nt.Consort Liu raised her eyes to him, "What does Your Majesty want this humble servant to say""You also mocked the Emperor in your heart, didn’t you" Mo Jingqi grabbed Consort Liu’s delicate chin and...246. Gathering of Elite Heroes

246. Gathering of Elite Heroes

The swords clashed fiercely during the battle, emitting dazzling sparks. However, the three people sitting in the pavilion did not hear any sound of weapons colliding at all. Ye Li leaned against a pillar of the pavilion with her eyes slightly closed, carefully sensing the flow of energy in the air. She finally slowly found the barely noticeable but incomparably vivid vibrations caused by the collision of inner strength when the two people fought.

This battle lasted for exactly two hours. But the three spectators who could not clearly see a single move were still patient without any sign of impatience. Suddenly, Ye Li felt a sharp impact in the air that pierced her brain. She quickly opened her eyes and saw one blue and one white figure retreating to both sides.

"Big brother!" Leng Liuhai was lightly called by Leng Liuyue, who rushed out with her hand covering her trembling body. Leng Liuhai let go of Leng Liuyue's hand and waved his hand to indicate that she didn't need to worry. Then he turned around to smile at Mo Xiuyao, "Prince Ding is truly a prodigy; this seat admires him." Although Mo Xiuyao was still standing straight, his face wasn't any better than Leng Liuhai's. But both their eyes were filled with satisfaction and happiness as they said, "Master Ling is skilled in scholarly pursuits; I also admire you, Your Royal Highness. This battle benefited me greatly today, thank you Master Ling."

Leng Liuhai laughed loudly, "We don't have to say such formalities. To be able to fight with Prince Ding is not a waste of this trip for me. I will take my leave now and won't bother Prince Ding and Princess Consort."

"Master Ling, please walk slowly," Ye Li stepped out of the pavilion softly. She walked over to Mo Xiuyao's side and saw that he had expended too much energy and his inner strength was severely depleted with some minor internal injuries. It wasn't as severe for such an evenly matched high-level martial arts competition. She sighed in relief.

After seeing Leng Liuhai and the others leave the mountain, Ye Li supported Mo Xiuyao into the pavilion and asked, "How bad are your injuries Can you go down the mountain now"

Mo Xiuyao helplessly smiled bitterly, "I haven't practiced much in recent years. I seem to be more injured than Master Ling."

If talking about diligence in training, Mo Xiuyao indeed was not as good as Leng Liuhai. Not mentioning that there were a lot of military and civilian affairs in the northwest for him to handle personally, even his identity as Prince Ding meant he couldn't spend too much time improving martial arts skills. On the other hand, Leng Liuhai shut himself up to practice at least half a year every year. If it's said that Leng Liuhai’s current achievements were three parts talent and seven parts hard work, Mo Xiuyao would be in reverse: seven parts talent and three parts hard work. But from what could be seen now, diligent training had a more solid foundation. Mo Xiuyao had to admit that even if he didn't lose to Leng Liuhai, he was still slightly inferior.

"We were not of the same path anyway. Are you planning to become the number one martial artist in the world" Ye Li did not intend to comfort him and just said lightly. Mo Xiuyao's martial arts skills might be high, but the focus of his life was still the military and the livelihood of the northwest. Even if he became the number one martial artist in the world, it wouldn't mean that he could sweep across the country by himself. It was indeed right to enhance personal strength, but ignoring the big picture for individual strength improvements would be putting the cart before the horse.

Mo Xiuyao didn’t originally intend to worry about this matter either. He spoke more in front of Ye Li for her comfort. After hearing what she said, he naturally did not mind and smiled, "This place is pretty good, it's annoying when I return to the city and people bother me." Mo Xiuyao sat down in the pavilion, closed his eyes to cultivate his inner strength and heal himself.

Mo Xiuyao sat there for half a day and a night. It was unknown whether because of that Miss Mu at the foot of the mountain, no one came up the mountain to play all day long.

Ye Li did not bother Mo Xiuyao either; she casually picked some still green wild fruits near the pavilion and ate them in the evening. Early next morning, as the sun rose from the eastern sea of clouds, Mo Xiuyao finally opened his eyes.

The newly opened eyes flashed with a sharp light, and the originally cold demeanor seemed to have added a touch of warmth. Mo Xiuyao turned his head to see the woman sleeping against one of the pillars, and an infinite tenderness welled up in his eyes. As soon as Mo Xiuyao stood up, Ye Li opened her eyes, "Finished"

“You’ve worked hard, Li. Go back to sleep for a while.” Mo Xiuyao held her close against him and said softly. Ye Li shook her head and leaned on him for a moment before saying, “Let’s go down the mountain then. I’m hungry, you must also be famished after not eating all day long.” Not getting any rest overnight didn’t matter to them; besides, she had been sleeping halfway through the night leaning against something. Generally speaking, Ye Li did not like going hungry for no reason. Mo Xiuyao held her and chuckled softly, "Alright then, let’s go down the mountain."

The fact that Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li were missing overnight didn’t affect anyone significantly. Ren Qining noticed but he was very busy with his own matters so he had no time to ask about those two who hadn’t even revealed their identities. So early in the morning, after the city gates opened, Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li strolled back into town to their inn without arousing much attention. The couple sat in the main hall of the inn and ordered breakfast while listening to people around them discussing yesterday’s events at Zhaoning Temple.

The appearance of that Miss Murong with such a grandeur at Zhaoning temple naturally drew countless gazes. It was said that suddenly, an unexpected breeze blew off her veil at the entrance of the temple, revealing an incomparably beautiful woman, bewitching many martial artists and heroes. A holy site thus gained some romantic allure.

Ye Li found this amusing; she turned to Mo Xiuyao with a question, "Did Miss Murong really look as stunning and ethereal" Ye Li had seen that Miss Murong before, though only her eyes were visible due to the veil. Ye Li thought those eyes did not compare to Su Zuidie’s or Empress Liu’s, let alone Yaorui’s. Under such eyes, Ye Li felt even if Miss Murong was beautiful, she wasn’t at an ethereal level.

Mo Xiuyao replied indifferently, "Nothing special." Ye Li tilted her head and smiled sweetly, “Your Highness has high standards.” Mo Xiuyao had seen almost every woman of repute in the world, so it was understandable that he didn’t think much of a beauty like Miss Murong. With a half-smile, he said softly to Ye Li, "My standard is naturally high, or how could I have such a good lady as Li" Ye Li pursed her lips; had she really been chosen by him However, over the years, Ye Li understood that if Mo Xiuyao truly didn’t want to marry her back then, he would have found many ways to stop it. "Then may we thank your Highness for considering this marriage worthy"

"My lady needn't be polite; I must also thank you for not finding me wanting." Neither of them were people easy to deal with; if both had decided they didn’t want the marriage, even the emperor himself wouldn’t have been able to force it upon them.

“What does this Murong family intend” Ye Li frowned and asked in a low voice. The coincidence of her veil being blown off by wind at the temple entrance was truly absurd. Only someone who had worn the veil would know how strong the wind needed to be to blow it off.

Mo Xiuyao snorted lightly, "Choosing a son-in-law… not everyone in this world loves wealth; if too few people attend the event, the Murong family will lose face. Those who compete for her hand will feel their pride is at stake." Ye Li raised an eyebrow; Mo Xiuyao was now carefree and unwilling to dwell on such issues. Shrugging, she didn’t want to think about these problems either anyway there was always Brother to help. "Alright then, we’ll just watch the fun," she said with a sigh, “too much thinking won’t change anything.” Mo Xiuyao nodded approvingly, "Finally my lady understands my intentions."

The eagerly awaited Martial Arts Conference soon arrived. The venue for this conference was a vast open space outside the Murong family residence.

On the day of the event, Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li neither came too early nor too late; when they reached the Murong family compound, the venue was already bustling with people. Besides martial artists and nobles, commoners from Ancheng had also come to watch.

To Ye Li’s surprise, even Prince Southern Town and Emperor Mo Jingqi were personally present. The former was an inhabitant of Xi Ling and one of the four great martial artists; it was natural for him to be at a martial arts event. But as for Mo Jingqi, whether during his days as prince or after ascending to the throne, he had never left Chu Capital. Could it be that this Murong family’s allure was more important than his own life

“Xiuyao” Upon seeing Emperor Mo Jingqi, Ye Li instinctively turned around to look at Mo Xiuyao. Mo Xiuyao looked down at her with a faint smile and said, "No need to worry; I won’t take action against him now."

If he had encountered Mo Jinqi six years ago, Mo Xiuyao might still have been driven by a momentary impulse to kill him on the spot. However, after six years, although the deep-seated hatred remained, such impulsive feelings gradually disappeared. He wouldn't let Mo Jinqi die so easily; he wanted him to live in despair and unable to find peace.

Seeing that Mo Xiuyao was calm, Ye Li felt reassured enough to continue observing. She then noticed that everyone accompanying Mo Jinqi were top-notch experts, though not quite as formidable as Mo Xiuyao and others, they would still be renowned figures in the江湖 (jianghu) if placed elsewhere. This made Ye Li wonder whether Mo Jinqi had mobilized all the experts available to him from the Great Chu royal family. Though Mo Jinqi's brother made her uncomfortable, his younger brother Mo Jingli was at least a bit more capable than their emperor sibling.

The front rows were filled with chairs and tables laden with fresh seasonal fruits specially purchased from southern Great Chu. These spots naturally belonged to those of high status and reputation—Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li merely being an obscure couple, they wouldn’t be seated there.

They stood under a tree not far from the viewing platform, where if tired, they could lean against its trunk or even sit on it. Prince Southern Frontier was already engaged in witty banter with Lei Tengfeng and Mo Jinqi's brothers upon arriving earlier. Ye Li curiously remarked, "Lei Tengfeng seems to have already taken a consort; won't the Prince of Southern Frontier also be interested in Miss Murong"

Mo Xiuyao leaned lazily against the tree trunk while supporting her waist and said indifferently, “What's strange about that The prince’s wife has been deceased for many years. However, the Murong family might not look favorably upon him.” It wasn't due to Southern Frontier lacking strength but precisely because it was too powerful. Should Miss Murong marry anyone from Prince Southern Frontier’s household, the Murong clan would cease to exist as an independent entity.

Ye Li understood and frowned in puzzlement, "If I were part of the Murong family, I'd seek a capable and reliable person quietly to support it. With Murong Xiong overseeing things, few dare cause trouble. Isn't this inviting wolves into their home Or has Murong Xiong already gained enough strength to face off against all martial figures"

Mo Xiuyao smiled mischievously and said, "Just like my lady once said… Some people love to make a splash."

The majority of important attendees had taken their seats, making the few empty spots stand out. The Prince of Southern Frontier raised an eyebrow upon glancing at his opposite seat: “This year’s martial arts gathering, even the Prince Ding didn’t come to participate”

Lei Tengfeng chuckled and replied, "Prince Ding hurried back to northwest before Princess Anxi’s wedding due to some matters. He couldn't make it in time."

No matter how shrewd those present might be, no one would suspect anyone of skipping a king's enthronement ceremony merely for leisure with their spouse. Thus, everyone was convinced that Prince Ding and his consort must have urgent business.

"Not being able to face-off against Prince Ding again is truly my greatest regret," the prince said somewhat remorsefully but already calculating the recent movements in northwest. Indeed, he had learned that Prince Ding and Lady Ding returned to northwest, yet there were no signs of military mobilization from the Mo family army. The prince couldn't fathom what Mo Xiuyao intended but, as a precaution, ordered 200 thousand troops secretly deployed along the border with northwest.

"Prince Ding’s absence is indeed regrettable. However, Great Chu's emperor actually attended this gathering in West Ling; I, as host, should properly welcome him," said the prince to Mo Jinqi with a smile. Mo Jinqi replied smilingly, "Your Excellency is too kind. I merely came for some fun. You jest."

The Prince of Southern Frontier smiled without responding—indeed it was a jest. Even though he had 3,000 Golden Robe Guards, no one matched Mo Jinqi's entourage, from top-notch bodyguards to lowly servants, all being skilled experts. It seemed Mo Jinqi feared for his life; did he think these experts were free or willing servants Recalling how relieved Mo Jinqi looked when hearing Mo Xiuyao wouldn't attend, the Prince of Southern Frontier suddenly understood—he truly needed capable protectors.

"The Lord of Yanwang Pavilion, Ling Guoshou, has arrived!" A loud announcement echoed across the venue; clearly, whoever handled such announcements was skilled. Everyone turned to see Ling Tieshan still in his usual blue robe accompanied by Lü Liuyue and Dragon Stride Tiger Step (the diseased scholar). Compared with others' splendid attire, Ling Tieshan looked more imposing as ever. Many young martial artists present showed admiration towards him.

The Prince of Chennan's eyes twitched as Ling Tiehan approached calmly; compared to their last meeting, Ling Tiehan’s martial arts skills had improved significantly. If he still had confidence in being able to draw a tie with or even defeat Ling Tiehan the last time they met in Licheng city, this time there was no chance at all.

“Director Ling.” Although Ling Tiehan was impressive, his special identity meant that not many people greeted him. Ling Tiehan nodded at the person who had greeted him and looked up to scan the seating area around him with a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

The Prince of Chennan gave a slight smile. "Is Director Ling looking for the Prince Ding It’s such a pity that he probably has something important this year so he didn’t come to attend the martial arts conference." Ling Tiehan lowered his head and did not mention his encounter with Mo Xiuyao two days ago; instead, he said calmly, “Since the Prince Ding is not here, I hope you can teach me more, Your Highness.” The Prince Ding isn't here Then it's fine for me to be your opponent. Ling Tiehan, who had just broken through his bottleneck and needed a master to give him techniques to practice, wouldn’t have come if he didn’t need one.

The Prince of Chennan was taken aback; although he was here, he didn't intend to fight anyone. As the years went by, the Prince of Chennan no longer focused on his martial arts skills as much as before. How could being a martial artist surpass the pleasure of ruling an empire

"Master of the Murong Clan arrives! Miss Murong arrives!" The announcement rang out again in the venue; however, those seated like the Prince of Chennan and others were all displeased with their expressions darkening. They were powerful figures who had always been used to showing off their power but could not tolerate someone else's grandeur surpassing theirs. If this person was on par with them or just a merchant family, it would be acceptable; however, the most displeased people were the Prince of Chennan and Lei Tengfeng because the Murong Clan resided within Xi Ling’s territory and should have been regarded as subjects.

Soon, Master Murong, who was over sixty years old with white hair and beard, walked out of the Murong gates together with Miss Murong in a light purple robe embroidered with climbing lotus flowers. As they arrived at the venue, everyone naturally made way for them to pass through.

People quickly noticed that standing next to Master Murong was an elderly man around his age. Although he did not have luxurious clothing and didn’t look particularly outstanding in appearance, Ling Tiehan and the Prince of Chennan’s expressions changed as they exchanged glances at each other. The aura of this old man was clearly ten times or even a hundred times stronger than that of Master Murong; although his looks were unremarkable, he could walk side by side with him. If one observed closely, one would notice that the aura of respect and caution in Master Murong towards this person was evident; therefore, it wasn’t difficult to guess who he really was.

Master Murong walked forward and looked at everyone seated there. His gaze paused on the empty seat left for Prince Ding before smiling and saying with a slightly somber tone of voice, “I am Master Murong from the current generation of the Murong family, and I thank all of you for gracing this martial arts conference with your presence. In order to ensure fairness, our clan specially invited Senior Master Murong Xiong who was once the top expert in the Jianghu fifty years ago as a judge.”

At these words, everyone reacted with shock; their gazes turned towards the plain-clothed old man seated at the front of the venue since he had sat there right after arriving. People were now speculating about who this person was like a kettle boiling over.

Murong clearly enjoyed everyone’s surprise as he nodded and said with a smile, “Senior Master Murong Xiong has been in seclusion for ten years; his martial arts skills are unparalleled in the world. It is only natural that we ask him to be the judge.”

Ling Tiehan gave a cold laugh and said calmly, "I never heard that there was a need for a judge at this martial arts conference."

The martial arts conference had always been settled with one side conceding defeat; hence, there would be no need for such a judge. Master Murong’s face froze as he glanced at Ling Tiehan and said with a slight smile, “Since the conference is being held in our clan, we do not like to see bloodshed. Hence, it only makes sense that everyone should show restraint.”

Ling Tiehan snorted lightly and leaned back into his seat without speaking further; he didn’t even spare Miss Murong a glance as she stood behind Master Murong. Such rudeness indeed humiliated Master Murong, who cast a look at the seated Senior Master Murong before wanting to speak. Just then, someone outside loudly announced, "Qingchen of Licheng city arrives!"

－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－en with a grin.Xu Qingchen looked coldly at him and asked calmly, "Very funny" Ling Tiehan admitted boldly, “Pretty good. For so many years… Young Master Qingchen has finally entertained me once.” Usu...