An Invitation from a Renowned Martial Arts Hall, Black Tiger Ah Hong (4,000 Words; Please Vote)

The Learning Society. It always came back to the Learning Society!

Whether it was advanced martial arts or the Flood-Dragon Elixir and Gate-Worship Great Medicine, the core resources a Martial Artist needed to advance were all in the Learning Society's hands.

Liu Chun watched Li Xiuwen, surrounded like the moon by a host of stars. Alongside her envy, she felt a surge of motivation.

A Wen might have good Comprehension and good luck... but when all was said and done, his Martial Constitution was inferior to hers.

As long as she trained diligently and took medicine when the time was right, she might someday catch up to him. Then she and A Wen could make Sea Sand famous together!

Whatever grudges they had held before, the disciples of the two schools chatted happily over the meal.

Big Guy, the senior disciple of Egret Hall, came over to clink glasses with Li Xiuwen. "Handsome, I like what I see. Interested in joining Thunder God Shed?

"If you join, I'll introduce you to my friend Dao Youming. His Hard Qigong is formidable, and he's the strongest Straw Sandal in the East District. He can watch your back."

Li Xiuwen declined politely. "Sorry, I'm not looking to join a Club right now."

Dao Youming?

If I joined, wouldn't that be like carrying a lantern into a latrine—looking for shit?

Everyone else laughed and talked. Only Longlegs Seven sat in a corner, silently eating.

Every so often, he glanced at Li Xiuwen. When had he ever imagined he would lose to that "old scallion" who had refused to know his place half a year ago?

He replayed the fight in his mind dozens of times.

In the end, he found no mistake to blame. He had given it his all and lost.

Li Xiuwen