Ma Yihong climbed to his feet, his face flushed, feeling he could hardly stand his ground. A cheer erupted among the Jianghu people around him. After all, Jianghu martial artists have a rather fiery nature and enjoy excitement. Although some felt that Li Danxun's actions were inappropriate, they reconsidered and thought, "If one doesn't act recklessly in youth, what good is youth?" While it was somewhat arrogant, it was also a common trait among young people, so why criticize? At the moment, there was nothing but a chorus of cheers. A servant from the Huangfu family ran out lightly, rolled up the sheet of paper full of comments, and delivered it to various taverns and teahouses. The storytelling gentleman took the letter, sipped some tea to moisten his throat, glanced at it, hesitated a bit, but since the people around were urging him impatiently, he began: "The result of the earlier duel between the Blade Madman of Fufeng and that young hero has come out..." The eyes of the audience listening were gleaming, and they could not help but urge him on: "So, how was it? What was the result?" "Did the Blade Madman of Fufeng win? How many moves? Thirty moves? Ten moves? Or just one?" The old storyteller hesitated briefly and said: "If there was a winner, naturally it was the Blade Madman of Fufeng, but it wasn't as simple as you might think. These two bladesmen exchanged blows for sixty or seventy moves before barely determining a victor." Everyone looked at each other, falling into silence. The young servant who had delivered the information earlier was hidden among the crowd and whispered softly, "Could it be that the bladesman who fought with the Blade Madman of Fufeng was actually a deeply hidden master?" Their eyes brightened slightly, and they all thought of this possibility. Latest content published on Nove1Fire.net The old man shook his head and said, "This matter isn't something that can be explained easily. Before this, Li Danxun, the young hero from the Huangfu family, challenged the Blade Madman, wanting to avenge his fellow disciple who had previously lost to the Hidden Blade Technique. He said that they would bet on the word 'mad'." "But the Blade Madman avoided the fight." There was a stir among the crowd, and someone whispered discontentedly. For the people of the Northwest, given the harsh climate and conditions they live in, many bold individuals emerged from the area. Losing in a martial contest is still considered fair, but avoiding a fight, especially with a title at stake, is perceived as disgraceful. The old man continued, "After this, the bladesman who had fought with the Blade Madman previously challenged Li Danxun, the young hero, and was easily defeated by him." "Intentionally using one move less than what the Blade Madman had used, he knocked him off the platform." Everyone looked at each other, and suddenly a brawny man took a big gulp of wine, slammed the table, and applauded: "How bold, how arrogant!" "That's the only way to merit the word 'mad.' In my opinion, while the Blade Madman's martial arts are good, he still falls short of our Xiong City's young hero Li in terms of skill. Furthermore, he falls far short in character, lacking openness and boldness!" "The title 'mad,' should rightfully belong to our young hero Li." This stirred the crowd, and with the clear evidence laid out before them, the crowd chimed in agreement. Some also mentioned how the Blade Madman of Fufeng deliberately joined in this excitement despite being a Fufeng native, further fueling their dissatisfaction. The young servant smiled slightly and quietly withdrew. Scenes played out in almost all of the large and small inns and teahouses throughout Xiong City. In the martial arts arena— Li Yinxiang heard the disapproving whispers around her and opened her mouth, wanting to defend the Blade Madman, but the facts spoke louder than words, and she truly didn't know where to start. She remained stubborn in her belief that the Blade Madman was a great hero who saw money as dirt. Even if his martial arts weren't good, he was still a great hero! Xiahou Jie, a little disappointed, said, "I thought he was a rarely seen great master, but it turns out he's only of this caliber?" Huangfu Qiuyang hesitated and said, "Although if he always held back, he could indeed wield the blade that defeated Zhao Kuo, we can't rule out the possibility that he's conserving his strength today..." Xiahou Jie raised her eyebrow, pointed around, and noted that while the sect martial artists were mindful of their status and spoke quietly, the rangers watching elsewhere had no such reservations. A variety of scornful words and comments were being uttered from time to time. Xiahou Jie shook her head and said, "Since he's called the Blade Madman of Fufeng, shouldn't he draw his blade to prove his strength when faced with such disdain?" Huangfu Qiuyang had no answer to this and could only say: "Perhaps he has his reasons..." Xiahou Jie sighed and said, "You are simply too gentle in nature..." The criticism and disdain for the Blade Madman didn't dominate the gathering for long, as other martial artists continued their contests, showcasing their skills brilliantly. The commotion from the earlier farce remained in their minds only briefly before being set aside. Among the dozen or so subsequent matches, many formidable martial artists emerged, but none were as powerful as the Huangfu family's disciple Li Danxun, and the young master Huangfu Kui. Besides them, Zhao Ziyang from the Beimang Sword Sect demonstrated a superb mastery of swordsmanship, making him a rare rising star among the Sixth Rank, earning waves of praise. The day's duels continued almost until sunset. Even during noon, when it didn't stop, attendants from the Huangfu family served a variety of Northwest special delicacies and fine wines for the consumption of many martial artists.