Youth must be seized early, for youth cannot last long. Chapter 107: The Iron Bone Sect Invites a Challenge

“You want to do what?!” Bai Qingzhou’s momentum remained unbroken as he stared fixedly at his opponent, his voice stern and commanding.
“Heh! Your Xuan Yang Sect deceived our shop with foul tricks and now runs it so poorly! You’d better move away at once and stop embarrassing yourselves here!”
Zhou Cai replied coolly.

At these words, Fan Tianhe beside them trembled with fury. He jabbed a finger at Zhou Cai’s nose and exploded, “What a shameless face you have! The shop’s poor business is your own dog’s doing—sending thugs to wreck it! Yet you still dare say…”
“Enough noise! When did your opinion ever count?”

The words had barely left his mouth when Zhou Cai struck. His right hand formed a fist, spiritual energy surging like a mountain, slamming straight toward Fan Tianhe.

Bai Qingzhou’s eyes turned icy. He sidestepped, planted himself directly in front of Fan Tianhe, gathered spiritual energy in an instant, and punched out.

“Bang!”

Fists collided. A violent blast of wind exploded outward, scattering everyone around.

The two long robes billowed behind them in the gale, dust swirling thickly. The strike was perfectly even—neither gained the advantage, and neither retreated a step.

The moment their fists met, Bai Qingzhou recognized the seventh layer of Qi Refinement cultivation. He clenched his fist tighter, spiritual energy erupting like a geyser. The two forces clashed again with renewed fury.

“Boom boom boom!”

This exchange sent both men staggering back several paces.

“Clang!”

Bai Qingzhou drew the Azure Rainbow Sword in a flash, blade leveled at Zhou Cai, killing intent blazing in his eyes. “You dare strike?!”

A chilling, ruthless aura hung heavy in the air.

Zhou Cai glanced at the sword, then shrugged and clapped his hands once, utterly ignoring the blade. “Can’t say I struck first. I was merely teaching a presumptuous whelp who doesn’t know his place.”

Bai Qingzhou shoved Fan Tianhe behind him and answered coldly, “Heh. What do you think you are? Who gave you the right to lecture us?”
“Heh. Just tell me how you intend to handle the matter of injuring my sect’s disciple. Spare me the nonsense.”

“This shop was won fairly by our Xuan Yang Sect. Your Tie Gu Sect barged in without reason and I merely taught you a lesson—that’s only just. What handling could possibly be needed?”
“What a laugh! Fairly won? Hahaha! Ridiculous! Everyone there that day knows Zhang Zhiyan tricked my young sect leader with cunning. This shop was stolen by your precious Xuan Yang Sect!”

Hearing the man slander Zhang Zhiyan sent Bai Qingzhou’s rage boiling over. “Your fart! It’s because your young sect leader has a brain as thick as dung! Blame no one but himself!”

“Presumptuous!”

Zhou Cai roared and summoned a long sword at once. He stepped forward, charging straight at Bai Qingzhou.

“Come!” Bai Qingzhou answered fearlessly, Azure Rainbow Sword raised, ready to meet the assault.

Just then…

“Stop!”

A thick surge of spiritual energy descended from the sky, slamming between them and halting their advance.

A middle-aged cultivator in black-and-white robes appeared without warning, gazing at the two with helpless resignation.

He was a Foundation Building cultivator.

Bai Qingzhou looked up and recognized him—the same middle-aged host from the arena tournament years ago. He was the stationed immortal for this marketplace.

The Foundation Building cultivator gave the two a lazy glance. “The marketplace is no place for fighting. Do you two understand nothing?”

“Seen the senior!” Zhou Cai sheathed his sword, bowed, then pointed at Bai Qingzhou and snarled, “I beg the senior to investigate. This man struck my sect’s disciple without cause in the marketplace—utterly arrogant! Please take him into custody!”

Bai Qingzhou refused to yield. “Senior! Two disciples from his sect daily dump filthy water at my shop’s door, yet nothing stops them. They even attacked my junior brother! I only taught them a lesson because they gave me reason!”

Watching the two argue their cases, the Foundation Building cultivator from the Wu Ji Sect scratched his head, looking thoroughly helpless.

He had arrived early and heard every word. Yet because both sects held middle-level positions in the Wu Ji Alliance, he could not decide which side to favor and had stayed silent. Only when he saw them drawing magical weapons did he finally step in to stop the brawl.

The cultivator sighed. “Then what do you propose?”

Before Bai Qingzhou or Zhou Cai could answer…

“Simply fight! Whoever wins takes the shop!”

Someone in the watching crowd shouted the suggestion.

“Right!”
“Fight! Whoever wins gets it!”
“Perfect! Ahaha! Now it’s fair!”

The idea swept through the spectators. They were eager for the spectacle and cheered the two on to brawl.

Zhou Cai’s eyes lit up. He began whispering with his companions behind him. Bai Qingzhou watched the discussion with a faint, knowing smile.

“Senior Brother…” Fan Tianhe called softly from behind.
“What is it?”
Fan Tianhe hesitated for a long moment before speaking. “Senior brother, gambling away your sect’s shop like this… what if you lose? The sect leader…”

Clearly he thought the wager far too reckless.

Bai Qingzhou smiled confidently. “Don’t worry. I won’t lose.” He had just measured Zhou Cai’s power; the man was only seventh-layer Qi Refinement. Against anyone at the same stage, Bai Qingzhou had always crushed them effortlessly since his ascension.

Zhou Cai’s group finally finished talking. He stepped forward. “Our Tie Gu Sect agrees! One month later! At the city’s combat platform, you and I—let the winner take the shop!”

“Good!” Bai Qingzhou’s eyes sparkled. He turned to the Foundation Building cultivator. “Then please, senior, serve as witness!”
“Please, senior, serve as witness!” Zhou Cai echoed.

Seeing the two settle on a solution, the Foundation Building cultivator breathed a quiet sigh of relief and smiled. “Very well. I shall be your witness. Neither of you may renege. Formal match in one month!”

“Good!”

Both men spoke in unison, eyes brimming with absolute confidence, as though the outcome were already sealed.

“Then disperse!” the Foundation Building cultivator ordered.