Breaking Character

There was a delay before the final quarterfinal match, to deal with Tze Mao. One of the elders who had previously been spectating ringside "escorted" him away, and only when he returned did the tournament resume.

The final quarterfinal match was an excellent display of skill, though of course it didn't have the excitement of the last one. Both semifinals were close contests; Lo Kien struggled mightily and ultimately lost by decision simply due to his opponent being somewhat more proficient.

After the final match ended, the other observing elders stood in the court to announce that two of them would accept the loser of the final match and Lo Kien as apprentices. As for the rest, those who had made the top eight (except for the disqualified Tze Mao) would continue to be watched closely by the ones who had not made a decision over the next several weeks, so they still had a chance.