Chapter 06 Competition Of Brothers

When Guozhao Zhiqiang arrived at the gate of Snow Sector, Hu Dingxiang was already waiting for him. He noticed that everyone in Snow Sector, regardless of their status, dressed in white. The servants were dressed in pure white cotton, and the masters and superiors were dressed in silk. He followed Hu Dingxiang to the back of Snow Sector training ground. In the middle of the training ground there stood a small stage. Compared with Waterfall City and his training ground, the training ground in Snow Sector is not large.

In the training ground, Guozhao Zhiqiang and Hu Dingxiang stood side by side with other young hunters. He looked at Guozhao Zhiqiang and said, "Zhiqiang." He secretly held Guozhao Zhigiang's left hand among the crowd. "It doesn't matter if we don't win." He smiled at Guozhao Zhiqiang. "I would rather you not get hurt."

He looked at Hu Dingxiang and said, "We will win this competition because I want you to leave here with me." Guozhao Zhiqiang is six feet two inches tall, the tallest among all hunters in the training ground. He looked at the other masters walking around and chose their hunter to fight alongside them.

Leader Hu stood up, and everyone in the training ground became quiet. He said, "We hold this competition every five years, and it is up to me to decide which position to pass to whom. Not only my two sons, but all the children of the brothers and sisters who helped build Snow Sector. This year is the first years that my two sons participate in this competition." He looked at the many hunters that stood alongside their masters. "For the young hunters, if you win this competition with one of our sons or daughters. You can become our disciple. For the sons and daughters of Snow Sector, if you win the competition, you can be granted with one wish." He looked at Hu Jianguo and Hu Dingxiang. "The competition will only last for an hour. When an hour has passed, whoever is still standing on the stage is the winner. If any of you knows you can't win, please don't participate. Let the competition begin."

Hu Jiangou jumped onto the stage with his hunter. All the disciples cheered for him. The other disciples and brothers all knew that Hu Jianguo was the strongest fighter in Snow Sector, and no one dare to go up the stage.

Zhou Zhong, "Brother Hu, it seems everyone knows that he can't win against Jianguo."

Leader Hu stood up and said, "I will count to three. If no one comes up to challenge Jianguo, then Jianguo is the winner. One...is there anyone?"

Hu Dingxiang stood up and said, "Father, I would like to try."

Leader Hu smiled triumphantly, "Good. As a father, I am proud of you two. Dingxiang you and your hunter come forward." He sat down again.

When Guozhao Zhiqiang and Hu Dingxiang walked onto the stage, Hu Dingxiang murmured, "Be careful, my elder brother is a very powerful swordsman." He smiled and looked at Guozhao Zhiqiang. "I'm sorry. I asked you to put on a mask."

Guozhao Zhiqiang nodded. He looked at Hu Jianguo and said, "The only swordsman I fear is Ah Bao." He looked at Hu Dingxiang. "Since your brother isn't Ah Bao, why should I be afraid of him?"

Hu Jianguo looked at Hu Dingxiang and said, "Dingxiang, just because you are my brother, it doesn't mean that I will go easy on you."

Hu Dingxiang said, "Big brother, please don't go easy on me."

Hu Jianguo sneered, "Here we come."

Hu Jianguo and his hunter attacked Guozhao Zhiqiang and Hu Dingxiang. Guozhao Zhiqiang pushed Hu Dingxiang back twenty feet.

Hu Dingxiang staggered back and said, "Zhiqiang!"

Guozhao Zhiqiang looked coldly at Hu Dingxiang and said, "Stay there."

Hu Jianguo drew his dao and striking at Guozhao Zhiqiang. Guozhao Zhiqiang blocked Hu Jianguo's attack. Hu Jianguo began to attack from the right while his hunter attack from the left. Hu Jianguo knew that this must be the hunter who killed all the fire demons with his powerful spells. If they continue to trade swords with this hunter, they may not win. They can only win if Hu Dingxiang steps down.

Hu Jianguo shouted at his hunter, "I will take care of him, you head straight to Dingxiang."

The hunter flew straight to Hu Dingxiang. Hu Jianguo flicked his foot on the ground, trying to knock Guozhao Zhiqiang's foot, but Guozhao Zhiqiang flipped forward over Hu Jiangou and sent a talisman directly at the hunter who was few feet away from Hu Dingxiang. The rope talisman wrapped around the hunter's right ankle, Guozhao Zhiqiang flew back towards Hu Dingxiang as his right arm yanked the hunter away from Hu Dingxiang. The hunter flew backward towards Hu Jianguo.

In order to avoid hitting the hunter, Hu Jianguo did a backflip, and the hunter used his spiritual power to push Hu Jianguo directly towards Hu Dingxiang. The hunter immediately threw the sword directly at Hu Dingxiang.

Hu Dingxiang drew his sword to block the hunter's sword, but Hu Jianguo's sword came straight at Hu Dingxiang. Guozhao Zhiqiang used his two fingers cut the magic rope that bonded his right wrist to the hunter's ankle free. Guozhao Zhiqiang quickly flew passed Hu Jingguo's, standing right in front of Hu Dingxiang when Hu Jianguo's sword pierced his right shoulder. Guozhao Zhiqiang threw a heavy punch at Hu Jianguo's upper chest, causing Hu Jianguo and the sword to fly back across to the other end of the stage. Hu Jianguo landed on the ground, spitting out blood.

Hu Dingxiang saw blood gushing down onto the stage floor. He quickly moved to Guozhao Zhiqiang's right side, put his handkerchief on the wound, and stood beside Guozhao Zhiqiang.

Guozhao Zhiqiang turned to Hu Dingxiang, "Are you okay?"

Hu Dingxiang said, "I'm fine. How about you?"

Guozhao Zhiqiang, "I'm fine."

Leader Hu smiled and nodded, "Well done. Is there anyone else who wants to fight Dingxiang and his hunter?"

All the disciples babbled inside the training ground, "If he wins against senior brother, what chance is there, we have."

Leader Hu, "Anyone else? If not, I will count to three, one."

Everyone stood still.

Leader Hu counted out loud, "Two."

Hu Jianguo wanted to stand up but couldn't. He had trouble breathing, and he knew he had broken several ribs.

Leader Hu counted, "Three." He waited, but no one else dared to enter the arena. He smiled happily. "This year's champion is my second son Hu Dingxiang." He turned to his disciple. "Don't lose hope. The next competition will be held in five years. When that time arrive, I will invite all hunters, clans, and sectors to join us. This will be the biggest fighting competition we have ever held." He turned to Hu Dingxiang. "What is your one wish?"

Hu Dingxiang looked at Guozhao Zhiqiang and knelt down, "Father and Uncle Zhou. My wish is to be engaged to sister Caihong. Please help me ask for her hand in marriage?"

Guozhao Zhiqiang looked at Hu Dingxiang and said coldly, "What did you say?"

Hu Dingxiang, "I hope father and Uncle Zhou agree, and also I hope sister Caihong agree."

Leader Hu looked at Zhou Caihong and asked, "What do you say, Caihong?"

Zhou Caihong smiled and said shyly, "As long as my father agrees."

Zhou Zhong said, "I can only agree, but you two are still children. Let you two get engaged, we will talk about the wedding in the near future."

Hu Dingxiang smiled, "Thank you father. Thank you, Uncle Zhou."

Leader Hu, "From now on you can't call him uncle anymore, you can change how you are addressing him." He laughed.

Hu Dingxiang, "Thank you father."

The disciples on the field cheered, and leader Hu and Zhou Zhong both laughed. Hu Dingxiang watched Guozhao Zhiqiang walk off the stage. He quickly followed Guozhao Zhiqiang.

Hu Dingxiang exclaimed, "Zhiqiang. Wait."

Guozhao Zhiqiang continued to walk along the stairs to the bamboo guesthouse. Hu Dingxiang followed closely behind. Guozhao Zhiqiang opened the door and walked in, grabbing his bag.

Hu Dingxiang asked, "What are you doing?"

Guozhao Zhiqiang did not make eyes contact with Hu Dingxiang. He coldly said, "Leaving."

Hu Dingxiang, "I'm sorry."

Guozhao Zhiqiang looked at Hu Dingxiang, "Why make promises if you can't keep it?"

Hu Dingxiang, "What?"

Guozhao Zhiqiang stared at Hu Dingxiang's left wrist and did not see the red string he tied to Hu Dingxiang's wrist the night before. He smiled and shook his head, "You can go back now."

Hu Dingxiang, "What do you want me to do?"

Guozhao Zhiqiang shouted in anger, "You know what I want you to do. I want you to leave here with me. Go home with me and live in peace with me."

Hu Dingxiang, "I can't... I promised my mother that I will climb that ladder until I reach the top." He grabbed onto Guozhao Zhiqiang's right arm. "You can stay here with me, and we will reach the top together."

Guozhao Zhiqiang pulled his arm away from Hu Dingxiang's hands, "You are willing to break our promise for a chance to sit in that empty chair. What about us? You and me. Our feelings for each other are incomparable to a small opportunity to sit on that empty wooden chair?"

Hu Dingxiang, "We are both men. If we are together, we will be abandoned. I will disappoint my adoptive mother and I will not have the face to face my birth mother in the netherworld. If you ask me to choose between the two. The little opportunity in that empty chair and the feeling between you and me...I will choose that little opportunity, no matter how small it is. I'm sorry."

Guozhao Zhiqiang scoffed, "I see."

Hu Dingxiang stretched out his hand to pull Guozhao Zhiqiang's hand, but Guozhao Zhiqiang pulled his hand away. Guozhao Zhiqiang fixed his bag around his shoulder and walked out of the guesthouse.

Hu Dingxiang watched Guozhao Zhiqiang disappeared from a distance, and said, "You can come out now."

Servant Li walked out from behind the tree.

Hu Dingxiang, "Put on that outfit. You said you want to be Hu's disciple, right?"

Servant Li bowed down, "Thank you, young master."