"Sure brother, you can have it."
Though Long Feng really hated being away from his sword as it was almost as dear to him as a cultivation partner, he still handed his sword over to Min Hong anyway.
Min Hong quietly recorded the act of brotherhood in his heart with a nod. Then with a sharp sigh, he suddenly turned towards Mu Cheng with a seething dagger-like gaze.
"This martial sword isn't top quality, but it is still worth ten thousand gold coins. For today I'll just count it as seven thousand gold coins. If you win you can have the martial sword, but if you lose, you have to give me seven thousand gold coins. How does that sound?"
Mu Cheng was stunned by what he just heard. Even someone with half a brain could tell that Long Feng's sword was made from top grade steel and was forged by a Master Blacksmith; saying it was worth twenty thousand gold coins would be selling it short.
However, since the idiot with half a brain was Min Hong, and he had actually decided to gift him such a precious treasure, then he would be a half brained dog if he let such an opportunity slide past him.
Mu Cheng cheerfully smiled. He was truly elated and his eyes were almost in an upward crescent shape.
However, he forced himself to act normal and instead sneered at Min Hong; "I don't know. If someone were to lose, will they renege out of the bet?"
"Don't worry. I, Long Feng, will guarantee both your wagers." Long Feng backed their wager's validity with a cold smile.
"Good, then let's go to the martial arena to sign the contract. If I don't beat the living daylight out of you todays, then I won't be the son of my father." Mu Cheng couldn't help but be exuberant as he blurted his words in high spirits.
Min Hong's expression was still calm; however, within his eyes, an almost imperceptible ring of purple kept flickering in and out of existence.
Mu Cheng was just one of Shen Li's dogs, so Min Hong never paid any attention to him. But nowadays, they were always plotting against him in one way or the other; so he had no idea what their hidden plot was this time?
However, no matter what hidden plot they had planned for him, Min Hong was intent on beating the truth out of Mu Cheng, thus, he calmly walked with the group as they headed toward the martial arena located at the center of the West Grand Family's village-sized territory.
In the Desert Flame Tribe, martial customs were very popular, and one of the popular ones were that since disputes were more often than not avoidable; the parties involved, could resolve their personal differences on a life and death stage which had been built right at the center of the West Grand Family's territory.
As long as both parties consented to it and agreed to sign the life and death contract, then once they entered into the martial arena, even if they killed their opponent, they would be protected by the laws of the West Grand Family who were like the Law Enforcers of the Desert Flame Tribe.
During most days, this place was filled with bustling crowds, and today was no different. However, after a couple matches had ended, two youngsters walked onto the stage and soon enough, a commotion slowly began to ensue until it eventually became a massive uproar.
"Am I seeing things or is that person Min Hong? Why would he come here?"
"Yeah, yesterday he was beaten unconscious. Now that you mention it, it is indeed weird for him to be here today?"
"Hmph, I bet the shame of being a trash and being beaten like one has finally got to him. He most certainly is tired of living and was to cowardly to do it himself, so he wants to get someone to beat him to death here."
Though his father Min Tian might be called the Tribe's Border Protector and regarded as this generation's military god; those who gave him such a title were the poor tribesmen living on the outskirts of the Desert Flame Tribe and have had to suffer through wars and conflicts.
For the rich and wealthy who reside right at the center of the tribe, everything was in peace and harmony; therefore, they didn't place Mi Tian, who was born a commoner family, on the same level as themselves.
What this meant was that there was little to no one who held Min Tian in such a high regard.
"Min Hong, you piece of trash, why did you come back? How dare you hold up the action for no reason? Who would want to see your martial arts? Hurry and beat it!"
"Yeah, if you want to kill yourself then go find a cliff and fall of it. Such an eyesore, so stop wasting our time!"
In just a moment, the audience of several hundred people were all cursing loudly; none of them hid their contempt for Min Hong.
However, in an unremarkable corner further away from the hustling and bustling crowd, two maidens wearing veils were raptly watching the situation unfold.
"Sister, that one is your fiancé. Why does he seem so lacking? I can't even sense the slightest fluctuation around his body," One of the maidens observed and commented disappointedly.
"Hmph, if dad hadn't been so selfish, how could he have made such an arrangement before i was yet to even breathed my first…" The other calmly responded. However, one could tell from her voice that she was greatly displeased and felt to have been severely wronged.
On the martial arena however, Min Hong wasn't even paying attention to anyone, talk less of noticing the two maidens who were spying on him.
He was simply standing there, absorbing all the contempt and hateful speech being thrown at him. Then he blended them together, melted them, and fed them all into his belly full of killing intent.
Mu Cheng then pointed out the people's uproar and sneered. "See? You're an unwelcome piece of trash here; if you are smart, you should just bash your head right here and die."
Min Hong, however, didn't even breathe a word and instead continue to stare at him indifferently.
Doing…
The martial arena bell rang out, signaling the start of the duel. When that bell tolled, it signaled that the life and death of those on stage were now only separated by a thin, fine line.
Thus, the moment the bell did toll, the originally rowdy crowd went silent; after all, it was a life and death battle they were about to witness. Who could foretell the exact moment when one of the dueler's lives would puff out?
"Sister, this fiancé of yours doesn't seem to have had any contact with the natural Qi at all while his opponent is at the 3 Star Skin Refining Stage. Aren't you worried?" The maiden asked.
"Hmph, what do I need to be worried about? Him dying is serves as a win for me, I just hope he entertains me a little before his poor little life gets snuffed out." The maiden calmly replied with an indifferent snort.
But despite saying all those words, she had already taken out an extremely strange net that seemed to have been made out of silk.
"Hehe, you claim to not care at all, yet you've already taken out one of your treasures. If I didn't know any better, I would have sworn you do not care at all.
~Aiy~ anyways, despite the fact that his cultivation talent is trash, he's really not that bad looking. How about this, if you don't want him, why don't you just give him to me." The other maiden jokingly added.
"How can one just randomly gift out a random person to another? If you like him, you can at least wait until I have withdrawn from the marriage arrangement. After that, you can do with him whatever you please." The other maiden snapped at her friend.
"Hee-hee."
On the martial arena, Min Hong had for some mysterious reasons had remained as calm as a thousand-year-old well from the start up until now.
When compared to the Min Hong of two days ago who would have probably been gnashing his teeth in complete fury, the current him looked like he had been possessed by a completely different person entirely.
"Min Hong, I can see you have now come to terms with the fact that your death is now imminent. Don't worry, due to the stakes involved, I won't beat you to death today." Mu Cheng was just too confident, that he was now getting arrogant.
"It seems your mother's large intestine had taken the place of her umbilical cord when you were in the womb, if not, I can't fathom how anyone else could spout so much shit like you.
Hurry up and come at me, I can't waste my time here, I still have other things I need to do with your money." Min Hong savagely hit back with a gloating taunt.
Because the entire audience was very quiet, every single word that came out of Min Hong's mouth might have as well been announced with a public addressing system.
Initially, the entire crowd was stunned speechless, and some were even blinking to confirm if they weren't hallucinating; however, a split second a handful of people erupted in a jeering derision.
"Mu Cheng, what are you doing standing there like a wooden pole? Hurry up and beat the living snot out of that kid! To think he can even spur us to feel too embarrassed for him."
Those among the crowd who knew Mu Cheng a little better called out to him.
Hearing his fans cry out to him, a cold sneer appeared on Mu Cheng's face as he stopped hesitating and exploded out with his full 3 Star Skin Refining Stage cultivation.
His foot had barely fully stomped on the martial arena when he shot out like a cannon ball, headed straight for Min Hong with his fist totally backed by the full power of his cultivation.
Seeing Mu Cheng make his move, the entire crowd immediately burst into series of cheers; he really did look somewhat dashing and valiant in such instance.
"Nice move, that's the Gale Shattering Fist."
Some of the audience recognized the martial technique and thus burst into further cheers. The two maidens looking on from the corner of the arena, however, didn't seem too impressed by the technique and even wore ridiculing expressions on their faces.
One of those who obliviously agreed with both maidens was Min Hong who revealed a derisive sneer of his own.
So, this clowning around of a move- riddled with more flaws than the eyes can handle- was also considered useful against enemies?
Looking at the approaching fist and the strong whistling wind that accompanied the sheer momentum behind it, Min Hong realized he didn't even need to move at all, and simply watched it approach.
"Haha, he so terrified that he froze on the spot." Some of the audience sneered upon seeing Min Hong remain rooted to the spot.
However, right in that exact moment when the ridiculing remark was made, Mu Cheng's fist came to an abrupt halt about half an inch off Min Hong's face, and it was then that the nigh-imperceptible sound of an egg cracking echoed across the arena.
The bubbling crowd suddenly went quiet as they stared at the situation in front of them in absolute shock.
Right in front of them was the image of Mu Cheng in a dashing and valiant attacking stance, and Min Hong standing absolutely still, but with one foot planted viciously right in-between his opponent's legs.
Some three people suddenly keeled over and passed out, whilst more than half of the crowd held their groin area; even some female couldn't help but squint in horror.
However, what shook them the most was the soft echo of a cracking egg that lingered around the martial arena a moment too long.