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Two Black-Clad Youths stood inside the door, and when Xunuo and the others approached, one of them shouted, "Who dares to speak so arrogantly? Oh, it's just a defeated foe. I wonder if you've come back with deeper skills or just thicker skin to be so bold."
The other Black-Clad Youth chuckled and said, "In just a few days, you can't improve much in skill, but your skin can certainly get thicker."
The two mocked Fang Wenqiang without regard for anyone else, treating Xunuo and the others as if they were invisible. Jiang Tiesuo glanced at Xunuo and noticed that Xunuo remained silent. He stepped forward and said, "You all roam the martial world; do you know whose territory this is? Have you heard of the Wuhua Sect's reputation before daring to act recklessly?"
The scholar in a feather fan and silk cap laughed lightly and replied, "This is naturally the domain of the Great Liang Kingdom Ruler. Has the sky changed? Moreover, we are but drifting weeds without roots; wherever we find a place to settle is where we take root. We have no interest in your Wuhua Sect or any of its branches."
Upon hearing this, Xunuo realized that these individuals were not here to cause trouble for no reason; they had some purpose. They were not just idle martial artists but likely had some backing.
As Xunuo pondered the best course of action, Jiang Tiesuo grew impatient with their disdain for the Wuhua Sect. He angrily declared, "You brash fools will learn today that aside from the Great Liang Kingdom's ruler, our Wuhua Sect is not to be trifled with." He pointed at the three seated individuals and continued, "You want to spar? Today I'll teach you a lesson."
Hearing this, the Yellow Robed Scholar finally stood up and waved his fan dismissively. "Sparring is for you young people; don't drag an old man like me into it. Our agreed-upon three-day deadline is merely to see if your boxing hall has any capable fighters. If there are, we will naturally withdraw. If not, you should consider relinquishing the Qingyang Boxing Hall to avoid misleading young talents."
Jiang Tiesuo retorted, "If we're going to fight, why all this nonsense?"
The Yellow Robed Scholar remained unfazed and chuckled. "Even if we fight, we need rules. I only have three capable young fighters here; let’s each compete in three matches. The side that loses more must vacate the Qingyang Boxing Hall. Can you agree to that?"
This statement jolted Jiang Tiesuo into realization. In his anger, he had jumped into making decisions without considering that he had an elder accompanying him.
Jiang Tiesuo quickly stepped back awkwardly and glanced at Xunuo. "Please decide, Shishu."
Xunuo inwardly lamented. Just yesterday he had been full of bravado about standing up for the Qingyang Boxing Hall, mostly fueled by alcohol-induced bravado. Now he regretted it.
Although he was a registered disciple of Tian Feiyu, he was here as an Outer Sect Disciple. Jiang Tiesuo had already placed several lofty titles upon him, making him feel like he was sticking his neck out.
Upon arriving at the Qingyang Boxing Hall today, Xunuo felt increasingly uneasy. These martial artists remained calm even under pressure from strong opponents, giving him an overwhelming sense of danger. Little did he expect Jiang Tiesuo to jump right into the pit that had been dug for them without hesitation. Now that they were at the bottom of this pit, Jiang Tiesuo asked how well they had jumped.
With matters having reached this point, there was no use in being angry; he needed to figure out how to turn things around positively.
Xunuo smiled at the Yellow Robed Scholar and asked, "What happens if it ends in a tie?"
The Yellow Robed Scholar seemed taken aback by this question. After a moment's pause, he turned his gaze toward the White-Clad Beautiful Youth. The White-Clad Beautiful Youth looked up at Xunuo with disdain and said, "If it’s a tie, then I’ll consider it my loss."
Xunuo thought to himself, it seems this group is led by that young man.
With a cold snort, he lifted his leg and walked into the room.
The two Black-Clad Youths retreated behind the white-clad youth. Jiang Tiesuo and the others followed Xunuo into the room.
This room was where Fang Wenqiang taught his disciples Martial Arts, and it was quite spacious. Even with more than ten people entering at once, it didn't feel crowded.
Once inside, Xunuo and the others stood on the eastern side. The white-clad youth and his companions rose to stand on the western side. The two sides faced each other across the room, leaving an open space in the middle.
Without waiting for instructions, one Black-Clad Youth stepped forward and pointed at Xunuo's group, saying, "Let me take the first match; who among you is ready to die?"
Jiang Tiesuo had been holding back his anger but had learned to be cautious. He first cupped his hands toward Xunuo and said, "Senior nephew, I wish to fight."
Given Xunuo's temperament, he would have preferred a peaceful resolution. However, the other party showed no intention of negotiating, making it difficult for his side to ask for peace. If they did so, the opposing side would likely agree but impose unreasonable conditions that they couldn't accept. If the other party refused to negotiate, their side would lose some momentum even before the battle began. After some contemplation, Xunuo decided it was best to fight first and gauge their opponent's strength.
Xunuo considered that among their group, only Jiang Tiesuo, Chaykov, and himself were available to fight. He initially planned for Chaykov to go first to test the waters but seeing Jiang Tiesuo eager for battle made him realize he could be relied upon. He nodded and said, "Be careful; do not underestimate them."
Jiang Tiesuo acknowledged and stepped forward. Pointing at the black-clad man in the center, he declared, "You're the one who injured Fang Shidi, right? Today I'll teach you a lesson."
The black-clad man showed no fear as he replied, "A few days ago I only broke one of his ribs; today I intend to cripple you to demonstrate my skills."
Without further ado, he threw a punch straight at Jiang Tiesuo. Jiang Tiesuo adopted the Eight Extremes Fist stance and engaged him in combat.
Jing Lide stood beside Xunuo and whispered to him, "This person uses a technique called Ten Steps Long Fist, which is not commonly seen in the southwest region. Rather, it's more prevalent in northern Martial Arts Sects where this Fist Technique is taught to Outer Sect Disciples. It bears some resemblance to our Tongbi Fist; both are straightforward and forceful styles. Against Eight Extremes Fist, it doesn't hold an advantage."
Xunuo nodded; although he couldn't name the Fist Technique used by his opponent, he could easily discern its strengths and weaknesses based on its execution.
Jiang Tiesuo had received guidance from Azure Wind last time and had improved significantly in using Eight Extremes Fist; it was markedly different from before.
The black-clad man appeared skilled as well but lacked Jiang Tiesuo's proficiency in Fist Techniques. After just over ten exchanges, he found himself at a disadvantage. Seeing that Ten Steps Long Fist wasn't yielding any benefits and was being countered at every turn, he suddenly changed his footwork to a lighter style and unleashed a faster Fist Technique.
The Black-Clad Youth was well-versed in this new Fist Technique and quickly turned the tide of battle back in his favor, making it an evenly matched contest.
Jing Lide busily explained to Xunuo, "This Fist Technique is called Void Fist, which emphasizes cleverness. It is quite popular among the smaller sects in the southwest region. However, for major sects like the Nanyue Sect and Pool Water Sect, it is merely an introductory skill for Outer Sect Disciples."
Xunuo nodded in understanding.
Jing Lide continued, "I have practiced this set of Fist Technique myself and have seen many people use it. However, I have never seen anyone execute it with such proficiency. It seems this person has treated Void Fist as their signature skill and has put in a lot of effort. From this, it appears these individuals likely come from smaller sects or are simply wandering martial artists."
Xunuo watched the two competitors in the arena and murmured, "If that's the case, it's for the best; if not, there could be trouble."
While conversing with Jing Lide, Xunuo's eyes remained fixed on the two fighters.
Although Xunuo had not practiced Void Fist, they were skilled in Eight Extremes Fist. As they observed, they began to contemplate how they would counter each move if they were in the fight. In no time, Xunuo discerned the differences between the two combatants.
The man in black displayed a flexible and intricate boxing style, executing the same move ten times with ten different variations. In contrast, Jiang Tiesuo lacked such adaptability. Although he had mastered Eight Extremes Fist, his techniques appeared rigid.
For instance, in the previous exchange, Jiang Tiesuo first threw a right punch known as Black Tiger Prowling Heart. Regardless of whether his opponent blocked or dodged, he followed up with a slicing palm strike to divert the defense upward. He intended to land a low kick afterward. However, when he executed the slicing palm strike, instead of retreating, his opponent advanced aggressively to counterattack. At that moment, Jiang Tiesuo found himself unable to deliver the low kick and needed to change tactics urgently. If he were facing Xunuo at that moment, it would have been a golden opportunity. Eight Extremes Fist excels in close-quarters combat; he could have retracted his hands and moved in with an elbow strike or raised his knee to push forward when kicking was no longer an option. This would at least force his opponent to adapt and follow his rhythm.
However, Jiang Tiesuo opted for the simplest and most conservative approach: he stepped back and opened his fists. While this move seemed balanced between offense and defense, it was essentially a defensive maneuver that allowed him to fall into his opponent's rhythm and become passive.
Fortunately for Jiang Tiesuo, his foundation was solid; moreover, Eight Extremes Fist inherently counters techniques like Void Fist that rely on trickery. Thus, even though he was temporarily on the defensive, he did not show signs of losing ground.
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