Three Element City, the eighth day of the eighth month.
The Martial Alliance held a grand meeting, with many martial arts masters gathered together.
"Brother Zhang, greetings!"
"Brother Hu, I heard you took in another concubine a few days ago, still as imposing as before!"
"Isn't that Master Ximen from the Fierce Wind Martial Hall? Surprisingly, he's here too!"
...
Fang Xi stood on the side, mingling with other frustrated martial hall owners, too lazy to engage in mutual boasting.
The major martial halls controlled the Martial Alliance, establishing so-called rules that actually raised the threshold, making it difficult for newcomers like them.
The poor business of a certain martial hall was closely related to this.
Mu Canglong was also among the crowd, his face showing joy as he chatted with another female hall owner in her forties, not recognizing Fang Xi.
After all, Fang Xi now wore a cold demeanor.
With the bone-changing techniques of a four-step martial master and some tricks of a cultivator, even grandmasters couldn't recognize his disguise.
They were at the "Returning Wind Pavilion" in Three Element City.
This pavilion was not only splendidly built but also had a 'returning' shaped structure, with private rooms surrounding a large central stage.
It could be used for singing and dancing performances, as well as... martial arts competitions!
After some pleasantries, many martial hall owners took their seats.
In a flash, an old man with white beard and hair, and a red lump on his forehead, jumped onto the arena and clasped his fists towards the four directions: "Everyone... the purpose of our Martial Alliance gathering today is to select the 'Eight Steeds'... Anyone willing, apprentices under twenty years old from martial halls can sign up and compete!"
These 'Eight Steeds' not only had a nice title but also represented the opportunity to receive strong support and training from the Martial Alliance, as well as increase the reputation of their martial halls, with many benefits.
Hence, the competition was fierce.
Representing a certain martial hall, Qingmu naturally signed up early, waiting to step onto the arena.
"The first match, Yang Jian from the Qing Xuan Martial Hall, against Pan Miaomiao from the Treasure Vase Martial Hall!"
Fang Xi remained unmoved, sitting on a high chair, sipping tea, watching the martial arts competition unfold on the arena.
"The Treasure Vase Martial Hall actually sent a woman to the stage?"
An elderly martial hall owner beside him couldn't help but exclaim.
"Zhao, this Pan Miaomiao is a martial apprentice who has undergone three transformations of Qi and blood!"
Another martial hall owner next to him introduced to Zhao, "She practices the 'Treasure Vase Seal' of the Treasure Vase Martial Hall, this martial art is profound and mysterious, surpassing ordinary third-rate martial arts by a large margin, already reaching the level of second-rate martial arts."
Sure enough, with just a few moves, Pan Miaomiao knocked Yang Jian off the stage, winning the first match decisively.
"Master, they fight so fast!"
Qing Sang watched the people on the stage swiftly determine the winners and losers, unable to help but comment.
"Naturally... in the world of martial arts, the higher the martial skill, the faster the combat. After all, we martial practitioners focus on defeating the enemy in one move... If a match goes on for more than thirty moves without a clear winner, it's basically a staged fight!"
Fang Xi put down his teacup, teaching his student.
"Master Fang, you hit the nail on the head." Zhao, the hall owner next to him, brightened up, "May I ask where your martial hall is located?"
"I am Fang Leng, running the Have Hall Martial Hall." Fang Xi smiled faintly.
"Have Hall Martial Hall?" Zhao blushed, even though he considered himself knowledgeable, he had never heard of this martial hall's name, so he could only laugh it off.
At this moment, the old man with the lump on his forehead shouted, "Next match... Qingmu from the Have Hall Martial Hall, against Song Sifei from the Fierce Wind Martial Hall!"
"Go!"
Fang Xi said to the dumbfounded Qingmu beside him.
"Oh!"
Qingmu, with a dazed look, nodded and walked to the side of the arena, climbing up...
"Uh, this..."
Zhao, the hall owner, looked at Qingmu with some pity, "Is this kid a fool? The steps are right there..."
In fact, most young martial artists, in order to appear cool, usually used their skills to jump onto the stage.
It was rare to see someone like Qingmu...
However, Qing Sang knew that this was his simplicity and sincerity. He didn't care how others saw him. If his master asked him to go on stage, he would go on stage; if his master asked him to fight, he would fight!
"Please!"
Song Sifei, dressed in a blue short jacket, with muscular arms, saw Qingmu on the stage and a hint of joy flashed in his eyes.
After the referee announced the start, he immediately unleashed his Great Peng Iron Wing Fist, striking towards Qingmu!
In his eyes, encountering an opponent in the first match who couldn't even jump onto the stage was a stroke of luck!
"Ah!"
The next moment, before Song Sifei could react, he felt a sharp pain in his chest, and he was already knocked off the stage.
"How did I lose?"
A look of confusion appeared on his face, unable to understand how he lost to that little fool?
"Hmm?"
"True strength?"
"A martial artist?"
Except for a few well-informed major martial halls and high-ranking individuals, the rest of the small martial halls were somewhat dumbfounded.
"Who is this person? So young, yet already promoted to a martial artist!"
Mu Canglong couldn't believe it, saying to the tipsy Zhang, "This person is your archenemy. If you encounter him, you might as well admit defeat!"
"He... is he really that strong?"
Zhang, who had also won a match, was somewhat incredulous.
"Not only strong, but also his talent... probably only comparable to your senior brother Fang Xi." Mu Canglong sighed, not knowing where that talented disciple had gone now.
...
"Master Ximen, please look!"
In the largest private room of the Returning Wind Pavilion, a sturdy-looking elderly man with thick knuckles and a fierce appearance, holding a golden tobacco pipe, silently watched Qingmu leave the stage.
Beside him, a middle-aged martial artist bowed, "This is Qingmu, just like Zhang, both from small martial halls..."
"Hmph, the White Cloud Martial Hall is fine, but this Have Hall Martial Hall dares to open without even paying respects, clearly not taking us seriously!"
Another well-fed martial artist, smiling slyly as he stroked his two small beards, was Ximen He, the owner of the Fierce Wind Martial Hall and also Ximen's son, "It's just luck, picking up a genius, and there are people in the alliance who want to recruit and train him... Rest assured, father, I've already tampered with the draw today, and there are arrangements over there, guaranteeing that the kid will be carried off the stage in the next match!"
"Ahe!"
Suddenly, Ximen's father glared.
When he was at ease, he seemed like a rural old farmer, but when he got angry, he seemed like a wrathful deity, making Ximen He dare not even breathe, "Father..."
"I've said it before, don't use such despicable tricks, it tarnishes the reputation of our Ximen family. A mere small martial hall, I can easily shut them down with a wave of my hand, why resort to such underhanded tactics?" Ximen's father shook his head, "Moreover... you don't understand the bigger picture!"
"The bigger picture?" Ximen He was surprised.
"Yes... the Martial Alliance is too chaotic, it needs to be consolidated, that's what the higher-ups want." Ximen's father calmly added tobacco to his pipe, "Although the Huang family has left, there's still the Qian family... Once we establish a connection with them, what does a small matter like this matter? That Qingmu person, in the future, will be your own dog, dealing with your own dog, is it necessary to kill him directly? What a waste!"
"One of the four major families, the Qian family, supports us?" Ximen He's eyes lit up, "Then what is there to fear... Haha, Father, you are truly a cunning strategist!"
Now, he was eager to see the faces of those opponents who would be crestfallen.
...
"Ahdai, well done."
Ahdai stepped down from the stage, still in his absent-minded appearance.
But Zhao, the hall owner next to Fang Xi, couldn't sit still anymore, "Master Fang... I have a granddaughter, twenty-eight years old, and she's grown up beautifully, would you like to become in-laws?"
Fang Xi also chuckled and went along with it.
Qing Sang patted Ahdai's shoulder, "Qingmu, well done... come, have a meat bun, you'll have more energy for the next match!"
As he spoke, he took out a paper package, with steaming buns inside.
"Big brother..."
Qingmu glanced at Qing Sang, took a big bite of the meat bun, revealing a childlike smile.
"The next match... Qingmu from the Have Hall Martial Hall, against Ximen Zhong from the Fierce Wind Martial Hall!"
At this moment, the old man with the lump on his forehead called out from the arena.
"Here we go again, Master Fang, your disciple's martial skills are high, but his luck with the draw isn't too good..." Zhao shook his head, "Ximen Zhong is the son of Ximen He, the owner of the Fierce Wind Martial Hall, personally taught by him, and his martial skills have long reached the level of true strength..."
"Go!"
Fang Xi calmly instructed Ahdai.
Ahdai nodded and stepped onto the stage, facing a young man in a red outfit, his face full of arrogance, "Qingmu, right? If I don't knock you off the stage within twenty moves, I'll share your last name!"
...
Under the arena.
"Master! A man in black approached me earlier, asking me to secretly put this powder in Ahdai's food!"
Qing Sang struggled for a moment, then suddenly came to Fang Xi's side, handing over a yellow paper package, "I didn't use it..."
"Well, Ahdai also knows, after all, you used to call him Ahdai, not Qingmu." Fang Xi nodded, took the package, and casually identified it, "Incineration Powder? Impressive... are you trying to kill my disciple on the arena?"
"What? Him?" Qing Sang was struck as if by lightning, taking several steps back.
"Don't worry, Ahdai has always trusted you, otherwise why would he eat the bun?" Fang Xi laughed heartily, looking at the arena.
On the stage, figures were flying, and in the blink of an eye, over a dozen moves had passed.
"Damn, you forced me to do this."
Ximen Zhong was pushed to the edge of the stage, his face ferocious, his hands moving like the wind:
"Secret Technique - Fiery Mountain Palm!"
His palms instantly turned red, like ghosts, continuously striking out, filling the sky with red palm shadows.
"Not good!"
In the audience, Mu Canglong looked terrified, "This is the Fierce Wind Martial Hall's secret killing move, once unleashed, it either kills or severely injures!"
Many elderly people couldn't bear to watch and closed their eyes.
In the next moment, Ahdai's feet seemed rooted to the ground, and a palm was slowly pushed out.
This palm wasn't particularly amazing or exquisite, just precise!
Smack!
This palm dodged the myriad palm shadows and directly landed on Ximen Zhong's chest, knocking him off the stage.
Ximen Zhong stood there in a daze.
Suddenly!
Bang!
A bloody hole burst open in his back, countless internal organs mixed with bones, exploded out like an explosion.
Secret Technique - Chaos Without Limits!
(End of this chapter)