“But isn’t this a matter between Great Hero Zhao and Female Warrior Xin? Why did a monk suddenly appear, and now another young hero?”
“Why has this monk been bossing everyone around the whole time?”
Meanwhile, Lian Li was shouting holy crap in his heart.
These two were in cahoots; they really were just stalling for time against Zhao Honglan.
Promising to give the information regardless of the outcome was likely just a way to avoid offending Zhao Honglan and the Qinghong Sword Sect too much.
He couldn’t let them succeed in stalling. Yun Huizhou was involved now; if something really happened to Qu Tingquan and they successfully wasted enough time, the conflict might even shift into a grudge between Yun Huizhou and Zhao Honglan.
Thinking of this, Lian Li could no longer stay perched in the tree.
Before long, the four people on the field became five.
Lian Li shouted at Sui Xin Monk, “The one who challenged him was Female Warrior Xin. Whatever the terms of the duel are, it’s their private business. Do you live by the sea, monk? Why are you meddling so much? Are you that bored? If you hadn’t suddenly popped out, it might have been over by now.”
“Do you think you’ve only wasted your own time? You’re wasting the time of everyone present! Time is life. How are you going to compensate for fifteen minutes of life from all these people?”
“The people actually involved haven’t said a word, yet all we hear is your constant yapping.”
“And Female Warrior Xin, you proposed the duel and the requirements, and this side has agreed to them. Now some nonsensical person jumps out and starts calling the shots, and you don’t say a word?”
“He acts like he knows all the inside details. Could it be that you two conspired to play Senior Brother Zhao and everyone else for fools?”
“If you don’t want to talk, then just refuse. That way, Senior Brother Zhao can make other plans sooner. You’ve gone in circles just to reach this point. I heard you originally wanted to meet in seven days. Seven days? The opportunity would have long since passed by then. Don’t tell me you’re colluding with this stinking baldy to stall for time?”
“Senior Brother Zhao has no grudge against you. Even if you aren’t willing to help, there’s no need to trip him up.”
Lian Li’s verbal onslaught made Xin Ci’s expression turn even more unsightly. Sui Xin Monk also fixed his gaze on him; though he was still smiling, his eyes looked sinister no matter how one sliced it.
“What are you looking at, stinking baldy? I hit the mark, didn’t I?” Lian Li said. “One look at you and I can tell you have a guilty conscience.”
With Lian Li stirring the pot, the onlookers began to jeer as well.
“Sui Xin Monk, why are you sticking your nose into other people’s business?”
“Exactly! Female Warrior Xin, say something! And Great Hero Zhao, you too. In the end, this is between the two of you. You can’t keep letting others speak for you.”
“I thought this was a proper duel to settle a matter, but then this happens. Clearly, they didn’t intend to have a fair fight; they just wanted to use tricks.”
“Could Female Warrior Xin really have planned this with Sui Xin Monk? Are they not intending to fight, but deliberately stalling Great Hero Zhao?”
“If you ask me, this Sui Xin Monk isn’t a good person. Why is Female Warrior Xin mixed up with him?”
With every word the crowd spoke, Sui Xin Monk’s brow furrowed deeper.
Xin Ci opened her mouth several times, but still, no sound came out.
Seeing her like this made Yun Huizhou and Lian Li frown; Xin Ci was definitely hiding a lot.
It wasn’t just the information Zhao Honglan wanted, but something deeper—for instance, why she had used that information to challenge Zhao Honglan in the first place.
Zhao Honglan realized it now as well. Xin Ci’s goal wasn’t a duel for information at all, but to stall him.
Once he understood this, his gaze returned to a calm state. He said, “If Miss Xin Ci has other motives, then let us forget this duel. I will not allow Zhao’s time for finding someone to be wasted further.”
Having said that, Zhao Honglan sheathed his sword and prepared to leave.
Hearing the phrase “finding someone,” Lian Li knew he had guessed correctly. This was the plot point where Qu Tingquan suddenly went missing.
Xin Ci and Sui Xin Monk were indeed a team. Approaching Zhao Honglan was a move specifically designed to delay his search.
If Yun Huizhou and he hadn’t come to Linjiu City because of the Beauty Ranking, and if they hadn’t interfered, Zhao Honglan likely would have been forced to accept the unfair fight and ended up severely injured.
By then, even if Zhao Honglan had obtained the information, his injuries would have left him unable to go look for her.
Seeing Zhao Honglan about to leave, Xin Ci finally spoke her first words since arriving: “The duel stands. Just me and you.”
“Female Warrior Xin,” Sui Xin Monk called out with a frown, his voice carrying a hint of disapproval and warning.
However, as soon as he spoke, a blast of Saber Qi shot straight for his face, cutting off the rest of his words and preventing him from saying anything else to interfere with Xin Ci.
Yun Huizhou had made his move. After Sui Xin Monk dodged the attack, he glared at Yun Huizhou.
He opened his mouth to say something else, but was interrupted by Lian Li’s loud shout: “Baldy, shut up!”
Lian Li infused this shout with internal energy. The sound was so massive it completely drowned out Sui Xin Monk’s voice. Aside from Yun Huizhou, who was fighting him in close quarters, no one heard what the monk said.
But Lian Li saw Xin Ci, who had already drawn her sword, pause once again.
Sui Xin Monk saw her hesitation and tried to speak repeatedly, only to be interrupted each time by Yun Huizhou’s Saber Qi aimed at his face.
Lian Li saw that Zhao Honglan wasn’t moving either, actually waiting for Xin Ci to finish hesitating. He felt a bit frustrated by Zhao’s lack of initiative.
He walked over to Zhao Honglan’s side, gave him a light nudge, and then, with his back to Xin Ci, mimed the action of drawing a sword, signaling Zhao Honglan to hurry up and start the match.
Fight now while her mental state is unstable. Finish the fight and ask the questions immediately.
Zhao Honglan understood his meaning. Feeling grateful, he drew his sword and looked toward Xin Ci.
The duel finally officially began, one hour after both parties had arrived.
Over on the other side, seeing that Xin Ci had actually started fighting Zhao Honglan, Sui Xin Monk grew anxious. He revealed a weakness and was suppressed by Yun Huizhou’s attacks.
Of the five people on the field, four were now locked in pairs in combat, leaving only Lian Li standing in a daze at the center of the storm.
Should I leave the stage now?
But he didn’t quite dare to retreat. There were still many onlookers, and ghost knows if Xin Ci and Sui Xin Monk had other accomplices.
If he wandered too far and got beaten up by someone stronger than him, Yun Huizhou and Zhao Honglan were both occupied by powerful opponents and might not be able to save him in time.
Thus, after thinking for three seconds, he struck a pose like a hidden master and simply stood there in his “VIP spot” to watch.
Zhao Honglan and Xin Ci naturally moved around him. Sui Xin Monk tried to get close to him several times but could not break through Yun Huizhou’s defense.
About fifteen minutes later, the fight between Zhao Honglan and Xin Ci reached its conclusion.
Without Sui Xin Monk acting as a meddling troublemaker, the two combatants didn’t truly fight to the death. Zhao Honglan won, and he won quite quickly.
