Chapter 059 – Out in the Open and in the Shadows

Rumors had begun to spread through every street and alley in Silver Creek. Two disciples of the Blood Blade Sect’s top enforcers were set to face off on the stage in front of Moon Creek Heights.

One enforcer was Senior Li, who oversaw the black market, and the other was Senior Wu, who ran the public market. Both wielded considerable influence, and neither was seen as weaker than the other.

As soon as the dueling platform went up, word got out about why this fight was happening in the first place.

“So that’s why Li Yuan has been following Senior Li for over three months but still hasn’t received his inner disciple token. It was snatched away by someone else!”

𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

“You only just found out? I’ve known for a while. Li Yuan’s no fool. He waited more than a month for a chance to challenge this person.”

“But isn’t he being a bit reckless? Li Yuan’s a ninth rank archer, while Senior Wu’s disciple uses a blade. That’s a tough match.”

“Ah, you mean Zhao Zimu, the blade prodigy from the Everblue Martial Hall in Violet Haven, right? His father’s ninth rank, and he himself reached the ninth rank as well.

“He joined the Blood Blade Sect at the same time as Li Yuan, but Zhao Zimu immediately became an outer disciple, while Li Yuan stayed as an associate.

“Later, Senior Wu picked Zhao Zimu, and Senior Li picked Li Yuan. But here’s the issue. There’s only one inner disciple residence available, and there are two of them competing for it. Normally you’d never see them bump into each other, but now that both have appeared at once, a duel was bound to happen.”

“Still, I don’t like Li Yuan’s odds. He had to switch up his entire cultivation technique because he started off on the wrong track, whereas Zhao Zimu’s training lines up nicely with the Blood Blade Sect’s style—not to mention he’s learned proper moves at a real martial school.

“And let’s be honest...on a stage, a longbow is hard to manage. If you miss that first shot, you probably won’t get another chance. Add it all up, and I’d say Li Yuan’s being impulsive.”

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Meanwhile, at the Heavenly Scent Pavilion, Madam Yun had just come out of a guest room when she overheard a few people chatting. Curiosity got the better of her, and she drifted over to listen.

“A duel? Li Yuan versus Zhao Zimu?”

“Li Yuan...” Madam Yun suddenly recalled that chatty young man who’d spent a whole evening talking with her. She giggled, and one of the other women teased her, “Hey, Madam Yun, didn’t Li Yuan come looking for you before?”

“That was ages ago,” she replied, waving a scented handkerchief. “He was new in town back then. Don’t start any rumors.”

Another woman called out, “Let’s go watch!”

“Watch? We can’t just walk away from work.” Still, Madam Yun couldn’t help but ask, “So, who do you think will win?”

The Heavenly Scent Pavilion was like a little gossip hub in its own right, with the women there hearing all sorts of news from all sorts of guests. One of them piped up immediately, “Of course Senior Wu’s disciple is going to win!”

After all, Senior Wu controlled the local entertainment scene, including the brothels. Naturally, the women of the Heavenly Scent Pavilion would root for Zhao Zimu.

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Meanwhile, over in the black market, the regular laborers and traders didn’t have much choice either.

Most sided with Li Yuan, as he essentially stood for the black market’s reputation. Had they not witnessed the slash he unleashed at the nameless pavilion, they would have assumed he was sure to lose.

But now that they’d seen him in action, they had a sense this duel might be something special.

Many went ahead and booked seats at Moon Creek Heights early, eager to watch the showdown when the time came.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

Within the Blood Blade Sect, a routine weekly meeting was underway that morning.

Sunlight filtered through the grand buildings of the sect, illuminating the central hall in a towering complex.

In the main hall, seated at a secondary position was a pale, handsome middle-aged man with a somewhat delicate air. This was none other than Yu Chaojin, the deputy sect master of the Blood Blade Sect.

At the center, presiding over the gathering, was a brawny, bearded man—Tie Sha, the sect master himself.

He tilted his head slightly, propping his chin on one hand. His half-lidded eyes, reminiscent of a sick tiger, scanned the people assembled below him. A commanding aura radiated from his very presence.

“The youngsters seem full of fight lately. We haven’t had a duel on our stage for a while. What’s the story?” Tie Sha’s question revealed he didn’t know much of the details.

Indeed, in the Blood Blade Sect, duels between fellow disciples were fairly uncommon.

Once he finished speaking, a refined-looking middle-aged man with long, slender hands rose and bowed. “Reporting, Sect Master, it started because Senior Li didn’t want to see my disciple’s smooth path to promotion, so he provoked his own disciple to challenge mine.”

“Oh? Is that the real story?”

This man was Wu Lian, known as Senior Wu, and he proceeded to explain the situation, though rather slanted in his favor. He could get away with it because Senior Li was often stuck overseeing the black market and couldn’t attend the morning meeting in person.

Tie Sha, however, was no fool. After hearing Wu Lian out, he simply declared, “Let them fight. Whoever wins gets priority for inner disciple status.” Then he turned to Yu Chaojin. “Deputy Sect Master Yu, any objections?”

Yu Chaojin shook his head calmly. “The sect master’s decision stands. I have no objections.”

Tie Sha scratched the inside of his nose with a finger and flicked away whatever he found, then asked, “So, who do you think will win?”

Avoiding the sight of the sect master’s uncouth gesture, Yu Chaojin answered matter-of-factly, “From what everyone says, Zhao Zimu is an exceptionally gifted young man. He trained in martial arts from the Everblue Martial Hall that aligns with our Blood Blade Sect’s, and even more so with Senior Wu’s style. That’s why Senior Wu chose him as a direct disciple.

“As for Li Yuan, he comes from Little Ink Village and only reached the ninth rank with a bow, though I hear he’s recently taken up the blade. Apparently, he’s been at it for three or so months and feels ready to test himself.”

“Oh?” Tie Sha narrowed his gaze. “So from the sound of it, you figure Zhao Zimu has this in the bag?”

Everyone in the sect knew there was no love lost between Tie Sha and Yu Chaojin. With tension mounting, the elders and enforcers kept quiet.

Yu Chaojin lifted his gaze to the bristly-bearded sect master, his tone cool. “That’s right,” he said. Then, touching his clean-shaven chin, a faint smile played at his lips. “Sect Master, you don’t really believe Li Yuan can win, do you?”

“I do!” Tie Sha’s eyes flared wide as he towered over Yu Chaojin, pausing pointedly between each word. “I—believe—he—will—win.”

Yu Chaojin narrowed his eyes, his stare sharp as a drawn blade. “Then...shall we make a wager?”

“Sure. Loser downs three cups of wine in front of everyone.” Tie Sha laid down the terms in a single breath.

Yu Chaojin merely chuckled; three public cups were embarrassing enough. “Done.”

Tie Sha turned his attention to Wu Lian. “When’s this duel taking place?”

Wu Lian stepped forward. “Sect Master, in three days.”

“Push it to seven. Spread the news. Let the whole of Gemhill County know that two of our Blood Blade Sect’s rising talents will face off at Moon Creek Heights. Tell them about the bet between me and

Deputy

Sect Master Yu. We’ll all go watch,” Tie Sha ordered. He then threw a mocking glance Yu Chaojin’s way.

Yu Chaojin closed his eyes and inclined his head, his face clouded over.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

After the meeting, Tie Sha stood alone by the window, chin slightly raised as though waiting. Before long, an old man with snowy hair but a youthful complexion stepped over the threshold.

“Sect Master.”

Tie Sha turned. “Old Ding. I’ve brought you out of retirement because I need you to handle something for me.”

“No need for formality,” the old man said with a gentle smile. “You provide me with a peaceful retirement; I’m only returning the favor by getting rid of a little trouble for you.”

A cold glint flickered in Tie Sha’s eyes as he leaned closer and spoke in a hushed tone.

Afterwards, the old man nodded. “I’ve long known you had greater ambitions. You’ve been gathering strength in secret, waiting for the right moment. Now’s your chance to act swiftly and decisively. Catch them off guard, and unify Gemhill County in one stroke.”

Just then, footsteps approached from the distance—five figures, each with a distinct build. The one in the center even looked a bit like Tie Sha.

“Greetings, Sect Master!” they said in unison, before turning to the old man. “Greetings, Old Ding!”

Tie Sha laughed. “Perfect, you’re all here. Let’s talk about how to handle things once these seven days are up. If we’re going to do this, we do it right. And if we’re killing—” He gave a grim chuckle. “—we don’t leave a single one alive. Ha!”