The Wager Begins

"They're here! They're here!"

Someone shouted, and the onlookers all turned to look.

Several riders galloped from the valley entrance, their horses kicking up clouds of dust. At the front rode Li Daotong, Sect Master of the Jiuhua Sect, in a moon-white robe marked at the chest with a sword-shaped lotus. Behind him came Lei Sheng, master of Thunderfire Hall, a burly man with eyes like brass bells. Next was a woman with a crescent moon emblem on her back: the New Moon Envoy of Soup Valley.

Behind those three experts rode Zuo Yunxuan, Sect Master of the Boundless Sword Sect and a Lord Tier powerhouse. Ming King Wang Shuhan followed on horseback with his son Wang Yin.

Apart from Wang Yin, the other five stood at the pinnacle of the Sword Song Plane. Their arrival drew waves of cheers from the assembled martial artists.

The party reached Sword Song Waterfall and looked toward the ranks of Blood God Palace.

Zuo Yunxuan exchanged a few quiet words with Ming King, then urged his horse forward and called out, "Ming King has come as promised! Where is Yin Fei?"

He infused the shout with true qi, sending it ringing through the clouds. Those standing nearby felt their ears tingle.

Among the Blood God Palace crowd, Li Shuyi pursed her lips. "That old man has quite a voice."

Li Shuyi had not been idle these past few days. She had been seeking instruction in swordsmanship from Ying Jianfan. Proud as he was, Ying Jianfan could hardly refuse Bai Xiaowen, the chief steward. Each day, he spent some time teaching Li Shuyi under the guise of sparring.

Under an expert's guidance, Li Shuyi's Swordsmanship Specialty had improved. Unfortunately, the proficiency needed to advance from level eight to level nine was staggering, and she