Jianghu Demolition Squad

Martial Arts Competition Under The Heavens (Part Four)

As they approached the foot of Huxiao Mountain, the crowd grew larger. The World Martial Arts Competition was set to officially begin the day after tomorrow, and many heroes were making their way up the mountain today, hence the path was crowded with people in bamboo hats and sturdy attire typical of martial artists.

The mountain stood majestic and formidable, a picturesque scene of beauty and serenity with cascading waterfalls and ancient pines, akin to a realm removed from the mundane world.

However, these wulin heroes couldn’t spare much time to appreciate the scenery. Although the World Martial Arts Competition was a grand gathering of capable individuals from all over the world, not just anyone could attend. Especially since this competition also featured the Fenghou Sword as the highlight, the selection process was even more cautious and stringent compared to previous years.

To be accepted as a guest by the Mingjian Manor, one needed to either hold an invitation from the manor or pass the World Martial Arts Competition trial.

Speaking of these trials, they were a staple of every martial arts competition. There were countless wulin heroes who practiced martial arts, and they varied in skill and quality. The trials consisted of two parts: the first tested the lightness skill and agility of the participants, while the second tested their internal energy cultivation. They served to roughly weed out those with mediocre skills who were trying to muddy the waters.

This time, aside from the people from Xuhuai Valley and Qixian Palace who were welcomed by Mingjian Manor and took the proper path, the rest of the guests had to take the back mountain route.

The back mountain of Huxiao Mountain had two wonders: one was called the ‘Cloud Ladder,’ and the other was the ‘Heaven’s Gate.’ To reach Mingjian Manor at the main peak, one had to pass through these two places, which served as the trials Mingjian Manor had set for the arriving guests.

When the nine arrived at the Cloud Ladder, there was already a crowd gathered in front of it. They heard a cry of surprise and saw a figure swiftly leaping up and passing the Cloud Ladder.

The Cloud Ladder was a vertical cliff face, over a hundred meters high, rising straight into the sky.

With such treacherous terrain, even the most exceptional lightness skill couldn’t fly up there. However, since it was called a ‘ladder,’ there must be something unique about it. The cliff face had been artificially chiseled to form a set of steps, but these stone steps were so narrow and shallow that even a woman’s delicate feet could barely place their toes on them, making it impossible to walk across. At the top of the cliff, several long, slender vines hung down to the middle of the cliff face. With these two things to leverage, only those with proficient lightness skills and agile movements could easily cross this barrier.

Therefore, many people were gathered in front of the Cloud Ladder, staring at it with furrowed brows, contemplating the method to ascend.

As the nine of them approached, a few more people leaped onto the Cloud Ladder. Suddenly, a scream was heard, and a woman in a pink dress was seen falling.

From the crowd, a black shadow flashed out and swiftly jumped to the bottom of the Cloud Ladder, catching the falling woman. The woman was still in shock and stood there in a daze for a good while.

Yu’er glanced up and felt a sense of familiarity. The man who caught the woman was wearing a dark blue long robe. As he turned to the side, Yu’er’s eyes widened, and she suddenly remembered that these two were the people she had seen in Jiangnan – Ye Sheng and Ye Wushuang of the Wenwu Sect.

At this moment, Qing Jiu and the others also recognized them. Qing Jiu, holding the Ning family young master’s feather fan, and now disguised in an unremarkable face yet still radiating an air of ethereal grace in her plain white clothes, suggested, “Let’s keep moving forward; who knows who else we might run into.”

Hua Lian, now disguised as the Ning family’s young master and playfully waving the ‘peerless’ folding fan, chuckled, “Indeed.” His laugh, carefree and slightly insolent, perfectly matched his flamboyant disguise.

Ye Wushuang, having tried to prove herself by crossing the Cloud Ladder alone out of spite towards her brother, had slipped and fallen, only to be caught by Ye Sheng. Still shaken, she stood frozen.

Just as Ye Sheng was about to console her, a man carrying a huge tiger head saber on his back approached. This man, in simple cloth attire with bandaged brawny arms, pushed past Ye Wushuang dismissively and laughed, “Women belong at home, embroidering and tending to their husbands and children,” he declared. “What are you doing playing with swords and spears? This is no place for you.”

Ye Wushuang staggered as she was pushed, her face flushing with embarrassment and anger upon hearing the man’s dismissive comments. Already proud and hot-tempered, being told she was unfit for martial arts was humiliating enough, but this fundamental denial of her capabilities was even more infuriating. She pointed a delicate finger at the man and retorted sharply, “What I choose to learn and do is none of your business! Who do you think you are?!”

The man chuckled, dismissing her anger with a wave of his hand, as if he were above engaging with a mere girl. “Little girl,” he said, his tone condescending, “I’m not saying you’re incapable. I’m merely stating a fact. Women are naturally weaker when it comes to martial arts. It’s not anyone’s fault; it’s simply the way heaven intended it to be. Men and women are born with different roles: yin and yang complement each other. Men handle external affairs, while women manage the household. Each has their own responsibilities. This is the natural order. Men wield swords and blades, while women handle embroidery needles. Doing what we’re naturally good at is the way it should be. Abandoning our true calling to pursue something else is foolish and misguided.”

The man had a rough appearance, but he spoke with a sense of propriety, sounding reasonable and logical.

However, his words were steeped in prejudice and ignorance. Although men outnumbered women at the foot of the Cloud Ladder, there were still many female martial artists present. His remarks not only enraged Ye Wushuang, prompting her to challenge him to a duel to prove his assumptions wrong, but also sparked outrage among others.

A woman in a scarlet red dress stepped forward, pointing her sword at the man. “You arrogant, foul-mouthed fool!” she cried. “We, as women, choose to roam the jianghu and live by our own code. How dare you claim that it’s wrong and against the natural order? If it truly violates heaven’s will, then why hasn’t heaven struck us down with lightning? You bark about women being naturally weaker and unfit for martial arts, but what great feats have you accomplished? Are you claiming to be superior to all women? Have you heard of Ling Qiu, the Mistress of Yanyu Pavilion, one of the Twelve Martial Champions? Have you heard of Wu Yu, the City Lord of Jile City? Have you heard of Bai Sang, the sect leader of Xuhuai Valley? You’re not even a fraction of the martial artists they are!”

The woman’s demeanor was cold and proud, her heroic aura overwhelming. Her scarlet dress was as bright as fire, and her resounding words were impassioned and forceful, echoing through the air. No one at the foot of the Cloud Ladder could avoid hearing them, and the crowd couldn’t help but feel their blood boiling from her heroic voice.

The crowd buzzed with whispers. Yu’er tilted her head to listen and heard, “Isn’t that Second Miss Jun of Juxiao Manor?”

“Jiuxiao Manor? Has Jiuxiao Manor already arrived?”

As the name Jiuxiao Manor echoed in her mind, Yu’er glanced at the woman again. With her fierce eyes and proud demeanor, she bore some resemblance to a figure Yu’er remembered seeing imprisoned in an iron cage within a mountain fortress. She walked over to Qi Tianzhu and whispered, “Uncle Qi, look at that woman.”

Qi Tianzhu looked over at Second Miss Jun. Despite being in her early twenties, she had a mature presence, and he recognized her immediately. Smiling, he said, “That’s the Young Second Miss Jun who was imprisoned on Yan Ling Mountain. I didn’t expect to see her again after parting ways that day. Little girl, this is truly a fateful encounter.” Qi Tianzhu had only exchanged a few words with this Second Miss Jun, but they had shared hardships together. Meeting again, he felt the joy of reuniting with an old friend.

Second Miss Jun fiercely interrogated the man, who shamelessly retorted, “This Mistress Bai Sang of Xuhuai Valley is indeed a remarkable individual. Her medical skills are unmatched, and her compassion knows no bounds. However, when it comes to martial arts, I’m afraid I’m slightly more skilled. As for the Mistress of Yanyu Pavilion and the City Lord of Jile City… well…”

The man let out a cold laugh, his face full of contempt. Although his words were unfinished, everyone already understood his implication.

It turned out that among the crowd gathered under the Cloud Ladder, there were some who agreed with the man’s views.

A thin man stepped out, grinning, and continued the man’s unfinished words. He said, “I believe this valiant hero speaks the truth,” he said. “There’s an undeniable difference in martial arts capabilities between men and women. He’s merely stating a fact, not making disparaging remarks. Look around the jianghu today. Aren’t the Four Sages and the leaders of the Five Sects all men? Even among the Twelve Martial Champions, eleven are men. As for the sole woman, the Mistress of Yanyu Pavilion… well, I’ll be blunt. She’s known for offering her arms to any man and her lips to countless more. Hardly a respectable woman, is she? She certainly doesn’t belong in the ranks of honorable jianghu heroes. And as for the City Lord of Jile City, she merely relies on a few capable subordinates. Who knows what methods she used to win their loyalty…”

As the words fell from the man’s mouth, many in the crowd grimaced in displeasure.

“Be careful with your words, brother!”

“Your speculation goes too far and is truly insulting to others. Please take back your words!”

“The Mistress of Yanyu Pavilion is also a hero among women. How can you insult her so lightly?”

The sect leader of Xuhuai Valley, the Mistress of Yanyu Pavilion, and the City Lord of Jile City were considered the most renowned women in the current jianghu. Among them, the Mistress of Yanyu Pavilion had the most extensive connections and the highest martial arts skills. Many people had received assistance from the Yanyu Pavilion or had dealings with them. Naturally, they wouldn’t allow that ignorant young man to criticize the Mistress of Yanyu Pavilion. If it weren’t for the prohibition of private duels during the World Martial Arts Competition, many people would have already been unable to resist taking action!

Second Miss Jun, enraged by the man’s words, unsheathed her sword, pointing it at him. “Such a silver tongue you have!” she spat. “Let’s see how skilled you are!”

Although the crowd was also angry, they were constrained by the rules of the World Martial Arts Competition and couldn’t take action. The Second Miss Jun was a person of character and didn’t care about such things. Seeing this, the crowd hurried to calm her.

Ye Sheng, the sect leader of the Wenwu Sect, said, “Second Miss Jun, personal fights are prohibited during the World Martial Arts Competition. Why risk losing the opportunity to participate in the competition over momentary anger? If you have any grievances, you can challenge him during the competition.”

To this, Second Miss Jun responded with a cold laugh, “Challenge him? I doubt he could even pass the first two trials. Where then shall I find him?”

The crowd couldn’t persuade her, and it seemed like a fight was about to break out. Suddenly, a rich, masculine voice rang out, “Sixue, stop.”

Jun Sixue’s sword paused mid-air, and her voice softened slightly, “Third Uncle…” Reluctantly, she sheathed her sword.

Upon seeing the speaker, Ye Sheng’s face lit up with joy. He bowed and said, “Manor Master Jun.”

The man nodded slightly. As the onlookers realized it was the master of Jiuxiao Manor himself, they came forward to greet him.

Yu’er, standing at the back of the crowd, was intrigued by the voice and wanted to see the man’s face, but he was surrounded by too many people to get a clear view.

Qing Jiu gently fanned the feather fan, “Alright, the show is over. It’s time to go.”

Hearing this, Yu’er looked towards Qing Jiu, noticing Yan Li and the others standing by her side. She saw Yan Li with a stern expression, slightly angered, while Tang Linzhi casually spun a dagger in her hand. Mo Wen silently pulled out a pack of silver needles, handed two to Tang Linzhi. Hua Lian whispered in Tang Linzhi’s ear, both glancing at the thin man with a light chuckle.

Yu’er shook her head lightly, looking at the two men arguing over whether men or women were superior in martial arts, pitying them.

Whether those two men could match Second Miss Jun in combat was beyond the Yu’er’s knowledge, but she was aware that they were no match for her and her companions.

Those two men saying that ‘women are inferior to men in martial arts’ wouldn’t have concerned Qing Jiu and the others, but the topic had somehow been dragged to Yanyu Pavilion and Jile City…

How dare they so blatantly belittle these two highly respected individuals?

Don’t they know that misfortune comes from the mouth?

Translation note:

Second Miss Jun – Complete title is Second Young Mistress of the Jun Family. It’s too long to keep repeating.