Chapter 245: Chapter 116: Breakthrough to Hua Jin, Injuring from a Distance

Yang Jing and the six others followed Sun Ningxiang to the main hall of the inner courtyard.

The hall was dimly lit. Sun Yong sat upright in the Grandmaster’s Chair at the head of the room.

His brow was slightly furrowed, his heavy gaze fixed on the floor. The aura around him was even more somber than usual.

"Greetings, Master." The seven of them bowed in unison, their voices exceptionally clear in the silent hall.

Sun Yong glanced up and grunted a faint acknowledgment.

The seven disciples stood obediently in the hall. They could hear each other’s slightly quickened breaths. Judging by their master’s expression, this was clearly no ordinary lecture.

Sun Yong remained silent for a moment, his fingertips tapping lightly on the armrest of the Grandmaster’s Chair.

After a long while, he finally spoke slowly, "A moment ago, the Li Family sent someone over."

Everyone in the hall felt their hearts leap into their throats, and they listened with rapt attention.

"In five days, they wish to hold a duel with our Sun’s Martial Arts Hall." Sun Yong’s gaze swept over the seven disciples. "At that time, the Lord County Magistrate himself will be in attendance, and many of the city’s influential figures will also come to watch and bear witness."

He paused, his tone growing heavier. "The stakes for this duel are extremely high. The Li Family has put up five Purple Jade Pills, five Hundred Herbs Spirit Pills, five hundred catties of high-grade Exotic Beast Meat, and an additional ten thousand taels of silver. Our side has also put up... well, treasures of a similar value."

HISS—

The sound of sharp intakes of breath filled the hall.

Stakes like these far exceeded the norm for duels between ordinary powers. Even clashes between the six great families rarely involved such a high price.

Sun Yong’s gaze sharpened. "I won’t elaborate on the importance of this duel. You need only remember this: for this match, victory is the only option. Failure is not permitted!"

The seven disciples were all shaken to the core.

’A duel with the Li Family?’

’In front of the County Magistrate and all the city’s dignitaries, no less?’

The news was so sudden it caught them completely off guard.

Zhang Han, who was at the Peak of Mingjin, couldn’t help but wonder to himself, ’What is with today? This morning, I heard Senior Brother Lin Yue was crippled, and now this afternoon, a duel with the Li Family suddenly pops up. Everything about this feels strange.’

Luo Yun, Song Kang, and the others exchanged nervous glances. The Li Family was one of the six great families of Yuhe County. Their power was immense; how could they be so easy to deal with?

At the mention of the Li Family, everyone subconsciously thought of Li Mengchao.

That direct heir of the Li Family had once claimed first place in the training ground trials by an overwhelming margin. His Vajra Hand Seal was ferocious and domineering, and for years, he had been regarded as the number one martial artist of Yuhe County’s younger generation.

Thinking of this, several of the Mingjin Disciples simultaneously glanced at Yang Jing out of the corners of their eyes.

They recalled his achievements: slaying Li Qianxiong and annihilating the Flying Horse Thieves. Rumors were now spreading throughout the city that Senior Brother Yang Jing was unrivaled among those at the Dark Energy level. With this thought, the heavy weight on their hearts lifted considerably.

’That’s right! Li Mengchao might be strong, but we still have Senior Brother Yang Jing!’

’With Junior Brother Yang Jing as our anchor, our chances of winning this duel are high. The advantage is ours!’

The atmosphere in the hall subtly shifted. A thread of composure wove itself into the initial tension.

Sun Yong took this all in, then said in a solemn voice, "For the duel in five days, the seven of you and Xu Hong will compete. Over these next few days, every one of you must give it your all and prepare for battle!"

"Yes, Master!" the seven replied in unison.

Sun Yong waved a hand, his voice tinged with weariness. "The rest of you may go back for now. Train hard these next few days, and do not slack off."

"Yes, Master," Qi Yun, Zhao Wenzheng, and the others answered together. Each with their own thoughts, they filed out of the main hall.

Soon, only Yang Jing and Sun Yong remained in the great hall.

Silence spread through the air. Sun Yong picked up his long-cold teacup but didn’t drink, simply staring blankly at the tea stains at the bottom.

Yang Jing stood in the hall, his gaze calm. He had already guessed most of the truth.

’This sudden duel is most likely connected to Lin Yue being crippled.’

’After learning from Qi Yun about the conflicts between the six great families, I suspected that the Li Family might have been the ones to cripple Lin Yue for getting too close to the Xiao Family.’

’And now, the Li Family wants to use this to settle the matter, while Master wants to win back face for the Martial Arts Hall.’

Sure enough, Sun Yong put down his teacup and looked up at Yang Jing, his tone grave but laced with a hint of expectation. "Jing’er, for this duel, the Martial Arts Hall’s chances of victory will most likely rest on your shoulders."

He didn’t know that Li Mengchao had already touched the threshold of the Huajin realm. He assumed his opponent was still at the Peak of Dark Energy. In his eyes, after Yang Jing had slain Li Qianxiong, he was nearly unmatched within the Dark Energy realm and should have more than enough power to handle Li Mengchao.

Yang Jing bowed. "This disciple understands. I will give it my all and will not disappoint Master’s high hopes."

His voice was steady and strong, without a trace of hesitation.

’Whether it’s for the Martial Arts Hall’s reputation or for those generous stakes, I have to give this duel my absolute all!’

Sun Yong looked at his upright posture, a satisfied expression in his eyes.

’This disciple isn’t just exceptionally talented; his disposition is also rare. He’s calm, resilient, and values loyalty. In that regard, Lin Yue can’t compare.’

He sighed softly, a hint of emotion in his voice.

’If this had happened in the past, with Lin Yue being the one in trouble, I wouldn’t have let the Li Family off so easily.’

’Lin Yue was once the disciple I valued most. I poured an unimaginable amount of effort into him.’

But now... Sun Yong’s gaze fell upon Yang Jing.

’Lin Yue truly did disappoint me. He repeatedly ignored my warnings, insisting on meddling in the murky affairs of the six great families. To end up like this... it can be said he brought it on himself.’

At the same time, a sense of relief tinged his gaze as he looked at Yang Jing.

’The Martial Arts Hall has Yang Jing now.’

’Yang Jing’s rise far exceeded my expectations. His current strength has already made him the pillar of the Martial Arts Hall’s younger generation.’