Chapter 34: The Eye Of The DawnThe day after their triumphant debut in the Great Spirit Arena was one of quiet recuperation and focused reflection. The adrenaline of the fight had faded, leaving behind the dull, throbbing ache of bruises and the satisfying soreness of muscles pushed to their limits.
Zhang Tian gathered Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing in their secluded clearing, not for another grueling physical session, but for a calm, analytical debrief.
"You both performed exceptionally well last night," he began, his voice a calm note of praise that immediately put them at ease. "But victory is the good time to analyze our weaknesses. We can't afford to become complacent."
He turned first to Zhu Zhuqing, who stood with her arms crossed, her expression serious and attentive. "Zhuqing, your speed and power were decisive. You executed the plan perfectly, neutralizing their control type before he could become a factor. However," he added, his tone becoming more critical, "you relied entirely on your spirit ring abilities. The self-created skills we have been developing, the 'Phantom Pounce,' the 'Reaping Claw Dance'… you didn't use a single one."
Zhu Zhuqing's gaze dropped slightly, a flicker of acknowledgement in her eyes. "I… in the heat of the moment, I fell back on what was familiar, which was to just use my Spirit Ring abilities."
"That's understandable," Zhang Tian nodded. "But it's a habit we need to break. Your spirit ring abilities are powerful, but they are predictable and consume significant spirit power. Your self-created skills are more versatile, more efficient, and far more unpredictable to an opponent who has never seen them. They are your true trump cards. We will focus on drilling them until they are as natural to you as breathing."
He then looked at Ning Rongrong, who was listening intently. "Rongrong, your performance was very good. Your evasive movements saved you from being eliminated in the first ten seconds even when targeted by their agility type spirit master. For a support master to do that against a dedicated agility type is quite difficult…Especially in a battle on the stage without showing any nervousness. I am proud of you."
A genuine, happy blush spread across Ning Rongrong's cheeks at his sincere praise.
"However," he continued, his expression turning serious again, "your movements, while effective, were still a bit clumsy. A little desperate. We need to refine them, make them smoother, more efficient. And while perpetual dodging is a good survival skill, it's not an ideal strategy. It keeps you alive, but it also keeps you from doing your primary job: supporting the team."
He paused, letting his words sink in. "The next step in your training will be to learn how to guide your opponent. To use your evasive movements not just to create distance, but to subtly lead your pursuer into a disadvantageous position—into Zhuqing's attack range, or into a trap I've prepared. You must become a lure that guides the enemy's flow on the battlefield."
The two girls listened, their expressions solemn. They absorbed his words, not as criticism, but as a clear, logical path to greater power. They nodded in unison, their resolve hardening.
The rest of the day was spent in light, focused practice, drilling the fundamentals of their new training goals, allowing their bodies to heal while their minds worked.
Meanwhile, within Zhang Tian's own body, a quiet revolution was taking place.
The torrent of pure, refined energy he absorbed every night from his Blood Silver Domain, supercharged by the incredible efficiency of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, had reached a critical mass.
In the dead of night, while the rest of the academy slept, he felt it. A new pathway opening within him, a river of power forging a new course. He had broken through to the third level of the Mysterious Heaven Skill.
With this breakthrough came a profound change. He felt two of the legendary eight Extraordinary Meridians, channels that were dormant in most people, crackle to life. The flow of his internal strength and spirit power surged, his cultivation speed taking another qualitative leap.
'At this rate,' he calculated, a deep sense of satisfaction settling over him, 'I should be able to break through to Level 28 within a month. Perhaps even sooner.'
His thoughts then turned to his two companions. 'This power… I need to share it with them. But how?'
He considered teaching them the Mysterious Heaven Skill directly. The thought was tempting. It would revolutionize their cultivation, setting them on a path far beyond their peers. But he immediately dismissed it.
'It's too risky,' he reasoned, his mind a cold chessboard of possibilities. 'I can use the Blood Silver Domain to completely conceal the fluctuations of my own internal strength. It's a perfect cloak. But they have no such ability. The moment they begin to cultivate the Mysterious Heaven Skill, the unique energy signature it produces would be like a beacon in the night to someone as familiar with it as Tang San.'
He pictured the scenario with chilling clarity. 'He would sense it immediately. And his reaction would not be one of curious inquiry. This is a core secret of his past life, his precious Tang Sect. He would see them as thieves, as threats. He would fly into a rage, interrogate them, perhaps even try to kill them to protect his secrets. I cannot expose them to that danger. Not yet.'
There was another path, however. A safer, more immediate one. 'I don't need to teach them the entire skill right now. I just need to give them a boost. If I can reach the sixth stage of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, I will be able to manifest the Big Protective Dipper Qi, allowing me to project my internal strength externally with perfect control. With that, I can directly open their Extraordinary Meridians myself, without them ever needing to learn the technique. It would supercharge their own cultivation methods.'
The plan was set. He would keep the Mysterious Heaven Skill a secret, for now. But there was another technique from the Tang Sect's arsenal that he could share. A technique that would be just as revolutionary, but far more subtle.
The Purple Demon Eye.
'It's a good thing that I've been gathering the Purple Qi From The East every morning,' he mused. 'Storing it within the Blue Silver Grass nearby through the domain, a vast reservoir of pure mental energy. It's more than enough.'
He planned to use the majority of this stored energy for himself. He could feel he was on the cusp of a breakthrough. The second stage of the Purple Demon Eye, the 'Detailed' level. It would not only improve his vision to a microscopic degree but would grant him a mental state where time itself seemed to slow down, allowing for impossibly rapid reactions. More importantly, it would allow him to perceive the spirit power levels of others, a crucial tool for assessing threats.
For Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, the remaining energy would be more than enough to push them to the first stage, the 'Survey' level. Their vision would become preternaturally sharp, a fundamental advantage for both a support master who needed to see the entire battlefield and an agility attacker who needed to spot the smallest opening.
'I will have to warn them, though,' he thought, a serious note entering his internal monologue. 'This technique must be our secret. They cannot use it openly at the academy. A sudden, inexplicable leap in their visual acuity would be too suspicious, especially with Tang San around.'
The plan was perfect. All that remained was the execution.
The next morning, the world was shrouded in a thick, pre-dawn mist. The air was cool and damp, and the grass was jeweled with a million tiny droplets of dew. In their secluded clearing, two figures waited, their breath pluming in the chilly air.
Ning Rongrong was shivering slightly, wrapped in a fluffy, pale pink pajama set adorned with cute, cartoonish rabbits. Her hair was a bit messy, her eyes still heavy with sleep. She looked less like a princess and more like an adorable, sleepy kitten.
Zhu Zhuqing, in stark contrast, seemed completely unaffected by the cold. She stood with her arms crossed, her posture perfect even at this early hour. She wore a set of form-fitting, black silk pajamas. The material clung to every curve of her stunning figure, and the low-cut neckline offered a generous, tantalizing glimpse of the deep cleavage between her large, full breasts. She was a vision of lethal, nocturnal sensuality, a panther awakened before the dawn.
"Zhuqing," Ning Rongrong mumbled, rubbing her sleepy eyes. "Are you really comfortable in that? It looks… tight."
Zhu Zhuqing didn't answer immediately. Her gaze flickered subtly to the side, where Zhang Tian had just arrived. She saw his eyes, for a brief, unguarded moment, sweep over her figure, a flicker of genuine appreciation in their blue depths. A tiny, almost imperceptible smirk touched her lips. She had chosen her attire very deliberately and the result was quite good.
She turned back to Ning Rongrong, her expression once again cool and composed. "I'm perfectly comfortable," she said, her voice a low, smooth melody.
"You're both here. Good," Zhang Tian's voice cut through the morning chill. He walked towards them, his own presence a calm, steadying force. "I apologize for waking you so early, but what I am about to teach you can only be done at this specific time."
The two girls, their sleepiness evaporating, immediately turned their full attention to him.
"I am going to teach you a special technique to cultivate your mental power," he explained, his voice low and serious. "It will dramatically enhance your vision and your perception. It is called the Purple Demon Eye. But this technique is a secret. Our secret. You are not to use it openly or speak of it to anyone at the academy. Do you understand?"
They both nodded, their expressions solemn.
"Good," he said. "Now, sit. Face the east. Close your eyes and follow my instructions."
The two girls sat cross-legged on the damp grass, their pajama-clad forms a strange, captivating sight in the misty woods. Zhang Tian began to explain the complex circulation method of the Purple Demon Eye, guiding them through the specific meridian pathways around the eyes, the precise breathing technique required to draw in the mystical energy of the dawn.
He watched them for a moment as they closed their eyes and began to meditate, their faces serene in the growing light. Ning Rongrong, with her cute, pouting lips and rabbit-adorned pajamas, looked incredibly endearing. Zhu Zhuqing, her stunning figure and breathtaking cleavage on full display, was a portrait of pure, unadulterated sexiness.
He was momentarily dazed, his analytical mind replaced by the simple, appreciative thoughts of a young man.
A soft, teasing giggle echoed in his Spiritual Sea. 'You truly are a rascal, Zhang Tian,' Ah Yin's voice was filled with amusement. 'First, you declare your intention to make me your woman, and now you are eyeing your two beautiful little friends with such… appreciation.'
A faint, sheepish warmth spread through Zhang Tian's spiritual form. 'Can you blame me?' he projected back. 'They are beautiful. And after spending so much time with them, training them, protecting them… I've come to care for them deeply. My feelings are genuine.'
He paused, then asked the question that had been lingering in the back of his mind. "Would you… oppose me, Ah Yin? If I were to accept them as my women in the future?"
There was a moment of thoughtful silence from the empress. 'I will not,' she finally replied, her voice soft. 'I have seen how you treat them. With respect, with kindness, with genuine affection. You are a good man, Zhang Tian. You deserve to be happy.' Then, a hint of her teasing nature returned. 'However, I do not think the two of them will be so open to the idea of sharing. That will be your battle to fight.'
'It is a battle I am willing to undertake,' he replied with a quiet confidence.
His internal conversation finished, he turned his focus back to the task at hand. The eastern sky was beginning to glow, a deep, vibrant purple hue painting the horizon. The window of opportunity was opening.
He sat down behind the two meditating girls and activated his Blood Silver Domain. The vast reservoir of Purple Qi he had stored for weeks within the tens of thousands of Blue Silver Grass near the Shrek Academy was unleashed. But it did not flood the area. It flowed through the invisible network of his domain, a thousand tiny, controlled streams of pure mental energy, directly into the bodies of the two girls.
The movement was so subtle, so perfectly controlled, that even a Titled Douluo like Tang Hao, had he been watching, would have noticed nothing amiss. He would have simply seen three students meditating at dawn, a common enough practice for diligent cultivators.
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing felt it at the same time. A cool, refreshing energy, like a mountain spring, began to flow into them, guided by Zhang Tian's instructions, circulating through the pathways of the Purple Demon Eye. It was a gentle, nourishing stream that bathed their minds in a profound clarity.
As they absorbed the energy, Zhang Tian opened his own floodgates. The majority of the stored Purple Qi, a veritable river of power, surged into him. He channeled it into his own cultivation of the Purple Demon Eye.
He felt the barriers in his mind shatter. His perception exploded. The world, which had already been sharp, now came into focus with a terrifying, microscopic clarity. He could see the individual cells on a blade of grass, the intricate patterns of dust motes dancing in the air. Time itself seemed to stretch, to slow down, the frantic beating of a distant bird's wings becoming a slow, graceful ballet. He could feel the faint, almost imperceptible fluctuations of spirit power from the other students, still sleeping in their dorms.
He had reached the second stage. The Detailed level.
For the two girls, the breakthrough was less dramatic, but no less profound. They felt a 'click' in their own perception. They opened their eyes. The misty, pre-dawn world was gone. In its place was a world of breathtaking detail. They could see the delicate, intricate veins on every leaf, the way the dewdrops magnified the texture of the grass, the individual strands of each other's hair.
They had reached the Survey level.
They looked at each other, then at Zhang Tian, their eyes wide with a shared, silent awe. They had been given a new way of seeing the world. A secret, powerful gift that set them even further apart from their peers. The dawn had broken, and with it, a new level of power had awakened.
Chapter 35: A Team Battle ProposalThe dawn broke, spilling a palette of soft purples and pale golds across the sky. The world, still draped in the cool, damp embrace of the night, was a canvas of breathtaking detail to two young women who had never truly seen it before.
"Wow…" Ning Rongrong whispered, her voice filled with a child-like wonder. She was staring at a single spiderweb, strung between two blades of tall grass. It was a masterpiece of natural engineering, and now, for the first time, she could see every individual, dew-kissed strand of silk, each one a shimmering, iridescent thread.
Zhu Zhuqing was silent, but her awe was no less profound. She was looking at her own hands. She could see the fine lines of her palm, the subtle texture of her skin, the almost invisible lanugo hairs on her arm. It was as if a veil had been lifted from her eyes, revealing a world of intricacy she had never known existed.
"This… this is incredible, Zhang Tian," she said, her voice soft with a gratitude that went beyond mere words.
"Remember what I told you," Zhang Tian said, his voice a calm reminder in the quiet morning. "Get used to seeing the world this way. Integrate it into your movements, your attacks, your defenses. This perception is now your greatest advantage. But it must remain our secret."
The two girls nodded, their expressions solemn. The gift he had given them was too precious, too revolutionary, to be shared lightly.
"Thank you, Zhang Tian!" Ning Rongrong, her solemnity lasting only a moment, suddenly launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight, exuberant hug. "This is the best gift anyone has ever given me!"
He chuckled, patting her back gently. "I'm glad you like it."
Zhu Zhuqing remained where she was, but her icy gaze had melted. She looked at him, her beautiful eyes filled with a warmth that was as surprising as it was profound. It was a look of deep fondness, of admiration, and the faint, unmistakable flicker of infatuation.
"Alright, you two," Zhang Tian said after Ning Rongrong finally released him. "You woke up very early. Go back and get some more rest. We'll begin our training in the afternoon. You'll need your strength."
As the trio made their way back from the woods, their paths crossed with a solitary figure. Tang San, his own cultivation of the Purple Demon Eye complete for the morning, was walking towards the training fields. He saw them emerge from the trees, their expressions bright, their energy vibrant despite the early hour.
'They're training even at this time?' he thought, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. He saw the easy camaraderie between them, the way Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing naturally flanked Zhang Tian. A strange, unfamiliar pang of something that felt like envy pricked at him for a moment before he suppressed it. 'It must be one of Zhang Tian's strange methods. It doesn't matter. My own path, under Teacher's guidance, is the correct one.'
He had to admit, this past month had been fruitful. The Grandmaster's brutal, monotonous physical training had tempered his body, forging a new level of resilience in his muscles and bones. His physical strength had risen considerably.
His only point of frustration had been his attempts to replicate Zhang Tian's control over his Martial Spirit. He had spent countless hours trying to will his Blue Silver Grass to form shields, to break down into needles, to move with that same fluid, independent intelligence. But it was useless. He could manipulate a few tendrils, make them bind and whip, but the level of fine, multi-tasking control that Zhang Tian had displayed remained tantalizingly out of reach. Even his great teacher, the Grandmaster, had been unable to offer any practical guidance on the matter.
'It must be the mutation,' Tang San had finally concluded, a rationalization that soothed his pride. 'Zhang Tian's Blood Silver Grass must possess some innate property that allows for such intricate control. My Blue Silver Grass, while tougher and more versatile due to its beast-type rings, simply does not have this characteristic.'
He wasn't too disappointed. His own progress had been remarkable. He had spent the month diligently absorbing the toxins from various poisonous plants and small spirit beasts he had captured in the woods. His external spirit bone, the Dual Poison Fangs, was now saturated with a potent cocktail of venoms.
He could now channel this stored poison through his third spirit ability, the Miasma Pulse Root. What was once a weak, nausea-inducing debuff was now a truly dangerous attack. In his spars with his teammates, he had found that a single pulse was enough to paralyze an opponent, leaving them helpless before his binding vines.
He could now easily defeat anyone on his team. Dai Mubai's raw power was useless against his control and poison. Ma Hongjun's fire was potent, but he was too slow. Oscar was a non-factor in a one-on-one fight.
The only exception was Xiao Wu. Her third spirit ability, Teleportation, was the perfect counter to his control-based style. The moment his vines shot out, she would simply vanish and reappear right beside him, turning the fight into a close-quarters brawl where her skills shone brightest.
His thoughts of Xiao Wu brought a soft smile to his face. Their relationship had deepened over the past month. The terror of her capture by the Titan Giant Ape had been a catalyst, forcing him to confront the depth of his feelings for her. He had confessed, clumsily but sincerely, that she was the most important person in the world to him. They were now, secretly, a couple.
Of course, their 'secret' was anything but. The way they were constantly together, the soft looks they exchanged, the easy intimacy of their interactions—it was obvious to everyone. Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun would often tease them with knowing winks and suggestive comments, which always sent Xiao Wu into a fit of blushing denial and Tang San into a state of stoic embarrassment.
The lives of the other three boys had also settled into a predictable, if less wholesome, routine. Ma Hongjun's daily trips to the brothels of Suotuo City were a medical necessity, a way to vent the volatile Evil Fire that raged within him. For Dai Mubai and Oscar, it was more of a recreational pursuit. Once every few days, they would escape the rigid discipline of the academy and lose themselves in the wine, women, and song of the city's pleasure quarters.
For Dai Mubai, these excursions were a desperate form of self-medication. He was venting. Venting his humiliation at the hands of Zhang Tian. Venting his rage at the cold, dismissive gaze of his fiancée. And venting his growing fear as he watched Zhu Zhuqing drift further and further away from him, drawn into the orbit of the man he hated most. Each night spent with a nameless woman was a futile attempt to forget the fact that he was losing, not just the battle for his life, but the battle for his own pride.
Yu Xiaogang observed his five charges with a quiet, analytical satisfaction. They were working hard. Their bodies were growing stronger, their teamwork more cohesive. His methods, as always, were proving effective. He planned to continue this foundational training for another two months before moving on to more advanced tactical drills.
That afternoon, after the day's grueling training session had concluded, he motioned for his prized disciple to stay behind.
"Xiao San," he began, his voice its usual flat monotone as they stood alone on the field. "Your progress has been excellent. Your control and application of your poison abilities are developing well."
He paused, his gaze turning sharp. "However, there is a lingering issue that is affecting the morale and unity of this team. An issue we must address."
Tang San knew immediately what his teacher was referring to. "You mean… Zhang Tian?"
The Grandmaster nodded. "Precisely. The defeat Mubai suffered at his hands has created a deep-seated inferiority complex. It is a poison that is festering within him, hindering his growth and creating a rift in the team. As long as he sees Zhang Tian as an unbeatable rival, he will never regain the confidence that a Power Attack type needs to be effective."
His cold, analytical eyes met Tang San's. "Therefore, you must fight Zhang Tian. And you must defeat him."
Tang San's heart gave a slight, competitive leap. He had been wanting to test himself against Zhang Tian for some time now. "I will do as you command, Teacher."
"But how should I issue the challenge?" Tang San asked. "Should I simply ask him for a spar?"
A faint, cunning smile touched Yu Xiaogang's lips. "No. A direct challenge from you would seem too aggressive. It would lack… subtlety. I will handle it."
He laid out his plan, his voice a low, strategic murmur. "I will propose a friendly team spar. Three against three. It will be framed as an opportunity for both sides to gauge the progress of their respective training methods. A healthy, academic exchange."
He looked at Tang San, his plan already fully formed. "Your team will consist of yourself, Hongjun, and Mubai."
The choices were deliberate, tactical. "You, Xiao San, will be the core. Your control and poison will be the key to victory. Hongjun's Evil Fire Phoenix is the perfect counter to Zhang Tian's grass-type spirit. Fire is the natural enemy of plants. Even if his Blood Silver Grass is tough, it will burn. With Hongjun suppressing him, you will be free to bind and poison him."
He then addressed the final, most crucial piece of his plan. "As for Mubai," he said, "while he still cannot defeat Zhang Tian alone, he is more than strong enough to handle Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong. A decisive victory over the two girls who stand by Zhang Tian's side will be a balm to his wounded ego. It will allow him to vent his frustrations and begin the process of rebuilding his confidence."
The true, unspoken motives, however, ran deeper. 'This spar will serve multiple purposes,' Yu Xiaogang thought, his mind a cold, calculating machine. 'First, it will prove the superiority of my structured, theoretical approach over that boy's reckless, intuitive methods. Second, it will showcase Little San's absolute dominance, solidifying his position as the true leader of this generation. And third, when Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing witness the overwhelming power of a properly trained, cohesive unit, they will realize what they are missing. It will plant a seed of doubt, creating an opportunity for me to eventually bring them back into the fold and complete my perfect team.'
Tang San listened, a look of profound admiration on his face. "Your plan is brilliant, Teacher," he said, his voice filled with conviction. "It addresses all the problems at once."
That evening, Yu Xiaogang approached Zhang Tian as he was leaving the dining hall. He put forward his proposal for the "friendly spar," his tone perfectly reasonable, his words framed in the language of mutual growth and academic curiosity.
Zhang Tian listened, his expression placid. He knew exactly what this was. It was a power play, a carefully orchestrated attempt by the Grandmaster to reassert his dominance.
'He wants to use Tang San to put me in my place and use Dai Mubai to humiliate the girls,' he thought, a cold, amused light in his eyes. 'He's so predictable.'
"A spar sounds like an excellent idea, Grandmaster," Zhang Tian agreed easily. "It will be a good opportunity to test our progress. However," he added, "my friends and I have a particularly strenuous training session planned for tomorrow. Could we perhaps schedule the match for two days from now? It would allow both teams to be in their peak condition."
Yu Xiaogang, confident in his victory, saw no reason to refuse. "Two days it is," he agreed readily, turning and walking away, the smug satisfaction of a successful manipulator evident in his stiff posture.
Zhang Tian immediately found Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing. He informed them of the upcoming spar.
"It will be a good test for us," he said, his expression serious. "But their team composition is designed specifically to counter us. We must have a clear plan."
He laid out his strategy. "I will handle Tang San. He is their core and their greatest threat. I will also do my best to restrict Dai Mubai, to keep him from charging freely. But that leaves Ma Hongjun. Zhuqing," he looked at her, his gaze intense, "you are his counter. Your speed is far greater than his. With Rongrong's support, you must take him out of the fight as quickly as possible. Do not let him continue unleash his flames for long."
The two girls nodded, their expressions focused.
"There are some rules for this fight, however," Zhang Tian continued, his voice dropping. "We cannot reveal all our cards. The Purple Demon Eye is forbidden. Do not use it, no matter what. Rongrong," he looked at her, "you will dodge as you have been trained. But you will not use your spirit power reinforcement to defend. That is a secret we will keep hidden for now. If you are targeted by an attack you absolutely cannot evade, and you believe it will cause you serious injury, you will shout 'surrender'. Do you understand? Your safety is the priority. If they do not stop, I will intervene. I promise you, I will not let you be harmed."
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing looked at him, their trust in his judgment absolute. They nodded seriously.
"And Zhuqing," he said, a final note of encouragement in his voice. "This is your stage. Use your self-created spirit skills. Show them what you have learned. Do not disappoint me."
A fierce, determined fire lit up Zhu Zhuqing's eyes. "I won't," she promised.
For the next two days, the academy grounds were a hive of focused activity. On one side, Yu Xiaogang drilled his trio, refining their coordination, walking them through tactical scenarios. On the other, Zhang Tian worked with his team, running them through battle plans, honing their reactions, preparing them for the specific threats they would face.
The two days passed in a flash.
The day of the spar arrived, the air on the main training field thick with anticipation.
On one side of the field, under the watchful, confident gaze of the Grandmaster, stood his chosen champions. Tang San, a Level 34 Spirit Elder, his expression calm and focused. Ma Hongjun, a Level 28 Spirit Grandmaster, a greedy, eager light in his beady eyes. And Dai Mubai, a Level 37 Spirit Elder, his face a mask of cold fury, desperate to reclaim his lost honor.
On the other side stood the rogue faction. Zhang Tian, a Level 27 Spirit Grandmaster, his posture relaxed, his blue eyes serene. Zhu Zhuqing, a Level 28 Spirit Grandmaster, a silent, deadly predator ready to be unleashed. And Ning Rongrong, a Level 27 Spirit Grandmaster, her face set with a nervous but determined expression.
Flender, Zhao Wuji, and the other teachers—Li Yusong, Shao Xin, and Lu Qibin—stood at the edge of the field, a silent, grim-faced audience for the clash that was about to unfold.
Xiao Wu and Oscar stood together with Yu Xiaogang behind Tang San's group.
The stage was set. The wager had been made. It was time to see whose training methods would prevail.