It's Hard Being the Bad Guy

Chapter 22

The Blade Appreciation Tournament lasts for three days.

The first day consists of small fry competing or young heroes showing their skills. It's a mix of newcomers and seasoned martial artists who haven't made much progress. The atmosphere is wild, and unlike famous heroes burdened with an idol's image, they sometimes engage in verbal sparring, nearly spitting saliva onto the spectators. Some even abandon their weapons, resorting to brawls reminiscent of street thugs – scratching, digging noses, and swearing with dirty words, making the scene both nauseating and amusing.

Wen Ai, sitting in the stands, laughs so hard that he's almost out of breath, slapping the table with a resounding clap, nearly knocking over his teacup.

Beside him, Zhuo Yiqing nudges his teacup closer to the center of the table, observing Wen Ai's delighted expression. "Is it that amusing?"

Wen Ai nods with a wide grin, his face flushed and eyes sparkling. Watching him, Zhuo Yiqing unexpectedly feels an impulse to pull him over and give him a kiss.

The second day features mid-tier martial artists from various sects demonstrating their skills, engaging in martial exchanges. The atmosphere is serious, and everyone behaves with strict formality.

Wen Ai, finding it uninteresting, starts to doze off. Zhuo Yiqing, from somewhere, produces a bag of sweets, and Wen Ai's eyes light up as he takes it. Eating the sweets, he listens to Zhuo Yiqing's commentary on the matches, occasionally amused by his humorous descriptions.

On the third day, the pinnacle of the tournament showcases the top talents in heated duels. Wen Ai watches a match attentively but ends up only figuring out the colors of the contestants' clothing, unable to discern the styles.

Seeing the masters one by one concluding their matches, Wen Ai nudges Zhuo Yiqing's arm. "It's almost your turn, right? Shouldn't you go prepare?"

"No need," Zhuo Yiqing leans back casually on the intricately carved pearwood chair, cracking open a peanut shell and popping the kernels into his mouth. "There's nothing to prepare."

Wen Ai: "..." Okay, that's quite confident.

As the competition reaches its final rounds, it's finally Zhuo Yiqing's turn. He stands up, draws his sword, hands the scabbard to Wen Ai for safekeeping, and with a graceful display of lightness skill, he flies onto the arena. The spectators in the stands erupt into cheers.

The title "Number One Young Master in the World" gained popularity only in the past two years. Although it started as word of mouth, it hasn't been formally established until now. If Zhuo Yiqing manages to win the Blade Appreciation Tournament, it would cement his status with a seal of approval. However, if he loses...

Wen Ai thinks even in defeat, Zhuo Yiqing could easily secure the title of the "Number One Young Master" in the looks department with those captivating eyes alone.

The match begins, and Wen Ai holds the weighty scabbard, watching the arena intently. He may not understand the intricacies of the fight, but he can see Zhuo Yiqing's swift movements forcing his opponent into multiple retreats, nearly pushing them out of the arena several times.

In the span of two incense sticks burning, Zhuo Yiqing secures three consecutive victories, becoming the champion of this year's Blade Appreciation Tournament.

Everyone in the stands stands up, applauding. Wen Ai, not wanting to seem too out of place, reluctantly stands and joins the applause.

On the arena, Zhuo Yiqing graciously bows to his opponent and the audience. Then, he turns his gaze towards Wen Ai, giving him a distant smile. Oh, how delighted he looks.