“Today, I am truly delighted to have all you esteemed martial artists gather at my Iron Fan Sect!”
Tie Zhenhu stood at the center of the martial arts stage, built specifically for the competition, and addressed the densely packed Jianghu figures around him with a fist salute.
Without waiting for a response, he continued, “I believe everyone knows why my sworn brother, Zhao Tianyu, the master of Lingyu Villa, has invited you all here to the Iron Fan Sect. Yes, it’s to select a highly skilled individual to become the new Wulin Alliance Leader and inherit the Xuanfeng Order. As you know, the last election for the Wulin Alliance Leader was a long time ago, and the previous leader has been missing, along with the Xuanfeng Order. Since then, without the whereabouts of the Xuanfeng Order, there hasn’t been a hero gathering in Jianghu. Fortunately, due to a fortunate coincidence, the second master of Lingyu Villa found the long-lost Xuanfeng Order in a farmer’s home. Thus, we have this hero gathering to select a new Wulin Alliance Leader. The selection is simple: the last person standing will become the Wulin Alliance Leader and receive the Xuanfeng Order. Now, I announce the start of the hero gathering’s martial arts competition.”
After shouting this announcement, Tie Zhenhu stepped down from the stage amidst the cheers of the crowd.
As Tie Zhenhu stepped down, the cheering crowd hesitated, waiting for someone else to make the first move onto the stage.
Meng Xiaoyu, sitting between the Han Rubing sisters, felt a bit bored as she watched the crowd around the martial arts stage, with no one stepping up.
She glanced at the seated sect leaders and couldn’t help but think, “What a world full of strange people! Look at those Jianghu figures with their bizarre outfits, it’s beyond words!”
After observing the oddly dressed individuals, Meng Xiaoyu looked again at the empty martial arts stage and then at Tie Zhenhu and Zhao Tianyu, who were leisurely sipping tea.
She also glanced at the sect leaders, who showed no intention of stepping onto the stage.
Finally, she looked at the Han sisters beside her, one smiling and the other expressionless.
Meng Xiaoyu couldn’t hold back her impatience.
She had thought she could sit back and enjoy watching the martial arts masters compete once the hero gathering started.
But ten minutes had passed since the bearded man announced the start, and no one had stepped onto the stage.
“What’s going on? According to the martial arts dramas I’ve watched, once someone announces the start of the competition, shouldn’t the bold martial artists rush to the stage for the position of Wulin Alliance Leader or the Xuanfeng Order? Why is the stage empty now?”
Meng Xiaoyu was puzzled.
“Sister Rubing, why isn’t anyone going up to compete?”
Meng Xiaoyu, who always believed in asking when in doubt, looked at Han Rubing with a puzzled expression.
However, Han Rubing just turned her head, affectionately ruffled Meng Xiaoyu’s hair, and said, “Just wait a bit longer,” before withdrawing her hand and continuing to sit with a smile.
Meng Xiaoyu pouted in dissatisfaction at Han Rubing’s answer, thinking, “What kind of answer is that? Will someone really go up if we wait a bit longer?”
Although dissatisfied with Han Rubing’s response, Meng Xiaoyu didn’t dare to complain in front of her.
She glanced at the still-empty martial arts stage and the sect leaders who remained calm.
Despite her boredom, Meng Xiaoyu could only sit quietly.
After another six or seven minutes, Meng Xiaoyu couldn’t stand the boredom any longer.
“What’s going on? Isn’t this supposed to be a hero gathering to select the Wulin Alliance Leader? It’s been almost half an hour since the bearded man announced the start, and no one has stepped up. What’s happening…”
Just as Meng Xiaoyu was complaining in her mind, Han Rushuang, who had been sitting to her left with a cold expression, suddenly moved.
She gracefully used her Light Skill to fly onto the martial arts stage, standing in the center with a cold and proud demeanor, looking down at the crowd.
“Rushuang sister is so cool!”
Meng Xiaoyu jumped up from her seat, shouting excitedly at Han Rushuang, who stood elegantly on the stage.
“What are you shouting about, little girl? Don’t you have any manners?”
A tall, dark-skinned man with a full beard, dressed in a white robe, spoke disapprovingly upon hearing Meng Xiaoyu’s shout.
“I’ll shout if I want to, what’s it to you, gorilla?”
Meng Xiaoyu retorted, giving the bearded man the nickname “gorilla” due to his dark skin and hairy arms.
“Who are you calling a gorilla, you brat?”
The white-robed man, angered by Meng Xiaoyu’s words, retorted.
“Whoever responds is who I’m calling,” Meng Xiaoyu said defiantly, standing with her arms crossed.
“You… you…”
The white-robed man stammered in anger, ready to confront Meng Xiaoyu, but Han Rubing stopped him.
“Hehe, my little one is just a bit mischievous! Why bother with a child, sir? If you’re itching for a fight, why not step onto the stage instead of picking on a child?”
Han Rubing suggested, pointing to the martial arts stage.
On the stage, Han Rushuang made a gesture inviting the white-robed man to compete, clearly challenging him.
“This…”
The white-robed man hesitated at Han Rushuang’s invitation.
“What’s this? Afraid to lose? You might as well bully me, a child, instead of losing on stage,” Meng Xiaoyu taunted, her words provoking the white-robed man further.
“Who says I don’t dare? I’ll go up and win against that woman to show you, brat!”
The white-robed man declared, using his Light Skill to leap onto the stage.
Seeing the white-robed man easily jump onto the nearly two-meter-high stage, Meng Xiaoyu was surprised.
“Could the gorilla be a master too? What if Rushuang sister loses? Although she’s skilled, she’s still a woman. What if she gets hurt by the gorilla?”
Worried, Meng Xiaoyu began to fret over Han Rushuang.
“Don’t worry, he’s no match for Shuang’er,” Han Rubing reassured, leading Meng Xiaoyu back to their seats, her calm demeanor showing no concern for Han Rushuang’s potential loss.
After all, she knew her sister well; if Shuang’er couldn’t defeat a second-rate fighter, she wouldn’t deserve her position as the second master of Chaoque Palace.
“Oh!”
Meng Xiaoyu replied, relieved, and sat back down to watch the competition.
The white-robed man on the stage first saluted Han Rushuang with a Jianghu gesture, then drew a long whip from his waist, ready to attack.
Han Rushuang acknowledged his salute with a nod, standing coldly without attacking or defending, as if she didn’t consider him a threat.
Angered by her dismissive attitude, the white-robed man swung his whip towards Han Rushuang.
“Wow, the gorilla uses a whip? Be careful, Sister Rushuang!”
Meng Xiaoyu exclaimed, finally seeing the weapon clearly as it lashed towards Han Rushuang.
Han Rushuang remained still until the whip was almost upon her, then sidestepped gracefully.
The whip struck the ground, and the white-robed man, seeing his attack miss, twirled the whip again, aiming at Han Rushuang.
Han Rushuang dodged again and began her counterattack, drawing her Frost Sword and striking at the white-robed man.
A woman in a light green dress nearby, curious about Meng Xiaoyu’s exclamation, asked, “Is there something wrong with using a whip? Why are you so surprised?”
“Of course, it’s wrong! Look at that gorilla, all big and burly, yet using a whip, which is a woman’s weapon. It’s shameless. Go, Sister Rushuang, kick the gorilla off the stage!”
Meng Xiaoyu replied without turning her head, cheering for Han Rushuang.
The woman in the green dress, hearing Meng Xiaoyu’s explanation, couldn’t help but think, “Who says only women can use whips?”
