Zhang Xiaohua had actually figured it out already. If Chen Fengxiao wanted him to win three matches, then his betting-match order today should certainly have been the first, third, and fifth bouts. The intervals between the two middle bouts would have let him rest, regulate his true qi, and recover his strength. Yet Chen Fengxiao had arranged for him to appear in the fourth and fifth bouts back-to-back, which meant he had never intended for Zhang Xiaohua to win the final match.
As for why Chen Fengxiao had made such arrangements, Zhang Xiaohua somewhat understood and somewhat did not. But now that he was already standing in the arena, he had no spare time to ponder the matter.
Standing opposite Zhang Xiaohua was Ye Liaocheng, the fifth Vajra of the Elixir Division. The word "Vajra" gave people the impression of someone broad-shouldered, thick-waisted, and possessed of boundless strength. But Zhang Xiaohua had seen all Ten Great Vajras, and only a scant few deserved that title. Someone like Cheng Shi was simply desecrating the name Vajra.
Ye Liaocheng, however, was precisely the one among the Ten Great Vajras most worthy of the title. Standing before Zhang Xiaohua, he was nearly a head taller than him. The muscles on his body bulged in solid blocks, and even when he merely walked around the arena, one felt as though the ground trembled beneath his feet. Looking at him, Zhang Xiaohua almost felt as if he were seeing Shi Niu of the Misty Sect.
When Venerable Lei gave the command, Zhang Xiaohua bowed. "Ren Xiaoyao of the Herb Division requests Senior Brother Ye's guidance."
At the sight, Ye Liaocheng inexplicably took two small steps back. He looked around in confusion, and only after seeing nothing unusual did he cup his hands and say in