Conspiracy

Hearing this, Shen Xiuhan's heart skipped a beat.

Fortunately, at that moment, Shen Xiuhan caught a glimpse of Luo Tangyin and Ding Qing walking over out of the corner of his eye. He quickly lowered his voice and said,

“There is no need for that, Brother Xiao. It was just a minor conflict...”

Luo Wancheng was still a Luo, after all.

Just as Ji Zhong had said, giving him a lesson was fine.

But if someone was killed... it would be difficult to resolve the aftermath.

Xiao Wu merely nodded seriously, his gaze sincere.

“If you need help, you can use the 『Four Seas Heart-Linking Disc』 to send me a message. I will definitely not refuse.”

Her heart skipped a beat, Shen Xiuhan pursed his lips, cupped his fists, and said with genuine gratitude,

“Thanks, Brother Xiao.”

Xiao Wu shook his head with a smile and patted his shoulder.

“No need for formalities. I don't have many friends, but as long as you are someone I recognize as a brother, I will always treat you with complete sincerity!”

As they spoke, Xiao Wen also walked over, respectfully cupping his fists in greeting.

“Greetings, Senior Brother Shen.”

Feeling the blood qi surging within him, Shen Xiuhan praised,

“Your foundation is very stable, not bad... Have you reached the Great Accomplishment of blood qi?”

“Senior Brother has a good eye...”

Xiao Wen scratched his head, revealing a bashful smile as he said sheepishly,

“I've just entered the Great Accomplishment. I'm still far behind you, Senior Brother...”

After they chatted for a few moments, Luo Tangyin and Ding Qing arrived.

This young lady of the Luo family was indeed stunningly beautiful, with skin like jade and brows like distant mountains. Her cold, elegant aura was so intimidating that people hardly dared to look at her directly.

The moment she approached, Ji Yao immediately felt a surge of hostility. She instinctively puffed out her chest and stared at her warily.

Luo Tangyin did not even bat an eye. Without stopping her steps, she simply called out to Xiao Wu,

“Brother Xiao... let's go. The time for the martial feast is almost here.”

Xiao Wu responded and followed her lead alongside Xiao Wen.

As they passed each other, Ding Qing paused slightly and whispered rapidly,

“Junior Brother, Luo Wancheng has been assigned to Mingjin Group B. Be careful if you run into him! That man is ruthless and capable of anything.”

With that, she did not linger either and hurriedly caught up with them.

Only after Xiao Wu and the others left did Ji Xue's heart finally settle.

She raised her sleeve to wipe the fine sweat from her brow, a wave of lingering fear washing over her.

If Shen Xiuhan had not been with them today, heaven only knew what kind of unbearable ordeal she and her sister would have suffered.

At this thought, Ji Xue curtsied deeply, bending her waist as she said sincerely,

“Thank you, Senior Brother, for stepping in to protect us. If you hadn't been here, Yao'er and I... would have suffered unimaginable consequences.”

Ji Yao also quickly followed suit with a curtsy, her voice crisp,

“Thank you, Senior Brother!”

Shen Xiuhan waved his hand and said calmly, “It is nothing. It was merely my duty.”

By now, the sun was gradually approaching its zenith. The faint sound of drums echoed from outside the forest, one beat after another.

Shen Xiuhan paused, looked up at the sky, and said,

“Let's go... The flag-consecration ceremony of the martial feast is over, and the tournament should be starting.”

With that, he took the lead and strode out of the forest.

The Ji sisters followed closely behind him.

Seeing that no one was paying him any attention, Wen Beng's face turned pale and then flushed red. He hesitated on the spot for a moment, but ultimately gritted his teeth and followed them with a thick face.

He refused to give up, sidling up to Ji Xue and muttering endlessly as he tried to find a dignified excuse for his cowardice earlier.

However, neither of the girls spared him even a glance, leaving him to awkwardly perform his one-man show.

...

Stepping out of the forest, a vast lake wind rushed over them.

By the shores of Cloudwater Lake, a dense crowd of people formed a dark sea, the clamor reaching its absolute peak.

Various flags fluttered and snapped in the wind, embroidered with the insignia of different martial arts halls and families.

On the spectator stands, four rows of grandmaster chairs were completely filled.

At the very front, four Huajin experts sat as steady as mountains. Their auras were as deep as abysses and as majestic as peaks, making it impossible for anyone to look at them directly.

The three rows behind them were occupied by the influential clans and nobles of both Changyun and Changshui counties.

They either conversed in low voices or sipped tea, their gazes sweeping toward the arena from time to time.

When it reached three quarters past the hour of Wu, three loud clangs of a gong echoed, shaking the entire area.

Wang Youjun, the chief escort leader of the Zhendong Escort Agency and an Anjin expert, stood at the edge of the arena, his voice booming like a great bell,

“The Longxiang Martial Feast officially begins!”

“First match: Tu Shan of Changshui County's Changfeng Martial Arts Hall versus Yang Zhaoting of Changyun County's Yang family with his 'Chuanbu Fist'! Let the match begin!”

As soon as the words fell, two figures leaped onto the arena.

Right from the start, Tu Shan executed the 『Changfeng Palm』 in a dazzling display. Palm shadows flew everywhere as he launched an incredibly fierce offensive.

Yang Zhaoting, however, remained as steady as a monolith, his feet seemingly rooted to the stage.

He used a simple and unadorned set of 『Chuanbu Fist』 to guard his vitals tightly, deflecting every attack with seamless precision.

After more than twenty exchanges, Tu Shan failed to break through. His breathing grew ragged, and a minor flaw appeared in his footwork.

Yang Zhaoting's eyes lit up instantly. Instead of dodging, he took a feint palm strike head-on. Grunting, he channeled all his force into his right fist and slammed it heavily into Tu Shan's chest!

Tu Shan sprayed a mouthful of blood into the air and was sent flying backward, crashing at the edge of the arena. He struggled twice but could no longer get up.

Wang Youjun swept a cold glance over the blood on the ground, his voice like iron,

“First match, Yang Zhaoting of the 'Chuanbu Fist', wins!”

In the next breath, the spectating commoners erupted into cheers. Whistles rose one after another like a surging tide.

“Beautiful!”

“Well fought!”

“As expected of Great Escort Leader Yang! His 『Chuanbu Fist』 is incredibly solid. He is truly hard to match among Mingjin martial artists!”

“Dad, I want to learn Escort Leader Yang's fist technique!”

A young child riding on his father's shoulders shouted, drawing a round of chuckles from the surrounding crowd.

By the arena, Wang Youjun paid absolutely no attention to the surrounding clamor.

Once the servants came up with rags and buckets to wipe the bloodstains clean, he barked out in a deep voice once more,

“Silence!”

“Second match: Xiang Yunting of Changyun's Mei Family Martial Arts Hall versus Qi Hai of Changshui County's Black Wind Fist Hall! Let the match begin!”

Shen Xiuhan's gaze shifted, looking over with a trace of anticipation.

His Third Senior Brother, Xiang Yunting, remained expressionless. Amidst the cheers of the Mei Courtyard disciples, he tapped his toes and drifted into the arena as light as a swallow.

In contrast, Qi Hai walked onto the stage slowly, his face filled with wariness.

He had clearly heard of the Mei Courtyard's reputation, and his heart was already filled with trepidation, making his movements constrained and hesitant.

In less than seven or eight exchanges, Xiang Yunting spotted a flaw, shot out a long claw, and locked onto Qi Hai's throat, holding back his force just enough.

Qi Hai's face turned deathly pale. He raised his hands high and pleaded repeatedly,

“I yield! I yield!”

“Second match, Xiang Yunting of Changyun's Mei Family Martial Arts Hall, wins!”

A slight smile touched the corner of Shen Xiuhan's mouth, and he felt a bit relieved.

Xiang Yunting had already tempered his four main bones to great perfection and was not far from Tendon Tempering.

He had also trained his 『Heavenly Mystic Eagle Force』 to Great Accomplishment. Unless he faced a peak Mingjin expert, it would be very difficult to defeat him.

Having started off on a high note, Xiang Yunting was also quite excited.

After stepping down, he chatted and laughed with his fellow disciples.

But before long, he could no longer laugh.

“Eighth match: Shen Huai of Changyun's Mei Family Martial Arts Hall versus Guan Wandao, the leader of the county magistrate's office's militia squad! Let the match begin!”

Guan Wandao was just as his name suggested—his face was cold and sharp like a carved blade, and the long saber in his hand gleamed with a piercing, cold light under the blazing sun.

Though Shen Huai was skilled in claw techniques, Guan Wandao was a genuine Tendon Tempering expert whose blade techniques had long reached a seamless, impenetrable level.

He started with a few feints to gauge Shen Huai's capabilities, then stopped holding back.

His heavy saber swept out, the wind of the blade whistling and forcing Shen Huai to retreat in a flurry.

Within ten slashes, Shen Huai's body was already marked with several bleeding wounds.

Resentment flared in his eyes as he gritted his teeth and forced himself to endure.

Seeing Shen Huai stubbornly resisting, Guan Wandao let out a furious roar and slashed diagonally, forcing Shen Huai's guard wide open. He then swept his weapon around, slamming the hilt of his saber heavily into Shen Huai's Shenting acupoint!

Shen Huai's mind went instantly blank. His eyes rolled back as his body went limp, sliding down against the hemp ropes at the edge of the arena.

Yet, Guan Wandao had no intention of stopping.

Sinking his right shoulder, he gathered his full force and charged like a raging bull ramming a mountain, slamming directly into the chest of the unconscious Shen Huai.

Shen Huai spat out a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying. He crashed heavily onto the ground and rolled twice, his life or death uncertain.

Nearby, the disciples of the Mei Courtyard swarmed forward like madmen, scrambling to lift Shen Huai up.

Some cried out in panic, while others glared furiously at Guan Wandao on the stage.

All around them, the commoners let out gasps of amazement.

“What a fast blade!”

“As expected of the county magistrate's office's squad leader! With such a divine constable watching over us, the commoners can truly feel at ease!”

“Leader Guan is incredible!”

On a distant high slope, Luo Wancheng witnessed this scene. He waved his hand, gesturing for his lackey to lean in close, and whispered a few words.

The lackey nodded repeatedly before turning and leaving in a hurry.

Before long, Guan Wandao walked briskly over to Luo Wancheng.

“Third Young Master.”

Guan Wandao pressed his hand against his saber and bowed.

Luo Wancheng wanted to return the gesture, but his left wrist joint was swollen and painful. Not wanting anyone else to know, he merely nodded slightly. Looking at the distant back of a figure, he asked coldly,

“Leader Guan, how many main tendons have you opened by now?”

Guan Wandao quickly replied,

“To answer Third Young Master, your subordinate has opened four main tendons. Only the Yangqiao has not been cleared yet, and I am currently seeking a breakthrough.”

“Very good.”

Luo Wancheng nodded with satisfaction. He pointed his hand toward the green-robed figure in the arena, his gaze as sinister as a serpent,

“Do you see that kid?”

Guan Wandao raised his eyes to look.

He sized Shen Xiuhan up, noting his appearance, build, and stance before testing the waters,

“Young Master's meaning is...?”

A thick murderous intent flashed through Luo Wancheng's eyes, and he snorted coldly,

“Tomorrow, you will face this person. Once you get the chance, cripple him for me. Do not hold back, regardless of whether he lives or dies!”

Guan Wandao's eyes narrowed slightly.

He had served in the county magistrate's office for many years and had handled plenty of shady, underhanded business for the Luo family.

Killing or crippling someone was like a routine meal to him.

Looking at Shen Xiuhan's excessively youthful face, he sneered and whispered,

“Do not worry, Young Master. This person looks young and has likely never seen blood. You only need to give me his background... If he falls under my blade tomorrow, I will surely show him what the martial world is truly like!”

“Haha, excellent!”

Luo Wancheng let out a sinister laugh and gestured for Guan Wandao to lean in close.

Then, word by word, he relayed the details he had just gathered regarding Shen Xiuhan's martial arts style.