Wei Changqing's Scheme

Wei Changqing's Scheme

Xiang Pang admitted defeat, and Jiang Feng continued on to fight Zhuang Yan.

Zhuang Yan stepped onto the stage, faced Jiang Feng, and gave an awkward smile. "I admit defeat."

He was someone who knew how to read the room. Originally, he had wanted to make a push for the top five, only to run into Xiang Pang and miss his chance. Who would have thought Jiang Feng would be even stronger than Xiang Pang?

Last year, he had at least been someone in the top ten of the Youth Ranking. He had never imagined that this year, he would become the first person squeezed out. To say he was not embarrassed would be a lie.

With that, Jiang Feng entered the top five outright.

The remaining two groups were rather exciting. After all, the youths in these two groups all had cultivations at the eighth and ninth levels of Body Strengthening. The gap in brute strength was not large, and there was no realm suppression; everything depended on their moves. Because of that, these two matches took quite a while.

In the end, the top five were decided. They were the favorite to win, Nie Xiaoyue; Yu Feng; the dark horse who had suddenly charged out, Jiang Feng; and two youths at the ninth level of Body Strengthening.

The ranking matches from sixth to tenth place were likewise very exciting and took no small amount of time. Xiang Pang easily won four matches in a row and seized sixth place. With his ability, he could originally have taken third place steadily this year, but unexpectedly, Jiang Feng had charged out of nowhere and pushed him out of the top five.

Immediately afterward came the ranking matches for the top five. The rules were the same as for the sixth-to-tenth ranking matches: each person had to fight the other four once, earning one point for each win, and the one with the higher score would rank higher.

After discussing it, the two youths at the ninth level of Body Strengthening simultaneously admitted defeat to Nie Xiaoyue, Yu Feng, and Jiang Feng. Then the two fought each other once, determining fourth and fifth place respectively.

Next was the true climax of this year's Zhushan Arena Tournament: three youths who had already become Martial Artists battling for the top three rankings.

"Xiang Pang, in your opinion, which of the three of them will win?" Zhuang Yan asked Xiang Pang.

Xiang Pang smiled faintly. "What do you think?"

Zhuang Yan chuckled. "I guess Jiang Feng. It's just that Nie Xiaoyue isn't bad either. She's already at the second level of the Yellow Martial Realm."

The crowd speculated. Eighty percent believed Nie Xiaoyue would win with her cultivation at the second level of the Yellow Martial Realm. More than nineteen percent believed Yu Feng would win. Less than one percent believed Jiang Feng could win.

"Hmph, Jiang Feng should be satisfied with today. Although he defeated Xiang Pang, forgive my bluntness, but when Xiang Pang faces Nie Xiaoyue and Yu Feng, his chances of winning are practically zero. So Jiang Feng has no chance of beating Nie Xiaoyue and Yu Feng."

"Right. What does he think he is? Dreaming of beating a proud daughter of heaven like Nie Xiaoyue? A fool talking in his sleep."

Listening to these people's discussions, Jiang Feng secretly shook his head. He now deeply suspected that in his last life, he must have dug up these people's ancestral graves. Otherwise, why would they hate him so much? But when he thought about it carefully, that wasn't right. In his last life, he had lived on Earth. Although he had killed quite a few people, it was impossible for him to have killed his way into this world, wasn't it?

A diseased mentality!

The three-person duel would be split into three matches.

The first match: Yu Feng versus Nie Xiaoyue!

This was a matchup that the higher-ups had deliberately arranged after Yu Feng had greeted them in advance. Yu Feng feared that Jiang Feng would fight Nie Xiaoyue first, but he was also afraid that if he fought Jiang Feng first and used that forbidden move, his body would be damaged, leaving him unable to defeat Nie Xiaoyue, missing the championship, and unable to obtain the Meridian Opening Pill.

"Wait..." Just as the match was about to begin, Wei Changqing stood up on the high platform.

Everyone turned to look at him, not knowing why he had suddenly called a halt to the match.

"I imagine everyone is looking forward to the upcoming matches," Wei Changqing slowly began. "A duel between three youths of the Yellow Martial Realm, two of whom are genius youths under sixteen. This is something that could not be seen in previous Zhushan Arena Tournaments."

What he said was true. In previous years, there had also been matches between youths who were Martial Artists, but this year's situation was still the first of its kind.

"Brother Wei, what are you trying to say?" Nie Hu felt that Wei Changqing had no good intentions.

Nie Hu knew Wei Changqing was definitely trying to scheme against Jiang Feng, but if Nie Xiaoyue was dragged into the scheme as well, he would not agree.

"I propose that they pick up the weapons they are proficient with for the matches," Wei Changqing said, his words startling everyone present.

If they competed with weapons, the danger would be much higher than with fists and feet. This had absolutely never appeared in previous Zhushan Arena Tournaments. After all, the purpose of the Zhushan Arena Tournament was to promote exchange and select the outstanding, not truly to have these youths kill each other until one lived and one died.

"Wei Changqing, what kind of heart are you harboring?" Nie Hu slapped the table and rose. Was this a joke? His daughter was still on the stage.

"Town Mayor Nie, please calm down." Wei Changqing's expression was composed. "According to the rules, this Zhushan Arena Tournament should be decided by me, the Guard Captain. Besides, this proposal of mine is not without reason."

When Nie Hu heard Wei Changqing's words, anger rose from nowhere and would not stop. That was right. According to the rules, the Zhushan Arena Tournament should be under Wei Changqing's charge. If the suggestion Wei Changqing put forward had rules to follow, then he, the town mayor, had no right to oppose it.

"Fine. Then tell us your reasoning." Nie Hu swept his wide sleeve, turned around, and put his back to Wei Changqing, already prepared to tear all pretense apart.

Today, if Wei Changqing insisted on forcefully changing the rules, even if Nie Hu had to tear all pretense apart and offend the Qi Family, he would make Wei Changqing suffer for it! Over these three years, the pent-up frustration he had suffered from Wei Changqing was no less than what he had suffered from Jiang Yunhai back then. Relying on the Qi Family backing him, Wei Changqing had never placed him, the town mayor, in his eyes at all.

"All right, you two, don't get angry just yet." The Dragon Tower Master stood up to smooth things over. "Captain Wei, just tell us your thoughts."

Wei Changqing nodded and said in a clear voice, "As everyone knows, the purpose of holding the Zhushan Arena Tournament is to select more outstanding youths for cultivation. In the past, the Zhushan Arena Tournament did not allow the use of weapons because youths in the Body Strengthening stage all cultivated their fists, feet, and fleshly bodies. Only by attacking and defending with fists and feet in the matches could their true strength be displayed. But now, these three outstanding youths are all already Martial Artists of the Yellow Martial Realm. They should have learned to master weapons suited to themselves. After all, when the time comes to guard the city and kill Magic Beasts, they cannot rely on their fists and footwork. Therefore, I propose that the three youths each pick up the weapon they are proficient with and display their true level!"

When Nie Hu heard Wei Changqing's argument, he immediately sensed something was wrong. That was right—Wei Changqing's argument was entirely reasonable. From the start, he had placed it on the level of killing Magic Beasts. And as the Guard Captain of the small town, his duty was also to kill Magic Beasts and protect the town. If, in the Zhushan Arena Tournament he was responsible for, he broke convention and used weapons, his proposal was completely in accordance with the rules.

"Wei Changqing, you're ruthless!" Nie Hu snorted angrily.

"Brother Nie, calm down." Wei Changqing lowered his voice and said, "Others might not have confidence in Xiaoyue, but do even you not have confidence in her? Since she was small, Xiaoyue has studied sword arts with your help. Added to her exceptional talent, in terms of sword mastery alone, there are probably very few Martial Artists below the fifth level of the Yellow Martial Realm who can match her. Looking at Jiang Feng and Yu Feng, those two have probably never touched any weapon at all. This proposal of mine is actually helping your Xiaoyue!"

After hearing this, Nie Hu thought it over carefully, and it seemed that was indeed the case.

After calming down, Nie Hu also understood. Wei Changqing wanted to use Xiaoyue's hand to get rid of Jiang Feng, this hidden danger! It was just that in front of the Dragon Tower Master, he could not make his words too clear.

"In that case, we'll do as you say!" Nie Hu said loudly, then spoke no more.

"Good!" Wei Changqing called down below. "Bring up the weapons for the three youths to choose from."

On the arena stage, the three each had their own thoughts.

Nie Xiaoyue was secretly delighted. Her sword techniques might not count as brilliant, but they were definitely much better than Yu Feng's and Jiang Feng's, who had never learned weapons. Could Wei Changqing truly be helping her?

Yu Feng's brows were tightly furrowed. He had stepped into the Yellow Martial Realm more than half a year ago, and although he had already begun studying spear techniques, he knew he was inferior to Nie Xiaoyue in sword mastery. He was well aware that Nie Xiaoyue had studied sword arts with Nie Hu's help since childhood. With this rule change, it would probably be even harder for him to defeat Nie Xiaoyue.

Looking again at Jiang Feng, his expression had not changed in the slightest.

With Jiang Feng's experience, how could he fail to see Wei Changqing's petty schemes? Jiang Feng was almost forty years old if his previous and current lives were added together. If he could not see through even this little trick, then he deserved to be schemed to death.

However, Jiang Feng firmly believed one thing: in the face of absolute power, all schemes and tricks were unnecessary!

Wei Changqing looked down from above, and Jiang Feng fell into his eyes: Jiang Feng, if you want to blame something, blame yourself for not knowing how to endure. Only by getting rid of you can I be at ease.

Nie Hu had already begun calculating in his heart. If Nie Xiaoyue won the championship, obtained that Meridian Opening Pill, and then broke through one or even two more meridians, she would have the cultivation of the third or fourth level of the Yellow Martial Realm. To possess such cultivation at fourteen years old—surely, even the outstanding disciples of those great families were no more than this?

"Spending five hundred gold coins to buy that Flesh Pellet was worth it!!"