frightfiction Chapter 202 Discussing Heroes
Chapter 202 Discussing Heroes
"I am Duan Xiaoyun, a commoner from Lingzhou. I greet Vice Commander Lin and Young Master Xiaozhi!"
Duan Xiaoyun greeted the two of them with a natural smile, showing no sign of reluctance despite Lin Qianxiu's coldness.
"Brother Duan, you're too kind!"
Luo Sifan was deeply impressed and replied with a smile.
Duan Xiaoyun observed and speculated about the relationship between Luo Sifan and Lin Qianxiu, and secretly disapproved of the rumors spread by Lin Qianfeng and others.
"In my more than ten years of wandering the martial world, I have seen hundreds and thousands of heroes. But as for young talents like Brother Lin, with his unique charm, I must say, he is one of the few!"
Duan Xiaoyun suddenly sighed in front of the two of them, raised her right hand, then bent three fingers, leaving only her index and middle fingers pointing proudly to the sky.
Lin Qianxiu turned her gaze, a rare occurrence, and stared at Duan Xiaoyun pointing her finger to the sky with an air of seriousness. She chuckled softly.
Luo Sifan's face flushed, and he quickly declined:
"There are so many heroes in the world, I, Lin Xiaozhi, can't even catch up with them. Brother Duan, please don't joke around, or you'll be laughed at."
Duan Xiaoyun shook her head, about to explain.
Lin Qianxiu turned to look at Luo Sifan, her lips slightly parted:
"Young Master Lin is not only devastatingly handsome, but also, in terms of a certain ability, probably no one in the entire Yunzhou region can surpass him!"
Luo Sifan had done too many embarrassing things in her eyes, so she didn't dare to refute him. She sat upright, feeling both amused and exasperated.
Duan Xiaoyun blinked, withdrew her hand, and after a slight look of confusion, smiled broadly:
"Brother Lin, Vice Commander Lin has a very deep understanding of me, which is incomparable to those of us who met by chance. However, my ability to judge people is honed over many years, and I am confident that I will not be wrong!"
Seeing that he remained stubborn, Lin Qianxiu raised an eyebrow and looked him directly in the eye:
"Of all the young talents in the world, as you said, only two are worthy of my attention. Let's leave Lin Xiaozhi aside for now. What I'm curious about is, who is the other candidate? Brother Duan, please speak frankly, don't hold back!"
"this…"
Duan Xiaoyun opened her mouth as if to speak, but hesitated when she saw Lin Qianxiu.
Lin Qianxiu had been waiting for a long time. Seeing him hesitate and not daring to speak, she gave a cold sneer, as if mocking Duan Xiaoyun for talking nonsense and having ulterior motives.
Caught between the two, Luo Sifan, with Lin Qianxiu acting arrogantly and Duan Xiaoyun feeling awkward, struggled with the tense atmosphere and had no choice but to smooth things over:
"Brother Duan has his own insights, which he can keep to himself. There is no need to tell others everything."
Lin Qianxiu was furious that he was siding with an outsider, and glared at him fiercely.
Luo Sifan pretended not to see it, a faint smile playing on his lips, clearly indicating that he was in a good mood.
Duan Xiaoyun watched with awe and her admiration grew even higher for Luo Sifan's courage.
The claims of male concubines, bed partners, and using sex to serve others are pure nonsense!
Brother Lin is such a person of integrity and upright character, who does not fawn over the powerful and wealthy; only he deserves that otherworldly sword spirit and proud integrity!
After a moment's thought, Duan Xiaoyun's brow relaxed:
"My opinion is shallow and not worth sharing with outsiders. However, since Brother Lin is among them, he cannot be considered an outsider! Brother Lin, please come closer and listen to me, and see if this person meets your standards!"
Before Luo Sifan could move, Duan Xiaoyun stood up, bowed her head, covered her palm, gathered her energy into a thread, and whispered a name in Luo Sifan's ear.
Seeing the two of them acting suspiciously and daring to exchange things in front of her, Lin Qianxiu was so angry that she gritted her teeth and clenched her hands tightly.
Luo Sifan was initially displeased when Duan Xiaoyun forced him to whisper something to her, but after understanding what Duan Xiaoyun said, his expression immediately softened.
Seeing that he seemed to have no objection, Duan Xiaoyun sat back down with peace of mind, and an ambiguous look of mutual affection appeared on both of their faces at the same time.
Lin Qianxiu stomped her feet in anger, her curiosity about the name Duan Xiaoyun kept secret growing stronger.
Out of pride, Lin Qianxiu naturally disdained to humble herself and ask.
With the help of an acquaintance, Luo Sifan and Duan Xiaoyun became much closer.
Along the way, they discussed swordsmanship and reminisced about the past, chatting animatedly and engaging in lively conversation.
Inside the cloud boat, tea, wine, and spirit wine were served. The two sipped and chatted, and before they knew it, time had passed.
Lin Qianxiu closed her eyes and began to cultivate in a huff, too lazy to even glance at the two of them again. Frustrated, she kept her eyes tightly shut for nearly half an hour before finally entering a meditative state.
The cloud boat traveled more than two thousand miles across the border. Near nightfall, it slowed down and stopped at the shouts of the steward on board, slowly descending towards its destination.
Lin Qianxiu opened her eyes, her expression calm, and looked out the porthole with Luo Sifan and the others.
Outside the porthole, snow-capped peaks, covered in snow for millennia, towered majestically. The cloud boat clung to the snow wall, falling for nearly fifteen minutes before finally crashing to a stop.
The Lin family members stepped out of the boat one by one, marveling at the sight.
Surrounded by towering snow-capped peaks, the moonlight was dim, and as far as the eye could see, dozens of tents of varying sizes were pitched on the snow slopes.
"The Lin family? Why are you so late?"
From the shadows, seven or eight people approached, their armor gleaming beneath their long robes. They asked questions bluntly, their words lacking in politeness.
They must have been waiting here for a long time and were quite resentful.
The Lin family's head steward chuckled dryly a few times:
"Sir, you look somewhat unfamiliar. My Lin family is always punctual; I apologize for keeping you waiting!"
The person who spoke snorted and stopped pressing the matter. He glanced at the Lin family members one by one. For some reason, Luo Sifan felt that the other person's gaze lingered on Lin Qianxiu and himself longer than on the others.
"I am Lu Qingshan, the deputy commander of the Five Peaks Army of the Empire. Entrusted by His Majesty, I am honored to take charge of this Gathering of Talents."
The leader, dressed in a long robe and armor, stood in the snow and began to address Luo Sifan and his group after they met.
Given Lu Qingshan's esteemed status, the elders of the Lin family had nothing to say and stood silently to the side.
"This gathering of talents involves countries from beyond the borders, making the situation unpredictable. The people from the Danta Federation, Fuyu, and the three kingdoms of Yahai have disregarded our attempts to stop them and entered the arena first. Those who are first to enter have a greater chance of winning, and our country's strategy for participating in the competition has also changed accordingly. After landing, there is no time to rest. From this moment on, you must enter the arena immediately without delay!"
Lu Qingshan spoke in a booming voice, quickly explaining a few words. Before the elders of the Lin family could speak, he waved for the Lin family members to follow, then led his generals and turned to leave.
Along the way, Lu Qingshan briefly explained the situation and rules of the competition venue to everyone.
After wandering around in the snow for nearly fifteen minutes, the group stopped in front of a deep, secluded cave entrance.
"This is the entrance to the Tomb of the Ancient Immortals!"
Lu Qingshan stepped forward a few steps, stopped in front of the dark cave entrance, and turned to introduce himself to the Lin family members.
To save time, Lu Qingshan had already explained the relevant matters thoroughly on the way, and now that they had arrived at the competition venue, he had nothing more to say.
"Distribute the brocade pouches!"
At Lu Qingshan's command, his subordinate officers stepped forward and presented each of the Lin family members participating in the competition with official equipment from the Silverfrost Empire.
This was a priceless treasure, essential for survival, and all the contestants carefully hid it away.
Seeing that his official duties were completed, Lu Qingshan felt much more relaxed and suddenly waved warmly to the Lin family.
Luo Sifan, who was still fiddling with the brocade pouch, was pulled by Lin Qianxiu's hand and walked with a smile out of the place where the Lin family members were standing, towards Lu Qingshan, who was isolated to the side and had lost all his prestige.