Chapter 145: Golden Jade Leaf
Tuoba Linsu appeared to be only a little over twenty years old, with bronze-colored skin, a tall and mighty physique, and a sharply defined face. He wore a large robe crafted from the hide of a third-rank savage beast, exuding an overbearing masculine aura.
Just as Tuoba Linsu stood up, a man dressed in a gold-threaded purple robe stepped out from the crowd, transforming into a purple shadow as he flew down to the battle platform ahead of him.
The man in the gold-threaded purple robe glanced toward Tuoba Linsu, slightly cupped his hands, and smiled, "Prince Tuoba, this man has killed my younger brother. Could you yield him to me?"
Tuoba Linsu replied, "Since you have a grievance with him, then let you duel with swords first. If you can defeat him, it will prove he is not worthy of my intervention."
Although Tuoba Linsu spoke very calmly, many could detect the arrogance in his words.
For a peerless prodigy of Tuoba Linsu's caliber, even arrogance was a unique charm. After all, he had the right to be arrogant.
The man in the gold-threaded purple robe fixed his gaze on Zhang Ruochen, his eyes turning cold and sharp. "Zhang Ruochen, you killed my brother. Today, I will avenge him."
Zhang Ruochen looked at the man across from him, sensing a hint of familiarity. "Who is your brother?"
"My brother is Huo Xing."
Zhang Ruochen said, "So you are Prince Huo Xing's elder brother."
"My name is Huo Ming." Huo Ming stared at Zhang Ruochen, his voice heavy. "The Sword Discourse forbids killing, but we can take our own lives. Do you dare to duel with me for our lives? If I win, you kill yourself to atone to my brother. If you win, I kill myself to atone to you."
The thirty-six commandery kingdoms of the Demon Ridge had all sent representatives to this grand gathering. The King of Sifang Commandery had brought his most outstanding son, Prince Huo Ming, hoping he might win the hand of the Thirteenth Princess.
Huo Ming's approach seemed reckless, but he had his own scheme.
He had noticed that the Thirteenth Princess disliked Zhang Ruochen, so he proposed a life-or-death sword duel.
First, if he could force Zhang Ruochen to his death, it would surely please the Thirteenth Princess and greatly increase her favor toward him.
Second, he wanted to showcase his loyalty and righteousness before the crowd, demonstrating that he would risk his own life to avenge his brother.
Third, and most importantly, he knew well that Zhang Ruochen's martial cultivation was only at the Mysterious Extreme Middle Position, making him no match at all.
As long as he could defeat Zhang Ruochen, it would bring him nothing but benefits.
Huo Ming glanced toward the Thirteenth Princess and saw her expression filled with keen interest.
"Just as I guessed—Zhang Ruochen must have offended the Thirteenth Princess, so she wants to use an outsider's hand to eliminate him. If I can force Zhang Ruochen to his death, the Thirteenth Princess will surely see me in a new light." Huo Ming felt a smug satisfaction.
Zhang Ruochen shook his head. "Why should I duel with you for my life?"
Huo Ming said sternly, "You killed my brother. It is only natural for me to avenge him. Aren't you the one who boasts of being the best swordsman under heaven? Are you afraid?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "You are being unreasonable."
In Zhang Ruochen's view, staking one's life in a sword duel was an extremely foolish act.
It was nothing more than gambling with one's life.
Even if one were to gamble, the value of both lives should be equal. But Zhang Ruochen felt his own life was far more precious than Huo Ming's.
Zhang Ruochen turned and walked down from the battle platform. There was no need to continue any exchange with someone like Huo Ming.
Besides, his fight with Zhu Yi had been unavoidable. Now that Zhang Ruochen was gradually calming down, he did not want to draw too much attention and intended to leave.
Huo Ming stared at Zhang Ruochen's retreating back, his face twisting with malice. He would not allow Zhang Ruochen to walk away so arrogantly.
"Since you're on the battle platform, do you think you can escape?"
Huo Ming stomped his foot on the ground, launching his body seven meters into the air. Gripping his sword with both hands, he slashed down at Zhang Ruochen from behind.
Relying solely on physical strength, Huo Ming could leap seven meters high, indicating his physical body was quite formidable.
Even without using true qi, the power of this strike could shatter stone tablets and split rocks.
Zhang Ruochen heard the sound of wind behind him and lightly shook his head. He stopped in his tracks, turned around in a flash, and took a step forward.
It was as if he had eyes in the back of his head, timing his movement perfectly. He brushed past Huo Ming's sword, appearing behind it.
In Huo Ming's terrified gaze, Zhang Ruochen swung his sword and struck him across the abdomen.
"Boom!"
Before Huo Ming's body could hit the ground, it was sent flying over ten meters away, tumbling off the battle platform.
With a splash, he fell into the pool below the platform, sending up a large spray of water.
Though his abdomen ached as if it were splitting apart, Huo Ming realized his body had not been cut in two—there was not even a scratch.
Zhang Ruochen's strike was even more astonishing than the one that had defeated Zhu Yi.
Everyone clearly saw him slash at Huo Ming's abdomen, and Huo Ming flew off the platform, yet he was unharmed.
When the Thirteenth Princess saw Zhang Ruochen's sword strike Huo Ming's abdomen, she thought Huo Ming was surely dead and was about to order Zhang Ruochen's arrest and punishment.
But when she saw Huo Ming climb out of the pool, she was momentarily stunned.
How was he not dead?
She had seen clearly that Huo Ming wore no armor, only an ordinary cloth shirt. Zhang Ruochen's sword was not blunt either.
The half-saint disciple Qing Chi Bai explained the mystery to the crowd, "He did not use the blade to cut Huo Ming, but struck him with the flat of the sword to send him flying. However, his movements were so fast that few could discern the trick behind that strike."
"Huo Ming's swordsmanship surpasses even some Earth Extreme Realm martial artists, and he attacked from behind the Ninth Prince. Yet he was still defeated in a single strike, without any suspense. Interesting—even I feel like challenging him to a duel." Liu Xin, a disciple of the Left Minister, said.
Just then, on the second floor of Golden Phoenix Pavilion, a delicate jade hand parted the gauze curtain of one of the private rooms and tossed a palm-sized jade leaf onto the battle platform.
Zhang Ruochen looked at the jade leaf, then glanced toward the private room on the second floor.
He was puzzled. What did this mean?
Seeing the jade leaf on the platform, many young talents below showed expressions of envy and jealousy.
Zhang Ruochen examined the jade leaf. It was carved from verdant green jade, inlaid with fine gold-threaded patterns, and along its edge was a line of elegant script—
"Shangshu Residence, Ning Yuyuan."
What did it mean?
Zhang Ruochen walked over, about to pick up the jade leaf to inspect it further.
Just then, a voice came from below the platform: "Brother Zhang, you should think carefully. Once you pick up that golden moon leaf, you accept that lady's affection. Then you must marry her."
Zhang Ruochen's outstretched hand stopped mid-air and immediately withdrew, looking down.
The one who had warned him was an exceptionally handsome man with a small mole right between his brows. Zhang Ruochen remembered his name—Chen Tianshu.
Chen Tianshu laughed, "The owner of that golden jade leaf is the seventh-generation direct granddaughter of Minister Ning. She is fifteen this year and said to be very beautiful. If you pick it up, you will become the son-in-law of the Shangshu Residence, gaining their support and winning a beauty. This is a blessing others can only dream of!"
There was only one Thirteenth Princess, and winning her hand was as difficult as reaching the heavens.
Yet why did so many talented youths come from far and wide?
It was because, during the Sword Discourse, even if one could not marry the Thirteenth Princess, outstanding performance might win the favor of other princesses or noble ladies.
In essence, the Sword Discourse was a way for the Thousand Water Commandery Kingdom's noble class to select talent.
Zhang Ruochen gave a bitter smile and looked up at the second floor of Golden Phoenix Pavilion. He vaguely saw a slender figure standing shyly behind the curtain, nervously wondering whether Zhang Ruochen would pick up the golden jade leaf.
At that moment, Huang Yanchen stood on the third floor of Golden Phoenix Pavilion, separated by a thin veil, coldly staring at Zhang Ruochen on the battle platform. Her gaze seemed to say, "You lecher, if you dare pick it up, I'll chop off your hand."
In the end, Zhang Ruochen did not pick up the golden jade leaf from the ground and walked down from the platform.
He had not come to show off. Forced onto the platform, he now decided to leave and not stay any longer.
Just then, Tuoba Linsu stood up, spread his arms, and leaped onto the battle platform, blocking Zhang Ruochen's path. "Your swordsmanship is very skilled, but it has flaws. It is full of agility but lacks a bit of masculine dominance."
Tuoba Linsu, who could sit on equal footing with Xun Guihai, Liu Xin, and Qing Chi Bai, was naturally one of the top prodigies of the younger generation. Before breaking through to the Earth Extreme Realm, he had been among the top twenty on the Xuan Ranking.
He had a unique understanding of swordsmanship.
He practiced a sword path of masculinity, dominance, and ferocity.
Zhang Ruochen stopped and smiled, "No matter how skilled the swordsmanship, it will have flaws. There has never been a perfect sword art in this world."
Seeing that Zhang Ruochen seemed unwilling to duel, Tuoba Linsu tried to provoke him with words. "If I want to defeat you, it will take only ten moves."
Zhang Ruochen knew Tuoba Linsu was deliberately baiting him but remained unmoved. "Must we fight?"
Tuoba Linsu drew a heavy black sword. It was seven feet long, with a blade as wide as a palm. Even without activating the inscriptions within, it weighed two hundred and forty jin.
Tuoba Linsu gently caressed the black heavy sword, his eyes showing a lover-like affection. "This sword is called 'Topple Mountain.' It is a seventh-rank True Martial Treasure. Forty-two 'Force' system inscriptions are carved into the blade. When fully activated, it weighs four thousand four hundred and forty jin. It is my favorite sword. If you can defeat me, I will give it to you."
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