Becoming a god starts with one certificate becoming eternal.

Chapter 83 The challenge begins

Five days later.

The rain hadn't stopped, but it wasn't heavy; it was fine and cold, each drop falling and creating a thin mist on the bluestone.

In that huge courtyard in the west of the city, the flag-raising area for the Green Owl Gang had already been set up.

The field was surrounded by bluestone, with water accumulating in the cracks. In the center stood a wooden platform with iron bars nailed to its edge, from which rainwater dripped, creating a cold, shiny ring. Behind the platform stood seven flagpoles, their shafts painted black, which, after being soaked by the rain, appeared heavy and somber.

There were many people, but it wasn't noisy.

In the innermost circle below the stage, Grey Sleeves had taken up all the space, while Black Sleeves was pressed against the outer circle by the wall of people. Ordinary gang members could hardly even get close, and they had to hold their breath.

Four people sat in front of the stage, colder than the rain.

The man on the far left was wearing a black cloak with his hood pulled low. He didn't say a word, and no one within three zhang (approximately 10 meters) dared to cough.

The second man was dressed in gray with his sleeves rolled up and his wrists wrapped in old cloth, the edges of which were frayed. He held a string of wooden beads in his hand, flicking them with his fingertips slowly and deliberately, which made many people in the audience subconsciously pull their feet back half an inch.

The third one is the most eye-catching.

Bare-chested, with frighteningly broad shoulders and back, he stood motionless in the rain, his skin hard and heavy. Raindrops splashed white foam on him, and those nearby only had their faces brushed by his before immediately ducking and backing away.

The man on the far right, on the other hand, resembled a scholar, dressed neatly with a thin rope tied around his waist, the end of which held a small copper bell. When the wind blew, the bell should have rung, but he raised his hand to hold it down.

The movements were very light, yet they brought the entire area under control.

They are the four protectors of the Green Owl Gang, the strongest members second only to the gang leader. Anyone in the lower city who dared to act arrogantly in their presence is long dead.

After the Dharma Protector, seven hall masters sat under the canopy, each occupying a corner, followed by their respective hall masters in gray sleeves.

Someone's gaze swept across the crowd and landed on the steady, composed figure on the stage. They scoffed, "Xu Chongshan has been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, hasn't he? What about his past genius? He's still fallen to this state."

"Despite his current state, as long as he wins this match, he can stand on equal footing with us," the hall master behind Xu Chongshan replied calmly, his eyes never leaving the stage.

Someone nearby scoffed: "Win first, then talk."

As soon as he finished speaking, the cloaked protector raised his eyes, his voice cutting through the rain: "Remember, you can fight for the Empty Hall."

"But anyone who dares to put their hand on the stage, I'll chop them off first."

The hall masters' throats tightened, and a moment of abrupt silence fell over the sound of the rain.

The protector who was holding the wooden beads added, "On the stage, you are responsible for your own life and death."

The seven hall masters then swallowed their anger.

The drum is on the side of the platform.

"Thump."

The first sound of rain seemed to be suppressed by half.

"Thump."

The second sound was even deeper.

"Thump."

At the third sound, the gang members who had been whispering on the periphery all fell silent, leaving only the sound of raindrops pattering on the tiles and wood.

Hammering iron.

The bare-chested protector raised his hand, his voice not loud, but sounding as if it had been ground from iron: "Raise the flag."

Two men in grey sleeves carried the flagpole onto the stage.

The row of flagpoles behind the wooden platform was now clearly visible: eight flagpoles.

Seven banners hung on the flagpole, their cloths soaked through by the rain. The rain made the characters on the banners even darker: Blue Feather, Black Feather, Night Raven, Iron Hawk, Wind Falcon, Broken Throat, Frost Owl. The patterns of each banner shimmered in the water.

The flagpole in the very middle was the only one with an empty flagpole.

The pole remains, but the flag is gone.

The emptiness is blinding.

That was the old spot of the ancestral hall that had been swept away a few months ago. The old flag had long been removed, and the old name was no longer allowed to be mentioned. Now it was just waiting for the new owner to nail the name on.

The cloaked protector pointed to the empty spot, his tone even colder: "Today, we'll mend the flag."

"Whoever stands until the end will receive the new flag."

"The one who receives the new flag may designate the hall name and take charge of the hall command."

As soon as those words were spoken, the silence in the audience changed completely.

It's not about watching the spectacle, it's about watching people risk their lives.

When the contestants came on stage, there were not many of them, but they were full of energy.

Seven people.

They were all quasi-martial artists.

Xu Chongshan stood on one side of the rain curtain, and no one dared to approach him or walk around him. They even instinctively avoided eye contact, as if the person on the other side was not a person, but a tiger that might bite at any moment.

Ye Xiao stood on the other side, his sleeves rolled up, his boots barely touching the wet wooden platform, splashing only a little water. He didn't look up to provoke him, but kept his breathing extremely steady.

The other five, however, held each other very tightly.

Shen Cheng, Luo Tieshan, and Duan Qingzhou stood close together, their positions easily blocking the way; an unfamiliar man with a knife stood at the front, the tip of his blade pressed very low; and a woman in a rain hat was positioned to the side and behind, her steps light and her stance steady, neither trying to be the first to act nor to steal the limelight, yet she filled the last gap perfectly.

Under the awning, Master Huang, holding a teacup, smiled politely: "Feng Tailai, why didn't you send Wild Wolf this time? Are you afraid he'll be defeated on stage? Or do you not intend to win at all? Sending someone like this is just a stepping stone for someone else."

Feng Tailai snorted coldly and slammed the lid of his cup shut: "Mind your own business. What good are the people you sent? Do you think the inner circle of the martial arts school is so precious? Once they get on stage and see blood, don't be scared out of your wits."

Someone interjected, their tone brimming with confidence: "What's the point of arguing? In the end, it's still Xu Chongshan."

"Graphite, don't think you can do whatever you want just because you have Golden Bone under your command." Another hall master said sarcastically.

Shi Mo still smiled, speaking slowly and deliberately: "I understand that you want to join forces to deal with Xu Chongshan. But he is a beast, and no matter how many wild dogs there are, they will only fill the gaps between his teeth."

As soon as he said that, the laughter under the awning quickly subsided, leaving only the raindrops.

The guardian, who resembled a scholar, pressed the copper bell and said calmly, "Five dimensions, three breaths is enough."

The protector, who was holding the wooden beads, paused for a moment, then continued to press them: "They're not going for Xu Chongshan; they're sending someone there to take the blows."

Huang, the head of the hall behind, paused slightly at the rim of his cup. His expression remained calm, but his heart felt as if it had been pricked by raindrops.

He knew Ye Xiao was quite strong, but if he were to be surrounded, it would be no different from suicide.

The guardian pointed to the empty flagpole and shouted, "No one who comes to the stage admits defeat."

"Defeat has only two forms: falling from the stage or losing one's life."

"Let's begin!"

The stage remained silent for a moment after the drums exploded.

But the next moment, Shen Cheng flicked his finger, and the abacus beads clicked.

The five people moved at the same time, closing in on Ye Xiao.

Luo Tieshan shoved Ye Xiao on the shoulder, his strength completely contained, yet he forced Ye Xiao to stand upright. Duan Qingzhou hooked his toes and slid along the rain, blocking his turn. The woman in the rain hat leaned back half an inch, her escape route gone. The man with the knife pressed closer, the tip of his blade aimed directly at Ye Xiao's ribs.

They deliberately left a path open.

It's very narrow.

It's directly opposite Xu Chongshan's side.

This isn't an attempt to ambush him; it's an attempt to force him to come over.

What they wanted was not to kill Ye Xiao immediately, but to force him to retreat, to throw him into chaos, and to force him to flee towards Xu Chongshan.

Ye Xiao understood perfectly, but didn't even flinch.

Seeing that Ye Xiao did not move, the man with the knife suddenly exerted his strength, and with a flash of light, he slashed down.

This strike was ruthless, swift, and cunning. Duan Qingzhou blocked the flank, Luo Tieshan stood directly in front, the woman in the rain hat eliminated any escape route, and Shen Cheng held his position firmly. The five of them completely eliminated any possibility of "dodging".

Someone in the audience gasped softly: "If he doesn't escape, then there will be bloodshed."

"If we escape, we'll have to face Xu Chongshan." Another person shook his head: "It seems like two choices, but in reality, the results are the same."

Ye Xiao raised his hand.

With a press of the palm, the blade is first deflected by half an inch.

"Smack."

The blade veered off course, and the man wielding it felt a tremendous force. His wrist went numb, the knife nearly slipped from his grasp, and his pupils constricted sharply.

Before he could react, Ye Xiao had already pressed himself against him.

Knee top.

Another elbow press.

No frills, just solid hard work.

"Thump!"

The man with the knife immediately knelt down, his forehead slamming onto the wet table, water splashing out with drops of blood, a glaring red.

As the first drop of blood fell to the ground, Adam's apples bobbed under the awning.

Feng Tailai's sneer vanished instantly, his eye twitched, and he muttered under his breath, "Useless trash!"