Chapter 234: The Dispute Over the Spots

"Duan Rong is also qualified, just like Luan Bao and Xiao Yu, to have the registration fee paid from the Escort Agency's accounts."

"However, I only promised two spots."

"But now there are three people qualified to obtain a spot, which naturally shows that my Yuanshun Escort Agency is full of talent."

"Our Escort Agency does business in the jianghu and eats the jianghu's food; my meaning is to let them compete in martial arts to see who is superior."

"The two who win will obtain the qualification for a spot."

Hearing these words from Ruan Fengshan, everyone present felt their hearts pounding.

If three people are qualified to obtain a spot, shouldn't the Escort Agency just pay for one more person?

He said Duan Rong performed a great service and must be rewarded, yet he also made him compete with others for a spot; if he loses the competition, was he rewarded or not?

While everyone present felt their hearts pounding, Ruan Fengshan was very clear in his own mind.

He could no longer tolerate Luan Jingfu and his son Luan Bao, so how could he spend another 60,000 taels of silver to pay the registration fee for Luan Bao?

It was just that to kill Luan Jingfu, he needed time to properly set up a plan, and with the end of the year approaching, the time for registration was right before them.

By bringing Duan Rong in at this moment, he intended to have Duan Rong squeeze out Luan Bao's spot; this way, he would both reward Duan Rong for his great service and avoid spending wasted money on Luan Bao.

As for the concern everyone present had about Duan Rong losing, in his view, it simply did not exist. At the entrance to the corridor of the Backyard Accounting Office, he had seen with his own eyes Duan Rong use a backhand strike to send Luan Bao flying.

And as for Xiao Yu, whether in martial arts talent or diligent training, she far surpassed Luan Bao; Ruan Fengshan felt that Xiao Yu should be close to achieving the Great Success Realm of the Inner Breath Realm Fourth Layer.

Therefore, in Ruan Fengshan's view, once Duan Rong intervened, the person squeezed out would definitely be Luan Bao.

However, those present who felt Duan Rong would lose also had their reasons; after all, both Xiao Yu and Luan Bao had achieved the Inner Breath Realm Third Layer for years, while Duan Rong had only just broken through, so how could he be their opponent?

Luan Jingfu sat on a grand armchair with a cold expression, and Luan Bao sat behind him and whispered "Father"; Luan Bao hoped he would speak, but Luan Jingfu remained silent, his gaze only looking gloomily at Ruan Fengshan, who sat on a tall, wide chair, as he guessed Ruan Fengshan's thoughts.

Since the conversation about this matter began, Ruan Fengshan had not even glanced at Luan Jingfu, instead smiling and looking toward Xiao Zongting's side from time to time...

But even so, Luan Jingfu vaguely felt that Ruan Fengshan was targeting their father and son. He was pondering the matter of Xu Shouxian, wondering if he had handled it cleanly or if there was some leverage caught in Ruan Fengshan's hands.

There had been no written correspondence between him and Xu Shouxian, and they only spoke in person, so there should be no concrete evidence. But he had heard rumors that after Xu Shouxian died, his Old Butler had handed a secret letter to Ruan Fengshan.

Luan Jingfu truly had not expected that Xu Shouxian would leave a contingency plan and play him like this. This old thing, he really is hard to kill!

"I think there is no time like the present; let them go to the Martial Arts Arena right now and decide who is superior. It will also be good for everyone to serve as witnesses!" Ruan Fengshan suddenly said.

Xiao Yu was sitting beside Duan Rong; she swept her beautiful eyes over Duan Rong, then looked past the heads of the front row toward Luan Bao opposite them, a strange light clearly flashing in Xiao Yu's eyes.

Luan Bao was also looking toward Duan Rong and Xiao Yu at this moment, but because Duan Rong was sitting in the shadows of the lamps, he only saw Xiao Yu beside Duan Rong; their gazes met, and their expressions instantly turned unfriendly.

Sitting in the shadows of the lamps, Duan Rong heard Ruan Fengshan's words and felt miserable in his heart.

What spot? He didn't want it at all!

60,000 in silver was just a single hair to him now, or at most six hairs.

It wasn't that he couldn't afford it, and he had already given the money to Ximen Kankan; the connections had already been made.

Besides, if he squeezed out Luan Bao's spot, wouldn't he be asking for trouble for himself in front of the Luan father and son?

Luan Jingfu was different from Xu Shouxian.

Although Xu Shouxian had some power within the Escort Agency, he was, after all, in the Accounting Office, and his martial strength was near zero.

But Luan Jingfu was the Chief Escort, there were likely many hidden agents in the Escort Team, and he himself was a True Qi Realm Martial Artist. Duan Rong had only managed to wipe away the grudge he had previously formed by clinging to Ruan Fengshan's leg.

He did not want to clash with Luan Jingfu again!

Duan Rong had already made up his mind: when he fought Luan Bao in the Martial Arts Arena later, he would find a way to show a flaw to Luan Bao and intentionally lose to him...

To avoid future trouble!

Seeing that Ruan Fengshan had spoken, everyone present was naturally happy to watch the show... after all, the three were the best of the younger generation in the Escort Agency, and they really wanted to see...

The group followed Ruan Fengshan out of the Back Courtyard and arrived at the Middle Courtyard Martial Arts Arena.

The sky was already bright, but it was not yet time for breakfast; in the open spaces of the Martial Arts Arena, some Escorts were doing their morning training, standing in the Hunyuan Stance, covered in sweat, with heat rising from their heads...

Those Escorts were concentrating on their Stance Training when they suddenly saw a crowd of people walking toward the side of the Martial Arts Arena; looking closer, they saw not only the Manager, Ruan Fengshan, but also all the big shots of the Escort Agency, not a single one missing.

Seeing this formation, those Escorts all knew something must have happened, and they immediately stopped their training, preparing to watch the excitement.

Duan Rong, Xiao Yu, and Luan Bao were already standing by the Martial Arts Arena.

For a three-person competition, the order of the fights was somewhat particular; the two who fought first were clearly at a disadvantage.

Duan Rong thought for a moment and prepared to strike first, losing directly to Luan Bao to get it over with.

But just as he was about to speak, Xiao Yu suddenly looked at Luan Bao and said, "Luan Bao, I have long heard that your martial arts talent is exceptional, and I have long wanted to learn from you, but I never had the chance. Today is a heaven-sent opportunity; why don't we trade a few moves first!"

Xiao Yu was beautiful and accustomed to the jianghu; when she spoke, she had a natural, dashing spirit, and the nickname Rouge Tiger was truly well-deserved.

Although Luan Bao did not want to go first, Xiao Yu had already spoken, and after all, Xiao Yu was a woman; if he refused, wouldn't he seem too cowardly?

Luan Bao said, "That is excellent! I have also heard much of Miss Xiao's heroic reputation, and I have long wanted to learn from you!"

The two stopped talking and jumped into the corners of the Martial Arts Arena.

Xiao Yu cupped her fists slightly and shouted, "Disciple Luan, watch out!"

Xiao Yu channeled her Internal Breath, her clothes billowing, her figure like a swallow or a butterfly; as soon as she attacked, she used the Cloud Snake Step, combined with her Small Success Realm Five Tigers Flock of Sheep Saber, and suddenly, blade light like water surrounded Luan Bao.

A burst of cheers suddenly erupted from the perimeter of the Martial Arts Arena!

Luan Jingfu stood there, his expression already very ugly. As soon as the two started, he could see that Luan Bao was definitely no match for Xiao Yu.

Trapped in the encirclement of Xiao Yu's Blade Shadow, Luan Bao could only defend with difficulty, struggling to keep up, but his Internal Breath was clearly not as deep as Xiao Yu's; every time their weapons clashed, the web between his thumb and forefinger would tremble, and in such a prolonged battle, he would surely be defeated.

The two moved with extreme speed, Blade Shadows flickering, and the sound of weapons clashing rang out like popping beans.

Xiao Yu knew that if they continued to clash weapons like this, once Luan Bao's hand went numb, she could knock his weapon away in one blow. But Xiao Yu did not want to do that; she suddenly suppressed her Internal Breath.

As a result, Luan Bao felt the tremors in his hand suddenly ease, and he immediately gripped his weapon tightly and began to fight with Xiao Yu again.

Ruan Fengshan, Luan Jingfu, and Xiao Zongting, who were watching from the sidelines, all had their eyes shift; they clearly saw the clues.

Duan Rong used his Divine Sense to scan, seeing it even more clearly.

The Internal Breath surging in Xiao Yu's meridians had clearly retreated back into her dantian by more than ten percent.

"Xiao Yu, is she going easy on him?" A heavy doubt flashed in Duan Rong's eyes.

Just as Duan Rong was feeling puzzled, on the Martial Arts Arena, Xiao Yu suddenly turned his body to the side, a Blade Shadow flashed, and he thrust his blade through an opening in Luan Bao's moves, stabbing him in his right thigh; Luan Bao cried out in pain and retreated, but blood was already gushing from his wound...

(End of this chapter)