Victory Within Ten Moves, or I Lose!

The moment Grandfather finished speaking, the private room fell into a strange silence. Third Uncle and Fourth Uncle lowered their heads, unconsciously fiddling with their wine cups. Clearly, they had known about this decision all along.

Father's face went pale, his lips trembling slightly. "Dad, Xiaojue is your grandson too. He's learning martial arts as well."

"Back then, my old leader assessed the grandsons. Guowei had the best talent and was the most likely to become a martial artist!"

"But Xiaojue's talent may not be worse than Guowei's. In the last final assessment, he ranked in the seven hundreds too!"

"Xiaojue ranked in the seven hundreds too?"

Grandfather could hardly believe it. The grandson he had never paid attention to had actually achieved such a result?

East City Martial School had over three thousand students preparing to take the Martial Arts Examination. Ranking in the seven hundreds was enough to enter those Third-rate Martial Arts Schools for further study.

Thinking of this, he could not help turning his gaze toward Lu Guowei.

Lu Guowei scratched his head, somewhat unable to meet his eyes.

"Yes, Grandfather. Lu Jue ranked eight places below me."

"Isn't that still eight places lower? Guowei's talent is definitely better than Lu Jue's. He must have been slacking off before. During this final month, the whole family will supervise his martial arts training. We have to make sure he gets good results in the Martial Arts Examination!"

Hearing this, Lu Jue, who had been lowering his head and concentrating on the food before him, slowly put down his chopsticks.

He raised his head. No joy or anger showed on his face, but his eyes were so calm that they made one's heart turn cold.

If Grandfather merely wanted to pour all his own resources into Lu Guowei, Lu Jue would have had nothing to say. That was an elder's freedom, and he had no right to interfere.

But what they intended to take now was the meager savings his father had earned through blood and sweat!

It was the last hope supporting his path of martial arts, money his father had saved by scrimping and squeezing every last drop from between his teeth!

Why!?

Just because they could bask in the glory later?

What a joke!

When his mother had fallen ill, Grandfather and Uncle's family had not lent them a single cent. Only Third Uncle and Fourth Uncle's families had secretly given them some emergency money.

Uncle's family clearly enjoyed all of Grandfather's favoritism and resources, yet they still wanted to stretch out their hands for their last bit of life-saving money!

This was no ordinary tilt in resource allocation. This was naked plunder!

Martial cultivation had never been about hosting guests for dinner, nor was it about being gentle, respectful, thrifty, and yielding!

Resources, opportunities, prospects—which of them had not been fought for and snatched away?

Fight one's own kind for a sliver of opportunity! Fight disaster beasts for a place to survive! Fight heaven and earth for a chance to change one's fate!

"Fight"—that was the most primal hue of the martial path!

Forbearance and retreat would not earn respect, much less a future!

At that moment, unprecedented clarity and resolve flashed in Lu Jue's eyes.

He slowly rose to his feet, standing straight as a pine. His calm gaze swept across the relatives at the main table, each wearing a different expression, before finally settling on Grandfather's face.

"Grandfather, I think it's absurd to talk only about talent. Why don't Cousin and I have a fair match right here, in front of all the elders? Whoever wins gets the Lineage's support. Whoever loses gives up martial arts. What do you think?"

The entire table was shocked!

"Xiaojue! How can you speak to Grandfather like that?!" Father was the first to react. Pale-faced, he tried to pull his son back.

A flicker of panic passed through Lu Guowei's eyes. He had always believed himself superior, and at school he had almost no contact with Lu Jue.

Though he ranked eight places higher, the confidence Lu Jue displayed now made him feel uneasy.

"This... this wouldn't be fair, would it? Two hours ago, I sparred with some classmates from the training class. My blood and qi haven't settled yet, and I'm somewhat exhausted."

Lu Jue answered without hesitation, "That's fine! This afternoon, tonight—pick any time you want. I'll accompany you!"

After saying that, he stepped forward. The aura around him suddenly turned sharp.

"Or—let's keep it simple! Ten moves! Within ten moves!"

"If I can't defeat you, then I lose! How about it?"

Lu Jue's words struck the ground like iron, echoing through the private room.

"Xiaojue, have you lost your mind? Tell me, did you secretly drink baijiu just now?!" Sweat beaded on Father's forehead as he anxiously stepped forward and grabbed Lu Jue's arm. Yet he found his son standing as firm as a boulder; his little strength could not shake him in the slightest!

"Dad, I didn't drink. I'm very clear-headed! Clearer than I've ever been!" Lu Jue turned his head, his gaze calm. Father's heart suddenly trembled, and his gripping hand unconsciously loosened.

"Haha, Second Brother, it's normal for young people to have a little fire in their blood. As elders, we should give them this chance!" Seeing this, Uncle immediately stepped out to smooth things over, though the gloating in his tone was hard to conceal.

No one on Third Uncle or Fourth Uncle's side practiced martial arts, and they had already reached an agreement. The only variable was Second Brother's side.

Now that Lu Jue himself had proposed settling victory and defeat in ten moves, it was simply exactly what Uncle wanted!

Even if you, Lu Jue, really ranked in the seven hundreds, you were only on the same level as our Guowei.

For competitors on the same level, deciding victory and defeat within ten moves?

Who are you looking down on!

"Ten moves—you said it yourself!" Only then did Lu Guowei recover. The panic on his face was swiftly replaced by irrepressible excitement.

Among opponents of the same level, victory and defeat were already difficult to predict. To decide it within ten moves was harder still!

"Everyone heard it! Ten moves! We'll do exactly as he said! If he can't beat me within ten moves, he loses! He'll voluntarily give up martial arts—he said it with his own mouth!"

As soon as the words fell, Uncle and Aunt, as if afraid Lu Jue might regret it, immediately stood and cleared away the tea set in the private room, making a space barely large enough for two people to fight.

"Wait." Lu Jue's voice was not loud, yet it clearly overrode the rustling discussions in the room.

"What, don't tell me you want to go back on your word? You already blustered it out! In Young Master Guo Chun's words, 'Bragging is like spilled water—you can't scoop it back up.' Want to take it back now? Too late!"

Lu Guowei immediately shouted loudly, afraid that the duck already in his mouth would fly away. Uncle and Aunt stopped what they were doing, their gazes tense.

Lu Jue ignored them and merely fixed his eyes on Grandfather's face.

Ever since he had proposed deciding victory and defeat in ten moves, Grandfather had sat there with a dark expression, saying nothing.

Lu Jue knew it perfectly well—if Grandfather did not acknowledge it now, then even if he knocked Lu Guowei flat within ten moves, Uncle's family could simply refuse to honor the agreement. He might not get any benefit at all!

"Grandfather, you are an elder of the Lu family. Today's match concerns both my cousin's and my martial futures. It also concerns the direction in which the Lineage's future resources will be invested. This is a matter of great importance. I boldly ask that you personally bear witness and determine the victor!"

"Of course, the rules remain unchanged. If I cannot defeat Cousin within ten moves, I lose. I will voluntarily give up martial arts, and our family's share of resources will all be folded into the Lineage's provision for Cousin. The same applies to Cousin's side!"

Lu Jue's words were orderly and airtight. First he showed respect to his elder, then set the tone, and finally restated the rules.

At last, Grandfather's wrinkled eyelids lifted slightly. His gaze lingered for a moment on Lu Jue's young yet extraordinarily calm face.

There was scrutiny in that gaze, probing, and a trace of indescribable complexity.

He had scraped by in the Scavenger Team for two years. His breadth of vision was not something ordinary people could compare with.

He had seen every reaction from Guowei and Lu Jue just now. His eldest grandson was impetuous and arrogant; his second grandson steady and ruthless. The difference between them was obvious at a glance.

But both their rankings were around the seven hundreds, and Guowei had even attended a martial arts training class over winter break. Even if Lu Jue was stronger in actual combat, Grandfather absolutely did not believe he could decide victory and defeat within ten moves!

After pondering for a moment, he nodded.

"Fine. The rules will be as you said. Ten moves will be the limit. Begin!"