108: Chapter 108: Martial Arts Tournament for a Bride

(Thanks to Dazhoubu and Xiaoyusi for the gifts.)

(I've been a bit busy the last few days, so the extra updates are a bit late. My apologies.)

The next morning.

Xiao Ran woke from his meditation and pushed open the window. A morning breeze, mixed with various scents, brushed against his face.

The streets were already bustling with people.

"Strange, there weren't this many people yesterday."

Xiao Ran's eyebrows twitched slightly.

Could they all have been attracted by the auction held by the Wanbao Pavilion?

Feeling somewhat puzzled, he tidied up briefly and went downstairs to the inn's lobby.

The shopkeeper was behind the counter fiddling with an abacus. Seeing him come down, he hurriedly stepped forward to greet him.

"Good morning, Young Master Xiao. Are you going to see the excitement today?"

Xiao Ran asked in passing.

"What excitement?"

The shopkeeper's eyes lit up, and he lowered his voice.

"Young Master might not know, but today is the day of the martial arts recruitment for the City Lord of White Emperor City's precious daughter—Young Miss Bai Linger!"

"Martial arts recruitment?"

Xiao Ran became interested.

He had seen many such scenes in TV dramas in his past life, but he had never seen one in person.

"Yes!"

Seeing Xiao Ran's interest, the shopkeeper immediately became animated.

"City Lord Bai's youngest daughter is eighteen years old. It's said she's as beautiful as a Heavenly Immortal, and her cultivation is at the Golden Core Great Perfection."

"More importantly, the dowry City Lord Bai is offering is a Third-Revolution Nirvana Pill, plus the qualification to enter the White Emperor City Scripture Pavilion to choose a Cultivation Technique!"

Xiao Ran's heart stirred upon hearing this.

A Third-Revolution Nirvana Pill was a sacred medicine that could help Nascent Soul Cultivators break through Bottlenecks; it was worth a fortune.

"What are the conditions for participating?"

Xiao Ran asked casually.

"The conditions are very simple!"

The shopkeeper held up a finger.

"Men under fifty, regardless of background, whether righteous or demonic—as long as they can fight to the end on the stage and be the last one standing, they will be the Bai family's son-in-law!"

This condition seemed simple, and in fact, it wasn't complicated.

The age Restriction naturally limited the cultivation level.

After all, every time a Cultivator crossed a Realm, their strength and lifespan would increase significantly.

For example, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator could easily live to be a hundred and fifty years old.

Therefore, for most Cultivators, being able to reach Foundation Establishment before the age of fifty was considered bringing great honor to their ancestors.

In some small places, Foundation Establishment Cultivators were figures at the level of family heads.

However, White Emperor City only restricted the age; naturally, they weren't looking for a fifty-year-old Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

What the City Lord of White Emperor City was looking for was a true Genius.

Xiao Ran nodded, having made his own calculations.

"Thank you for letting me know, shopkeeper."

He walked out of the inn and joined the crowd.

...

Meanwhile.

In the center of White Emperor City, there was a huge square spanning a thousand zhang.

At this moment, the square was already a sea of people.

In the middle of the square, a ten-zhang-high white jade stage had been erected.

The stage was inlaid with countless Spirit Stones, which shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight.

Behind the stage was a temporary viewing platform.

Beaded curtains hung from the platform, and several figures could be seen sitting inside.

The person in the middle had an unfathomable aura; just by sitting there, the surrounding space seemed to distort slightly.

That was the City Lord of White Emperor City, the White Emperor.

Beside him, a woman in a pale yellow dress was faintly visible; she was likely today's protagonist, Bai Linger.

Xiao Ran squeezed through the crowd, his Divine Sense quietly reaching out.

"Tsk tsk, this display..."

He sighed inwardly.

The bricks paving the floor were made of Mid-Grade Spirit Stones; it was simply inhumane extravagance.

One must know that in the entire cultivation world, Mid-Grade Spirit Stones were essential cultivation resources for those within the Golden Core Stage.

Most Cultivators spent the whole year running around for just a few Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

Here, they were everywhere on the ground.

Xiao Ran didn't doubt for a second that if the owner of this city weren't called the White Emperor,

most of the people present would have no mood to watch any recruitment competition; they would be frantically prying up the floor tiles.

Of course, Xiao Ran was not among them, because he was currently dripping with wealth.

According to incomplete statistics, his resources were enough for him to Cultivate to the Void Refinement Stage.

This was an astronomical figure!

So Xiao Ran only felt sentimental, but his heart remained unmoved.

At this time.

The discussions of the people around him rose and fell.

"See that? Those are people from the Heavenly Sword Sect! The one leading them is said to be one of the top three Sword Seeds of this generation in the Heavenly Sword Sect."

"Hmph, what does the Heavenly Sword Sect count for?"

"Look over there, the Third Prince of the Great Qian Dynasty has also come, followed by two Soul Transformation Stage attendants!"

"And over there, those people in black are from the Nether Hall, right?"

"The Hehuan Sect has people here too..."

Xiao Ran followed the crowd's gaze and indeed saw groups from various factions occupying their own areas.

The white-clad Sword Cultivators of the Heavenly Sword Sect each had a sharp aura.

The leader had sharp eyebrows and starry eyes, with Sword Qi hidden around him; he was already at the Nascent Soul middle stage.

Moreover, his face looked a bit familiar, as if they had met once in the ruins.

The Third Prince of the Great Qian Dynasty wore embroidered robes and a jade belt, possessing an elegant bearing.

The two old men beside him had unfathomable auras, clearly at the Soul Transformation Stage.

The black-robed figures from the Nether Hall were surrounded by Death Qi, their faces obscured.

On the Hehuan Sect's side, several female Cultivators had outstanding appearances and were full of charm, causing many male Cultivators around them to glance over frequently.

"As expected of a Void Refinement Stage powerhouse, his influence is truly strong!"

Xiao Ran thought to himself.

Suddenly, his eyebrows twitched.

In the crowd, he sensed a familiar aura.

Xiao Ran calmly followed the aura with his gaze.

He saw Li Changsheng in a simple green robe, mingling in the crowd and looking this way.

Their eyes met in the air, and then they looked away as if nothing had happened.

Through their Soul link, Li Changsheng's voice came.

"Xiao Ran, I knew you'd come to see the excitement too."

"Of course, who wouldn't want to watch the fun?"

Xiao Ran replied.

Thinking back to that year, in order to witness a scene of catching an affair, they had stubbornly followed a strange woman through every hotel in the entire city.

Neither of them felt tired because, in the end, they got their wish and witnessed what the martial prowess of a woman looked like.

"True."

"This White Emperor is also quite crafty, specifically choosing to hold the martial arts recruitment ceremony on the eve of the auction."

"It's the perfect way to attract the young talents gathered here."

Li Changsheng complained.

He seemed to have long seen through the essence of the competition.

Suddenly, Li Changsheng thought of something and gave a wicked smile.

"Are you interested in going up and giving it a try?"

Xiao Ran shook his head upon hearing this.

"Me?"

"I, a Demonic Son of a demonic sect, marrying the daughter of a City Lord? Is that appropriate?"

Li Changsheng laughed.

"What's inappropriate about it? White Emperor City has never cared about righteous or demonic since ancient times."

"Besides, that Bai Linger is said to be drop-dead gorgeous and looks like a virtuous woman. You're not tempted?"

Li Changsheng tempted him.

He knew all too well what kind of girls Xiao Ran liked.

Sure enough, Xiao Ran looked at the faintly visible figure on the viewing platform again.

"Drop-dead gorgeous? Who can see clearly through a curtain? What if she's only good from behind?"

Li Changsheng: "..."

"Your mouth is really wicked."

While they were chatting, a bell suddenly rang on the stage.

The entire field immediately fell silent.

An old man in grey clothes walked onto the stage and cupped his hands.

"Everyone, I am the Head Steward of the White Emperor City Lord's Mansion. I have been ordered by the City Lord to host today's martial arts recruitment."

"The rules for this recruitment are very simple: anyone under fifty, regardless of background, can come up to challenge."

"The winner who holds the stage can continue to accept the next person's challenge."

"The last one standing on the stage before sunset will be the Bai family's son-in-law."

He paused and waved his hand.

A transparent light shield rose around the stage.

"To avoid accidental injury, the stage is equipped with a Restriction. Life and death are not guaranteed, but you can withdraw by admitting defeat."

"Now, let the competition begin!"