Martial Arts Showdown: My Wife Asked Me to Be the Champion

Chapter 11 A Fateful Encounter

Ding Dian was a very refined and cultured person.

He was rugged and tall, like a generous and tragic hero from the land of Yan and Zhao, but his greatest love in life was not fast horses, strong wine, or sharp knives, but flowers.

Whether it's the peony festival in Luoyang or the chrysanthemum festival in Hankou, Ding Dian attends every year without fail.

Xu Qingya found the patrolling constables and asked them to escort He Laosan to the Six Doors and hand him over to Zhui Ming. Afterwards, he strolled around with Ding Dian and admired the blooming peonies.

In Xu Qingya's view, these peonies were no different except for their colors. Ding Dian knew all the varieties like the back of his hand and casually commented on their merits and demerits.

"Zhao Fen, Luoyang Hong, Er Qiao, Dou Lü, Shan Hu Tai, Huo Lian Jin Dan, Ye Guang Bai... Brother Xu, we're too early, we haven't seen Wei Zi Yao Huang yet..."

In three to five days, those large merchants, such as Linglong Pavilion, should be exhibiting top-quality items like Azure Dragon Lying in the Ink Pond and Jade Pavilion in Spring Snow. Don't miss it!

I prefer chrysanthemums to peonies!

Chrysanthemums are divided into pink chrysanthemums, white chrysanthemums, yellow chrysanthemums...

There are white chrysanthemums... there are pink chrysanthemums... but the most precious is the green chrysanthemum, with its green hue resembling jade from spring waves and clear water!

Unfortunately, these rare flowers are extremely difficult to cultivate; even the imperial palace might not be able to cultivate them.

Brother Xu, what's wrong?

How did you fall asleep so quickly?

"Have you been drugged?"

Ding Dian hurriedly shook Xu Qingya, trying to use his internal energy to expel the poison from her. Xu Qingya smiled bitterly and said, "Brother Ding, I just ate three big bowls of noodles, I'm dizzy from carbs!"

What does "carb sickness" mean?

"After eating a lot of noodles, I feel sleepy and want to find a place to take a nap."

Xu Qingya made up a reason on the spot.

Why is Ding Dian such a chatterbox?

Being a chatterbox is one thing, but the key is that his way of speaking is like giving a math lesson, making people drowsy.

Xu Qingya is very good at "listening".

Whether or not you can understand it, at least when someone is speaking enthusiastically, you can respond, provide emotional value, and encourage them to continue talking.

Ding Dian was the first "accident".

In addition, Ding Dian is indeed a chatterbox.

In the original story, Ding Dian was a prisoner who had been imprisoned for twelve years with iron chains through his bones. He was half-mad and resembled a demon from the underworld, so he refused to say a word.

Before suffering these torments, Ding Dian was indeed a talkative person who couldn't keep his mouth shut and had no wariness of outsiders, daring to say anything.

"Brother Xu, look over there! The Wanjia Chamber of Commerce is displaying a pot of Jade Pavilion in Spring Snow, it's truly exquisite! Look at the petals on the left, they're absolutely flawless..."

"Hehehe..."

A burst of laughter interrupted Ding Dian's explanation.

Ding Dian turned around and saw a laughing girl, about fifteen or sixteen years old, with a round face, two buns in her hair, and big, very cute eyes.

"Miss, what a pity! That handsome young man knows nothing about flowers, while that big, seemingly uncouth fellow is extremely knowledgeable about them!"

Xu Qingya and Ding Dian looked over instinctively.

A beautiful young girl was admiring a pot of yellow peonies. She was wearing a light yellow dress, looked about eighteen or nineteen years old, and had an elegant demeanor. She was more beautiful than the flowers.

The one speaking was her maid.

Upon seeing the two men looking over, the girl blushed slightly and said timidly, "Young masters, this little girl was just talking nonsense, please don't take offense."

Ding Dian stared blankly at the girl, as if he had lost his mind, unable to utter a single word. Xu Qingya glanced at the two of them and subconsciously raised an eyebrow.

Xu Qingya smiled and said, "Why would I hold a grudge against a little girl? Besides, what this young lady said is very true; I am indeed not good at appreciating flowers."

Ding Dianqian stammered out, "Brother Xu isn't good at appreciating flowers, so perhaps you're good at growing them?"

Xu Qingya said, "I'm skilled at carving!"

This statement is absolutely unambiguous.

Master Ximen Changhai was rarely home, so Xu Qingya was raised by his eldest uncle Ximen Changzai, who was a cook, and Xu Qingya learned some cooking skills from him.

If one day I happen to spend the night in a dilapidated temple with a female knight-errant, I can use my culinary skills to win her over and reach the pinnacle of life.

Ximen Changzai is a chef specializing in Northeastern cuisine. There is no cuisine in the world more suitable for wilderness survival than Northeastern cuisine, especially when it comes to cooking wild game. Northeastern cuisine is the best in the world!

The girl gave a slight curtsy and turned to leave.

Even after the girl left, Ding Dian remained in a daze, as if his soul had been stolen by a female ghost.

Xu Qingya patted Ding Dian on the shoulder: "Do you know why that girl was in such a hurry to leave, Brother Ding?"

Why?

"She's afraid you'll glare your eyes out!"

"Brother Xu is joking!"

"I'm not kidding! Do you want to know who that girl is? Which family's young lady is she?"

"Please give me your guidance, Brother Xu."

"She's the eldest daughter of the Ling family!"

"Which Ling family?"

"Ling Tuisi, Academician of the Hanlin Academy!"

"The Hanlin Academy... Oh dear..."

Ding Dian patted his head in annoyance, thinking to himself that the other party was Ling Hanlin's daughter, a lady from a prominent family, while he was just an ordinary martial arts person. How could he possibly be worthy of her?

However, when it comes to feelings, the more you try to forget them, the deeper you remember them, especially love at first sight. That sweet and dreamy feeling is hard to forget in this lifetime.

Ding Dian's mind was filled with Ling Shuanghua; he couldn't bear to look at her, even though she was his favorite flower.

Xu Qingya didn't want to be a third wheel, so she made up an excuse to leave, creating an opportunity for Ding Dian. Ding Dian found out the way to the Ling residence and rushed there.

Looking at the vermilion gate, the grand entrance, and the enormous stone lions at the gate, Ding Dian dared not knock on the door.

It wasn't that Ding Dian was cowardly or afraid of trouble. If the opponent was a martial arts sect or someone with whom he had grudges or entanglements, even if it was Shaolin, Wudang, Cihang, or Jingzhai, Ding Dian wouldn't care.

Ding Dian was concerned about the eldest daughter of the Ling family. Ling Tuisi was a noble and respected member of the Hanlin Academy. How could he dare to approach her rashly?

Ding Dian, like a lazy donkey pulling a millstone, circled around the Ling family's gate again and again until it got dark. Ding Dian didn't feel tired, but Madam Ling couldn't stand it anymore.

Madam Ling was a practitioner of unorthodox methods. She had cultivated a method for preserving youth and beauty, which could prevent her from aging. The drawback was that she had to absorb the essence and blood of children to practice it.

At the height of her fame, Madam Ling was a disciple of a powerful figure, able to collect countless training materials with a mere wave of her hand and diligently cultivate her inner cultivation techniques day and night.

Unexpectedly, the powerful figure went too far and was attacked from all sides. He was shot and killed by the King of One-Shoulder-to-Shoulder. Madam Ling lost her backing and married Ling Tuisi by virtue of her beauty.

"Madam Ling" was not the legal wife.

Ling Shuanghua is not the daughter of "Madam Ling".

After Ling Shuanghua's mother passed away, Ling Tuisi married Madam Ling. Madam Ling was skilled at growing flowers, which suited Ling Shuanghua's interests perfectly, and they got along quite well.

The Demonic Sect's inner cultivation method is not something one can practice at will, nor can one stop practicing at will. As it stands, Madam Ling can no longer suppress the backlash and needs to replenish her blood frequently.

Then, unexpectedly, he met Xu Qingya...

Feng Qiwu was arrested, the Giant Whale Gang was destroyed, and the hired He Laosan kidnapped a few children. Before he could do anything, he was caught by Xu Qingya and directly handed over to the Six Doors.

The duration of the demonic backlash is three days.

You must replenish your Qi and blood every three days.

Otherwise, the mental cultivation technique will backfire, causing the body to age ten or a hundred times faster, quickly turning one into an old woman.

Not only does one's appearance age, but bodily functions also decline. This backlash is a chain reaction, worsening day by day, until one is finally reduced to a dried-up corpse.

Two days have passed since the last blood replenishment. Today is the last day. If I don't replenish my blood in time, I will have white hair when I wake up tomorrow morning.

Madam Ling originally intended to take advantage of the peony festival and the large number of tourists to go out and find training materials herself, but she did not expect that a silly boy would follow Ling Shuanghua.

Why don't you come over and deliver your visiting card?

What the hell are you doing pacing around the door like that?

Were you born in the Year of the Donkey?

Madam Ling was unaware that Ding Dian was ten times more stubborn than a donkey; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he was born in the year of the donkey.

Madam Ling went to the study to find Ling Tuisi.

The study was Ling Tuisi's "forbidden zone," with wide bookshelves filled with ancient books. As a scholar of the Hanlin Academy, it was perfectly reasonable for his home to be filled with ancient books.

When Madam Ling pushed open the door, Ling Tuisi was studying the history of the "Changge Sect". There was a map of Jingzhou on his desk, and his expression was solemn and serious.

The sound of the door opening interrupted Ling Tuisi's thoughts. Ling Tuisi frowned in anger, but dared not show it. Madam Ling was a heretical sorcerer whose martial arts were far superior to his.

"My lord, something has happened!"

"What is it?"

"Shuanghua went out to admire the flowers and encountered a dissolute young man who followed her all the way to our doorstep."

"Drive them out with sticks!"

"I had the doorman ask his name, and my husband seemed to have mentioned it before. His name is—Ding Dian!"

"Ding Dian? Is it really Ding Dian?"

Ling Tuisi's eyes widened, his gaze almost bursting.

The secret to unlocking the Liancheng Treasure, which Ling Tuisi longs for, lies in Ding Dian.

Capture Ding Dian and interrogate him to extract the code...

No, no, this is the capital city. The slightest disturbance here will attract a lot of attention.

If major powers like Liufenbantang, Jinfeng Xiyulou, and Linglongge set their sights on the Liancheng Treasure, how can the mere Lianghu Longsha Gang possibly stop their covetousness?

If things escalate and attract the attention of the Six Doors or the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the imperial army will set out and seize the Liancheng Treasure. Wouldn't he have wasted his efforts?

First, calm Ding Dian down; keep him calm for now...

Ling Tuisi's brain was working at lightning speed.

Just then, the steward came to report: "Master! The Grand Tutor has arrived, saying he's here to admire the flowers!"

"Quickly! Quickly, invite them in!"

Ling Tuis rubbed his face a few times, and when his hands fell, all negative emotions were covered up, leaving only a gentle smile and a faint sense of detachment.

"Madam, go and prepare the flowers."

"Husband, could he be coming to...?"

"Don't worry, I have a plan!"