The Kowloon Grand Arena

Noon. In the cafeteria of the Four Seas Martial Arts Hall. Li Xiuwen ordered a plate of beef, a roast goose leg, a dish of white cut chicken, a basin of rice, a stir-fried seasonal vegetable, and a bowl of medicinal soup... For the underclass living in the Walled City, such a meal was hard to come by even during festivals. "Ah Wen, eating this well? Did you strike it rich somewhere? Bring me along!" Ah Zhen looked down at the food on her own plate, suddenly losing her appetite. "The factory's been doing pretty well lately, so my uncle gave me a bit extra," Li Xiuwen said with a smile. A while back, he had already coordinated stories with his uncle. If anyone asked in the future, they would just say the factory's business had picked up. That way, the increase in his spending would make sense. In martial cultivation, it was thirty percent training and seventy percent nourishment. Skimping on food would only be counterproductive. Ah Zhen asked, "Do you still want to join Hesheng Tu? With your current aptitudes, I could ask Sister Fo for you." "Let me train a bit more first. My innate physique isn't great, so they wouldn't want me anyway," Li Xiuwen politely declined. It wasn't out of spite; now that he had money, there was simply no need for the time being. Boosting his own strength as quickly as possible came first. When it came to gangs, offering yourself up at their doorstep was worlds apart from being invited in. After eating, Li Xiuwen went to the study to find Huang Sihai. "Master, I'd like to buy some fish balls." "Again? Did what I said before go in one ear and out the other?" "I don't eat them every day—just one or two a week. My focus is still on my own training." "That's still not a small amount... Fine, as long as you know what you're doing. I've already warned you of the pros and cons, so as your master, I've done my duty... How many do you want?" "Just two will do." Li Xiuwen didn't dare buy too many at once. That would draw too much attention, especially since the Thirteen Taibao incident had only just occurred. Huang Sihai took out two, wrapped them in oiled paper, and handed them over. "Are you trying to make a push for the second floor?" Li Xiuwen nodded. "I heard the second floor waives the monthly fee. Getting up there would save a lot of money." Huang Sihai sighed. "Fair enough, but there are only two months left for the second-floor spots, and Liu Chun has already reached Black Membrane. I'll speak frankly with you, so don't take it the wrong way, Ah Wen... You don't have much hope this year. Even if you eat fish balls every week, going from Purple Membrane to Black Membrane is harder than going from an ordinary person to Purple Membrane. I'm not trying to discourage you, just making sure you have realistic expectations. The higher the hopes, the deeper the disappointment." Li Xiuwen smiled. "I understand. Do what you can and leave the rest to fate... If I can't make it this year, there's always next year." *** Changle Street, Central District of the Walled City. Over the years, public order in the Walled City had been chaotic. Only the Central District, where Changle's main headquarters was located, could barely be considered peaceful. On the street, five figures walked abreast. With Huang Sihai leading the way, Li Xiuwen and the others curiously took in the surrounding shops. Ah Zhen remarked, "Even though it's all part of the Walled City, Changle Street is completely different from our Longwei Alley. Over by us, it's nothing but dragon-chasers." Liu Chun laughed. "This is the Central District, a place teeming with powerhouses. Even masters at the Flood Dragon Muscle Gate wouldn't dare cause trouble here." Li Xiuwen asked, "Master, how much does a small flat cost around here?" Huang Sihai chuckled. "You want to live here? There's far too much demand and too little supply. To buy a place in the core of the Central District, you have to be a core member of Changle. Money alone won't get you one." Cheng Kuiqiang was somewhat taken aback. "Huh? These flats look far shabbier than the new resettlement blocks on the edge of the Walled City or the apartment buildings outside. You still can't buy them?" Huang Sihai sneered. "The people living in the Central District are all trained fighters. They don't care about luxury; they just want to be closer to the Academy and Mr. Ming. Understand? These places aren't even the best. The truly good houses belong to the Academy. Over the years, the Walled City has seen countless clashes, big and small, but that area has always stood untouched." Ah Zhen asked curiously, "Master, just how strong is Mr. Ming? To have so many powerful experts flocking to follow him?" Huang Sihai shook his head. "How should I know? Mr. Ming hasn't made a move in ten years... Ten years ago, he was already the top figure in the Walled City. With his heaven-endowed talent, he reached a permanent peak long ago. His vitality never declines, and he only grows more monstrous with age. For him, the old saying about age fearing youth simply doesn't apply. Don't go reaching for the stars just yet. If you can pass the Three Gates and achieve what the Three Paragons did, you'll already be dragons among men in this Walled City." *A house by the Academy?* Li Xiuwen murmured to himself. In this Walled City, safety was the most precious thing of all. Li Xiuwen wanted his aunt and uncle to move into an Academy house as well, so they could enjoy the shade under the great tree that was Mr. Ming. "The Kowloon Grand Arena is right ahead." Huang Sihai pointed to a sprawling cluster of red buildings in the middle of Changle Street that wound and coiled like a great dragon. The Grand Arena was not a single ring. Within this architectural complex, rings were scattered everywhere. Some were in teahouses, some in bars, some in restaurants and shops. In short, every inch of space was maximized for its value. "The first ring is at 'A Thin Strip of Sky Teahouse.' Let's go." A distant look entered Huang Sihai's eyes as memories flooded back. With hands clasped behind his back, he looked toward the sky and said in an even voice, "That year, your master was seventeen. With my Black Membrane at major success, I fought through nine rings in a row right here at A Thin Strip of Sky. The cup of tea below the stage was still hot." Li Xiuwen gave a thumbs-up. "Master, amazing!" What a flex—definitely worthy of draining a cup to! *** A Thin Strip of Sky Teahouse. Flanked on both sides by cramped handshake buildings, one could look up and see only a thin sliver of sky, from which it got its name. The master and his four disciples took their seats. Huang Sihai grandly ordered a pot of tea, loudly insisting on treating them, but was terribly slow to pull out his wallet. Li Xiuwen was quick on his feet, stepping in to pay first and then pouring tea for Huang Sihai. This made Huang Sihai look at Li Xiuwen with a bit more regard. Blowing on his tea, he cleared his throat. "Ah Wen, watch how the others fight first. Ask me if there's anything you don't understand." "Understood, Master." Li Xiuwen stood to the side, looking toward the stage. Watching this, Liu Chun found it amusing. *No talent, relying entirely on scheming and flattery. When your martial path isn't pure, it's hard to amount to anything.* On stage, a thin, dark man and a plump, pale man were exchanging blows. Huang Sihai remarked, "That thin man practices the Black Tiger style, which also excels in fierce power. The fat one practices the White Crane style. If you can beat an expert of the same level from the White Crane style, then the Night Heron style won't pose a problem. When you have free time, come check out the Grand Arena. Watch more, remember more! Once you have a general grasp of these lineages' routines, you'll know how to handle them if you run into them later. Watch closely; the fat one will win this match." A moment later, the fat man delivered a strike of White Crane Delivers the Child, sending the thin man flying off the ring. Thunderous applause erupted below the stage. "Master, you're amazing!" "Incredible!" The disciples showered him with praise. Huang Sihai was truly an expert; after only a few moves, he could already predict the outcome. The same held true for the matches that followed. Old Huang loved money, but he certainly had real skill. Li Xiuwen asked, "Master, since your judgment is so accurate, why didn't you place a bet just now?" Huang Sihai sneered. "In this kind of new-blood ring, anyone with a bit of foundation can see who'll win and lose. Betting on it doesn't earn you much—it wouldn't even cover the handling fees. If you want to make money, you have to hit an upset, but on this first ring, that's virtually impossible unless someone deliberately hides their cultivation realm and martial arts. Not just anyone can step onto these rings where betting is allowed, either. Everyone is logged on record, their backgrounds fully verified. If you want to fight, you must report your martial arts and lineage beforehand without concealment. Otherwise, you're breaking the rules of the trade, and the representative running this ring will come looking for you."