"Fu, is there something you need?"

The young man, Wu Yin, asked the old man with a calm expression as he casually grabbed some clothes hanging on the wall and slipped them on.

"Young Master, you asked me to keep an eye on the Martial Arts Arenas. There’s been a development. A rather impressive Martial Artist has emerged. He’s currently on a nine-match winning streak. I thought you might be interested..."

Fu then told Wu Yin about Zhao Xuanqi’s recent victories and other related intelligence.

"A nine-match winning streak, and he even defeated two Five Qi Tongxuan Martial Artists? Hmm. ’Guo Dongchang of the Black Death Sect... his strength is only average, but his Secret Transmission is nothing to scoff at. Anyone who can beat him within a few minutes must have some real skill.’"

A look of interest appeared in Wu Yin’s eyes as he listened to Fu’s report.

He had lived in the Western Border for a long time. Now in Jinmen, he was eager to test himself against the various masters of the Divine Land. His original plan had been to fight his way straight into the A-class arenas to face the top experts.

However, he later learned that the Martial Artists who reached the A-class arenas were typically backed by powerful factions. These arenas weren’t as bustling as the lower-tiered ones. Instead, they served as a stage for major powers to resolve conflicts and disputes through pre-arranged duels. There were no more open matches, and one couldn’t simply challenge an expert at will. As a result, he lost interest in rapidly climbing to the A-class.

In fact, with so many masters of all kinds flocking to Jinmen, staying in the lower tiers and maintaining a winning streak offered a better chance of encountering an interesting opponent. That was why he hadn’t rushed to advance his rank; he would only make his move when a worthy expert appeared.

"Then, as usual, send him a challenge letter tomorrow. Let’s see if he dares to accept it."

Wu Yin said, waving a hand at the old man.

He never forced an opponent. Even when he encountered someone worthy of his attention, he would first send a formal challenge to invite them to a duel. If they were unwilling, he would never force the issue.

He believed that anyone who didn’t even dare to accept a challenge, no matter how strong they were, was not worthy of facing him in a fight.

’Cultivation is about forging the spirit within your heart!’

’If that spirit is weak, what’s the difference between that and being defeated?’

"I understand."

The old man nodded. Clearly, this was not the first time he had performed such a task. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"By the way, how are the talks for that deal with the Neon Nation coming along?"

Wu Yin asked the old man.

The Western Border Wu Family’s intervention in Jinmen was not simply for Wu Yin to test his Martial Dao against various masters; there were other interests at stake.

With the turmoil in the north and the intervention of the Great Powers, the situation was tense. In times like these, the local Warlords’ control over many things tended to weaken.

This was especially true in Jinmen. It was a major port, the location of the Six Countries Concession, and a place where all sorts of people, good and bad, mingled. In such a chaotic environment, it was impossible to keep the forces within the Six Countries Concession from overstepping their bounds. All kinds of goods prohibited by the Warlords—such as Medicinal Materials, Rare Beast Materials, and Firearms—could be obtained in Jinmen if the price was right. This was what truly attracted the major powers and experts to the city.

"The chamber of commerce from the Neon Nation has expressed a willingness to cooperate. They also indicated a great interest in our family’s Secret Transmission of the Poisonous Insect Technique and hope for a deeper collaboration. They’re willing to provide the goods we urgently need at a very favorable price and have invited us to conduct joint research, but they require that we disclose parts of our Poisonous Insect Technique’s Secret Transmission."

The old man said.

"They want our family’s Secret Transmission right off the bat. These Wokou are as ambitious as wolves. Do they take our Western Border Wu Family for fools? Tell them business is business. If they dare to covet our family’s Secret Transmission, I’ll make them die without ever knowing how."

Wu Yin said, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"A large number of civilians from the Neon Nation have entered Jinmen recently. It’s said that many powerful individuals are hidden among them. I’m afraid they’re planning something big. Jinmen’s peace won’t last much longer."

The old man said in a low voice.

...

...

「The next morning.」

Early the next day, shortly after Zhao Xuanqi got out of bed, the doorbell rang. He went to the window and saw a man dressed in white standing quietly at his courtyard gate.

He narrowed his eyes slightly. The rumors had been swirling through the city, and as the man at the center of them, he was hardly oblivious.

’The Western Border Wu Family?’

He went downstairs and opened the courtyard gate.

"Mr. Zhao, my Young Master, Wu Yin, the heir of the Western Border Wu Family, greatly admires your martial Skills. He wishes to exchange pointers with you in the arena and has sent me to deliver this formal challenge. I hope you will accept it."

The man in white spoke slowly, bowing slightly to Zhao Xuanqi as he presented the letter with both hands.

Zhao Xuanqi looked at the letter. He knew this was not something to be accepted lightly; taking it meant accepting the duel.

The man in white continued, "If you need time to consider, I can wait. I will remain here at your gate until dawn tomorrow..."

"That won’t be necessary."

Before he could finish, however, Zhao Xuanqi’s voice cut him off. The man then felt the letter lighten in his hands; it had already been taken.

When he looked up again, all he could see was the back of Zhao Xuanqi walking slowly into the house. A single sentence drifted back to his ears:

"Go back and ask your Young Master if he’s prepared to lose."

Hearing this, the man in white narrowed his eyes. After a long moment of silence, he turned and left.

Half an hour later, those exact words were relayed to Wu Yin.

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

Wu Yin was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter. After a while, his laughter subsided, and his expression grew calm once more.

"Interesting. Very interesting. I hope he has the skill to back up that confidence."

...

...

That same day, news that Zhao Xuanqi had accepted Wu Yin’s challenge spread like wildfire through the relevant circles, causing quite a stir within Jinmen’s Martial Dao community. It was easy to imagine that the C Class arenas would be absolutely packed the next day.

「Meanwhile, that same afternoon, on the arrivals platform of the Jinmen train station.」

A plain-looking young man, lost in the throng of passengers, emerged onto the platform. He scanned the welcoming crowd and found a middle-aged man in a black suit and black-rimmed glasses looking around anxiously, then gently tapped him on the shoulder.

The middle-aged man immediately turned, looking at the young man’s plain and unfamiliar face with a mixture of confusion and wariness.

"Zhou, it’s been a long time," the young man said with a smile.

"You are...?"

The middle-aged man’s eyes lit up as if in sudden realization.

"This isn’t the place to talk," the young man said.

"You’re right."

The middle-aged man nodded and quickly led the young man out of the train station and into a black sedan.

As the car began to move, the young man gently tapped his face. Instantly, numerous Silver Needles popped out from under his skin, and he proceeded to pull them out one by one.

Without the Silver Needles holding them in place, the young man’s facial muscles slowly shifted, and his plain features transformed into a completely different face.

He had sharp brows, star-like eyes, and a profound gaze. He was strikingly handsome.

It was none other than Zhang Hongyun, who had left Guangdong and rushed to Jinmen.

The resources and power at his command were, of course, no match for the National Salvation Association’s. Even with his skill in Silver Needle disguise, it had taken a great deal of effort to safely leave the territory under the Giant Spirit Army’s control and reach Jinmen. He had arrived nearly half a month later than Zhao Xuanqi.