Chapter 206: Chapter 195: The Dagger is Revealed
And just as Zhao Xuanqi’s fame spread throughout the Divine Land in a single day.
The next round of the martial arts tournament was about to begin.
Because Zhao Xuanqi’s victory had rekindled the hopes of the people of Jinmen, the surrounding teahouses were once again bustling. The crowds were even larger than before.
Some spectators hadn’t even left, staying up all night drinking tea and chatting, just to secure a good viewing spot for the next day’s matches.
Everyone was waiting for the drawing for the next round of the tournament to begin.
"Do you think Zhao Xuanqi will face the other two from the Three Celestial Assassins today? If he can win just one more match, we’ll have this tournament in the bag."
"It’s hard to say. There are only fourteen contestants left, so the odds of him facing one of them are pretty high. As long as Zhao Yuan and Zhao Xuanqi aren’t paired against each other, we’re good."
"I think it’s better if he doesn’t. Zhao Xuanqi must have used up a lot of energy in yesterday’s fight. It hasn’t been that long, has it? Even with the best Wound Medicine, it’s hard to recover completely. It’d be best if he could get a bye for one round to rest."
"..."
The crowd was abuzz with discussion, the atmosphere electric as everyone awaited the start of the drawing.
However, as the designated hour neared, none of the contestants appeared. Instead, on the central stage in Longwu Square, several staff members walked out carrying a large sign, which they placed in the middle of the arena.
On the sign were three large words: "Matches Suspended Today."
"Suspended?! What does that mean? No matches today?"
"What’s going on?! Why did the tournament stop? What happened?"
"..."
Seeing the sign, the teahouse spectators erupted in an uproar. Their mood turned sour; after all, many had waited all night just to secure a good spot. The disappointment of their long wait coming to nothing infuriated them, and they demanded an explanation.
"Everyone, quiet down! Quiet down, please, and listen to me for a moment!"
Just then, on every floor, staff members appointed by the teahouses stepped onto the small stage below the tournament brackets, drawing everyone’s attention. The angry shouts subsided for a moment.
"Everyone, we’ve just received word from the Martial Arts Association. This morning, the eight Neon Martial Artists who advanced to this round all requested that the Association suspend the tournament for one day. According to the rules, if more than half of the remaining contestants make a joint request, the tournament can be paused for a day. The competition will resume tomorrow as scheduled. The Martial Arts Association didn’t anticipate the Neon Martial Artists would make such a last-minute demand, so there was no time for an advance announcement. We sincerely apologize to all of you."
"However, the Martial Arts Association has announced that it will cover the cost of tea for all spectators today. All surrounding teahouses will be serving free of charge."
The employee announced loudly to the crowd.
The rule allowing for a suspension if over half the contestants agree was a standard part of the tournament. The Martial Arts Association had originally intended to use this rule themselves at a critical juncture, given the large number of Divine Land Martial Artists at the start. They never imagined the Neon Influence would be the ones to use it.
Hearing that they could eat and drink for free, the spectators’ anger subsided somewhat. The fury at each table transformed into orders for tables full of refreshments.
After all, the Martial Arts Association was footing the bill. It would be a waste not to eat.
"What are those Neon bastards planning? Why call for a day off now?"
"Who knows? Maybe they’re scared? Need time to come up with a plan against Zhao Xuanqi?"
"Very likely. I have a feeling there’s more to this suspension than meets the eye."
"..."
No one left. They discussed the situation while enjoying their free refreshments. Many already sensed that something was amiss. This sudden suspension by the Neon Influence couldn’t be that simple. They could only hope that nothing bad was about to happen.
...
...
「Meanwhile, in a conference room at the Jinmen Martial Arts Association Headquarters.」
The Three Elders of Heaven, Earth, and Man sat at the head of the table, with Zhao Xuanqi and Zhao Yuan in the seats of honor beside them. Below them sat a crowd of other Martial Artists.
Five of the Seven General Stars were present: Lu Yuanxiang, Zhou Yu, Pang Xian, Jiang Yixin, and Luo Yao. Although some of them had already been defeated, and some even seriously injured, they had spent the past several days recovering. Thanks to top-grade Wound Medicine and their own formidable vitality, they were mostly healed and now represented the Martial Arts Association’s core fighting strength.
In addition, there were dozens of other Martial Artists, all of them formidable experts who had emerged during this tournament. Their skills were impressive; some were nearly on par with the Seven General Stars.
Furthermore, most of them were Martial Artists from out of town. Anyone who came to participate in the tournament possessed a certain backbone. Having no local businesses or ties in Jinmen made them easier to mobilize. They were a force not to be underestimated, and the Three Elders had already contacted and won them over. Now, they all stood on the same front.
"The Neon Influence has requested a one-day suspension. This means they’re planning a major move. We just received intelligence that the Neon Influence has been in private contact with the Warlords’ forces. It’s likely they will cooperate to some degree on this matter. The Phoenix Army, the Beidou Army, and the Shenxiao Army have been the most responsive, and they are also the strongest forces in Jinmen. This is a terrifying combination. Everyone, be prepared. Today will not be an easy day to get through."
The Human Elder spoke.
"To our comrades who have come from outside Jinmen in particular—we will have to rely heavily on your strength this time. If we can make it through today, we’ll have already won half the battle for this tournament."
The Heavenly Elder also spoke.
"These Warlords... they want to suppress our civilian Martial Arts Realm and make us their dogs. They’ll stop at nothing to achieve their goals, even colluding with foreign enemies! They’re trying to corner us, leaving us no way out!"
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