Lin Taichu nodded. "Mm."
Another short man walked in and sized Lin Taichu up and down. "You don't look like a martial artist. Why are you here joining the excitement? Aren't you afraid of getting beaten flat?"
Lin Taichu did not respond, and the short man did not take offense.
"Let me tell you, this tournament won't be easy. Two masters have been famous for a long time, so you'd better be careful. One is called Zhao Hu. They say he can lift a cauldron with one hand, and his saber skills are formidable. Last year, he drove off a band of mountain bandits in the north. No one could withstand three of his strikes."
"The other is called Li Mo. He uses a flexible sword, and he's absurdly fast. He once sparred with someone, and before his opponent could even see his movements clearly, the tip of his sword was already at their throat."
The tall man added, "It's not just those two. I heard there are quite a few hidden masters too. No one knows where they came from. They may look unremarkable, but they could all be tough opponents."
"I saw someone in Qing Yi at the inn yesterday. With a light pinch of his fingers, he crushed an iron block into powder. Scared the life out of me."
Lin Taichu committed the two names to memory—Zhao Hu and Li Mo. Since so many people were talking about them, they must have real skills. If he faced them, he would have to be especially careful. The two men chatted for a while longer, then left when they saw that Lin Taichu was not much of a talker.
Lin Taichu picked up his trident again and continued practicing. After night fell, he built a fire and roasted the