Strength Contest

"Ehehe! Master is best. Just by mentioning his name, I was able to acquire enough Youth Cream and Strength Paste. I thought I would need to work my ass to earn lots of money before I could do that." Ezio was about to happily skip towards the shop Aodhfionn told him to go. But before he could do so, he noticed the commotion in front of the Alchemy Shop.

"Hear ye! Hear ye!" A boy shouted with great effort to let everyone around hear his voice. "Our shop is holding a strength contest with the great prize of!

Great Prize!

Great Prize!

Elven Frost Ingot!"

"WHAT! Are you serious?"

"That shit is worth at least 5.000 golds."

Ezio listened to the people around as he looked at the boy who was now smirking. More and more people started to gather around the shop and there were some with fancy clothes. Ezio looked at the insignia on their clothes and noticed that they were from sects.

"That prize is ours. If you dare to compete with us, step forward." A bulky teen with red clothes said as he looked around to intimidate others.

"Since The Floating Ghost holds this competition, I am sure they would guarantee fairness. Your sect has no power here, a village boy." A fancy teen with blue clothes said in the most polite manner. He was looking at the bulky guy in disgust.

"Valyrm, bastard. Take your troupe and go back to your shitty sect." The bulky guy snarled in rage.

"Don't you dare to sully our sect, or I will cut you in pieces, Yin Xiao!" Valyrm shouted.

"Calm down, folk." A soothing voice came from the shop. In the next second, an elderly man walked out with a cane and looked at the people who had gathered in front of the shop. "This contest is not about the brute force but about finesse. So, anyone here is free to participate."

"Old Man Hamlin, can you explain the details please?" A man from the crowd asked. He was donned in metal armor and there was a sword on his belt.

"Sir Remon, are you interested in our humble prize?" The old man Hamlin asked with a smile.

"I was thinking of having it forged into a helmet. I think Princess Moon would love a helmet made of Elven Frost Metal." Remon said with his hand on his chin.

"Oh, Sir Remon is right. A helmet made of Elven Frost Metal will bestow to the wearer a calm mind. It may also be able to give resistance to Fiery elements." Old Man Hamlin said in deep thought.

"Let me explain the details then." He said and a worker brought out a pillar. On the pillar, there was a cavity in the shape of a fist. On top of the pillar, there was a display screen. "This pillar can measure the strength of your fist."

'Oh, interesting.' Ezio had never seen anything like this in the Cleansing Buddhist Sect. There, disciples would measure their strength by lifting big stones. Since Ezio had the strength of a mortal adult when he was a baby, his strength was always above his peers. But over time, he lost that advantage.

When he was in Qi Gathering Realm, he could lift a stone weighing 500 kilos. In the Qi Force Opening Realm, it was 2000. 'But it is not important. Since the old man said it is not about brute force but finesse, it shouldn't matter how much you can punch.'

"Every contestant will have three chances to punch the device and the person who can punch the same amount in three runs will win the prize." The old man said and looked at the crowd. Controlling the strength in three consecutive punches sounded easy but it was not. Only true masters could do it.

"There is also an entrance fee of 50 gold, please understand why we are doing it." Old Man grinned as he looked at the normal folk.

Soon, people started to line up in front of the machine. The first one to punch was Sir Remon who thought about the helmet. Since he was a Knight of the Kingdom, others let him go first. He walked up to the pillar and pulled his punch back. The air around him changed, and Ezio, for a second, saw a gorilla silhouette behind him. In the next second, the machine started to wigwag.

He quickly looked at the display and was taken aback when he saw the number.

99.999

"The f*ck!" He muttered in shock. He wasn't sure if the Knight could control his strength to such an extent that he could create that number or if it was the maximum amount the pillar could register but it was still an amazing feat.

While Ezio was contemplating, the Knight punched for the second time and again, it was 99.999.

"He is good."

"Looks like the ingot will be his."

"Man! I wanted to win."

While the fence sitters were all excited the man pulled his arm once more and swung it to the pillar. But when the display came out, it read 100.000.

"Oh, unlucky." The man sighed and started to walk away.

"It was so close, Sir Knight." The Old Man Hamlin said. "Sadly you punched a tad harder in the last one."

"I think I am rusty." He said and walked away. He split the crowd whenever he walked and soon, he was out of the vision.

"I must win! I must win!" Ezio screamed excitedly in his mind as he entered the Mysterious Room.

"Alcy! Alcy!" He shouted towards the shutter.

"What?" A whisper came from the other side.

"I need your help, brother!" Ezio explained the contest and requirements.

"That is beyond me, brah, sorry," Alcy said. "Ask Cultivators over there."

"Mana Master Ezio! I need your help." Ezio came to another window and looked inside. Qi Cultivator Ezio was still indifferent and he didn't know his name.

***

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