owlsbooks 73. Reform
73. Reform
On Broken Soul Cliff, the afterglow of their six-game winning streak lingered, and the air seemed to freeze. On the side of the aristocratic families, a terrifying silence reigned, broken only by the fluttering of banners in the mountain wind. The faces of Cui Yuanhao, Zhu Yan, and several other aristocratic representatives had shifted from their initial ashen complexion to a near-pale, gloomy expression. They stared intently at the composed figure in the blue robes in the center of the arena, their gazes a mixture of shock, anger, and a barely perceptible… apprehension.
In a battle of attrition, none of the six carefully selected experts from aristocratic families could force Lin Xuan to his limit, or even disrupt his aura! This was not merely a crushing defeat in strength, but a blatant provocation and ruthless trampling of their centuries-old aristocratic authority!
On the west side of the viewing platform, the cheers from the smaller sects and independent cultivators gradually subsided, replaced by an barely suppressed excitement and anticipation. They stared intently at the arena, also nervously watching the movements of the aristocratic families. Everyone understood that Lin Xuan's winning streak had pushed the aristocratic families into an extremely awkward situation.
"The seventh round!" Zhou Zhengyang, acting as the notary, spoke calmly, but a hint of unease flickered in his eyes. He looked at the aristocratic families, "Please send out your seventh defender."
However, the aristocratic families remained silent.
No one answered.
Cui Yuanhao's lips moved slightly as his gaze swept over the remaining young disciples behind him. These people might be slightly stronger than the previous six, but only by a limited margin. After witnessing Lin Xuan's unfathomable and versatile strength, who dared to claim a sure victory? Sending more people up would likely only add to the defeats and further diminish the prestige of the aristocratic families.
"What? The four great families are full of talented people. Is there no one who dares to fight again?" Someone shouted from the west side of the viewing platform, his tone clearly sarcastic.
The sound was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.
"Yeah! Weren't you quite impressive just now?"
"Isn't the life-or-death arena supposed to be decided by your aristocratic families? Why are you chickening out now?"
"Master Lin fought six battles in a row without even breaking a sweat, and you don't even dare to send anyone?"
The discussions and doubts grew louder and louder, converging into an invisible pressure that weighed heavily on the hearts of everyone in the aristocratic families.
Cui Yuanhao abruptly stood up, his powerful aura erupting in an attempt to quell the commotion. His gaze, sharp as a knife, swept across the west viewing platform, and he coldly barked, "Noise!"
The clamor subsided momentarily. After all, the four great families had long held considerable power and influence, and they could not be easily ignored.
But silence itself is an answer. The fact remains that no aristocratic families have volunteered for the battle.
Cui Yuanhao took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his rage. He knew he couldn't continue like this. Sending more men to their deaths was pointless. He had to change his strategy.
His gaze shifted to Lin Xuan on the arena, then swept over the notary Zhou Zhengyang, before finally settling back on his own side. He quickly exchanged a glance with Zhu Yan, Elder Mu (representing the Azure Dragon Family), and Mr. Shui (representing the Black Tortoise Family). A mixture of helplessness and resolve flashed in their eyes.
Cui Yuanhao spoke in a deep voice, which echoed throughout the Broken Soul Cliff: "Lin Xuan, you are indeed exceptionally strong, having defeated six members of my family in succession. According to the rules of the Life and Death Arena, you have proven your qualifications."
He paused, then changed the subject: "However, the life-or-death arena is a sacred place for resolving major disputes, not a stage for displaying individual bravery. The interests involved in the canal transport are far-reaching, concerning the livelihoods of countless sects, gangs, and merchants along the route. How can it be easily decided by the victory or defeat of one person?"
Upon hearing this, everyone understood the underlying meaning. Was the aristocratic family trying to... save face?
Lin Xuan stood on the arena, his expression unchanged, as if he had expected this. He spoke calmly, "Oh? Then what does Patriarch Cui suggest?"
Cui Yuanhao cursed Lin Xuan inwardly for being cunning, passing the buck back to him, but on the surface he had to maintain the demeanor of a noble family: "Since you proposed changing the rules and demanding that qualifications be opened, and now you have proven that your words were not empty talk, our four great families are not unreasonable people."
He surveyed the entire arena, his gaze lingering for a moment on the faces of the representatives of smaller and medium-sized factions on the west viewing platform, before emphasizing his words: "To ensure fairness and to make the distribution of the canal transport profits more equitable, our four great families agree to revise the rules of this life-or-death arena!"
"What? You agreed?"
"The powerful families have actually bowed down?"
A gasp of disbelief erupted from the west viewing platform, followed by an even louder uproar.
Zhou Zhengyang raised his hand at the opportune moment, signaling everyone to be quiet: "Patriarch Cui, please explain the revisions in detail."
Cui Yuanhao cleared his throat and announced loudly, "The original rules stipulated that our four great families and Lin Xuan's side would each send nine people, competing in a round-robin format. Now, the rules are changed: the arena is open to all martial arts practitioners interested in vying for a share of the canal transport quota! Anyone who believes themselves to be capable may step onto the stage to challenge!"
He specifically emphasized "those with power," his gaze sweeping across the west side with a subtle warning.
"The arena will have one 'City Champion,' temporarily held by Lin Xuan, who has won six consecutive matches." Cui Yuanhao pointed to Lin Xuan. "Any challenger who can defeat Lin Xuan will become the new City Champion! The one who ultimately stands on the arena will be the victor, and their represented force will gain control of the canal transport! Of course, our four great families will also send experts to participate in the challenge!"
Upon hearing this, everyone was first taken aback, then suddenly understood.
This move by the aristocratic family was undeniably brilliant.
On the surface, they accepted Lin Xuan's demand for "open qualifications," making a huge concession, demonstrating "fairness" and "magnanimity," and saving some face.
In reality, this transformed Lin Xuan from a "challenger" into a "defender"! He would no longer face the same nine opponents, but rather martial artists from across the entire martial world who were interested in this contest! This naturally included the true masters hidden by aristocratic families, and possibly even others they had secretly instigated and bribed!
This is practically a never-ending war of attrition! No matter how strong Lin Xuan is, his inner strength will eventually run out. The powerful families, on the other hand, can simply wait until he's exhausted before sending out their top experts to decisively defeat him!
"A clever scheme!" Among the people on the west viewing platform, there were quite a few who could see the danger involved.
"This...isn't Master Lin in danger?"
"This aristocratic family is using a strategy of retreat as a means of advance, intending to wear Lin Xuan down on the arena!"
All eyes turned to Lin Xuan again, filled with worry.
Zhou Zhengyang frowned slightly and looked at Lin Xuan: "Master Lin, the aristocratic families have proposed changing the rules, appointing you as the temporary champion and accepting challenges from heroes across the land. Do you accept?"
Everyone held their breath. Accepting meant plunging into an endless, arduous struggle with an uncertain future. Refusing meant that previous efforts and the deterrent effect of their winning streak would be greatly diminished, allowing powerful families to completely deny their past defeats, and potentially jeopardizing any rule reforms.
Under the watchful eyes of countless people, Lin Xuan suddenly smiled. The smile was faint, yet it carried a sense of composure as if he were in complete control.
His gaze swept over the various expressions on the faces of the powerful families, finally settling on the representatives of the smaller, more concerned factions on the west side. He declared loudly, "Since the powerful families are willing to 'follow the good advice' and open up the qualifications, what do I, Lin Xuan, have to fear? I accept this title of champion!"
The voice was clear and resonant, and its tone was firm and powerful!
"good!"
"Master Lin is so domineering!"
A deafening roar of cheers erupted from the west viewing platform, all worries transforming into boiling passion. Lin Xuan's composed acceptance was undoubtedly the most powerful rebuttal to the aristocratic families' conspiracy!
Cui Yuanhao and the others looked even uglier. They hadn't expected Lin Xuan to agree so readily, as if he didn't care at all about the potential wear and tear on the wheels.
"However," Lin Xuan changed the subject, looking at Cui Yuanhao, "since the rules have been changed, they should be improved. To avoid endless waste of time, I propose adding restrictions: a maximum of five challenges per day. Between each challenge, the reigning champion will have one incense stick's worth of rest time. In addition, challengers must register in advance and be verified by a notary public to ensure they are genuinely interested in profiting from the canal transport and have a clean identity before they can take the stage. This will prevent unrelated individuals or those with ulterior motives from unjustly participating and disrupting the peace."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhengyang nodded: "Master Lin's considerations are thorough, and this proposal is excellent. Patriarch Cui, what are your thoughts, everyone?"
Cui Yuanhao's eyelids twitched. Lin Xuan was trying to muddy the waters while simultaneously setting up defenses for himself. The daily limit of five matches and the one-incense-stick-long meditation period greatly alleviated the pressure of being endlessly drained. Furthermore, the verification of challengers' qualifications, to some extent, prevented aristocratic families from arbitrarily sending people to cause trouble or deplete his resources.
But in the current situation, it would be too embarrassing if they wouldn't even grant this much "fairness." Cui Yuanhao gritted his teeth and forced out a few words: "Agreed!"
"In that case," Zhou Zhengyang announced loudly, "the rules of the Life and Death Arena are to be amended immediately! The champion is Lin Xuan! The challenge begins immediately. Those who are qualified may register at the notary office!"
The dust has settled on the rule reforms.
Under the pressure of Lin Xuan's winning streak, the powerful clans were forced to make concessions, and the life-or-death arena was finally opened to a wider audience. Although undercurrents and conspiracies still lingered, a breach had been made.
Under the new rules, the nature of the arena has changed. It is no longer just a duel between Lin Xuan and the four great families, but also a power struggle between old and new forces and different interest groups for the huge pie of the Grand Canal transport.
Lin Xuan stood alone in the center of the arena, his blue robe fluttering slightly in the wind. He knew that the real test had only just begun.