Chapter - 91 Fighting Contest to Find a Suitor (8) (1/2)

At the side, Guo Jing was increasingly stunned, ”These two young people are of my age,” he said to himself, ”and they possess such a high level of martial arts, it is really extraordinary! They would make a perfect pair: if they marry, they could then, during their leisure hours, replay some 'contest to find a spouse', it would be funny!”

With his mouth agape, he followed the spectacle with participation, when suddenly, the girl clutched the sleeve of her adversary and tore it off with force. She jumped back immediately, holding her trophy up.

”Young Lord,” shouted Mu Yi, ”We are sorry!” Then he turned to his daughter, ”Well, let us go now.”

”Not so quickly,” the young man shouted with a grim look on his face. ”Nothing is really decided yet!”

He caught the two sides of his coat and pulled, causing the jade buttons to pop out. One of his servants helped him to remove his coat, while another collected the buttons. Underneath, the young man wore a water green satin tunic, tightly held to his waist by a delicate green scarf, which gave him an even more captivating air. He raised his left palm and sent a blow, showing his true gongfu this time. An extremely violent gust of air passed very close to the girl.

Guo Jing, Mu Yi and his daughter were dumbfounded:

”How could,” they wondered, ”a person of such distinction has such a cruel and brutal gongfu?”

The young nobleman did not look for fun anymore, his blows were so powerful that his adversary could not approach him anymore.

”We have a formidable expert here,” Guo Jing thought, ”the girl is no match for him: apparently, marriage is in sight. And I am quite content for them … My six Shifus always said that exceptional men are legion in the Central Plains. Indeed, this young nobleman has an original palm style with sophisticated variations. Should we fight, I would probably not win against him!”

For his part, Mu Yi could also foretell the outcome of the duel:

”My daughter,” he shouted, ”it is useless to continue. The young Lord is much stronger than you!”

”This young man has excellent gongfu,” he said to himself, ”thus he is not one of these idle, gambling and whoring sons of certain families. Presently, I will request information about his family. If he is not related to the Jin government authorities, I will approve of a marriage. Then my daughter's future will be secured …”

He shouted to both to stop their fight. But the battle was full blown and couldn't cease.

”If I wanted to injure you now,” the young man thought, ”nothing would be easier, but I do not have the heart to do it.” Suddenly, his left palm changed into a claw, and he clutched the wrist of the girl. She, surprised, sought to break loose. The young man pushed slightly forward and the girl lost balance. At the time she was going to fall, the right arm of her adversary pulled her gently, and she fell into his arms. The spectators applauded and hollered with enthusiasm causing a great tumult.

Shamefully blushing, the girl begged with a low voice, ”Release me, quickly!”

”Say 'my dear' to me,” he answered laughing, ”and I'll release you!”

Outraged by such an impudence, she struggled, but he held her firmly and she could not break loose. Mu Yi advanced and said, ”You've won, please release my daughter!”

The young nobleman burst into laughter but did not do anything.

Losing her patience, the girl gave a kick in the direction of the plexus of her adversary, in order to make him release her. He indeed freed his right arm, parried the blow and caught the foot immediately: his qin-na technique was perfectly timed and he could seize anything he wanted. The girl panicked, sought to release her foot by pulling with force. At last she succeeded, but by doing so she lost her small shoe which was embroidered with red flowers.

She sat down on the ground, head lowered and red with shame, holding her foot covered by a sock of white fabric. The young aristocrat smiled unsteadily, wore the laced boot to his nose and sniffed it. In the situation, the hooligans were obviously not going to let pass this occasion:

”That smells good!” they shouted in chorus.