The referee, seeing no one dared to challenge Qiao Ci, was about to announce Qiao Ci as the champion at the First Princess's signal.
Qiao Shan, timing it perfectly, loudly declared, "I challenge her, and I'll clean house while I'm at it!"
Saying this, she walked onto the stage as if displaying a peacock's plumage.
The crowd around the arena instantly erupted.
"What does she mean by 'clean house'?"
"I heard Qiao Ci is Lord Qiao's real daughter, and Qiao Shan is from the butler. Later, Lord Qiao disowned Qiao Ci and kept Qiao Shan. It's complicated; I don't know what these noble families do."
"Pah, I know the truth. This Qiao Shan, to secure her position as Qiao Wen's daughter, colluded in the murder of her own parents."
"Not only that, she plagiarized poems and framed Qiao Ci for stealing family property. She's not a virtuous woman, nor is she easy to deal with."
"Don't just follow the crowd. Maybe there's a twist."
"Get real. Even the Vermillion Bird Kingdom's highly skilled Princess Yan Zhi couldn't last one round against Qiao Ci. What twist could there be?"
Qiao Shan, believing herself to be quite grand, ascended the stage. Unlike others, she didn't introduce herself. Instead, she looked at Qiao Ci with feigned heartache and said righteously, "Qiao Ci, the butler and his wife raised you. You left them, and their anger caused them to fall ill and pass away. Do you feel any guilt? Regardless, they raised you for over a decade. Is this how you treat your elders?
"Furthermore, that time in front of the manor, the treasonous words you spoke and the unforgivable deeds you committed angered my mother so much that it took her three days to recover. She is your birth mother, how could you be so heartless?"
Qiao Shan knew that her previous appearance at the Qiao manor had caused her great humiliation. She intended to confuse the public and sway public opinion at this pivotal moment to salvage her reputation.
Qiao Ci: Meow meow meow?
"What kind of nonsense are you spewing?" Qiao Ci completely ignored her words, giving her a look as if she were dog excrement. "Are you fighting or not? If not, get down."
Qiao Shan drew the treasure sword at her waist, her expression darkening. "Qiao Ci, today I will clean house for the Qiao family!"
With that, she stepped forward. When she was close enough, she swung her sword towards Qiao Ci, scattering the enhanced Ten Fragrance Soft Tendon Powder towards her.
Then, she charged at Qiao Ci with full force.
This enhanced Ten Fragrance Soft Tendon Powder, upon contact with a person, would instantly cause them to lose their cultivation. She had already taken the antidote beforehand.
Today, she was determined to make a name for herself by stepping on Qiao Ci. Hahaha.
However, fate did not cooperate. Qiao Shan, like a joke, was knocked to the ground by Qiao Ci's palm strike before she could even get close.
Qiao Shan thought the poison hadn't taken effect yet and got up to fight again. To her dismay, before she could even lift her head, Qiao Ci kicked her towards the edge of the arena.
This time, it wasn't like the others, where defeat meant being kicked off the stage.
Qiao Ci toyed with Qiao Shan like a mouse, not even giving her a chance to beg for mercy. She beat Qiao Shan black and blue, knocked out several of her teeth, and left her body without a single intact spot.
Only when she was satisfied did she generously kick Qiao Shan off the stage, sending her flying in the direction of Lin Zi'ang and Wen Renxue, who had secretly followed.
Lin Zi'ang had long since been utterly disappointed in Qiao Shan and decided to part ways with her. Seeing her lying at his feet like a dog, his heart was filled only with regret. How could he have given his purity to such a fickle and useless person?
Then, without looking back, he left.
He thought that his presence would no longer be seen in the Qiao family, as he intended to find a sensible woman to marry and live a stable life.
Wen Renxue also hated that Qiao Shan, despite having him and Lin Zi'ang, still wanted to provoke the young prince. However, his martial arts were now lost, and he had too many enemies in the martial world, so he could only hide here for now.
Seeing Lin Zi'ang leave, he had no choice but to accept his fate and drag the dog-like Qiao Shan up, heading back towards the Qiao mansion.
The referee, with keen insight, took Qiao Ci's hand and announced to the surrounding crowd, "I will count to three. If no one else comes forward to challenge, Qiao Ci will be declared the champion."
Witnessing Qiao Shan's miserable state and Qiao Ci's ferocity, who would dare step forward now?
"One."
"Two."
"Three."
"I announce that Qiao Ci is the champion of this arena competition. Qiao Ci, congratulations!"
After the results were announced, Dan Rong excitedly walked up and clapped Qiao Ci on the shoulder, acting like a close friend. "Good heavens, you've been hiding your strength! Heh heh, from now on, you'll be my brother's future wife. Don't worry, I'll look out for you."
Qiao Ci glanced at the hand Dan Rong had placed on her shoulder. Dan Rong sheepishly lowered it. "Well, my father wants to see you. Please come upstairs."
"Mm," Qiao Ci replied.
As she walked upstairs, she straightened her clothes. This was a formal meeting with the parents, and she couldn't embarrass her cub.
Dan Qing nervously clutched his handkerchief. He was about to meet Qiao Ci, who would be his future wife and was coming to meet his father.
If his father made things difficult for her, he would stand by her side no matter what, ensuring she wouldn't be wronged.
Qiao Ci walked into the exquisitely decorated room and immediately located her cub, giving him a reassuring smile.
After such a long separation, given his insecurity, he must have been overthinking many things.
Then she looked at Xu Qingfeng. "I've done everything you said. Do I now qualify to be Dan Qing's wife?"
Dan Qing looked at Xu Qingfeng nervously, afraid he might say something unfavorable.
Xu Qingfeng had delicate features. Although he was forty years old, he was still handsome and graceful. His gaze, both tolerant and sharp, fell upon Qiao Ci. "Dan Qing has been raised with great care by me. After you marry him, can you guarantee you will cherish him, love him, be tolerant of him, and never leave him?"
"Naturally," Qiao Ci nodded, as she had always acted.
"Once you marry my Dan Qing, you cannot look at any other handsome men. Are you willing to be his wife for life, and only his?" Xu Qingfeng continued to ask.
"I am willing," Qiao Ci replied, her tone still even.
Xu Qingfeng pondered for a moment and then asked, "What if my son cannot bear children for you..."
Dan Qing was so embarrassed he interrupted, "Father, what are you saying? How can I not bear children~"
Qiao Ci pursed her lips slightly, feeling a bit nervous. Well, the one who couldn't bear children seemed to be herself...
"Why the rush? Listen to your father." Xu Qingfeng was displeased that Dan Qing interrupted him. Then he looked at Qiao Ci again. "If my son cannot give you daughters, cannot continue your lineage, will you seek another man? Or, will you favor women over men?"
Qiao Ci shook her head. "There will be no one else, only him, no matter the circumstances."
Xu Qingfeng saw no hint of falsehood in Qiao Ci's eyes. Hearing this, he finally relaxed. "Since that is the case, I will make the decision and give Dan Qing to you in marriage. Remember your promise today."
Finally passing the father's test, Qiao Ci also breathed a sigh of relief.
So his requirements were this simple, all things she could achieve without much effort. How wonderful.
"Then, can I take him home now?" Qiao Ci gestured towards Dan Qing, her expression solemn and her voice soft.