Ten Taels of Silver for a Blow in the Ring

"Put your money pouch down first."

Li Zhexian lowered his halted hand to his waist.

"I was just going to check how much money was left."

"There are only three copper coins in it."

"Even so, I need to take a look."

Huo Wu rolled up the notice and tapped him on the back of the hand with it.

"What are you going to pay the registration fee with?"

"Let them beat me first."

"What if you lose?"

"Then I'll go find someone who can beat me."

"That has nothing to do with paying."

"If I lose, I won't need to pay."

Huo Wu looked at him for a while.

"The referee won't believe that either."

Jin Ling, standing at the edge of the square, raised her hand and pointed to a wooden sign beside the registration table.

"The rules are written on it. Registration is free, and you only collect the silver if you win."

Li Zhexian held out an open palm to Huo Wu.

"You can see it now. I don't even need to take out any money."

"You'd better win."

"I'm planning to stand there, not win."

"That's even less reassuring."

The ring was built of wooden planks, with thick ropes around it. The referee sat behind a table, recording the names of the entrants, with a half-eaten bowl of noodles beside him.

Li Zhexian bought a wooden board and borrowed ink and a brush from the referee. He leaned over the table and wrote a few lines.

"Make me feel pain, and earn ten taels of silver."

Huo Wu turned the sign around.

"You've written it backward."

"No, I haven't."

"People below the ring will see the back."

"Then let them come closer to look."

"Once they come closer, the first thing they'll ask is whether you're a swindler."

"I can explain."

"You'd better explain it like a normal person."

Li Zhexian planted the sign beside the ring. Several passersby stopped and gathered around it to read.

"Will this person really give out ten taels of silver?"

"Paying ten taels to have someone beat him up? He must have had too much to drink."

"He doesn't look drunk, but his brain must be damaged."

Li Zhexian raised his hand.

"Anyone willing to step into the ring can proceed according to the rules. The silver will be left with the referee for safekeeping, and we'll settle up after the fight."

A young man in a short jacket walked up in front of him.

"You really want someone to hit you?"

"Come and hit me."

"What if I injure you?"

"I'll take responsibility myself."

"What if I beat you to death?"

"The referee will keep an eye on how hard you strike."

The referee stood up, holding his bowl of noodles.

"That doesn't count. You need to sign a waiver before entering the ring. If anything happens, you can't come after anyone else for it."

"I'll sign."

The referee handed Li Zhexian a sheet of paper.

"Read it carefully before you press your fingerprint on it."

Li Zhexian took the waiver and read it from beginning to end. Only after making sure there were no other traps in it did he press his fingerprint onto it.

Huo Wu came over to his side.

"Are you really planning to give someone ten taels of silver?"

"It's ten taels."

"I'm asking about the money."

"The money is with the referee. If someone can make me feel pain, the silver goes to that person."

"What if they don't?"

"Then they haven't won."

Huo Wu looked at Li Zhexian and thought that he interpreted every rule in whatever way suited him.

"You've changed all the rules."

"You only noticed yesterday?"

Huo Wu glared at him, then turned and stood below the ring.

The young man in the short jacket stepped into the ring. The referee asked him again.

"Are you sure you want to fight?"

"He's already signed."

The referee turned to look at Li Zhexian.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"No attacking the head, and no taking anyone's life."

The young man clenched his fists.

"I heard you."

Li Zhexian stood in the middle of the ring, both hands hanging at his sides.

"Come on."

The young man's fist struck his shoulder, and a golden shield lit up. The shield jolted the young man half a step back, and a ball of white light also fell at Li Zhexian's feet.

The people below the ring began shouting.

"He hid something in his sleeve!"

"It fell out by itself just now."

"Pick it up and let us see!"

The referee held out his arm, keeping the crowd back.

"Step back. No one is allowed to touch anything in the ring."

Li Zhexian bent down and picked up the ball of light. It dispersed, revealing a pill inside.

"It was punched out of that fist just now."

The young man rubbed his numb fist.

"I believe that. My hand is still numb."

Huo Wu walked over to the ring.

"The rules don't say he can't pick up his own things."

A gambler below the ring leaned toward his companion.

"Let's start a betting pool on what color the next thing will be."

"You really believe he can drop something else?"

"Didn't you see that one with your own eyes?"

Li Zhexian put the pill away.

"Next."

This time, a level-thirty Soul Master stepped into the ring. He released his Martial Soul, and wood grain appeared on his arms. His fists were a size larger than the previous man's.

"I'll hit harder."

"That's just what I need."

A fist struck Li Zhexian in the chest. The number on the shield began ticking downward, and a ball of green light rolled to the edge of the ring.

Huo Wu jumped into the ring, bent down, and picked up the ball of light.

"When did you become my bookkeeper?"

"I'm keeping it safe for you."

"You haven't even checked what's inside."

"I already looked. It's a Recovery Pill."

Huo Wu opened the ball of light, but inside was a roll of thin bandages. She glanced at Li Zhexian, then stuffed the bandages into her bag.

"I'll keep this with me for now."

"All right."

A second fist landed on his body, and another ball of green light rolled out.

Huo Wu had just bent down when several people crowded around. Someone craned his neck to look into the ring, and the referee picked up a wooden ruler and rapped it on the table several times.

"If you want to watch, stay outside. You're not allowed in the ring."

Punch after punch landed on Li Zhexian's body. A fist struck his shoulder, and his head tilted to the side.

Huo Wu patted the edge of the ring.

"Don't fall asleep."

"I'm not sleeping."

"Then why didn't you answer just now?"

"I was listening to the things the fists were making."

The referee walked up to Li Zhexian.

"Do you admit defeat?"

"One more."

"You've already taken six blows."

"One more."

The level-thirty Soul Master drew back his fist.

"What exactly are you trying to do?"

"Your blows are light. Keep practicing."

The young man's expression soured.

"You're saying my fists are light?"

"If you didn't hear me clearly, throw another punch."

Huo Wu raised a hand and stopped the young man.

"Aim for his shoulders and chest, not his vital points. If you really hurt him, there'll be no one to pay the silver."

The referee also offered a reminder.

"Follow the rules."

The Soul Master held back some of his strength and punched Li Zhexian in the shoulder again. The shield lit up, and a third ball of green light fell from it.

The people below the ring had already crowded around the betting table.

"Are we starting this pool or not?"

"Bet on whether his next drop will be a ball of blue light."

"How much do we have to bet?"

"Starting at five copper coins."

Huo Wu glanced at the crowd.

"You've drawn half the street over here."

"They want to watch."

"Do you think you're an opera troupe?"

"Opera troupes don't hand out rewards."

A Soul Master who had just been defeated pushed in from the edge of the ring. When Li Zhexian turned around, he raised his fist and attacked his back.

Huo Wu flung out a line of fire between the two of them.

The man stopped his fist.

"He said himself that we could hit him."

"You've already lost the match."

"I haven't hit him enough yet."

"You've already lost, and you still want to stay and keep going?"

The referee called over the people guarding the venue, and they dragged the man out of the ring.

Li Zhexian opened his eyes.

"The balls of light belong to me. You can keep your fists for practice."

The man pointed at him and cursed him a few times, but was eventually driven out of the square.

The sun had already begun to sink in the west by the time Li Zhexian stepped down from the arena. The referee handed Huo Wu ten taels of silver and settled the prize money for the challengers.

Huo Wu weighed the money pouch in her hand a few times, then set aside half of it and tucked it into her waistband.

"This share is for travel expenses."

"All right."

Li Zhexian reached toward the table.

Huo Wu pressed her palm down on the money pouch.

"What are you planning to do with that copper coin?"

"Buy wine."

"The money for today's wine comes out of your half."

"I only wanted to put the copper coin away safely."

"Give it to me."

Li Zhexian could only withdraw his hand.

"We can always earn more money later, but once we miss today's opponents, they'll be gone."

"You certainly know how to use money."

"And you're good at managing it."

"When did I agree to manage your money for you?"

"When you started collecting the orbs of light."

Huo Wu tightened the money pouch.

"Buy less wine."

Jin Ling picked up the register and flipped forward a few pages.

"There's a level-forty Soul Elder here. He just signed his name."

Li Zhexian leaned closer.

"Lu Jun."

"He won't go easy when he strikes."

Jin Ling closed the register.

"Before you get up on the arena, think about how you're going to stop."

Huo Wu stared at Li Zhexian.

"Let's settle on a signal for you to leave the arena first."

"What kind of signal?"

"When I shout stop, you come down from the arena."

"What if he hasn't had enough fighting yet?"

"I'll drag you down."

"Wouldn't that count as a defeat?"

Huo Wu raised one hand, and a flame sprang to life above her palm.

"I can burn you down from there."

Li Zhexian glanced at the flame.

"Then shout stop."

"How many times do I need to shout it?"

"Once."

"Will you be able to hear it?"

"Yes."

Huo Wu asked no more questions and simply retied the bag containing the physique strengthening liquid.

The crowd in the middle parted to make a path.

Lu Jun walked along the path and onto the arena. After giving his name, he revealed his Martial Soul. Soul Rings rose one after another. By the time the fourth Soul Ring floated halfway up, the wooden boards beneath his feet were already cracking.

Several people moved the gambling table farther away, and the spectators likewise retreated beyond the thick rope.

The referee raised his hand.

"Begin."

Soul Power rushed across the arena, and cracks crawled along the wooden boards until they reached Li Zhexian's feet.

Li Zhexian extended a finger and pointed at Lu Jun, who stood opposite him.

"Attack with all your strength right away."