Chapter 0695: Talent Poaching

Chapter 0695: Recruiting by Merit

In the afternoon, Qin Yun and the others were sufficiently rested and prepared for the next round of the martial contest.

Jian Nanhu expected most semifinalists, though he was surprised by Jian Ruyan’s strength—she had outperformed his expectations and sneaked into the top four.

The senior members of other sects remained, eager to see who would advance to the finals.

The two finalists would secure the Immortal Essence for their factions.

Currently, Immortal Blade City had two disciples in the semifinals.

Representatives of other factions worried Qin Yun and Jian Ruyan might both reach the finals, granting Immortal Blade City even more Immortal Essence.

Jian Ruyan knew her next opponent would likely be Xiao Yuelan, since Jian Nanhu was Qin Yun’s target.

"Yun-ge, even if I face your wife, I’ll give it my all!" Jian Ruyan sent a mental message to Qin Yun.

"Good. If you win, all the better—Immortal Blade City gains another Immortal Essence!" Qin Yun laughed, utterly unconcerned about Xiao Yuelan.

Xiao Yuelan also telepathically teased Qin Yun: "*Xiao Yun*, let me spar with your Yan Sis. *Don’t* worry—I’ll go easy on her!"

Jian Nanhu, tense, stepped forward to pick a lot, desperate to face Qin Yun.

If he didn’t draw Qin Yun’s match, he wasn’t sure when he’d get another chance to redeem his honor.

Jian Nanhu picked bead number two.

Jian Ruyan followed, drawing bead number one.

Jian Nanhu quietly sighed in relief—at least he wouldn’t have to fight her.

When Xiao Yuelan also drew bead number one, his tension melted entirely.

Qin Yun, last to pick, inevitably got bead number two.

The first match would pit Xiao Yuelan against Jian Ruyan, followed by Qin Yun versus Jian Nanhu, with the winners advancing to the finals.

Jian Ruyan had previously fought a female disciple from Fire Moon City. Now, her opponent was another woman—but far stronger.

The Demon Moon Island contingent, confident in Xiao Yuelan’s prowess, watched silently from below.

Jian Ruyan wore a light-blue form-fitting outfit that accentuated her striking figure. She was an aloof, elegant beauty—cold and mature.

Xiao Yuelan, draped in white with a face veiled in gauze, shared Jian Ruyan’s icy demeanor and lethal intensity. Yet where Jian Ruyan was refined, Xiao Yuelan carried an ethereal, lunar grace—like a celestial maiden descended from the moon.

"Jian Ruyan," Xiao Yuelan began lightly, "I recall a Sword Immortal Pavilion disciple once said your father decreed that whoever defeats you in the Martial Supremacy Tournament must wed you. Is that true?"

Jian Ruyan stiffened, unsure of Xiao Yuelan’s intent. "Yes. If defeated there, my father will wed me to the victor."

"Then if *I* defeat you..." Xiao Yuelan’s voice turned playful. "Would you have to wed *me*?"

Her words sent shockwaves through the crowd.

A Demon Moon Island disciple seeking to marry Jian Ruyan? This was unheard of!

Qin Yun’s jaw dropped.

Here’s the refined translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

Ling Yuner giggled mischievously, "Xiao Yun, Yuelan is way quicker to act than you! If you don’t act fast, your Sister Yan will be snatched away!"

"This... what kind of nonsense is this?" Qin Yun rubbed his temples.

Jian Ruyan stood rooted to the spot on the dueling stage.

"Ruyan, your father always keeps his promises, and you can’t disobey him. So if I defeat you, you’ll have to marry me!" Xiao Yuelan said with a smile.

Jian Shitian, standing nearby, coughed twice and said, "Miss Xiao Yuelan, if you wish to marry a daughter of the Jian family, you’ll need to offer a dowry. What do you plan to give our Jian family?"

"Grand Elder, she hasn’t defeated me yet!" Jian Ruyan snapped. "Why bring this up so early? Do you think I can’t win against her?"

Jian Nanhu laughed, "Sister Yan, if you don’t want to marry her, you’ll just have to defeat her, hahaha... Your father really threw you under the cart, landing you in this mess."

Jian Ruyan was the idol of many Jian family disciples. If she were truly taken away by Xiao Yuelan, they’d be gutted.

Especially Sun Taicai, who’d previously lost to Jian Ruyan—he looked like he’d swallowed a lemon, utterly dismayed.

Jian Shitian said, "Let’s talk after the fight!"

Qin Yun believed Xiao Yuelan had her reasons. He suspected she wanted to recruit Jian Ruyan to Demon Moon Island.

Before, Hu Jingxian had often urged him to persuade outstanding women to join.

After Xiao Yuelan arrived, she’d lured many female disciples from Dark Moon Palace too.

"Begin!" Jian Shitian shouted.

Xiao Yuelan stood motionless while Jian Ruyan summoned her bonded sword and darted to Xiao Yuelan’s side, thrusting multiple times.

Jian Ruyan was dead serious about this fight—partly out of pride, wanting to prove herself superior, and partly to see their differences firsthand.

She let loose a flurry of strikes, each piercing Xiao Yuelan.

But no blood came—it wasn’t the real one, just an illusion!

The real Xiao Yuelan had already appeared behind her, gently tapping her shoulder and infusing a weird energy.

Jian Ruyan whirled around, slashing with her sword, only for Xiao Yuelan to block it with her palm.

At the same time, a creeping chill in Jian Ruyan’s shoulder made her swordplay clumsier.

Xiao Yuelan’s movements were downright weird—shifting between real and fake, often making mirror images of herself.

Jian Ruyan controlled a white mind-blade, stabbing toward Xiao Yuelan’s back—but it froze mid-air, caught by Xiao Yuelan’s mental energy!

Only then did Jian Ruyan realize how formidable her opponent was.

Xiao Yuelan was barely lifting a finger, playing gentle.

Jian Ruyan felt completely outmatched—Xiao Yuelan wasn’t just powerful but full of unpredictable tricks.

Gritting her teeth, she unleashed a celestial sword art, pushing her speed and strength to the limit. The exquisite display drew cheers from the Jianxian Pavilion disciples below.

Here is the edited translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

Even Jian Nanhu kept praising her repeatedly.

Xiao Yuelan had no choice but to keep dodging!

Although Jian Ruyan's swordsmanship was superb, Xiao Yuelan's evasive skills were even more frightening, allowing her to barely dodge at the last moment every time.

"Your arm's useless now, isn't it?" Xiao Yuelan said.

Earlier, Jian Ruyan had been struck on her right shoulder by Xiao Yuelan, and then her entire arm gradually turned ice-cold and numb, becoming difficult to control, as if it had lost all sensation.

Now, she could only fight left-handed.

"This Xiao Yuelan is just as unorthodox as Qin Yun!" Jian Nanhu muttered under his breath.

This was also Jian Ruyan's inner thought—she felt that this couple was truly a perfect match, both commanding various esoteric arts and methods.

Jian Ruyan frantically pressed her attack against Xiao Yuelan, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't land a hit. Xiao Yuelan always dodged at the most critical moment, her dodging ability peerless.

"A hit!"

Jian Ruyan suddenly stabbed Xiao Yuelan's shoulder, only to find no blood flowing.

The crowd broke into astonished murmurs!

Because the Xiao Yuelan Jian Ruyan had stabbed was fake—merely an afterimage!

The real Xiao Yuelan had already appeared behind Jian Ruyan.

Jian Ruyan's left shoulder was lightly struck!

"Was I fighting your illusion all this time?" Jian Ruyan whirled around, thrusting her sword at Xiao Yuelan with her slightly numb arm.

"This one is also an illusion!" Xiao Yuelan said.

The crowd buzzed with shock again!

The real Xiao Yuelan seemed to have never appeared at all!

What was most shocking was that Xiao Yuelan could actually use an illusion to unleash a mysterious energy that numbed Jian Ruyan's arm.

Jian Nanhu frowned and said, "This Xiao Yuelan is too unnatural!"

Qin Yun watched with growing unease, though he wasn't afraid, because he knew Xiao Yuelan's true body was on the arena, using the power of her Transparent Martial Soul to make herself invisible.

Even many of the older generation had no idea how Xiao Yuelan had accomplished this.

Jian Ruyan's arm had gone completely limp, forcing her to attack continuously with her legs.

She also felt she was no match for Xiao Yuelan—Xiao Yuelan had hardly even attacked her from start to finish.

"Enough! I yield!" Jian Ruyan suddenly stopped and shouted.

"If you lose to me, you have to marry me!" Xiao Yuelan laughed. "Come back to Moon Demon Island with me!"

"I... I won't go! I want to stay in Celestial Blade City!" Jian Ruyan said.

"You can't go back on your father's word!" Xiao Yuelan said. Qin Yun had guessed correctly—Xiao Yuelan was indeed trying to poach Jian Ruyan.

Bao Changshou was visibly annoyed, for Jian Ruyan was an outstanding disciple.

"Even if I marry you, there's no need for me to go to Demon Moon Island," Jian Ruyan snorted lightly, since she'd already figured out Xiao Yuelan's true intentions.

"Fine, you belong to me now. Just don't marry anyone else in the future!"

Xiao Yuelan walked over, gently caressed Jian Ruyan's face, and then stepped down from the arena.

Jian Ruyan suddenly thought this might not be so bad—at least she wouldn’t be forced into marriage by her father anymore.

She started to think that Xiao Yuelan had secretly helped her.

Jian Shitian was also at a loss for words, believing this to be nothing more than a little prank from Xiao Yuelan.

After Jian Ruyan left the arena, Xiao Yuelan approached and removed the numbness in her arm.

Qin Yun and Jian Nanhu also stepped onto the arena.

This was the match everyone was most excited to see!

They confirmed that Xiao Yuelan had advanced to the final round and obtained the Immortal Essence.

The next match would determine who would face Xiao Yuelan as her opponent!

Jian Nanhu believed that as long as he defeated Qin Yun, even if he couldn’t win against Xiao Yuelan later, he would still get an Immortal Essence after all.