Chapter 124: Chapter 124
“Well struck!”
“Beautiful!”
“That’s our Senior Brother Shen!!”
After a beat of stunned silence, the crowd beneath the platform erupted.
Mei Hall’s disciples cheered themselves hoarse.
The Huichun Hall men who had been roaring for Liu Shan traded bewildered looks, disbelief stamped across every face.
Up on the viewing platform.
The great houses and power-brokers of both counties had all witnessed that exchange. Heads leaned together, whispers buzzing.
“That’s it? Over already?”
“Didn’t even last a single exchange — the boy is fearsome!”
“Good lord… that fellow weighs at least two hundred jin, and he was kicked dozens of zhang through the air!”
“Looks young. Is he posted anywhere?”
“Mei Hall… Shen Xiuhan. I’ve heard the name. They say he sensed his qi-blood inside of sixteen days. A prodigy.”
“Supposedly crossed paths with Chenjian Wu’s Tenth Chief. No small talent.”
“I remember now — he went to the Ji estate, didn’t he?”
“A pity! A step too slow, and the Ji clan snatched him.”
Compared to the buzz in the back rows, the four Transforming Strength masters seated at the front seldom offered commentary.
They sat like pillars, gazes level, as though the fighting below were children’s games.
But seeing this, the armored figure of Zhenyue Colonel Zhao Zheng — seated at the far left — showed a rare flicker of appreciation.
“Not bad, this kid.”
Zhao Zheng’s voice boomed like a bell.
“Under twenty by bone-age, with four of five sinews open. He only showed two or three moves, but the combat instinct is obvious. Rare talent. Rare indeed.”
Beside him, Wang Zhidao raised an eyebrow, glanced over, and lost interest.
His entire purpose in staging this feast was to court the Child of Destiny.
Yesterday, he had narrowed the field to three candidates: Jiang Qinghong, Ji Ning, and Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu above all.
After sending Wang Xuanyang to sound him out, Wang Zhidao had confirmed that Xiao Wu was not only mid-Hidden Strength — he had opened five of his nine apertures.
That caliber of talent wasn’t just exceptional for Changyun County. Even in a prefectural or provincial capital, he would rank among the very best.
Wang Zhidao was all but certain: this man was the Child of Destiny.
Against a rising dragon on the verge of leaping from the abyss to the ninth heaven…
A mere Manifest Strength fighter simply couldn’t hold his attention.
County Magistrate Luo Changming, however, picked up a register from the desk, leafed through it, and shook his head.
“A pity — his path forward won’t be so smooth.”
“Oh?”
Zhao Zheng’s heavy brows rose. His brass-bell eyes swiveled. “What does the County Magistrate mean?”
Luo Changming raised his teacup, blew gently on the floating leaves, took a sip, and answered without haste.
“Because… his next opponent will be my yamen’s Robust Division Chief — Guan Wandao.”
“The saber-fighter from yesterday?”
“The very one.”
“Ha!”
Zhao Zheng barked a laugh, his broad frame turning. Armor-leaves clinked.
“County Magistrate, sitting here watching the bouts in silence is dreadfully dull. How about a small wager between us — liven things up?”
Luo Changming set down his cup. His gaze sharpened. “What does the Colonel have in mind?”
“Heh heh — for most men it’d be a tall order, but for the County Magistrate, it’s nothing more than a word.”
Zhao Zheng rapped his knuckles on the table, eyes glinting.
“I hear the County Magistrate has deep ties with the great Southern Sea sect, the Fury-Sea School. My eldest son already serves with me in the army — no worries there. But my second boy’s an unruly one. I’d like to borrow the County Magistrate’s connections and set the lad on a proper path.”
Luo Changming smiled. Without a beat of hesitation, he agreed.
“A trifle. But if the Colonel loses, he’ll pick one of our Luo clan’s younger generation and take the lad into his personal guard for a stint of tempering. Fair?”
“Deal!” Zhao Zheng slapped his thigh.
Luo Changming stroked his beard and smiled.
“In that case, this official will wager on our Robust Division Chief — Guan Wandao.”
“Good! Then I, Zhao, will wager on…”
Zhao Zheng started strong — then caught himself, a sheepish look crossing his face.
He’d been so absorbed in the fighting that he’d forgotten the boy’s name. His mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out.
Just then, a woman’s voice spoke from behind him.
“Shen Xiuhan.”
Zhao Zheng turned, surprised.
Meeting the Longxiang Colonel’s appraising gaze, Mei Shuangfeng gave a slight nod. Her expression was calm.
“Forgive the intrusion, Colonel. Xiuhan is indeed my Mei Hall disciple.”
“Ha ha ha! Wonderful!”
Zhao Zheng blinked, then broke into a hearty, open-palmed laugh.
“So he’s Hall Master Mei’s student! A fine master raises fine students — now I’m even more confident.”
He turned back, his gaze following the blue-robed figure descending from the platform’s edge. With a broad sweep of his hand, he declared:
“This Colonel wagers on Shen Xiuhan to win!”
…
Shen Xiuhan had no idea he’d become the subject of a bet.
From afternoon through evening, he fought three more bouts.
The deeper he advanced, the stronger the opposition — and the more vicious their methods.
The first was Bone Tempering at best. Two moves and he was off the platform.
The second had opened one sinew. He held on for a dozen exchanges before a Piercing-Spear Leg swept him off the edge.
The third was a genuine talent with three sinews open, a biting palm art, and a movement technique to boot.
Shen Xiuhan was forced to deploy the Heavenly Vulture Twisting-Wind Hand. Thirty-some exchanges before the man was subdued.
Fortunately, his arsenal was deep. Even his toughest opponent had only drawn out this one technique.
Every other card remained face-down, saved for later.
The dying sun angled west. The horizon burned orange. On the platform, layer upon dried layer of blood gave off a faint, coppery tang.
In a blink, the Manifest Strength bracket was nearing its end. Only six fighters remained from today’s rounds.
Combined with yesterday’s six, that left a total of twelve.
Which meant…
Two more wins, and he’d be in the top three — earning a place inside the Dragon Blood Essence Pool.
“Group Twenty-Four, first bout!”
Below the stage, Wang Youjun’s pitiless voice cut across the grounds once more.
“Guan Wandao, Chief of the Changyun County Yamen’s Robust Division, versus Shen Xiuhan, inner-court disciple of Mei Hall. Fight!”
SWISH!
The instant the call rang out, Guan Wandao gripped his saber and vaulted onto the platform.
He wore a constable’s dark uniform, a cowhide belt cinched at the waist, thin-soled fast-boots on his feet. His eyes had narrowed to slits, fixed on Shen Xiuhan as the youth climbed the wooden steps — watching him the way one watches a corpse.
‘It’s him…’
Shen Xiuhan’s gaze went cold.
This was the very man who, after defeating Fourth Senior Brother Shen Huai yesterday, had kept striking — nearly crippling him.
And now…
He could feel it plainly — a thin, deliberate thread of killing intent radiating from the man’s body.
‘The Luo clan, then…’
County Magistrate Luo Changming was the Luo family’s greatest backer.
Yesterday in the grove, he had given Luo Wancheng a taste of discipline. Today on the platform, the yamen’s own enforcer had come for his head.
Shen Xiuhan’s expression didn’t change. Eyes lowered, he murmured inwardly.
‘Intelligence!’
Before his vision, phantom golden text cascaded like a waterfall.
【Today’s Intelligence has refreshed!】
【Intelligence 1: Guan Wandao. Sinew Tempering realm, four of five major sinews opened. Family arts: the Guan Clan’s Eighteen Paths of Life-Reaping Mad Saber at Full Mastery; Yin-Returning Finger at Initial Mastery. Personality: cruel and cold-blooded; long-time Luo family enforcer specializing in silencing witnesses and disposing of dirty work. This man has been ordered by Luo Wancheng to cripple your cultivation and take your life during the feast! Upon completion, he has been promised a Zhengyang Aperture-Transforming Pill — a Hidden Strength breakthrough elixir of considerable value.】
‘Just as I thought…’
Shen Xiuhan came to a slow halt at the center of the platform. His blue robe stirred in the lake wind. Inside, killing intent took root and grew.
‘So that’s how it is, Guan Wandao. That’s how it is, Luo Wancheng.’
‘Yesterday I deliberately held back and let you off easy. You didn’t learn a thing — and now you dare send someone after me. Fine. Since the lesson didn’t stick, I’ll make sure this one does.’
At that moment, Wang Youjun’s bark crashed down like a thunderbolt.
“Fight!”
ZHENG!
Guan Wandao’s saber cleared the scabbard.
The blade’s edge screeched against the sheath-mouth in a long, shrill wail.
Like a ghost’s cry. Like a wolf’s howl.
He stomped. Boards splintered. Both hands locked around the hilt, and he charged at Shen Xiuhan — a maddened tiger in full fury.