I'm Feng Aotian—And I’m Running Away from My Wedding - Chapter 2

A month later, the three great families of Mount Taichu held their decade-long martial arts tournament as usual. In reality, this event determined the allocation of resources for the next ten years based on rankings.

As the young mistress of the Li family, Li Baiying was naturally among the invited guests. However, due to her age, she was barred from participating in the matches and could only observe from the sidelines.

“Ying’er, you’re only thirteen. Even though you’ve reached the second level of apprentice martial artist, you’re still a whole innate realm behind those official martial artists,” Li Anqing said to her stubborn daughter, feeling as though she had worn out her lips with persuasion, all to no avail.

“I understand the reasoning, but both the Qin and Wu families are sending their next heirs to compete. I don’t want to lose face and give the impression that our family lacks successors,” Li Baiying insisted.

“But have you considered that the heirs of the other two families are more than ten years older than you? The Wu family aside, no one your age can match your talent. As for the Qin family, I’ve heard they have a girl born with blocked meridians who hasn’t even begun cultivation after all these years, hardly a threat. I believe you can wait until the next tournament to make a stunning debut.”

Hearing her mother’s earnest advice, Li Baiying lowered her gaze and did not openly argue. Yet, only she knew what truly lingered in her heart.

Time flew by, and soon the grand martial arts event was held atop Mount Taichu Peak.

On that day, drums thundered and shouts shook the heavens. Disciples from the three families set out early in the morning, vying for the best vantage points to watch the matches.

Naturally, Li Baiying was no exception. While the sky was still dim, she set out lightly equipped and arrived at the mountain’s base on foot. Normally, those who awakened their talents and became martial artists rarely relied on walking, they could channel their inner energy to their legs, achieving astonishing speeds that allowed them to leap hundreds of feet in a single bound.

But Li Baiying was different. Since childhood, her training had emphasized this principle: only by continuously familiarizing oneself with the body through daily exercise could one unleash their physical potential to the fullest in actual combat. This was the first lesson her family’s martial arts canon had imparted to her.

Crack, crack, twigs shattered beneath her feet. The staircase was long, stretching almost into the clouds.

In the distance, Li Baiying spotted a slender figure trudging upward with her head bowed. The girl wore dark blue attire with the character “Qin” embroidered prominently at the edges. Judging by the unique brocade patterns, she was a direct descendant of her family, much like Li Baiying herself.

Could it be that someone else also sought to train their body through this climb? Intrigued, Li Baiying quickened her pace to catch up. Just as she was about to strike up a conversation, she inadvertently caught a glimpse of the girl’s face: a shocking scar ran from her eyelid down to her jaw! And though her clothing marked her as a direct descendant, it appeared worn and tattered, the edges yellowed from washing and stained with mud.

“You are… Qin Yixiao?” Li Baiying blurted out the girl’s name without thinking.

She had never met her before but had often heard others speak of her. After all, there were only a few direct descendants among the noble families, and Qin Yixiao’s blocked meridians were not only infamous within the Qin family but had also become a laughingstock throughout the Mount Taichu region.

“So, what if I am?” the girl retorted coldly, not even sparing her a glance, her expression blank as she continued her ascent.

Li Baiying was accustomed to being the center of attention and had never been so thoroughly ignored. Yet she could guess that her earlier startled exclamation had been improper, causing the other party’s displeasure. “I happen to have a bottle of healing medicine with me. You can use it for now.”

She hurriedly retrieved a high-quality blue elixir from the cloth bag she carried, hesitated for a moment, then took out another bottle of foundational cultivation pills and offered it as well.

Qin Yixiao neither accepted them nor acknowledged her goodwill, continuing to walk ahead without sparing her a glance.

“Acting like this will only embolden those who bully you,” Li Baiying declared, striding forward to catch up and forcefully pressing the medicine bottles into the other girl’s palm. With a stern expression, she then turned and ascended the steps. Unconsciously, she channeled all her inner energy into her calves, covering over a hundred meters in just over ten seconds.

When she glanced back, Qin Yixiao’s figure had shrunk to a small black dot, wavering faintly at the foot of the mountain. An inexplicable sense of frustration washed over her: she had only meant well, so how had things turned out this way?

“Ah, forget it. Who told me I can’t stand by when I see injustice?” Unable to make sense of it, Li Baiying turned around and, with a few swift leaps, landed in front of the girl who was still struggling to climb.

Upon seeing her, Qin Yixiao was the first to speak, returning the medicine bottles. “I don’t need your pity.”

Without a word, Li Baiying directly grasped the other’s slender, pale wrist.

“What are you doing?!”

Ignoring the girl’s exclamation, she pulled her along and, with a few more leaps, they reached the mountaintop. At that moment, the sun had just begun to rise from the horizon, its faint golden light spreading like a dream.

Only a sparse few dozen early-rising disciples had arrived, leaving large sections of the viewing stands empty.

Once they arrived, Li Baiying released her wrist and casually clasped her hands behind her back. “No need to thank me. I just can’t stand it.”

She emphasized the last three words heavily. Without waiting for Qin Yixiao’s response, she hurriedly walked toward the spectator area.

A gentle breeze brushed past, and she thought she heard a soft chuckle. But when she glanced back unintentionally, she found the girl had already joined the gathering of Qin family disciples, leaving behind only a frail, retreating figure, as if it had all been an illusion.

Pursing her lips, Li Baiying claimed a high meditation spot and closed her eyes to rest. A faint, dark red energy swirled around her.

By the time the sun reached its zenith, the mountaintop was densely packed with disciples from the three great families. At the center stood a ring over a hundred meters long, encircled by the crowd.

The elders presiding over the martial competition had already taken their seats, sipping tea and exchanging pleasantries with insincere smiles.

“I heard that in the Li family’s latest bone-testing ceremony, fewer than ten showed notable talent,” a white-bearded elder remarked with a smile, stirring the conversation.

“The numbers may be small, but my daughter possesses the Crimson Flame talent, a rarity not seen in a century. Surely, Elder Qin, with sixty years of martial study, understands that quality outweighs quantity,” Li Anqing replied calmly, his tone carrying an undercurrent of firmness.

“Tsk, Crimson Flame talent… That’s not just a once-in-a-century occurrence, it’s more like once in a millennium. How fortunate for the Li family to have such a successor!” Rebuffed, the elder gave an awkward laugh, though a flicker of envy shone in his eyes before he turned away.

“The hour is growing late, let’s not waste time bickering. We should quickly have the disciples begin their matches so we can determine the top three as soon as possible.” The one smoothing things over was the Wu family head, Wu Ling. Her light red gauze robes gave her an ethereal aura as she spoke words to ease the tension, yet her gaze inadvertently met the elder’s, and they exchanged a subtle look.

“Everyone, how about we try a different approach this year?” Li Anqing seized the moment to propose a plan he had long prepared. “In previous years, we organized draws for one-on-one matches. This time, why not let the disciples engage in offensive and defensive arena challenges to determine the top ten before proceeding with the draws?”

“Are you joking?!” The white-bearded elder was the first to object. “Absolutely not! What kind of chaos would that be? It’s no different from street brawls among beggars!”

“I actually think it’s worth a try,” Wu Ling said unexpectedly, her eyes shifting thoughtfully. She hummed lightly, “After all, my Wu family disciples certainly won’t fall behind. In the recent bone assessment, we had a full thirty disciples with talent at the blue stone level or above.”

“You all… No, this will ruin the tradition of the martial arts tournament sooner or later!” The white-bearded elder stomped his feet in frustration, pounding his chest indignantly. After a moment, catching a glance from the Wu family elder, he subtly ended his performance. “Well, I don’t agree, but if you insist, our Qin family disciples will follow suit. Just remember, once the rules are set, there’s no going back. Don’t renege when we claim half of the top ten spots.”

“Of course, it’s precisely this confidence from both family heads that we’re counting on,” Li Anqing immediately finalized the decision. “Then let’s proceed with the tournament under the new rules.”

…

Meanwhile, at one corner of the arena.

“You unlucky wretch! Isn’t it embarrassing enough to show your face in such a setting? What will outsiders say about you? If I were you, I’d lock myself indoors, too ashamed to be seen!”

A tall disciple from a collateral branch stood with his arms crossed, his eyes filled with disdain. Around him, a small group had formed, trapping Qin Yixiao in their midst.

“When you were a waste still enjoying the family’s support, no one dared say anything because your mother held power.” But now, she’s been training in the secret realm for ten years without returning. The family is under Second Uncle’s control, and you’re no longer the lofty young lady. Face reality and stop making a fool of yourself!”

Though the mocking voices weren’t loud, to martial artists with keen senses, every word was as clear as if spoken right beside them, not missing a single inflection.

Li Baiying couldn’t help but glance toward the encircled girl: the young woman hung her head, her bright eyes cold and detached. She seemed to exist beyond it all, utterly unaffected by the harsh words, or perhaps she had long grown accustomed to such treatment.

Why endure it so patiently? She didn’t understand. If it were her, she’d have likely thrown a punch at the first insult.

The thought made her fingers itch uncomfortably, her entire energy meridians faintly stirring. Just then, hearing the elder announce the new arena rules, she stood up and strode purposefully toward the group of laughing disciples.