In the center of Wutan City stood a huge plaza.
It was usually packed with people only during important festivals or when sects and academies came to recruit students.
But today was an ordinary day.
Yet the plaza was packed with people. Some were residents of Wutan City, while others were mercenaries from various mercenary groups.
Crowds gathered together, discussing loudly. The whole place was in an uproar.
"The Xiao Clan has lost two matches in a row. They're going to lose this tournament!"
"Jia Lie Ao really is the young master of the Jia Lie Clan. He's fought two matches in a row without even getting winded."
"That's not all. Didn't you see? The two Xiao Clan members just now couldn't even withstand three moves from Young Master Jia Lie Ao before losing outright."
"Agreeing to a tournament with rules like these—was the Xiao Clan out of their minds? Young Master Jia Lie Ao is a Three-Star Dou Zhe. Who in the Xiao Clan could possibly beat him?"
"You're right. Half an hour has already passed, and the Xiao Clan still hasn't sent out their last fighter."
Everyone's eyes converged on a fighting platform in the center of the plaza.
A young man stood on it arrogantly, chin raised and nostrils turned skyward, the corners of his mouth curled in a smug, mocking smile.
He was Jia Lie Ao, the only son of Jia Lie Bi, the Jia Lie Clan chief.
"Such an obvious trap, and they still didn't see it!" Jia Lie Ao was quite pleased with himself.
Everyone in Wutan City knew how outstanding Xiao Yan was.
He had become a Dou Zhe at eleven, then turned down an invitation from the Misty Cloud Sect and joined Jia Nan Academy.
As a result, the Xiao Clan's reputation in Wutan City had soared, and they had started looking down on the Jia Lie Clan more and more.
This contest over the marketplaces was something the Jia Lie Clan had deliberately set up.
"I'd like to see how long you can drag this out. Once time runs out, you'll lose even if you don't send out your last fighter." Jia Lie Ao looked ahead.
There was a viewing stand there, with many people seated on it.
The chiefs and elders of Wutan City's three major clans, the city lord, and representatives of various other factions in Wutan City were all present.
Jia Lie Bi tipped the teapot to pour himself some tea, only to find that he had finished even the second pot.
He set the teapot down, leaned forward, and looked toward the far right. Raising his voice, he asked, "Clan Chief Xiao, have you still not decided who to send out?"
Xiao Zhan's expression was grim. He said in a low voice, "Jia Lie Bi, has the Xiao Clan broken any rules?"
"Not at all." Jia Lie Bi shook his head and pointed toward a spot, a cold smile appearing on his lips. "Clan Chief Xiao, I just wanted to remind you that your Xiao Clan is running out of time. Once it runs out, you'll lose even if you don't send anyone to fight."
"My Xiao Clan's affairs are none of your concern," Xiao Zhan said coldly.
Jia Lie Bi smiled indifferently. Seeing the people around them looking over, he said with a grin, "Look at that. What do you call this? Taking a good deed for the liver of a donkey."
The others merely listened without saying a word.
"Chief, it looks like the Xiao Clan is still waiting for Xiao Yan to come back," Jia Lie Nu, one of the Jia Lie Clan elders, said with a low chuckle.
Jia Lie Bi leaned back in his chair, looking pleased. "Don't worry. Xiao Yan definitely won't make it back before the tournament ends."
"Chief, that plan of yours was brilliant," Jia Lie Nu said.
"It's an open scheme! Unless the Xiao Clan can resist temptation, they absolutely won't be able to turn it down." Jia Lie Bi let out a cold laugh.
Thinking back to the plan he had devised—using the marketplace as a wager and holding a tournament—his face lit up with smug delight.
Xiao Zhan had been sensible enough, but those three elders of the Xiao Clan were old in years and young at heart, insatiably greedy.
According to what Jia Lie Bi had found out, when he made the proposal, those three old fellows had overruled Clan Chief Xiao Zhan and voted in favor. That was how the tournament had been established.
"Jia Lie Nu, after we win the tournament, remember to send a little gift to the Xiao Clan's three elders," Jia Lie Bi instructed.
Jia Lie Nu was taken aback at first. Then he gave Jia Lie Bi a thumbs-up and said, "Chief, that move of yours is downright heartless."
Jia Lie Bi said blandly, "That's just an appetizer. The real trick comes later."
"Chief, could it be that Master Liu has already agreed to our proposal?" As an elder of the clan, Jia Lie Nu knew about quite a few things, and he immediately asked.
Jia Lie Bi gave a slight nod. "Yes. Don't let this get out for now. That way, we can give the Xiao Clan a huge surprise when the time comes."
Jia Lie Nu's expression turned serious, and he nodded firmly.
Meanwhile.
At the Xiao Clan's seats.
The three elders were restless, their expressions grim.
The Great Elder asked, "Clan Chief, what exactly is going on? The Third Young Master said he'd be home by this morning. It's almost noon, so why hasn't he shown up?"
Xiao Zhan shook his head. "I don't know. He might have run into trouble on the way."
"How can you not know? Clan Chief, if the Third Young Master doesn't come back soon, the Xiao Clan will lose," the Second Elder said anxiously.
Beside him, the Third Elder chimed in, "The Third Young Master is nearly an adult this year. He's not a child anymore, so why doesn't he know what's urgent? He's actually late on such an important day!"
"Third Elder!" Hearing him criticize his son, Xiao Zhan glared at him in anger. "I was against this tournament from the start. You were the ones who all agreed to it."
The Third Elder retorted, "Who knew the Third Young Master would drop the ball at such a crucial moment? With him here, Jia Lie Ao wouldn't amount to anything."
Xiao Zhan said in a low voice, "At worst, we lose. That has nothing to do with Yan'er. Don't try to put the blame on him."
"Lose? No, we can't lose. If we do, the Xiao Clan will be utterly humiliated." Looking at the sea of people surrounding the plaza, the Second Elder shook his head hastily.
Xiao Zhan said, "Then why don't you go fight him? Xiao Hong and Xiao He weren't Jia Lie Ao's match. Who else in the Xiao Clan can fight him now? Xiao Ning?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Great Elder's gaze immediately swept over.
He said, "Don't joke around. Xiao Ning is only at the seventh stage of Dou Qi. How could he fight Jia Lie Ao, a Three-Star Dou Zhe?"
The group fell silent.
They had thought the marketplace would surely belong to the Xiao Clan—a windfall for the taking. Yet the one part they had thought least likely to go wrong had ended up going wrong.
Now, the four of them were at a loss.
All they could do was use the "drag it out" tactic and hope they could stall until Xiao Yan showed up.
However.
Time was running out, and at this rate, dragging things out would only mean a loss.
On the fighting platform, Jia Lie Ao had grown somewhat stiff from standing. He called out, "Clan Chief Xiao, what exactly are you trying to do? If the Xiao Clan has no one left, just concede. Is it fun to keep everyone waiting?"
As expected, Jia Lie Ao's words immediately struck a chord with the people in the plaza.
They had thought this tournament would be exciting, but it had turned into a one-sided affair.
A match that should have ended in ten minutes had already dragged on for half an hour, and it looked as if it might drag on even longer.
"The Xiao Clan is one of Wutan City's three great clans. Can they really not bear to lose?"
"Exactly. Is there anyone left or not? If you can't find someone, just concede."
"And they call themselves one of the three great clans. What a disgrace."
The voices from every direction converged on the viewing stand.
Jia Lie Bi, Aoba Pa, and the other clan representatives looked toward the Xiao Clan's section, grinning with schadenfreude.
Xiao Zhan and the three elders flushed crimson, their faces burning with humiliation.
"Grandpa, let me go. Even if the Xiao Clan has to lose, we should at least lose cleanly." Hearing the crowd's remarks, young Xiao Ning's chest heaved violently.
The Great Elder looked at his grandson and was about to scold him. What would be the point of sending a child who wasn't even a Dou Zhe up there to get beaten?
Suddenly.
A calm voice echoed across the plaza.
"Who says the Xiao Clan has no one? I'll fight!"
Before you continue