Inside the Four Seas Martial Arts Hall, seated beside an Eight Immortals table, Master Ye chuckled. "I knew you would pick drawing lots, Master Huang. Our Night Heron Martial Arts Hall is always glad to oblige, so let it be."
The implication was clear: I am going easy on you.
Soon, the results of the draw were announced.
Liu Chun was paired against Gaojiao Qi, Ah Zhen against Hei Gou, Cheng Kuiqiang against Wen Wu, and Li Xiuwen against Tian Er.
A dark cloud settled over Huang Sihai's face.
This matchup was a total disaster.
It was practically no different from letting Master Ye handpick the pairings himself.
He would have been better off just letting the man choose, if only to make himself look generous.
As the roster stood now, Liu Chun—the only one on his side virtually guaranteed a win—was eliminated in advance. Ah Zhen would be knocked out immediately no matter whom she faced. Just like that, damn it all, they were already halfway to defeat.
Cheng Kuiqiang's opponent, Wen Wu, was another fellow naturally blessed with immense brute strength. Wen Wu had reached the Purple Membrane earlier and had long achieved minor success in his fighting techniques; beating him would be an uphill battle.
As for Tian Er, he was Pine Hall's second-greatest talent, inferior only to Gaojiao Qi. He had entered the Purple Membrane two months ago, standing a notch above Ah Wen, who had only just broken through. Tian Er had also attained minor success in his fighting techniques long ago, not far from reaching major success.
How the hell was this even a competition?
Though Old Huang looked calm on the outside, inwardly he wanted to weep, consoling himself, *Forget it. I prefer keeping a low profile anyway... After today's challenge visit, everyone will see that my Four Seas Martial Arts Hall lacks real talent, and no one will bother targeting me anymore.*
***
On the square arena ten meters across, Liu Chun and Gaojiao Qi took the stage first.
Huang Sihai's eyes were dark and brooding.
The corners of Master Ye's mouth curled upward, already anticipating a splendid show! Even the heavens favored him; the only pupil who posed any threat, Liu Chun, was firmly matched against Gaojiao Qi, who would crush him without fail. Among the rest, only Cheng Kuiqiang offered a modicum of danger. As for Ah Zhen and Li Xiuwen? He had not paid them the slightest attention.
***
Gaojiao Qi stood on the stage with an arrogant expression, sneering. "Fists and kicks have no eyes. You would do well to admit defeat early. My Water Bird Fist draws blood easily."
Liu Chun had always been the one looking down his nose at others, but now the tables were turned. He let out a cold snort. "Make your move."
The reporter from *Ming Pao*, hired by Master Ye, reported dutifully, "Gaojiao Qi and Liu Chun are both young prodigies! Who will triumph? Let us wait and see!"
Li Xiuwen already knew the outcome.
Inside the Illusionary Realm of the Great Void, he had sparred against both Liu Chun and Gaojiao Qi. Against Liu Chun, he could hold out for dozens of exchanges. Against Gaojiao Qi, he could not last even three strikes.
"Ah Wen, who do you think will win?" Ah Zhen asked.
"Hard to say. In terms of realm alone, Gaojiao Qi has the edge. But in actual combat, there are too many variables," Li Xiuwen replied with a faint smile.
"Let's hope Senior Brother Chun wins. If he loses... the three of us will be under enormous pressure," Cheng Kuiqiang murmured.
The three of them had exchanged only a few words when a sharp, piercing sonic boom cracked across the arena.
Gaojiao Qi spread both arms like a water bird unfurling its wings, a shrill shriek tearing from his throat as he delivered an airborne thrusting kick.
A shockwave of white vapor erupted from Liu Chun's chest. His face turned ashen, his eyes bulging as he stumbled backward step by step.
He raised his leg, intending to retaliate, but Gaojiao Qi sneered, "That was holding back. If you come at me again, I can't guarantee you won't get hurt."
Liu Chun's face flushed scarlet, burning with humiliation. He forced a smile. "Bring it on! If I get hurt, it just means I lacked skill!"
"Liu Chun! Don't push yourself!" Huang Sihai barked.
"Master, let me push myself just this once!" Liu Chun charged forward.
*Bang!*
Gaojiao Qi unleashed a midair sweeping kick. Liu Chun, who had raised both arms to guard, was sent hurtling through the air, crashing into the spectators below.
"Boring," Gaojiao Qi scoffed, stepping down from the stage and muttering to himself, "Just a bunch of crooked melons and split dates."
Master Ye beamed with delight and remarked, "Master Huang, this disciple of yours isn't bad. He has grit... though his mastery falls a bit short."
Huang Sihai chuckled. "To hold his own for so long against a genius with the makings of a superior, I am quite satisfied."
As Gaojiao Qi returned to the ring's edge, Hei Gou, one of the three Pine Hall talents, crowded forward with a grin. "Eldest Senior Brother, you were magnificent! A complete sweep!"
"Too weak. So this is the top fighter on the ground floor of Four Seas Martial Arts Hall? Barely worth mentioning. I feel like even I could have taken him," Tian Er sneered.
In the second bout, Ah Zhen faced Hei Gou. With no suspense whatsoever, she was defeated!
Neither her training methods nor her fighting techniques could compare, not to mention the inherent physical gap. Huang Sihai's expression was growing increasingly strained; the challenge visit had only just begun, and they had already lost two matches.
He looked toward Cheng Kuiqiang and Ah Wen, sighing repeatedly in his heart.
Master Ye smiled with thinly veiled sarcasm. "Master Huang, you shouldn't hold back now. I find it hard to believe this reflects the true caliber of the Sea Sand style."
"There are still two matches left," Huang Sihai countered.
"Think you can win?" Master Ye laughed.
"We'll only know once they fight."
"Cheng Kuiqiang, you have to win!" Ah Zhen shouted toward Cheng Kuiqiang.
Liu Chun stood despondently among the crowd, his mind consumed by Gaojiao Qi's breathtaking kick and the image of that gray water bird blotting out the sky.
*Perfection in Water Bird Fist, honed to peak mastery with no openings whatsoever... Is this the gap between me and someone with the makings of a superior? How utterly hopeless.*
Gaojiao Qi had been so overwhelming that he had cast an indelible shadow over the young prodigy's spirit. At Four Seas Martial Arts Hall, Liu Chun had been lauded like stars revolving around the moon, elevated to dizzying heights, only to suffer a crushing fall.
*Cheng Kuiqiang and Wen Wu...*
Li Xiuwen recalled his bouts against both of them in the Illusionary Realm of the Great Void the previous night.
Between those two, it was likely an even split, depending entirely on how they performed in the moment.
Sure enough, this bout proved to be a grueling battle of endurance.
In sheer strength, Cheng Kuiqiang held the advantage. In technique, Wen Wu, whose Water Bird Fist had long reached minor success, was clearly superior.
Huang Sihai frowned, muttering inwardly, *Why hasn't Cheng Kuiqiang achieved minor success in his fighting techniques yet...? All that special training I gave him was for nothing—his comprehension is simply too poor!* Had Cheng Kuiqiang reached minor success like Ah Wen had, the odds would have been sixty-forty in his favor.
The two clashed for five minutes, trading over a hundred blows.
Eager for a quick victory, Cheng Kuiqiang exposed an opening.
Wen Wu seized the chance, his arms spreading like wings as he launched his offensive, driving a flying knee straight into Cheng Kuiqiang's chest.
Ripples of thick muscle shook violently under the impact. Cheng Kuiqiang coughed up a mouthful of stagnant blood, completely forced onto the defensive, and was soon defeated.
"*Phew...*" Huang Sihai drew a deep breath and closed his eyes, unable to bear watching any longer.
He had never expected to beat Night Heron Martial Arts Hall, but losing this disastrously was hard to stomach.
Forget it. Between making money and saving face, he had to choose one. He chose making money.
"An absolute, one-sided steamroll! Night Heron Martial Arts Hall truly lives up to its name as an orthodox school on par with the White Crane style—utterly fierce!" the reporter yelled, his eyes wide with excitement.
Master Ye said with a grin, "Master Huang, are you alright? Your breath seems a bit unsteady."
Huang Sihai offered a forced smile. "I'm fine."
Master Ye shook his head with a sigh. "Back in the day, Master Huang, you also produced talents like Chen Beiwang, Qiu Xiang, and Xiao Tianhong... How did things come to this?"
Huang Sihai replied, "True geniuses can only be encountered by chance, not sought out. How things are now is just fine."
Master Ye lowered his voice. "Don't blame me for speaking out of turn, Old Huang. How much money is enough? Raise your standards! Don't go scraping together misshapen dregs just to pocket a few extra coins."
Huang Sihai sneered. "Misshapen dregs? How do you know there isn't true gold hidden among those dregs? Anyone can teach a genius! In fact, geniuses hardly need your instruction to begin with. Being able to mold ordinary people into capable fighters—now that is true skill!"
Chapter 36