Chapter 25

After the poor contestant was asked to leave, the atmosphere in the room finally returned to what it was before. To help everyone forget the little incident more quickly, the chief of the Maor tribe finally announced the start of the question session.

Following the announcement, Mai smiled at the remaining contestants and then said in a voice as sweet as a nightingale, "Everyone, listen up. I’m about to ask my question. Here’s the first one: If you were to marry me in the future and then had a lover more beautiful than me, would you leave me for her?"

The nine remaining contestants were taken aback by Mai’s question, not quite understanding why she would ask such a strange question. However, someone quickly reacted. A burly man stepped forward, slapped his chest, and said, "Miss Mai, rest assured. Even if I had two or three lovers more beautiful than you, I would never leave you. I will always love only you."

The crowd burst into laughter. This guy was really foolish. If he had two or three lovers, how could he still love only one person? He hadn’t even learned basic arithmetic.

Mai was also amused by his response. She glared at the man and said, "Sir, your answer is too shallow. Please sit down. Is there anyone else who can answer?"

As soon as Mai finished speaking, another person stepped forward. This guy was fanning himself with a folding fan, looking very suave and carefree. He said, "Miss Mai, human emotions are complex and ever-changing. I believe we should always approach emotions rationally. If I were to marry you and then had a lover more beautiful than you, I would be honest with you. If my infidelity truly hurt you, I would rather give you your freedom. But if you could accept it, I would cherish you even more, as the lyrics of a song say, 'It’s not that I’m careless, but true feelings are hard to resist.' I wonder if my answer satisfies you, Miss Mai?"

After finishing, he deliberately put on a deep, emotional expression, waved his fan, and closed his eyes.

The crowd around him couldn’t help but laugh, thinking he was truly a rare specimen, clearly a romantic to the core.

Mai, however, glared at him and said, "Alright, open your eyes. You can leave now. You don’t need to participate in the rest of the competition because even if you win, I won’t choose you as my husband. You were too careless and revealed your true nature."

The guy was still lost in his own emotional performance. He thought that even if Mai wasn’t moved by his words, she would at least develop some goodwill towards him. After all, someone with such a unique personality and deep understanding of emotions was hard to find. But when he heard Mai’s words, he was stunned. He quickly opened his eyes and said anxiously, "Miss Mai, please don’t do this. I’ll get rid of that lover and never contact her again, okay?"

The crowd burst into laughter again. At this moment, two elders of the Maor tribe stepped forward. As the young man shouted desperately, one of them grabbed his arm and led him out, saying, "Sigh, go and talk to your lover first."

Seeing this, the crowd stopped laughing. They looked at each other, and no one dared to step forward. But at this moment, Zhan Yi stood up, surprising everyone.

Through his observations, Zhan Yi had already sensed that Mai’s offer to toast the contestants was not as simple as it seemed. It was likely a test of the top ten contestants’ character.

After all, the final champion would be chosen from these ten people. If someone with a bad character were to win, it would put the organizers in a difficult position.

It was true that Mai had said she could refuse the champion if his character was bad, but when it came down to the last champion, she would have no choice. Even if she refused the marriage, the event would still be considered a failure.

Moreover, seeing the reasons why the first two contestants were asked to leave confirmed his suspicions. When it came to character, the key traits were integrity, intelligence, and courage. That’s why he chose to step forward when no one else dared to speak.

Mai’s eyes lit up when she saw Zhan Yi step forward. In fact, the opponents Zhan Yi faced after his injury were all deliberately arranged by her. She had given him easier opponents to help him recover. Later, when the number of contestants decreased, she couldn’t determine who was the strongest, but Zhan Yi’s ability to enter the top ten so easily after being injured surprised her.

Just as Zhan Yi had guessed, Mai’s purpose in toasting the contestants was indeed to test their character. However, she also had a small, personal motive: she wanted to get closer to the contestants. She believed that no matter how good a person was, if she had no feelings for him, she couldn’t marry him. Conversely, if someone could truly move her and had good character, even if he was slightly weaker in martial arts, it wouldn’t matter. After all, anyone who made it to the top ten was already among the best in martial arts.

Currently, Zhan Yi was the one who moved her the most among the ten. He had not only intrigued her with his mysterious nature but also entertained her. Although he was a bit immature and silly, especially when he was holding the lamb’s leg, he showed remarkable wisdom when it mattered.

So when Zhan Yi approached her, she was a bit excited, but she didn’t want to show it in front of everyone. She smiled slightly at Zhan Yi and said, "Sir, what answer do you have for my question?"

Zhan Yi, of course, didn’t know about Mai’s inner thoughts, but he had already thought about his response. From the answers of the previous two contestants, he knew that whether he said he would leave Mai for a lover, not tell her, or get rid of the lover, none of these answers would satisfy her. The only remaining possibility was to make the lover non-existent.

So, after hearing Mai’s question, he simply shook his head and smiled, "Miss Mai, I don’t have an answer because your question doesn’t apply to me."

"Doesn’t apply to you? Then why did you step forward?" Mai was slightly taken aback by Zhan Yi’s response, but her eyes sparkled with interest as she continued to ask.

The other contestants also burst into laughter, thinking Zhan Yi was just putting on a show.

Zhan Yi, however, didn’t care about their reactions. He smiled and said calmly, "Because I want to tell Miss Mai that if I were to marry you, I would never have a lover. I also want to remind you that a woman must be confident. In the heart of a true lover, no matter what the other person looks like, they are always the most beautiful. But if you lack confidence, it diminishes your beauty and makes you feel inferior in the relationship. Don’t you think so, Miss Mai?" He winked at her, feeling confident that she couldn’t argue with his words.

"I… don’t need your reminder," Mai said, pouting and looking both embarrassed and angry, but also secretly pleased.

Zhan Yi looked at Mai’s pouting lips and thought she looked incredibly adorable, especially with her stunning beauty. He almost wanted to marry her right there after winning the championship. But then he remembered the evil aura in his body and felt a jolt. He then put on a disinterested look and laughed, "Ha ha… Miss Mai, that means I’m right. I also have something else to tell you. A truly virtuous woman can be both a good wife and a man’s best lover. As the saying goes, 'Once you have seen the sea, no other water can satisfy you; once you have seen the clouds of Wu Mountain, no other clouds can impress you.' If a person has found their true love, why would they be promiscuous?"

The crowd was stunned by Zhan Yi’s boldness. They didn’t expect him to act like a relationship guru. Some of the contestants were secretly pleased, thinking Zhan Yi would be kicked out for his rudeness, removing a strong competitor.

Mai was also in a dilemma. Zhan Yi’s charm, intelligence, and mysterious aura had moved her, but his lecturing was a bit much. If she praised him now, it would seem unreasonable. So she stomped her foot and said, "You… are talking nonsense," then turned to look at the chief of the Maor tribe.

The chief of the Maor tribe had been secretly laughing all along. Mai was his daughter, and he knew her well. She was usually intelligent and proud, and had never been outwitted by any man. But today, Zhan Yi had left her speechless, which was quite amusing.

He was also very impressed by Zhan Yi’s performance. Although Zhan Yi had been a bit impolite when he first entered, manners could be cultivated over time. What mattered most was that Zhan Yi was skilled, brave, and intelligent, and despite his somewhat mischievous aura, he had a sense of righteousness. He was a good match for his daughter.

So, when Mai looked at him, he stepped forward, smiled, and said, "Ha ha, well done, sir. Your answer is both reasonable and heartfelt. You’ve passed the first question. Now, let my daughter toast you."

The other contestants were stunned. They had expected the chief to scold Zhan Yi and ask him to leave, but the opposite happened.

Mai’s face turned red, and she reluctantly poured a cup of wine and approached Zhan Yi.