As the two traded veiled barbs, quite a few disciples wondered why they addressed each other as senior and junior brothers.
Deng Qing had heard Li Cheng mention it in passing, so he was not surprised.
Deng Qing was listening quietly when Song Wuliang suddenly pointed at him. "Kid, take good care of my Blacksteel Soft Sword."
With that, Song Wuliang drained his cup and strode away.
Li Dashan turned to Zhang Yan, asking for an explanation.
Zhang Yan told him about the battle at Blackwind Ravine, where Deng Qing had defeated Song Que and taken the Blacksteel Soft Sword.
Li Dashan glanced at Deng Qing and said nothing, but approval shone in his eyes.
Ding Yuan could only grind his teeth in frustration.
Not long after everyone took their seats, a voice outside the venue began announcing names.
The noisy hall fell silent at once.
Several breaths later, a group entered. The man at their center wore an official robe. He was lean, around fifty, with a gentle face and an unhurried manner. This was Xia Chun, the Pacification Commissioner sent by Yanshan Prefecture.
Guo Wei, magistrate of Dongting County, accompanied him on the left, while Gong Jun, assistant magistrate of Everjoy County, followed half a step behind.
As soon as the officials entered, everyone rose to greet them.
Xia Chun raised a hand with a smile. "No need for ceremony. Please, sit."
Once everyone was seated, Xia Chun swept his gaze around the hall and said in a clear voice, "Since the Donghuang Cult began stirring up trouble, fighting has never ceased around Yanshan Prefecture.
"Officials, local volunteers, and fellow martial artists from every county have suffered casualties. It has not been easy to reach where we are today.
"I have come on official orders to offer, on behalf of the Yanshan Prefecture administration, condolences to those who have rendered meritorious service..."
He went on at length in official language, singling out the many who had distinguished themselves, including Li Dashan for his contribution in the Battle of Liangshan. Then he poured wine onto the ground in tribute to the dead.
After these formalities, Guo Wei took charge of the proceedings. As he finished speaking, music began.
A troupe of dancers filed in from the west and danced gracefully in the center of the hall.
The atmosphere relaxed at once, and people chatted among themselves, heads bent close together.
Though Deng Qing could not take a seat at the banquet, he watched without blinking. To his eye, these dancers were leagues beyond the likes of Jin Chen and Liu Haocun.
After several songs, the dancers withdrew.
Xia Chun set down his wine cup and said, "The finest talents of both counties are gathered here today, including many outstanding young people. With the Martial Dao Trial about to begin, merely drinking and listening to music seems rather dull.
"Why not let the young people stretch their limbs? I would like to see what remarkable talents the next generation of our two counties has produced."
At those words, many young martial artists in the hall perked up.
Xia Chun looked at Guo Wei. "I hear your nephew intends to take part in this Martial Dao Trial, Magistrate Guo. Why not let him step forward and show us what he has learned?"
Guo Wei waved off the suggestion modestly. "The boy has only studied a few years of rudimentary fighting arts. How could he dare make a fool of himself before so many experts?"
Xia Chun smiled. "Young people spar to sharpen one another. This is only for entertainment, with neither victory nor life and death at stake. Why keep him hidden away?"
Guo Wei agreed with a smile and glanced behind him. A young man of about twenty immediately rose, saluted Xia Chun, and strode into the center of the hall.
He was Guo Wei's nephew, Zhao Tang. Tall and powerfully built, with broad shoulders and long arms, he looked like someone who had trained his body hard for years.
A dozen or so breaths later, Zhao Tang took his position, drew a deep breath, and settled into a boxing stance.
His boxing style was exceptionally fierce. Every punch brought a muffled boom, and when he drove force through his feet, even the ground seemed to tremble.
For sheer spectacle, it was impressive.
Cheers rose again and again from the Dongting County side, and Xia Chun gave a slight nod.
Deng Qing saw it clearly: this had obviously been arranged in advance to make Zhao Tang's name known.
The scramble for fame and fortune existed in every world.
A moment later, Zhao Tang finished his routine and came to a halt amid resounding applause.
Guo Wei remained modest in his words, though he could not hide the pride on his face.
Gong Jun, assistant magistrate of Everjoy County, smiled. "Zhao Tang is indeed impressive. But Dongting County is not the only place with talented young men. Everjoy County has them too."
With that, he beckoned to someone behind him.
A young man entered the center of the hall and cupped his fists. "Sun Hui of Everjoy County. My grandfather once served as a Martial Valor Commandant. Allow me to make a humble showing!"
Xia Chun smiled. "A descendant of a military family, then. Very well, let everyone see what you can do."
Deng Qing understood. With the Martial Dao Trial approaching, too many people needed a stage.
Sun Hui stepped forward, but Zhao Tang did not leave.
"What fun is it to perform alone?"
Zhao Tang cupped his fists toward Sun Hui. "Brother Sun, since you're also entering the Martial Dao Trial, why don't we exchange a few moves?"
Sun Hui looked at him. "I've reached Skin Tempering Fourth Layer. Are you sure?"
"I'm only at the third layer," Zhao Tang said frankly. "But a man who studies martial arts ought to rejoice at the prospect of a fight. If I dare not make a move today just because you're one layer above me, how could I speak of competing against the finest talents under heaven at the Martial Dao Trial?"
He put it so well that cheers broke out around the hall. Approval showed on Xia Chun's face too.
Sun Hui said no more. After exchanging salutes, the two began to fight.
Zhao Tang struck first. Once his fists were in motion, his boxing looked nothing like his earlier demonstration. It had less of that deliberately cultivated spectacle, but his attacks flowed together with far greater ferocity.
Relying on the stronger Qi-Blood of Skin Tempering Fourth Layer, Sun Hui met him head-on with his palms. Fists and palms collided in a string of dull thuds.
Li Dashan suddenly turned and asked, "Deng Qing, who do you think will win?"
Several Celebration Hall disciples stared in surprise, wondering when Deng Qing had caught Li Dashan's eye.
Ding Yuan's eyelid twitched. He even felt as though someone had broken into his own home and stolen what was his.
Deng Qing watched the fight. "Zhao Tang."
"Why?"
"Sun Hui hits harder, but he hasn't mastered his palm technique. Every time he changes moves, he seems a fraction slow to bring his Qi-Blood to bear.
"Zhao Tang's boxing, on the other hand, flows as one. If Sun Hui can't overwhelm him early, that one-layer advantage won't stop the fight from becoming harder and harder for him."
Surprise flickered in Li Dashan's eyes. "Good eye."
He pointed toward the fighters. "Zhao Tang practices Yuewang Dispersed Strikes, and he has trained it to a high level.
"Sun Hui's Great Stele King Hand is no poor technique, but he has only grasped some of its outward form. He is far from mastering it.
"There is a gap between Skin Tempering Third Layer and Fourth Layer, but it is not insurmountable. A strong enough advantage in technique, experience, or courage can bridge it."
As Li Dashan explained, Zhang Yan glanced at Fan Sheng. Fan Sheng's eyes were smiling.
Ding Yuan and the others, however, could not conceal their feelings. All this way, they had tried every means they could think of, yet earned only a few lukewarm words of praise from Li Dashan.
Deng Qing had been asked for his opinion personally and even received instruction on the spot.
Anyone with eyes could see the difference.
The fight unfolded just as Deng Qing had predicted.
At first, Sun Hui used his stronger Qi-Blood to keep Zhao Tang on the defensive. But as they fought, the rough edges in his palm technique began to show.
Zhao Tang's punches came in an unbroken stream, each more powerful than the last.
After another dozen or so exchanges, Sun Hui's footwork faltered.
Zhao Tang suddenly drove through the opening at his center and unleashed several punches, one landing heavily on Sun Hui's chest.
Sun Hui stumbled back several steps before regaining his balance. A trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.
"Thank you for the match."
Zhao Tang immediately lowered his fists.
Sun Hui's face darkened. He wiped his mouth. "I have yet to achieve Grand Mastery in the Great Stele King Hand. Losing to you today doesn't mean I'll lose at the Martial Dao Trial."
"When you reach Grand Mastery, we can go again," Zhao Tang said cheerfully.
Thunderous cheers erupted from the Dongting County side. Seated in the place of honor, Guo Wei modestly cupped his fists toward Gong Jun of Everjoy County.
Though Zhao Tang had won, he still refused to leave the floor. His gaze swept across the Everjoy County contingent as he called out, "We're here to liven things up. Who else would care to give me a lesson?"