I Have Someone in Mind

The students of Tiger Might Martial Arts School, whether in the front courtyard or the rear courtyard, trained with distracted minds.

Their gazes kept drifting toward the reception hall.

Ever since Xiongying Martial Arts School had delivered its Challenge Letter, hall masters from other martial halls had been arriving with people in tow.

One group came, another left. It was as lively as a marketplace.

This left the students with no heart for training. They gathered from time to time to discuss the challenge three days away. Some were excited, while others were worried.

"Do you think we can beat Xiongying Martial Arts School?"

"Hard to say! Didn't you see Senior Brother Miao lose? That Tie Ying is really formidable. The pressure of his Eagle Claw was so overwhelming I could barely breathe!"

"Didn't you watch TV? Xiongying Martial Arts School has five generals: tiger, leopard, eagle, wolf, and fox. Wang Hu is the strongest among them and has already reached Late Hidden Strength. Even Zheng Bao is at mid-stage Dark Force, while Senior Brother Feng is only at mid-stage Dark Force. There's no comparison!"

"Then aren't we just walking into a beating?"

"What are you afraid of? Isn't Master still holding down the fort? Would he be afraid of Wei Zhendong?"

"That's right! Back then, Master swept through thirty-eight martial halls in Yunyang. Wei Zhendong definitely won't be his match!"

"That's hard to say too! Master is already fifty, while Wei Zhendong is only forty, right at the peak of his strength. Master would be at a disadvantage fighting him!"

Everyone fell silent for a moment. There was truth in the saying that fists feared the young and strong.

Although martial arts practice could prolong one's life, there were limits to that.

Before surpassing the normal bounds of humanity, decline at fifty was only natural. Only after reaching the Prenatal realm would one's lifespan increase noticeably, making it possible to live to a hundred.

That was why they were worried.

If Guan Lie lost, the future of the martial hall would be uncertain. Where would they go to learn martial arts then?

Fang Mo never joined the others' discussions. He silently practiced his fists and held his stance, as though none of it affected him in the slightest.

At that moment, Guan Lie sat in the seat of honor, with a man seated across from him.

The man was in his forties. He wore Black Gold Glasses, a black suit, and a gold tie, looking like a businessman.

Guan Lie looked at the business card in his hand. It read: General Manager of Shenfeng Martial Arts School, Chen Yanfeng. He understood who the other party was and set the card down with a faint smile.

"President Chen, what brings you here?"

President Chen set down his teacup and smiled faintly. "One does not visit the Three Treasures Hall without a reason. I came to solve Hall Master Guan's troubles!"

"Troubles?"

Guan Lie smiled. "I don't know what troubles I have. Please enlighten me, President Chen."

Chen Yanzhong said with a smile:

"Does Hall Master Guan have absolute confidence in the match three days from now?"

Guan Lie said evenly, "What is President Chen trying to say?"

"As far as I know, among Hall Master Guan's disciples, your eldest disciple Feng Qingyuan is at mid-stage Dark Force, while your second disciple Miao Ping has only just entered Dark Force, correct?"

Chen Yanzhong leaned forward slightly, his eyes boring into Guan Lie. "Meanwhile, at Xiongying Martial Arts School, their eldest disciple Zhang Hu is at Late Hidden Strength, their second disciple Zheng Bao is at mid-stage Dark Force, and though their third disciple Tie Ying has only just entered Dark Force, your second disciple Miao Ping is no match for him!"

"With the strength of these disciples under you, there is simply no hope at all. What do you think, Hall Master Guan?"

Guan Lie's eyes flickered slightly before he said calmly:

"President Chen knows a great deal about our martial hall. So, does President Chen have a solution?"

Chen Yanzhong smiled faintly, leaned back in his chair, and said in a relaxed manner:

"Of course there is a solution. Such a difficult matter is nothing to us. The question is whether Hall Master Guan agrees!"

"Let's hear it!"

Guan Lie said calmly.

Chen Yanzhong opened the briefcase at his side, took out three dossiers, and handed them over.

"Hall Master Guan, take a look at these first!"

Guan Lie accepted them. They were dossiers on three people: one at Late Hidden Strength, one at mid-stage Dark Force, and one at Peak Manifesting Strength. From their battle records, it was clear just how powerful the three were.

"Hall Master Guan, what do you think of having these three join the martial hall and become your disciples?"

Chen Yanfeng asked with a smile.

Guan Lie remained impassive and set the dossiers down. "President Chen is putting in such effort. We do not have that kind of friendship, do we?"

"Of course!"

Chen Yanfeng lightly tapped the three dossiers with his fingers and said:

"We can become friends! As long as Hall Master Guan agrees to become a Chen Family Protector and serve as the Head Coach of our Shenfeng Martial Arts School, these three will join your martial hall tonight!"

A faint mockery appeared on Guan Lie's face at those words. Sure enough, there was no such thing as a free lunch.

He pushed the dossiers back and said calmly:

"I'm sorry, President Chen, but I am old. I have no desire to become another family's protector. As for the match with Xiongying Martial Arts School, there is no need for President Chen to concern himself. We will handle it ourselves!"

The smile on Chen Yanfeng's face faded slightly, and he looked somewhat surprised. "Hall Master Guan, becoming a protector of my Chen Family would hardly diminish you, would it? And the salary our Chen Family offers is not low. If Hall Master Guan is dissatisfied with anything, we can discuss it further!"

Guan Lie smiled faintly and said:

"There is nothing I'm dissatisfied with. I am simply old, with the will but not the strength. President Chen, please have some tea!"

Chen Yanfeng abruptly stood up, his face darkening. "This would not cause Hall Master Guan any loss. On the contrary, you would gain both fame and profit. Must you insist on being defeated by Xiongying Martial Arts School and letting Tiger Might Martial Arts School close down?"

Guan Lie said calmly:

"I am old. I have no thoughts of fame or profit anymore. As for whether Tiger Might Martial Arts School will close down, it is far too early to say!"

Chen Yanfeng's expression shifted several times. Only after a while did he regain his composure and say:

"Hall Master Guan, consider it carefully! You still have two days. I will await good news!"

"See the guest out!"

Guan Lie did not rise. Holding his teacup, he spoke calmly.

Feng Qingyuan immediately walked over, stood at the doorway, and gestured with one hand.

"This way!"

Chen Yanfeng was taken aback, and his expression turned unpleasant. Still, he said nothing more, picked up his bag, turned, and left.

"What do you think, Senior Brother?"

Guan Lie calmly asked as he watched Chen Yanfeng's departing back.

A figure emerged from the rear hall, dressed in a gray long robe. Who else could it have been but Xie Changmin? He watched Chen Yanfeng leave.

"Someone from the Chen Family?"

"Yes!"

Guan Lie nodded.

Xie Changmin nodded faintly. "You did the right thing. This is clearly a struggle among the Five Families of Yunyang. Do not get involved. No matter who wins or loses, it has nothing to do with us!"

"The Qin Family is no good, and this Chen Family is no better. They want to rob a burning house, dreaming of taking me in as a protector of their Chen Family. Does the Chen Family even deserve it?"

Rare anger appeared on Guan Lie's face.

As a martial artist, he had his own pride. At Peak Hua Jin, he had already stepped into the ranks of experts. He would be welcomed anywhere. If he had wanted to join a faction, he would have done so long ago. Would he need to consider some insignificant Chen Family of Yunyang?

"Then what are your plans for the match?"

Xie Changmin looked at Guan Lie, his expression somewhat grave. "I watched Tie Ying fight today. Though he has only just entered Dark Force, his foundation is very solid, and his combat experience is abundant. It is as though he has gone through quite a few real battles. In that regard, Miao Ping truly falls far short!"

"This is something I overlooked. All these years, I only taught cultivation. I truly did not pay enough attention to my disciples' lack of actual combat experience!"

"There is no point saying that now!"

Xie Changmin looked at Guan Lie. "Both sides agreed on three matches: Strength Training, Ming Jin, and Dark Force. What are your thoughts?"

Guan Lie pondered for a moment before saying:

"For Dark Force, let Feng Qingyuan take the field! His style is steady, so he should have a chance. For Ming Jin, let Yang Yunxing go. As for the Strength Training Realm, I have yet to decide!"

He stood and walked to the doorway, looking over the disciples training in the courtyard as his gaze swept across them.

"I originally considered that girl Chu Silin, but after seeing Xiongying Martial Arts School's fighting style, I'm afraid she won't do. That leaves only Chen Song, Wang Qing, and Liu Shiwu!"

"Father, the three of them won't do. I have someone in mind!"

At that moment, a voice rang out. Guan Lu appeared in the hall.