Hearing what Yun Chaoxian said, everyone couldn't bother about anything else. They all cheered as they went with him to fulfill his agreement. They were all eager to see just how "special" this Miss Tie Chui was.
In any other immortal sect, Tie Chui's talent and strength would have already earned her fame. But at South Melody Conservatory, reputation hinged more on beauty and artistry than combat prowess, which was why she had remained relatively unknown even after years in the sect.
Of course, without South Melody Conservatory's dedicated training, she likely wouldn't have achieved her current level.
Chu Liang had someone cut wood and bamboo to make a small cart for himself to sit in, with Pushan pushing him along. All he lacked was a feather fan, and he would have resembled the legendary strategist Zhuge Liang[1].
The group ventured into the bamboo grove, only to find no one in sight. It seemed the disciples of South Melody Conservatory had detected them and hidden themselves in advance.
Yun Chaoxian stepped forward and called out, "Tie Chui! Didn't you agree to meet me here? Have you chickened out?"
"Nonsense!" a booming voice echoed as a large figure burst from the shadows and landed with a thud. Tie Chui's fierce gaze swept over them. "So what if you have more people? Come at me—all of you!"
"Hm?" Her words left everyone bewildered.
Isn't Yun Chaoxian supposed to meet the love of his life here? Could this be Tie Chui? The situation felt oddly intriguing, but that wasn't the main issue at hand. The real question was... is this something that everyone should do together?
"No need for anyone else! In a fair one-on-one, I can take you down easily!" Yun Chaoxian declared as he swung his halberd. While his voice was still loud and clear, he ripped his clothes.[2]
This scene left the others stunned.
By ripping his clothes right away, he seemed a bit too eager for you-know-what.
But the way he undressed... Well, it was certainly unusual.
"What exactly did they arrange to meet for?" Chu Liang turned to ask Luo Yao.
"They had a fight earlier," Luo Yao explained. "There were too many people from the South Melody Conservatory at the time, so I told him we needed to leave. He promised to come back and duel her again."
Ah, so that's how it was. So that's what happened. The special thing about Tie Chui was her especially good fighting skills, Chu Liang muttered inwardly. One should never harbor romantic fantasies about these rugged warriors.
It was like a clash between a dragon and a tiger. As Miss Tie Chui wielded her two golden hammers, the thunderous rhythm of her drums unleashed a terrifying aura.
On the other hand, Yun Chaoxian swung his halberd with such force that it seemed to shake both the land and sky, clearly on par with the attacks unleashed by Miss Tie Chui.
After a few rounds, the two had already cleared out the surrounding bamboo trees. Without her fellow disciples to support her with the instrument's melody, Tie Chui gradually began to fall behind.
Though Tie Chui possessed great innate strength and had trained diligently, Yun Chaoxian was a martial prodigy from the Great Astral Sect. With a physique like a fierce beast and equally refined martial skills, he had the upper hand in their clash.
After several exchanges, Tie Chui began to show signs of exhaustion.
This demonstrated the power of Xue Lingxue's music. Previously, with her playing in support, Tie Chui was basically beating Yun Chaoxian up.
Seeing Tie Chui being at a disadvantage, her teammates could no longer hold back.
The melodies of instruments began to play from the depths of the bamboo grove, shifting the balance of the fight once again.
"Stop fighting..." Chu Liang, recognizing the familiar melody, called out, "Miss Xue, please come out so we can talk face-to-face."
This situation was unexpected. He had initially planned to leave without meeting the members of the South Melody Conservatory, but they had ended up here anyway due to a misunderstanding of Yun Chaoxian's intentions. It would be impolite to leave without saying a word now.
If they thought he had come solely to take their soul crystals, it would be even worse.
Clearly, Chu Liang was seen as a trustworthy figure. Upon hearing his words, Yun Chaoxian withdrew and stepped back into the group, while the three core disciples of the South Melody Conservatory gradually revealed themselves.
The appearance of Xue Lingxue, Yu Xiang'er, and Shen Qingyan transformed the beauty and elegance of the scene, taking it to a whole new level.
"What happened to you? How did you turn out like this?" Xue Lingxue asked in surprise upon seeing Chu Liang.
"A minor injury," Chu Liang replied with a smile. "We didn't come here to seize soul crystals... There was a misunderstanding. We thought Brother Yun had arranged a meeting with Miss Tie Chui for something else... turns out it was to fight."
"We planned to leave as soon as we were discovered, but Tie Chui insisted on staying here to fight him again, so we had to hide," Xue Lingxue said with a resigned smile.
Oh, goodness. So they really do share mutual feelings for each other with this agreed duel.
Shen Qingyan looked at the mixed group across from her and asked, "Young Hero Chu, are you all allied?"
However, it wasn't long before the Second Prince arrived as well.
"This humble son of yours pays my respects."
The Second Prince stepped forward, made a gesture of respect, and then took a seat beside the emperor. While his gaze remained fixed on the scene in the light screen, he occasionally glanced to the side.
The emperor glanced at him and quickly guessed what was happening.
It was clear that the Second Prince was here on a mission.
The emperor had come with only his consort to watch the competition. If people saw this, who knew what rumors might spread?
Clearly, Empress Wu was not pleased, but she felt too embarrassed to come herself. Instead, she had sent her son to keep an eye on the emperor and the consort, ensuring they wouldn't be overly affectionate.
The emperor couldn't help but give a wry smile. After many years of cultivation and at an old age, he hardly indulged in such romantic sentiments anymore.
The main reason he had shown favor to this consort in recent years was that his sons were growing older, and it was time to make a decision about the heir. Although the Second Prince was initially the clear choice for Crown Prince, the Thirteenth Prince had displayed exceptional wisdom and intelligence, leading to some hesitation on the emperor's part.
Empress Wu inevitably grew anxious. Whenever they met, she would quickly bring up the topic of succession. Since they had been together for many years, she spoke freely, without holding back like others might. Although the emperor wouldn't scold her, he didn't like hearing it. The more she pressed the issue, the less he wanted to visit her.
Conveniently, this imperial consort was beautiful, gentle, and understanding...
She was really like a sweet little sister.
This contrast only made his wife seem all the more unpleasant.
This subtle atmosphere lingered for a while until the Second Prince's attention was suddenly drawn to the scene displayed in the light screen.
At that moment, the scene displayed showed the South Melody Conservatory team.
The emperor couldn't help but smile and say, "The one I recommended to you before, that would be Miss Shen from South Melody Conservatory, right?"
The Second Prince nodded slightly, "That's right."
"How's it going?" the emperor asked again.
Seeing his son's expression, he didn't bother asking for his opinion on her. It was clear he was satisfied.
"It's going alright," the Second Prince replied.
I've already agreed... I am just waiting for her, he silently added to himself.
"That girl is smart, knowing to ally with Chu Liang," the emperor chuckled. "Maybe this time, the team from the South Melody Conservatory will advance to the next round."
Since Chu Liang had taken down Yang Shenlong, the emperor was finding him more and more likable.
At the mention of this, the Second Prince's expression suddenly tightened.
After a pause, he said angrily, "Chu Liang of the Mount Shu Sect is already injured this badly; what could he still accomplish? I think Miss Shen made a poor choice in choosing him as an ally."
"Oh?" asked the emperor. "Besides Chu Liang, does she have a better option?"
"Of course she does!" the Second Prince blurted out instinctively.
The palace attendants below were startled, unsure why the always-composed Second Prince had suddenly lost his temper... especially in front of the emperor.
The emperor's words had been casual, but it was clear the Second Prince's mind had wandered elsewhere.
The emperor was momentarily taken aback by his shout. After a pause, he said sternly, "Why are you shouting like that?"
1. Someone important from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. A Chinese statesman, strategist, and inventor who lived through the end of the Eastern Han dynasty (c. 184–220) and the early Three Kingdoms period (220–280) of China. Refer to this link. ☜
2. How many shirts does he have? He ripped one already earlier. ☜
GLTD Alternate Universe's Thoughts
Translator: GT