The Bet

“Well fought!”

“Beautiful!”

“As expected of Senior Brother Shen!!”

After a brief silence, deafening cheers erupted below the arena.

The disciples of the Mei Courtyard cheered and leaped with joy.

The men who had been cheering for Liu San stared at each other, their faces filled with utter disbelief.

On the distant spectator stand.

The aristocratic families, local tycoons, and dignitaries of the two counties whispered among themselves as they witnessed the scene, a flurry of discussion breaking out.

“Defeated just like that?”

“He couldn't even last a single exchange. This kid is incredibly formidable!”

“Hiss... that man must weigh at least two hundred pounds, yet he was kicked dozens of feet away!”

“He looks quite young. Does he have a temporary placement yet?”

“Shen Xiuhan of the Mei Courtyard... I've heard of him. Word has it he crossed into Blood Tempering within a dozen days of joining. He's a genius.”

“It seems he even clashed with the tenth chief of Chenjian Dock before. He's got real skill.”

“I remember now. It seems he went to the Ji Mansion.”

“What a pity! We were a step too late; the Ji family snatched him up.”

Compared to the rowdy crowd in the back rows, the four Huajin experts sitting in the front rarely spoke or offered commentary.

They sat upright in their chairs, their gazes steady, as if the battles on stage were mere child's play.

But witnessing this scene, Colonel Zhenyue, Zhao Zheng, who was clad in heavy armor and sitting on the far left, showed a rare look of appreciation in his eyes.

“Not bad, this kid,” Zhao Zheng praised in a voice as resonant as a great bell. “His skeletal age is under twenty, yet he has already cleared four main tendons. Although he only made two or three moves, one can tell his combat talent is extraordinary. Rare, truly rare.”

Beside him, Wang Zhidao glanced over, then lost interest.

His arrangements this time were solely to curry favor with the Child of Destiny.

Yesterday, he had narrowed it down to three candidates.

They were Jiang Qinghong, Ji Ning, and Xiao Wu.

Especially Xiao Wu!

After sending Wang Xuanyang to test him yesterday, Wang Zhidao had figured out that Xiao Wu had not only stepped into the mid stage of the Anjin Rank, but had also opened five of his nine acupoints!

Such talent was first-rate not just in a tiny place like Changyun County, but even in prefectural or provincial capitals!

Wang Zhidao was almost certain that this person was the Child of Destiny!

Compared to this hidden dragon who was about to soar from the abyss straight into the nine heavens, a mere Mingjin practitioner was simply not worth his attention.

On the other hand, County Magistrate Luo Changming, upon hearing this, picked up a booklet from the table, flipped through it for a moment, and shook his head, saying, “A pity. I am afraid his path forward will not be so smooth.”

“Oh?” Zhao Zheng raised a thick brow, his copper-bell-like eyes turning toward him. “Why does County Magistrate Luo say that?”

Luo Changming picked up his teacup, gently blew on the floating tea leaves, took a sip, and said unhurriedly, “Because... he will soon face the head of my county magistrate's office's militia squad, Guan Wandao.”

“The one who used a saber yesterday?”

“Precisely.”

“Ha!” Zhao Zheng burst into a hearty laugh upon hearing this, his broad frame turning as the plates of his armor clattered loudly. “County Magistrate, just sitting here watching the tournament is a bit too tedious. Why don't the two of us place a wager to liven things up, how about it?”

Luo Changming set down his teacup, his eyes flickering slightly. “What does the Colonel wish to bet?”

“Hehehe, it might be as difficult as climbing to heaven for others, but for the County Magistrate, it is merely a matter of a single word.” Zhao Zheng tapped his finger on the table, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. “I have heard that the County Magistrate has deep ties with the Raging Sea Sect, a great martial sect of the Southern Sea. My eldest son is already with me in the army, so I do not need to worry about him. But my second son is an undisciplined fellow, so I might as well use your connections to secure a future for him.”

Luo Changming smiled upon hearing this and agreed without the slightest hesitation. “A minor matter. However... if the Colonel loses, you must select one of the younger generation of my Luo family to train in your personal guard. How about it?”

“Splendid, it's a deal!” Zhao Zheng slapped his thigh.

Luo Changming stroked his beard and smiled: “In that case, this official shall bet on the head of the militia squad, Guan Wandao, to win.”

“Good! Then I, Zhao, shall bet on...” Zhao Zheng paused mid-sentence, a look of embarrassment crossing his face. Just now, he had only paid attention to the youth's skills and forgotten his name. He opened his mouth now, only to realize he could not recall it.

Right then, a female voice suddenly came from behind: “Shen Xiuhan.”

Zhao Zheng turned around in surprise.

Meeting the scrutinizing gaze of this Longxiang Army Colonel, Mei Shuangfeng nodded slightly, her expression calm: “Please forgive the intrusion, Colonel. Xiuhan is indeed a disciple of my Mei Courtyard.”

“Hahaha! Good!” Zhao Zheng was taken aback for a moment, then clapped his hands and laughed heartily: “So he is Hall Master Mei's disciple! An outstanding teacher produces brilliant disciples. Now I am indeed even more confident...”

He turned his head, his gaze falling on the green-robed figure slowly departing from the edge of the stage, and waved his hand grandly: “This Colonel shall bet on Shen Xiuhan to win!”

...

Shen Xiuhan had no idea that someone had placed a bet on him.

From afternoon to evening, he fought three more consecutive matches.

The further he went, the deeper his opponents' foundations were, and the more ruthless their moves became.

The first opponent only had Bone Tempering cultivation and was knocked off the stage in just two moves.

The second had only cleared one of his main tendons; after holding out for about ten rounds, he was swept off the edge of the stage by Shen Xiuhan's Spear-Thrust Kick.

The third was an expert who had already cleared three of his main tendons. His palm winds were fierce, and he also possessed a movement technique.

Shen Xiuhan had to employ the Heavenly Eagle Wind-Tearing Hand, taking over thirty moves to subdue him.

Fortunately, he had many trump cards. Even against the strongest opponent, he had only been forced to reveal this single martial skill.

His other trump cards remained completely hidden, kept in reserve for later use.

As the setting sun sank in the west, the sky burned a fiery orange. The bloodstains on the arena dried and grew wet again, layer upon layer, emitting a faint metallic stench.

In the blink of an eye, the Mingjin tournament was drawing to a close, with only six people remaining in the arena. Combined with the six from yesterday, there were only twelve remaining in total.

This also meant that winning two more matches would secure him a spot in the top three, earning him a cultivation slot in the Dragon Blood Essence-Infusing Pool!

“Group Twenty-Four, First Match!”

Below the stage, Wang Youjun's cold voice once again echoed through the entire venue: “Guan Wandao, head of the Changyun county magistrate's office's militia squad, versus Shen Xiuhan, inner courtyard disciple of the Mei Family Martial Arts Hall!”

Guan Wandao leaped forward with his saber, landing steadily on the arena.

Clad in black official robes, a cowhide belt wrapped around his waist, and thin-soled swift boots on his feet, his eyes narrowed into slits as he stared at Shen Xiuhan walking up the wooden steps, as if looking at a corpse.

Shen Xiuhan's eyes gleamed with a cold light.

This was the very man who, after defeating Fourth Senior Brother Shen Huai yesterday, had still ruthlessly delivered a heavy blow, nearly crippling him.

And now, he detected a faint trace of killing intent radiating from the man!

Changyun County Magistrate Luo Changming was the Luo family's greatest backer.

Yesterday in the forest, he had meted out a minor punishment to Luo Wancheng. Today, this squad leader from the magistrate's office harbored murderous intent toward him on the stage!

Shen Xiuhan's expression remained unchanged. Lowering his eyes, he thought to himself: Intelligence!

Within his vision, illusory golden characters instantly cascaded down like a waterfall:

【Today's Intelligence has been refreshed!】

【Intelligence 1: Guan Wandao, Tendon Tempering cultivation, has cleared four main tendons. His family's inherited martial skills, 『Guan Family Eighteen Paths Life-Snatching Mad Blade』 is at Great Accomplishment, and 『Returning Yin Finger』 is at Minor Accomplishment. Cruel and indifferent by nature, he has long served as the Luo family's hatchet man, specializing in dirty assassination work. This man has been instructed by Luo Wancheng to cripple your cultivation and take your life during the martial feast! Upon completion, he has been promised a 『Zhengyang Acupoint-Refining Pill』, which is a highly valuable Anjin elixir.】

Shen Xiuhan slowly came to a halt in the center of the arena, his green robes fluttering slightly in the lake breeze as killing intent began to brew in his heart.

Just then, Wang Youjun's shout from below the stage fell like a clap of thunder!

“Begin the match!”

Guan Wandao's long saber unsheathed!

The friction of the blade against the scabbard produced a sharp, prolonged whine, sounding like the wailing of ghosts and the howling of wolves.

Stomping his foot, the wooden planks shattered as he gripped his long saber with both hands, charging at Shen Xiuhan like a frenzied tiger with a furious slash!