Chapter 46

The sky is high and the clouds light; gazing, the south‑flying geese vanish from sight.

"My father, my father won't let you off! Unless you stay in the Thousand Heavy Gate for your whole life!" After Huang Gao Yu spat out those harsh words, he fled toward the building's door, a puff of smoke down Returning Goose Tower, fearing Chen Yi He would catch up and strike him with a sword.

"You bastard… have the guts not to run!" Chen Yi He shouted at the top of his lungs, not even giving chase, just scaring Huang Gao Yu.

The mighty young master of God Sword Mountain Villa, scared witless… before fleeing, he almost tripped over a corpse on Southern Mountain.

Killing a man and seizing his sword, Chen Yi He became famous in a single battle.

The Purple Tempered Sword belongs to Chen Yi He. But he hasn't had time yet to appreciate this fine divine sword.

Chen Yi He returned the Hua Shan sword to Zhang Bei Hai, saying, "Thank you."

Zhang Bei Hai took the Hua Shan sword, gave a bitter smile, and said nothing.

Chen Yi He held high his spoils, then walked to the wooden plaques and plucked off the last one. "Twenty-two Middle, Chief Chen." As Chen Yi He gripped the wooden plaque tightly, he felt a great responsibility settle upon him, perhaps also a hard‑earned sense of fulfillment; after so long of effort, his labor was finally rewarded, and his perseverance was not in vain.

This number‑ten plaque is his credential, his student ID, his admission ticket.

The Thousand Heavy Gate's new round of decennial selection was declared complete in his hands.

The Seventh Elder rose from his seat, walked to the center of the main hall, and asked the crowd, "Does anyone have any objections?"

Even someone as talented as Huang Gao Yu was eliminated—what else could others say? Although Huang Gao Yu lost face today, could they perform the legendary "Flying Flower Sword Dance"? Obviously not.

Zhou Kai and Xiao Xiao Yu neither made a move nor displayed outstanding external prowess, yet they possessed deep, powerful backgrounds—did anyone else? Obviously not.

No one said "yes," nor did anyone say "no." After a long while, the Seventh Elder announced to the crowd, "Since none of you have objections, we of the Thousand Heavy Gate hereby select these ten. Applause!"

Thundering applause echoed inside and out without cease. The south‑flying geese in the sky, startled, sped up their escape.

The Sixth Elder rose, his aura mighty, his tone drawn out: "Sign the life‑and‑death contract, draw the life‑and‑death pledge."

Number‑one plaque: Junior Palace Master of the Five Absolutes Palace.

Number‑two plaque: Wu Rong of the Purgatory Gate.

Number‑three plaque: Dragon King of the Tiger‑Dragon Gate.

Number‑four plaque: Iron Clad of the Iron Gate.

Number‑five plaque: Xiao Xiao Yu of the Xiao Family Fortress.

Number‑six plaque: Ou Yang Lie, Blade Palm of Bei Du.

Number‑seven plaque: Zhang Bei Hai of the Hua Shan Sect.

Number‑eight plaque: Zhou Kai of the Imperial Capital.

Number‑nine plaque: Dongfang Xing of the Tiger‑Dragon Gate.

Number‑ten plaque: Chen Yi He of the Tiger‑Dragon Gate.

After the life‑and‑death contract is signed and sealed, countless copies will be transcribed by hand and spread across the Tian An Continent to announce it to the world.

Once the life‑and‑death contract appeared, it naturally stirred up one clamor after another among the crowd.

Is he the Dongfang of the Dongfang clan?

Is the Junior Palace Master's name actually "Junior Palace Master"?

Tiger‑Dragon Gate? One sect producing three experts!

Undoubtedly the most watched are the Junior Palace Master's name, Dongfang Xing's surname, Chen Yi He's origins, and the sect called Tiger‑Dragon Gate.

No one could have imagined that Dongfang Xing and Chen Yi He were both subordinates of the Dragon King. Knowing that Tiger‑Dragon Gate has long been unacknowledged by the martial world, this time it produced three talents at once, occupying three‑tenths of the list—such news, once spread, will surely be like a deep‑water bomb detonating in the martial waters, raising waves ten thousand feet high! Remember, in past hundred‑person lists, having three from one sect selected is exceedingly rare.

The Dragon King laughed so hard his mouth couldn't close, waving at the crowds upstairs and downstairs like a celebrity. The three had agreed beforehand that after being selected they would hang the three words "Tiger‑Dragon Gate" as a way to vent their spite!

The clamor lasted nearly an hour before subsiding; the sky had grown dark‑evening, the atmosphere of the Mid‑Autumn festival thickening, and nobody wanted to leave.

"Ten youngsters, drink heartily, bring your tuition, and tomorrow morning we'll open the Thousand Heavy Gate together!" the Sixth Elder shouted loudly.

Anyone who experienced ten, twenty, or several decades ago knows that tonight there will be a feast of ten thousand revelers, celebrating the successful candidates' entry and mourning those who died for it.

With a sweep of his hand, the Grand Elder saw ten tables and chairs fly from afar, landing on Returning Goose Tower, neatly aligned in a row and set in the hall's center, with wine bowls arranged in a line. Such profound inner strength, such precise control, reveal the Grand Elder's power—hard to gauge beneath his black robe.

Chen Yi He had just made a small judgment amidst the chaos.

He figured out who the elder who tossed mahjong the day before was—the Sixth Elder who had just demanded the life‑and‑death lot, for on his right thumb he wore a gleaming gold ring engraved with the character for "wealth"...

Chen Yi He also realized that the old lady from Green Smoke Tower yesterday was none other than the Fifth Elder who had been sitting hunched over...

As for that white silhouette, Chen Yi He had not yet identified it.

It seems all seven elders possess real strength! The Thousand Heavy Gate is certainly no ordinary place.

The Grand Elder waved again, and dozens of jars of fine wine flew from afar onto Returning Goose Tower, filling the tenth floor to the brim. He rose and told the crowd, "Tonight, Mid‑Autumn, win or lose, we won't stop until we're drunk."

Having spoken, the Grand Elder summoned his inner power; a jar of good wine rose halfway into the air, he pointed and shot a burst of true qi that shattered the jar! The liquor exploded, splashing into each person's wine bowl!

Ten wine bowls, brimming over, not a drop spilled. This is absolute hard power!

"Let's all drink this jar of wine and step onto the path of the heavy gate! Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

Although only ten were selected, the ones raising their cups numbered tens of thousands.

The shouts of tens of thousands echoed throughout Nanjiang City.

This autumn, they met in Nanjiang City—also a kind of fate!

Nanjiang City is destined to stay awake tonight.

Mid‑Autumn, second only to the New Year—since everything has already settled, why let trouble drag us on? Why not gulp down a big hearty drink!

Afterward came the time for each to drink freely; the seven elders gathered together to imbibe.

The newcomers below also drank in twos and threes.

"Cheers! For the Tiger‑Dragon Gate!" the Dragon King raised his wine bowl, clinking it with those of Chen Yi He and Dongfang Xing.

"For the Tiger‑Dragon Gate!" Chen Yi He drained his bowl in one gulp.

"For the Dragon Tiger Gate..." Dongfang Xing shouted, out of breath, but the wine in his bowl was also finished.

At that moment, Zhang Beihei walked over holding a wine bowl and said to Chen Yi He, "Sir, you did well today!"

"That's still thanks to your fine sword!" Chen Yi He raised a bowl to Zhang Beihei.

"Please take care of me in the future." Zhang Beihei returned the toast to the three from Dragon Tiger Gate.

"You say you're already the head of Mount Hua Sect, so why come all the way to Thousandfold Gate?" Chen Yi He asked Zhang Beihei. In Chen Yi He's memory, Mount Hua Sect has always been a strong force in martial arts fiction—Linghu Chong, Yue Buqun, Feng Qingyang, the "Lonely Nine Swords," and so on…

Zhang Beihei politely patted Chen Yi He's shoulder and replied, "Brother, the sea of learning is boundless!"

Chen Yi He knew, this sort of person, honest…

Zhang Beihei hadn't left yet when Iron Clad also came over, his iron armor soaked with wine, he was carrying a wine jar, he cupped his hands to the four of them and said, "Gentlemen, care for a drink? I'll take on all four of you!"

Chen Yi He, Dongfang Xing, and Zhang Beihei hastily admitted defeat; just looking at their bellies, the three of them combined weren't as big as Iron Clad alone… but the Dragon King refused to yield… "Drink then drink, let's go!"

"You're drinking without me? Let's see—you stinking Iron Clad, tonight I'll get you drunk and then slice off your *** to serve as appetizers!" Ouyang Lie shoved his way in; the day before yesterday they hadn't settled who was superior in martial arts, today he wants to compete with him in drinking.

"You two versus one, two versus one. I'm not some ***, I'm the boss!" Iron Clad slammed the table and roared.

Chen Yi He happened to make way for Ouyang Lie, knowing the Dragon King was headed for tragedy… He turned around and saw Zhou Kai and Xiao Xiao Yu holding wine bowls at the side, drinking with the noble bearing of their royal family, the wine entering their stomachs, then whispering. He saw Xiao Xiao Yu gazing at Zhou Kai with deep affection…

The Little Palace Master sat there aloof, the wine before her, she hadn't touched a drop; she was like a towering scarlet beauty statue, immobile, the red gauze swaying in the wind, yet her heart remained unmoved…

Only just now did Chen Yi He learn that the name of the "Purgatory Hand" was Wu Rong, meaning "melts everything"? Wu Rong leaned against the table, holding an empty wine bowl, his gaze wandering, looking deep in thought…