Martial Conquest of the Nine Desolates-Chapter 7 - 006: Martial Contest for Choosing a Spouse

"Wu Mei'er?" Xiao Ye frowned at the name, with which he was by no means unfamiliar.

Wu Mei'er, the granddaughter of Wu Family Village's head in Green Sun Town, was known as the most beautiful woman in Green Sun Town. When Xiao Ye was still regarded as the top genius of Xiao Family Village, Wu Mei'er showed him particular enthusiasm, making no secret of her admiration, but she was rejected by Xiao Ye.

Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, she threw herself into Xiao Teng's arms. Xiao Ye felt a deep revulsion towards this kind of woman from the bottom of his heart.

"Such a mercenary woman..." Xiao Ye shook his head, ready to turn away and leave.

At that moment, the crowded throng in the distance parted ways, and Xiao Teng appeared, accompanied by a young girl.

The girl was about fourteen years old, her appearance bewitching, figure graceful, her eyes like autumn water, casting a captivating luster. Compared to Liu Yiyi's elegant beauty, this girl had an added charm.

Xiao Teng walked side by side with Wu Mei'er, their robes fluttering, their demeanor affectionate, appearing as a perfect match.

"Hmm? Xiao Ye!" Suddenly, Xiao Teng came to a halt, his gaze fixed.

Swish!

At Xiao Teng's words, all eyes converged on Xiao Ye, and murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"Xiao Ye has actually woken up!"

"What does it matter if he woke up? His position has already been taken by Xiao Teng."

Some were astonished, yet many more had a mocking look.

The prominent genius of Xiao Family Village from the past and the current genius met under such circumstances.

Seeing that he had been spotted, Xiao Ye chose to show himself openly.

"Brother Teng, let's go," said Wu Mei'er, looking at Xiao Ye with a sneer on her face.

Seeing Xiao Ye reminded her of her past proactive pursuit of him. Had Xiao Ye remained the top genius, it would have been one thing, but he no longer was.

Rejected by a man who lost his glory, it was natural for Wu Mei'er to feel disdain.

"Xiao Ye, I heard you haven't received a single marriage invitation?" Xiao Teng's lips curled in a sneer, but his eyes flickered with coldness, vividly remembering the scene when Xiao Ye had defeated him in the past.

"Just as well, I've received too many invitations. How about I give you a few?" suggested Xiao Teng, taking Wu Mei'er's hand in a show of dominance, his face full of pride.

He was now the top talent of Xiao Family Village, and even the most beautiful woman of Green Sun Town stood by his side. What could Xiao Ye have to compete with him!

Xiao Ye snorted in disdain. Was Xiao Teng an idiot? Did he think that holding Wu Mei'er's hand would enrage him?

Xiao Ye had never entertained any feelings for a woman like Wu Mei'er, not in the past, and certainly not in the future.

"Sorry, I'm not interested in what others have discarded. You, Xiao Teng, on the other hand, are always picking up what I don't want, like Body Refining Pills, Jiao Snake Blood, and her," Xiao Ye said, glancing at Wu Mei'er with a clear implication.

Xiao Teng's face turned red with anger, his body trembling with rage; he wished he could tear Xiao Ye to pieces.

He wanted to spit back a retort, but after racking his brain, he couldn't find the right words, worsening his already-flushed face.

"Xiao Ye, what right do you have to say that to me? You're no longer the top genius of Xiao Family Village, remember that you were the one I rejected!" Wu Mei'er shouted back, like a cat with its tail stepped on, losing all composure.

As the most beautiful woman of Green Sun Town, she wouldn't tolerate Xiao Ye's insult. Yet, her brash temperament caused many to shake their heads in secret.

Xiao Ye couldn't be bothered to argue with Wu Mei'er and turned to leave.

"Xiao Ye!" Xiao Teng roared with anger, "I hope you won't hide like a coward at the marriage selection in two days!"

If it weren't for the village rule prohibiting the younger generation from fighting at will, he would have pounced on Xiao Ye and torn him into pieces.

Xiao Ye didn't even look back, his faint voice reaching Xiao Teng's ears: "I'll be waiting for you on the marriage selection platform."

"Xiao Ye is joining the marriage selection!" The onlookers gasped.

Not receiving a single invitation yet attending the selection took considerable courage.

Xiao Ye returned to his room and sat cross-legged on the bed. With a mere thought, the True Qi inside him surged through his meridians.

"I've now broken through to the First Level of the Postnatal Realm; to continue advancing, I need to acquire a Postnatal Cultivation Method," Xiao Ye pondered.

The basic Combat Technique Fierce Tiger Fist could only temper the body and did nothing to strengthen the True Qi within.

A Postnatal Cultivation Method would refine and enhance the internal True Qi. Several were stored in Xiao Family Village, and villagers who advanced to the Postnatal realm could obtain them from the village chief.

"Forget it. I'll collect them after the marriage selection event," Xiao Ye said to himself. With the event just two days away, he wasn't in a rush.

On the morning of the third day, as the sun cast its first rays, Xiao Ye, who had been sitting on the bed, opened his eyes and stepped out the door.

Outside, Xiao Yang and Luo Meilan were already prepared.

"Ye'er, are you sure you want to participate in the marriage selection?" Xiao Yang asked again.

Attending the selection without an invitation would definitely become a laughing stock. He was indifferent, but he worried Xiao Ye couldn't handle such a blow.

"Father, Mother, don't worry, I'm fine," Xiao Ye reassured with a placid smile and a clear gaze, whispering, "After today, no one will dare to laugh at us."

With that, Xiao Ye was the first to leave the house.

"Brother Yang, have you noticed that Ye'er seems a bit different?" Luo Meilan asked after a moment of surprise.

Xiao Yang gazed at Xiao Ye's retreating figure, furrowing his brows, his tone uncertain, "It seems... there is something different about him."

Xiao Ye had broken through to the Postnatal Realm, and with over nine hundred days of arduous cultivation, his whole temperament had changed. Even without displaying his full strength, an intimidating presence could be felt from him.

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"I think... I can feel the fluctuation of True Qi from Ye'er," Xiao Yang suddenly uttered, as if something dawned on him, his face filled with shock.

Before his meridians were shattered, he too was a Martial Artist of the Postnatal Realm, naturally familiar with the fluctuations of True Qi.

Immediately after, the shock on his face turned into self-mockery, "It must be my imagination."

Xiao Ye had been in a coma for three months; not regressing in strength was already fortunate enough, how could he possibly have stepped into the Postnatal Realm? Moreover, Xiao Ye was only just fifteen years old today.

...

Today, Green Sun Town was extraordinarily lively. All the villages were deserted, as a great number of people hurried toward the center of Green Sun Town.

"Haha, Elder Wu, you've arrived quite early this year," greeted Xiao Tianxiong, leading the Xiao Family Village delegation with a cupped fist salute to a grey-robed elder.

This grey-robed elder, around the same age as Xiao Tianxiong, was named Wu Shi, the head of the Wu Family Village.

Wu Shi appeared vigorous and he laughed heartily, "Old Man Xiao, seems like your legs aren't as nimble anymore."

"You, Elder Wu, aren't you also close to getting in the coffin?" Xiao Tianxiong glared and retorted angrily.

The moment they met, the heads of the two villages started bickering, rendering onlookers speechless.

"Elder Wu, Old Man Xiao, both of you are not young anymore, shouldn't you tone down your tempers a bit? You wouldn't want the younger generation to laugh at you," voiced an emaciated elder who showed up with a group.

"Elder Shi, you've arrived too," Xiao Tianxiong and Wu Shi both turned to look at him.

The emaciated elder, named Shi Zhan, was the head of the Shi Family Village, looking frail and significantly more aged than Xiao Tianxiong and Wu Shi.

Xiao Family Village, Wu Family Village, and Shi Family Village could be considered the three strongest villages of Green Sun Town, with rather good relations among themselves. The rest were smaller, weaker villages.

"Elder Shi, I heard that a genius appeared in your village, named Shi Bo, who at nineteen reached the Peak of Ninth Body Refining Realm. May I ask which one is he?" Wu Shi asked curiously, his gaze wandering in search of the person behind Shi Zhan.

"Our village's Shi Bo is not worth mentioning. However, Old Man Xiao, your methods are astonishing, having actually slain a Jiao Snake and obtained Jiao Snake Blood for a youngster named Xiao Teng to use."

"At this year's marriage selection tournament, I'm afraid Xiao Teng will be the most dazzling," Shi Zhan subtly shifted the conversation.

Hearing Shi Zhan mention him, Xiao Teng, following beside Xiao Ba, puffed out his chest, brimming with pride.

"Hehe," Wu Shi grinned, pleased as he looked towards Xiao Teng by his side.

His granddaughter Wu Mei'er had already sent a matrimonial invitation to Xiao Teng. Given his granddaughter's beauty, Wu Shi was sure Xiao Teng would not refuse. Thus, Xiao Teng would become his granddaughter's husband-to-be.

Having such a remarkable junior as his granddaughter's husband, Wu Shi felt exceptionally honored.

"Elder Wu, as I recall, you've always tried to match your granddaughter with Xiao Ye before," Shi Zhan said teasingly.

Being publicly pointed out made Wu Shi's face turn red, and he stiffly replied, "What a joke! How can Xiao Ye compare to Xiao Teng? With my granddaughter's beauty, only Xiao Teng is worthy of her!"

"You sure know how to go with the flow. After knowing Xiao Teng used Jiao Snake Blood and has surpassed Xiao Ye," Shi Zhan shook his head, mocking, and said no more.

As time passed, the crowd at the center of Green Sun Town grew denser, almost all the villagers had arrived.

"Tiezi, I heard your kid received six marriage invitations? Tsk tsk, quite impressive."

"Hehe, just so-so, didn't your kid also receive five invitations?"

Two villagers chatted, their words laced with pride.

Whenever villagers arrived, they would start discussing the number of matrimonial invitations their children received. Those whose children had few invitations remained silent and lowered their heads, lacking the capital to boast.

"Hmph, can your marriage invitations compare to mine?" Upon hearing such remarks, Xiao Teng became smug. Up until today, he had received a whopping sixty marriage invitations.

Thud!

Suddenly, the place fell eerily silent as everyone simultaneously turned their heads to look at the entrance.

There, three figures appeared, with a youth dressed in coarse linen ahead. He had delicate facial features and maintained a calm expression.

"It's Xiao Ye, the former top genius from Xiao Family Village!"

Upon recognizing the newcomers, the villagers immediately began whispering among themselves.

In Green Sun Town, the notable deeds of the most promising youths from each village were well known.

"I heard that the title of the number one genius of Xiao Family Village has now been taken by Xiao Teng."

"That's not all. Because Xiao Ye was comatose, before this marriage selection, he didn't receive a single marriage invitation."

"What?" Someone widened their eyes, "Didn't receive a marriage invitation, and yet he dares to participate in the marriage selection!"

Various comments arose, making Xiao Ye suddenly the center of everyone's attention.

Xiao Teng looked at Xiao Ye, a cold smile forming at the corner of his mouth. Xiao Ye, he really dared to come.

"Xiao Ye, this is a marriage selection meeting, what are you doing here?" Xiao Teng deliberately embarrassed Xiao Ye in front of everyone.

"Since it's a marriage selection meeting, and I am a member of Xiao Family Village, why can't I come?" Xiao Ye replied slowly.