The outcome in the arena was obvious, and a few cultivators who didn't understand the rules shouted, "I want to gamble, I want to bet on the arena master winning!"
The mortal servant kept bowing and apologizing, "Immortal Masters, I'm truly sorry, the betting time is over. You can't place bets now. Please come early for the next round."
A cultivator nearby mocked, "First time playing, huh? The result is already clear, and if you could still bet now, how would the bookmaker make money?"
"Sigh, I thought this challenger was also at the seventh level of Qi Cultivation and might have a chance to win, so I bet fifty spirit stones on him." Another cultivator's face was grim, "I didn't expect him to be so useless. Barely after a cup of tea's time, he's already done for. Tch!"
Lu Qian had no time to pay attention to these words, his gaze was firmly locked on the challenger in the arena.
There's no mistake, this physique, this magical artifact, this spell, it's Senior Brother Tan Hong.
If Tan Hong is here, then... Lu Qian and Jiang Qingfeng's gaze simultaneously focused on a female cultivator in the audience. The female cultivator wore coarse fabric and hairpins, her hair styled in a peony knot, with a slightly bulky figure. Even with a mask, she couldn't hide her anxious expression when seeing the situation turning against Tan Hong in the arena.
Indeed, Senior Sister Zhang Lemei is also here.
Tan Hong and Zhang Lemei, both disciples of the Yunshan Sect, had entered the sect over fifty years ago. They first became Dao companions and later married. Both had four spiritual roots and lower aptitude, but they cultivated diligently and tirelessly. Before the mountain gate was destroyed, Tan Hong was at the seventh level of Qi Cultivation, and Zhang Lemei wasn't far from the seventh level either.
Tan Hong has a tenacious personality, quiet and reserved. Zhang Lemei, on the other hand, is bold and assertive, always stirring up trouble even without reason. It's hard to understand how two people with such different personalities managed to come together.
After the sect was destroyed, they originally fled with Lu Qian, but Lu Qian's past incompetence was unbearable, so they left the group to find their own way. They didn't expect to encounter him again in this marketplace today.
As Lu Qian was pondering, Jiang Qingfeng had already joyfully approached, grabbing Zhang Lemei's hand, "Senior Sister Zhang! It's great to see you both are alright!"
Zhang Lemei was surprised, with her mask concealing her, she didn't immediately recognize the person just by their voice and figure. But in the next moment, she saw Jiang Baitao beside Jiang Qingfeng, and suddenly realized, overwhelmed with joy, "Taotao! Qingfeng! What are you doing here?"
Lu Qian also stepped forward, cupped his hands, and greeted, "Greetings, Senior Sister Zhang."
Zhang Lemei was stunned for a moment, then recognized him. Her eyebrows arched in anger, she put her hands on her hips and scolded fiercely, "Tch! What bad luck to run into you, the jinx, again! How dare you show your face to me? If it weren't for saving you, Senior Brother Yu and the others wouldn't have died. And yet, here you are alive and well, truly a scourge that lives for a thousand years!"
Getting scolded right off the bat, Lu Qian showed no anger at all. He said solemnly, "Senior Sister is right to scold me; I have wronged you and often worried about your safety. Seeing you in good spirits today, I can finally feel a bit at ease."
"Do we need your concern? The more you worry, the faster we die!" Although she faintly felt something strange about Lu Qian in front of her, Zhang Lemei was still merciless. She turned her head and grabbed Jiang Qingfeng's hand again, "Qingfeng, you actually stayed with him? Let me tell you, don't be fooled by his good looks. If you keep hanging out with him, you might end up dead without even knowing it!"
Jiang Qingfeng's face flushed red, "Senior Sister, it's not like that, Junior Brother has changed for the better."
"Changed for the better, you're kidding! When Old Tan and I left, wasn't Senior Sister Qi and Junior Brother Yue still in the group? Where are they now?"
Jiang Qingfeng's expression darkened, during a subsequent escape, Senior Sister Qi was killed by enemies, and Junior Brother Yue couldn't bear Lu Qian and left alone one night.
Zhang Lemei snorted angrily, about to speak again when exclamations erupted around. Her heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly looked towards the arena.
She saw the burly arena master raise his giant sword high, batting away Tan Hong's flying sword and smashing it down on him. Tan Hong gritted his teeth, rolling on the ground in a desperate attempt to dodge. With a loud crash, a crack appeared on the arena platform.
"Old Tan!" Zhang Lemei screamed in panic.
Tan Hong barely stood up after turning over, gestured for his flying sword, but it rose unsteadily, only to be swatted away again by the brute. Gaining the advantage, the brute mercilessly swung his sword again. The heavy sword was powerful but slow, and Tan Hong seized the opportunity to sidestep.
There was a tearing sound as the heavy sword grazed Tan Hong's left arm, shredding his clothes and scraping off a large chunk of flesh, blood gushing out.
Zhang Lemei anxiously shouted, "Admit defeat! Stop fighting! We don't need those spirit stones anymore!"
But Tan Hong said nothing, clutching his injured arm, glaring unwillingly at the brute in front of him. He was already at the edge of the platform, one more step back and he would fall.
"Your cultivation isn't great, but you dodge quite fast," the brute said, feeling victorious, leaning on his giant sword, looking down at Tan Hong, "Admit defeat, you rural and unrefined loose cultivators think you can beat me?"
Tan Hong panted heavily, angrily retorting, "I'm not some unrefined loose cultivator!"
The brute waved dismissively, indifferent, "You're here disgracing yourself over five hundred spirit stones, stubbornly refusing to admit defeat, what good is a sect then?"
"It must be a trashy sect after all."
At these words, Lu Qian felt a chill settle in his heart, anger rising in his chest. Jiang Qingfeng and Zhang Lemei gritted their teeth, their breathing heavy, and Tan Hong's eyes instantly reddened, with a roar, he charged barehanded at the brute.
The brute sneered disdainfully, kicking brutally at Tan Hong's chest, sending him flying off the platform. Tan Hong spat out a mouthful of blood but tried to stand back up, still wanting to fight the brute to the death.
Zhang Lemei grabbed him tightly, screaming, "Old Tan! Don't go! Qingfeng! Do you have any healing elixirs?"
Tan Hong stared fiercely at the brute, blood in his mouth, mumbling indistinctly, "Insult my sect, I'll fight you to the end!"
The brute squatted at the edge of the platform, watching as if it were a show, letting out a cold laugh, "Quite spirited, it's a pity though, a trashy sect is just a trashy sect!"
Suddenly, a spark of light shot out!
The brute felt his vision blur, a silver light piercing straight at his eye! Caught completely off guard, he screamed in shock, leaning back heavily, losing his squat posture and falling over.
Clumsily scrambling to his feet, he saw a six-inch-long silver needle quietly hovering in the air.
"Who did that?" The brute shouted in anger and shame, "Sneak attack? You don't know the rules? Come out! I'll cut you into pieces!"
The silver needle quivered, flying back into the crowd. Following the trail, the crowd gradually parted, and Lu Qian stepped out, calm-faced.
"Junior Brother!" Qingfeng snapped out of it, quickly reaching to pull him back, "Let me go, this person is at the seventh level of Qi Cultivation, you can't beat him!"
But Lu Qian pushed her hand away, "Senior Sister, help me wager a hundred spirit stones."
He walked step by step up to the platform, coldly addressing the brute, "I'm well aware of the rules on the platform. Had I truly attacked, you wouldn't have your eyes anymore. I'm here to fight, and if I win, I won't take the five hundred spirit stones, but you will apologize to my senior brother, apologize to my sect!"