Chapter 198 : The Mortal World’s Flower of Wealth
Chapter 198: The Mortal World’s Flower of Wealth
The young girl in green was named Gu Yuyin, cousin to Gu Xianyu. This time, she traveled with him to attend her maternal grandfather’s sixtieth birthday celebration.
Her grandfather lived in Xia Prefecture.
Seeing that he kept silent, Gu Yuyin’s gaze shifted as she looked him over for a moment before saying, “It seems you weren’t injured. That’s truly fortunate. But I wonder, Seventh Bro, why you left without a word, giving those scoundrels a chance to act?”
Chen Ming still didn’t speak, only lowering his head to look at the corpse on the ground, his eyes slightly red.
This was Gu Xianyu’s persona—taciturn, with a deep-seated sense of inferiority and timidity.
Clearly gifted, he had already reached Fourth Grade cultivation at the young age of twenty. Yet he feared his father’s legitimate sons, who had strong maternal family backing. Just a bit of intimidation had made him flee, wanting to stay far from the disputes of the capital.
He hadn’t dared refuse the personal maid the family had sent along.
When Gu Yuyin had said she wanted to travel with him, he hadn’t dared refuse either.
In the end, he made the stupidest decision possible—just before reaching Xia Prefecture City, he left without a word. This ultimately led to an ambush by two Third Grade assassins, which got him killed.
He probably never realized that the reason he had been able to travel safely to Xia Prefecture was precisely because he was with Gu Yuyin, whose highly skilled guard deterred others from making a move.
Whether there were wolves among Gu Yuyin’s people or not, with Gu Xianyu’s Fourth Grade strength, it would have been almost impossible for them to kill him without arousing suspicion.
Of course, luckily for Chen Ming, Gu Xianyu’s nature was that of someone who couldn’t be shaken into speaking even three sentences, making the role easy to play—just keep his mouth shut.
The others were already accustomed to him being like this.
Gu Yuyin, feeling somewhat helpless, asked, “So, who exactly were those who attacked you?”
This time, Chen Ming finally responded, shaking his head. “I don’t know.”
“What cultivation level?”
“Third Grade. Two of them.”
“Two Third Grades?” Gu Yuyin looked doubtful, as if saying, If two Third Grades struck, how could you still be standing here?
Chen Ming explained briefly, “A master happened to pass by and killed them.”
“And that master?”
“Left.”
“And the bodies?”
“Nothing left of them.”
“…”
…
Having lost two of his closest companions, Gu Xianyu naturally could not continue traveling. He sent his cousin Fan Liangui to the nearest town to buy two coffins and hire a cart to transport them to Xia Prefecture City.
This delayed them by a day.
That night, they stayed in a luxurious manor—the residence of the highest-ranking local official.
Gu Xianyu was a Fifth Grade Constable of the Six Doors Authority. Flashing his seal, the local official naturally treated him with great hospitality.
That night, after sending away the maid He’er, Chen Ming took out a sword manual and began flipping through it. On the cover, it read “Heaven and Earth’s Lone Swan.”
This was a top-tier sword art, only able to display its true power after reaching Third Grade.
It was one of the Gu Family’s supreme techniques, entrusted to Gu Xianyu by his father before departure. Chen Ming hadn’t expected it to fall into his hands in the end.
“It’s indeed far more exquisite than the Vermilion Bird Sword Technique.”
The more he read, the more excited he became, feeling a sudden clarity—as if a road he thought blocked had suddenly opened into a new world.
Just the first section benefited him greatly.
That night, he didn’t sleep at all, immersed in studying the manual.
By the second section, it became harder to understand, requiring him to grasp its intent, with many descriptions being highly abstract. As for the third section, it was completely baffling.
“Master.”
It wasn’t until he heard the maid calling from outside that Chen Ming realized dawn had come without him noticing.
…
The group left the small city and continued on their way.
The Gu Family had sent quite a few attendants. Gu Xianyu and Gu Yuyin each had their own carriage, with several large carts behind carrying gifts.
This was the advantage of being a young master of a great family—he never had to worry about trivial matters; everything was naturally prepared for him.
Chen Ming hid in his carriage, studying the newly acquired Heaven and Earth’s Lone Swan.
After several days—
“Finally done!”
Chen Ming’s heart was filled with joy as he opened the panel.
【Level: 70】
【Current Points: 769896】
【Cultivation Methods: Iron Horse Stance (Fifth Level Complete), Five Elements True Art (Incomplete) (Seventh Level 187544/10000000)】
【Combat Techniques: Three Talents Fist (Mastery), Eight Trigrams Saber Technique (Mastery), Zhuang’s Flying Knife (Mastery), Swallow Returns Sword Technique (Mastery), Vermilion Bird Sword Technique (Mastery), Phoenix Dances Through Nine Heavens (Fourth Level 3277/400000), Heaven and Earth’s Lone Swan (First Level 1/1000000)】
【Secret Arts: Disguise Technique (Mastery)】
At last, he had formally begun learning this sword art. Once it appeared on the panel, he could directly use experience points to improve its proficiency.
“Master, there are many people outside Wanlei City ahead. We might be delayed for a while.”
The maid Xiao He’s voice came from outside.
“No matter.”
Chen Ming was in high spirits. With Heaven and Earth’s Lone Swan under his belt, he had patched up his only weakness—swordsmanship. Previously, he knew none of Gu Xianyu’s sword techniques.
Now it was different. Whenever he needed to fight, he could use Heaven and Earth’s Lone Swan, and no one would doubt him—it was authentic Gu Family swordsmanship.
But who would have thought that this wait would last for a whole cup of tea? The city gate remained blocked.
Curious, Chen Ming lifted the carriage curtain and saw the road ahead jammed with carriages, blocking the way completely. Many pedestrians were also stuck outside.
The main problem was that none of the carriages would give way.
He asked, “What’s going on? Why so many carriages?”
“Replying to Master, the Qian Money Gang has set up an arena here in Wanlei City to host a martial arts contest for marriage, inviting young heroes from all over to participate.”
Qian Money Gang?
Chen Ming thought for a moment—it sounded familiar, though he couldn’t recall where he had heard it.
The situation in Xia Prefecture was completely different from Jiangzhou. Only the Eight Righteous Gate dominated here; other gangs and families were not as famous.
Naturally, he couldn’t reveal his unfamiliarity with Xia Prefecture, so he asked, “All these people are here for the contest?”
Xiao He replied, “They’ve come from all over Xia Prefecture, hoping to win the sixth-ranked beauty on the Supreme Beauty List—the Mortal World’s Flower of Wealth—gaining both riches and a fine wife.”
At that, Chen Ming remembered—it was that Qian Money Gang.
He had read in the Supreme Beauty List that the sixth place this year was the only daughter of the Qian Money Gang’s leader. The Qian Money Gang was the wealthiest in Xia Prefecture.
It was said that the gang leader was an extraordinarily handsome man who had married a princess, daughter of a prince, with a lavish dowry.
Thus, the woman ranked sixth on the Supreme Beauty List was called “The Mortal World’s Flower of Wealth,” being both rich and of noble blood.
Chen Ming’s interest was piqued. “I wonder if there are any conditions for entering this contest?”
Before Xiao He could answer, Gu Yuyin’s voice came from behind. “Seventh Bro, you’ve finally come around to understanding the importance of a wife’s family background. If you could marry that Flower of Wealth, you could walk sideways in Xia Prefecture.”
Her tone carried clear teasing.
Chen Ming quickly recalled something—Gu Xianyu already had someone in his heart. For her, he had once uncharacteristically stood firm, refusing a marriage his father had arranged, claiming he would focus on martial arts and never marry until reaching First Grade.
Coincidentally, the woman he liked was someone Chen Ming also knew—Su Zhi Ning, the most outstanding disciple of the current generation of the Heaven’s Path Alliance.
For Gu Xianyu, it had been love at first sight, falling after meeting her only once.
Of course, Chen Ming wasn’t interested in the “Flower of Wealth” herself—he just got excited at the words “martial contest.” Last time, during the Qingyun Rankings competition, he had reaped a huge haul of experience points.
So he ignored Gu Yuyin’s jab.
Xiao He whispered, “As long as you’re under thirty, you can enter—no restriction on origin or background.”
Chen Ming’s eyes lit up. With the age limit widened to thirty, there would surely be quite a few Third Grades joining. His instincts were instantly stirred.
At that moment, members of the Six Doors Authority arrived—several Fifth Grade Constables bringing a group to restore order.
Those who had been deadlocked and unwilling to yield finally gave the Six Doors some face and cleared the road.
At last, the convoy began to move.
Half a cup of tea later, the Gu Family’s convoy successfully entered the city.
Suddenly, someone outside asked, “Is this the Gu Family’s carriage? The Governor would like to see you.”
Chen Ming lifted the curtain to see a Fifth Grade Constable in blue blocking the way. He cupped his hands. “Gu Xianyu of the Gu Family, greetings, brother.”
Hearing his self-introduction, the constable looked him over and praised, “Truly a dragon among men. From now on, we’re brothers…”
…
Wanlei City was a prefectural capital—though less prosperous than Qingfeng City, within the Six Doors it clearly held more importance.
Its highest authority was a First Grade Governor.
Because Wanlei City housed the Qian Money Gang, whose leader was at the peak of First Grade, only a First Grade expert could be sent here to keep order.
Following the constable—named Qiu Chundong—Chen Ming entered the conference hall of the Governor’s residence, where over twenty blue-clad constables stood.
What was going on?
It seemed odd—normally, a prefectural city wouldn’t have so many blue-clad constables; this was clearly overstaffed.
Once the two of them stood at the back, the stern old man in the main seat spoke. “Good, everyone’s here. All those in the Xia Prefecture Six Doors Authority who are under thirty and above Fourth Grade cultivation—twenty-seven in total.
“You should know why I summoned you. That’s right—it’s to send you to the Qian Money Gang’s contest for marriage. I don’t care about others, but under no circumstances can a son of the Wan Family become their son-in-law.
“As long as any of you can eliminate the Wan Family’s contender, I will see you handsomely rewarded.”
Everyone present responded passionately, “Yes!”
Chen Ming was completely confused, not understanding why this Governor wanted to target the Wan Family and go to such lengths.
After finishing, Governor Liang dismissed the others but kept Chen Ming behind.