# 88. Presumptuous
While the two were moving towards the arena, the news about the fight between the two Gold Gongs rapidly spread throughout the Nightwatcher's Office.
Silver gongs and bronze Gongs, all brought their friends with them to watch the action, and flocked toward the arena.
"Have you Heard, It seems that the battle was caused due to a bronze gong."
"?? How could it be possible that a mere bronze gong can cause two gold gongs to battle each other?"
"Don't believe me? It's true. Many people have seen it. This morning, old Tao went to Li Yuchun to ask to borrow someone. He didn't allow it, and they had a big quarrel. Later, each found their gold gong."
The Nightwatchers gathered together, those unfamiliar with the situation asking those who knew, discussing amongst each other. After all knowing that it was over a bronze gong, no one was unsurprised.
Bronze Gongs were equivalent to beat police, while gold gongs had a pretty high status; the difference was worlds apart.
The reason was unbelievable. Many curious people attempted to inquire about the internal details, but nobody knew of the inside story of the matter.
*Why do I feel like I've become a femme fatale...* Xu Qi'an kept the thought in his mind, without a place to express it.
Upon seeing Jiang Lyuzhong, Xu Qi'an roughly figured out what had happened.
On the day Earl Pingyuan was killed, This gold gong had met him. Upon seeing his friendship with the arcanists from Sitianjian, he valued him and wanted to take him under his command.
But Yang Yan disagreed, probably because of his upper Jia aptitude. This mentality was similar to that of schools competing for top students in his previous life.
Li Yuchun had told him that he was given a Upper Jia evaluation by Duke Wei.
*Daddy Wei is too generous, Was it only due to my poem... due to empathic feelings... I am distressed that I received an evaluation not applicable to me..*. Xu Qi'an's face was excited like a “green-tea bitch”[^1], hoping that the two would start fighting quickly.
A fight between high-ranking martial artists was quite rare.
He didn't care much about who he'd be with in the end. Although he was reluctant to part with Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao, He was merely a humble bronze gong. Personnel transfers were decided by the organization, and he didn't have much say in it.
In the loft in the building neighbouring the martial arts arena, several gold gongs were watching this all through the window.
"What happened to Yang Yan and Jiang Lyuzhong?"
"Jiang Lyuzhong wanted a bronze gong under Yang Yan to transfer under him, but Yang Yan disagreed with him. So, this fight happened."
“Yang Yan and Jiang Lyuzhong don’t really have any feuds, so this shouldn’t be an excuse to settle old scores. That means, there’s something up with that bronze gong?”
"He seems to be called Xu Qi'an."
"This name sounds familiar... The one from the tax silver case? If it's just that, that's not enough to fight."
"I don't know. Let's watch the fun first and go back to ask Duke Wei later."
After the two gold gongs entered the arena, they took off their cloaks and moved straight ahead, without hesitation.
Xu Qi'an only heard a boom, as the ground collapsed several inches and Jiang Lyuzhong disappeared from his eyesight.
The next moment, Yang Yan raised his elbow, hitting the empty air to his left.
Bang!
A pair of fists collided.
Bang bang Bang... The two's hands and feet turned into afterimages, as the sound of physical collisions rang in a constant stream.
*Too fast, too fast... They can't be observed by the naked eye at all.* Xu Qi'an widened his eyes to observe, but the fight between the two high-level martial artists was far beyond the limits of his vision.
They exchanged more than a dozen blows in the blink of an eye, the sound of the collisions only reaching Xu Qi’an’s ears a few seconds later.
*Dozens of times per second. Dozens of times!* Xu Qi'an was stunned.
If the human eye could be compared to a camera, their fight was surely faster than the shutter speed.
Xu Qi'an, who was somewhat learned in physics, immediately discovered a problem.
*How did the two release their techniques without any recoil?*
*Their movement is too smooth... But forces have equal and opposite reactions. Why hasn't there been any sort of reaction force when they were colliding violently?*
*They didn't stop, even if for a second... Is this due to me not catching it with my naked eye, or is it due to the unique ability of high-level Martial Artists?"*
*If it is due to the latter, What is the rank of martial artists that gain this ability? It should be after the seventh rank, since the seventh rank is Refining Spirit, and is for tempering the spirit.*
*In addition, When the two gold gongs were fighting, their qi was restrained and kept within their bodies. This was easy to understand. If they let go of their restraints and fight, the entire office would be razed to the ground.*
"Just watch the fun. You don't need to be so serious." Song Tingfeng patted Xu Qi'an on the shoulder.
"There are not many such battles between gold gongs in a year."
Xu Qi'an asked, "Who do you think will win?"
Song Tingfeng smiled, "When fighting with their physical bodies and strength, the gold gongs don't have much difference between each other, so there is no winner every time the gold gongs fight."
As for only allowing the usage of strength and physical body, it was to reduce the chances of death.
The fight continued for over an hour, where batches of Nightwatchers passed by the office. Some went to lunch and stopped coming, while some came to look at it after having lunch, then went to work. They would come over and have a look for a while after completing the matter at hand.
In the martial art system, the ninth rank, Refining Body, was characterized by Physical strength. They could be said to have an inexhaustible supply of physical force. Although it was somewhat exaggerated, it could be said that a martial artist's physical strength is terrifying.
For this point, the famous oiran also agreed.
Xu Qi'an didn't come to watch the battle after having lunch. As a young policeman, he had to patrol the streets with his colleagues.
...
After fighting, the two gold gongs went to the Tower of Noble Spirit in silence.
Wei Yuan, who was standing in the observation hall and watching the whole process patiently, waited for the two to climb the building. He commented, "Yang Yan has to work on refining his body. Otherwise, after ten years, your vitality will decline and you will have no hope for the third rank in your life. Don't just think of tempering the spear."
Yang Yan nodded silently.
"Lyuzhong cares too much about his vitality and wants to maintain a peak physique at all times. But, what you actually have to do is to integrate your sword intent into your fists and feet. This will cause your combat power to greatly increase."
Jiang Lyuzhong sighed, "According to Duke Wei, I'm hopeless to reach the third rank, aren't I?"
Wei Yuan smiled and said, "Third Rank is already in the realm of the extra-ordinary, and it depends on luck, not hard work. Our Zhenbei King has fought on the battlefield for ten years, wandering on the edge of life and death dozens of times, and lived in deathly situations. You are far behind him in terms of being in critical situations.
The great eunuch, with no power to even restrain a chicken, but able to convince the gold gongs under his command, continued, "Since there wasn't a winner and loser, this matter of personnel transfer won't be mentioned anymore."
Jiang Lyuzhong nodded regretfully, and said, "But, your humble subordinate has something to ask about."
Wei Yuan nodded.
Jiang Lyuzhong said, "What's so special about Bronze Gong Xu Qi'an? For Gold Gong Yang to value him so much and not want to give him up."
Yang Yan's attitude was quite abnormal. If it was just an ordinary bronze gong, He would not refuse just due to the face and friendship among the gold gongs.
*I liked Xu Qi'an's ability to solve cases and his connection to the Sitianjian. But Martial Idiot Yang Yan never cared about such matters.*
After speaking, Jiang Lyuzhong saw Nangong Qianrou pouting, a little disdainful, and even more unconvinced of his words.
Surely, that bronze gong, Xu Qi'an had a bigger secret. Wei Yuan, Yang Yan, and Nangong Qianrou knew about the secret.
"It's not a big deal." Wei Yuan took a sip of tea, and pushed a copy of a personal file to the side of the table, "I knew that you would ask this, So I prepared this specifically. Look at it yourself."
Jiang Lyuzhong cupped his fists and reached out to open the household registration, and saw the rating written in red cinnabar.
**Upper Jia**
He looked at the two bright red words/characters and remained silent for a long time. After some time, he pointed a scorching gaze toward Yang Yan, "Let's fight again. I want this person."
What does an upper Jia Qualification mean? With Duke Wei's knowledge and vision, he would certainly not give such a rating without reason.
It meant that Xu Qi'an would become a great person in the future, at least a gold gong like him.
*Such talents must be taken into my hands.*
Yang Yan ignored him.
"Duke Wei!" Jiang Lyuzhong rubbed the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, unconvinced, "You can't be partial just because Yang Yan is your adopted son."
Wei Yuan still didn't answer.
Jiang Lyuzhong loudly said, "If you don't allow it, I'll spread the news and we'll see if Yang Yan can resist all the other gold gongs."
Wei Yuan frowned, "Presumptuous!"
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[^1]: Chinese internet slang, describing someone whose appearance was extraordinary, but internally their life was rotten and they cared only for material things, pretending to be innocent and vulnerable but really very scheming, etc, etc.