After the Immortal Disappeared

Chapter 237: Chapter 236: Arena Match

It was clear to Hee Lingchuan now—that guy Skinny was running a betting pool in the South Courtyard!

"Is that even allowed?"

"Why wouldn’t it be?" Aluo offered a rare smile. "Betting pools draw a crowd."

Hee Lingchuan thought about it and agreed. Watching a match without placing a bet was a soulless endeavor.

"See that biggest Martial Arts Arena over there?" Aluo pointed south. "It has railings but no walls, so it’s open to the public. The competitions held there are the grand ones. The audience is always fired up, and at least seven or eight hundred people place bets each time."

Panlong City revered martial arts, military and civilians alike.

After Skinny finished distributing the money, the people around him scattered. He spotted Hee Lingchuan and Aluo, quickly straightened his pulled-askew shirt, and walked over with a grin. "Well, well, the newbie’s here?"

Aluo spoke up at the right time. "You guys have fun. I’m going to my post." With that, he headed toward the Dulou. The man who had just been knocked down in the arena had a dislocated jaw and needed his help.

Skinny grabbed Hee Lingchuan. "Wanna make a little extra cash?"

"How?"

"You’re a new guy, so no one knows how strong you are. I’ll find you a few opponents, guaranteed to be weaker than you. If you win, we split the money fifty-fifty."

Hee Lingchuan smiled. "Sounds good, but I just want to find a decent opponent. Not too weak, but not someone who’ll wipe the floor with me." He didn’t want to waste his time.

Unwilling to give up, Skinny asked again, "You really don’t want to earn anything?"

Hee Lingchuan shot him a look.

"Alright, alright, I get it. Willow said you’re new to the Hooked Rope. How’s that going?"

"Just started, not very skilled," Hee Lingchuan said honestly. "Still need some time. You really do a bit of everything, don’t you?"

"Gotta supplement the family income, right?" Skinny laughed. "A bachelor like you, who only has to feed himself, how could you possibly understand the struggles of a family man? Every day I open my eyes, there are so many mouths waiting to be fed. Hang on, I’ll find you an opponent."

It seemed he was quite familiar with the South Courtyard of Yuewu Hall. He whistled and shouted, "Gouzi, someone’s challenging you!"

The man who had just successfully defended his spot a quarter of an hour ago turned and asked, "Who?"

Skinny clapped Hee Lingchuan on the shoulder. "I found you a fine young lad. This here is the recently famous Hee—"

Hee Lingchuan took a step forward, cutting off Skinny’s introduction. "Hello, I’m Broken Blade."

His heroic deed of single-handedly saving an army in the Ghost Needle Stone Forest was still being celebrated throughout Panlong City. The hype hadn’t died down yet. People knew him by his proper name, "Hee Lingchuan," but few knew his Patrol Guard call sign was "Broken Blade."

So, the champion, Gouzi, simply crooked a finger at him. "Come on, pick a weapon."

At the edge of the Martial Arts Arena stood weapon racks, filled with a complete assortment of conventional and unusual arms. Hee Lingchuan even saw a Giant Wolf Fang Club that, when stood on end, was almost chest-high. The blunt iron studs, however, had been replaced with wood.

Skinny seized the opportunity to give Hee Lingchuan some quick advice: "In Yuewu Hall competitions, you can only use the weapons provided here—no bringing your own, and no using Primordial Power. If your opponent loses the ability to attack or surrenders, you have to stop fighting. Other than that, anything goes. They never said you can’t kill someone. Oh, right, Gouzi’s specialty is the Tiger Claw Hooks, but they’re not on the weapon rack..."

Before he could finish, Gouzi picked up a wooden axe and a large shield from the ground—the same weapons he’d used to defeat his previous opponent.

Because it was a defensive weapon, the shield wasn’t made of wood. It was a standard Four-sided Iron Shield, but without any added spikes or Attack Angles.

Hee Lingchuan thought for a moment and chose a Wooden Blade.

It was the most conventional and effective weapon on the battlefield, and also the one he was currently most proficient with.

Gouzi walked back to the center of the platform and slammed his axe against his shield. "Come on!"

Hee Lingchuan leaped into the arena. The two bowed to each other, and the match began.

The surrounding crowd immediately gathered closer. Skinny started his spiel again: "’Broken Blade’ versus ’Gouzi’! A newbie’s debut, the odds are high! Come on, place your bets!"

’That guy’s completely obsessed with money.’ Hee Lingchuan shook his head. Just then, a figure flashed before his eyes, and Gouzi was right in front of him.

’So fast!’

The man was holding an axe and a shield, shirtless and showing off a body full of muscle. At first glance, he looked like a power-type fighter, but who knew his footwork would be so nimble.

His left hand swung the large shield upward, aiming for Hee Lingchuan’s chin. A direct hit would likely send his opponent flying and knock out a mouthful of teeth. It was a move commonly known as a "Skyrocket"—the same one that had dislocated the last poor guy’s jaw.

If Hee Lingchuan dodged, his upper body would have to lean back, which was when the axe in Gouzi’s right hand would arrive, chopping straight for his knee.

In a real battle, that one move could cripple an enemy’s lower body.

But both his shield and axe missed.

As Gouzi’s shield swung upward, Hee Lingchuan placed a hand on its top edge, pushed off with his toes, and used the momentum to leap right over Gouzi’s head!

The move truly looked as if he’d been hooked and lifted into the sky. His body was as light as a willow catkin in the wind. This was the payoff for his diligent practice of the "Swallow Returning" Body Technique.

Skinny and the rest of the crowd couldn’t help but cheer.

Gouzi raised his large shield to block above his head, but Hee Lingchuan did a backflip in mid-air, swinging his Long Saber across the back of Gouzi’s neck as he went.

Gouzi’s axe had only just begun its swing when he heard a THWACK. A sharp pain stung the back of his neck; the Wooden Blade had already left a red mark on his skin.

Hee Lingchuan landed, standing four feet away.

"Decapitation!" Skinny yelled. "The winner is decided!"

In a real fight, Hee Lingchuan’s strike would have taken his opponent’s head clean off.

The applause from the crowd was thunderous.

Gouzi shook his head and turned back to Hee Lingchuan. "How did you..."

Hee Lingchuan smiled. "That’s how you won earlier." He had seen clearly from the sidelines how Gouzi had defeated his opponent and had already figured out a counter. The fact that this guy tried to use the same move on two different people was his own arrogant mistake.

Besides, Hee Lingchuan had suffered from a "Skyrocket" type of move before. There was no reason to get soaked in the same river twice.

Gouzi’s eyes widened in realization, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Again!"

"Can you two wait a minute?" Skinny was annoyed too. "I haven’t even opened the betting pool!" The fight had only lasted a single exchange; the spectators hadn’t even had time to place their bets.

’Damn, what a loss! Broken Blade’s debut could’ve made a fortune. A huge loss this time!’

"Hold on!" A powerful voice suddenly boomed from the crowd, and a man pushed his way forward.

He was a bald, burly man, built like a bear with a bear-like frame. His hands and face were covered in thick hair, making him look just like a black bear spirit.

His eyes were small but glittered with a fierce light. Anyone he stared at would feel a chill down their spine.

Everyone else subconsciously made way for him.

Hee Lingchuan couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath. He actually recognized this person too. ’My first time at Yuewu Hall, how am I running into so many familiar faces?’

This guy was Meng Shan.

During his second-ever entry into the Panlong Dream Realm, Hee Lingchuan had fought alongside the Great Wind Army in the River Valley interception battle, covering the retreat of the fleeing citizens of Wei City. And this Meng Shan had been a Hundred-Man General in the Baling pursuit force, unstoppable from the moment he appeared!

Back then, in just one exchange, Meng Shan had broken Hee Lingchuan’s arm. His move was identical to Gouzi’s just now—the "Skyrocket."

Only, when Meng Shan used it, the power was far more than doubled.

Now, Meng Shan grinned at Hee Lingchuan, revealing a menacing set of white teeth. "Kid, I remember you."

Hee Lingchuan frowned. "Your leg has healed?"

At the time, Meng Shan had been caught in a giant Beast Trap that Hee Lingchuan and his companions had buried, which had broken one of his legs. That was what ended his rampaging highlight reel and led to his unfortunate capture.

Of course, Meng Shan remembered. Hearing this, he let out a few sinister chuckles, the fierce light in his eyes growing even more intense.

Aluo popped up from somewhere and stood at the edge of the platform. "After Meng Shan was captured, the Red General personally convinced him to surrender. He has already pledged allegiance to Panlong City." He paused. "Now, he is our comrade-in-arms."

’This guy was personally persuaded to surrender by the Red General? That’s some serious clout!’

Meng Shan pointed north, smiling smugly. "I joined the Great Wind Army today and was promoted directly to Squad Commander. I’m about to enter the North Courtyard right now."

Sounds of envy immediately erupted in the South Courtyard of Yuewu Hall. Many people cursed under their breath, "This surrendered general is getting into the North Courtyard before us!"

"What’s so great about him? He’s just big!"

Grumbling aside, no one actually objected. After all, Meng Shan’s strength was proportional to his size.

This was someone the Red General had personally persuaded and even instructed. His abilities were a cut above those of ordinary Great Wind Soldiers. Besides, he had been a Centurion in the elite Baling army, always leading the charge in battle—a mini-boss-level figure. It wasn’t strange for him to be promoted directly to Squad Commander after joining the Great Wind Army.

When it came to appointing talented people, the rules were never rigid.

"You bunch of pricks can eat grandpa’s dust!" Meng Shan paid them no mind, flashed an indescribable gesture at the crowd, then turned back to Hee Lingchuan. "How about we have a little spar?"

Seeing the ferocious glint in his eyes, no one would mistake his "good intentions."

He was still brooding over his past defeat and wanted to get some payback from Hee Lingchuan, one of the people responsible.

Just as Hee Lingchuan was about to speak, Skinny grabbed his arm and quickly warned him, "You don’t have to accept the challenge! He’s not part of the South Courtyard anymore! This bear used to dominate the South Courtyard, and he’s ruthless. Aluo treated seven or eight of his victims back when he was on duty, all beaten by him. The one with the lightest injuries still took more than ten days to get out of bed!"

The subtext was: he could easily wipe the floor with you.

Hee Lingchuan was actually a little touched. That guy Skinny would sell his own underwear for money, but he was still decent to his comrades.

Then Skinny’s next sentence was: "You’re guaranteed to lose, so there’s no point in opening a betting pool for this one!"

"..." Hee Lingchuan shook off his hand, took a step forward, and said to Meng Shan, "Pick your weapon."

Ooh, another one who wasn’t afraid to die. The Martial Artists on the sidelines whistled wildly.

Spectators from the other Martial Arts Arenas heard the commotion and crowded over, packing the area so tightly that not even a drop of water could get through.

Everyone was grinning, pointing, and chattering, as happy as if it were a holiday.

Meng Shan laughed heartily. "Good kid! Today, grandpa’s gonna teach you how to be a man all over again!" With that, he strode to the weapon rack and pulled out the biggest, thickest, heaviest Wolf Fang Club!

It was practically carved from a single log, with countless wooden spikes embedded in it as "wolf fangs." Their power couldn’t match iron spikes, but in Meng Shan’s hands, smashing a person’s head was no different from cracking open a coconut—it wouldn’t take a second swing.

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