The Life-Death Arena was already bloody and thrilling enough to draw attention. Add in the Pearl Divers' exceedingly unusual status and their ties to the two powerful factions, Iron Mountain Hall and the Sea Shark Gang, and the impending showdown had attracted countless curious—and even gleefully spiteful—onlookers.
Ninth day, early morning. Only one day remained before the Life-Death Arena.
Chen Yue slowly lowered his stance in the courtyard, finishing his final run-through of Treading Mountains and Rivers. His breathing was long and steady, his posture firm. His entire being had been brought to peak condition.
Zhou Jingfeng stood beneath the corridor, stroking his beard and nodding. His face showed undisguised approval and satisfaction. Over the past nine days, Chen Yue's progress had been plain to see—one could even say he had advanced by leaps and bounds, far surpassing Zhou Jingfeng's initial expectations.
"Brother, you're amazing!"
A crisp round of applause came from the corner by the courtyard gate. A small, gaunt girl was clapping her hands with all her might, her little face full of admiration as she watched Chen Yue.
Beside her stood Auntie Li, looking flustered.
Yaya's applause sounded especially loud in the still morning. Auntie Li jumped in fright and hurriedly covered her daughter's mouth, glancing anxiously at Zhou Jingfeng and Chen Yue.
This mother and daughter were the very ones Chen Yue had asked Yu Kan to help bring out of Pearl Village a few days earlier.
After dinner that day, Chen Yue had found Yu Kan and brought up the matter.
He had never forgotten the sight of Auntie Li kneeling at his door with Yaya in her arms, pleading in despair. He also remembered Yaya's heartrending cries.
Li the Third was dead. This widowed mother and her daughter could not survive in Pearl Village. Unable to pay the Pearl Tax, they would sooner or later be forced to their deaths by the Sea Shark Gang or take their own lives. Since he had gained some ability and was about to settle matters with the Sea Shark Gang once and for all, he wanted to lend them a hand.
When Yu Kan heard Chen Yue's request, he agreed almost without hesitation.
Taking two Pearl Households with no one to rely on out of the village and arranging a temporary place for them to stay was no difficult task for Iron Mountain Hall.
He had already seen that Chen Yue's talent and character meant he was no fish in a pond. He was sure to become a pillar of Iron Mountain Hall in the future.
For this promising junior brother, Yu Kan would refuse no request that wasn't too unreasonable or against his principles.
Auntie Li and Yaya had been temporarily settled in the kitchen at the back of Iron Mountain Hall, doing light work such as sweeping and washing. At least they now had a place where they could live and earn their keep.
Zhou Jingfeng stepped up to Chen Yue. His gaze swept over him like lightning, as though he could see the surging blood and condensed strength within his body.
"Chen Yue, with your strength now, Xiong Wu is as good as dead on the Life-Death Arena tomorrow! Remember, show no mercy on the platform. You mustn't show the slightest softheartedness!"
"This disciple understands!" Chen Yue cupped his hands.
[Realm: Skin Refining Realm (273/300)]
[Techniques: Iron Mountain Saber (Limit-Breaking), Mountain-Crushing Art (Limit-Breaking 2133/30000), Treading Mountains and Rivers (Limit-Breaking 1025/30000)]
This was Chen Yue's current cultivation. His Skin Refining Realm was already close to its peak, and he was only a short distance from breaking through to the Flesh Refining Realm.
Under his frenzied training, both Mountain-Crushing Art and Treading Mountains and Rivers had broken through the bottleneck of mastery and entered the Limit-Breaking stage. Though their next qualitative transformation was still a long way off, their power had already far surpassed what it had been at mastery.
The Chen Yue of today had reached an entirely new level in strength, speed, reflexes, endurance, and his understanding and application of his techniques!
Thinking back to just over a month ago, he had been a Pearl Diver boy in Pearl Village, never knowing if he would live to see the next day. The change since then had been nothing short of earth-shattering.
The night passed without a word. When morning light pierced the darkness once more, the day of the Life-Death Arena had finally arrived.
Early that morning, Chen Yue changed into a clean, dark gray training outfit and carefully fastened a fine-steel saber to his waist. He went to his parents' room and asked if they wanted to come along.
Father Chen and Mother Chen exchanged glances. Their eyes held an irrepressible fear and worry, but in the end, they both nodded firmly.
Father Chen's voice was a little hoarse, but his resolve was unmistakable. "We're going! Yue, your mother and I will go... and give you courage!"
They knew that staying at the martial hall and letting their imaginations run wild would only make things more agonizing. Better to see it with their own eyes. Whatever the outcome, they would stay by their son's side.
Before the hour of the Snake, everyone from Iron Mountain Hall was ready.
Apart from Auntie Li and Yaya, who were staying behind to watch over the place, Zhou Jingfeng, Yu Kan, Ma Jun, Chen Yue, and his parents all set out for the agreed-upon location.
The Life-Death Arena was to be held at the training ground of Nantong Martial Hall.
Nantong Martial Hall had operated in Hepu County for many years, and its strength and reputation made it a suitable neutral party. Both sides could accept the hall providing the venue and officiating the match.
By the time the Iron Mountain Hall party arrived at Nantong Martial Hall, its vermilion gates were already wide open. Carriages and horses crowded outside, and people jostled shoulder to shoulder.
The news had clearly spread far and wide. Many thrill-seekers from the city had come at the word, hoping to witness this rare life-and-death showdown with their own eyes.
As they stepped through the martial hall's gates, a wave of clamor washed over them.
The vast training ground was already ringed with a dense crowd, numbering no fewer than several hundred.
All sorts of people mingled together, their discussions and shouts blending into a din. On the east side of the training ground stood several dozen burly men, each carrying a saber or club, their expressions vicious. They were the Sea Shark Gang's men.
They had arrived long ago and were now sizing up the newly arrived members of Iron Mountain Hall with taunting, mocking looks.
The air was thick with the ominous tension of a storm about to break, with swords drawn and bows bent.
The moment the members of Iron Mountain Hall entered the grounds, every eye turned toward them.
The crowd stirred, then parted of its own accord to open a path. A middle-aged man in a dark blue brocade robe, with three long strands of beard, strode over from the north side of the training ground, surrounded by a group of disciples.
He was Gu Huaizhang, the master of Nantong Martial Hall. His face was round and his smile genial, giving him the air of a wealthy landowner, but his steps were steady, and a glint shone in his eyes whenever they opened.
"Brother Zhou, forgive me for not welcoming you sooner!" Gu Huaizhang cupped his hands and called out with a laugh from several paces away. His clear voice carried far, evidently meant for everyone to hear.
"Master Gu, you're too kind. Sorry to trouble you." Zhou Jingfeng returned the greeting with clasped hands, his expression calm.
After exchanging a few pleasantries with Zhou Jingfeng, Gu Huaizhang's gaze naturally settled on Chen Yue beside him.
A hint of undisguised curiosity and scrutiny flashed in Gu Huaizhang's eyes. He looked Chen Yue up and down, stroked his beard, and smiled. "This must be your new prized disciple, young Chen Yue? You certainly have an extraordinary presence. Brother Zhou, you have a keen eye!"
As Gu Huaizhang studied Chen Yue, several Nantong Martial Hall disciples standing behind him stared at Chen Yue's face. They first looked thoughtful, then their expressions turned strange.
They vaguely recalled that about a month ago, a poor-looking, dark-skinned Pearl Diver had come to the martial hall to ask about learning martial arts. Could that have been the person standing before them?
The Pearl Diver they had turned away at the gate had, in the blink of an eye, become the personal disciple of Iron Mountain Hall's master—and was now about to fight Xiong Wu of the Sea Shark Gang to the death?
This... this was absurd!
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