Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

Li Banfeng followed Ma Wu through the newly paved road and arrived amidst a pile of ruins.

The ruins had just been demolished, the broken bricks and tiles yet to be cleared. Surrounding it was an iron railing, with guards on watch not permitting anyone to approach.

"This is the Song Family's rule," Ma Wu explained. "It's called 'sealing the arena.' Before the betting fight, the scene is sealed. The Song Family chooses the site a day in advance, and no one is allowed in to prevent cheating."

Li Banfeng was taken aback by how formal the proceedings were.

Through the railing, Li Banfeng saw the Family Head of the Song Family, Song Jiason.

Song Jiason wore a short cyan robe with parallel collars, accompanied by his two sons, Song Zhigang and Song Zhiyi. Behind them stood about twenty or thirty guards.

The crowd of onlookers grew larger, and at ten o'clock, Song Jiason ordered, "Beat the drums!"

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.

The drum sound was deafening as the main fighters from both sides entered the arena.

The so-called main fighters were the hired fists representing each side in the betting fight.

In the Clear Sky Arena, people bet on fights during the day, and the involved parties could hire others to fight on their behalf.

The participants in the betting fight were two inn owners who had a dispute over business matters. One inn sent a tall, dark man; at one meter ninety, his sturdy build and firm muscles clearly indicated martial training.

The other inn chose a middle-aged man, frail in comparison, but presumably with a higher cultivation level.

Before the fight began, both sides announced their names and stated the reasons for fighting.

The middle-aged man spoke first, "Today, I'm here on this open ground to seek justice for Willow Garden Inn. Everyone knows, inns are meant for lodgings.

"Visitors to Blue Poplar Village are few, making inn business challenging. Keeping rooms clean and providing ample food and drink is part of doing business.

"But the Hua Xuan Inn brought in a few girls dressed in indecent clothes to lure customers by flaunting themselves. Is this what an inn should do? This practice tarnishes Blue Poplar Village's reputation.

"I didn't come here over this petty cash. I came for Blue Poplar Village's good name, for the justice of Willow Garden Inn!"

This man had quite the gift of gab, drawing cheers from many in the crowd.

The tall, dark fighter wasn't much of a talker and just snorted coldly, "What's there to talk about? Just fight!"

The crowd stretched their necks in anticipation of the show, and after three rounds of drum beats, the fight officially started.

After about five or six minutes, with neither fighter victorious, many of the onlookers had dispersed out of boredom. It was dull. Neither man had any cultivation level. Besides, a squabble between two inns over business was hardly thrilling to begin with.

The two fighters, exchanging punches and kicks, fought like a common street brawl, a sight all too familiar in Blue Poplar Village.

The tall, dark man had a physical advantage and held a significant advantage.

The middle-aged man's experience was passable, barely managing to hold his ground against the bigger man.

Li Banfeng, watching the middle-aged man, turned to Ma Wu and asked, "Why choose such a man for the fight? He can talk, but he can't fight; he hardly stands a chance."

"Who knows..." Ma Wu wasn't paying attention to the fight. Instead, he was scanning the crowd of onlookers, searching for potential companions for the next trip to the New Land.

Another two minutes into the fight, something unforeseen occurred. The tall, dark man punched the middle-aged man, who stumbled and, staggering, went behind a half-collapsed brick wall.

As the tall, dark man pressed his advantage, his foot landed on a broken brick.

The brick suddenly gave way, causing the wall to collapse. Falling bricks struck the tall, dark man.

The tall, dark man was badly injured but managed to stay on his feet. However, the middle-aged man leaped up, kicked him to the ground, and then delivered a couple more kicks, forcing his opponent to beg for mercy on the spot.

The fight was over.

Song Jiason stood up and announced, "Close the bets! Beat the drums! Willow Garden Inn is victorious!"

And so, this tedious bout concluded. The winning side was jubilant, while the losers were despondent. The spectators had all departed.

Li Banfeng didn't hurry away; he stared at the site for a long while.

Stepping on one brick caused an entire wall to collapse.

There was something wrong.

Qiu Zhiheng stood in front of the main house, lost in thought.

The guard captain, Zuo Wugang, seemed uncomfortable. He looked at Qiu Zhiheng, wanting to say something but unsure how to start.

A man in a green long coat rushed up to Qiu Zhiheng, shouting all the way, "News, there's news!"

Zuo Wugang's face brightened. "News?"

"Yes!" the man nodded repeatedly. "Someone said they saw Li Banfeng last night at Hundred Joy Gate with a Phonograph. He looks exactly like the picture. This information can't be wrong..."

It turned out to be news of Li Banfeng.

Qiu Zhiheng didn't feel like talking.

Zuo Wugang advanced, kicked the man to the ground, and began beating him.

"Li Banfeng, always damn Li Banfeng! What the hell good is finding Li Banfeng? Didn't I tell you all to find the Master? And you bring me more Li Banfeng!" Zuo Wugang vented all his anger on the man in the green coat.

Bewildered, the man said, "I, um, sir, yesterday you, um, didn't you tell us to look for Li Banfeng..."

"Now I'm damn well telling you to look for the Master, you hear me? If you understand, then get going!"

Zuo Wugang followed with a couple more kicks, and the man in the green coat quickly left.

"He's gone to find the Master, he's gone," Zuo Wugang said, his face twisted with embarrassment as he looked at Monkey Qiu.

Since the incident at the Lu Family Mansion, Zuo Wugang, the Chief Custodian of the guards, found himself in an incredibly awkward position within the Lu Family, as he had experienced the events firsthand.

He had been through it all, seen nothing, and had been of no help whatsoever.

Lu Dongliang had been missing for a night, his fate uncertain. Puluo State's foremost family, the Lu Family, seemed to have reached a critical juncture of survival overnight.