Chapter 254: Chapter 118: All Parties Gather

A few days ago, a friend had played matchmaker for her, introducing her to several talented young men. There were scions of prominent families with illustrious backgrounds, as well as accomplished martial artists with promising futures.

But after she met them, she simply couldn’t muster any interest.

Their conversation, their bearing, and even the strength they were so proud of—in her eyes, it was all lacking something.

Perhaps it was because of Shen Lie, or perhaps because of Yang Jing. After coming into contact with such legendary figures, her standards had been raised without her even realizing it.

Having witnessed the brilliance of someone like Yang Jing, who could stir up storms at such a young age, the excellence of ordinary men could hardly catch her eye anymore.

But this realization only added to her bitterness.

She knew full well how she had once looked down on Yang Jing. Now, he was someone she had to look up to. This disparity felt like a fine needle, pricking at her heart with a dull ache.

"Miss, we’re almost at Celestial Blessing Square," the coachman’s voice called out.

Zhao Yuman put away her mirror and took a deep breath, suppressing the chaotic thoughts in her mind.

Outside the carriage window, the outline of the plaza at Celestial Blessing Square came into view. It was already packed with a crowd of onlookers, and the clamor washed over them like a tide.

This showdown was destined to capture the attention of all of Yuhe County.

And she was just one among the thousands of spectators.

...

The plaza in the center of Celestial Blessing Square was Yuhe County’s renowned martial arts arena.

The ground, paved with flat bluestone slabs, was wide and open. In the center stood a fighting ring over ten feet high. The platform was crafted from hard black stone, its edges etched with ancient patterns. It had witnessed countless clashes between factions and duels between Martial Artists.

Directly in front of the ring stood over ten neat rows of pearwood chairs. The backs, wrapped in red silk, were printed with the words "Guest Seating."

At the moment, most of the chairs were still empty, with only a few well-dressed figures seated here and there.

As the sun climbed higher, the crowd in the plaza grew larger.

First, the Hall Masters of several small and medium-sized Martial Arts Halls arrived with their disciples. Most of them knew each other, exchanging cupped-fist salutes from afar and gathering by the chairs to chat.

"Did you hear? The Li Family really put up a huge stake this time. They’re offering five Purple Jade Pills and five Hundred Herbs Spirit Pills, not to mention five hundred catties of high-grade Exotic Beast Meat!"

"And ten thousand taels of silver! For the Li Family and Sun’s Martial Arts Hall, ten thousand taels of silver might not be much, but for us... tsk tsk, I’d like to get my hands on that."

"But Sun’s Martial Arts Hall has Yang Jing, the man who killed Li Qianxiong. I bet all those prizes will end up in their hands."

"Li Mengchao is no pushover either. Back in the day, he was the champion of the training ground trials. His Vajra Hand Seal was unrivaled. He’s probably even stronger now..."

Amid the discussions, a few more family Patriarchs and clan leaders arrived. Followed by their stewards and servants, they walked straight to the front-row seats.

Those who could sit here were either rich or noble. The common folk could only crowd onto the stone steps around the plaza, craning their necks to get a view of the ring. The place was bustling with noise and excitement.

Suddenly, a commotion went through the crowd, and someone exclaimed in a low voice, "Hall Master Wang of Po Mountain Martial Arts Hall is here!"

Everyone looked toward the source of the voice. A burly, middle-aged man was striding toward them. He wore black martial arts attire and had broad shoulders and a thick back. He walked with a steady gait, each step seeming to pound on the hearts of those who watched. It was none other than the Hall Master of Po Mountain Martial Arts Hall, the Huajin Powerhouse, Wang Kui.

Behind him followed more than ten disciples, each with a composed presence, clearly all experts.

"Hall Master Wang!"

"Greetings, Hall Master Wang!"

The surrounding spectators all rose to their feet and greeted him, their voices filled with reverence.

Wang Kui merely gave a slight nod, his expression indifferent. He walked straight to a seat in the front row on the left and sat down. His gaze swept over the ring, carrying the oppressive air of someone long accustomed to power.

His disciples dispersed. Some stood to the side to find a good spot to watch the fight, while others found empty seats in the back rows.

Wang Kui picked up the teacup an attendant handed him, but his fingertips unconsciously traced the side of the cup. His expression was somewhat cold.

What was on his mind, however, was the death of his Direct Disciple, Shen Lie, in his own bedroom. ’To kill Shen Lie so easily... the culprit is clearly no ordinary expert.’

’At the time, I investigated many people, and Yang Jing was on the list of suspects. But I didn’t believe he could have killed Shen Lie so silently. That, and my hesitance to provoke Sun Yong, meant I didn’t press the matter with Yang Jing. Still, the killer was never found, and the case remains unsolved.’

’But a few days ago, news that Yang Jing had killed Li Qianxiong spread throughout the city. Some even claimed he was unparalleled in his mastery of covert force.’

This caused the cloud of suspicion in Wang Kui’s heart to gather once more. ’Li Qianxiong’s strength was undoubtedly far greater than Shen Lie’s. If Yang Jing could kill Li Qianxiong, wouldn’t killing Shen Lie have been child’s play for him?’

’Today, I’ll have to get a good look at this Yang Jing.’ A sharp glint flashed in Wang Kui’s eyes.

Just then, a loud clamor erupted in the distance, interspersed with shouts of "Sun’s Martial Arts Hall" and "Yang Jing."

The crowd automatically parted to form a path. Sun Yong, dressed in navy blue martial arts attire, could be seen walking toward the ring with his disciples, including Xu Hong, Qi Yun, Zhao Wenzheng, and Yang Jing.

One of the main figures of today’s showdown had arrived.