Chapter 546: 500 Challenge

Then one of the white-haired men said, "That is well said. Manor Master Jian, although we are strangers and I have only met your esteemed father once, I felt a connection the moment I saw you. It is rare to find someone so generous and so straightforward in sword fighting. I have decided to make you my friend."

The other white-haired man said, "Exactly. Is this what they call 'feeling like old friends at first sight'? I only regret that your father did not bring you out sooner; otherwise, we would have been friends long ago. I have heard that all the manor masters and outside guests you have entertained these days have nothing but praise for you; not one has a bad word to say. You are a talent rarely seen in a century, truly likable! And I hear that in your sword fighting these days, whether against slaves, Fighters, or even the Sword Guest bureau, you have never lost, which shows your men are strong and your horses are sturdy. With a wise master and strong servants, it seems your Changfa Manor is destined to prosper."

This sounded a bit like the commercial mutual flattery common at drinking tables; it was something to listen to and let pass, not worth overthinking. But at this moment, Chi Mingjing felt that it was not entirely false.

Not to mention the strong men and sturdy horses, the strength of this group was only the tip of the iceberg. Chi Mingjing could not discern their true depth at all, only feeling they were unfathomable. Speaking of the person himself—

This YoungMaster truly possessed a somewhat special charm.

Ordinary people around him were unconsciously drawn to him, naturally feeling a bit of goodwill. If he added a few kind words and a few cups of wine were downed, one would truly feel as if they had gained a relative in this world.

This kind of charm was unreasonable. So many people had come and gone at the banquets over these ten-plus days, with different statuses, different characters, some deep-seated, some arrogant, some wicked, yet it seemed no one was immune to this charm; it was merely a matter of depth.

Even those least affected had at least reached "Friendly" toward this Young Master, while those most affected—namely the Sword Guests and officials with duties he had specifically called out from the manor—were each nearly reaching "Revered."

Chi Mingjing recalled Xing Wu, whom she had saved. At the time, he had only spent one day with the YoungMaster, and she had clarified that it was not the YoungMaster who asked her to save him, so it was not a favor, yet in his words, he was full of reverence for the YoungMaster, as if he had received a mountain-like grace from the Young Master since childhood.

Looking again at the two unfamiliar companions sitting below the platform—Xing Jiu and Xing Shisan, who had originally been left to guard Changfa Manor and were now called down the mountain—along with Xing Wu, they were the only three Sword Guests left in Changfa Manor. Now sitting below the steps, they all looked sincere and respectful. Even Xing Wu was not the most sincere; that Xing Shisan, the youngest Sword Guest, so young that his hair had not yet turned completely white, kept his eyes fixed on the YoungMaster on the platform, almost as if he were looking at a deity.

Chi Mingjing found it incredible, but when she thought about it herself, she discovered that she was actually a bit attracted to the YoungMaster, and even the attachment she felt toward this team was inseparable from the YoungMaster himself. The next person to influence her was... Xing Qi?

Isn't this like seeing a ghost?

In this team, she was most familiar with Wei Se, Jiang Shenyi, and Alie. These people each had their own talents, were trustworthy, or were lovable, and she had interacted with them all. Why did she have to develop a fondness for that YoungMaster?

What had he done? He had only been eating and drinking!

Isn't this wicked?

The strangest thing was, ten-plus days ago, when she first met this YoungMaster in the desert, she didn't feel he had such great charm? That time, she did have an impression of Xing Qi, who seemed to be a capable person who could make decisions. After not seeing them for a few days, how had he become like a different person?

How could one develop new skills just by attending banquets?

Here, the YoungMaster said, "I have a matter to inquire about. I hear that if one prepares sacrifices and has a recommendation from a higher-tier manor, one can raise the manor's rank, is that correct?"

One of the two Manor Heads of Changyi Manor, named Tu Fei, laughed and said, "I knew Brother Jian had such ambitions. If a Third-tier manor has a First-tier manor to vouch for it, and prepares the tributes specified by Lord Wangliang, it can be promoted by one tier. This is no secret. You are so generous; there are many who would be willing to be your guarantor. Even we could do it, however—the first two tiers of Wangliang Mountain are already full of people. If you want to go up, you have to kick someone down. That requires a battle. Are you prepared? A challenge from below to above; if you fail, the consequences are quite severe, and you must leave yourself to the other party's disposal. Under normal circumstances—"

He made a beheading gesture, "Death is certain."

The YoungMaster said, "Of course, I and my minions are all prepared, and we are just looking for a great battle! I ask the two brothers to lend a helping hand."

Tu Fei laughed, "Hmm, I guess you are not a reckless person, brother. As long as you have the resolve, we Sword Guests of Wangliang Mountain do not fear death. There are no outsiders here today, so tell us, do you have a target? Who do you want to replace?"

The YoungMaster said, "I was just about to ask the two brothers for their advice. We have also done some investigation and have two targets: Sunset Manor and Anxing Manor. Which one do you think is better to choose?"

With that one sentence, both Manor Heads fell silent simultaneously.

With the YoungMaster not speaking, the three people above fell silent, and the atmosphere turned cold. The wealthy merchants drinking below suddenly felt the wine lose its flavor.

After a while, the other of the two Manor Heads, named Jin Jiu, spoke up, "What are you thinking? Why must you choose these two?"

The YoungMaster said, "I heard that Sunset Manor is the oldest manor, but things are not what they used to be. The manor's talent is withering, getting worse year by year. It's fair to call it a soft persimmon, right? That Anxing Manor is a newcomer; it only knocked a Second-tier manor off its horse at the last sacrifice to ascend to the second tier. As the saying goes, 'punch the eighty-year-old man, kick the three-year-old child.' If I don't take advantage of the oldest and the youngest, I can't go and bully the strong men of the past, right? Hahaha..."

The crowd burst into laughter. Chi Mingjing's mouth twitched, and she thought to herself behind the screen: What are you all laughing at? Is this a good saying? Bullying the old and young, and saying it so brazenly in public.

Tu Fei was between laughter and tears, saying, "Manors are not like people; they aren't divided into old or young. Sunset Manor... is indeed a bit down on its luck now. The old Manor Master had a stroke last year and is still half-paralyzed. Let's say it is a soft persimmon. It makes some sense to pick it. But there is one thing: this manor has a different status, older than some First-tier manors. It has some of Lord Wangliang's favor. If you challenge this manor, even if you succeed, there are unknown risks. As for Anxing Manor..."

Jin Jiu had already said bluntly, "Do not seek death."

The crowd shuddered. Tu Fei said, "That is exactly it. Precisely because Anxing Manor just successfully challenged, we have all seen its strength. To be honest, even I feel wary. At the time, it almost knocked down two manors with one hand, and that was more than enough. I fear its strength could climb a tier without difficulty. Perhaps it is preparing to climb a tier this year and challenge us! And you dare to challenge it?"

The YoungMaster pondered, "Is that so? I heard it is a latecomer to Wangliang Mountain, rising all the way from a wild manor. It only made two moves and rose to the second tier. It has been very low-key and mysterious for these three years..."

Tu Fei said, "It is precisely because it is low-key. There are two types of low-key: one is being low-key because one's strength is depleted, and the other is being low-key and mysterious because one's strength is unfathomable. Anxing Manor is the latter. Brother, we have had a good drink today, so I advise you: rather choose Sunset Manor than touch Anxing Manor."

The YoungMaster slapped the table and said, "Good, I will listen to you, brother. We choose Sunset Manor!"

Tu Fei's intention was not actually for him to choose Sunset Manor; there were still many Second-tier manors that were all show and no substance, so why struggle with this old, rotten boat that still had three nails left? But in the end, he had no blood relation to Changfa Manor, and his advice today was already out of consideration for the wine and gifts. Since the other party had made a decision, why persuade him further? It was better to use this impulsive, wealthy YoungMaster to gain some benefits for himself.

Therefore, Tu Fei smiled and drank a cup of wine, saying, "Brother, since you want to challenge, will it be a Civil Battle or a Martial Battle?"

The YoungMaster was stunned, "What is the distinction? How does a Civil Battle work, and what about a Martial Battle?"

Tu Fei said, "A Martial Battle is a standard challenge. On the day of the sacrifice, you bring the offerings, go to the second tier, and issue a challenge to Sunset Manor face-to-face. All Sword Guests, Fighters, and even sword slaves charge forward, fighting to the death until one side is wiped out or surrenders. A Civil Battle is more polite. You find a mediator to send a challenge letter to Sunset Manor, stating that you will compete in strength, only deciding who is better, not who lives or dies. You agree on a time and place—for example, ten days later, hold a banquet in Yulang City, and everyone decides the outcome through a set number of fights between a set number of people at the table. You invite reputable people to witness, and the fighting at the banquet is the final result. If you win, Sunset Manor voluntarily yields; if you lose, you must certainly show something and pay some compensation. Although this cannot be said to be without hurt feelings, it won't lead to a life-and-death feud, and the side that is not as strong can still know when to retreat and remain established in the third tier. What do you think?"

Chi Mingjing thought: Does Wangliang Mountain use such roundabout methods now? Can disputes of this rank be settled without life-and-death? Wasn't it said to be a world of extreme cruelty where one lives or dies at every turn? So it is only cruel to sword slaves, and for manor masters, there are all sorts of messy ways to retreat?

In terms of spirit, have these manor masters also degenerated?

The YoungMaster pondered for a moment and said, "Good, then a Civil Battle it is! I ask the two Manor Heads to preside, and I will invite a mediator to finalize the challenge letter for me. If Sunset Manor is sensible, it is not impossible to let it keep some dignity. If it is not sensible, then it cannot blame me. Anyway, I am not afraid of either a Civil Battle or a Martial Battle. Our Changfa Manor is destined to take this second-tier manor!"

Tu Fei thought: Save that talk for when you win. Who in Wangliang Mountain doesn't know about the mess that happened to your Changfa Manor half a year ago? How much strength do you have left now? And old Xing Cang... you had better settle your own affairs before talking about anything else.

But at this moment, he could not say such discouraging words. Whether it was being a mediator or a witness, both were great opportunities to make a profit, so why not agree? Tu Fei raised his wine again and laughed, "Magnificent, Manor Master Jian! Let us have a drink for our new 'Sun' Manor!"