Chapter 84: Evil Thoughts Rise in the East, Rooting Out the Weeds
Mu Nianci’s voice was pleasant, and her laughter carried the scent of plum blossoms.
Zhou Yan casually mentioned that Cui Qingshan had been beaten black and blue, and Mu Nianci couldn’t help but chuckle, drawing frequent glances from the surrounding runners.
Her face flushed slightly, and she quickly composed herself.
In fact, apart from sparring, Mu Nianci had very few opportunities to speak with Zhou Yan in private. Now, after just a few words, she found Escort Zhou to be so humorous.
Cui Qingshan, walking over from a distance, saw this scene. His expression turned grim, and all his dissatisfaction with Zhou Yan being promoted to escort and his nephew being expelled from Fu’an fell upon Mu Nianci.
Why should you be on Zhang Wangyue and Zhou Yan’s side?
As Cui Qingshan appeared, more escorts and runners gathered at the martial field, sitting on benches and whispering, speculating about the outcome of this examination.
Most of the runners and escorts held little hope for Mu Nianci passing the examination and being hired as an escort, as she was young and a woman, while Cui Qingshan was a long-established escort.
These people instead favored the burly Yang Tiexin, whose face bore the marks of wind and frost. His steady and weather-beaten appearance also fit the image of an escort.
In reality, none of these people knew that Mu Nianci’s martial arts were superior to Yang Tiexin’s.
When Duan Huai’an, Duan Zhaoxi, Zhang Wangyue, and Shi Xiangui walked out from the meeting hall, a clamor arose from the crowd, and the atmosphere quickly became heated.
Young Master Duan Zhaoxi was taken aback when he saw Mu Nianci.
He rarely visited the escort bureau, only accompanying Duan Huai’an for important matters. With the examination concluded today, Duan Huai’an was about to hire Zhang Wangyue as the chief escort and promote Zhou Yan, Huyan Lei, and four others to be escorts. This was a joyous occasion for the escort bureau, hence their presence.
Duan Zhaoxi already knew that the person facing Cui Qingshan was a woman.
It was rare for a woman to be an escort, but it happened. Duan Zhaoxi had assumed Mu Nianci was a rough, strong, and androgynous person, but she turned out to be of such rare, exquisite beauty.
“Father, is that Mu Nianci who is to be tested?”
“Mm!” Duan Huai’an nodded. After taking a few steps, the Boss of Fu’an stopped and turned back to Duan Zhaoxi, saying, “You must not have any crooked thoughts.”
“I’m not that kind of person, Father.” Duan Zhaoxi said aggrievedly.
“I know what kind of person you are.” Duan Huai’an turned back with a stern face. The tense expression on his face suddenly relaxed. In fact, apart from being unenthusiastic about the escort bureau’s affairs, his son’s character was decent.
Duan Huai’an, Duan Zhaoxi, Zhang Wangyue, and Shi Xiangui took their seats. The escort bureau’s steward arrived at the venue and concisely explained the rules, stating that although blades and spears are merciless and fists and feet have no eyes, the examination was not a life-and-death struggle and should stop at the appropriate point.
The steward left the field, a runner struck a copper gong, and Cui Qingshan and Mu Nianci rose simultaneously. One holding an iron abacus and the other a spear, they moved to the center of the field.
Cui Qingshan said, “My iron abacus is heavy, Miss Mu, be careful.”
Mu Nianci cupped her hands and replied, “Thank you for the reminder, Escort Cui.”
The long-awaited sunlight fell upon the martial field. Mu Nianci took a step back, guiding her energy with intent, and her spear let out a humming, trembling sound.
Some discerning escorts outside the field suddenly became excited. Mu Nianci’s cultivation was not bad; this examination would be worth watching.
Mu Nianci knew Cui Qingshan would not attack first due to his status. She flicked her wrists, her spear tip glinting silver, and thrust the Middle Flat Spear towards Cui Qingshan.
“Not bad, you have skill.” Cui Qingshan chuckled in a low voice. His iron abacus spun like a wheel and swung out, smashing towards the spear.
Once Cui Qingshan’s techniques were unleashed, his attacks were dense and continuous. He would either use the abacus to disarm opponents or swing its weight to smash them. It was difficult to parry.
Mu Nianci employed the Yang Family Spear Technique, with gathering, thrusting, striking, parrying, blocking, poking, guarding, and closing, all executed with fluidity and myriad changes. Cui Qingshan’s abacus swung, smashed, blocked, and parried. During their exchange, he found an opening in Mu Nianci’s moves and ferociously and rapidly smashed his iron abacus onto the iron spear.
Mu Nianci’s arm went numb, and the iron spear almost flew out of her hand, but her heart grew steadier, everything unfolding just as Escort Zhou had demonstrated during their sparring.
With a “clang,” the abacus struck the spear shaft again. The iron spear trembled and sank. Mu Nianci’s right foot suddenly kicked the spear shaft. The spear, which was about to deflect, not only stabilized its momentum but also rebounded, transforming into a killing move, thrusting towards Cui Qingshan’s abdomen as he lunged forward.
From the perspective of the escorts and runners outside the martial field, it looked as if Cui Qingshan had charged directly into the spear.
However, the spear thrust by Mu Nianci towards Cui Qingshan’s abdomen suddenly retracted its force just as the tip touched his body.
Cui Qingshan had indeed charged too eagerly. How could he react now? He felt utter despair, defeated in front of everyone by a girl of seventeen or eighteen. How could he ever establish himself in the escort bureau again?
He was also narrow-minded; otherwise, he wouldn’t have resented Zhou Yan because Cui Changshun wasn’t promoted to escort. Enraged, malice festered, and with a crack, his right hand swung his iron abacus, unleashing a storm of iron beads towards Mu Nianci.
Not far from Mu Nianci, a wooden bench suddenly flew out, landing between the two figures on the field.
Zhou Yan and Huyan Lei were both watching the fight intently, worried that Cui Qingshan would use hidden weapons.
However, the martial arts competition proceeded more smoothly than expected. Mu Nianci seized Cui Qingshan’s underestimation and desire to win, achieving victory through unconventional means, leaving no suspense.
Huyan Lei was already joking with Wang Kui, saying they would definitely go to Yang Tiexin’s place to celebrate that evening.
Zhou Yan’s attention remained on the field. His greatest difference from Huyan Lei was that he never underestimated someone’s malice.
Almost as Cui Qingshan raised his arm to aim the iron abacus at Mu Nianci, he threw the bench and exploded forward, charging into the martial field like a shot arrow.
The iron beads landed on the thick bench with a pitter-patter sound like rain on tiles. Mu Nianci’s body suddenly leaned back, her spine not touching the ground as she slid backward, avoiding the remaining beads.
In the daylight, the bench landed on the ground with a thud. Zhou Yan and Cui Qingshan’s figures intertwined. His fists, elbows, chops, and pushes rained down on the opponent.
Cui Qingshan shouted “Ah!” and furiously attacked with his fists as well. The arena was instantly filled with thunderous roars, and snow kicked up by their movements swirled and churned on the ground.
Suddenly, Zhou Yan’s body dipped and rose. In that explosive moment, his hands became like bloodthirsty tiger mouths, and he used “Yue Family Scattered Hands” to seize and capture the opponent’s elbow.
Cui Qingshan’s legs rooted to the ground with a “snap,” but Zhou Yan leaped back and pulled, causing Cui Qingshan’s body to fly into the air like a kite being pulled.
As Zhou Yan landed, his right foot flicked up, kicking towards Cui Qingshan’s lower body.
“Bang!”
“Ah!” Cui Qingshan’s scream echoed throughout the martial field.
On Duan Huai’an’s side, Escort Shi Xiangui roared, “How could you strike so viciously!”
Shi Xiangui, like an eagle, landed on the field and smashed his Crushing Monument Hand towards Zhou Yan’s shoulder.
Zhou Yan used “Shenlong Tail Whip” to counter-attack with a horizontal chop.
With a boom, Shi Xiangui staggered back several steps.
Zhou Yan’s body swayed but quickly regained balance. He slowly turned around and looked at Duan Huai’an and Zhang Wangyue.
“Boss, the steward said the examination should stop at the appropriate point. Miss Mu had won just now and lowered her spear. Escort Cui, however, used hidden weapons to kill.”
Huyan Lei broke out in a cold sweat. If not for Brother Zhou’s timely reaction, a great disaster would have occurred. He stood up abruptly and said, “That’s right. Mu Nianci could have pierced Escort Cui’s abdomen with her spear just now, but Miss Mu lowered her spear, and Escort Cui was ungrateful.”
Anyone with a discerning eye could see that Mu Nianci had shown mercy with her spear, and Zhou Yan’s words were not false. Wang Kui, Shi Baichuan, Yang Tiexin, and others stood up one after another.
Shi Xiangui stood in the center of the field, his face ashen. He had actually been repelled by Zhou Yan’s counter-palm strike.
