Chapter 272: Passing Three Gates

Third Lake Prefecture.

Inside a white building.

This was the upper district of Third Lake Prefecture.

Although the people living here were still a ways off from being truly wealthy, their daily standard of living was far higher than in the common alleys. If a family's primary earner saved up for a few years, buying a car was entirely normal.

Inside one of the apartments, a woman in her early thirties sat reading a book under a desk lamp.

She was actually seven or eight years older than she looked. Blessed with natural beauty, the years had left few marks on her face.

When she was five or six, a fortune-teller had read her face and declared she was born to be a Madam.

"Madam" was a remarkable title in this lake prefecture.

Later on, she did indeed become one.

"Mom, let's go."

An eighteen- or nineteen-year-old youth walked out of his room.

He had just returned from a book club. Upon hearing the sound of the War-Quelling Drum, he had eagerly changed into his usual martial arts uniform.

"Mhm, alright."

The woman set down her book. Seeing this, the youth smiled. "You're loving reading more and more these days."

"Where's Uncle Wu? Did he go out drinking and hasn't come back yet?"

"Him? He's definitely drunk again. Don't you know how those people in the Martial Guild are, A Meng? Once they start drinking, they never stop. He does it to make a living, too."

The woman's voice was gentle, a smile surfacing on her face.

"But now that the War-Quelling Drum has sounded, he should be waking up. If he's still nowhere to be seen after this is over, we'll go pick him up, alright?"

"Will do."

The youth nodded and smiled.

"Should I carry you on my back?"

The woman gave him an exasperated smile and poked his head. "Your mother is thirty-eight."

"You look like you're thirty!"

Regardless of whether she wanted him to or not, the youth pulled the woman onto his back. Amidst her startled cries, he sprinted downstairs, laughing heartily.

"Let's go!!!"

"Slow down, you silly boy!"

...

...

Third Lake Prefecture, in front of the War-Quelling Drum.

A massive sea of people had gathered, yet at this moment, they seemed turned to stone. Dead silence hung in the air as everyone stared at the figure standing before the drum.

As the final drumbeat echoed, a strange light erupted from the drum's surface. A phantom bridge materialized within the glow, stretching into the clouds like Celestial Steps. At the very end of those steps stood an archaic Stone Door, floating in midair like a portal bridging illusion and reality.

Under the crowd's astonished gaze, a figure walked through the distant sky, stepping on empty air. He stopped upon the Celestial Steps, right before the Stone Door, and looked down.

It was an old man dressed in a long white robe, with white hair and a white beard. He appeared exceedingly ancient; wrinkles tightly enveloped his cheeks, and his eyes seemed permanently narrowed, revealing dull gray irises.

However, the aura surrounding him made anyone who looked his way afraid to breathe too loudly. He stood aloof from the world, ethereal and transcendent.

A single thought rose in the minds of all who saw him: he was almost like an immortal.

Even setting aside his personal strength, his identity alone was enough to make those in the know tremble in fear.

He was the sole Grandmaster Rank of the Martial Guild, the person closest to Martial Cultivation, the man standing behind the current guild master, and the pillar of the Martial Dao for centuries.

Looking down at Old Master Liu, whose hair fluttered and robes billowed in the wind, a gleam of joy flashed in the old man's eyes before instantly vanishing. He spoke indifferently, "You have challenged the Heavenly Gate?"

"I have."

Old Master Liu replied, neither haughty nor humble.

"Do you know what it means to undertake the Heavenly Gate Challenge?"

The old man asked calmly.

"With the strength of one man, challenging all the martial gates of the world."

Old Master Liu said slowly.

"Then do you know what fate awaits you if you fail?"

The old man asked.

"Death of body and Dao, becoming a laughingstock for all eternity."

Old Master Liu stated.

"More than just that!"

The old man's eyes opened slightly, a sharp light erupting from within. His voice rolled like thunder. "To challenge the Heavenly Gate of Third Lake Prefecture is to slap the face of every martial arts gym in Third Lake Prefecture! If you fail, your name shall be carved before the prefecture's main gates. Everyone who passes by will trample upon it; everyone who speaks of it will spit on it! And the same shall apply to all your descendants!"

"Do you understand?!"

...

Old Master Liu's eyes held neither sorrow nor joy. "I understand."

"Good."

The old man nodded.

"To challenge the Heavenly Gate, you must pass three gates."

"Now, ascend the steps and commence the trial!!!"

Following his booming shout, several figures slowly walked out from the martial arts gyms along Zhifa Road.

The first to emerge was from the Thirty-Seventh Martial Arts Gym—a man wearing a white martial instructor uniform. He looked to be nearing fifty years of age.

With his hands behind his back, he walked up to Old Master Liu.

Then, he raised a hand, gesturing for Old Master Liu to ascend the steps.

However, the moment he saw Old Master Liu's face, his pupils shrank. Just as he was about to say something, Old Master Liu had already stepped onto the staircase that lay between illusion and reality.

After walking five steps up, the stairs instantly shifted into a square, extending outward to form a martial arts arena.

Left with no other choice, the man could only follow closely behind.

The two stood facing each other, three feet apart.

The man cupped his fists and spoke slowly, "Third Lake Prefecture, Yiqi Martial Arts Gym, Meng Qianqiu."

Old Master Liu returned the gesture.

"Bianliu County, under the Luo Sheng Sect, Liu Fu."

Their voices weren't loud; only those gathered around the Celestial Steps could hear them. But when that name reached the opposing man's ears, he couldn't help but shudder. He immediately brought his hands out from behind his back. Pressed tightly against his wrists were two blades sharpened on only one edge, held in a reverse grip.

The blades were small, akin to daggers but slightly thicker and heavier. Only one edge was sharpened; the unsharpened side could be hidden against the wrist, making them perfect for surprise attacks.

"Single-Edged Swords!"

The vast majority of the onlookers were martial instructors. They instantly recognized the blades, and with them, the man's title:

"Master Meng from the Yiqi Martial Arts Gym! Back when the Yiqi Martial Arts Gym was first established, a direct disciple failed his solo challenge against eighteen martial arts gyms and was exiled from Third Lake Prefecture. This man was originally just an outer disciple, but later he was taught as a half-direct disciple. I never expected that he wouldn't attend the martial gathering this time."

"It's just... why has he drawn his Single-Edged Swords right from the start?"

When Single-Edged Swords remained concealed, they could often catch an opponent off guard. Meng Qianqiu was a master at using Single-Edged Swords; it was impossible for him not to know this.

...

At this moment, only Meng Qianqiu knew the reason.

His opponent was Liu Fu. The two of them had sparred together for over ten years; Liu Fu couldn't possibly be unaware of his proficiency with the Single-Edged Swords. Playing his usual tricks in front of this man wouldn't just be useless—it would leave an opening.

"Begin."

The old man on the steps high in the sky spoke calmly.

The instant his voice faded, Meng Qianqiu struck.

He didn't know what weapon the opposing Old Master Liu would use, but he understood the terrifying prowess of this old man. He had to seize his only advantage: the physical superiority brought by his younger age.

Without cultivation, the peak age for a martial instructor was between thirty and forty. After that, logically speaking, one's physical condition would decline day by day.

His right hand, carrying the cold iron blade, slashed toward the left side of Old Master Liu's neck, but the old man dodged by tilting his head. Then, Old Master Liu shot out his right hand, grabbing at Meng Qianqiu's wrist.

A grapple!

Meng Qianqiu's heart skipped a beat. He immediately changed his move, dropping his right arm to chop at the shoulder. However, Old Master Liu's fingers arrived first, pressing against the meridians on his wrist and squeezing down like a pair of iron tongs.

Meng Qianqiu's hand trembled, and the blade fell to the ground.

His left hand, which had been gathering momentum, reversed its blade and hacked at the old man's waist. Meeting him was Old Master Liu's left hand, which landed near his cuff and slid swiftly up his meridians, much like gutting and deboning a fish.

Meng Qianqiu shut his eyes in pain, stumbling over his own feet as Old Master Liu shifted his left hand sideways, touching his neck.

The instant he felt the touch of Old Master Liu's left hand, Meng Qianqiu's head jerked violently, his eyes still closed. He thought he was dead.

But in the end, Old Master Liu changed his grip into a loose hold and thrust upward. Meng Qianqiu's chin jerked up forcefully, and he collapsed to the ground, unable to move.

"Where did I lose?"

Lying on the ground, Meng Qianqiu gazed up at that tall, broad figure—identical to how he looked over ten years ago—and asked the same question he used to ask every time he lost to the old man two decades prior.

...

But Old Master Liu didn't answer like he had in the past.

The previous Liu Fu had already died by the river outside Third Lake Prefecture.

The current Liu Fu only wanted to win the Heavenly Gate Challenge and solve problems for his young master.

"Heh..."

Meng Qianqiu was in his fifties, yet at this moment, he felt just as rash and impulsive as he was in his twenties.

"Senior Brother, take these swords. The victor takes the weapons, and the loser returns empty-handed. That is the rule."

Old Master Liu nodded. He picked up the two Single-Edged Swords from the ground and continued his ascent.

"Next."

High in the sky, the old man spoke impassively.

The Heavenly Gate Challenge had three gates. The first gate was to challenge the martial arts gyms.

He had to challenge and defeat all thirty-seven martial arts gyms.

A figure vaulted out from the Thirty-Sixth Martial Arts Gym. In his hands was a long pole made of refined iron—straight on the outside, hollow on the inside, with both ends perfectly round.

"A Six-and-a-Half-Point Pole."

Someone murmured, "It's Master Mo from the Mo Family Martial Arts Gym."

The Mo Family Martial Arts Gym excelled in using spears and staves. Compared to the Single-Edged Swords, which were less than half a meter long, a two-meter-long pole held a natural advantage.

However...

Both sides cupped their fists and stated their names.

Master Mo thrust his pole. Old Master Liu deflected it sideways with the Single-Edged Sword in his left hand, his feet moving swiftly as he closed the distance. Master Mo swept the head of his pole horizontally for another strike, but Old Master Liu suddenly hurled the Single-Edged Sword in his right hand. Unable to dodge in time, Master Mo was slashed across the shoulder. Blood poured down as he let out a muffled groan. Old Master Liu blocked the now-weakened long pole with his left hand and advanced another three steps. At this range, the pole was useless. After exchanging one more move, the Single-Edged Sword in Old Master Liu's left hand swiped across Master Mo's neck.

Master Mo flipped over backward and crashed to the ground, unable to get up.

From start to finish, less than half a minute had passed.

"Next."

The old man spoke calmly.

"Thirty-Fifth Martial Arts Gym, Chen Buyu."

Flower-Carved Axe versus Six-and-a-Half-Point Pole; Six-and-a-Half-Point Pole won.

"Thirty-Fourth Martial Arts Gym, Lin Qixuan."

Handheld Twin Hooks versus Flower-Carved Axe; Flower-Carved Axe won.

"Thirty-Third Martial Arts Gym, Wei Yunlang."

Crescent Halberd versus Handheld Twin Hooks; Handheld Twin Hooks won.

...

...

Watching those figures fall onto the platform one after another while Old Master Liu climbed higher and higher, the onlookers were thoroughly shaken, stunned into dead silence.

During every martial clash, the figure in the green overcoat used the most straightforward and clear-cut moves. His actions were clean and decisive, his strikes aimed straight for the vitals. Up to this point, even the person who had lasted the longest hadn't managed to hold out against him for more than a minute and a half.

Moreover, in every single fight, he used the weapon of the previous challenger!

And every new type of weapon was wielded with peerless proficiency in his hands!

The spectators weren't just comparing his movements to the people he fought; they were also comparing him to the previous master who had used that very weapon. The conclusion they drew, without exception, was that the old man in the green overcoat was stronger!

Most crucially, after fighting sixteen matches, the figure didn't show the slightest hint of fatigue!

And this was in a state with no cultivation!

No matter how diligently an old man practiced, his physical stamina couldn't possibly be this extraordinary!

To be able to achieve this, there was only one possibility: his exertion of force, his judgment, and his exchanges of blows just now had all been handled so effortlessly that they barely consumed any stamina at all.

"Next."

As the voice of the old man on the steps faded, another figure swiftly ascended the Celestial Steps and looked at Old Master Liu across from him.

"Wang Family Martial Arts Gym, Wang Rushi."

The figure stated his name, sparking a commotion among the crowd of onlookers.

Because the man who just stepped onto the arena was no longer at the Master Rank.

He was... a martial arts Grandmaster!

And Grandmaster Wang's subsequent sigh triggered an even greater uproar among the crowd:

"To think that you've actually returned."

Returned?

What did that mean?

Did this Heavenly Gate challenger know Grandmaster Wang?

Furthermore, was he very likely someone from Third Lake Prefecture?!