Chapter 13 - What To Do if You’re the Villain and the Heroine Likes You

In Chu Fan's heart, he was certain that He Yunxiao was a good man. All his previous arrogant behaviors were nothing but a form of self-degradation to survive. Therefore, when He Yunxiao spoke to him arrogantly, not only was he not angry, but his admiration for He Yunxiao grew even stronger. To stoop to such a level of self-deprecation, Brother He, it is indeed not easy! Just as Chu Fan was about to step up to the challenge, he found the hem of his clothing being tugged by his sister. Chu Xiaoxiao glanced at Du Yunyun on the second floor of the viewing platform, noticing her gaze shifting to Chu Fan from time to time. She immediately felt an impulse to move her body. However, she also knew that if she really did so, her brother, who abhorred evil as if it were a personal enemy, would never let her off the hook. After much consideration, she could only pin her hopes on He Yunxiao. "Brother, don't go too hard, Young Master He after all has been pampered and is not accustomed to being hit," advised Chu Xiaoxiao. Chu Fan turned around in astonishment, his heart stirring like tumultuous waves. If he remembered correctly, wasn’t this the first time in her life that Xiaoxiao showed concern for someone else? And when thinking of He Yunxiao's unearthly handsome face, could it be...? He clenched his fist, hardening it. Gripping the hilt of his sword, Chu Fan forced himself to calm his turbulent heart, and softly said, "Don't worry, I will stop at the right point." Under the teasing gazes of the crowd, He Yunxiao jumped onto the stage for martial combat, followed closely by Chu Fan. At the viewing platform situated at a higher position, several women, including Jiang Wuyou and Du Yunyun, watched the platform intently, without taking their eyes off it. None of the people below doubted He Yunxiao would be defeated, but they could not agree on how many moves it would take. "In my opinion, a seventh-grade fighting a ninth-grade, at most three moves." "Impossible! He Yunxiao plans to give a three-move head start! In my view, with one move at most, Young Master He will be carried down lying." "Idiots! Have you ever seen a ninth-grade swordsman? Do you know Yang Zhe, the commander of the forbidden army? A genuine ninth-grade swordsman. If he draws his sword, if you don’t wet yourself in fear, it would be a feat." Yang Qi, who did not practice martial arts, was indifferent to these assessments. However, he knew that if there was someone in this building qualified to evaluate the fight, it had to be the young deputy leader of the Iron Eagle Gang beside him, Tie Wei Qi. Listening Tower was the most famous neutral faction in the martial world. The Qingyun List and the Supreme List they published were sought after by all the warriors, as they represented true strength. The Qingyun List only included martial arts prodigies below the age of twenty-five, while the Supreme List encompassed the most supreme and powerful figures in the world. Tie Wei Qi, at twenty-four, had a cultivation at the peak of the eighth-grade. With his feat of "fighting three eighth-grade opponents without falling behind," he had earned the fifty-sixth position on the Qingyun List! In the great Qi State alone, he would be ranked among the top twenty! Yang Qi asked Tie Wei Qi, "Brother Tie, how do you see the situation unfolding on stage?" Tie Wei Qi said, "Chu Fan is very strong. If he gets serious, He Yunxiao won’t be able to block a single sword strike from Chu Fan." Yang Qi asked, "What if he goes easy on him?" Tie Wei Qi confidently said, "The difference between a seventh-grade and a ninth-grade is vast. As long as Chu Fan is somewhat serious, even if he goes easy throughout, He Yunxiao won’t last thirty moves." Different from the lively discussions below, the atmosphere on the platform above was somewhat heavy and tense. Chu Fan gripped the scabbard, asking, "Brother He, not using a sword?" He Yunxiao could use a sword, but he would rather die than use one against Chu Fan. Originally, in the novel, it was Chu Fan who had chopped off his head with a sword. How could he allow Chu Fan to use a sword now? Glancing at Chu Xiaoxiao and then turning back to Chu Fan, He Yunxiao’s Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. Is the sword faster, or is Chu's lightfoot prowess faster? Is that even a question? Within seven steps, the sword is faster! Beyond seven steps, the sword energy is both fast and accurate! "Brother Chu, I will not use a sword," declared He Yunxiao. Chu Fan had been staring into He Yunxiao’s eyes and had seen even the brief moment when He Yunxiao sneaked a look at Chu Xiaoxiao. The fist got harder; many ordinary men coveted a glimpse of Chu Xiaoxiao, even coming forward to confess, it could be said that no one disliked gazing at a beautiful woman. Chu Fan had grown accustomed to that. Because ordinary men looking at Xiaoxiao meant nothing to her, she would even hide behind him. But He Yunxiao was different; he was the first person, other than himself, that Xiaoxiao had taken the initiative to care about. "Since Brother He is not using a sword, then neither will I. But, I’m not well-practiced with my fists and sometimes struggle to restrain myself, Brother He should be careful." Chu Fan placed his sword aside, clenched his fists, and entered serious mode. Watching Chu Fan like this, He Yunxiao had made up his mind. As long as Chu Fan dared to punch, he would dare to be sent flying with one punch, then fall and pretend to be dead, waiting for Miss Du to come and help him up. "Begin!" On the viewing platform, the sound of the gong to start the match suddenly rang, and Chu Fan burst towards He Yunxiao like an arrow from a string! Although he mainly practiced swordsmanship, a ninth-grade punch was not something just anyone could withstand. "Brother!" The anxious voice of Chu Xiaoxiao reached the combat platform. She knew Chu Fan the best, and she knew that Chu Fan was serious now. Though without a sword, Chu Fan was the protagonist; using only his fists, he was still very frightening! Even more terrifying was the fact that originally Chu Fan had only intended to teach He Yunxiao a slight lesson, but hearing the anxious voice of his sister, for some reason, Chu Fan's fists subconsciously exerted a bit more strength. Tie Wei Qi saw it clearly, and he hurriedly told Yang Qi and the other onlookers, "Chu Fan is not holding back! Even without a sword, He Yunxiao definitely won't last three moves!" The crowd nodded in agreement and quickly returned their gaze to the platform. At this moment, the one under the most pressure was still He Yunxiao, who was directly facing the punch. So fast! Don't fight back! Take his punch and then fall to the ground and pretend to be dead! He Yunxiao had intended to do just that, but he didn't expect that when the punch was before him, a huge desire to survive surged within him. His body started to react subconsciously. The inner strength that had been enhanced to the peak of the eighth-grade after consuming the Soul Devouring Pill rushed wildly! He swung his palm to meet the punch! Boom! At the intersection of fist and palm, a cloud of dust was stirred. What no one on the scene had expected was that He Yunxiao actually caught Chu Fan's punch! Those who had wanted to see He Yunxiao embarrassed were all flabbergasted. Meanwhile, on the viewing platform, Jiang Wuyou's legs weakened, and she collapsed back into her seat, finally exhaling the breath she had been holding in relief. Du Yunyun stood straight at the railing, her eyes wide open, not blinking, her hand holding a handkerchief, lightly covering her slightly open mouth in surprise. Before the fight, everyone thought He Yunxiao was doomed to be defeated, but no one expected that he could actually hold his own against Chu Fan! The duel on the platform continued; Chu Fan attacked, He Yunxiao defended, and surprisingly, they exchanged twenty to thirty moves! Tie Wei Qi had never expected this situation, he said in a deep voice, "I vaguely feel that He Yunxiao's martial arts strength has already reached the eighth-grade. If not eighth-grade, then it must be peak seventh-grade!" Yang Qi murmured, "This...He Yunxiao is only twenty years old this year!" Stream Feiyun, the young master of the Drunken Fairy Manor, exclaimed, "My family runs an inn and deals with more people from the rivers and lakes. With He Yunxiao achieving such results at twenty, it wouldn't be too difficult for him to enter the top fifty of the Qingyun List before twenty-five, if he tries a little harder." At that moment, Shen Kuan felt extreme regret. Who would have thought that the always frivolous He Yunxiao possessed such an extraordinary talent in martial arts? One who is in the top fifty of the Qingyun List can truly be called a youth prodigy, a pillar of the nation! Though still not comparable to Chu Fan, he was the legitimate son of Wu Qing Marquis! An individual destined to inherit the marquis title and command a great army!