This Is The Jianghu

Drunken Immortal Tower.

The waiter carried a food box to the small table by the window.

His face beamed with a smile as he presented dish after dish.

Yellow River Giant Carp, Crystal Shrimp Balls, Jade Dumplings, White Jade Loach Soup, and two plates of superior braised beef.

The first four were famous signature dishes of the Drunken Immortal Tower, costing around ten taels of silver. Even Yue Buqun and his wife, when traveling the martial world, might not indulge in such luxury, let alone a Demonic Cult thief who couldn't even afford the cost of two bowls of noodles.

Yue Lingshan quickly said, "You've brought the wrong order. We didn't order these dishes."

The waiter smiled, "Miss, that table was a gift from Tiger Second Master."

Yue Lingshan followed the waiter's gaze and saw the burly man standing by the window, smiling and cupping his hands towards her.

The other party sending these dishes was clearly aimed at Zhang Yu.

The glint of swords and sabers on the stage, the delicious food on the table, Yue Lingshan swallowed. She thought, Is this the martial world?

Zhang Yu showed mercy to the giant man on the stage.

This unfamiliar Tiger Second Master sent food.

The martial world had its battles, its social niceties, its grand heroism, and its treacherous schemes.

Some people thrived in the martial world, having friends in all corners.

Others struggled at every turn, facing enemies everywhere and hitting walls at every step.

Before this, the martial world she knew came from her parents' worries about the great battle between good and evil and the revitalization of Mount Hua, from her Senior Disciple Brother's heroic spirit of going down the mountain for a drink even if his backside was sore, and from the convoluted stories told by storytellers.

What was missing was personal experience.

On the stage.

Zhang Yu swung his long sword, forcing the yellow-robed swordsman to retreat repeatedly. The opponent retreated to the edge of the stage, with nowhere left to go, and could only concede.

The yellow-robed swordsman was covered in sweat. He cupped his hands and said, "Brother Zhang, your swordplay is excellent. That move, from one to the next, had me so disoriented I could barely find my bearings. May I ask the name of your sword technique?"

"This is called the Wood Chopping Sword Technique. I came up with it while chopping firewood when I was poor as a child."

"Brother Zhang, you are truly talented. To create your own sword technique, you will surely become famous in the martial world one day. I am truly convinced by this defeat."

Zhang Yu chuckled inwardly. He didn't know any sword technique. It was merely the common Sun Chasing Saber Technique given to ordinary disciples by Blackwood Cliff, whose moves he was using with the Azure Water Sword.

"Zhang Liyu wins! Please, the next challenger ascend the stage."

Including the one before, Zhang Yu had defeated three opponents in a row.

"Ten taels of silver secured. Time to make my exit."

With the Green Jade Thumb Ring and his internal energy cultivation, he could defeat ordinary martial artists at the mid-stage of Dan Energy.

Most of these martial artists below the stage relied on external martial arts.

Internal energy cultivation required a proper lineage. It was truly rare for someone like Yue Lingshan to build a foundation from childhood.

At the age of eight, she underwent medicinal baths and took elixirs under her parents' arrangement, practicing the Divine Bodyguard Scripture to prepare for cultivating a high-quality Dantian.

The original Zhang Yu, at the age of eight, accidentally heard stories of the martial world from a storyteller, which sparked his dream of becoming a white-clad hero with a sword. He decided that when he grew up and had money, he would find a renowned master and learn sword techniques.

The outcomes of the two were predictable.

Although the Mount Hua Sect's influence ranking in The Smiling, Proud Wanderer was average, that was when compared to the Sun Moon Divine Cult, Shaolin, Wudang, and Songshan. With just the Xiantian realm Yue Buqun and the Houtian perfected Ning Zhongze guarding it, it was enough to make quasi-first-rate martial forces like the Qingcheng Sect not dare to underestimate them.

When the original owner and Wang Liyu were traveling the martial world, they had also submitted their names to Mount Hua, but they couldn't even get to see Yue Buqun. They were rejected by a Mount Hua disciple with the excuse of 'unsuitable aptitude and too old.'

And the vast majority of people in the martial world were like the original owner, eventually becoming cannon fodder for someone else.

The Lin family's butler asked with a smile, "Is there anyone else who wishes to challenge?"

There was still no movement from below the stage.

Zhang Yu inwardly thought, This is bad. I only came to earn that ten taels of silver...

On the embroidered tower.

Lin Youlan looked at the stage, her eyes showing a hint of admiration.

"If my future husband were this person, it seems it wouldn't be bad."

"Outstanding martial arts, righteous and loyal, and handsome."

"Zhang Liyu? It's just that the name is a bit rustic. Written on the invitation, it doesn't quite match the word 'Youlan'."

"But it doesn't matter, who told him to be so handsome..."

Lin Kun, however, frowned. He had the final say in this martial arts competition for marriage.

In previous instances, the winners were taken as adopted sons and consumed in battles against the Wild Wolf Gang.

Now that the Wild Wolf Gang was destroyed, the Dragon Scale Association was the sole power in Pingyang's martial world.

He genuinely wanted to choose a good marriage for Youlan.

Lin Kun looked at the composed 'Nine-Bend Sword' Zhong Zhen beside him, then at the spirited young man Zhang Liyu on the stage, and was momentarily undecided.

Below the stage, the crowd still hesitated to step forward.

The previous martial artists in the Dan Energy realm had all fallen to Fan Zhutian. The remaining ones were either just spectators or not skilled enough, harboring thoughts of acting as lookouts.

However, after seeing him defeat Fan Zhutian and then two more people swiftly and decisively, they abandoned any idea of profiting from the situation.

"I challenge you."

A voice rang out from the crowd at this moment.

Everyone looked over and saw a young swordsman in a flowing, sheer robe pushing through the crowd towards the stage. Behind him, a woman dressed identically was trying to dissuade him.

"Senior Brother, don't be rash."

"Junior Sister, don't stop me."

"Master instructed us before we came down the mountain not to cause trouble casually."

"I'm not causing trouble!"

"But you can't beat him!"

The onlookers gasped. Was she hoping her Senior Brother would get on the stage or not?

The man drew his long sword with a mix of grief and indignation. "Junior Sister, saying that truly pains my heart. I will use this sword in my hand to defend a man's dignity!"

Seeing someone finally step onto the stage, Zhang Yu's heart, which had been pounding in his chest, finally relaxed.

He smiled and asked, "May I ask your esteemed surname?"

The man didn't reply, his eyes burning with anger, fixed solely on Zhang Yu's face.

"Is there some misunderstanding...?"

"This is a martial arts competition on the stage. Life and death, victory and defeat. Stop your nonsense and take this sword!"

He thrust his sword forward. His swordsmanship was agile and elegant, sometimes as quick as a viper, other times as solid as a mountain, with both offensive and defensive capabilities. Even with the enhancement of the Green Jade Thumb Ring, Zhang Yu had to remain extremely vigilant to cope.

Zhang Yu was utterly perplexed. When had he ever offended this person?

They fought for twenty to thirty rounds, neither gaining the upper hand, both finding the opponent extremely formidable.

I'm truly losing my head. Since I need to get away, why fight him to the death?

Zhang Yu seized an opening and thrust towards his opponent's abdomen, forcing him to quickly retract his sword and parry. The Azure Water Sword struck the steel-patterned sword with a crisp metallic clang. He used the force to leap back four or five meters, maintaining a safe distance from his opponent.

"Wait!"

Cold sweat broke out on the man's forehead. He had practiced his thirty-six moves of the Dragon Tiger Sword Technique countless times. Even Uncle-Master Mo, while suppressing his internal energy, couldn't easily find his flaws. Yet this opponent seemed to do so effortlessly. This was too monstrous.

He raised his sword to attack, but saw his opponent make a gesture to pause. He asked, "What do you want?"

Zhang Yu cupped his hands. "The sword strike you just delivered, though seemingly ordinary, carries the momentum of a dragon and tiger. Your internal energy is already unfathomable. I know well that continuing this fight would only be an act of self-humiliation. I am willing to concede defeat and fulfill your good fortune with Miss Lin."

The man was momentarily speechless. "You... you are quite forthright."

"Farewell."

After speaking, Zhang Yu sheathed his sword, cast a seemingly reluctant glance back at the embroidered building, jumped off the stage, and scurried off to collect the ten taels of silver.

Thinking about it, it's a huge loss. Fan Zhutian got forty taels, and I only got this little. Who actually won?