It had taken Huang Baitao only a few words.
Lin Xiong had felt that the two martial contests he'd been unsure about were now all but settled.
He'd also grown even more awed by his master.
His head bowed lower still.
"Yes, Master!"
"Go. Handle this well, and next year I'll recommend you to the Five-Thunder Thunderbolt Sect. You'll also have the chance to follow Senior Brother Huang Feng!"
"He's now a True Inheritor. A casual word of advice from him will be worth three years of hard knocks."
Hearing Huang Baitao's words, delight appeared in Lin Xiong's eyes.
"This disciple will do everything in his power!"
"Go."
After Lin Xiong took his leave, Huang Baitao drew a sheet of paper from beneath the inkstone on the desk before him.
Five lines of black characters were written on the white paper.
[Giant Elephant Sect in turmoil. Sect Master Han Sanbian fell in blood upon Dongting Lake.]
[The Five-Thunder Thunderbolt Sect's winds have shifted. It intends to seize the Giant Elephant Sect first, then expand into the southeast.]
[Ram City will serve as the bridgehead. The sect intends to appoint a Thunder Envoy to garrison it.]
[Father should take Meng Juxiang's head. Seize this opportunity, and you can trade it for a great merit within the sect.]
[With this merit, I can make further plans and perhaps secure the position of Thunder Envoy for you.]
The letter was signed by none other than Huang Feng.
Huang Baitao carefully put the letter away. Through the wooden window, he gazed toward Like-Elephant Martial Hall.
"Meng Juxiang, you've kept me down for so many years. This time, I'll send you into Eternal Damnation!"
The next day, in the center of Jinglong District,
the streets were packed with people.
Even the beams of the taverns and eateries lining the road were crowded with spectators.
All eyes were fixed on the Martial Arena in the square.
A top-tier martial contest, the likes of which Ram City saw only once every few years, was about to take place here.
The party from Like-Elephant Martial Hall pushed through the crowd and headed toward the Martial Arena.
"Fifth Senior Sister, did you not sleep well? You look a little pale."
Li Beichen studied Fang Meiqin, sensing that something was off.
"It's nothing, Junior Brother... Just be careful later."
Though Fang Meiqin tried to keep her voice steady, Li Beichen still heard a tremor in it.
He turned to Zhang Meng.
"First Senior Brother, don't you think something's wrong with Fifth Senior Sister?"
Zhang Meng looked perfectly calm and replied casually,
"She's just nervous. Old Seven, don't overthink it. Just focus on your own match!"
"All right!"
Meng Juxiang and Huang Baitao still hadn't shown up today.
Each was waiting for the results at his own martial hall.
When kings did not meet, their armies fought.
If the two of them appeared, the dispute would inevitably rise to another level.
That was one of Jinglong District's unwritten rules.
The contest was being presided over by two veteran Seventh-Grade masters from among Jinglong District's Thirty-Six Martial Halls.
A man and a woman.
Zhang Bailang of Black Wolf Martial Hall and Zhao Hongxiu of Ruyi Martial Hall.
Once everything was in order,
Fang Meiqin and Zhou Longfei, the Fifth Inner Courtyard disciple of Thunderbolt Martial Hall, signed the Life-Death Contracts and leaped onto the Martial Arena.
The first match, a Ninth-Grade contest,
was about to begin.
The disciples of Like-Elephant Martial Hall, including Li Beichen, stood on one side of the Martial Arena, while the people from Thunderbolt Martial Hall stood on the other.
They exchanged friendly gestures, miming blows at each other.
The spectators were in high spirits, staring intently at Fang Meiqin and Zhou Longfei on the platform.
A battle between Ninth-Grade martial artists.
Many people weren't merely there for the excitement. They could also learn from the fighters and gauge Fang Meiqin and Zhou Longfei's strength.
The more one fought, the more one revealed.
If they faced someone in the future, their odds of victory would naturally be lower.
So the other two of the Four Great Martial Halls, the Wang Clan and Cloud Crane, had sent people as well. They'd even brought brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones to take notes.
The referee for this match was Zhao Hongxiu, the master of Ruyi Martial Hall.
She was a rare female Seventh-Grade martial artist.
She leaped to the center of the Martial Arena.
Raising the Life-Death Contracts, she proclaimed,
"The rules are simple: bare hands only. Whoever leaves the platform loses."
"But fists and feet have no eyes. Each of you bears responsibility for your own life and death!"
"Fang Meiqin and Zhou Longfei have signed these Life-Death Contracts today. Each is responsible for their own injuries or death."
Both sides confirmed the terms.
"The contest begins!"
Zhou Longfei of Thunderbolt Martial Hall charged forward at once, while Fang Meiqin seemed to react only just then.
She hurriedly struck back.
Li Beichen furrowed his brow, then relaxed.
"Fifth Senior Sister has a solid foundation. Zhou Longfei shouldn't be her match."
"Of course!"
Yang Ling chuckled beside him.
"I once saw Meiqin practicing martial arts alone in a secluded spot. She struck out fifteen times, each blow ringing clear."
"That kid Zhou Longfei can manage ten at most. How could he possibly beat her?"
Sure enough, before long,
Fang Meiqin had Zhou Longfei on the back foot, beating him all the way to the corner of the Martial Arena.
The people from Like-Elephant Martial Hall below the platform were all smiling.
Across from them, the people of Thunderbolt Martial Hall looked grim.
But Li Beichen noticed something.
Among the people from Thunderbolt Martial Hall,
Lin Xiong showed no alarm at Zhou Longfei's disadvantage. Instead, he wore an expression of confident composure.
He turned to Zhang Meng.
To his surprise, Zhang Meng's eyelids were lowered and his face was expressionless, as if it weren't Zhou Longfei but Fang Meiqin who was losing.
A foreboding feeling rose in Li Beichen's heart.
He looked toward the Martial Arena.
Knock, knock!
Several short taps of a cane against the bluestone bricks suddenly rang out.
Li Beichen followed the sound.
A well-dressed old man was being supported by a middle-aged man.
Li Beichen didn't know the old man, but he knew the middle-aged man.
He was Fang Meiqin's father.
A thought flashed through Li Beichen's mind.
She's going to lose...
Sure enough, on the Martial Arena, Fang Meiqin's movements suddenly faltered when she heard the cane tapping. She looked toward the old man.
After seeing the look on his face, she left herself wide open, exposing a fatal flaw.
Zhou Longfei of Thunderbolt Martial Hall seized the chance and slammed a punch at her.
The blow struck Fang Meiqin in the shoulder, sending her flying off the platform.
Seeing this, referee Zhao Hongxiu flew onto the stage and promptly declared Zhou Longfei the winner.
The crowd erupted.
After the well-dressed old man saw Fang Meiqin lose, he left with the middle-aged man's support.
As they passed Lin Xiong, he said in a low voice,
"Please tell Hall Master Huang that the Cloth Guild has done as requested. I hope he won't forget his promise."
On the Like-Elephant Martial Hall side,
Yang Ling and Han Fengqi hurried over to help Fang Meiqin up.
"Fang Meiqin, are you all right?!"
"I'm fine."
Fang Meiqin got to her feet and looked at Li Beichen and Zhang Meng, guilt flickering in her eyes.
"First Senior Brother, Seventh Junior Brother, I'm sorry. I let my guard down."
Li Beichen said nothing. He knew Like-Elephant Martial Hall was likely doomed this time.
The real struggle wasn't on the Martial Arena, but off it.
Still, whatever others did, he would win his own match.
Even if he couldn't change the final outcome, he would have no regrets. He would have repaid Meng Juxiang for his kindness.
Zhang Meng came over and patted Fang Meiqin on the shoulder.
"Fifth Senior Sister, it's all right. Losing wasn't what you wanted."
"Now it's Old Seven's turn."
Li Beichen nodded and headed toward the Martial Arena.
After Li Beichen had left, Zhang Meng's voice sounded beside Fang Meiqin's ear.
"Everyone's caught in a web as they go through life. There are always things beyond their control, things they can do nothing about."
"First Senior Brother, you..."
A flicker of shock crossed Fang Meiqin's face.
She thought Zhang Meng had been bought off by Thunderbolt Martial Hall too.
But the next moment, Zhang Meng's words eased the tightness in her heart.
His gaze burned as he watched Li Beichen stride forward.
"But sometimes, we should be like Old Seven and have the courage and resolve to break free of every shackle!"
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