Wandering Swordsman |

The martial arts practitioners present all stood up and bowed in respect. Situ Changkong smiled and nodded, continuing, "Tomorrow is the day the martial arts competition begins. Many people have arrived since yesterday and the day before. Besides some wandering martial artists and people from other small sects, the eight great families have all arrived, and even many scholars from the four great academies have come."

Situ Changkong's words stirred excitement in everyone present. The presence of the eight great families signified the immense scale of this martial arts competition for a son-in-law, while the arrival of scholars from the four great academies demonstrated that this grand event had attracted the attention of not only the entire martial arts world but also literary figures.

Situ Changkong continued, "Young heroes, this martial arts competition to select a husband is not only a test of your individual martial arts skills, but also a test of your will and character. I hope everyone can compete fairly, demonstrate your true strength, and strive for good results."

He paused, looked around, and a determined light shone in his eyes: "Jingtian Pavilion has prepared rooms for everyone to rest in, to ensure you can participate in tomorrow's competition in the best possible condition. Next, my junior brothers will take you to the rooms that have been arranged to rest in batches."

As soon as Situ Changkong finished speaking, the atmosphere in the lounge became even more heated. Disciples from various sects stood up one after another, their faces filled with anticipation and excitement, and followed the Jingtian Pavilion warriors they were guided to leave the lounge in order. They walked through the corridors, their footsteps echoing in the quiet passageways, as if foreshadowing the fierce competition that was about to begin.

He Yun, Zhao Xue, and Li Fanglin followed closely behind the martial artist guiding them, passing through several exquisitely carved doors and entering the depths of the Jing Tian Pavilion. Along the way, they saw many Jing Tian Pavilion martial artists, some practicing their skills, others quietly reading ancient texts, each with a calm and focused expression. He Yun inwardly admired the Jing Tian Pavilion's profound martial arts knowledge and harmonious atmosphere.

After passing through a long corridor, they arrived at the living area of ​​Jingtian Pavilion. Here, pavilions stood in a staggered, orderly fashion, each seemingly possessing its own unique charm. The layout of the living area was remarkably rational; each pavilion had three floors, with four rooms on each floor, totaling twelve rooms. Despite the large number of pavilions, the overall layout did not feel cramped; instead, it possessed a tranquil and orderly beauty.

The martial artist led the three to a pavilion, pushed open the carved wooden door, and led them into a room. Although small, the room was exquisitely decorated. A single-person-wide wooden bed occupied one corner, covered with soft bedding, and a small pillow at the head of the bed. On the wall opposite the bed hung a landscape painting, its mountains and rivers lifelike, seemingly conveying the tranquility and beauty of nature. A small wooden table stood in one corner, upon which rested a tea set and several ancient books, clearly for the guests' relaxation. The window beside the bed was framed with beautifully carved wood; opening it revealed a panoramic view of the outside scenery, and the room was well-ventilated and filled with natural light.

The three men looked at the room with admiration, which filled the Jing Tian Pavilion warrior with a sense of pride. He smiled and said to Li Fanglin, "Young Master Li, these are the rooms for those participating in the competition. You can rest in these rooms while you are at Jing Tian Pavilion. As for your two friends, please follow me to the area where those watching the competition are staying."

Li Fanglin nodded and said gratefully to the martial artist from Jingtian Pavilion, "Thank you, brother."

Then he turned to bid farewell to He Yun and Zhao Xue: "Brother He, Miss Zhao, see you tomorrow."

He Yun and Zhao Xue followed the Jingtian Pavilion warrior out of the room. They wandered around the living area for a long time before arriving at a room. The warrior opened the door, gestured for them to enter, and then said gently, "We've had quite a few guests lately, so the rooms in the living area are a bit crowded. If you two are a couple, please make do with this small room."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xue's face flushed slightly, and a hint of shyness flashed in her eyes. However, she did not offer any explanation. Instead, she quietly looked at He Yun beside her, her eyes filled with expectation and trust.

He Yun's heart stirred slightly. He wanted to explain, but seeing Zhao Xue's expectant gaze, he didn't say anything more.

He Yun then cupped his hands in thanks to the Jing Tian Pavilion warrior and said politely, "Brother, you've gone to so much trouble. It's freezing cold and snowing heavily. My fiancée and I are already grateful to have a room to rest in. There's no question of feeling wronged."

Hearing the words "fiancée" from He Yun's mouth, Zhao Xue's cheeks instantly flushed red, her eyes filled with surprise and a touch of shyness. She lowered her head, not daring to look He Yun in the eye, her heart pounding like a herd of deer.

Seeing the two men's sincere attitude, the Jing Tian Pavilion warrior felt gratified and said with a smile, "You're too kind. It's my duty. I have some other matters to attend to, so I won't bother you any longer. If you need anything else, you can come to me or other fellow disciples."

He Yun bowed in thanks again. The Jing Tian Pavilion warrior nodded slightly, turned, and left the room. He Yun closed the door, turned to look at Zhao Xue, and found that she was still looking down, her hands clenched tightly, clearly in a very complicated mood.

After a long silence, Zhao Xue finally mustered her courage and broke the silence in a low voice: "Brother Yun... what did you just say I was to you...?"

Upon hearing this, He Yun immediately recalled how he had referred to Zhao Xue as his "fiancée" to the Jing Tian Pavilion warriors, and his face flushed crimson, his heart racing with panic. He tried to feign nonchalance and brush it off: "Ah Xue? What did you say?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xue felt a pang of disappointment and stopped pressing for answers. Instead, she said in a low voice, "Um. I was just saying, 'Brother Yun, let's rest.'"

Seeing Zhao Xue's disappointed expression, He Yun felt a pang of guilt and quickly added, "Um... Xue!"

After a moment of silence, He Yun mustered his courage, took a deep breath, and said firmly, "After the Jing Tian Pavilion matter is settled, I will take you back to the Sword Tomb, and then I will have my father hold a wedding for us."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xue looked up in surprise, her eyes filled with disbelief. Tears welled in her eyes as she seemed to process this sudden news. Seeing this, He Yun quickly said, "Ah Xue, I'm serious. If you don't want to..."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xue quickly covered He Yun's mouth with her hand, her voice low and firm: "Brother Yun, how could I not agree?"

He Yun gently grasped Zhao Xue's hand, a mischievous smile playing on his lips, and said, "If you're willing, great. If you're not, I'll tie you up and take you back to the Sword Tomb."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xue's cheeks flushed even more. She lowered her head and whispered, "Hmph, I'm ignoring you."

Seeing Zhao Xue's reaction, He Yun felt a surge of warmth in his heart and gently embraced her.

Zhao Xue leaned against He Yun's chest, feeling his warm breath, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart.