The guards did not meet his eye, they were professionals and acted as such opening the gate exactly on time and saying not a thing.
The youth glanced at the two familiar guards and passed through unto the open, flat field of an arena.
"Sea Spring Swordmaster! It's really him, right? I came from a town over just to see him!"
"I thought he'd be… more intimidating?"
"Che! Youngster listen close, since your new you don't know but that man has slain only a single opponent, his first and from then on he has never unsheathed his sword again, looking down on all his challengers and making them submit without killing!"
"O-ooh!"
"He's kind of good looking, I guess?"
"I heard he was supposed to be a dashing fighter... "
The youths-, nay, Shou Xin's ears stung with the comments of the crowd.
'Sorry for not being more handsome, or more scary! I can't help it!' He felt terribly aggrieved inside, 'I can't do anything about it!'
Yet, his complexion remained relaxed.
"He has defeated every fighter this arena has to offer within his realm becoming the top Single Chain fighter in all of Zou Town!"
"It is said that his opponents come for rematches every day because of his intention to never kill again!"
"Honorable!"
"He killed An Nu because he overestimated him, I'm sure today is the day we will get to see him draw his sword."
"Perhaps. The difference between small realms is ten fold after all."
"You can do it, Swordmaster!"
"Go go go, give us a good show!"
The arena quieted as the announcer appeared above.
"Sea Spring Swordmaster, Shou Xin of the fallen Shou Clan, has for the first time in the history of the arena, arrived at the top of his realm without suffering a single defeat with each victory more overwhelming than the last, however!" The announcer raised a hand, "Can he replicate such a miracle against incredible odds?"
Everyone turned their gazes to the otherside of the arena where a heavy presence had begun it's approach.
"A second chain challenger."
The crowd immediately burst into chatter.
"The boulder, Lu Kong! The sheer weight of his field technique is said to be able to crush first chain experts!"
"The Swordmaster can attack from a distance though, it seems it's a battle of attrition, unless Lu Kong can catch Shou Xin's so far unmatched speed!"
"Odds! Odds are 1:4 in favor of Lu Kong!"
"Here." The young man tossed over a bag of coins as thick as a human head, "On my little brother, Shou Xin."
"Yes, Young Master Shou."
Just like that, a bet of three hundred gold serpents was made, which also happened to be everything they had left.
Such a terrifying bet was done so casually by none other than the infamous gambler who terrorized the gambling sector of Zou Town at night, Vienna, who was going by the alias of Young Master Shou.
"Don't die." Vienna said coldly, only the bet taker and Shou Xin could hear it.
They both began to sweat.
Once one had stepped into the arena, it was only the announcers voice which could start the fight.
However.
Shou Xin and Lu Kong who had locked eyes, one calm and the other cold respectively, began to advance.
The ground shattered at Lu Kong's feet as his waves of Law Qi grew more intense causing a greater phenomenon through the air.
The dust which was swept up began to swirl as though turning into a dust storm.
Shou Xin on the other hand, remained the same on the exterior.
"Blessed by the Spiral, let the battle commence!" Announcer-san said.
The crowd beamed.
Shou Xin arrived just a step outside of Lu Kong's field.
"Am I allowed to kill, on this final day, brother?"
"...For the sake of our coin."
Lu Kong's rough voice interjected.
"You believe you will kill me? Arrogant."
Above in the boxes talks were abound about the youth who clearly had almost no talent.
Despite being here for nearly a month now, his combat skills had increased with his experience, but overall, he had not changed much and his cultivation had not progressed at all.
"Such a talentless being has such arrogance, it's admirable in a way." The woman in her box shook her head, "But he will die here today. Lu Kong is not a new second chain, but experienced and on his way to the third chain."
"I believe in the youth's sword," Elder Tai Yu said easily, "It is sharp, you may not realize it because you are not a sword cultivator but… Hm, you will see."
"Is that meant to mean that you side with the imposter?" Another boxes resident said coldly.
Elder Tai Yu slightly nodded, "We of the Tai School of Blades do not care much for worldly matters, only seeking those with powerful skills to test our own against, no matter who."
"Hoh. To still think him an imposter till now, is the Cloud Faring Sect blind?" Another said casually, "He has, in a single month, defeated everyone within Zou Town whose cultivation is one chain without ever revealing his naked blade or are you saying they all lost to a random?"
The debates were thick in the sky above the arena where these boxes flew.
Down below however, not a word was being spoken as the crowd cheered.
The battle had already commenced since a bit ago.
Shou Xin faded into and out of Lu Kong's sight, hiding in his blind spots and launching feints using his Sanguine Sword Qi.
Lu Kong reacting to these feints didn't matter, since his field was a regular one chain couldn't even hope to step into it and escape.
Quietly moving over the earth as though gliding, Shou Xin suddenly became two and attacked from both sides.
"Hm!?" Lu Kong's eyes widened and he struck the one on the left of him, the strength within it seemingly far more powerful, "Found you!"
Yet, his fist went through it and his eyes narrowed.
A long, thick Qi Slash powered towards him at breakneck speeds.
He raised his guard eating the attack head on, his arms carried a cross slash gash in them.
"Well done, but that is as far as you go!" Lu Kong charged at Shou Xin who had gotten a bit too close during his attack.
Caught within Lu Kong's field, Shou Xin felt an immense pressure descend upon his shoulders trying to break him down.
Lu Kong swung his tree trunk sized fists.
Shou Xin's movements which had slowed down were not enough, he blocked the strike whilst kicking backwards, following the flow of the strike to escape into the air.
Lu Kong manifested several earthen spikes and fired them into the sky.
No longer restrained by the field, Shou Xin attempted to dodge and most of them missed, however whilst in the air he could move effectively and was struck on the side leaving a golfball sized hole.
He grit his teeth, refusing to shout.
The Sanguine Sword Qi within his body exploded to life like a tidal wave, however it would take time for the next attack.
In the meantime, he landed back down within Lu Kong's field, that immense pressure falling over him once again and the hole in his side which he held tightly bled more fiercely.
"Lu Kong!" Shou Xin shouted.
"Die." Lu Kong said coldly.
A fist quickly took up his vision, as Lu Kong's massive fists swung at him.
He remembered now why the feeling of pressure was so familiar, the waterfall!
In an instant, he remembered the feeling of the waterfall on his body, how it pushed and pushed and how whenever he jumped off it accelerated him forward, a small grin hid itself on his face as he made a choice.
Shou Xin seemingly fell forward, the strike missing him by an inch.
The crowd recoiled! Such a miracle!
But then it happened again.
And again.
"Using the downward pressure of the field to fall faster in any direction, to compensate for the lack of speed and escape the strikes." Elder Tai Yu said curiously, "Where did he learn such a risky thing?"
Lu Kong roared and his field became many times stronger such that Shou Xin could not properly even fall anymore, any change in his weight would make him fall flat.
"No more playing." Lu Kong's frigid voice entered the arena like a cold wind sending chills down people's spines.
"Indeed." Shou Xin looked up, his face terribly pale and a single shaking hand on the hilt of his blade, his eyes looking fearful.
The crowd was excited beyond belief at the sight of the undefeated swordmaster being put down, many had not forgotten the amount of money they'd lost betting against him after all.