saw Chu Shijian attacking, he hurriedly used his hands to block it! 

Chu Shijian had patiently observed Song Jingang for a long time and had already guessed his weakness. Song Jingang's block was exactly what he wanted. Chu Shijian raised his hands and the tip of the dagger instantly pierced Song Jingang's armpit. Song Jingang screamed and blood flowed! 

Chu Shijian was still trying to chase him, but Nangong Lie stopped him and said, "Wait! You've already won! Someone, send Young Master Song to heal his wounds!" 

Chu Shijian stopped after hearing this, and his servants quickly carried Song Jingang off the stage. 

Song Jingang's defeat finally allowed everyone to see how powerful Chu Shijian and the Yellow River Gang were. However, some people also had complaints about Chu Shijian's ruthlessness, but they knew they could not defeat him, so they did not dare to challenge him on stage, and could only discuss it privately! 

Suddenly, a man jumped up onto the stage, pointed his sword at Chu Shijian and said, "I am Du Huanshan from the Qingcheng Sect, and I am here to teach you a lesson!" 

Chu Shijian laughed loudly and said, "You are such a brat, but you are so arrogant. Let me see how much you are capable of!" 

Before he finished speaking, Chu Shijian had already launched an attack, using his dagger to attack him eight times in a row. Du Huanshan lacked practical experience, and he did not expect that his opponent would not follow the rules of martial arts at all, and actually attacked him by surprise. He was forced to dodge repeatedly, and could not even draw his sword! 

Seeing that the attack was effective, Chu Shijian smiled sinisterly, and stabbed Du Huanshan with his dagger like a storm, hitting Du Huanshan's vital points with every move. Hong Zhanlin, who had just spoken, had a good relationship with Du Huanshan, and shouted: "Brother Huanshan, don't panic, don't follow the rules when dealing with this kind of person, avoid his moves, and go straight for the killing move!" 

Du Huanshan understood what he meant when he heard this. He jumped lightly and soared more than two meters into the air, avoiding Chu Shijian's fierce attack. Chu Shijian was good at ground attacks, but not at light skills. Du Huanshan drew his sword and used the "unstoppable force" of the Qingcheng sword technique from top to bottom, attacking Chu Shijian's weak spot! 

As the saying goes, "An inch longer, an inch stronger." Chu Shijian's dagger was used for close-range attacks, but once he distanced himself from Du Huanshan, he was no match for the long sword in his hand. He had no choice but to roll on the ground and barely avoided Du Huanshan's sword! 

The Qingcheng swordsmanship is as handsome and clear as the mountains and waters of Qingcheng, and each move is full of casualness and freedom. Du Huanshan is the leader of the younger generation of the Qingcheng Sect. The head of the sect, Yuan Shiji, is very optimistic about him and has taught him the unique skills of Qingcheng. This time, he was sent to participate in the martial arts competition to recruit a bride, focusing on experience rather than recruiting a bride! 

Du Huanshan forced Chu Shijian back with one sword, and his confidence grew. He used sword moves continuously. Chu Shijian felt that his whole body was covered by the sword. He was terrified and afraid of getting hurt, so he simply jumped back and jumped off the stage! 

Seeing Chu Shijian in such a state of embarrassment, everyone burst into laughter. Chu Shijian felt ashamed to face others and walked away without even looking back! 

Xue Hongfei smiled and said to Nangong Lie: "Young people are formidable! Du Huanshan is not even twenty years old yet, but he has already grasped some of the essence of swordsmanship. Back then, I didn't have that much achievement!" 

Nangong Lie said with a smile: "The waves behind push the waves ahead. Just because you and I are getting old, I have the idea of ​​retiring!" 

Zhu San said: "You two brothers are too modest! You two brothers are still the backbone of the martial arts world, each leading a region. If young people want to replace them, how can they do it without 20 to 30 years of experience?" 

Lingxuzi also interrupted and said, "You all say I am old, so where should I go? Should I go to the earth?" 

Nangong Lie laughed and said, "Master, you are joking! Look, someone else is coming up on stage!" 

A slender figure jumped onto the stage and said, "Young Master Du, I am Han Qinren, the young leader of the Julu Clan. I would like to learn two moves of the Qingcheng Sword Technique from you!" 

Du Huanshan returned the greeting and said, "Please teach me!" 

After the polite exchange, Du Huanshan pointed his sword diagonally downward, performing the opening move of the Qingcheng Sword Technique, "Morning Dew and Setting Sun"! 

Han Qinren's weapon was the Sun and Moon Hook. He shouted, "Be careful!", and used the Nine Palaces Footwork to attack the center of Du Huan Mountain! 

Du Huanshan had never seen such a weapon before, and his combat experience was limited, so he had to take a step back and use the "Looking at the Mountains from a Distance" move from the Qingcheng Sword Technique. The sword tip drew three waves, blocking the front! 

Han Qinren's sun and moon hooks are unique weapons that can somewhat restrain long swords. The sun hook in his left hand is in the shape of a ring with a handle in the middle, which can be used for close-range attacks and can be thrown as a hidden weapon at critical moments. The moon hook in his right hand is the same length as an ordinary sword, with a crescent halberd on the top and an iron hook on the bottom! 

Han Qinren guessed that Du Huanshan had never seen a weapon before, so he used the Moon Hook in front and the Sun Hook for protection, and launched eight moves in a row, each of which was in Du Huanshan's middle path! 

Du Huanshan saw that his opponent was both offensive and defensive, and he didn't know how to resist for a moment. He was gradually forced to the edge of the ring. He knew that he had no way to retreat, so he flew into the air, trying to break through Han Qinren's double hook blockade! 

Judging from the way he jumped onto the stage just now, Han Qinren's Qinggong skills were not bad either, but he did not follow Du Huanshan, but remained on the ground, waiting for the opportunity! 

As expected, Du Huanshan leaped over Han Qinren, breaking through his blockade, and took the opportunity to turn around and slash Han Qinren's back with his sword, performing a "Sunset" move! 

Han Qinren was well prepared. He just waited for the sword to come. When the tip of the sword arrived, he suddenly stretched out his hand to block it. The tip of the sword just happened to be embedded in the sun hook, locking it and unable to move. At the same time, the moon hook slashed towards Du Huanshan's right hand holding the sword. His intention was obvious, which was to make him abandon the sword and lose! 

People who learn swordsmanship cherish their swords very much. They can be defeated, but they cannot abandon their swords. Du Huanshan was quick-witted and did not draw his sword backwards, but stabbed downwards. Han Qinren did not expect that Du Huanshan would not even care about his own hands, so he had to let go of the sun hook and avoided Du Huanshan's sword. However, Han Qinren reacted quickly. After dodging, he immediately turned from defense to offense, rolled on the ground, and swung the moon hook horizontally, slashing towards Du Huanshan's feet! 

Du Huanshan took a risk and barely managed to save the situation, but he didn't expect Han Qinren's second move to come so quickly. He had no choice but to draw an arc with his sword to block Han Qinren's hook, but his middle path was completely exposed! 

Han Qinren would certainly not miss such a big loophole. He suddenly turned his Moon Hook upside down, with the hook on top and the Crescent Halberd on the bottom. The Sun Hook also hit Du Huanshan's waist at the same time. Du Huanshan's sword moves were old and he could not take care of both ends. In a panic, the Moon Hook had opened a two-inch long hole on his chest, and his long gown was torn open. Fortunately, Han Qinren showed mercy, otherwise if the hook had penetrated a little more, Du Huanshan's life would be in danger! 

Hong Zhanlin, who was watching the fight, saw that Du Huanshan was injured, so he quickly jumped onto the stage to check. Seeing that it was only a superficial wound, he immediately clasped his fists and said, "Thank you, Young Master Han, for showing mercy! I, Hong, thank you on behalf of Brother Du!" 

The winner has been decided, Du Huanshan is fine, Nangong Lie asked his servants to help him down to heal his wounds, needless to say! 

After watching Du Huanshan go away, Hong Zhanlin turned to Han Qinren and said, "Young Master Han is very good at double hooks. I, Hong, would also like to learn from him with a sword!" 

Han Qinren raised his two hooks and said, "I have heard that the Dian Cang Sect is an expert in both whip and sword. I am honored to learn from you today!" 

Hong Zhanlin slowly drew his sword from its sheath, made a sword gesture and said, "Please!" 

Han Qinren knew that Hong Zhanlin's martial arts and combat experience were superior to Du Huanshan's, so he was no longer polite. He used the "Immortal Pointing the Way" move with the Moon Hook, while the Sun Hook continued to protect his chest. He had just used this move on Du Huanshan, and it was a move that was both offensive and defensive! 

Hong Zhanlin knew that Han Qinren's double hooks were good at locking weapons, and could be used for attack or defense, with a combination of long and short hooks. But he also saw that Han Qinren's martial arts were all based on weapons, and his internal strength was not very pure. If his internal strength was deeper, Du Huanshan would not be able to use that risky move at all! 

Hong Zhanlin smiled slightly, and the sword in his hand stabbed at Han Qinren's right shoulder like lightning. Although Han Qinren's moon hook was long, it was still half an inch shorter than the long sword. He happened to hold the moon hook in his right hand, and the sun hook in his left hand could not take care of it, so he had to switch from offense to defense and use the crescent halberd to block Hong Zhanlin's sword! 

The Dian Cang Sect is one of the nine major sects. Its disciples mainly practice sword techniques and whip techniques. The "Fei Chen Sword Technique" practiced by Hong Zhanlin is the most exquisite sword technique of the Dian Cang Sect. It is only passed on to talented disciples. The key point of the "Fei Chen Sword Technique" is that it changes rapidly and has a fierce attack. Often, an ordinary sword contains dozens of changes, making it difficult to guard against! 

Hong Zhanlin changed his moves quickly, and the tip of his sword trembled slightly, but it had already stabbed towards Han Qinren's throat. When Han Qinren blocked it with the Sun Hook, Hong Zhanlin had already stabbed out six times with lightning speed! 

Now it was Han Qinren's turn to be flustered. He felt that Hong Zhanlin's sword was like a ghost, always circling around him, either at his throat or at his shoulders, but he could not lock his sword. What's worse, Han Qinren could not touch Hong Zhanlin's sword except to block it! 

Hong Zhanlin secretly used his internal energy to infuse the sword. This ordinary iron sword seemed to be covered with a layer of gold, emitting a dazzling light. Under the scorching sun, it was very dazzling! 

Han Qinren blocked Hong Zhanlin's moves several times, and he felt that the iron sword was as hot as if it was burning red, and it was very hot. Moreover, each of Hong Zhanlin's swords was very powerful. After Han Qinren blocked it several times, his palms were slightly numb, and even Yue Gou almost couldn't hold on! 

Lingxuzi nodded and said, "Isn't the Dian Cang Sect good at swordsmanship and whip techniques? This young man Hong's inner strength doesn't seem to be similar to the Dian Cang Sect's inner strength! Could it be that I have made a mistake?" 

Xue Hongfei said: "Judging from his internal strength, he is no less than most famous masters in the martial arts world. Why didn't the Dian Cang Sect choose him as the successor to the leader?" 

Nangong Lie said thoughtfully: "Maybe he had some adventure? As for the matter of the leader, it is an internal matter of the Dian Cang Sect, and they must have their own reasons!" 

While the three were discussing, the contest between Hong Zhanlin and Han Qinren was almost decided. Hong Zhanlin's sword tip formed a sword flower, which enveloped Han Qinren's entire body. This move was a very exquisite move in the "Flying Dust Sword Technique", called "Lotus Locking Holy Infant". There were thirty-six kinds of changes in one sword, and the sword was extremely fast, leaving no time for people to think! 

Han Qinren knew that he could not resist, so he had to use the Sun and Moon hooks to protect the acupuncture points on his body. After a burst of metal clashing sounds, Han Qinren suddenly had more than a dozen wounds on his body, and his clothes were torn! 

Hong Zhanlin did not use too much force because Han Qinren had shown mercy just now. The wound on Han Qinren's body was only a little skin broken. Han Qinren knew he was no match for him, so he retracted his double hooks and clasped his fists, saying: "Han has lost!" 

Hong Zhanlin sheathed his sword and said, "Thank you!" 

Han Qinren ignored his injuries and refused the help of the servants of Huanxiu Villa. He walked off the stage with his entourage! 

Xue Hongfei said: "The young leader of the Julu Gang is also very skilled in martial arts. No wonder the Julu Gang has developed so rapidly in recent years. I heard that in addition to the headquarters in Hebei, there are also branches in Shanxi and Henan!" 

Nangong Lie nodded and said, "A few years ago, the leader of the Julu Gang, Han Peng, came to visit me to discuss business matters. At that time, the Julu Gang was still a small gang, but now it has the potential to surpass the nine major sects. Now he has thousands of disciples, and is truly a force that cannot be underestimated in the martial arts world!" 

Hong Zhanlin won, and many people praised him in unison: "Young Master Hong has superb martial arts and exquisite swordsmanship. It seems that Young Master Hong will definitely win the championship today!" 

As soon as these compliments came out, the flag bearers of the Dian Cang Sect all smiled brightly, and Hong Zhanlin waved his hands and said, "Thank you all for your compliments. I am not talented, I am just throwing out some ideas to inspire others!" 

Many people in the audience said: "Young Master Hong is too modest!" 

At this moment, a sinister voice said: "It's just a trivial skill, not worth mentioning!" 

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw the man lying on a chair. Although he was dressed in fine clothes, his posture was indeed very indecent. It turned out that this man was Tang Tianzong, the second son of the Tang Clan! 

The Tang Clan dominated Shu, and after years of development, it had completely expanded its influence beyond Shu. Not only did it expand rapidly in the martial arts world, it also established its own network of contacts in the court, completely replacing the status of Ziyue Villa and becoming one of the new four great families! 

The Tang Sect specializes in hidden weapons and poisons, which are exactly what ordinary people fear the most. People in the martial arts world often say: "I would rather run into a ghost than wade into the muddy waters of the Tang Sect." Therefore, when people from the Tang Sect walk in the rivers and lakes, although their martial arts skills are not high, they rarely encounter opponents, which also creates their arrogant and domineering personalities. The second son of the Tang Sect, Tang Tianzong, is a typical arrogant person! 

Speaking of participating in this martial arts competition to recruit a bride, Tang Tianzong was full of anger. First, he didn't want to participate in the first place, but was forced to come by his stepmother. Second, after coming here, Nangong Lie didn't like him and made him suffer a lot. Third, today he saw that the lonely Ziyue Villa could surpass his Tang Sect and become a VIP, which made him even more angry. Just now he heard that Hong Zhanlin was praised by everyone, so Tang Tianzong couldn't hold back any longer and spoke arrogantly! 

Although Hong Zhanlin was displeased after hearing this, he still said politely: "Hong just came out to show off his ugliness. In addition to throwing out bricks to attract jade, I also want to ask for advice from all the masters. Now that Mr. Tang is willing to give me some advice, it is really a blessing for Hong!" 

As soon as Hong Zhanlin said this, the difference in character between the two men was immediately apparent. Everyone couldn't help but discuss it, and they all supported Hong Zhanlin. Tang Tianzong became more and more angry as he listened. He slammed the chair heavily, and instantly flew up from the ground and flew straight to the ring! 

Tang Tianzong said proudly: "Today, I will let you see how powerful the Tang Sect is, so that these crows below can shut up!" 

Tang Tianzong's arrogance was not only unbearable to the audience, but even Lingxuzi said: "This kid is arrogant and really disgraces the Tang Sect's name!" 

Xue Hongfei said, "Master, you haven't been down the mountain for a long time, right? It's not just Tang Tianzong who is like this, but all of the Tang Sect, especially Tang Wei, the leader of the Tang Sect. In terms of arrogance, I'm afraid Tang Tianzong is not even half as arrogant as his father!" 

Xue Hongfei said this because of his personal experience. He had witnessed Tang Wei's character at the last martial arts conference, so he was not surprised at all that Tang Tianzong was so domineering! 

As the master, Nangong Lie also hated Tang Tianzong, but for the sake of the relationship between the sects, he couldn't directly criticize him, so he said to Hong Zhanlin: "Nephew Hong, do your best!" 

Hong Zhanlin, who had received support from the martial artists present, nodded to Nangong Lie, and then said in a neither humble nor arrogant manner: "Let me use my humble skills to test Master Tang's superior skills! Please!" 

Tang Tianzong raised his hand and said, "Wait a minute! The rules are unfair to me!" 

Hong Zhanlin asked: "Oh? Why?" 

Tang Tianzong put his hands behind his back and said, "As everyone knows, my Tang Sect's unique skills are all about hidden weapons and poison. Now that I am not allowed to use them, it would be better to tie my hands and let you do whatever you want!" 

Obviously, Tang Tianzong pointed the finger directly at Nangong Lie! 

Nangong Lie pondered for a moment and said, "Okay! I will make an exception and allow you to use hidden weapons, but for the sake of safety, the use of poison is absolutely not allowed!" 

Tang Tianzong laughed loudly and said, "The Nangong family is so afraid of the Tang Sect's poison. It's ridiculous! Well, I will just give in this time. I won't use poison and I can still beat you!" 

This arrogant remark caused an uproar at the scene. Mo Haoyu tightly grasped the hilt of the sword. Even Nangong Lie couldn't help but clench his fist, ready to make a move. Nangong Tianqi quickly held his father's hand to calm him down! 

Hong Zhanlin knew that he had a heavy responsibility, and said solemnly: "You are too arrogant, Hong is here to learn from you the hidden weapons of the Tang Sect, take it!" 

Hong Zhanlin thrust his sword diagonally, aiming straight at Tang Tianzong's face. Tang Tianzong had no weapon, so he had to dodge backwards to avoid Hong Zhanlin's sword! 

In the eyes of the public, the Tang Sect seems to have no other outstanding features except for hidden weapons and the use of poison, but in fact, the Tang Sect's body movements are also unique. Because they are not good at head-on confrontation, it is extremely important to avoid the opponent's attack. Only by avoiding the attack of others can they find opportunities to use hidden weapons! 

Hong Zhanlin has been in the martial arts world for many years and has seen many hidden weapon masters, but he has never fought against the masters of the Tang Sect. Therefore, he is inevitably afraid of Tang Tianzong's hidden weapons and dares not attack with all his strength. He is cautious in every move and dares not use too much, because if he is not careful, it is very likely that Tang Tianzong will leave a chance! 

Tang Tianzong made a bold statement at first, but he found that Hong Zhanlin was not as easy to deal with as he thought. Hong Zhanlin pressed forward step by step, but he did not lose his tactics at all, always attacking and defending, forcing Tang Tianzong to dodge and move, but he could not find any opportunities! 

Seeing that Tang Tianzong was dodging, Hong Zhanlin used his inner strength to attach it to his sword, and used the same method he used to deal with Han Qinren to deal with Tang Tianzong. This change was very effective, and Tang Tianzong was caught off guard. Several holes were burned in his brocade robe! 

Seeing that Hong Zhanlin had gained the upper hand, everyone cheered. Although Tang Tianzong was angry, his martial arts skills were much better than his character. He knew that the situation was not in his favor and that there was almost no chance of winning by force, so he continued to look for opportunities patiently and was not affected by the temporary defeat! 

The fight between the two lasted for a long time, and in the blink of an eye, a hundred moves had already passed. The situation was still Hong Zhanlin attacking and Tang Tianzong defending. It seemed that they had the upper hand, but in fact, the balance of victory had gradually tilted towards Tang Tianzong! 

Hong Zhanlin poured his inner strength into the sword, which indeed greatly increased its power, but it was a means of seeking a quick victory, because the inner strength he consumed was also very huge, and he could not fight for a long time. The longer he spent, the more disadvantageous it would be for him. He did not expect Tang Tianzong's footwork to be so exquisite. He was about to win several times, but Tang Tianzong dodged it. Hong Zhanlin gradually felt powerless, and the light on the sword faded by 70%, and a layer of sweat appeared on his forehead! 

As one side gained strength, the other side lost strength. Tang Tianzong was overjoyed to see Hong Zhanlin's attack weakened. He immediately fought back. He raised his hands and shouted, "Go!" 

The sound of sharp weapons breaking through the air was heard, and two bone-piercing nails had already shot towards Hong Zhanlin's chest. The masters of hidden weapons all pay attention to speed, cruelty, and accuracy, so if they don't make a move, it's fine. Once they make a move, they aim for the vital points. Tang Tianzong is no exception! 

Hong Zhanlin was startled. Seeing the hidden weapon right in front of him, he did not dare to block it with his sword. He could only dodge to the side and barely avoided the fatal hidden weapon! 

Tang Tianzong's attack missed, so he reached for his waist and fired four plum blossom darts, attacking Hong Zhanlin's shoulders and knees respectively! 

The plum blossom darts have a bigger target than the bone-piercing nails, but using four of them at the same time makes it difficult to take care of both ends! 

Hong Zhanlin knew that if he allowed Tang Tianzong to launch his hidden weapons, it would only be a matter of time before he lost, so he leaped into the air and dodged the two plum blossom darts below. At the same time, he swept his sword and shot down the two plum blossom darts above. However, he continued to move towards Tang Tianzong, with the sword in his hand pointing directly at Tang Tianzong's crown! 

Tang Tianzong smiled wickedly, raised his palms upwards, as if to receive the attack with his bare hands. When the sword was about to strike, his wrist suddenly shook, and two more bone-piercing nails shot towards Hong Zhanlin's face! 

Hong Zhanlin was in the air, with no way to avoid it. Everyone thought he would definitely be hit by this move, and some people even screamed in shock! 

At this time, Hong Zhanlin took a deep breath, flicked his sleeves, and blocked the two bone-piercing nails. The crowd cheered! 

Lingxuzi said: "This young master Hong has learned so much that I am amazed. This move of brushing sleeves has been lost for many years, and I didn't expect to see it again today!" 

Nangong Lie asked in confusion: "Isn't the Sleeve Brushing Technique the unique skill of "Smiling Yama" Ling Xiaoyuan? When did the Dian Cang Sect also learn this skill?" 

Xue Hongfei also said: "Yes! Ling Xiaoyuan has not been around in the martial arts world for at least ten years. Could it be that he has joined the Dian Cang Sect?" 

Nangong Lie suddenly asked: "Could his internal energy be Ling Xiaoyuan's unique internal energy 'Lihuo Shengong'?" 

During the conversation, Tang Tianzong and Hong Zhanlin had exchanged more than 20 moves. Since Hong Zhanlin used his unique skill, the threat of Tang Tianzong to him was greatly reduced. Basically, his hidden weapons could not be returned. Hong Zhanlin's swordsmanship once again gained the upper hand! 

After a while, Hong Zhanlin's sword drew an arc, and he used the move "Round Heaven and Square Earth", covering Tang Tianzong's body in the sword light. Tang Tianzong was shocked and stopped. Hong Zhanlin, who had been fighting for a long time, knew that this opportunity would be fleeting, so he used the sword in his hand to make three moves in a row, blocking Tang Tianzong's retreat! 

Tang Tianzong seemed to know that he was about to lose, so he didn't make any moves. Hong Zhanlin pointed his sword and hit Tang Tianzong's shoulder. Unexpectedly, Tang Tianzong smiled strangely, and at the same time, he flicked his sleeves, and two sleeve arrows flew straight to Hong Zhanlin's chest! 

The two were very close, and it was obviously impossible to draw the sword to defend. Fortunately, Hong Zhanlin still had the skill of brushing sleeves, and brushed away the two sleeve arrows. When Hong Zhanlin, who had escaped the crisis, was about to draw his sword, his eyes went dark. It turned out that two invisible silver needles had been inserted into his neck. These silver needles were emitted from Tang Tianzong's mouth when he laughed strangely. Hong Zhanlin only saw the sleeve arrows, but did not realize that the silver needles were in front of the sleeve arrows! 

Seeing that he had succeeded, Tang Tianzong shook his shoulders and shook out the sword stuck in his shoulder socket. There was an obvious hole in the brocade robe, but no blood was seen flowing out! 

Nangong Lie suddenly realized, "I didn't expect that he was wearing the most precious 'Black Silkworm Armor' in the martial arts world. No wonder he is not afraid of the sword!" 

Zhu San asked: "What kind of treasure is this 'Black Silkworm Armor'? It's so powerful!" 

Nangong Tianqi said: "The 'Black Silkworm Armor' is made of black silk mixed with gold thread. Black silk is produced in Miaojiang. It is black in color and cannot be cut by swords and knives. It is also extremely light. When mixed with gold thread, it is woven into clothing. It can resist external injuries such as swords and hidden weapons. However, black silk is extremely rare and it is very difficult to weave it into clothing. There are only two 'Black Silkworm Armor' in the world. I didn't expect that one of them is worn by this guy. It's really a waste of natural resources!" 

Nangong Lie said: "This Tang Tianzong avoided attacking earlier, consuming most of Hong Zhanlin's energy. When Hong Zhanlin was at the end of his strength, he lured him to stab him and used a hidden weapon. His mind is quite cunning!" 

After Hong Zhanlin was ambushed, he seemed to be unstable and about to fall! 

Tang Tianzong laughed wildly, "You'd better not move! My life-chasing silver needle has sealed two major acupoints, Jiangtai and Tianchuang. If you use your true energy recklessly, your life will be in danger! And this silver needle can only be untied by people from my sect! Hahahaha! I am kind-hearted. As long as you are willing to admit that your Dian Cang Sect is not as good as our Tang Sect, I will immediately untie the acupoints for you. Otherwise, after twelve hours, the silver needle will enter the acupoints, and it will be difficult for the immortals to save you! Hahaha!" 

People in the martial arts community value reputation the most, especially the reputation of their sects. For Hong Zhanlin to admit that the Dian Cang Sect is not as good as the Tang Sect is harder than ascending to heaven. Hong Zhanlin stared at Tang Tianzong angrily, his eyes spitting fire, but he said nothing! 

Nangong Lie said: "Before the duel, we agreed to stop at the right time and not to create grudges. Mr. Tang, you should help Young Master Hong to unblock his acupuncture points!" 

Tang Tianzong said proudly: "Why? You didn't take me seriously at first, but now you need my help? I didn't poison him, I've kept my promise, as for whether to release the acupuncture points, it depends on my mood!" 

At this moment, a clear voice resounded throughout the arena, and he said, "What a boastful person! Do you still have any fellow martial artists in your eyes? Let me test the Tang Sect's hidden weapons and poisons to see if they are just for show!" 

When everyone looked closely, the man had already flown onto the stage. He was as light as flying catkins, and he came to the stage without any hesitation. He was silent and spotless!