Chapter 331: Daily Life with the Canary

Chapter 331: Daily Life with the Canary

The broadcast announcement left the martial artists gathered for the tournament bewildered and at a loss.

In previous years, the tournament’s ratings had been very low.

In the end, the organizers added a pre-match trash-talking segment.

Competitors on the stage were given three minutes to hurl insults at each other.

This trash-talking segment became the most popular, with the highest ratings.

Moreover, many of the best verbal battles were clipped and shared online.

Especially those who cursed the fiercest and ended up beaten the worst—edited together, they were highly dramatic and great fun.

Now… “Promote civility, foster new trends,” and trash-talking was banned.

Were they giving up on ratings?

Which leader had their head caught in a door, coming up with one whim after another?

“Ah? The world has gotten too surreal lately,” Xing Yu couldn’t help but complain.

Recently, all sorts of strange things had been happening in the Qin Yuan Kingdom.

Rumors of spiritual energy revival, a sword immortal destroying a military camp with one strike, plus the voting incident—everything was growing more chaotic.

This “Promote civility, foster new trends” didn’t seem so absurd by comparison.

“Since that’s the rule, we have to follow it. Who are we to have the strength to break it?” Wang Shiqiao, who had been silent, finally spoke, stealing a glance at Qi Yuan not far away.

Qi Yuan then said, “I actually think the officials’ request is quite humane.

If everyone practiced civility, how much conflict would be reduced in this world? The world would welcome love and peace.”

Qi Yuan spoke from the heart.

If everyone were civil, why would he need to wipe out entire families to promote world peace?

“We can’t fathom the intentions of those above; we just follow the rules.

Anyway… we’re only here to broaden our horizons, aren’t we?”

Xu Tiehua spoke earnestly this time.

At the city-level competition, he could achieve decent results.

At the national level, no need to think—those who achieved great victories were all martial arts limit-breakers.

His strength was still far from that limit.

“Right, we follow all the rules. I’m also a law-abiding good citizen,” Qi Yuan chimed in agreement.

Wang Shiqiao, not far away, heard this and remained silent.

Chopping off heads and sending them as gifts—that was law-abiding?

What kind of decent person chops off heads?

“But I have ambition. I came here to win the championship!” Qi Yuan said with great enthusiasm.

Now that he had reached the Jade Blood Realm, participating in the martial arts tournament was like a grandfather beating his grandson.

“Mr. Qi will surely win the championship!” Just then, Northern Crane Han Xianyun approached, his face full of reverence.

Some time ago, a change occurred in the capital, and the Mu family of the Seven Martial Star clan was destroyed.

His elder brother was transferred into the provincial cabinet, and he himself received an honorary count.

One could say he was riding high.

He knew that all he had gained was bestowed by Qi Yuan.

Toward Mr. Qi and that Ning Tao, he felt both respect and awe.

“Didn’t you think I couldn’t win before?” Qi Yuan asked in surprise.

“The past was the past; now is now,” Han Xianyun said seriously.

“Sharp eyes. If there’s a chance later, I’ll definitely introduce you to a really awesome wife,” Qi Yuan said softly.

It was a pity that Han Xianyun couldn’t enter the Dead Qi World, or the Yellow Springs World.

Otherwise, Old Man Huang and the Sea God from last time could have been introduced to him.

Han Xianyun’s mind grew complicated at this.

Before he could speak, a slightly mocking voice came.

“Han Xianyun, the championship of the martial arts tournament isn’t something any Tom, Dick, or Harry can win.” The speaker was burly, with a tattoo on his face—clearly not someone to mess with. “To win, you’d need a strong fighter like Southern Lion Zhang Yang!”

At the mention of Zhang Yang, the tattooed man’s eyes filled with awe.

Seeing this, Han Xianyun couldn’t help but laugh. “If you said you yourself would win, I’d think a bit more of you.

But pinning your hopes on someone who once defeated you—how amusing.”

Before the tournament, the tattooed man had fought Southern Lion Zhang Yang and lost in three moves.

Since then, his fighting spirit had waned.

“Hmph, you don’t know your place. You have no idea that even among martial arts limit-breakers… there are gaps.

If Zhang Yang had time, he would surely break through the limit. What a pity…”

The tattooed man’s expression turned somewhat dejected.

He had also heard that after Zhang Yang won this tournament, he would retire from the martial arts world.

This was Zhang Yang’s final bow.

It was a pity he would never see anyone break through the martial arts limit again.

With that, the tattooed man flicked his sleeve and left.

At this moment, Xu Tiehua’s eyes widened. “You’re Northern Crane Han Xianyun? A martial arts limit-breaker?”

As a martial artist, he had naturally heard of Southern Lion and Northern Crane.

This young man, who called Qi Yuan “Mr. Qi,” was actually Northern Crane Han Xianyun?

Then Qi Yuan…

Many thoughts raced through his mind.

His gaze toward Qi Yuan shifted once more.

The people from Xu Tiehua’s martial arts school also looked at Qi Yuan differently.

Qi Yuan had only been at Mingwu Martial Arts School for a few months.

Judging by Han Xianyun’s description, he was at least a martial arts limit-breaker.

Could it be that he was truly a peerless genius?

Han Xianyun smiled. “That’s me.”

At that moment, Qi Yuan swept his gaze over all the competing martial artists and couldn’t help but say, “Too weak. How lonely it is to be invincible.”

Xing Yu couldn’t help shooting Qi Yuan a glare: “Qi Yuan, even if you’re a peerless genius, you mustn’t underestimate the world.”

In her heart, she knew full well that Qi Yuan was a prodigy who had broken through the limits of martial arts.

Now, with strange occurrences popping up left and right, this was nothing out of the ordinary.

“I’m not underestimating them. I actually hope they’d try harder.

But pity… they’re too weak. If it weren’t for winning the championship, I wouldn’t even bother competing,” Qi Yuan said.

Goldfinch clung to Qi Yuan’s arm, her voice light and brisk: “Want me to injure them all, force them to withdraw? That way… you’d win outright.”

“Wouldn’t that… be a bit improper?” Qi Yuan thought for a moment, then shook his head.

Meanwhile, inside the high-rise building.

A woman’s face showed anxiety: “Sir, just now, contestant Wang Fusheng provoked the target with words.”

“What?” The man in military uniform turned pale at this. “How dare he!”

The target—someone they had to handle with kid gloves—and yet someone dared to provoke him.

Was he tired of living?

“Wang Fusheng, is it? Go find him and arrest him immediately. Before the tournament, he dared to provoke and threaten an opponent.

Disqualify him from the competition, and at the same time… charge him with endangering national security… arrest him at once!”

The military man was genuinely furious.

In dealing with Qi Yuan, they trod carefully, terrified of angering him.

And now, some foolhardy soul had to go and offend him—was he asking for death?

If Qi Yuan got upset and shot down a few more Sky Eyes from the heavens,

who would bear that responsibility? Who would answer for it?

“Go arrange for staff to conduct pre-competition training for every contestant. Forbid them from using foul language or provoking opponents in any form, understand?” the military man said sternly.

This matter had to be handled properly.

Otherwise, forget about promotions or raises—they might not even keep their lives.

… The next day, the Martial Arts Tournament officially began.

This tournament featured ten arenas for simultaneous matches.

After several rounds, the twenty-odd strongest contestants would be selected for further competition.

The tournament typically spanned two days.

The first day was essentially a free-for-all, with little to highlight.

In the spectator stands, the audience was sparse.

“Sigh, why isn’t there a pre-match trash-talking session? So boring.”

“No cursing, no getting red-faced with rage—this fighting is less interesting than street brawls.”

“Dull. I shouldn’t have come.”

The spectators watched the martial bouts with flagging enthusiasm.

Qi Yuan wasn’t particularly interested either, observing the matches on stage: “The Human Path Martial Lord… can be attained in a hundred years.

The Spirit Path Martial Lord—still no clue.”

Goldfinch, however, found it quite amusing: “Little people fighting can be fun too, like watching a cartoon.”

“Hey, you’re the little one, you know,” Qi Yuan said, glancing at Goldfinch.

Goldfinch was petite and delicate, her black dress enveloping her entire form—a tiny thing.

She could even hang entirely on Qi Yuan without adding any weight.

“Where am I little? I’m not little at all!” Goldfinch puffed out her chest proudly.

Though she had secretly bought a push-up bra,

she was naturally between an A and a B cup, leaning toward B—even so, it wasn’t exaggerated, like an inverted jade bowl.

“You’re not little, indeed. If you wanted to grow bigger, one spell could make you… as big as a mountain.”

“Get lost!” Goldfinch cursed, a rare outburst.

“Hey, no swearing—foul language is banned here.”

“Tch.” Goldfinch turned her head away from Qi Yuan. If Blood Bead didn’t apologize, she wouldn’t speak to him first today.

“See that guy? Southern Lion Zhang Yang—he’s my biggest rival in this tournament.

Pity… he’s only a bit stronger than an ant.”

At that moment, on the arena, Zhang Yang threw a powerful punch, visible gale-force wind and boiling blood energy.

This scene drew cheers and applause from many spectators.

Because… it was another instant kill.

Goldfinch had been angry and didn’t want to acknowledge Qi Yuan.

But then she thought—Qi Yuan had spoken to her first.

Her reply didn’t count as her initiating conversation.

She glanced at Zhang Yang, a contemplative look in her eyes.

“Blood Bead, don’t you think the people in this world… look somewhat familiar?”

“Familiar?” Qi Yuan was slightly taken aback.

To be honest, he hadn’t noticed anything familiar.

“Their bloodlines… seem to share a certain origin with the demons of the Ten Thousand Demon Realm,”

Goldfinch said seriously.

She was at the Yin Spirit stage, so she could perceive far more than Qi Yuan now.

Goldfinch was most familiar with the Ten Thousand Demon Realm.

Back in the Flowing Wind Realm, one of their greatest enemies had been the demons of that realm.

The sovereign of the Ten Thousand Demon Realm, within the Gate of Ten Thousand Variations, had invaded the Flowing Wind Realm under Shang Yanran’s command.

As a Great Sovereign, Ning Tao had dealt extensively with the demon sovereigns and knew their scent well.

Qi Yuan was different—he had entered the Gate of Ten Thousand Variations later and bulldozed his way through.

He had hardly interacted with the demon sovereigns.

Mentioning the Flowing Wind Realm, Qi Yuan took Goldfinch’s cool little hand: “Does it have to do with the Ten Thousand Demon Realm?

Doesn’t that mean we might have a chance… to return to Nine Coiled Mountain?

If possible, we could hold a wedding ceremony at your family home.”

“I don’t have a family home. If I did… it would be on your golden core,” Goldfinch said with a proud pout, her voice tinged with joy.

Indeed, she had no close kin in her life.

The blood bead that burst into her world was nearly her everything.

Most of her years were spent in endless waiting.

Only now could it be said that bitterness gave way to sweetness.

“If I ever bully you, won’t you have no one to back you up?” Qi Yuan mused.

“You dare!” the Canary glared at Qi Yuan. “Then I’ll just turn into Ning Tao and stomp on you.

Oh, I regret it—back when you were trapped in Heavenly Heart Palace, I should have stomped you hard a few times!”

Back then, Qi Yuan couldn’t enter the game.

Ning Tao used the Soul-Locking Jade to guide Qi Yuan over.

At that time, Qi Yuan was Ning Tao’s prisoner.

Ning Tao even thought to completely hold Qi Yuan in her palm, imprison him in the dungeon of Heavenly Heart Palace, keep him from leaving her sight, make him all hers.

“No, I can stomp you right now, hehe, Blood Bead, you’re no match for me now.” The Canary looked smug.

In the private room, the Canary lifted her slender leg, or perhaps she couldn’t bear to stomp with her shoe—her shoe slipped off unnoticed, revealing a small foot wrapped in black silk stockings, like a tender white lotus root.

Five jade toes gathered or curled together, like the most perfect artwork in the world, fitting in one hand.

Seeing this, Qi Yuan suddenly thought of many things: “The stockings from Flowing Wind Realm and those from Archstar—which are better quality?

If we could go to Flowing Wind Realm, wouldn’t we be able to trade between the two realms and sell stockings?”

“Get lost!” This time the Canary didn’t hold back and directly stomped on Qi Yuan.

But perhaps she doted on him too much; the stomp was light and slow, and Qi Yuan caught her foot.

“Ah, I was just talking. I’m too short on money.” Qi Yuan really wanted to buy Archstar, but he was too broke.

“Hmph.” A blush crept to the Canary’s ear. She looked at Qi Yuan and said discontentedly, “Is money more important than me?”

Back on Nine Coil Mountain, she had also said, Blood Bead, is the Gate of Ten Thousand Differences prettier than me?

Hearing this, a smile appeared in Qi Yuan’s eyes: “To many people, money is important.

But I… lawful good, an idealist.

You… are important.”

“What if you weren’t lawful good or an idealist?”

“Still you,” Qi Yuan answered seriously.

“Hmph!” The Canary snorted again, but this time with more cheerfulness.

“I suddenly have a very serious question.” At this, Qi Yuan thought of something and his face turned grave.

“What question?” The Canary’s long thigh stiffened, not withdrawing her jade foot, as if she enjoyed the intimacy with Qi Yuan.

Or perhaps, after so much long waiting, her heart held a strong sense of insecurity, a fear of being abandoned at any moment.

Only by clinging tightly to Qi Yuan did she feel a sliver of safety.

So, after coming to this world, she had almost always stuck to Qi Yuan.

Her gaze, her peripheral vision, never left Qi Yuan.

If she could be next to Qi Yuan, she would never keep her distance.

“We haven’t discussed yet—how much bride price to give,” Qi Yuan said seriously.

“I don’t want any bride price,” the Canary blurted out.

“Too love-struck,” Qi Yuan chuckled. “If we put our conversation online, a lot of people would scold you.”

“If they scold me, Blood Bead, you’ll scold them back for me, won’t you?” the Canary said with a coquettish smile.

“Mm… not scold them back—just kill them,” Qi Yuan said seriously.

He couldn’t bear to let the Canary suffer even a little grievance.

He had already made her endure far too much.

(The chapter ends)