Chapter 928: Black Lotus of the Martial World
Seated in the stands were the sect leaders of the five major sects, the heads of the four great martial arts families, and one other person, Tianmiao.
Tianmiao looked exceedingly conspicuous sitting up there, as everyone else was of advanced age, mostly elders with white hair and beards.
When someone questioned who the young and beautiful woman sitting among those martial arts giants was, others provided the answer, and the inquisitive people immediately fell silent.
Black Lotus, whose martial arts skills were unfathomable, ran a mysterious inn and was friends with many heroes in the martial world.
She certainly had every right to sit in that seat.
Below the stands was a densely packed crowd. In a world where the martial world could stand against the court, one could only imagine how many martial artists there were. However, not everyone had the qualifications to compete in the tournament.
Those who could go up to the stage to compete held a certain reputation in the martial world, had no weak martial arts, and were endorsed by many. Meeting these criteria granted them the eligibility to vie for the position of Alliance Hierarch.
As the Wudang Sect Leader stood up to announce the start of this martial arts tournament, a cheer erupted from the crowd below. They had been eagerly awaiting this day for a long time.
Xu Lang and Shen Hanshu were also standing in front of the crowd, casually observing the spectacle. Both of them were eligible to vie for the position of Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch, but they were accustomed to their leisurely wandering lifestyles and had no interest in it. Instead, the sons of two other martial arts families were eager to participate in this contest.
However, no one stepped onto the stage immediately, held back by humility and a spirit of observation.
Just then, a commotion erupted on the outskirts of the crowd.
"What’s going on?" the Wudang Sect Leader raised his head, looking towards the edge of the square, and asked with a frown.
"Mongolians," the Kunlun Sect Leader said, frowning. "What are these Mongolians doing here?"
"I have the feeling they come with ill intentions," the Kongtong Sect Leader frowned. Those Mongolians had steady steps and deep breaths, clearly marking them as experts. The relationship between the Central Plains and Mongolia had never been good.
The Shaolin Sect Leader looked at the group without speaking, merely flicking the Buddha beads in his hand.
Xu Lang and the others turned to look at those Mongolians. These individuals were obviously taller and more robust than many from the Central Plains. They walked with an imposing presence, and wherever they went, the crowd parted to make way for them. Soon, they reached the front of the crowd.
"Greetings to all the elders," the leading young man saluted the people in the stands with respectful composure.
"What business do you have in coming to our Wudang?" the Wudang Sect Leader stood up and asked.
"We have come to participate in the martial arts tournament, to compete for the position of Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch," the young man calmly stated, dropping a bombshell with his words.
At this, the crowd erupted into chaos.
"What? Mongolians want to join our martial arts tournament?"
"What are they aiming for?"
"This has never happened before."
"Impossible! Don’t even think about it."
"Go back to Mongolia."
"Wolves with wild ambitions! Go back!"
The crowd buzzed with discussions, united in their hostility toward the Mongolians.
"I believe that martial arts know no borders. We should embrace all, learn from others’ strengths, and make up for our shortcomings. True strength lies in having a broad mind; only the weak cling to outdated ways," the young man declared confidently, unfazed by the hostile gazes and words, speaking with sheer openness.
For a moment, the volume of discussions subdued.
Xu Lang murmured to Shen Hanshu, "His words certainly sound impressive. Just afraid the old-timers can’t let go of their so-called martial spirit."