Chapter 40: The Martial Tournament

"I truly cannot fathom what the Emperor is thinking. To squander money on bribing bandits to surrender—how can such a man be fit to lead troops?" Qin Qingxue expressed her profound disbelief.

Ever since her social standing had risen, her disdain for Li Ye had only grown. She found it absolutely unacceptable to be associated with him, only to be mocked by others for being tainted by the stench of copper and greed. Thus, once she had achieved fame and success, she abandoned Li Ye without a moment’s hesitation to stand by Shi Wushuang’s side.

"Does that even need to be said? No matter how unwelcome he may be, he is still the Emperor’s son," Shi Wushuang remarked. "We underestimated the Emperor’s protective instincts toward his own flesh and blood. However, the more favored the Sixth Prince becomes, the worse it is for both of you and me."

Upon hearing Shi Wushuang’s analysis, Qin Qingxue grew flustered. "Do you mean the Emperor is using this method to retaliate against us? What should we do?"

"It is quite simple. Since it is inconvenient for us to act directly, we shall win over the other princes. Once the Sixth Prince gains command of the military, he will inevitably become a target of jealousy for his brothers, who will surely find ways to suppress him. We need only go with the flow and offer secret assistance. Even if the Sixth Prince is killed, it will simply be the result of their own struggle for the throne," Shi Wushuang said with a cold sneer.

"That makes sense. Let us do just that! With the Crown Prince’s support, what is there to fear?" Qin Qingxue finally felt at ease.

"It is not just the Crown Prince; we must not overlook any other prince we can utilize. All the princes are vying for my allegiance, but only the Sixth Prince harbors such extreme hostility toward us. He must be eradicated." Shi Wushuang’s face turned icy, his eyes erupting with intense murderous intent.

The next day, just as Li Ye had woken up, Lei Ying and Lei Zhan arrived at his residence. Li Ye received them and noticed the uncontrollable grins on their faces.

"Seeing you both looking so cheerful, have you encountered some good fortune?"

Lei Ying replied respectfully, "Reporting to Your Highness, the Imperial Court has begun settling the people from the mountain stronghold in batches, with the terms exactly as Your Highness promised. Several shopkeepers have already brought men to the encampment to begin selecting personnel. We no longer need to worry about our future."

"As long as you are satisfied, that is all that matters," Li Ye nodded slightly.

Lei Ying continued, "The two of us wish to follow Your Highness and offer our humble services."

"That goes without saying. As leaders of the mountain stronghold, you possess not only martial prowess but also the ability to manage affairs. I do intend to keep you both by my side to handle matters. However, it would be best if you first finish settling the people of the stronghold before coming to find me."

"That is no trouble at all. There are highly respected elders in the stronghold. With them in charge of the clansmen, we have nothing to worry about."

"Very well. In that case, stay. From now on, listen to Linyue’s arrangements."

The two men glanced at Linyue. She was merely a young girl, and they were clearly dissatisfied. They had expected to take orders directly from Li Ye and were truly unwilling to be commanded by a mere slip of a girl. Sensing their cold snorts, Linyue knew they were unconvinced and decided to teach them a lesson.

"Since the two of you dare to look down on me, why don't we have a contest?"

Lei Zhan, who was naturally hot-tempered, shouted, "Fine! Let us spar, then. What happens if you lose?"

"It is simple. If I lose, I will take orders from you from now on. If I win, you will honestly listen to me," Linyue replied.

"Very well, I shall give you three moves!"

"Pfft, just come at me together. It will save me the trouble!" Linyue cast a disdainful look at them, her chin held high in pride.

Lei Zhan was so angry he laughed. This girl could not be even twenty years old, yet she dared to look down on them.

Li Ye spoke up then, "Linyue is quite right. You two should attack together. If you can defeat her, I shall count it as your victory!"

Lei Ying and Lei Zhan were shocked. They had not expected the Sixth Prince to look down on them as well. Lei Ying was indignant, "Your Highness, isn't this going too far? If we cannot even beat a little girl, we would have no face left to protect Your Highness."

"No, I am not looking down on you at all! Linyue’s master is a formidable figure. She has been guided by masters since childhood. Forcing you to attack together is actually to protect you. Do not hold anything back; use all your strength, or you will be defeated very quickly."

"Fine, fine, fine! Since Your Highness has said so, we have no need to hide our strength." Lei Ying and Lei Zhan drew their long sabers. "We are coming!"

The two charged forward, one from the left and one from the right. Linyue curled her lip in disdain and let out a cold hum. Moving like a phantom, she easily dodged their combined opening strike. Although they had only been testing the waters, Lei Ying and Lei Zhan had used eighty percent of their strength, yet it had been completely ineffective.

The two men were struck with awe, exchanging a look that betrayed their mutual horror. As the saying goes, one can tell the quality of a fighter the moment they strike. They finally realized Li Ye had not been boasting. Instantly, they focused their full attention and lunged forward with a roar.

Their saber techniques were ferocious and lethal, filled with immense momentum. They unleashed their signature moves simultaneously, and in an instant, the air was filled with the shadows of blades, crashing toward Linyue like a tidal wave.

Linyue did not even draw her sword; she held it within its scabbard and struck out into the myriad of saber shadows. She was like a small boat in a vast ocean, in constant danger of capsizing. Yet, no matter how violent the waves, the small boat remained resilient, showing no sign of sinking.

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

A series of rapid, metallic clashes rang out. In the blink of an eye, the three had exchanged dozens of blows.

"Drop your blades!" Linyue commanded sharply.

The sabers were knocked from Lei Ying and Lei Zhan’s hands. They clutched their wrists and staggered back several paces, staring at Linyue in utter disbelief. They had attacked together, giving their all, yet they had been defeated in fewer than fifty moves. Furthermore, Linyue had not even drawn her sword from its scabbard—she clearly had not used her full strength.

"Not bad. To be able to trade blows with Linyue for so long, your skills are indeed impressive," Li Ye said with appreciation.

"Is this what you call 'not bad'? We attacked together and couldn't even last fifty moves. We have no face left to stay," Lei Ying said, his confidence shattered. He had once believed that as the leader of Bald Eagle Mountain, having practiced martial arts since childhood and having remained undefeated on the mountain before the age of twenty, he had reached the pinnacle of strength. To be easily defeated by a young girl was deeply wounding to his pride.

"This... how is this possible? How old are you? Did you start training in your mother's womb?" Lei Zhan was equally incredulous.

Linyue stood proudly with her sword in her arms, not deigning to speak to them at all. Li Ye smiled as he mediated, "I told you before, Linyue was trained by a master since childhood and possesses immense talent; her martial arts are exceptionally powerful. Losing to her is nothing to be ashamed of."