Chapter 98 - Rules Of The Challenge

"Alchemist Ao," the City Lord finally spoke. "I applaud you for taking ownership of this dispute but could you explain for everyone here what is expected in this sort of challenge? It seems that the customs of your Alchemy background differ from what Alchemist Wai expected," he said, conveniently covering for his own curiosity. It seemed like Alchemist Wai had touched one of Ao Wen's reverse scales and the way she'd called for champions surprised everyone present, himself included. 

"Of course Patriarch Zhang," Ao Wen said with a respectful bow before she began to explain. "Alchemist Wai challenged the alchemy standards of the Sacred Flame Celestial Temple and challenged me specifically. Had he done so within the lands ruled by my sect, it's unlikely that he would still be alive at this moment," she explained, a frosty gaze piercing Alchemist Wai's heart. "Without an army at his back, to challenge the direct disciple of an eighth-stage Alchemy Lord and Medical Saintess is asking for a swift death. It isn't impossible however," she said, ignoring the startled gasps at the mention of her teacher's stature. "Were it just a challenge between alchemists, we would exchange elixir recipes, and each of us would concoct two elixirs. For his challenge to stand, he must successfully concoct at least one of the two elixirs within a time limit. If he cannot concoct at least one of the two elixirs, his challenge becomes void. For each elixir that he successfully concocts, I must also successfully concoct an elixir to meet his challenge. Should he succeed in both concoctions and I succeed in both concoctions, the challenge is considered 'met' and our standards can be agreed to be comparable. Should I fail to concoct as many elixirs then he can be said to possess higher standards while the reverse is true if I concoct more than he does."

"That explains how your concoction challenge will progress," the City Lord said with a nod, approving of the notion in general. "But why call for champions?"

"Because he challenged the standards of the Sacred Flame Celestial Temple. Properly, I would meet this challenge with three of my sect brothers and sisters at my side who would fight to disrupt his concoction while his sect brothers and sisters fight to do the same. If lives had been lost in our dispute, it would have been acceptable for our champions to kill the opposing party. An alchemist who won't risk their life has no business challenging the alchemy standards of an entire sect," she explained with a pointed glare at Alchemist Wai. 

"In this case, however," Ao Wen continued her explanation, "there have been no lives lost on either side. While grave crimes are involved on the part of his disciple and he intends to protect his disciple, we have yet to reach the point where I am obligated to claim his life in response to this challenge. Therefore, we will restrict our champions to cultivators a level beneath the lowest cultivation level between us. If I were an Independent Scholar or otherwise a third-stage cultivator like Alchemist Wai, it would be acceptable to invite Soldiers, Novice Scholars, Wanderers, or Understudies to fight with us and I'd have requested aid from Understudy Feng, Soldier Tang, and Novice Wan," she continued, looking at the three cultivators she felt she could trust the most in a confrontation here. "Were it a fight to the death, they would be welcome champions, but when the only goal is to disrupt the other party's concoction, the field should be restricted."

"These rules sound both wise and reasonable as a method of resolving this dispute," the City Lord said, stroking his pointed beard in thought. "Perhaps after this matter is settled, we can discuss other traditions of your sect that may be worth learning from. For now, I will restrict my involvement to creating a barrier formation to contain your battle so that the good folk gathered here may witness the challenge. Alchemist Wai, I believe it is your turn to select your champions and to make the first selection for an elixir to refine. I'll have your stage prepared," he said, stepping to the side to pass instructions to several servants as tables were moved to clear a space for the challenge to take place. 

Suddenly Alchemist Wai Dan found himself having mounted a tiger that he was unable to dismount! Looking at the youths gathered here he tried to think of first-stage cultivators who would make worthy champions but his mind came up blank! Casting his gaze about he glanced at Long Ma, eyes pleading for assistance from his coconspirator in this madness. He'd taken the first move as they'd agreed but this was nothing like what they anticipated would happen.

"If Alchemist Wai is in search of a champion, may I recommend Brawler Shun Ren?" Long Ma finally said, throwing a thin lifeline to the desperate alchemist. "While he isn't my own disciple, I can be considered to have tutored his spear technique and may be considered half a teacher to him. You shouldn't find his abilities lacking."

"I thank Dragon Soldier Long Ma for his praise," the young man in question said, standing and bowing to both Long Ma and Wai Dan. "I regret that I missed the opportunity to demonstrate my spear skills that night in Thundercloud forest," he added, looking in Ao Wen and Feng Xi's direction. "I hope you can forgive me for standing in opposition to you to do so now fairies," he finished with a flourish. 

"If brother Shun is fighting, I will stand as well," a scholarly-looking swordsman said as he stepped up next to Shun Ren. In truth, Wen Jun just wanted the opportunity to wipe away the shame of his poetry recitation that night and even if he stood in opposition to Ao Wen in this match, she didn't seem like she would bear any grudge against them. Surely she wouldn't when they clearly had no great relationship with her actual adversary right? They were just stepping up because someone had to!

"For the price of a Golden Lionheart Pill, I will stand as your champion Alchemist Wai," a burly man with arms the thickness of most men's thighs said as he stood. "I don't care about your cause or your dispute one way or another, but my hammers are always for sale," he said with a toothy grin on his battered face. 

"A Golden Lionheart Pill!" Alchemist Wai protested. "Tong Fan, that's robbery!"

"Is it?" the battered mountain of muscle said. "Did you see how rapidly people jumped out to serve as Novice Ao's champions? She asked and instantly had volunteers. You're searching about the room, hoping someone will take up your increasingly dubious cause. Young Lord Zhang Bai is at the edge of becoming a Soldier. He alone would chew through your two champions despite the fact that he's a defensive fighter. Without someone of similar stature to restrain him, he'll pin down two to his one and leave at least one partner completely free to disrupt your concoction. You'll lose. I'm offering you a chance to even the playing field," he said, crossing his meaty arms and looking down at the shorter alchemist from his nearly two meters of height. "I think my price is fair given the circumstances, don't you?"

"Fine, but only if you stop them from spoiling my concoction," the old man snapped, accepting the deal despite how much it would cost him to concoct such a potent breakthrough pill. The materials alone would set him back two months of income! Losing here, however, would set him back far worse and he could always figure out a way to make up for his losses afterward. First, he had to win!