Chapter 97

Xiu Chengzizhong and Han Yan both snorted in unison. Xiu Chengzizhong spurred his horse to leave, but Han Yan shouted, "Li Jiao, you are now tied. Who will win or lose is still uncertain. Don't lose your composure. You have killed so many tigers and leopards; is a mere Arrow Target more terrifying than them?"

Liang Xiao was somewhat surprised. He had heard from Dongfang Shuo that a few days ago, Han Yan had been beaten by Li Danghu. Why was Han Yan now speaking up for Li Jiao?

The thought of doubt flashed through his mind, and Liang Xiao, holding his bow, closed his eyes slightly, quietly waiting for the last chance to shoot. Both sides had only one arrow left, and he currently had a slight advantage, but it was not enough to secure victory. If Li Jiao hit the target and he missed, Li Jiao could still win with a one-arrow advantage.

However, at this moment, Liang Xiao was not concerned about whether Li Jiao would hit the target; he was concerned about whether he could hit it and maintain the victory until the end. Huan Yuan had often said, "Victory lies in me, defeat lies in the enemy. Do not rely on luck, but strive to do your best, leaving no room for the opponent to exploit."

The last arrow had not been shot, and the outcome was still uncertain, so he could not relax.

He slowly adjusted his breathing, entering a mysterious state where he held the bow in his hand but had no bow in his mind. Although he had not drawn the bow, a stream of heat rose from his waist, traveled up his back, and flowed into his arms, reaching his fingertips, then followed the outer side of his arms, all the way to the back of his ears.

The blood vessels behind his ears pulsed slightly, and his hearing was at its best. He could hear Li Jiao's somewhat disordered breathing nearby, the wind by his ears, the whispers of the people around him, and even the faint sound of the ribbon on the Arrow Target being blown by the wind a hundred paces away.

This was a state he had never experienced before. He had never heard so far and so clearly.

No one spoke loudly around him. They might have average archery skills, but they were familiar with the rules of the competition. They knew that Li Jiao was facing a difficult decision and did not want to interfere. They could cheer for Liang Xiao's archery skills, but they still hoped that Li Jiao would win in the end.

They had all placed their bets on Li Jiao. If Li Jiao lost, they would lose as well.

Even those few who had bet on Liang Xiao held their breath, waiting for the final moment to arrive.

Under the expectant gazes of many, Li Jiao tried to adjust his mindset and raised his bow. He glanced at Liang Xiao, thinking that Liang Xiao would take this opportunity to interfere, but found that Liang Xiao's eyes were slightly closed, completely ignoring him. Instead, the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned, with an indescribable meaning.

Li Jiao was angry. He no longer looked at Liang Xiao, the audience around him, or even his own horse.

Draw the bow, release the arrow!

The arrow hit the target!

When the score was announced with surprise, the entire field erupted. Even Li Jiao himself could hardly believe it. He had actually hit the target with his last arrow.

Not only did he surpass Liang Xiao's record, but he also hit one more target than Liang Xiao. Unless Liang Xiao hit the target with his last arrow, Li Jiao would win. However, hitting the target with one arrow was no easy task. Even Li Jiao himself knew that his success was largely due to luck, which could only be attributed to fate.

"Ha ha..." Li Jiao threw down his bow and laughed out loud. He had competed with many people, but never won so hard or so happily. He could not even wait for Liang Xiao to finish shooting and ran to Li Danghu and Li Gan, grabbing Li Danghu's neck and patting his back hard, tears of joy streaming down his face.

"Big Brother, I won, I won."

Li Gan was also overjoyed, circling around Li Jiao. Hitting the target with the last arrow was a result he had never dared to imagine. He thought that if Li Jiao could hit the target, it would be good enough, but he never expected Li Jiao to hit it.

The audience cheered. This victory was hard-won, late, and timely. With the last arrow, Li Jiao not only won the competition but also achieved an unexpected good score, overshadowing the young outsider and winning beautifully.

Li Rongqing's face turned pale, and she was at a loss.

Xiu Chengzizhong, who was about to leave, turned his head in surprise at the cheers of the crowd. When he learned that Li Jiao had hit the target, he could not help but laugh out loud and fell off his horse. Sitting on the ground, he slapped the ground, laughing uncontrollably. He scrambled to his feet and rushed to Liu Ling, extending his hand, "Money!"

Han Yan also ran over, grinning and extending her hand. "Princess, money!"

Liu Ling's mood plummeted. She said irritably, "You won't be shortchanged. Give me some time, and I will pay you back in full."

Xiu Chengzizhong cackled. "Ha ha ha, you can't welsh on the bet."

"Am I the kind of person who welshes on bets?" Liu Ling pushed their hands away, lifted her cloak, and quickly walked to Liang Xiao, consoling him with a bitter smile. "Liang Xiao, don't take it to heart. With such a strong wind, he managed to hit the target, which means he was just very lucky. Let's go, I'll make up the ten gold pieces for you."

Liang Xiao stood still, looking at Liu Ling. "I haven't finished shooting yet, how can I leave?"

Liu Ling shook her head helplessly. "Forget it, the wind is too strong, you can't hit the target. You've already lost, why bother shooting again? It's just a horse, I'll send someone to Longyou to buy one for you."

Li Rongqing also rushed over, pulling Liang Xiao to leave. "Husband, don't force it. If you lose, you lose. Losing to the son of General Li is not shameful."

Li Danghu pushed away the ecstatic Li Jiao and walked over quickly, smiling softly. "Liang Xiao, my second brother had better luck today. However, you hit five out of twelve targets, which is a good score, better than your usual practice. If you practice for another year or two, you will definitely surpass him. Let's go, I'll take you to meet my father and discuss your employment."

Liang Xiao gently pushed Li Rongqing's hand away and smiled silently. He raised the bow in his hand. "I still have one arrow left to shoot, the competition is not over. If the competition is not over, how can I leave? Even if I lose, I must finish what I started, don't you think?"

Li Danghu blinked and nodded in satisfaction. "That's right, a man of integrity should act like this."

Liu Ling did not speak, but her eyes showed a different kind of admiration. Despite the near defeat, Liang Xiao could still maintain such composure, which was not easy. Ordinary people would definitely be crushed by such a blow. Knowing that there was no hope of victory, he still insisted on shooting the last arrow, which was a sign of strength worthy of respect.

"Alright, if you finish this last arrow, you are still a victor. Although you didn't defeat Li Jiao, you have defeated yourself."

"Who said I can't defeat Li Jiao?" Liang Xiao smiled slightly. "No one can say until the arrow lands."

Li Danghu nodded slightly, blocking Liu Ling and others, making way. Liang Xiao held the bow in his left hand and the last arrow in his right, standing on the cross line, glanced at the distant Arrow Target, and slowly closed his eyes.

Seeing this scene, the cheering crowd fell silent. The outcome was already decided, but Liang Xiao still insisted on shooting the last arrow. Even without hope, he deserved everyone's respect.

Li Jiao and Li Gan looked at each other and smiled in understanding. They also respected Liang Xiao. Liang Xiao had only been practicing archery for a year and was from out of town, which put him at a disadvantage. Today's challenge was also a sudden one, and Liang Xiao had no preparation. To compete to this level, Liang Xiao's archery skills were definitely top-notch.

Everyone fell silent, even the overjoyed Han Yan and Xiu Chengzizhong closed their mouths.

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