Chapter 35: Nine of Characters and Fortune

Chen Yi He was still immersed in the shock from just now, "Purgatory Hand?"

At this moment, Chen Yi He's room still had two people seated: Long Wang and Dongfang Xing.

"Huh, I never expected the people of the Purgatory Sect to be so overbearing now!" Long Wang nodded, confirming his judgment, "It hasn't produced any decent talent for many years; in the past seventy or eighty years, no disciple has ever been selected for the Thousandfold Gate. I never expected that, at this moment when it's about to be forgotten by history, someone would step forward again."

"I suspect he has the strength of a completed third-layer heaven." Dongfang Xing said.

"Another tough opponent!" Long Wang sighed.

"I feel I'm done for!" Chen Yi He lamented, on the verge of tears; a burly man of comparable strength was taken out in a single move. If all the competitors were at this level, what's he even playing for! He's only a mid-second-layer heaven, while they've already reached completed third-layer heaven! He's screwed!

"If that's his strength, he'll surely take one of the ten spots." Dongfang Xing spoke bluntly.

"What a hassle! Get a good night's sleep; there are still three days until the fifteenth, don't think too much." Long Wang patted Chen Yi He's shoulder, speaking to both Chen Yi He and Dongfang Xing, "The three of us, none of us can be missing."

As soon as Long Wang said that, Dongfang Xing was even more moved than Chen Yi He. She had traveled from Dong Hai to South Border City, and before meeting the two of them, she had been utterly alone on the road. She was a girl; no matter how strong her strength, her heart was fragile. Only after meeting them—who guided her when she was lost, helped her earn tuition, and together broke through the siege of the three great assassins—did she find companionship.

Those words of Long Wang were, for her, undoubtedly a kind of inspiration; her eye sockets reddened slightly. "Yes, none of us can be missing."

As Long Wang and Dongfang Xing were about to leave, through the window came a commotion from the street outside the inn. At first they thought it was some local custom, that some event was about to be held, until a killing intent spread, seeping in through the window opening.

The three of them immediately crowded at the window, watching the outside commotion.

Everyone had stepped back; on the wide street, a young man stood on each side.

On the left, dressed in white robes, a graceful young gentleman, his hands hidden in his sleeves, a sword slung at his waist, and a large blade hung on his back.

On the right, a burly figure in black clothing; upon closer look, his black attire was made of iron, the skin exposed all over his body showed an ancient bronze hue, and on his thick arms each bore four gleaming copper rings. He stood there like an ancient pine, looking down at his opponent before him.

In the blink of an eye—just moments ago they were standing still in the distance, the next instant they had collided!

The tremendous impact flung everything nearby aside!

The white-clad man swung a palm, and a gust of wind swept forth, lifting the floorboards, shattering the windows, and blowing people away!

Chen Yi He, watching from upstairs, had his hair tousled by the blast.

Yet the black-clad man remained utterly unmoving, even as everything behind him was swept away! Even as the copper rings on his arms clanged "ding-ding-dang" from the wind.

Just testing the waters on the first day, and he's already this formidable!

One side excels in offense, the other in defense; a single move reveals both sides' skill levels!

The black-clad man withstood that palm, clasped his hands above his head, and the eight copper rings shot off his arms simultaneously! Guided by his will, the rings lined up in midair and hurtled toward his opponent.

The white-clad man would not be outdone; he drew the great blade on his back and swung it to meet the copper rings! Blade out, wind rose!

Biting wind, biting blade, tearing apart with a howl! Invisible true qi surged forth from within him!

"Gale Palm, Gale Blade! The opponent's split apart!" Long Wang instantly gauged the white-clad man's level and identity: "Ouyang Lie of the Bei Du Blade Palm! This isn't his forefathers' title, but his own—earned with palm and blade in the jianghu!" Long Wang's tone was full of praise.

Did the black-clad man split?

No! It was the ground that split—bricks lifted by the blade's qi, forming a deep, wide crack that pressed toward the black-clad man.

The black-clad man initially retreated only half a step, then actually stepped forward three paces! He rotated his stacked palms, the copper rings accelerating their spin, increasing the impact force.

"Clang! Ding-dang-dang!"

The copper rings collided with the Gale Blade! Eight rings locked one blade! All-around exquisite, the blade stood alone! A fierce wind rose, ruining all hair!

Dongfang Xing grabbed Chen Yi He's waist; otherwise he would have been flung downstairs by a gust of wind!

"Clang!" From somewhere unknown flew a nameless little object that scattered the interlocked copper rings and Gale Blade. The Gale Blade fluttered down to the ground, while the copper rings rolled one over another, ending up at the black-clad man's feet.

Ouyang Lie and the black-clad man stared at each other. Just now they hadn't unleashed their full power, nor had they conserved much strength, yet someone had so easily broken their stalemate! And they couldn't even tell where that person came from. They are outstanding youths who could stand above the world!

The great wind on the field had ceased, leaving everything in disarray—shop banners vanished, peddlers' carts smashed to pieces, the wine tavern's aroma dissipated and diluted. A gust passed, autumn ash and fallen leaves abounded, choking many into coughing fits.

"Save your competitive strength for the day after tomorrow at the Return Wild Goose Tower!" A voice came from nowhere and vanished just as mysteriously. Everyone searched, but found nothing.

Yet the three words "Return Wild Goose Tower" lingered in their ears.

"Return Wild Goose Tower? Ten years have passed, and again we have a flourishing age!"

"When spring arrives, northern geese fly south; when spring departs, they fly south again. Clearly it's a Spring Tower, yet the Thousandfold Gate always burdens it with endless autumnal feeling."

"By then, not only all of South Border City, but even the entire Heavenly Peace Continent will have its eyes on that tower!"

Dongfang Xing suddenly asked, "Did you see it clearly?"

"Mm." Long Wang nodded.

"What?" Chen Yi He was still in a daze.

"It's mahjong." Long Wang said.

"It's the Nine of Characters." Dongfang Xing added, not because she saw it more clearly than Long Wang, but because her observation was meticulous.

"You're still playing mahjong?" Chen Yi He came over as well, feeling utterly bewildered.

Only then did Dongfang Xing point downstairs and tell Chen Yi He to look.

Chen Yi He rubbed his eyes; a mahjong tile stood upright on the ground, intact, lying between the two combatants. He then realized, "Was it this that separated the blade and the copper rings?"

At that moment, Ouyang Lie and the black-clad man walked together toward the mahjong tile, Ouyang Lie speaking first: "Tie Gu, isn't this mahjong tile still going to contend with me?"

It turned out the black-clad man's name was Tie Yi—no wonder he wore an iron-made outfit!

Tie Yi gave a cold remark, "No interest." Then he walked past Ouyang Lie, brushing shoulders.

Ouyang Lie didn't give it another glance; he bent over and lightly picked up the "Nine of Characters" tile.

"All the surrounding shops suffered damage, except the store whose window bore a 'Fa' flag, which showed no trace of wind." Chen Yi He thus knew where the mahjong came from.

"Just a single mahjong tile can separate two masters' clash— the key is that the tile remains intact; terrifying, terrifying!" Long Wang lamented.

In an instant, the mahjong hall emitted a burst of strong, flashing true qi! The true qi flashed and was gone.

Clearly just that instant, yet it left an imprint on everyone's heart: the Nine of Characters, and also Fa Cai.

Chen Yi He's heart broke; the Palace Master, Purgatory Hand, Ouyang Lie, Tie Yi—just these four he'd seen were far stronger than him, and those yet to appear would be even more terrifying. No hope left! Don't fail to enter the Thousandfold Gate and still lose your life!

But Chen Yi He won't give up; he came here to become the strongest, to dominate the world. If a mere Thousandfold Gate blocks his steps, readers will laugh at him! He aims to be the object of admiration and envy for all readers.

Chen Yi He's accumulated strength of over three months finally showed signs of bursting forth; tonight, he will break through!