Luck Is Also Strength

The next day, the Martial Hall Tournament resumed.

Six people, three matches, still decided by drawing lots.

The results came out quickly.

Zhang Chong against Shui Yunyue, Yang Qi against Bai Yu, Zhou Muyun against Qian Bao.

Zhou Muyun had drawn number one, so he was the first to step onto the arena.

Across from him stood a plump, slightly chubby man with a round face.

"Qian Bao."

"Zhou Muyun."

The two cupped their fists in greeting.

Zhou Muyun made the first move, rapidly closing the distance as always, then unleashed Myriad Catkins Obscure the Sky.

Just as the shadows of his fists enveloped Qian Bao, Qian Bao did something no one expected.

"I concede!"

Qian Bao shouted, then turned and ran straight off the arena.

Boos erupted across the venue. Surrendering without a fight was a disgrace to a martial artist's backbone.

Yet Qian Bao did not care in the slightest, happily making his way back to the stands.

"What an interesting fellow."

Zhou Muyun stared at the empty arena, somewhat dumbfounded as well.

Come on, man, you hadn't surrendered this readily during yesterday's match!

But thinking of Leng Ni's letter, Zhou Muyun could roughly guess what was going on.

Since the Yunlin Chamber of Commerce had already won, Qian Bao naturally had no reason to keep fighting.

After all, the opponents only grew stronger with each round.

And just like that, Zhou Muyun won the first match in a muddle.

The second match was Zhang Chong against Shui Yunyue.

Neither of them was weak, and the battle became exceptionally fierce from the very start.

Zhang Chong had mastered the Cloud-Climbing Leg and had been immersed in the Organ Refinement Realm for years. Every move he made was incomparably fierce, leaving Zhou Muyun's heart pounding.

But to everyone's surprise, Shui Yunyue had quietly mastered the Hundred Flowers Palm as well.

Cheers surged through the stands like mountains roaring and seas crashing. Supporters from both sides threw themselves into cheering.

It was a battle of dragons and tigers, so thrilling that the spectators could not get enough.

In the end, Zhang Chong was still a shade stronger. Relying on the unceasing force of Nine-Link Cloud-Climbing, he defeated Shui Yunyue.

Though Zhang Chong was drenched in sweat, a smile appeared on his face.

He was getting closer and closer to first place.

On the stand where the martial hall masters sat.

Long Teng and Song Changsheng took turns showering Feng Tengyun with flattery.

Feng Tengyun was personally powerful, and the disciples of his martial hall were strong as well. Whoever could win him over would gain a tremendous ally.

"Brother Feng truly knows how to teach disciples. We should all learn from you."

"I think Zhang Chong has the bearing of a champion."

The martial hall masters whom the two had already won over also chimed in.

Under the barrage of praise, Feng Tengyun's old face blossomed like a flower.

Yet no one knew better than he did what they were really after.

The two merely wanted to win him over.

"You flatter me, gentlemen. No one can say for certain who will take first place.

Besides, Brother Li's and Brother Wan's outstanding disciples have yet to settle their match!

And Brother Li already has a disciple who has entered the next round."

Feng Tengyun shifted the topic toward Li Qingliang and Wan Ting.

"Zhou Muyun? That was nothing but luck." Long Teng scoffed.

Even now, he still bore a grudge against Zhou Muyun for defeating Long Qian and ruining his plans.

Besides, he had already won over Wan Ting, and Wan Ting and Li Qingliang were like fire and water.

Naturally, he had no intention of trying to win over Li Qingliang.

"Brother Long, that is going too far, isn't it? Was Bai Yu's victory luck as well?"

Song Changsheng hurriedly defended Li Qingliang. Li Qingliang was someone he intended to win over.

"Bai Yu naturally has real skill."

Long Teng did not dare speak too absolutely. What if Li Qingliang turned to Song Changsheng? That would be disastrous.

Li Qingliang, meanwhile, had remained silent throughout, his expression as calm as ever.

Wan Ting, however, gave a sinister smile and sneered, "Who are you trying to impress with that lofty act? Bah! I cannot stand that attitude of yours, Li Qingliang.

Your closed-door disciple, is he? Just watch how my disciple cripples him!"

"Save your sharp tongue for after your disciple wins." Li Qingliang spoke calmly.

"You..." Wan Ting choked, as though a fishbone were stuck in his throat.

Just then, Feng Tengyun spoke up, once again shifting everyone's attention and ending the verbal clash.

"Look, Bai Yu and Yang Qi are about to face each other."

On the arena, the two had already begun exchanging blows.

Bai Yu lived up to his name as a genius, and he had not squandered Li Qingliang's cultivation either. His aura had reached the Viscera Refinement Peak, and his Flurry Fist had likewise been mastered.

Only, the martial intent he had comprehended differed from Zhou Muyun's.

Zhou Muyun's fists emphasized endless variations, hardness tempered with softness.

Bai Yu's fists were likewise ever-changing, but they were like a raging storm, incomparably fierce.

They carried the intent of willow catkins flying everywhere, blotting out the sky and covering the earth.

Yang Qi, standing opposite him, was equally astonishing. His Surging Stream Palm truly flowed without end, like a river pouring into the sea, wave after wave receiving every one of Bai Yu's attacks.

The two fought in a deadlock, and because of the feud between their masters, neither showed the slightest mercy.

After several exchanges, both were wounded, their training uniforms stained crimson with blood.

"Our masters are sworn enemies. What does that have to do with us?!"

Bai Yu was deeply frustrated. Wasn't learning martial arts meant to strengthen oneself and live a better life?

Why was this guy fighting as if his life meant nothing, forcing Bai Yu to show no mercy either?

Without realizing it, he had already begun to consider retreating.

Precious medicine was good, but one had to be alive to enjoy it. Besides, even a narrow victory would leave him unable to fight the next battles.

Yang Qi, on the other hand, grew more crazed the longer he fought, every move aimed to kill.

A manic smile even hung on his lips, as though he could already see Bai Yu collapsing miserably before him.

With different states of mind, their moves naturally differed as well.

After dozens more exchanges, Yang Qi endured a punch from Bai Yu head-on, changed his palm into a claw, and instantly seized Bai Yu's arm.

Closing in, he struck with a palm aimed directly at Bai Yu's face.

Bai Yu was horrified and could only raise his leg to kick at Yang Qi.

Bang!

Leg and palm collided. Both men felt their blood and qi churn within them, and Bai Yu took the chance to wrench his arm free.

At that moment, Yang Qi's ruthlessness showed itself once more. He pressed forward again at high speed, forcefully suppressing the churning of his blood and qi as he sent another palm strike toward Bai Yu.

Bai Yu inwardly cursed him as a madman and hurriedly retreated.

Palm after palm came crashing down. Yang Qi had seized the initiative completely, and Bai Yu's desire to retreat grew stronger.

When he had backed up to the edge of the arena, he feigned a clash of fists, then fell off the platform.

Yang Qi glared at Bai Yu resentfully. How could he not have noticed something was wrong?

"Coward who clings to life and fears death!"

He spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva and cursed furiously.

Bai Yu did not care in the slightest. Clinging to life and fearing death was still better than having no future.

Thus, Yang Qi claimed the final spot.

"Hahaha! Old Li, your closed-door disciple is not much after all!"

Wan Ting held his head high and laughed heartily, thoroughly vindicated.

Li Qingliang's face darkened, but he said nothing. How could he fail to see Bai Yu's little maneuver?

But how could a master dictate a disciple's choice?

"Just as expected. The master is a coward, and so is the disciple."

Wan Ting continued to mock him without mercy.

"Wan Ting." Li Qingliang could endure no more. "Do not forget that I still have another disciple!"

"You mean that king of luck?

Do not blame me for looking down on him, but he has not met any real expert all the way here.

In my opinion, he will not last three moves against my disciple."

"Bullshit!"

Li Qingliang cursed outright, though he knew clearly in his heart.

Zhou Muyun was not weak, but compared with people like Zhang Chong and Wan Ting's disciple, he was probably still lacking.

This tournament would likely end here for him.

"Bullshit? Do you dare make a bet on whose disciple goes farther?"

"I'll bet! What are we betting?"

Li Qingliang's temper rose as well. Someone would receive a bye in the next round—what if it was Zhou Muyun?

"How about two hundred taels and three one-year-old precious herbs?"

"Fine!"

Though Li Qingliang's heart ached somewhat at the stakes, he could not lose face.

"You actually dare agree? Looks like you came here to deliver money to me.

Gentlemen, bear witness. Whoever loses will immediately go back for the money and medicine."

"Fine, I will bear witness. Neither of you is allowed to go back on your word." Feng Tengyun spoke.

"Fine."

"No going back on it."

The two nodded at the same time, and the wager was set.

At that moment, the drawing of lots had already begun below the stage. There were three bamboo slips.

Two bore numbers, while one was blank.

Whoever drew the blank one would receive a bye and advance directly to the final.

Please let him draw the bye. At worst, let the two of them draw each other.

Wan Ting looked supremely confident on the surface, but he was worried inside.

What if Zhou Muyun drew the bye?

Zhang Chong, Yang Qi, and Zhou Muyun reached for the bamboo slips at the same time.

Zhang Chong drew number one.

Yang Qi and Zhou Muyun slowly revealed their bamboo slips.

Yang Qi had number one. Zhou Muyun's slip had no number.

The person hosting the draw immediately shouted, "Yang Qi will face Zhang Chong.

Zhou Muyun receives a bye!"

The stand where the martial hall masters sat instantly fell into deathly silence.

Wan Ting's face turned livid, and he roared inwardly, How the hell did you get a bye?!