eurekapd Chapter 538 The Competition Begins
Chapter 538 The Competition Begins
Before dawn, Zhenbei City was already awake.
As the first rays of dawn peeked through the crenellations of the eastern city wall, the stone slabs on the street were already polished to a shine by the footsteps of passersby.
The footsteps came from all directions, like countless streams flowing into a great river, rushing towards the direction of the drill ground in the north of the city.
The steamers for selling buns were stacked higher than a person, and white steam poured out from the gaps in the steamers, mingling with the aroma of meat and dough, spreading across half the street in the morning light.
An old man selling candied hawthorns squeezed through the crowd, carrying a straw target on his shoulder. The bright red hawthorns glistened in the morning light.
A group of children chased a lame dog out of the alley, knocking over a pear stall. The bright yellow pears rolled all over the ground, drawing laughter and curses.
The teahouse was packed, with people even sitting on the steps at the entrance.
The tea master, carrying a long-spouted copper kettle, weaved through the crowd. With a tilt of the spout, the boiling water traced a silvery arc before precisely falling into the teacup.
The tea leaves tumble and unfurl in the boiling water, releasing a delicate fragrance.
But nobody was really enjoying the tea; everyone's mind was on that important matter.
"I heard that for this martial arts tournament, Prince Xu has brought out all the treasures he's kept hidden away!" A man from the northern border wearing a fur coat slapped his thigh, his voice booming like thunder.
"Of course!" A scholar in a blue robe across from him waved his folding fan, his eyes gleaming. "Leaving aside the gold and silver jewels, those martial arts manuals alone are enough to tempt any martial artist."
There are also several divine weapons, said to have been forged by renowned craftsmen of the previous dynasty, capable of cutting through iron like mud!
"If I could get just one of these, my life would be complete!" The man in the leather coat rubbed his hands together, his eyes filled with longing.
"You? With your pathetic skills, you'd be lucky to even get off the stage alive!" A skinny swordsman at the same table sneered, picked up his wine bowl, and took a swig.
"Hey! I don't like hearing that!" The man in the leather coat slammed his hand on the table, making the teacup jump.
"Alright, alright, stop arguing." The scholar in the blue robe quickly waved his hand. "Today is a martial arts tournament, not a day for you to fight."
If you want to watch the excitement, then sit still and watch.
If you want to fight, go to the ring!
The crowd burst into laughter.
The tea server came over again with a pot of hot water, refilling everyone's teacups while lowering his voice to say, "Esteemed guests, are you aware that even members of the Moon Goddess Sect have come to this martial arts tournament?"
His voice was very low, but those few words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples.
"The Moon Goddess Cult?" The man in the fur coat's eyes widened. "Weren't they wiped out by the imperial court?"
"They were wiped out, but even a centipede with a hundred legs will not die easily." The scholar in the green robe shook his head. "I heard that the Moon Goddess Cult has been rebuilt, and it's even bigger than before."
The one who came this time is their new leader.
"A new leader? What about the original Moon Goddess?" The gaunt swordsman frowned.
"Who knows? How could we ordinary folks possibly know what those high and mighty figures are up to?" The tea server shook his head and walked away with the teapot.
The martial arts arena in the training ground to the north has been set up.
The arena is three zhang high and ten zhang wide, and is made of whole pieces of century-old ironwood. It is completely black and has a glossy sheen.
Below the arena were dozens of rows of wooden stands, stretching as far as the eye could see, and they were already full of people.
The entire training ground was packed with martial arts practitioners from all over the country, local soldiers from the northern border, representatives from various factions who were invited, and civilians who came after hearing the news.
A high platform was erected directly north of the drill ground.
The platform is three stories high, covered with a red carpet, and the black battle flags of the Xu family of the Northern Border are planted at the four corners. The flags are embroidered with silver wolf heads and flutter in the morning breeze.
In the center of the high platform was a long table made of rosewood, on which were placed wine cups, fruit plates, and a huge bronze cauldron.
Sandalwood incense burned in the cauldron, and wisps of blue smoke rose up, dispersing into thin, pale blue threads in the morning light.
Xu Longxiang stood on the edge of the platform, hands behind his back, looking down at the dark mass of people below.
Today he wore a dark black python robe, a jade belt around his waist, and his long hair was tied up high with a black jade hairpin. He looked like a sword that had just been drawn from its sheath, its sharpness fully revealed.
A faint smile played on his lips as his gaze swept over the unfamiliar faces below the stage, his heart churning like a pot of boiling oil.
Some of these people were there to watch the excitement, some were there for the prizes, some were representatives from various sects, and some were generals from the Xu family army.
They came from all over the country, each with their own thoughts and plans.
But in Xu Longxiang's eyes, they only had one identity—pawns.
He intends to use this tournament to pick up each of the chess pieces and put them into his chess basket.
His gaze swept across the crowd discreetly, searching for that one figure.
The moon goddess said she would come, but she has not yet appeared.
He felt a slight anxiety, but his face remained expressionless, still bearing that calm smile.
Fan Li stood half a step behind him, his dark blue scholar's robe fluttering gently in the morning breeze, holding a scroll of names in his hands.
His gaze swept over the crowd below the stage, his brows furrowing slightly, a faint knot forming between his eyebrows.
He always felt uneasy, but he couldn't pinpoint the source of that unease.
Everything is proceeding according to plan, and everything is in good order.
But his intuition told him that something was wrong.
"Your Highness, the time has come." Fan Li's voice was very low, so low that only the two of them could hear it.
Xu Longxiang nodded, took a deep breath, and stepped to the center of the platform.
The sandalwood incense in the bronze cauldron was dispersed by the morning breeze, spreading a thin layer of blue smoke at his feet, like clouds, like mist, like a dream that he could reach out and touch but was unsure if he could grasp.
He raised his hands, palms down, and pressed down slightly.
The clamor from the audience receded like the tide, layer by layer, until finally silence reigned.
Thousands of eyes fell on him, filled with curiosity, scrutiny, expectation, and awe.
Xu Longxiang spoke, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears, carrying the composure and certainty unique to those who had long held positions of power.
"Welcome to the North, everyone."
His gaze swept over the unfamiliar faces below the stage, and the smile on his lips deepened.
"Today's martial arts tournament is a grand event hosted by the Xu family of the Northern Territory for heroes from all over the world."
No matter where you come from or what school you belong to, as long as you have skills, you can stand on this stage.
The victor will receive treasures from the Northern Treasury—ten thousand taels of gold, divine weapons, martial arts manuals, and everything else imaginable.
Even if you lose, you shouldn't be discouraged.
If you have genuine talent and ability, the gates of the North will always be open to you.
A murmur of barely suppressed discussion arose from the audience.
Those words, like a spring breeze, blew into the ears of every martial artist, making their hearts itch.
Xu Longxiang paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, his voice becoming several decibels deeper than before.
"However, since it is a martial arts competition, injuries and deaths are inevitable."
Swords and spears have no eyes, fists and feet are merciless.
Once you step into the ring, you are responsible for your own life and death.
His gaze suddenly sharpened, like two drawn swords.
"So, before the competition begins, I have one last question—is anyone else going to withdraw?"