Xiao Man was pushed off the viewing platform but showed no panic. She adjusted her posture and executed a perfect somersault, landing gracefully on the competition stage, eliciting a round of applause.
"Fourth Princess, what are you doing?" Wen Mohan rebuked her.
"My lord, please do not be angry," the Fourth Princess said with a beaming smile. "Someone wishes to challenge my sister. As an Imperial Princess, to refuse a challenge would lead to public scorn. I am doing this for her own good. Moreover, Fu Dan always fights with restraint and will never take a life. My lord, please watch the match with ease."
Wen Mohan's face was etched with displeasure. He knew that this woman was deliberately framing Xiao Man. He looked at Xiao Man with concern, only to see her turn back and signal him to remain calm.
The woman opposite, clad in armor, clasped her hands into a fist. "I am Fu Dan, a first-class combatant of the Heavenly Treasures Pavilion. I have been commissioned to fight you. The outcome, life or death, is irrelevant."
Xiao Man rubbed her wrist. "Life or death is irrelevant?"
Fu Dan's expression remained unchanged. "Rest assured, I will not take your life."
"May I ask who commissioned you to compete against me?" Xiao Man asked softly, glancing at the Fourth Princess on the viewing platform, who was watching with great interest.
"I apologize, I cannot reveal my employer's identity," Fu Dan replied coldly. "However, if you lose, I will take the person by your side."
Xiao Man narrowed her eyes. Take the person by her side? Today, she had only brought one person with her, and that was Wen Mohan. It seemed her opponent had come prepared. But these people underestimated her too much!
"Then, if I win, you will come to my estate and serve as my guard."
Fu Dan hesitated for a moment upon hearing this, then agreed. "Deal."
Fu Dan was undoubtedly skilled to have become a first-class combatant at the Heavenly Treasures Pavilion. Although she had grounds for pride, she did not dare to be careless. Even though her opponent appeared somewhat frail, her movements upon landing on the stage indicated that she possessed considerable martial arts foundation, and not a weak one at that.
Fu Dan circled Xiao Man once, then lunged forward to attack. Xiao Man kept her hands behind her back, making no move, and merely dodged Fu Dan's assaults.
Fu Dan's attacks were powerful, relying on brute force. Not only was Fu Dan's martial arts foundation good, but her mind was also quite agile. After a round of attacks, she realized that Xiao Man had remained in place the entire time, using her legs as a pivot and moving within a small circular area. It was clear she did not take her seriously, which angered Fu Dan somewhat.
"Your Qinggong is very good."
"It's passable. Qinggong is what I'm best at."
Fu Dan’s expression was wary. To deal with someone with good Qinggong, one had to be faster than them. But with Xiao Man's speed, she believed she couldn't keep up. Another method was to wait for the opponent to attack, but this would lead to a passive, defensive position.
Furthermore, Xiao Man had not yet made a move, and she had no idea of Xiao Man's true abilities. If she lost, she would have to become Xiao Man's guard. Even she dared not be complacent.
Xiao Man kept one hand behind her back, while the other was held in a defensive stance. "Please."
At this moment, two swords were thrown from the viewing platform. "Weapons are allowed."
Fu Dan picked up one of the swords, drew it from its scabbard, and saw that Xiao Man had not picked up a sword. "Are you planning to fight me bare-handed?"
"Fighting you, no weapon is needed," Xiao Man said unhurriedly. "Proceed."
"Overconfident!" Fu Dan was furious, determined to make Xiao Man suffer. She immediately charged forward with her sword, its sharp edge gleaming. Xiao Man, appearing unhurried and at ease, dodged Fu Dan's sword strikes, occasionally landing a blow on Fu Dan. Initially, Fu Dan was cautious, but she soon discovered that Xiao Man's blows were not heavy, feeling like mere tickles. Her anger instantly reached its peak. This person had been humiliating her from the start!
As an excellent combatant, the worst thing she could tolerate was her opponent's contempt and humiliation. Xiao Man not using a weapon was already a great insult. To make matters worse, this person did not take her seriously, relying on her superior Qinggong to toy with her like a monkey. How could she endure this? Without holding back, she committed all her strength to the fight against Xiao Man.
A smile flickered in Xiao Man's eyes. "Good, very good. This person has a fiery temper. I must defeat her head-on for her to willingly admit defeat. However, I prefer to do the opposite, deliberately crushing her pride."
Despite her fury, Fu Dan maintained some rationality. She tried countless times to break through Xiao Man's defenses but failed. The spectators on the platform watched Fu Dan's fierce attacks, only to see them dissipated by Xiao Man in an instant. They were puzzled, unable to understand how Fu Dan's attacks vanished before reaching Xiao Man.
"Fu Dan, are you throwing the match?" someone shouted.
On the stage, Fu Dan's forehead was beaded with sweat. No matter how she changed her attack methods, she could not break through Xiao Man's defenses. After a series of attacks, she felt her body growing heavier, her steps slower, and even her attacks weakened.
Fu Dan retreated rapidly, finally sensing that something was wrong. Her body felt extremely strange!
"Did you notice?" Xiao Man murmured to herself. "But it seems too late."
Fu Dan frowned, staring at Xiao Man. "What did you do to me?"
Xiao Man retracted her hand. "You lost."
"I haven't lost yet!" Fu Dan checked herself and found no injuries. She charged forward again. However, halfway through, she collapsed onto the ground. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't get up. Her body felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, pressing her down.
"What is going on?" Everyone watched in surprise as Fu Dan inexplicably lay on the ground. A person flew down from the platform and examined Fu Dan. A hint of surprise flashed in their eyes before they announced.
"Victor, Xiao Man."
Xiao Man turned to leave, but the person said, "Miss, please release her bloodline." Su Dan Novel Network.
Xiao Man did not stop. "In an hour, she will be able to move freely."
The person immediately signaled for people to carry Fu Dan away. The crowd on the platform was bewildered. They had not seen Xiao Man make any moves, yet the expert from the Heavenly Treasures Pavilion had fallen. This was preposterous!
"Steward Tuoba, what is happening? How did Fu Dan collapse?"
Steward Tuoba raised his hand, signaling everyone to calm down. "She won fair and square. She used a special technique to seal Fu Dan's bloodline, causing poor blood circulation, leading to weakness and inability to move."
"Tch!" The crowd scoffed upon hearing this and gave Xiao Man a thumbs down. They wanted to see a thrilling fight, preferably one where both sides were bleeding profusely and disfigured. Naturally, they disdained Xiao Man's secretive fighting style.
Xiao Man paid them no mind. She leaped back to the viewing platform and, taking Wen Mohan with her, walked away. The Fourth Princess, with a fawning expression, followed them, acting as if she were old friends, as if she hadn't been the one to push Xiao Man onto the stage earlier.