The Contest

Seeing Chen Wu laughing heartily, Old Wang didn't get annoyed. He simply took the opportunity to slide the third fish over to his side.

"Little Chen, there are only three fish for the two of us. We'll each have one of the first two, but for this last one, we'll have to compete for it."

"Since you're my elder, I'll let you have the fish."

"I don't want you to let me have it. Are you calling me an old fossil?" Old Wang said with a smile.

"Then... how do you want to compete?"

"We'll put the fish on the rack. Neither of us can use our qi externally; we'll just use these two little knives and fight over it within this tiny space. Whoever gets it wins."

"All right—"

Chen Wu's expression turned serious. Knowing this was a chance for guidance, he immediately extended his little knife and stabbed toward the third fish.

"You little brat, I haven't even said to start."

Though he said that, his hand was not slow at all. His knife turned slightly as he lightly blocked the tip of Chen Wu's blade.

Clink—

Chen Wu felt as if the other man's knife were a spinning top. The moment his blade touched it, his own knife was knocked flying.

"You're cheating!"

Chen Wu thought his opponent had used the Spiral Qi Force of the Nine Evolutions Dragon-Expelling Art.

"Try again!" Old Wang replied noncommittally.

Chen Wu stabbed toward the fish again, only for Old Wang's little knife to meet his once more.

Clink—

Chen Wu's knife was knocked flying again.

But this time, Chen Wu saw clearly that Old Wang's blade was already spinning as he moved. When their blades met, the rotation suddenly sped up, creating a spinning-top effect in that instant.

"Got it?" Seeing Chen Wu lost in thought, Old Wang nodded. "If you've got it, try again!"

Chen Wu attacked once more, mimicking Old Wang's technique. But as their blades crossed, he spun in the opposite direction, flicking his wrist to accelerate the rotation.

Clink—

Both knives were knocked away at the same time.

"Good—"

Delighted to see Chen Wu catching on, Old Wang attacked first this time, aiming the tip of his knife at the fish.

Chen Wu hurried to respond, blocking the tip of Old Wang's knife. But Old Wang twisted his wrist, and the blade became a spirit snake, coiling around Chen Wu's knife. It slipped past his block and was about to stab into the fish.

Chen Wu didn't panic. He drew back his wrist and stabbed straight at the upper half of Old Wang's knife.

Clink—

He knocked Old Wang's knife aside.

Clink, clink, clink, clink—

The sound of the knives clashing rose and fell, growing faster and faster, like a long melody played with perfect rhythm.

Chen Wu focused and poured all his attention into that tiny space. He felt that all the doubts he'd had while practicing swordsmanship were now being answered.

Every one of Old Wang's moves revolved around the word "rotation." There were clockwise turns and counterclockwise turns, fast spins and slow spins, solid rotations and feints. Some relied only on the strength of the wrist, while others engaged the whole arm.

The variations were endless, dazzling to behold. Even a single rotation could be played out in countless ways.

Only then did Chen Wu truly marvel. The name Dragon-Expelling Divine Sword was no empty boast.

Chen Wu was immersed in his martial insight when, all of a sudden, the little knife he'd been fighting against disappeared. His own blade plunged straight into the third fish.

"Eat up—" Old Wang's smile grew brighter. "If you don't, it'll burn."

Chen Wu immediately clasped his fists and bowed. Wang Jiuyuan accepted his salute without hesitation.

Chen Wu sliced the fish in half with his little knife and respectfully offered him one half.

"Half for each of us!"

"Good—"

Once they'd finished eating, Wang Jiuyuan spoke first.

"Little Chen, you have exceptional talent and a limitless future. I can only guide you for a time. If you truly want to become a Grandmaster, or even a Grandmaster above all, you must forge your own path."

Chen Wu acknowledged the lesson.

Old Wang glanced at the sky and got to his feet. "It's getting late. I'll head back first. I'll come find you at the same time tomorrow."

Chen Wu hurried to his feet to see him off.

As Old Wang put out the brazier and picked up the brazier, iron rack, and clay pot, Chen Wu suddenly remembered something.

"Wait!"

Chen Wu returned indoors. When he came back out, he was holding a letter.

"Someone asked me to deliver this to you."

As he spoke, he told Old Wang everything about Xu Songnian entrusting the letter to him.

"Xu Songnian?" Holding the letter, Old Wang fell into thought.

Jinheng Watch Shop.

"What do you think of this matter?"

Wang Jiuyuan asked Old Liu a question.

"You should decide."

"Do we have anyone suitable in our organization?"

"You've decided to accept?"

"This is a good opportunity."

"Then... let me think." Old Liu pondered for a moment. "There is someone!"

Early the next morning, the monks at the temple rose and completed their morning prayers. When the chanting ended, they sat down for breakfast, and Chen Wu went in to get himself a vegetarian meal.

The dining hall was cramped, and there were many monks. Chen Wu didn't want to fight them for a place, so he carried his bowl to the doorway and squatted down to eat.

It was a bowl of millet porridge, half a steamed bun, and a little tofu and cabbage. Though plain, Chen Wu ate it with relish.

As he ate, he flipped through the Yanhe Daily he'd taken from the watch shop the day before.

The paper's tone was certainly much more refined than the Jincheng Industry Promotion Gazette. At least it didn't put Legend of Dayu'er on the front page, but tucked it away on the last page.

Aside from Chen Wu's wanted poster, the biggest news in the paper was that the late former abbot of Lingshan Temple, Master Yongyan, who had passed away not long ago, had been revealed to have three illegitimate children.

The story had broken some time ago, but this issue had compiled all the details into a special feature.

Whoever had provided the clues, the article laid out the names of the three illegitimate children, where they lived, and what they did for a living, every detail clear as day.

It even hinted that Master Yongyan's death had been tainted by scandal, and that he hadn't died an honorable death within the temple.

With such explosive gossip, and the writer's dazzling prose, Chen Wu enjoyed the juicy story with his breakfast and found the vegetarian food tasted several times better.

Just then, a young monk leaving the dining hall passed Chen Wu. He glanced at the paper, saw the gossip about the former abbot, and turned pale with shock.

"Benefactor, are you trying to get yourself killed?" The monk hurriedly folded up Chen Wu's newspaper. "Don't read things like this here. If anyone from the Discipline Hall sees you, you'll be in for it."

Chen Wu could tell the monk meant well. "Thank you, Master."

"I hardly deserve to be called Master!" The monk waved his hands again and again. "Just call me Mingcheng."

"Benefactor, the temple is holding a religious assembly over the next few days. Don't read these frivolous words here."

"What kind of assembly?"

Mingcheng gave an awkward smile. "Abbot Yongyan passed away suddenly and left no instructions, so it's become a problem who should inherit the lineage."

"These past few days, everyone at the temple has been unsettled, with the different factions fighting among themselves. Seeing the situation grow turbulent, the authorities sent an official to hold an assembly and require the monks to elect an abbot."

Oh, this should be a good show!

Chen Wu immediately grew interested. "Can outsiders attend the assembly?"

"If you want to watch, Benefactor, you can observe with the other believers. Once they elect a new abbot, it should also put an end to the recent troubles."

"Wonderful, wonderful. Thank you, Master." Chen Wu put the newspaper under his backside and continued eating breakfast.