Gao Junmo smiled and waved his hand, then said to Xu Yi, "Don't take offense. He's just a blunt sort. By the way, I haven't introduced them yet. These three are the three White-uniformed Captains of Guang'an City, and my most capable aides. The portly one is Qi Baihan, the wiry one is Song Peilin, and the blunt one is Li Zhongshu."
"Yi Xu, earlier you said the Patrol Division had wronged you. But I, Gao Junmo, am not the sort to let my subordinates suffer. I've already spoken to the Black Dragon Hall. They'll have only three chances to challenge you. As long as you survive all three bouts, if the Black Dragon Hall dares make another move against you, my Patrol Division will take over from there. And if you make it through all three rounds, I have a White uniform to give you!"
"Commander!" "Director!" Qi Baihan, Song Peilin, and Li Zhongshu cried out in unison. Director Gao swept his hand through the air. "Enough. I came down from the capital to Guang'an more than two years ago. When have I ever seen a constable dare kill in the name of the Great Yue King's Law? Yi Xu has rendered great service to the Patrol Division. Those who serve deserve rewards. And if Yi Xu can survive three rounds in the Death Arena, that will prove his skill is extraordinary. What's one mere White uniform? Why shouldn't he wear it?"
Before the three could object again, Xu Yi cupped his hands and said, "I won't disappoint you, Director!" He was secretly overjoyed. How could he not know that the White uniforms were the official garments worn by the three men before him? Gold, purple, black, white, and blue—the Great Yue Royal Court ranked its security forces by these five colors.
At present, Xu Yi wore a uniform of the lowest rank, an ungraded black uniform. If he was promoted to a White uniform, he would leap two ranks at once and stand alongside the three high-ranking, powerful captains of the Patrol Division before him.
"All right. The decisive battle is close. Go and rest up. I'll be cheering you on from above!" Gao Junmo patted Xu Yi on the shoulder and personally escorted him to the door.
Just as Xu Yi was being summoned by Gao Junmo, Jiang Shaohuan was pacing anxiously in another private room.
With a creak, the ornate carved doors swung open, and two men entered. The one on the left was exceptionally burly, a full nine feet tall. He wore a fitted suit of golden armor, his long hair hanging loose behind his head. His gaze was sinister, his expression fierce, and he looked down on everyone around him. He was Gao Pan, vice hall master of the Black Dragon Hall's Baima Branch Hall and Xu Yi's opponent in the arena. The other man was lean, dressed in a green robe and square cap, with a paper fan in hand—a scholar in appearance. He was Ma Wensheng, chief strategist of the Black Dragon Hall's main hall.
The moment the two stepped inside, Jiang Shaohuan rushed over in two strides. He gave Ma Wensheng a grateful look, then rounded on Gao Pan. "Why did you keep avoiding me when I asked to meet you several times? Yet you only agreed to come when Master Ma got involved. Do I, Jiang Shaohuan, even count as your superior?"
Gao Pan had been sent from the main hall to the Baima Branch Hall. He had been in the post for only two months and was essentially a peg driven into the branch by the main hall. With his powerful backing, Gao Pan had never paid much heed to his superior, Jiang Shaohuan.
Jiang Shaohuan had planned to fight Xu Yi himself in this decisive battle, beat him, and take the pouch at his waist, then quietly pocket the iron essence. Who could have known that Gao Pan was so eager for a fight that he had reported to the main hall in advance, completely wrecking Jiang Shaohuan's perfect scheme?
What was worse, Jiang Shaohuan now had to worry about whether Gao Pan would win. Because of his unlucky son, the Black Dragon Hall's reputation in Guang'an Prefecture had already taken a hit. If Gao Pan failed to kill Yi Xu in a single battle, the Black Dragon Hall would become a laughingstock—and Jiang Shaohuan, as the one who had started it all, would certainly suffer for it.
If he had never met Xu Yi, Jiang Shaohuan would naturally have assumed Gao Pan's victory was certain. But he had personally dealt with Xu Yi the day before and had seen for himself how utterly Xu Yi disregarded the Black Dragon Hall. If Xu Yi had merely been a witless brute, Jiang Shaohuan might not have worried. But in their clash yesterday, Xu Yi had swallowed him whole, skin and bones. Jiang Shaohuan had lost only in words, but that alone had shown Xu Yi's methods. A man like that wouldn't unleash a killing intent so recklessly without being sure of himself.
So Jiang Shaohuan was worried about the coming battle and wanted to find Gao Pan and give him a few words of advice. But Gao Pan was so arrogant that he didn't even consider Jiang Shaohuan worth acknowledging. He kept avoiding him, and it was only after Jiang Shaohuan asked Ma Wensheng to intervene that he managed to lure Gao Pan over.
Now that they were face-to-face, a burst of anger flared in Jiang Shaohuan. "Mr. Wensheng, you didn't ask me here just so Gao could listen to Hall Master Jiang throw his weight around, did you?" Gao Pan didn't even glance at Jiang Shaohuan. He looked straight at Ma Wensheng.
Ma Wensheng snapped his folding fan shut and smiled. "We're all on the same side. With a formidable enemy at hand, we should stand together. Hall Master Gao, Hall Master Jiang is your superior. The Black Dragon Hall's rules are strict, and they place great importance on rank. You should show Hall Master Jiang the proper respect. He asked me to invite you here because there's something important to discuss."
Ma Wensheng had the deep trust of the Black Dragon Hall's overall hall master. However arrogant Gao Pan was, he didn't dare slight him. In a surly tone, he told Jiang Shaohuan to spit it out. Fortunately, Jiang Shaohuan had endured nearly a lifetime's worth of frustration at Xu Yi's hands the day before, and his patience had skyrocketed. He patiently laid out his analysis, naturally leaving out how badly Xu Yi had bested him and making much of Xu Yi's extraordinary martial prowess.
Gao Pan sneered. "I thought it was something important. Hall Master Jiang, I'm not looking down on you, but you've enjoyed wealth and comfort for too long and lost your edge. No wonder the Black Dragon Hall has failed to make any headway in Baima County. I may not be much, but I know that when martial artists contend, victory depends first on skill, then on courage. Whether that fellow surnamed Yi is strong or weak, we'll see what the Soul Severing Spear in my hands has to say. I'm not boasting, but since I left my master, I've never met my match among those of my own realm."
At that, he patted the golden armor on his chest and continued, "What's more, the overall hall master has granted me this magical garment from the Alchemy Hall for this battle. Even if that man had three heads and six arms, I could still twist his head off."
Ma Wensheng stopped Jiang Shaohuan from blowing his top and said gravely, "I have no doubt that Hall Master Gao will win this battle. But Hall Master Jiang's concerns may not be unwarranted. Unless we're certain there can be no mishap, I won't be able to eat or sleep in peace. You both know that this arena battle is the only clash between Body Tempering Peak experts in Guang'an Prefecture in recent years, and it's attracted more attention than expected. The reason for the fight has also been widely publicized, leaving the Black Dragon Hall utterly humiliated and nearly making us the laughingstock of Guang'an..."
Before he could finish, Jiang Shaohuan dropped to one knee, his face full of fear. "This is entirely because I failed to teach my son properly. I beg you, Mr. Wensheng, to report this to the overall hall master. I, Jiang Shaohuan, will accept any punishment."
Gao Pan only sneered. Ma Wensheng helped Jiang Shaohuan to his feet and said, "Your young master may have started this, but he isn't the root of the problem. That lies with Divine Constable Yi. If we don't kill him, the Black Dragon Hall's prestige, built over decades, will be wiped away. Hall Master Gao, it's good that you're confident of victory, but have you considered the consequences if anything goes wrong? You probably don't know that the overall hall master has invested a hundred thousand gold in you this time!"
Before you continue