We're practicing all martial arts, so why did you switch to easy mode?

Chapter 199 Dark Clouds Loom Overhead, Overbearing Aura Leaks

The matter is now closed.

After Luo Zhengting and Luo Zhengxun left the City Lord's Mansion, the Mansion Master Qian Ruyuan only exchanged a few words with Qiao Renzhou before drifting away.

The guards withdrew, and Qiao Renzhou and his son returned to the main hall.

"Father, three days is too short!" Qiao Qiliang's injuries were not serious, but there were two conspicuous bruises on his neck.

But at this moment he had no time to care about these things. It seemed that the manor lord was temporarily relieving them, but in reality he was putting Su Chen on the hot seat.

If Su Chen had ten or fifteen days, he might have a chance to win the competition, but with only three days, the hope is too slim.

Once Su Chen appears, how could the Luo family easily let him off?
A duel to the death is not a matter of stopping short of a duel, but rather a contest that determines both superiority and life or death; only one of the two can survive.

Qiao Renzhou's eyes flickered: "Then we should prepare for the worst."

"What's the plan?"

"Regardless of whether Su Chen appears or not, the worst outcome of this competition is that he will lose, and lose to Hong Ming and the others," Qiao Renzhou said incisively.

Su Chen's appearance may not be a match for the two elders of the Luo family. He lost the duel and his life was taken. Hong Ming and the others were dealt with by the Luo family.

Even without Su Chen's appearance, the match was still lost, and Hong Ming and the others were still punished by the Luo family.

But compared to the former, at least Su Chen survived. As long as he survived, there was hope.

Qiao Qiliang quickly figured it out and frowned, saying, "Then what should we do?"

"The only solution now is to send Hong Ming and the others away," Qiao Renzhou suggested.

Qiao Qiliang frowned even more: "But wouldn't doing this be like throwing lambs to the slaughter?"

What they could think of, the Luo family could naturally think of as well, and they certainly wouldn't let Hong Ming and the others go easily.

Moreover, taking Hong Ming and the others away from the city lord's mansion under the noses of hundreds or thousands of Luo clan warriors is not that simple.

I'm afraid they'll send people after us as soon as they sense any disturbance.

What's the difference between this behavior and playing with fire and getting burned?
"I wasn't planning to tell you, but now..."

Qiao Qiliang: "...!"

Father, how many things are you still hiding from me?
However, this time it was not a big deal. Qiao Renzhou told him that there was a secret passage in the city lord's mansion that led directly outside the city.

"Dad, why didn't you say something about this sooner?" Qiao Qiliang was speechless.

Qiao Renzhou glared at him: "Why did you say this so early? Besides, this is a last resort. How can you easily reveal it to others before the very last moment?"

This is true.

Qiao Qiliang was just complaining casually, but in his heart he actually agreed with Qiao Renzhou.

After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Where should we take Master Hong and the others?"

"The Imperial City!" Qiao Renzhou uttered two words softly.

……

Qianfu.

Qian Ruyuan took a sip of tea, but his gaze fell on Qian Xingyue, who was looking at Su Chen's information.

He asked, full of doubt, "Xingyue, I don't understand, why did you ask me to help Su Chen?"

Based on his understanding of Qian Xingyue, he knew she never did anything without a purpose, so this unusual behavior must have something in mind.

Sure enough, Qian Xingyue looked up and replied, "I just wanted to see if he would come back knowing he was on the verge of death."

She paused, then added, "Besides, wasn't it you who wanted to recommend him to me? It's good to see his character. I don't care who my future husband is, but he shouldn't be an ungrateful person, right?"

Upon hearing this, Qian Ruyuan gave a wry smile: "What if he loses the martial arts competition and is killed by the Luo Clan Ancestor?"

"Only the strong are worthy to be my husband," Qian Xingyue said softly, raising her eyebrows slightly.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Following Su Chen's killing of the Luo clan patriarch and the emergence of the Luo clan ancestor from seclusion, the entire Dafeng City was once again abuzz with excitement because of Su Chen.

For the past three days, nine out of ten martial artists in the five cities of Dafeng have been captivated by the upcoming duel between Su Chen and the Luo Clan Ancestor.

It's no exaggeration to say that almost everyone who knows a little martial arts is discussing this matter.

While this matter may not have garnered widespread attention, it was certainly known to every household.

Even amidst this heated discussion, no one knew where the other protagonist of the duel was.

at the same time.

There is another matter that has also attracted much attention.

That was the Donglin Banquet hosted by the Prefect.

In addition to the various forces from the five cities of Dafeng, there were also many other major forces from the former prefecture and the five states of the east.

Any force qualified to participate in the Donglin Banquet must have at least one martial artist with the Meridian Opening Realm in charge.

The Donglin Banquet was held at Mingyue Villa outside Dafeng City.

"Liang Qingsong, the clan head of the Liang family, has arrived."

"Chu Jingtian, the patriarch of the Chu clan, has arrived."

"Clan Chief Yun Pengju has arrived."

"Elder Luo Zhengting of the Luo clan has arrived."

"..."

Just past 3:45 AM, the four major clans arrived one after another.

Unlike the other three major clans, the fact that the name of the Luo clan's patriarch was mixed in inevitably made everyone present feel a bit strange.

This is normal, as the recent martial arts contest between the Luo family and Su Chen has caused quite a stir.

Even those who came from other states had heard about it and were even secretly looking forward to witnessing this competition.

The younger generation, in particular, were eager to have a fierce battle before the two sides faced off in a life-or-death duel.

Talk is cheap; they really wanted to see just how strong the so-called number one young talent in Donglin Prefecture truly was.

The Luo clan patriarch paid no attention to the gazes of the crowd. The Luo clan had already declared that they would not appoint a clan leader unless Su Chen was killed.

It's only a matter of two or three days without a clan leader; the Luo clan can wait, and they can afford to wait!

With the arrival of the various clans, the entire Eastern Banquet officially began.

As Qiao Qiliang said, the main purpose of this banquet was to discuss two matters.

One is the division of territory among the five cities of Dafeng.

The second is the allocation of the amount of Zhuangxue Dan (a traditional Chinese medicine).

The former only involves the five cities of Dafeng, namely the city lord's mansion and the four major clans.

The latter involves the entire Donglin Prefecture, with many top forces in need of Blood Strengthening Pills and Blood Enhancement Pills.

However, these are all clashes between the leaders of various forces, and have little to do with the younger generation.

By noon, the room was already full of distinguished guests.

Besides the clan leaders and sect masters, many young people from various factions also came.

The entire banquet was clearly divided into three groups.

This is a group of powerful figures, bringing together the strongest individuals from all sides of Donglin Prefecture.

The younger generation is divided into two factions, with men and women each forming their own groups.

One faction is a male group led by the eldest son of the prefect, Yun Haoran, Liang Qingping and other top clans.

One faction is a group of women led by top clans such as Qian Xingyue and Qian Mingyue.

In the back garden.

Qian Mingyue and Qian Xingyue are taking a stroll on the lake.

“Little sister, today is the day you choose your husband, but instead of going to meet those young masters, you're just sitting here with me doing nothing.”

Qian Mingyue smiled gently. She had experienced this scene many times before, and although she was now a wife, she could still guess some of Qian Xingyue's thoughts.

"Hehe, sister, they might not want to see me right now," Qian Xingyue said with a mischievous smile.

"Oh?" This question puzzled Qian Mingyue, but she quickly came to her senses. "You mean Su Chen?"

Thinking of the name that had been on everyone's lips lately, Qian Mingyue was speechless.

"Sigh, they really have no sense of romance. There's such a beautiful woman like my sister right here, yet they keep talking about this guy, insisting on competing with him, and even wanting to fight him. It's really..."

When this matter was mentioned, Qian Mingyue covered her face and smiled.

Who would have thought that the name Su Chen would cause such a sensation among the heirs of these top powers?

This not only caused them to neglect Qian Xingyue somewhat, but also led them to engage in a different kind of 'jealousy'.

Qian Mingyue smiled, then asked hesitantly, "Sister, you wouldn't have fallen for this person, would you?"

Seeing that Qian Xingyue remained silent, Qian Mingyue felt a pang of anxiety, then smiled and said, "However, this person is extremely talented and may not be unworthy of you, sister."

“Sister Mingyue, you should know that I have always admired the strong. If you want to be my husband, he must be stronger than my father!” Qian Xingyue said, pursing her lips.

"There aren't many who can meet such requirements," Qian Mingyue chuckled.

The two walked and unknowingly arrived at another courtyard.

"Chu Yi, you've only reached the fourth level of the Blood Realm. Going to challenge Su Chen to a duel is just asking for humiliation."

A slightly mocking voice rang out.

The man named Chu Yi retorted without any politeness: "Yun Haoran, you may not be a match for Su Chen, but that doesn't mean I am."

"Hehe, Chu Yi, to be honest, I'm ahead of you. I broke through to the fifth realm three days ago." A handsome young man in white laughed. This man was Yun Haoran, who stood out among a group of martial artists.

"So what if you've broken through? Su Chen has even killed a Qi Convergence Realm martial artist. Even if you join forces, you're no match for him."

At this moment, another voice rang out, drawing attention. This wasn't the first time he had defended Su Chen. Yun Haoran and Chu Yi both looked at the gray-clad man upon hearing this.

Yun Haoran's eyes flashed with anger: "Whether I am Su Chen's opponent or not is none of your business."

Chu Yi followed up with a question: "Liang Qingping, I'd like to know why you keep speaking up for this brat."

Liang Qingping smiled and said, "I cherish talent."

"Hmph, just a dead man!" Yun Haoran said coldly.

The atmosphere became somewhat solemn because of Su Chen, but it was quickly broken.

"Miss Xingyue has arrived."

Qian Xingyue was spotted by everyone before she even got close, and everyone's attention was quickly drawn to her.

Today, Qian Xingyue wore a red dress that perfectly showcased her exquisite figure.

The sunlight shone on her stunningly beautiful face, and every smile and frown was captivating.

"I hear you all talking about Su Chen. What, do you want to challenge him to a duel?" Qian Xingyue glanced at everyone.

"I do have that idea," Yun Haoran said with a faint smile, exuding composure.

“I’ve always heard people say how amazing this person is, so it’s natural to be curious. Besides, we’re all martial artists, and it’s tempting to meet such a master. It would be even better if we could have a match,” Chu Yi said.

Then, everyone started talking at once.

Once everyone had quieted down, Qian Xingyue smiled and said, "That's exactly what I was thinking too. If you don't mind, you can come with me to Fengbei City."

"it is good!"

……

Unlike the bustling atmosphere of Mingyue Manor, the liveliness of Qiao Mansion carried a hint of oppression.

A dark cloud seemed to hang over the Qiao residence, making it hard for everyone to breathe.

The agreed time for the duel was noon, and there was less than an hour until it was to begin.

The Luo family had already set up a fighting arena in front of the Qiao residence, laying a trap for Su Chen's arrival.

Around the arena, two groups of people stood: one from the Qiao family and the other from the Luo family.

The Luo family's arrival was a grand affair, with a group of martial artists who not only outnumbered the Qiao family but also completely outmatched them in strength.

The fact that the leader of the team was Luo Zhengxun, one of the ancestors of the Luo family, put an immense, invisible pressure on Qiao Renzhou and the others.

These pressures did not move Qiao Qiliang much; what made him grit his teeth was the group of Hong Ming who were being held hostage by the Luo family disciples.

Two days ago, Qiao Qiliang had made all the necessary arrangements. As soon as Hong Ming and the others left Qinzhou, Qiao Yiyi's people would meet them.

After making thorough preparations, Qiao Renzhou and Qiao Qiliang secretly escorted Hong Ming and the others out of the city that very night.

The two thought their plan to escape Fengbei City through the secret passage and head to the imperial city was foolproof, but they never expected that the Luo family would succeed in the end.

They actually intercepted Hong Ming and his group halfway through their journey.

Early this morning, the Luo family sent people to set up a fighting arena, but Qiao Renzhou and Qiao Qiliang both didn't take it seriously.

Unexpectedly, after the arena was set up, Luo brought Hong Ming and the others out, showing off arrogantly and full of mockery.

If Qiao Renzhou hadn't stopped him, Qiao Qiliang probably wouldn't have been able to resist taking action.

The capture of Hong Ming and the others completely disrupted the two men's plans, leaving them with no choice but to leave the decision to Su Chen.

"coming?"

Time passed slowly, and suddenly everyone heard footsteps coming from not far away. Looking in the direction of the sound, they saw Qian Xingyue and her group slowly walking towards them.

"We pay our respects to Elder Luo."

The group stopped and bowed to Luo Zhengxun.

Luo Zhengxun nodded: "You're too kind, everyone."

Qian Xingyue looked around, and when his gaze landed on Hong Ming and the others, he paused.

"Elder Luo, besides watching the battle, we have another request to make."

Before Luo Zhengxun could ask, Yun Haoran took the initiative to state his purpose.

Luo Zhengxun asked in surprise, "What is it?"

Not to be outdone, Chu Yi stepped forward and cupped his hands, saying, "Everyone says that Su Chen is the number one martial artist below the Meridian Opening stage. We hope that Elder Luo will give us a chance to fight Su Chen."

Seemingly afraid that Luo Zhengxun would refuse, Yun Haoran added, "Let us fight Su Chen first, it won't take too long, and then this person can be left to Elder Luo's disposal."

Upon hearing this, Luo Zhengxun paused for a moment before agreeing: "Okay."

After a brief pause, he chuckled and said, "However, you're probably going to be disappointed. This person may not have the guts to come."

"Doesn't that just prove that this person is a coward?" Yun Haoran said dismissively.

"hehe."

At that moment, a lukewarm voice rang out, sounding extremely abrupt.

Yun Haoran frowned and said unhappily, "Qiao Qiliang, what are you laughing at?"

"Heh, it's nothing," Qiao Qiliang replied with a cold laugh.

Hearing his sarcastic sneer, the group all looked displeased.

"Humph."

However, due to Luo Zhengxun and Qian Xingyue, the group simply snorted and chose to ignore them.

The time for the martial arts competition is drawing ever closer.

The expressions on everyone's faces grew increasingly expectant.

Luo Zhengxun closed his eyes to rest, mentally counting down the days until Su Chen's death.

Qiao Renzhou and Qiao Qiliang frowned deeply, their feelings a mixture of both hoping Su Chen would appear and hoping he wouldn't.

Qiao Qiliang sighed and looked into the distance, his gaze falling on Hong Ming and the others who were tied up.

After two days apart, all of them had injuries, looked extremely haggard, and were exhausted, but their eyes were unusually bright.

Whether it was Hong Ming, Tie Rang, Fang Youwei, Zhang Hong, Hong Chen, or Fang Rou, Zhang Wan'er, and Qin Xue, their faces all wore expressions of determination.

Qiao Qiliang understood their thoughts from their eyes.

Even they didn't want Su Chen to appear; everyone was resolute in their decision.

"Time is up."

Suddenly, a voice interrupted Qiao Qiliang's thoughts. He looked up at the sundial and his expression changed.

"Luo Zhengxun, look carefully, it's still a quarter past noon," Qiao Qiliang coldly reminded him.

“I said I’ve arrived, and that’s what I mean.” But he was met with Luo Zhengxun’s cold words in response.

Upon hearing this, Qiao Qiliang was furious.

Qiao Renzhou said at the right moment, "There are successors of various forces here. Luo Zhengxun, you really know how to lie through your teeth."

"Qiao Renzhou, your provocation won't work on me. At noon, I don't know if Su Chen will live or die, but they will certainly die!"

As he spoke, Luo Zhengxun pointed to Hong Ming and the others not far away.

Upon hearing this, the Luo family disciples placed their knives against the necks of Hong Ming and the others, their eyes filled with coldness.

Qiao Qiliang's face instantly turned ugly.

Seeing this, Luo Zhengxun smiled contemptuously: "Qiao Qiliang, so what if I give him another quarter of an hour? Do you really think Su Chen will show up?"

As he spoke, he glanced at the sky and continued, "To be honest, I wanted him to appear even more than you do, but now it seems that it was just wishful thinking on your part."

Their words were sharp and cutting, each word like a knife, yet they could not shake the hearts of Qiao Qiliang and the others.

His gaze fell on Hong Ming and the others, as if mocking their foolish trust.

The criticism then fell on Qiao Qiliang, who was met with even more ridicule.

"Do you believe that even if I kill them all, Su Chen, that cowardly rat, won't dare to show his face?"

Suddenly, a furious roar resounded from the sky.

"Bullshit! Who said I wouldn't show up?"

Accompanied by a thunderous roar, a slender and tall figure swept in from afar, taking three steps at a time and arriving in the blink of an eye.

Then, like a swallow, she glided lightly down and landed on the arena.

tread.

The arena suddenly trembled, and a deep, muffled sound rang out, striking the hearts of everyone present and causing them to shudder.

"You're Su Chen?"

Luo Zhengxun's cloudy eyes flashed with a sharp light as he suddenly stood up, his gaze fixed intently on 'Su Chen'.

"That's right, you old bastard, I am Su Chen, and I've come here to take your dog's life!"

Su Chen stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes lowered, exuding arrogance, and said disdainfully.

Hearing Su Chen's arrogant words, a murmur of discussion arose from the audience. They never expected that Su Chen would actually dare to come and die!

"Hmph, utterly arrogant!" Luo Zhengxun's eyelids twitched, and he said in a deep voice, his voice filled with undisguised killing intent.

"I was born arrogant, what can you do to me?" Su Chen exuded domineering arrogance.

"You sharp-tongued brat, I hope you can still be laughing later!" Luo Zhengxun said sinisterly.

At this moment, Qiao Qiliang reminded him, "Su Chen, Master Hong has been captured by this old guy."

Su Chen nodded upon hearing this, then looked at Hong Ming and the others, giving them a reassuring look.

Then, Su Chen roared, "You old bastard, how dare you arrest my master and the others! Get up here right now and face your death!"

(End of this chapter)