Chapter 997 - 1097: Martial Arts Tournament for a Bride

Three days have passed since Ye Tianfan declared he would be the head.

During these three days, Ye Tianfan has been diligently cultivating, yet he has strangely sensed a bottleneck, though his spiritual power keeps increasing and its quality improving as if there were no bottleneck at all!

This puzzled Ye Tianfan; his body showed no bottleneck, but he felt something akin to it. Was it a problem with the cultivation technique?

Ye Tianfan meticulously scrutinized the "Great Qiankun Method" he practiced but found no problems. Given Ye Tianfan's perspective, which was nearly on par with his master's, if no issues were found, either there truly were none, or Ye Tianfan couldn't yet perceive them!

This cultivation felt unsatisfactory to Ye Tianfan because he hadn't identified any issues. Consequently, he was somewhat hesitant to continue practicing. Ye Tianfan wished to uncover what was happening inside him but couldn't discuss it with others, as he hadn't cultivated the Taichu Sect's techniques and knew from his current perspective that the ones he previously practiced had flaws.

Thus, Ye Tianfan decided to go out for a change of scenery, perhaps because of his mindset—his body showed no problems apart from sensing a bottleneck, maybe his mind couldn't keep up with his current strength!

Afterward, Ye Tianfan bid farewell to his master, as he wished to undergo more training. After all, if Ye Tianfan aimed to be the head, he needed to quickly enhance his strength.

Tian Chu Zhenren felt somewhat worried about Ye Tianfan leaving soon after returning but consented, understanding his character.

However, before Ye Tianfan departed, Tian Chu Zhenren, somehow informed of his leaving, arranged a task for him: to visit the Qianyuan Sect upon their sect leader's request for a righteous assembly to discuss tackling the Demon Sect and their Four Divine Beasts plan!

Upon receiving this task, Ye Tianfan set out immediately, unwilling to waste any time!

Ye Tianfan flew in one direction without a destination, following fate, landing wherever it led. One day, while flying, he noticed the town below seemed lively, so Ye Tianfan, intrigued, descended!

Upon reaching the town outskirts, Ye Tianfan slightly disguised himself to look less like a cultivator, then ventured into town!

Ye Tianfan headed toward the bustling area he saw while flying above and upon approaching, observed a high platform set up under a gigantic tree. On the platform were people fighting, with many cheering below!

Closer inspection revealed a flag flapping in the wind, bearing the words "Martial Competition for Marriage"!

So, this is the place!

Ye Tianfan mused, though he hadn't anticipated this excitement to be a martial competition for marriage!

Ye Tianfan, curious, approached the platform yet found the crowd too dense to get through, so he navigated from a secluded area to reach the platform bottom!

Finally, Ye Tianfan could fully see the platform, seemingly a temporary structure the size of a room, carpeted in red with weapon racks on both sides, stocked with swords and spears, clubs and hooks, all sorts!

Behind the platform was a stone step with a small table, flanked by two wooden chairs. Upon one sat a middle-aged man in a brocade robe, clearly a wealthy merchant given his fine attire!

Ye Tianfan saw neither the woman to wed the victor nor the martial competition's female lead.

The middle-aged man, watching the combatants with a full smile, stroked his beard!

Ye Tianfan noted something amiss as the middle-aged man raised his hand. From his visage, he seemed indulgent, his skin smooth, yet his palm was callused, betraying either hard labor or martial practice!

The man's tender appearance contrasted a laborer; might he be a martial artist?

Ye Tianfan affirmed his thought, as only martial artists conduct martial competitions for marriage!

Ye Tianfan observed the two battling on the platform: one, a corpulently wide fat man, the other, a brawny man with muscular bulk!

The fat man, greasy and disheveled, with an unkempt beard and abundant body hair, seemed a butcher?

The brawny man, less corpulent yet similarly slovenly, also sported an untidy beard, replete with grease!

Ye Tianfan questioned whether they were butchers fighting, glancing peculiarly at the middle-aged man, wondering if he held peculiar tastes, favoring them this way! Were butchers esteemed here?

As Ye Tianfan's curiosity churned, the fat man was kicked in the chest by the brawny man, stumbling backward before falling off the platform!

Below, the crowd dispersed in synchronicity, clearing space for the falling fat man!

Unperturbed, the fat man stood below the stage and declared, "You've won today, but I'll challenge you again after more training!"

Hmm?

The words puzzled Ye Tianfan; what was this challenge later notion? Would the martial competition await him? Curious, Ye Tianfan queried the surrounding crowd.

Ye Tianfan received a peculiar answer: the martial competition for marriage had persisted a year, yet none bested the middle-aged man's female master; hence it continued until she was defeated and wed!