護花近衛 - 第2151章 圖謀不軌 - 清風書屋

But the Wind-Thunder Violet-Lightning Beast had no such thing as compassion. You came in here, and you neither fled nor begged for mercy—then wait for death. So the beast swung its paw again and sent the Fire Wolf Gang disciple tumbling head over heels.

This time, the Fire Wolf Gang disciple truly did not stir... At the same moment, An Mingyue said, "All right, we concede. We have held out to our limit. Let him out!"

He could still come out? Everyone was taken aback. Yet Master Wo opened the cage as asked, and the Fire Wolf Gang disciple on the ground miraculously moved again—though he could not stand, and instead crawled out of the cage, all the way to An Mingyue's side.

An Mingyue gave a few quiet instructions to one of his trusted subordinates, and the man left with the injured disciple. As to where they went, only An Mingyue knew; the other old masters present had no idea.

Not that they would make a point of investigating. The Fire Wolf Gang was a secretive lot—more so even than the Morrow Upon Morrow Sect. A great gang that had risen within the last twenty years, it had soared to prominence so fast that even ancient sects dared not provoke it, and so no one was about to stick their nose into its business.

Since the disciple had not died when he came out, his concession notwithstanding, his result still stood. Old Master Zhao therefore announced straightaway: "Second match—the Fire Wolf Gang disciple held out for nine minutes and eight seconds!"

One had to admit it: the Fire Wolf Gang disciple had fallen several times and dragged things out, and yet he had lasted longer than Pi Zhitao. He was now in the lead.

"Third match—the disciple competing is from the Golden Bell Sect!" After announcing the result, Old Master Zhao proceeded with the next bout.

When it came to the Golden Bell Sect's turn, Adamantine Diamond hesitated. Of his two disciples who had gone before, one was dead and one injured; the dead one had been his prized final disciple, and the injured one a rather gifted disciple as well. The competitor now was yet another rather gifted disciple.

But seeing the state of Pi Zhitao and the Fire Wolf Gang disciple, Adamantine Diamond held out little hope. True qi had been driven into Pi Zhitao by the spirit beast—that did not worry him overmuch, since the Golden Bell Shield could isolate true qi—but he feared this disciple's Golden Bell Shield might not withstand a single blow from the beast. If the lad were gravely wounded, the loss would outweigh the gain.

With that thought, Adamantine Diamond instructed the disciple beside him: "Once you're inside, do as the Fire Wolf Gang disciple did—stand still for a while first. If the ancient spirit beast doesn't attack you, you can stall for time. When it comes after you, run. If it catches you, take one hit. And if you feel you can't hold, concede at once—do not linger in the fight!"

"Yes, sir!" The Golden Bell Sect disciple understood the gravity of the matter and nodded in assent.

So when the Golden Bell Sect disciple entered the cage, he did just as the Fire Wolf Gang disciple had done before and stood there dumbly in place.

But the trick was plainly useless now. Seeing that this newcomer meant to try the same tactic, the Wind-Thunder Violet-Lightning Beast could not even be bothered to test or frighten him—it simply swung its paw.

"Bang!" Before the Golden Bell Sect disciple knew what had happened, he was knocked head over heels. Thanks to the Golden Bell Shield guarding his body, he was only lightly hurt—but he dared not stay any longer. If the beast could break through his Golden Bell Shield, a few more blows would surely kill him.

So the Golden Bell Sect disciple made up his mind on the spot and, without even getting up from the ground, cried, "I concede!"