When the loud beating of drums rang out over the lake once more, the taut, hair-trigger tension on the mountain in the lake exploded.
"Today, the Flowing Cloud Hall challenges the Black Wind Hall!"
"The Burning Wood Hall challenges the Water Spirit Hall!"
"The Tiger Form Hall challenges the Thunder Lion Hall!"
Battle-hungry shouts rang out over the lake like thunderclaps. With each shout, several figures darted toward the Dharma Combat Platform of the Divine Ability Hall being challenged.
Powerful Primordial Qi surged as the battle-hungry figures charged straight at their opponents without any courtesies.
Fierce battles erupted at once.
There were over a hundred Divine Ability Halls of all sizes in Qingyuan Market, and countless grudges and clashes simmered between them. Under the rules of the hall assembly, every Divine Ability Hall was entitled to challenge any other hall once, and the challenged hall could not refuse; it had to fight.
Thus, the assembly let them show others the might of their halls' divine abilities while settling old scores. It truly killed two birds with one stone, leaving everyone happy.
In moments, the Dharma Combat Platforms were bustling with activity.
The countless spectators by the lake watched with delight, cheering on and encouraging the halls they supported. The uproar soared straight into the clouds.
But on the top floor of Lakeview Tower, Qingyuan Market's important figures, such as Zhou Xuan, Li Yan and Yan Jing, remained unmoved. Some were even bored enough to close their eyes and rest. The halls fighting now were around first or second tier, and none of them even had a Divine Ability Master. To these figures, there really was nothing worth watching.
So they waited.
Only when the challenges among these lower-tier halls gradually came to an end would the four third-tier Divine Ability Halls on the mountaintop begin to fight. That was what was worth watching.
The Thunderfire Hall's Dharma Combat Platform.
The stone platform here had been hewn exceptionally wide and divided into three ascending levels. On the highest level, Lu Jin stood with his eyes closed and his hands behind his back. Like a pillar holding up the heavens, he supported the confidence of every Thunderfire Hall disciple. Behind him, a Thunderfire flag snapped in the lake breeze.
On the middle level stood Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei, their faces grave.
On the lowest level were Lu Ming, Gao Yu and Yuan Da. Another Thunderfire flag had been planted behind them.
Lu Ming was looking down and to his right, where the Red Sand Hall's Dharma Combat Platform stood. He could sense the undisguised hostility in the gazes its members were casting their way.
Clearly, the Red Sand Hall would certainly come to contest the Thunderfire Hall's position as the second-ranked hall today.
A fierce battle was unavoidable.
"If the Red Sand Hall comes to challenge us later, I'll stop Lü Xiao at the lower flag. You two will have to hold off the brothers Gong Peng and Gong Hu. We're not aiming to win here, only to hold steady. As long as we drag the challenge out for the full hour, the worst we can get is a draw."
A draw meant an empty flag: neither side would claim it. The three-point contest would become a two-point contest, with the final outcome decided by the results of the other two fights.
Gao Yu wore a crimson fighting outfit, her legs straight and long. Her ear-length short hair gave her a dashing, heroic look. Her pretty face was grave as she reminded Lu Ming and Yuan Da of the plan.
Although Yuan Da was now the hall's most senior disciple, his low-grade divine ability bone meant that Gao Yu had come from behind to surpass him in Primordial Qi strength.
As for Lu Ming, he had only shown his normal level when sparring with Gao Yu and the others at the hall. He had never revealed the boost his sub-heaven-grade divine ability bone gave to the power of divine ability techniques, or trump-card killing moves like his Fire Lotus Yuan Qi. So, in Gao Yu's eyes, his current fighting strength was only on par with Yuan Da's.
And that level of strength happened to be slightly weaker than that of the brothers Gong Peng and Gong Hu.
Thus, looking at the three-on-three matchup, their side was at something of a disadvantage, so they had to play it safe.
Yuan Da was broad and powerfully built, but his face was tense. Listening to Gao Yu's arrangements, he nodded repeatedly. "I'll take Gong Peng. I might not be able to beat him, but I'll do everything I can to hold him off."
Lu Ming knew Gao Yu had misjudged his true strength, but he said no more. After all, if the situation really remained reasonably stable, he had no need to draw too much attention to himself and expose his trump cards.
"I hope everything goes smoothly." Gao Yu let out a breath. She understood very well what this hall assembly meant to the Thunderfire Hall.
The drums continued to sound over the lake.
As time passed, the contests between the various halls on Dharma Combat Mountain gradually drew to a close.
Even now, however, not a single second-tier Divine Ability Hall had dared challenge the four third-tier halls at the summit. They knew it would be pointless. Without a Divine Ability Master to hold the fort, they could not shake a third-tier hall from its position.
Although the competition below was winding down, anticipation only grew in the eyes of the countless spectators by the lake. What came next was the main event of the assembly.
Boom!
A sudden drumbeat exploded like a thunderclap.
On the top floor of Lakeview Tower, the expressions of Zhou Xuan, Li Yan and Yan Jing finally changed a little, and they even sat up slightly straighter.
For what came next were the challenges between the four third-tier Divine Ability Halls.
Countless gazes moved back and forth between the Thunderfire Hall and the Red Sand Hall. The grudge between the two ran deep, and at every previous hall assembly they had clashed like needlepoint against wheat awn, fighting to the death.
At this year's assembly, however, the Thunderfire Hall's strength had been greatly weakened by Zhang Yue's departure. It could only send Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei to guard the middle flag, and the two might not be strong enough to hold it.
After all, in terms of strength, the Red Sand Hall's Zhu Lian and Feng Baichuan were no weaker than them.
Under those countless expectant gazes, Dharma Combat Mountain fell silent for a moment. Even the other Divine Ability Halls stopped fighting and looked toward the four platforms at the summit.
Surely the Red Sand Hall would make the first move now?
Just as everyone was thinking this, Lin Changkong stepped forward on the Golden Gang Sword Hall's platform at the highest point, his hands behind his back. His even voice, carried by powerful Primordial Qi, exploded over the lake like thunder.
"The Golden Gang Sword Hall challenges the Thunderfire Hall."
Boom!
One stone stirred up a thousand waves!
Everyone on and around the lake stared in shock at Lin Changkong's move. None of them had expected the Golden Gang Sword Hall, the top-ranked hall, to be the first to jump out and make a move against the Thunderfire Hall!
The Golden Gang Sword Hall was already the top-ranked hall. It could sit secure on the fishing platform and watch the other three great third-tier Divine Ability Halls fight, and that was precisely what it had done in the past.
After all, it was already the top-ranked hall. Even if it won a challenge, there was no point to it, so why go looking for trouble?
Yet now, Lin Changkong had made the first move on the Golden Gang Sword Hall's behalf.
"Hm?"
Even Zhou Xuan exclaimed in surprise, unable to understand the point of Lin Changkong's move.
Li Yan's brows knitted even tighter. What madness has gotten into Lin Changkong? How did the Thunderfire Hall offend him? Why won't he sit secure as the top-ranked hall? Why insist on joining the fray to take sides?
"Hehe, now this is interesting. It seems there will be some surprises at this year's hall assembly," Yan Jing, head of the Yan Clan, said with a smile. A trace of interest appeared on his face.
The other important figures of Qingyuan Market present also whispered among themselves in astonishment.
"Damn it, what does the Golden Gang Sword Hall mean by this? The Thunderfire Hall hasn't offended them, so why challenge us? Even if they beat us, what would they gain?!" Gao Yu's pretty face turned ashen with anger. Lin Changkong's move had thrown all their plans and expectations into disarray.
Lu Ming's expression also darkened. They had faintly sensed Lin Changkong's hostility at the market office a month ago, but he had not expected the man to choose the hall assembly to make a sudden move against them.
Was he not afraid that the Thunderfire Hall would fight until both sides suffered, dragging them down from their position as the top-ranked hall?
Or...
Was this hall assembly a hunt arranged by the Golden Gang Sword Hall and the Red Sand Hall, joining hands against the Thunderfire Hall?