The Martial Arts World is Full of Experts Chapter 31

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After a brief silence, Zhang Xiaoyuan took the initiative to pull Lu Zhaoming aside and asked in a hushed tone, "Eldest Senior Brother, don't you think... it's strange for someone to faint in the middle of nowhere late at night?"

Lu Zhaoming nodded. "I think so."

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "I think she has other motives."

Lu Zhaoming also nodded. "I know."

Zhang Xiaoyuan was very puzzled. "Then why did you let her travel with us?"

Lu Zhaoming answered without directly addressing the question. "She should be skilled in martial arts."

Zhang Xiaoyuan was taken aback. "Ah?"

"She has calluses on her fingertips and the back of her hand. When she pushed Hua Liuque away, although she tried to hide it, it was evident she wasn't as lightly injured as she pretended." Lu Zhaoming furrowed his brows slightly. "Her figure... seemed to be the person I wounded earlier."

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "......"

When Lu Zhaoming injured Xing Yan for the first time, she used special techniques to escape. At that moment, with smoke and dust in the air, they could only catch a glimpse of Xing Yan's figure. The second time, it was late at night with dim light, making it impossible for Lu Zhaoming to see Yan-niang's face clearly. Even Hua Liuque couldn't recognize her then. Zhang Xiaoyuan never expected Eldest Senior Brother to directly guess Xing Yan's identity. He was at a loss for words, at most nodding and saying, "It should be."

"If it's really her, let her follow," Lu Zhaoming said softly, "Her martial arts skills are too weak, nothing to fear."

He turned around, and Zhang Xiaoyuan caught up with Lu Zhaoming, frowning and murmuring, "Underestimating the enemy is not good."

"I've encountered her twice, yet she couldn't even dodge the sword I threw at her," Lu Zhaoming retorted, "Doesn't that go beyond underestimating the enemy?"

Zhang Xiaoyuan furrowed his brows slightly, recalling Xing Yan's ranking in the martial arts world.

Demon Sect's Right Protector, ranked eighty-ninth in the martial arts world.

The gap between experts was already extremely small. The higher the martial arts world ranking, the harder it was to advance. Xing Yan's ranking was eighty-nine. What about Eldest Senior Brother?

Zhang Xiaoyuan grabbed Lu Zhaoming's sleeve and asked, "Eldest Senior Brother, have you ever heard of martial arts world rankings?"

He was genuinely curious about the depth of Lu Zhaoming's martial skills.

Lu Zhaoming shook his head. "No."

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "Then... Eldest Senior Brother, have you ever lost in a martial arts contest?"

Lu Zhaoming found the question strange. "Of course, I've lost."

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "Who did you lose to?"

"Master." He thought for a moment and added, "Two years ago, I lost to Martial Uncle."

Wang Henian was the top figure in the martial arts world, so defeating him would indeed be challenging. As for She Shuyi, if Zhang Xiaoyuan remembered correctly, She Shuyi was ranked forty-first in the martial arts world – among the top fifty formidable experts. Yet, Lu Zhaoming confessed that in the past few years, he had lost to She Shuyi.

That was a few years ago, and things might have changed by now.

Zhang Xiaoyuan slightly opened his mouth, looking at Lu Zhaoming in admiration, a sense of respect rising inside him.

Lu Zhaoming was only twenty-two years old.

Zhang Xiaoyuan felt that if he could make it into the top one hundred in the martial arts world in his lifetime, he would celebrate with three days of fireworks. Yet, from what he now knew, Lu Zhaoming should be in the top forty... perhaps even in the top thirty. Strangely, Lu Zhaoming himself seemed unaware of it.

He walked back with Lu Zhaoming but was reminded of something.

Wait, Xing Yan was going to travel with them. So... whose carriage was Xing Yan going to ride?!

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Hua Liuque really wanted Xing Yan to take care of him.

He eagerly looked at Lu Zhaoming, hoping Eldest Senior Brother would give him a chance to lie in the lap of a beauty.

Lu Zhaoming examined Hua Liuque seriously, then turned to Xing Yan. "You're injured, Xiaoyuan can take care of you."

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "Me?"

He didn't want Xing Yan and Pei Junze to be alone for a long time, nor did he want Hua Liuque, the person who loses his mind at the sight of a beauty, to be with Xing Yan.

So, the best solution was to have Xing Yan stay with them.

Xing Yan still pretended to be weak, sitting on the ground. When she heard their decision, Zhang Xiaoyuan clearly saw her whole body tremble.

Combining Xing Yan's lie about Lu Zhaoming being a fierce bandit and recalling Xing Yan crouching in the grass, shivering...

He understood.

Xing Yan was afraid of Lu Zhaoming.

Like Hua Liuque, she felt scared at the sight of Lu Zhaoming. If Hua Liuque felt pain in his legs, she probably felt pain in her back.

Ke Xingwen of the Scattered Blossom Palace likely experienced pain in his buttocks when thinking about Eldest Senior Brother.

What a peculiar image Eldest Senior Brother must have had in the eyes of others!

Hua Liuque felt aggrieved but dared not resist Lu Zhaoming. Limping, he helped Xing Yan climb onto Zhang Xiaoyuan's carriage, reluctantly leaving with three backward glances. If Hua Liuque were the main character, this scene might really look like a tearful parting.

Zhang Xiaoyuan had no words in response. Climbing onto his own carriage, he looked up to see Xing Yan sitting on the side farther away from Lu Zhaoming, appearing calm. She even maintained the guise of a weak patient, leaning close to the carriage, making an effort to distance herself from Lu Zhaoming.

Seated in his place, Zhang Xiaoyuan yawned and asked Lu Zhaoming, "Eldest Senior Brother, when can we stop and rest?"

"If we travel through the night, we should reach a nearby town by tomorrow noon," Lu Zhaoming said. "In a few more days, we'll arrive at Baicang City. If you're tired, go ahead and sleep."

Xing Yan, nervously coughing, asked, "What are you all going to do in Baicang City?"

The martial arts conference was a righteous event, so it wouldn't invite the Demon Sect to participate. Zhang Xiaoyuan thought Xing Yan should know about the upcoming assembly, but considering Pei Junze's status as the Demon Sect's young master, she might still be confused. Wanting to clarify, Zhang Xiaoyuan explained, "The martial arts conference is in a few days."

Xing Yan paused, repeating, "Martial arts conference."

It seemed like she finally recalled something. Raising her eyebrows slightly, she said, "So, you're going to participate in the martial arts conference."

DING.

Another set of words appeared above her head.

「Urgent! Quickly report to the Sect Master. The young master is returning to the Martial Arts Alliance to meet Pei Dog.」

「These dog men are all no good!」

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "......"

Xing Yan really nailed it with these two sentences.

Pei Junze also had the surname Pei. Mo Wentian and Pei Junze were both men.

With these two sentences, she managed to criticize both her Master and the young master. Judging from Xing Yan's currently easily readable state, Zhang Xiaoyuan felt he might have found a new breakthrough.

"Eldest Senior Brother," Zhang Xiaoyuan deliberately asked, "Have you heard of Ji Huaidie?"

Based on his understanding of Eldest Senior Brother, he was sure Eldest Senior Brother had no idea who Ji Huaidie was.

As expected, Lu Zhaoming asked, "Who's that?"

"She was the most beautiful woman in the martial arts world twenty years ago." Zhang Xiaoyuan emphasized the words 'most beautiful woman,' glanced at Xing Yan, and continued, "So beautiful that Hua Liuque wishes he were born twenty years earlier."

Xing Yan turned her eyes meaningfully, appearing somewhat disdainful.

"Just a pretty face," Lu Zhaoming said, "Hua Liuque still can't see through it."

This statement went beyond Zhang Xiaoyuan's expectations. He cleared his throat and, lowering his voice, said to Lu Zhaoming, "I've heard rumors in the martial arts world..."

Xing Yan indeed showed subtle interest and leaned slightly in their direction.

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "There are rumors saying... that Big Brother Pei seems to be the child of Chief Pei and Ji Huaidie."

Lu Zhaoming didn't react much, just nodded. "I don't care who his mother is."

Zhang Xiaoyuan said this on purpose for Xing Yan to hear.

Indeed, he saw Xing Yan looking shocked, and then words swiftly appeared above her head.

「Urgent! Quickly report to the Sect Master! Pei Dog is apparently involved with Ji Huaidie!」

「These dog men really are no good!」

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "......"

Huh?

Wait a minute.

This didn't seem to align with what he had in mind.

He thought that Xing Yan, who knew the inside story, would hear the rumors and recall Pei Junze's true parentage. However, Xing Yan was just silently cursing Chief Pei in her mind...

And why did she need to report such matters to Mo Wentian?

Zhang Xiaoyuan felt that maybe he had spent too much time with Wen Tingting. He was starting to overthink things.

His ideas were getting bold.

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They remained in silence for more than a moment.

Gathering his courage, Zhang Xiaoyuan decided to tease Xing Yan a bit more.

Wearing an expression as if sharing gossip in secret, Zhang Xiaoyuan said, "I think, Eldest Senior Brother, you probably don't know, but there are numerous rumors about Chief Pei in the martial arts world!"

Xing Yan silently moved a bit closer.

While Lu Zhaoming had no interest in these martial arts world rumors and didn't understand why Zhang Xiaoyuan brought up these matters, Zhang Xiaoyuan, wanting to speak, saw Lu Zhaoming nod silently, indicating that he heard.

Zhang Xiaoyuan took a deep breath and started making up stories.

"I heard besides Ji Huaidie, he has also been involved with a foreigner from the west. Some even say Big Brother Pei's birth mother is her," Zhang Xiaoyuan said. "But looking at Big Brother Pei's appearance, he doesn't seem to have foreign blood."

After saying this, he glanced at Xing Yan.

「Extremely urgent! Quickly report to the Sect Master! Pei Dog hasn't completely severed ties with the demon woman Liesel!」

「Truly a dog man! Worthless dog! Deserves to die!」

「Not worth regretting his death!」

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "......"

He felt he might have hit the mark.

This speculation was a bit too stimulating. He didn't want to admit that the martial arts world he imagined was actually like this. Taking a deep breath, he decided to add fuel to the fire.

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "There's also a romantic tale about the Demon Sect Elder Wen Chuge."

「No, I don't believe it. Old Wen would never betray the Sect Master!」

"Good and evil are relative. I don't think Chief Pei is that confused to get involved with members of the Demon Sect," Zhang Xiaoyuan said. "But I truly never expected that Chief Pei was so romantic in his youth."

Lu Zhaoming: "Mostly rumors."

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "I've heard about Rong Xue'er, Gu Feishuang, Jiang Yitong... I even heard a story about him and his junior sister in a teahouse!"

Lu Zhaoming paused. "Does Chief Pei have a junior sister?"

Zhang Xiaoyuan stammered, "Uh... that's what the storyteller said! The storyteller even mentioned that Chief Pei... he might have at least ten illegitimate children!"

Zhang Xiaoyuan wasn't lying.

These words were indeed something he had heard from a storyteller before. However, the storyteller was quickly booed off the stage before finishing this rumor — it was clear that the audience didn't believe such fabricated words to tarnish Chief Pei's reputation.

After saying these things, he glanced at Xing Yan again.

Xing Yan sat back in her original position with an expressionless face.

「Our Sect Master is good at everything, except for having a bad taste in men. Very bad.」

「Sect Master! Pei Dog truly isn't worth it!!!」

「Apart from our Sect Master, there's really not a single good man.」

「Killing Pei Wuluan would be eliminating a scourge for the people.」

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "......"

Zhang Xiaoyuan stiffly turned his head away.

It seemed like he really hit the mark.

What kind of martial arts world was this, really!