Huang Shaoxiong lost. His defeat came as no surprise; in fact, even he himself knew that his chances of winning had been vanishingly slim. This result was acceptable.
Qi Hanjang, the victor, was not particularly pleased either. Whether he won one match or two, so long as he could not make it to the final step, he was still a loser. It was only a matter of sooner or later.
"This battle goes to Chief Constable Qi. There were no injuries.
Your Highness, you and Chief Constable Xu will take the field next. I hope you are prepared."
Qu Ping had shed the lewd, mean-spirited look from his face. Now he stood with chest thrust out and back straight, like an ancient tree rooted beneath Heaven's Punishment Platform, weathered by wind and rain—steady and capable.
He first announced the result of the battle, then turned and instructed Li Xian beside Xiang Yang.
At the same time, he held a golden register in his left hand and a wolf-hair brush in his right. With a flick of his wrist, he lightly marked it, and a Celestial Being master had been cut off from any possibility of attaining the position of Divine Constable.
On the platform, Qi Hanjang and Huang Shaoxiong walked down together. They exchanged a glance, then turned their attention to Li Xian and Xu Mutian. Being able to observe a battle between Celestial Beings was itself a form of tempering and improvement.
Without replying, Li Xian merely nodded lightly. He gave Xiang Yang a faint smile, then stepped lightly forward and leaped onto the emerald stone surface of Heaven's Punishment Platform.
His right hand rested against the back of his left hand, while his left palm pressed atop the hilt of the sheathed precious sword planted upright in the