Win, Golden Goblet Pavilion, Train the Dog

Master Deng cleared his throat. The two disciples below had already taken their stances, waiting only for his command to begin.

Unexpectedly, Master Deng drawled, "Liu Qi, go warm a pot of wine. While you're at it, tell the cook to make a trip to Pine Crane Pavilion and buy a plate of fried meatballs for me to snack on."

"Right away, sir." Liu Qi turned to leave.

"Wait."

The mistress spoke in a soft, persuasive tone, "It's a trial today, husband; you really shouldn't be drinking. Besides, it's barely morning—what kind of drinking is this?"

"Sigh, fine, whatever."

Master Deng was a son-in-law who had married into the family and was not a martial artist by trade. Aside from eating, drinking, and having fun, he had no other skills, and he was both respectful and fearful of his wife.

"Then a pot of tea will do, right? Liu Qi, go."

Liu Qi didn't move; he stole a glance at the mistress's expression. Seeing she remained silent, he bowed and replied, "Yes," before turning to brew the tea.

Only then did Master Deng clear his throat and wave a hand toward the courtyard:

"Alright, you two may begin."

The two disciples immediately engaged, trading blows as they fought.

Lu Chen had drawn the number eight. Jin Ming leaned in, poking his head over to ask, "What number did you get, Brother Lu?"

"Eight. And you?"

"Eleven," Jin Ming said, scanning his surroundings. "You wait here. I'll go scout it out and see who you're up against."

Before long, Jin Ming returned and said, "I just found out. You're facing Li Wen; he drew number eight as well. This guy is no pushover. His family runs an escort agency, and he's much harder to deal with than someone like Wang Ding."

Lu Chen asked, "If he comes from an escort agency and has family martial arts, why bother coming to a martial arts hall to learn boxing?"

Jin Ming replied, "His family's Dinghai Escort Agency has only been open for two or three years. He practices the external hard style Eagle Claw Fist. While hard styles are fine for tempering external strength, they are ultimately much slower than internal martial arts."

Lu Chen nodded.

Escort work was a life of licking blood off a blade. Outside the city, there were fierce beasts, monsters, giant insects, and murderous bandits. Without real skill, one couldn't hold onto such a job.

He sized Li Wen up. The man was short, about five feet tall, with a murderous Sha Qi in his eyes. He didn't look like a pushover.

Li Wen seemed to sense his gaze and glanced over as well.

Their eyes met, and Li Wen gave him a cold, sideways glare.

Jin Ming whispered, "Brother Lu, be very careful. Besides Plum Blossom Fist, Li Wen also practices Eagle Claw Fist."

External hard styles had an advantage over internal martial arts.

Internal arts sought to develop power early; every move and stance was designed to cultivate strength and break through barriers, often sacrificing lethal or defensive techniques.

External hard styles were the opposite. Whether using fists, feet, or weapons, every move was honed to draw blood, sever throats, and forge a body of copper and iron.

Lu Chen said nothing, merely raising his guard a fraction.

The previous matches concluded, each with its own winner and loser.

Master Deng watched from his chair, yawning repeatedly, his eyelids drooping. He had no interest in this exchange of blows.

The mistress, however, watched closely, her gaze following the figures in the arena, nodding slightly from time to time.

Before long, it was Lu Chen's turn.

He stepped forward.

Li Wen was already standing in the arena. He cupped his hands and said coldly, "Please, enlighten me."

Lu Chen returned the gesture: "Please."

Li Wen stomped his right foot forward, his right hand forming a claw, striking straight for Lu Chen's throat with speed and malice.

Lu Chen did not dodge. Instead, he met the Eagle Claw with his left arm, allowing the opponent's five fingers to lock onto his forearm.

Crack!

Li Wen's expression shifted.

He felt as though he had grabbed onto a hardwood post wrapped in thick cowhide; the vibration numbed his finger bones.

In the split second he was stunned, Lu Chen's right fist had already slammed into his chest.

The punch wasn't fast, but it was as heavy as a swinging iron hammer.

Li Wen only had time to barely raise his left arm to block.

Bang!

Li Wen was knocked off his feet, stumbling back three or four paces before barely managing to stand.

His left arm hung limply, trembling, and the color had drained from his face.

Lu Chen retracted his fist, shaking off the shallow claw marks on his left arm; his breathing hadn't even quickened.

The arena fell silent for a moment.

The mistress's gaze lingered on Lu Chen for a second before she spoke calmly:

"Next match."

Of the thirty-four disciples in the hall, half were eliminated by the morning, leaving seventeen to advance to the next round.

Jin Ming was defeated as expected, having taken two solid blows to the chest; it took him a long while to catch his breath, his face still deathly pale.

Noon.

The master and his wife returned to their quarters to dine.

The disciples dispersed in groups of two or three to find food and rest.

Jin Ming grabbed Lu Chen by the arm and said warmly, "Brother, you fought beautifully today. I insist on treating you to a meal—let's head to the Golden Goblet Pavilion."

The Golden Goblet Pavilion was a famous, grand restaurant in the East City.

Lu Chen agreed.

The two took the Jin family carriage to the Golden Goblet Pavilion, chose a square table in the main hall, and Jin Ming, acting with great generosity, ordered a lavish spread of food and wine.

After a few cups, Jin Ming became more talkative, raising his glass repeatedly:

"Brother Lu, your talent is truly extraordinary. You've only been at the martial arts hall for a few days, yet you easily handled Wang Ding, and today you finished off Li Wen just as cleanly. In my opinion, your future is limitless."

Lu Chen smiled and offered a few polite words, but said little else.

Jin Ming downed his wine in one gulp, set the cup aside, and his tone grew more earnest:

"I'm not one for food or play; my only hobby is making friends. I won't hide it from you, Brother Lu—I'm befriending you because I sense a stillness in you that others lack. It's the kind of stillness that belongs to someone who can accomplish great things and has the patience to see them through."

He paused, his gaze sincere:

"My father often says that to judge a man, you must look at his character. Brother Lu, you are someone who can make something of himself. I toast you today because I respect the man you are. From now on, whether at the martial arts hall or in Wen'an County, if there is ever anything you need from me, just say the word."

Jin Ming raised his glass again:

"This cup is for you."

"Brother Jin, you are too kind. This humble one is unworthy of such praise."

Lu Chen hurriedly raised his glass to match the gesture, though his heart remained completely unmoved.

As they were eating, several well-dressed young masters strolled into the restaurant, spotted Jin Ming at a glance, and came over with smiles to greet him.

It seemed they were well-acquainted.

After the greetings, they headed upstairs to a private room.

A moment later, a servant trotted down from upstairs, bowed before Jin Ming, and said, "Young Master Jin, the gentlemen upstairs invite you up for a drink. They say it has been a long time and insist you grace them with your presence."

Jin Ming offered Lu Chen an apologetic smile: "Old acquaintances, I can't refuse. I'll go up to pay my respects and be right back."

Lu Chen set down his chopsticks, his expression neutral: "Brother Jin, please do as you must; don't worry about me."

After Jin Ming followed the servant upstairs, Lu Chen also rose from his seat, walked quietly up the stairs, and stopped in the shadow of a pillar outside the private room, where the sound of laughter and conversation drifted out.

"Young Master Jin, that kid you were drinking with downstairs—what's his background? He looks very unfamiliar."

Jin Ming sneered, his tone contemptuous: "Him? Just a small-time thug from the South City. His fists are hard enough, though. I figure he might be useful, so I'm just feeding him for now."

A voice chuckled, "Is Young Master Jin planning to train another good dog?"

Jin Ming sipped his wine as if discussing an object:

"Heh, people like that are no different from dogs. They're short-sighted and haven't seen much of the world. You call them 'brother,' give them a bit of face, and treat them to a few decent meals, and they get so lost in their own joy they actually think they've met a benefactor."

Someone chimed in with a laugh: "Young Master Jin, don't feed him too well, or you might get bitten back."

Jin Ming said smugly:

"Don't worry, I'm an expert at training dogs. You have to use both kindness and force—give them a full belly, but also strike them when necessary so they remember who the master is.

When I take over the family business later and start transporting grain outside the city, I'll need good dogs like him to lead the way and take the blades for me. A little favor now will pay off handsomely in the future."

Someone took a sip of wine and scoffed:

"Hmph, I can't stand those who don't know their place. They get a little benefit and think they can climb the ladder, actually believing they can sit at the same table as us?"

A wave of knowing laughter erupted in the private room.

Outside the room, Lu Chen stood silent and still; a moment later, he turned and headed back downstairs.