Overt Scheme! Jia Lie Bi's Triumph

In the center of Wutan City lies a massive plaza.

Typically, it is only packed with people during major holidays or when sects and academies arrive to recruit disciples.

Yet today, on an ordinary day, the plaza is overflowing with people—some are residents of Wutan City, others are mercenaries from various groups.

The crowd is packed together, shouting and debating, the scene a boiling cauldron of noise.

"The Xiao Clan has lost two matches in a row; they're going to lose this tournament!"

"Jia Lie Ao is truly worthy of being the young master of the Jia Lie Clan; he's fought two matches back-to-back without even catching his breath."

"That's not even the half of it. Didn't you see? The two from the Xiao Clan couldn't even take three moves from Young Master Jia Lie Ao before being defeated outright."

"The Xiao Clan must have lost their minds to agree to a tournament with these rules. Young Master Jia Lie Ao is a three-star Dou Practitioner; who in the Xiao Clan could possibly be his match?"

"You're right. It's been half an hour, and the Xiao Clan still hasn't sent out their final fighter."

All eyes are fixed on a ring in the center of the plaza.

A young man stands proudly upon it, chin tilted up, nostrils flared, and the corners of his mouth curled in a look of triumph and mockery.

He is Jia Lie Ao, the only son of the Jia Lie Clan patriarch, Jia Lie Bi.

"To think they couldn't even see through such an obvious trap!" Jia Lie Ao thinks with great satisfaction.

Just how outstanding Xiao Yan of the Xiao Clan is, everyone in Wutan City knows well.

He became a Dou Practitioner at eleven, then rejected an invitation from the Misty Cloud Sect to join Jia Nan Academy.

Because of this, the Xiao Clan's reputation in Wutan City has soared, and they have increasingly looked down upon the Jia Lie Clan.

This dispute over the marketplace was a trap deliberately set by the Jia Lie Clan.

"Let's see how long you can drag this out. Once the time is up, even if you don't send your last man, you still lose." Jia Lie Ao gazes toward the front.

There, a viewing platform is occupied by many people.

The patriarchs and elders of the three great clans of Wutan City, the city lord, and representatives from other local factions are all seated there.

Jia Lie Bi lifts a teapot to pour, only to find he has already finished the second pot himself.

He sets the pot down, leans forward, and looks toward the far right, shouting, "Patriarch Xiao, have you still not decided on your final fighter?"

Xiao Zhan's expression turns grim as he says in a low voice, "Jia Lie Bi, has the Xiao Clan violated any rules?"

"Not at all." Jia Lie Bi shakes his head, pointing a finger toward the ring with a cold sneer. "Patriarch Xiao, I merely wish to remind you that time is running out for your Xiao Clan. Once the time is up, even if you refuse to send someone to fight, you lose all the same."

"The affairs of my Xiao Clan do not require your concern," Xiao Zhan says coldly.

Jia Lie Bi smiles indifferently, turning to the surrounding onlookers with a grin. "Look at that. What do you call this? Casting pearls before swine."

The others merely listen, remaining silent.

"Patriarch, it seems the Xiao Clan is still waiting for Xiao Yan to return," one of the Jia Lie Clan elders, Jia Lie Nu, whispers with a sneer.

Jia Lie Bi leans back in his chair, smugly saying, "Don't worry. Before the tournament time expires, Xiao Yan will definitely not be back."

Jia Lie Nu says, "Patriarch, that plan of yours was truly brilliant."

"It was an open conspiracy! Unless their Xiao Clan wasn't greedy, they would never have been able to resist." Jia Lie Bi sneers.

Recalling the plan to use the marketplace as a wager to hold this tournament, a look of triumph washes over his face.

Xiao Zhan might be rational, but those three elders of the Xiao Clan are old in age but not in heart—they are insatiably greedy.

According to the intelligence Jia Lie Bi gathered, his proposal was actually pushed through by those three old fogies, who pressured Patriarch Xiao Zhan and voted in favor, allowing the tournament to be established.

"Jia Lie Nu, once we win the match, remember to send some gifts to the three elders of the Xiao Clan," Jia Lie Bi instructs.

Hearing this, Jia Lie Nu is stunned for a moment before giving Jia Lie Bi a thumbs-up. "Patriarch, this move of yours is truly ruthless."

Jia Lie Bi says calmly, "This is just an appetizer. The real measures are yet to come."

"Patriarch, has Master Liu already agreed to our Jia Lie Clan's proposal?" As a clan elder, Jia Lie Nu knows quite a bit and asks immediately.

Jia Lie Bi nods slightly. "Yes, but don't let this out yet. We'll give the Xiao Clan a massive surprise when the time comes."

Jia Lie Nu wears a solemn expression and nods heavily.

On the other side.

The Xiao Clan's seating area.

The three elders are restless, their expressions unsightly.

The First Elder asks, "Patriarch, what is going on? Didn't the Third Young Master say he would be home by morning? It's almost noon, why is he still not here?"

Xiao Zhan shakes his head. "I don't know. Perhaps he ran into some trouble on the road."

"How can you not know? Patriarch, if the Third Young Master doesn't return soon, our Xiao Clan will lose!" the Second Elder says anxiously.

Beside him, the Third Elder chimes in, "The Third Young Master is nearly of age; he's not a child anymore. How could he not know the importance of priorities? To be late on such an important day..."

"Third Elder!" Hearing his son being criticized, Xiao Zhan immediately glares at him. "I was the one who opposed this tournament from the start; it was all of you who voted in favor."

The Third Elder retorts, "Who could have known the Third Young Master would drop the ball at the critical moment? If he were here, that Jia Lie Ao wouldn't be worth a fart."

Xiao Zhan said in a deep voice, "The worst that happens is we lose. This has nothing to do with Yan'er, so do not push the responsibility onto him."

"Lose? No, we cannot lose. If we lose, the reputation of the Xiao Clan will be swept into the dirt." Looking at the sea of people surrounding the plaza, the Second Elder shook his head hurriedly.

Xiao Zhan retorted, "Then why don't you go up and fight? Neither Xiao Hong nor Xiao He are matches for Jia Lie Ao. Who else in the Xiao Clan can fight him now? Xiao Ning?"

As soon as the words fell, the First Elder's gaze immediately swept over.

He said, "Don't joke around. Xiao Ning is only at the seventh stage of Dou Force; how could he possibly fight a three-star Dou Practitioner like Jia Lie Ao?"

The group fell silent.

They had originally thought the marketplace was destined to belong to the Xiao Clan, a bargain practically handed to them, yet they never expected a problem to arise in the one area where it was least likely to occur.

Now, the four of them were at their wits' end.

They had no choice but to employ a stalling tactic, hoping to drag things out until Xiao Yan appeared.

However.

The time remaining was growing shorter and shorter; at this rate, dragging it out would only lead to a loss regardless.

On the arena stage, Jia Lie Ao, whose waist was beginning to ache from standing, shouted loudly, "Clan Leader Xiao, what exactly is the meaning of this? If the Xiao Clan has no one, just admit defeat. Is it fun to keep so many people waiting?"

Unsurprisingly, Jia Lie Ao's words immediately resonated with the others in the plaza.

They had expected this tournament to be spectacular, not a one-sided affair.

A match that should have ended in ten minutes had now dragged on for an hour, and it seemed it could drag on even longer.

"As one of the three great clans of Wutan City, is the Xiao Clan really so unable to accept a loss?"

"Exactly, is there anyone or not? If you can't find anyone, just admit defeat."

"And they call themselves one of the three great clans? How embarrassing."

Voices from all directions converged upon the viewing platform.

Jia Lie Bi, Aoba Pa, and the members of their clans looked toward the Xiao Clan's section with schadenfreude.

Xiao Zhan and the three elders flushed red, feeling utterly humiliated.

"Grandfather, let me go. Even if our Xiao Clan loses, we should lose with dignity." Listening to the voices of the crowd, the young Xiao Ning's chest heaved violently.

The First Elder looked at his grandson and was about to scold him—what was the point of a little guy who wasn't even a Dou Practitioner going up there just to get beaten?

Suddenly.

A calm voice echoed across the plaza.

"Who says the Xiao Clan has no one? I'll do it!"