16. Challenge Hall
The crowd followed Su Mo to the Challenge Hall.
Challenge Hall was established by Su Mo. It was just a pass time for him before awakening his martial soul.
Now, it was one of the finest industry started by Su Mo. Its profits would have surpassed the total earning of the Su Clan if not for his interference.
"The pot is too small, the drinker even smaller." Su Mo quoted when his father reasoned with him to let the Challenge Hall grow.
Su Mo had been challenged by Wei Liang, someone from the Wei Clan.
When Su Mo arrived at the Challenge Hall, a crowd was lined at the ticket corner while the billboards hung the upcoming challenge bets.
Advertisements were cheap but new for this world. Only a modern man like Su Mo could understand the importance of Public Relations for industries, while Human Resource was one of the most trivial things in this world.
The challenges issued via the Challenge Hall were based on money. If someone bets a massive amount to duel with someone else, it becomes a prestige issue in the cultivation world.
Where the stronger fist is law, a public challenge is not challenging strength but status.
When Su Mo entered the Bet Registration Office, Wei Liang was seated with the Bet Enforcer.
"Greetings, Young Master!" The bet enforcer showed his respect to Su Mo, as Su Mo was their incognito boss.
Though the world knew that the Su Clan established the Challenge Hall, many employees knew who ran the show.
"Su Mo, you imprisoned the Second Young Master of my clan, which is unforgivable. I, Wei Liang, challenge you to a fight. Do you dare to accept?"
Wei Liang had received orders directly from Wei Wankong to beat and humiliate Su Mo. He was elated to receive a command directly from The Clan Master. If he succeeded, then his future was set to be prosperous.
He was seventeen-year-old and at Lv 6 of Qi Cultivation Realm. He was one of the specially groomed children among the Wei. Earning laurels for the clan would be very beneficial for him. Hence he agreed to challenge Su Mo at the Challenge Hall.
"Enforcer, what's the bet amount?" Su Mo had framed the rules of the Challenge; hence he knew what to do.
"Ten Thousand gold taels, Sir." The enforcer replied concisely.
Su Mo had trained his people not to speak a word more than asked. The world was dangerous, and he did not wish to fight with arrogant pricks on a daily basis. After all, fights always involve hot-headed people.
"Hoho! the Wei Clan seems to have grown some balls. They really dared to challenge me in the Challenge Hall." Su Mo said sarcastically.
"Wei Liang, since you dare to challenge me here, you should be aware of the consequences. Enforcer! Here is my defending bet. Publicise that the duel will be held in two weeks." Su Mo began to leave without giving Wei Liang a second look.
"What! Are you scared, Su Mo? Don't dare to face me right now?" Wei taunted Su Mo.
Su Mo looked down on Wei Liang. He met Wei Liang's eye and coldly said, "Scared? Wei Liang, you should check your status before you speak. Enforcer, send a bouquet to the Wei Clan with my name signed on it."
Su Mo left, leaving a confused Wei Liang behind.
The Enforcer knew his job well. He spoke to Wei Liang in a flat tone, "Master Wei Liang, Master Su Mo has placed the bet with Two Hundred Thousand taels of gold. If you don't settle the outstanding bet in a week, the Challenge will be publicised as a loss."
"Two Hundred Thousand taels!" The amount stunned Wei Liang. He hurriedly left for the Wei Clan.
The main attraction of Challenge Hall was not the actual battle but the betting war before it. Su Mo capitalised on this arrogance of strong, creating a flourishing market for duels.
If the challenged could place a higher bet than the challenger, he/she could set the time of the duel. Once the time was established, the challenger had to settle the outstanding amount within half the time before the fight. As in this case, Wei Liang must pay Two Hundred Thousand gold taels in a week as Su Mo had scheduled the duel in two weeks. Else, The Challenge Hall would advertise the challenge as "Rejected under the bet".
For a prestigious clan, such humiliation was unacceptable. Hence, the betting war added an extra flavour of entertainment and publicity.
---
Wei Liang sat before Wei Wankong in his office. A bouquet made with flowers of gold rested on the table.
Wei Wankong behaved calmly as he picked the bouquet.
"The kid has got guts." Wei Wankong was seething with anger on the inside. Wei Liang kept his head down to minimise his presence.
"The clan will settle the amount, but," Wei Wankong paused momentarily, "Wei Liang, If you can't win, you better die in the ring, else..."
Wei Wankong pulverised the bouquet before Wei Liang's eyes. Fear was visible in Wei Liang's eyes. He bowed his head and did not dare to meet Wei Wankong's gaze.
"Leave."
Wei Liang saluted Wei Wankong and hurried out of the office.
"Aaah!"
Inside the office, Wei Wankong could not hold back his voice as he destroyed the furniture in anger. Su Mo left his son with a shadow in his heart and was still able to taunt him on his face.
He, the Master of Wei Clan, had never suffered such humiliation before.
---
When Su Mo arrived back at the Su Clan, Su Yu was still waiting for him in the martial practice field.
"Su Mo, let's have a training battle so that you don't disgrace the clan in the challenge."
Nobody knew whether Su Mo had accepted the duel or not, but Su Yu was confident that the challenge was accepted. After all, Su Mo was the Young Master of the Su Clan.
"I'm not interested!" Su Mo indifferently replied.
Su Yu scoffed, "Not interested? You must be really ignorant or cocky to fight Wei Liang, so you'd better enjoy your last few days of glory. Oh, wait! you already don't have any. Hahaha!"
Su Mo wished to retort, but a servant ran up to him and whispered something in his ear.
"Those bastards!" Su Mo seethed killing intent, silencing Su Yu and the crowd around.
"Su Yu, you are quite lucky. Someone is more eager to die than you." Su Mo glared at Su Yu before rushing out.
Su Yu stood petrified in the middle of the field. He had always seen Su Mo as a happy-go-lucky person, but the look on Su Mo's face had terrified him.
What he did understand is that Su Mo had even more blood on his hands than the number of people he had met in his life.