The Predecessor Is All Over The Martial Arts World Chapter 1

Hou Danxue felt a suffocating pressure and abruptly opened her eyes. A figure in black was pinning her down, their hand clamped around her throat.

Facing the beauty’s delicate eyes, the person showed no mercy.

“You didn’t see me tonight.”

Wuming had evaded the manor guards while scaling the wall tonight but was accidentally spotted by the Eldest Young Miss. Instead of screaming when she discovered an intruder, the Eldest Young Miss merely glanced at Wuming before calmly leaving. Wuming, however, feared she might plot behind her back, so she waited until the dead of night to issue this warning.

With layers of defense outside, yet Wuming could still enter and threaten her safety, any smart person would know she was not to be trifled with.

Hou Danxue ignored the threat at her neck and reached out to touch Wuming’s chest.

“So you are a girl too.”

Wuming followed Hou Danxue’s gaze down to her own chest, and her face instantly flushed red—with anger.

She knew she was flat, but was it so bad that her gender was mistaken?

She was orphaned and raised by the kindness of old women on the streets. Just surviving was difficult enough, so naturally, she couldn’t focus on such trivial details. By the time she grew up and gained ability, it was too late to compensate.

Wuming pressed down on Hou Danxue. Even with a slight distance between them, she could feel Hou Danxue’s softness. Without looking, she could imagine how lovely the Eldest Young Miss’s figure was.

No, she touched me. That was too presumptuous. Why shouldn’t I touch her back!

Wuming absolutely refused to admit she was tempted by the associations forming in her mind.

Wuming kept only one hand clamped on Hou Danxue’s neck, moving the other hand downward. The action was slow and stiff, causing the person beneath her to laugh.

Wuming was mortified and enraged: “You were the one who offended me first!”

Hou Danxue felt strange emotions welling up due to Wuming’s actions. Realizing the impropriety of her own behavior, she apologized to Wuming.

“I apologize for offending Young Heroine. This is what I deserve. I will absolutely not speak of the Young Heroine’s business.”

The purpose of the visit was achieved, yet Wuming felt a strange heaviness in her heart.

“If the Young Heroine needs any assistance, I, Hou Danxue, will not refuse.”

Wuming looked into the other person’s eyes, which held genuine sincerity.

What a strange person. She was a thief, and she had just threatened her life, yet her attitude was so kind. What was she after?

“Are you being so kind to me just because I’m a woman?”

Wuming reflected. Ever since the person in front of her discovered she was a girl, the atmosphere between them had become peculiar, and her hand was currently still sinking into the other’s softness.

“Partially because of that. Also, Young Heroine gives me the feeling of free wind. I am bound by circumstance, and it feels wonderful to sense a moment of freedom through the Young Heroine.”

Bound by circumstance? Wuming knew the person in front of her was playing for sympathy, but she genuinely felt pity.

“Since you offered to help me, I will help you too. How do you wish to gain freedom?”

“Young Heroine possesses formidable martial arts, which is rare at this age. However… there is a master guarding the manor, and I am watched closely. I fear the Young Heroine cannot grant me freedom.”

Wuming felt even more frustrated. She had risked danger to steal something that could enhance her strength.

She had long had her eye on that Spirit Bamboo, waiting only for it to mature before taking it. She had planned extensively for this Spirit Bamboo, but the Hou Family suddenly intervened. Outnumbered, she could only watch as the carefully nurtured Spirit Bamboo was uprooted and taken away, becoming part of the Hou Family Eldest Young Miss’s dowry, locked away in the storeroom, never seeing the light of day.

Wait, dowry? Oh, she was getting married. No wonder she spoke of being bound.

Wuming had wandered the martial world since childhood. She had seen happy marriages, but far more unhappy ones. She had long decided never to marry.

Wuming removed the hand from Hou Danxue’s neck, preparing to leave.

The other party was pitiful, and she didn’t want to make things difficult for her.

But Hou Danxue grabbed her.

“If the Young Heroine is willing, there is a way for me to gain freedom, though the sacrifice required of the Young Heroine is quite large.”

“What way?” She would only listen; she hadn’t agreed to anything yet.

“Young Heroine… would you be willing to disguise yourself as a man and marry me?” Hou Danxue’s voice carried apprehension. She knew she was being very presumptuous, but… she seemed to like the person in front of her a little, and she wanted to keep her here.

“Marry?!”

“Young Heroine, don’t worry. My Hou Family is wealthy and powerful, and the benefits to you will be substantial. Moreover, this is only temporary. Once I fully take control of the Hou Family, the Young Heroine will be free to leave.”

“A fake marriage is still a marriage!”

“Young Heroine… please take pity on me. My birth mother died early, and my father is now gravely ill and unconscious. As the only child, I have no siblings to help me. My uncle is coveting the family assets and is trying to marry me off to the Huang Family so they can divide our property together.”

“Your situation is already so difficult. What can adding someone who only knows martial arts change?”

Wuming only wanted to reclaim the Spirit Bamboo she had cultivated, but she didn’t want to sacrifice her purity.

Forget the argument that nothing could happen between two women in a fake marriage. They had already crossed boundaries upon their first meeting. Heh, Wuming didn’t even need to think about what might happen on the wedding night.

“The Young Heroine only needs to play the role of a martial artist with some talent who is deeply in love with me. As for everything else, I will fight for it.”

Seeing Wuming remain unmoved, Hou Danxue began listing her family’s assets. Wuming’s eyes lit up as she listened.

If she had all that money, why would she need to run around seeking breakthroughs? She could simply give an order, and people would deliver Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures to her.

Good fortune! This was a great opportunity!

Ahem, although purity was important, she couldn’t take it to the grave. The Hou Family Miss seemed like a decent person, and perhaps they could give it a try.

“What does the Young Heroine think?”

“Good, absolutely wonderful!”

“Then we have an agreement. Tomorrow, the Young Heroine should just walk in boldly, declare our private affection, and then display your martial arts.”

“Wait, doesn’t a woman in disguise require detailed preparation?”

Wuming was annoyed. She was only a little flat, looked a bit heroic, and was slightly tall. How did that lead to people being unable to distinguish her gender?

Did a girl absolutely have to wear a skirt and have a soft personality?

“Don’t worry, Young Heroine. What I mean is that the Young Heroine is too outstanding. Even if there are minor slips, they will be overlooked.”

Compared to the mediocre second uncle, Hou Danxue believed the person before her, with her extraordinary martial potential, would be far more appealing to the Clan Elders.

The Hou Family was rich and could hire some masters, but they could only go so far. They needed a top-tier expert belonging to the family to further the Hou Family’s glory.

As for Business Acumen, Hou Danxue was quite talented in that area, so the Clan Elders naturally wouldn’t demand that quality from her spouse.

Hou Danxue now needed the explicit support of her clan members to break free from her second uncle’s control. Once she established a firm footing, everything would be up to her. The opinions of the clan members wouldn’t matter, and the actual circumstances of her spouse would be irrelevant.

Wuming was reluctantly appeased by Hou Danxue. She concealed her presence and cautiously left the Hou Manor, clutching a handkerchief in her palm—Hou Danxue had slipped it to her as she left, proof of their supposed private affection.

Wuming was tempted by the wealth but also aware of the danger involved.

The Hou Family was already preparing the dowry for the Miss, clearly indicating that the Miss was currently at a disadvantage. If a lover suddenly appeared out of nowhere at this time, Wuming’s fate was predictable.

No matter how confidently the Miss spoke, the risk was always present and could not be ignored.

She likely had a tough battle ahead of her tomorrow.

First, she needed an opportunity to declare their private affection. She couldn’t be immediately chased out; she needed a legitimate identity.

Wuming was merely a Wanderer; where would she get a legitimate identity? To put it bluntly, she was a beggar.

Since she was already a woman in disguise, what if she fabricated an even more outrageous story? It wouldn’t hurt, would it?

Lying a little was lying, and lying a lot was also lying. She might as well go all the way; it would be easier to break off later.

Wuming was somewhat skeptical about Hou Danxue’s promise of freedom after the deed was done. The Hou Family needed a top-tier expert belonging to them; didn’t Hou Danxue need one too? Would she really let her leave? By then, Wuming would likely have consumed a significant amount of her resources. Would she bear to let go?

Wuming decided to impersonate a disciple of Wushuang Pavilion. Wushuang Pavilion was an Orthodox Sect, making things convenient, and she possessed a Token from Wushuang Pavilion.

However, the origin of the Token was not entirely honorable—she had killed a Wushuang Pavilion disciple and taken their Token.

The martial world was inherently a place where the strong preyed on the weak. She had been attacked first; she couldn’t just surrender because the other party belonged to an Orthodox Sect, could she?

The prestige brought by a sect was only useful in front of people of similar standing.

Wuming fell into a troubled sleep with complex thoughts, waking up early the next morning.

She put on her most presentable clothes, a sword tucked at her waist.

She didn’t know sword techniques, but she thought wearing a sword looked impressive.

“Xi Ni of Wushuang Pavilion passes through this area and, having heard of the Hou Family’s great name, specially comes to pay respects.”

Relying on Wushuang Pavilion’s renown in the martial world, Wuming was invited in. A man with a long beard, surrounded by a crowd, received her.

He had indeed mistaken Wuming’s gender.

“I have long heard of Wushuang Pavilion’s great name. Seeing the virtuous nephew today, the reputation is well-deserved.”

In just the first sentence, the man had already claimed kinship with her. This identity was certainly useful.

“Uncle, there is no need to be so polite to me. I…” Wuming took a deep breath to suppress her shyness, “I am deeply in love with your Eldest Young Miss. From now on, we will be family.”

“What?!”

The sound of shattering porcelain rang out as the man dropped his teacup upon hearing the news.

“The purpose of my visit is actually to… enter Matrilocal Marriage,” Wuming pressed her advantage, continuing to challenge the man’s psychological defenses.

“But Hou Danxue has already been promised to Young Master Huang!”

“Uncle, hasn’t the engagement been finalized yet?” Wuming began to adopt the demeanor of a major sect member. “I come from Wushuang Pavilion, with boundless prospects. If I didn’t genuinely love Miss Hou, why would I be willing to enter Matrilocal Marriage for her? Is that Young Master Huang more outstanding than me?”

“But…” Hou Chenghong felt panicked, but then a commotion arose at the entrance—it was the Clan Elders. They had heard a Wushuang Pavilion disciple had arrived and all wanted to witness the young man’s demeanor.

He couldn’t let them meet!