Heaven rewards diligence; he fought his way through chaos to become a saint.

Ye Ci glanced into the distance, his brows furrowing slightly. Then, without making a sound, he picked up his teacup, lifted the lid, and took a small sip.

"Master Shen, Commandant Qin didn't require me to participate in the competition, did he?"

He spoke casually, but his gaze was actually fixed on one spot.

There were seven or eight ordinary people sitting on the wall watching the martial arts competition with great interest.

But one of them was completely out of place with the people around him.

He was a short, stocky man wearing a worn-out blue cloth jacket with sleeves that were half an inch longer than usual, which would be very inconvenient for ordinary people.

It looked as if there were hidden arrows under the sleeves.

Ever since Ye Ci was ambushed by the Seven Fiends of Liushan, he has always remembered that someone who suddenly shot a cold arrow that night escaped.

Unfortunately, the short, stocky man was half-squatting, but his feet were in a T-shape, with his weight firmly on his right leg, and his right hand was always hidden in his sleeve.

This posture is ideal for transitioning between offense and defense.

His gaze was different from everyone else's.

Ordinary people looked at the five great families with envy and awe, but they wouldn't stare at them for long.

Those who will be watching you are either people like Xiao Hua, whose jealousy burns from the top of their head, or people like Commandant Qin, whose eyes are practically bulging out, with a look of repeated confirmation.

And this person was repeatedly confirming it.

It can't be said that he was discovered by chance; it's more accurate to say that he was arrogant and thought he wouldn't be noticed if he hid in the crowd.

Ye Ci felt it was necessary to take this person down and interrogate him.

Or perhaps he didn't come specifically to assassinate, but just to watch the excitement.

Even if they've arrested the wrong person, just give them a few taels of silver and let them go.

But this is not the right time. Firstly, the two are too far apart, and secondly, Commandant Qin is watching from above, so it's best to avoid any trouble.

Today, he did not intend to go on stage to fight, and deliberately wore white clothes to confuse him with the black clothes he wore the other day.

He had just taken the opportunity to observe Commandant Qin, and if he hadn't expected it beforehand, he wouldn't have recognized him as the plaster man from that night.

Even if he believed he was dressed in white, Commandant Qin might not be able to confirm it.

Shen Wanzhou chuckled: "Commander Qin never said you were to participate. The annual martial arts competition is just an opportunity for martial artists to showcase their skills, and for each family to select their best fighters. You are a retainer of the Shen family, so this kind of competition is meaningless to you."

"That's good."

Ye Ci glanced at the wall again out of the corner of her eye, secretly observing the person.

Behind her, the young lady Shen Xin wore a light blue magnolia-patterned dress with a flowing hem, a pearl hairpin tucked behind her ear, and listened attentively.

"Qian'er, isn't Master Ye planning to go on stage?"

Shen Yixi didn't even bother to lift her eyelids: "I'm leaving now."

"Don't do this!" Shen Xin stroked Shen Yixi's small hand and pressed her onto her lap: "You didn't attend the banquet last time, and today the old man said that if Master Ye doesn't leave, you are not allowed to leave."

"The old man is about to lose his granddaughter."

Shen Yixi turned her face and stared at Shen Xin: "Don't force me, and think about yourself too. Back then, it was Grandpa who insisted on arranging your marriage, and through your second uncle's introduction, you became husband and wife with a captain."

"And what happened? He only comes back to see you once every few years. Besides getting you pregnant, what else did he do? And then he left you, a widow and orphan?"

The series of questions made Shen Xin's face turn deathly pale. She bit her lip:

"My husband is a good man, but he's just unlucky and surrounded by enemies. Ye Ci, on the other hand, doesn't have this problem. The old man likes him, so he must be a decent person."

Shen Yixi sneered: "If women can't even decide their own marriages, then the world might as well be full of men. Besides, I really don't understand what the old man values ​​in this person?"

I sent someone to inquire, and although this person is a direct disciple of the Pan Shi Martial Arts School, his aptitude is extremely poor. According to his master, it will be very difficult for him to develop the Hua Jin (化劲) skill in this lifetime.

Oh, and his family also has a child bride…

"So what if she was a child bride? Nowadays, successful men all have three wives and four concubines. Even your father just married a second wife."

Shen Yixi withdrew her hand and said coldly, "Aunt, that dark-skinned, skinny girl is not yet an adult and serves the emperor every day. I really can't stand her character. Besides, in the old man's eyes, is my granddaughter just a commodity of the Shen family? Or is it that your whole family is forcing me to be someone's concubine?"

"Knock knock knock!"

With three thunderous drumbeats, the martial arts competition officially began.

With a drumbeat, a young man did a somersault and landed on the stage.

The surrounding noise, as if by unspoken agreement, suddenly fell silent.

The man clasped his hands in a fist salute and said loudly, "I am Zhu Chengzhi, an inner disciple of the Black Dragon Martial Arts Academy. I hope all my brothers and friends will give me some face."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a young man who had just signed the agreement tiptoed over the flagpole, made a graceful turn in mid-air, and stepped onto the ring.

"My name is Yang Qing, a direct disciple of the Five Animals Martial Arts School in the west of the city."

The man clasped his hands in a fist salute to the crowd, then gave Zhu Chengzhi a slight bow: "Please enlighten me, fellow disciples."

The name he gave was from a small martial arts school, but as a personal disciple, he was no less skilled than the inner disciples of the three major martial arts schools.

There are different levels among martial arts schools. If the disciples of a small martial arts school like this don't show up early, the disciples behind them will only get stronger and stronger. So they need to show their skills as soon as possible.

"Please, Senior Brother Yang."

Zhu Chengzhi observed proper etiquette in the martial arts world, addressing each other as "Senior Brother" in public, and after exchanging clasped hands, they struck a pose.

"They're here!"

With a sudden movement, Yang Qing launched himself forward like an arrow, his arms flashing in a dazzling display.

Zhu Chengzhi's boxing style, which he learned at the Black Dragon Martial Arts School, was fierce and unrestrained. He would throw a punch without dodging or avoiding, which was a fighting style of "no matter how many ways you come from, I will only go one way" and risk injury.

This punch forced Yang Qing to change his stance and block it with both arms.

He was almost immediately at a disadvantage, and was relentlessly beaten by Zhu Chengzhi.

The two clashed fiercely, drawing cheers from the surrounding crowd.

Some of the guest advisors and retainers of the five major families sat beside the family heads and offered their opinions.

On the Shen family's side, an old man named Wang Ya sat next to Shen Zonghan. He was also a Grandmaster of Internal Energy and occasionally spoke to Shen Zonghan in a low voice.

Meanwhile, the guards with hidden strength brought by Old Master Shen could only stand at the back and whisper among themselves.

"After Ye offers his offering, I'll have a little sparring session with him."

The middle-aged man named Wu Tan, who possessed hidden strength, was speaking in a low voice to the person next to him.

"Don't upset the master." Finally, someone wise advised him.

At this moment, Ye Ci's expression darkened slightly, his gaze fixed on the arena, while his peripheral vision was still fixed on the short, stocky man.

"Offering of leaves".

Shen Wanzhou noticed that something was wrong with Ye Ci and asked cautiously:

"What happened?"

Ye Ci shifted his gaze slightly, seemingly casually scanning his surroundings, and said nonchalantly:

"fine."

******

Bang!

Zhu Chengzhi threw a powerful punch, which Yang Qing could not withstand. He stumbled backward and fell off the stage.

"You flatter me." Zhu Chengzhi clasped his hands in a gesture of respect.

Yang Qing looked embarrassed, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and then stepped down from the stage.

Soon, another person jumped onto the ring, the whole process proceeding smoothly.

Many more people in the audience had already registered and were lining up, eager to participate, their whispers filling the air.