Eternal Life: I Have the Favor System-Chapter 62: Disbandment

"You’re an esteemed Hall Master of the Big Saber Gang. If there’s something you can’t do, how could I possibly help you?"

Chu Lingguang remained rational.

Favors were nice, but one look at Li Yishan’s condition told him the man was in huge trouble. Why else would he be hiding in his home? Besides, someone had broken his arm, which meant their Kung Fu was far superior to Li Yishan’s. Chu Lingguang didn’t dare get involved.

"You can help."

Li Yishan said, standing up.

"Hall Master Li, you haven’t eaten, have you? I have a few pounds of brown rice at home. If you don’t mind, I can cook you a pot of congee."

Chu Lingguang said, trying to change the subject.

Li Yishan saw through Chu Lingguang’s intentions and pressed on, "The Village Chief is dead. Gao Qingxiong disbanded the gang. Those of us who once followed the Village Chief all had an arm broken. I’m half-crippled now. Revenge is impossible for me."

"Er..."

Chu Lingguang’s expression stiffened.

’Don’t tell me Li Yishan wants me to get revenge on Gao Qingxiong for him!’

"That day, I deliberately brought Liu Quan to your table. I was hoping to have Master Guo teach me some powerful Kung Fu so I could defeat Liu Quan. But I never expected that gang meeting was actually targeting the Village Chief. After the Village Chief died, Tie Zhennan suspected I was covering for Master Guo. He had Liu Quan break my arm. I don’t hate Gao Qingxiong; he’s Young Master Yan’s man, and I can’t do anything to him. But Liu Quan is the one who broke my arm. This debt must be paid. I need your help."

When Li Yishan mentioned Liu Quan, he became agitated, grinding his teeth. It was clear he hated him to the bone.

"I... I’m sorry."

Chu Lingguang sympathized with Li Yishan’s plight, but he couldn’t truly empathize, let alone teach Liu Quan a lesson for his sake.

"Don’t misunderstand. I’m not asking you to go break Liu Quan’s arm right now. I came to you because in half a year, you and Liu Quan will both be taking the Daoist Examination. Tie Zhennan has already spread the word that he wants everyone to see whose disciple is superior—Master Guo’s or his. I hope that during the examination, you can help me by breaking one of Liu Quan’s arms."

Li Yishan said gravely.

"Hall Master Li, you must be joking. Although the Martial Arts Examination involves sparring, the rules require you to stop once a victor is clear. Besides, with so many people taking the test, there’s no guarantee Liu Quan and I will even face each other."

Chu Lingguang shook his head again.

’Are you kidding me? Deliberately breaking someone’s arm during the examination? If I get caught, I can kiss my future prospects goodbye.’

"Tie Zhennan has already arranged it with Young Master Yan to make sure Liu Quan faces you and Hei Hu. Even if you show Liu Quan mercy, when you meet him, he won’t be soft on you. The slightest mistake, and you’ll end up just like me."

Li Yishan said seriously.

"The Martial Arts Examination has strict rules and regulations. It would be just as difficult for Liu Quan to injure me as it would be for me to injure him. I can’t help you with this."

Chu Lingguang was not swayed.

He also hated Liu Quan for going back on his word. If they met in the Martial Arts Examination, he would definitely defeat him. But to deliberately break his arm? With so many eyes watching at the examination site, and with all the examiners being experts, Chu Lingguang didn’t think he could pull it off without anyone noticing.

Besides, breaking Liu Quan’s arm to earn a favor from Li Yishan would mean making an enemy of Tie Zhennan. It just wasn’t worth it.

Even Guo Wei, who had been tricked by Liu Quan, had never asked him to break Liu Quan’s arm during the examination. That was because Guo Wei knew the danger involved.

"Fine!"

Li Yishan’s face was filled with despair. Chu Lingguang’s refusal to be persuaded left him feeling powerless.

With a long sigh, he walked toward the door.

"I can’t help you get revenge for your broken arm, but if I run into him at the Martial Arts Examination, I will definitely use all my strength to defeat him and vent some of your anger."

Chu Lingguang couldn’t help but speak up as he watched Li Yishan’s dejected figure.

Li Yishan had lost an arm, and his strength had plummeted. He could no longer make a living in Baiyang County. This was a time when he needed warmth from others the most.

All he wanted was for someone to help him vent his frustrations.

Chu Lingguang couldn’t agree to break Liu Quan’s arm, but defeating him at the examination site if they met was another matter entirely.

Because if the two of them really did face off, Chu Lingguang would have done his utmost to defeat Liu Quan anyway for the sake of Master Guo’s reputation, even if Li Yishan had never come to him.

Agreeing to Li Yishan’s request now was simply a favor that cost him nothing.

"Good! As long as you can humiliate him in public, I will reward you generously afterward!"

Li Yishan said gravely. He then left Liu Family Gully under the cover of night. When he reached a small path in the wheat fields at the village entrance, Li Yishan couldn’t help but mutter to himself, "I’ve already planted the idea in Chu Lingguang’s head that Liu Quan will go for the kill in the examination. I refuse to believe he’ll be able to hold back then."

"There’s still time to find Hei Hu."

Li Yishan planned to repeat what he had just told Chu Lingguang to Hei Hu.

Chu Lingguang took a cold bath, then sat on his bed and began circulating the Tidal Breathing Technique. Li Yishan’s words truly bothered him, but they only served to make him more vigilant.

Now that Tie Zhennan was clinging to Young Master Yan, given his personality, the surest way to further his relationship with him would be to make his own disciple outshine the rest, preferably by firmly suppressing Guo Wei’s.

So, it wasn’t impossible that Tie Zhennan would ask Young Master Yan to pull some strings and arrange for him and Hei Hu to face Liu Quan in the Martial Arts Examination.

However, the best way to handle such a situation was still to improve his own skills.

「The next morning.」

Chu Lingguang went to the Martial Arts Hall to train and found Hei Hu in the backyard practicing the Basic Thirteen Spear Techniques. He had already gone through the set a dozen times or so. He was now drenched in sweat, his skin flushed red with steam rising from it.

BOOM!

Suddenly, a booming sound came from Hei Hu’s Spear Technique.

A look of delight appeared on Chu Lingguang’s face. He watched as Hei Hu’s Spear Technique grew faster and faster, finally piercing through two wooden posts, one after the other, before coming to a stop.

"Senior Brother, you’ve reached the Form Realm."

Chu Lingguang said with a smile.

Hei Hu was exceptionally talented. He wasn’t as heaven-defyingly gifted as Liu Quan, but as long as he put in the hard work, he wouldn’t necessarily be inferior. For over a month, he had practiced the Basic Spear Skill every day, and today, he had finally achieved the Form Realm with his Spear Technique.

"That son of a bitch Liu Quan! If I run into him in the Martial Arts Examination, I’ll run him through and burst his balls!"

Hei Hu said, filled with righteous indignation.

"Not bad."

Guo Wei heard the commotion and came to the backyard, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Master, your disciple has finally achieved the Form Realm with my Spear Technique. Rest assured, if I face Liu Quan in the Martial Arts Examination, I definitely won’t spare him."

Hei Hu said, bowing deeply.

"I taught you Martial Arts so you could pass the examinations with flying colors, not so you could get into fights with him."

Guo Wei said with a frown.

"Master, you don’t know. Li Yishan came to find me yesterday, and he told me..."

Hei Hu had a big mouth.

Li Yishan’s words the previous night had provoked him. He had practiced his Spear Technique all night at home, keeping his whole family awake. Then he had rushed to the Martial Arts Hall first thing in the morning to train, and unexpectedly, he had finally broken through to the Form Realm.

In his excitement, he spilled everything Li Yishan had told him.

Anger appeared on Guo Wei’s face as he listened.

Chu Lingguang, however, hesitated to speak. ’Li Yishan is just trying to use me and Hei Hu to fight Liu Quan to the death,’ he already understood inwardly.

"The Martial Arts Examination has strict rules. Tie Zhennan isn’t that bold yet. However, I did promise to teach Li Yishan a Kung Fu technique. Hei Hu, go and find him."

Guo Wei said, taking a deep breath.