Chapter 223: “Recruitment”

Dan Xiumei nodded gently: “The martial arts academy in Yedu provides a path for commoners’ children to advance, which is indeed a great merit.”

Her expression was reverent, subtly revealing sympathy and compassion for the common people, truly resembling a refined fairy descended into the mortal world.

Wang Ce gazed at her profile, admiring the graceful contours, momentarily entranced.

Before long, Kong Yu, the Blue Ribbon Constable of Yedu; Huang Yuanhua, the External Affairs Elder of the Huang Family; Lian Shuiyao, the External Director of the Huanhua Sword Sect; Qi Zhengyan; and others arrived to jointly witness the martial arts competition and select talents for their respective families and sects.

In other martial arts halls, representatives of various sects and aristocratic families were also present. However, the major powers were gathered here, so the most important match was naturally arranged at this venue.

“This is Cao Chengye from the Chiyang Martial Arts Academy. He’s only nineteen but has already begun to open his eye apertures. Our family values talent and has decided to grant him the opportunity to cultivate advanced techniques,” Wang Ce pointed to a silent and indifferent young man below and introduced him to Dan Xiumei.

He had specifically instructed his old servant to gather information about this martial arts competition yesterday and quickly skimmed through it to explain to the beauty. He was especially struck by Cao Chengye, who had been preselected by his family. Otherwise, how could such an ordinary young man, who had just begun to understand the basics, be recognized and remembered by Prince Wang?

Dan Xiumei nodded slightly, observing Cao Chengye, then turned to his opponent, a simple young man who seemed a bit nervous in the bustling atmosphere: “Who is this?”

Wang Ce’s expression stiffened momentarily, and his old servant beside him moved his lips silently, transmitting his voice in secret.

Wang Ce coughed once and introduced leisurely: “He is He Mu from Qingfeng Martial Arts Academy, who has achieved minor success in Qi accumulation. Yesterday, he won five consecutive matches with outstanding sword skills.”

“He achieved minor success in Qi accumulation and won five consecutive matches?” Dan Xiumei was somewhat surprised. In the martial arts competition, the rarest participants were talented youths who had just opened their eye apertures and those with minor success in Qi accumulation, while those with major success in Qi accumulation were the most common. For a young man with minor success in Qi accumulation to win five matches consecutively, even if he didn’t encounter outstanding disciples like Cao Chengye, he would at least face two or three opponents with major success in Qi accumulation. Yet he managed to defeat them all?

Wang Ce clasped his hands behind his back, looking at Cao Chengye and He Mu, pausing before saying: “According to the martial arts judges and spectators, He Mu wields his sword like playing chess, with clear logic and complete strategies. His moves often defy expectations and are full of traps. Well, his understanding of sword skills doesn’t seem to match what one would expect from a youth like him.”

“In other words, he must have guidance from a master?” Dan Xiumei asked curiously.

Wang Ce smiled: “That’s likely. His sword strategies might even be entirely crafted by someone else. However, we cannot rule out the possibility that he is exceptionally gifted.”

Dan Xiumei showed a hint of youthful curiosity: “Brother Wang, since he has guidance from a master, can he defeat Cao Chengye?”

“Impossible,” Wang Ce firmly replied. “There’s a huge gap between opening the aperture and minor success in Qi accumulation. Cao Chengye can use brute force to overcome skill and speed to break through cleverness. Unless that master personally enters the match with sealed cultivation skills, using his rich experience and superb sword techniques to bridge this gap.”

Dan Xiumei looked at Wang Ce with hidden admiration, as if his words were absolute truths, making Wang Ce feel proud and delighted.

“The first battle, constantly dodging and defending, allowing Bai Liang to gradually enlarge the vulnerable flank until it becomes indefensible…”

…

“His sword techniques are exquisite, his personality cautious, skilled at luring opponents into traps, with complete strategies…”

On the arena, Cao Chengye recalled the information compiled by his senior and junior brothers, forming an intuitive and accurate impression of his current opponent.

His mind was calm and his thoughts clear, having already devised a strategy to deal with He Mu:

“If we’re only discussing sword techniques, based on his current performance level, I might not be his equal. However, my cultivation level is significantly higher than his. Whether it’s strength, speed, or reflexes, I far surpass him. Moreover, I’ve already opened my Eye Aperture, which excels at tracking fast-moving objects. Even if I fall into his sword traps, I can still evade them…”

“Using brute force to overcome skill, using speed to break through cleverness, but I must reserve some strength. Once I encounter a sword trap, I can change tactics in time to respond…”

Opposite him, He Mu remained composed and indifferent, devoid of any fixation on victory or defeat. Or perhaps, he hadn’t even entertained the thought of defeating an opponent who had just awakened his potential. His presence here was solely to verify Mr. Su’s “tale.”

Mr. Su’s words from yesterday flowed through his mind one by one, making him eager to try:

“His strength is greater than yours, his true Qi is stronger, and his speed is faster. Once you truly engage in battle, with your current understanding of sword techniques, no matter what ‘story’ you tell or what traps you set, you won’t be able to deal with him…”

“Your only chance lies in the beginning of the story you’ve told so far—cautious, skilled at planning, and adept at luring opponents into traps. It has accumulated over five battles, making it seem authentic and credible. As long as your opponent isn’t reckless or careless, and isn’t a master who only attacks without defending, he will definitely consider whether your sword techniques are part of a setup or trap when facing you. He’ll hold back a bit to prepare for it—that’s your opportunity…”

“This is a martial arts competition, not a real fight. As a master who has attained enlightenment, he will naturally value his dignity and let you strike first…”

(Note: “开了窍” is translated as “attained enlightenment” to convey the idea of reaching a higher level of martial arts understanding. If a more literal translation is preferred, it could be “opened his potential.”)

“Of course, if your opponent is indeed reckless or overly confident in his strength, then just focus on enjoying your sword techniques. You won’t be able to win anyway…”

Will this work? Can this really work? He Mu asked himself, feeling that the “trick” finally given by Mr. Su was too hard to accept. Not because it was strange, but because it was extremely ordinary, showing no trace of mystery!

The words still echoing in his ears, He Mu lifted his long sword and assumed his stance.

Cao Chengye, valuing his dignity, crossed his sword over his chest, indicating that He Mu should strike first.

He Mu took a deep breath, his Qi surged, and with a powerful twist of his waist and legs, he launched the move “Solitary Sail Vanishing into the Distant Horizon.”

He poured all his strength into this move, exhausting his Qi completely without leaving any reserve. In his mind, there were only the final eight words spoken by Mr. Su:

“Advance without retreat, move forward without turning back!”

Sunlight poured into the martial arts hall, illuminating the sword light, making it bright and dazzling, like a grand ship sailing on a blue sea bathed in sunlight, moving farther and farther away, directly targeting the center, with a fierce momentum.

This was the fastest and strongest sword strike He Mu had ever made in his life. If he were in Cao Chengye’s position, he believed even someone with major success in Qi accumulation couldn’t withstand such a strike, although they could still dodge it.

In Cao Chengye’s eyes, although this sword strike was extremely fast, his vision could still capture it, clearly discerning its trajectory, giving him enough time to respond.

“He is cautious…”

“He excels at sword strategy…”

“Each of his moves contains hidden traps…”

As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Cao Chengye instinctively held back a bit of strength and swung his sword to block He Mu’s strike.

Ding!

The two swords collided, and surprisingly, Cao Chengye’s sword was deflected!

“What kind of strength is this?”

“Did he hold back not even a bit of strength?”

“Did he exhaust all his Qi at once?”

“How could he be so reckless! Ignoring the subsequent changes entirely!”

Cao Chengye’s hand went numb, his sword deflected slightly. Although He Mu’s sword was also pushed back a little, its momentum straight toward the center remained unchanged, still aiming directly at Cao Chengye’s body!

The sharp blade approached, the edge reaching his body. At this moment, Cao Chengye wanted to change tactics to defend but was already too late. The strength he had held back could only be used for dodging.

He gritted his teeth, fell to the ground, rolled like a lazy donkey to evade He Mu’s sword, then sprang up like a carp leaping from water, feeling both ashamed and furious as he was about to thrust his sword forward in attack. However, He Mu raised his sword, smiling, and said: “I concede.”

He was overjoyed. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined he could corner an Eye Aperture expert like this. Had his Qi accumulation been more advanced—boosting his internal energy, physical strength, and speed—Cao Chengye might not have escaped at all!

(Note: “Eye Aperture” is retained as a cultivation term, and “Cao Chengye” follows the provided pinyin. The translation adjusts phrasing for natural English flow while preserving the original’s intensity and hypothetical reflection.)

However, he was also clear that today’s ability to make Cao Chengye so embarrassed relied entirely on the perfect combination of timing, location, and human factors. Timing was the tournament setting, which allowed him to strike first, and Cao Chengye had no intention of fighting to the death. Location was the image he had built through the previous five matches, the well-established beginning of the “story,” making Cao Chengye worry about subsequent traps and fear of falling into a setup when receiving the sword strike. Human factor was Cao Chengye’s cautious nature.

Among these, “location” was the most crucial, and it was something he couldn’t create by himself at present. It was entirely due to Mr. Su’s guidance and planning. If they were to fight again in the future, even if the timing and human factors remained, and he had achieved major success in Qi accumulation, without the advantage of location, he would surely be easily defeated by Cao Chengye.

On the second floor, Wang Ce watched as Cao Chengye stood dumbfounded before He Mu’s sword, clumsily rolling away to evade. He exclaimed in a mix of surprise and frustration, “What was he thinking? How could he lose focus during a martial arts competition!”

It was as if Cao Chengye had fallen under an illusion technique!

Dan Xiumei calmly watched He Mu, her beautiful eyes seemingly deep in thought. Nearby, Qi Zhengyan slightly nodded, secretly admiring this development.

The old servant moved his lips, and Wang Ce’s expression quickly calmed. Confidently, he explained to Dan Xiumei: “The reason Cao Chengye was so embarrassed is because he was thinking too much. He Mu’s previous five matches gave people the impression of being cautious and wise, skilled at hiding traps within sword techniques. Cao Chengye was distracted, focusing on guarding against this aspect. He didn’t expect He Mu to suddenly charge forward with a single sword strike, using all his strength without leaving any room for retreat. As a result, he couldn’t fully concentrate his strength at once and was almost taken advantage of by He Mu.”

“Using the performance from the previous five matches as a trap, the mastermind behind He Mu is truly far-sighted and astonishing. If I didn’t know that Brother Wang Siyuan was still in Jiangdong, I would suspect it was his doing. Of course, if it were him, Cao Chengye would undoubtedly be defeated.”

Dan Xiumei looked at Wang Ce with a face full of admiration: “Brother Wang, only after hearing your explanation do I understand the underlying reasons. The master behind He Mu is truly not to be underestimated.”

“Indeed, I plan to send someone to investigate and see if we can recruit him. No family ever complains about having too many talents,” Wang Ce said sincerely, reflecting the teachings he had received as the legitimate heir.

Nearby, Qing Shou constable Kong Yu pondered for a moment and then ordered the assistant constable beside him: “Send someone to secretly investigate He Mu and find out who is guiding him. Even if we don’t provoke him, we must keep him within our sight to prevent any unforeseen troubles.”

Inside the martial arts academy, amidst the crowd of spectators, Meng Qi patted his wide robe and walked away with his hands clasped behind his back, thoroughly pleased with the result.

Just now, he had secretly observed Dan Xiumei and noticed that she wasn’t particularly surprised by He Mu’s sword techniques, indicating her profound experience, surpassing even Wang Ce’s. This was a suspicious point.

After leaving the martial arts academy, a horse-drawn carriage draped in white woolen blankets stopped in front of Meng Qi, with the driver’s breath restrained and his face expressionless as he stared ahead.

The carriage door opened, revealing a delicate and exquisitely beautiful young girl dressed in pure white, her aura ethereal. Beside her, a bronze incense burner emitted warm fragrance, and a white fur-lined cloak rested in her hand.

“My dear husband, I knew you would come to see Dan Xiumei. Get on the carriage,” Gu Xiaosang smiled.

Meng Qi remained inwardly alert while keeping a calm demeanor: “How can I verify that she is from the Su Nu Sect? How can I be sure the celestial stone is in her possession? And how can I confirm that she is actually looking for me?”

He certainly didn’t want to be used as a pawn by Gu Xiaosang.

“My dear husband is so suspicious. Well, come with me to a place and you’ll know,” Gu Xiaosang’s delicate finger pointed to the seat opposite her.