Chapter 47: One Punch! One Kick!

Dongyang Gathering, atop the terrace.

Zhang Lingshan stood tall, gazing into the distance, only to see a large, imposing group of men and horses approaching.

Whether it was Fengzai, Lao Si, or any other lackey or leader of the Sanjiang Gambling House that Zhang Lingshan had encountered before, they were all present.

The crowd was tightly surrounding a burly, cold-faced young man.

It was none other than Chen Hui, the Master of the Sanjiang Gambling House!

As the saying goes, a man's reputation precedes him.

As Chen Hui strode into the crowd, the onlookers immediately parted to make a path, not daring to show the slightest negligence for fear of offending him.

Chen Hui approached the terrace with long, purposeful strides, then leaped into the air, landing steadily opposite Zhang Lingshan.

He did not recognize that Zhang Lingshan was the junior follower who had once been by Shi Lei's side. Looking at him with calm eyes, he asked, "Are you the one who wants to challenge me?"

Zhang Lingshan did not answer the question, stating directly, "Come. Enough talk."

"Fine!"

Chen Hui let out a loud shout. He bent his legs slightly, lowering his center of gravity, while pushing his two arms together and beckoning with his fingers: "Come, hit me."

*Swish!*

Zhang Lingshan stomped hard on the ground and lunged forward like a tiger.

A bloodline could be seen spreading to the back of his hands and knuckles at a visible speed. Strength surged into his fists, appearing as if heat were steaming from them.

*Bang!*

His fists collided solidly with Chen Hui's arms.

*Thud, thud, thud.*

Both men retreated three steps in unison.

Zhang Lingshan was secretly startled: *'This guy's arms are as hard as iron. Just as Senior Sister said, those with Iron Arms use specialized medicinal soups to temper their limbs; their defensive strength is top-tier skin-grinding level. I hit him with only thirty percent of my strength, yet he was still able to push me back.'*

What he didn't know was that Chen Hui was even more shocked!

*'This kid's strength is heavy. What did he eat to grow up like this? With just one punch, I actually feel a sense of soreness. It seems I cannot fight him head-on; I must use subtle force to neutralize his power and then counterattack.'*

After a single probing strike, Chen Hui immediately formulated a combat strategy.

He stood with his feet in a neutral stance, bent his knees to squat even lower, and pushed his arms forward again: "Come, hit me."

"Heh."

Zhang Lingshan was amused by the man's repeated requests to be hit. His Red Line Fist surged with power again—this time at sixty percent—while his feet executed the Gale Steps, using subtle footwork momentum to add driving force to his punches.

*Bang!*

Upon impact, Chen Hui's expression changed drastically. "You!"

He never expected the opponent's strength to suddenly increase so much.

This kid had been holding back!

Even though they both possessed copper skin, why could he burst forth with such immense power? It had effectively doubled, which was simply incomprehensible.

Originally, Chen Hui had planned to deflect Zhang Lingshan's punch with his arms, then use the momentum of a leg thrust to pivot and deliver an uppercut to Zhang Lingshan's chin. He intended to follow up with a mountain-toppling offensive to take Zhang Lingshan down in one go.

However, the sudden surge in Zhang Lingshan's strength caught him completely off guard. He fell into a state of panic, losing the upper hand and being forced into a continuous retreat.

Seeing himself being driven toward the edge of the terrace, Chen Hui felt a surge of humiliation from the murmurs of the crowd below. His face flushed red, and he let out a roar: "Get lost!"

*Boom!*

His arms suddenly swelled, his skin turning a bluish hue. He pressed his arms together like a bronze shield, solidly blocking Zhang Lingshan's fist.

"Hiss."

Zhang Lingshan gasped, feeling as though he had punched a wall of bronze and iron. The impact vibrated painfully through his knuckles, reminiscent of the feeling when he had taken a direct hit from the Demon Rabbit.

But things were different now.

Back then, against the Demon Rabbit, he had been incapacitated by a single blow, his whole body rendered powerless. Now, his strength was incomparable to his past. Though it hurt, he recovered quickly, leaning back sharply and thrusting his right leg forward to stomp.

*Swish!*

He retreated with lightning speed, attempting to create distance from Chen Hui.

Unexpectedly, while Zhang Lingshan was fast, Chen Hui was not slow.

The opponent also possessed movement techniques; he followed closely, swinging his arms in wide arcs, aiming every strike at Zhang Lingshan's neck, head, and shoulders.

Unable to dodge in time, Zhang Lingshan could only resort to blocking with his fists or switching to the Blood Claw Hand to grab at Chen Hui's arms or strike at his wrists.

But the results were unsatisfactory.

*'It's like this guy's arms have been treated with medicine; the Blood Claw Hand is useless against him,'* Zhang Lingshan thought to himself. Chen Hui must have known about the Blood Claw Hand, just as he had prepared for the Iron Arm style after learning about it from his Senior Sister.

Furthermore, Chen Hui's every move avoided his vital organs, clearly knowing that Zhang Lingshan was wearing inner armor.

With the Blood Claw Hand ineffective and the inner armor unable to help, Zhang Lingshan could only rely on his Gale Legs and Red Line Fist to maneuver around Chen Hui.

Zhang Lingshan refused to believe that the man's bluish arms could hold out forever. Even if he suffered recoil and bone pain from direct clashes, Chen Hui certainly wasn't much stronger than him.

*'In truth, with my current strength, if I unleashed my full power, I could certainly break Chen Hui's arms. But in front of such a crowd, there is no need to expose so much,'* Zhang Lingshan reasoned, making the judgment most beneficial to himself.

Rather than exposing too much and attracting unwanted attention, it was better to drag this out, using Chen Hui as a whetstone to refine his Red Line Fist and Gale Leg techniques. Moreover, Chen Hui was currently in a berserk state; if Zhang Lingshan fought him head-on, even if he won, he would be injured by the recoil, which would be unwise.

Thus, Zhang Lingshan shifted to using his Gale Legs primarily for evasion, only engaging in a direct clash when there was no other choice.

"Damn it! This kid is using legwork to avoid a direct clash, but I can't maintain this state for long. It seems I have no choice but to..."

Chen Hui grew ruthless.

He had thought himself a battle-hardened expert, a man who had risen through combat, and that defeating a cultivation genius like Zhang Lingshan would be a certainty. He never expected reality to deal him such a blow.

Fortunately, he was prepared.

Since he had misjudged the opponent's strength and could not kill him openly, he could only...

His left hand suddenly reached into his robes, and with a *whoosh*, he flung a handful of white powder toward Zhang Lingshan. Simultaneously, his right hand reached for his waist, and a sharp glint flashed in the sunlight.

"Shameless!"

Hong Wenjuan and the other disciples of the Hong Martial Arts School cried out in indignation.

"Using lime powder? What a low-down trick!"

"And using a weapon? He'll use anything, won't he?"

"As expected of the Dajiang Gang."

The onlookers shook their heads in contempt for Chen Hui's behavior. Some, however, sneered; since they knew the opponent was from the Dajiang Gang, wasn't it standard practice for gang members to use dirty tricks? There was no need for such fuss. If Zhang Lingshan died because of this, it was his own stupidity to blame.

"Haha! Who says I can't use weapons? As long as I win, I am the victor! This battle is mine!"

Chen Hui grinned maliciously, ignoring the insults. He lunged forward with his dagger, intending to slit Zhang Lingshan's throat.

But at that moment, a blood-red fist came flying toward him. His heart screamed in alarm, and he hurriedly leaned back to dodge while attempting to slash upward with his knife.

However, his speed was ultimately a step too slow. Before he could strike, the fist seemed to transform into an axe; the back of the fist tore through the air, hurtling toward his face.

*Bang!*

Chen Hui's nasal bone shattered instantly, and his cheek collapsed inward.

The massive force drove downward, slamming Chen Hui's upper body into a backward fold.

Chen Hui's entire body was folded in a grotesque position before he fell onto the terrace with a heavy *thud*.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

Aside from the powerful experts watching from the high vantage points above, the crowd below could not understand what had happened. Hadn't Chen Hui's sneak attack succeeded? Why was he the one who fell?

***

Up in the Qingfeng Restaurant.

Song Lian glanced at Zhao Qing and said, "Brother Qing, Zhang Lingshan won. That last move was incredibly fast; he broke through the lime powder in an instant, timing his strike perfectly. His fist fell like a hammer, heavy and powerful. Is that a technique of your Red Line Fist?"

"No!"

Zhao Qing's face darkened as he snorted, "I knew that old man Hong Zhengdao was hiding something, but I didn't expect him to teach it to this kid in the blink of an eye. He doesn't treat me with sincerity, yet he expects my absolute loyalty?"

Seeing Zhao Qing's resentment, Song Lian remained silent to avoid provoking him.

On the other side, at the Dingxiang Teahouse.

Feng Shaolong looked toward the terrace in disbelief, then turned to his father, shouting, "Father! Zhang Lingshan won! Incredible! How did he know the opponent would throw lime powder? He timed it perfectly to strike and win in one blow! Amazing—as expected of the man you've chosen!"

Feng Ji smiled slightly and said, "Though you are a disciple of the Hong Martial Arts School, you do not understand Hong Zhengdao. That old man has seen much; he is as cunning as an old fox. If he gives Zhang Lingshan even a few pointers, they will be of infinite use. His victory in one strike was within my expectations."

Feng Shaolong secretly curled his lip. *'I just saw the shock on your face, yet you claim it was expected. What a total hindsight expert.'*

However, for his father's sake, he cooperated and praised him: "As expected of Father—perceptive, strategic, and possessing eyes like a hawk!"

"Get lost!" Feng Ji laughed and scolded him.

He was in a great mood today. The usually stoic man could barely suppress the smile at the corners of his mouth. Once Zhang Lingshan was brought into the Hunting Team, the team would truly be complete. From then on, they wouldn't just be successful in every hunt; they would return with full loads every single time!

Feng Ji picked up his wine cup, contemplating how to discreetly absorb Zhang Lingshan into the Hunting Team.

Just then, Feng Shaolong suddenly shouted, "Watch out!"

Startled, Feng Ji focused his gaze.

Below the terrace, a man roared in fury, "Xiao Hui!"

*Swish!*

Moving like lightning, the man charged at Zhang Lingshan like a wild bear, shouting, "I'll kill you!"

At that moment, Zhang Lingshan's eyes were tightly shut. Before he could even wipe the lime powder from his face, he felt a vicious wind approaching, and his entire face felt a gritty, scratching sensation.

*'So strong!'*

He was inwardly terrified. What was this person's strength? It couldn't just be Flesh Refining; he had seen Flesh Refiners before, and even at full power, they shouldn't be this terrifying. Could he withstand this?

If he activated the fire of the Hunyuan True Yang Stance, he might be able to tank a hit like he did against the Demon Rabbit, but it would only be one hit.

However...

*Swish!*

A blur flashed before everyone's eyes as a figure clad in a gray robe abruptly leaped onto the terrace.

The newcomer arrived before the attacker, delivering a powerful front kick with his right foot.

*Bang!*

A figure went flying.

Who else could it be but Chen Hui's master?

Seeking revenge for Chen Hui, he had charged wildly at Zhang Lingshan, but he arrived as fast as he left. In the blink of an eye, he was sent flying off the terrace, crashing into the distant clearing and rolling like a gourd, his blood staining the ground.

After a long moment, he slowly crawled up, blood streaming from his mouth. He struggled to say, "Hong... Hong... you..."

*Pfft!*

Before he could finish a single sentence, he could no longer hold on. He spat a mouthful of blood into the air and collapsed, dead.

Instant death!

He died with his eyes wide open.

*'Didn't we agree everything would be fine? Who said Hong Zhengdao was crippled? He's clearly still so strong, why... Old man Fu Xiang, you lied to us...'*

"It's Hong Zhengdao!" someone cried out.

Sure enough, the gray-robed figure in front of Zhang Lingshan removed his hat and declared loudly, "I, Hong Zhengdao, am injured, but I am not crippled! Anyone who dares to bully my disciple, this is how they shall be treated!"

The crowd erupted in an uproar.

For a minor skirmish between juniors, Hong Zhengdao—a veteran peak-level Yijin expert—had actually come personally despite his injuries. It was clear how much he doted on this newly recruited disciple.

However, the disciple had indeed not disappointed him. Even someone as strong as Chen Hui, using sneak attacks and dirty tricks, had been struck dead by a single punch. And Chen Hui's master had been kicked to death by Hong Zhengdao.

This master and disciple duo were both ruthless; in two moves, they had effectively wiped out the legacy of the Iron Arm style. It was a pity that Chen Hui's master was a dignified Yijin expert, yet he couldn't even withstand a single kick from Hong Zhengdao.

No wonder people said Hong Zhengdao was only one step away from breaking through to Bone Forging, making him a powerhouse among powerhouses. Even now, despite having a crippled arm, he could still instantly kill a Yijin expert. This level of strength commanded absolute respect!

"I didn't expect Hong Zhengdao to hide in the crowd without regard for his image, only to step in personally to protect Zhang Lingshan. Such devotion," Song Lian remarked in the Qingfeng Restaurant, her eyes filled with astonishment. She added, "Brother Qing, if Hong Zhengdao can kick a Yijin expert to death—even if Chen Hui's master was only at the first level of Yijin—it wouldn't be that easy. It shows that Hong Zhengdao's strength hasn't significantly declined; he is still formidable. Everyone underestimated him."

"No!" Zhao Qing said. "The thing Hong Zhengdao is most confident in is his fist technique. Now, he has abandoned his fists and used the leg technique he is least proficient in. This proves his right hand is completely useless. His strength will never advance again, and as he ages, he will only grow weaker."

Having said that, he sneered, "Furthermore, by forcing himself to act before his injuries have healed, his condition will inevitably worsen. He won't recover for at least six months, and his strength will be greatly diminished. During this time, once I successfully achieve Yijin, I can reclaim what should be mine."

Noticing the fighting spirit in Zhao Qing's eyes, Song Lian smiled slightly and raised her cup. "Then I wish you success in your Yijin, Brother Qing."

*Clink!*

In the Jiangyue Building, the two toasted.

One of them said, "Congratulations, Brother Fu, on removing two thorns in your side without breaking a sweat."

The white-bearded man opposite him smiled. "Heh. Chen Hui and his master acted arrogantly and without manners, relying on their kinship with the Gang Leader. They were bound to die sooner or later. They were suitable to be blades, but if they thought they could rise up and take my territory, they clearly didn't know their place. However, by testing Hong Zhengdao's abilities for us today, their deaths were not in vain. Give them a proper burial!"

After speaking, the white-bearded man waved to his subordinates. "Send someone to the Hong Martial Arts School to apologize to Hong Zhengdao. Tell them Chen Hui and his master acted on their own, that our Dajiang Gang values harmony, and waive his disciple's debts at the Sanjiang Gambling House."

"Yes!" the subordinates responded immediately.

In the Dingxiang Teahouse, Feng Ji sighed. "Hong Zhengdao is truly Hong Zhengdao. A pity."

"What do you mean, a pity? Father, I think Old Man Hong is still in his prime. He could even kick Chen Hui's master to death while injured. That was fierce!"

"You don't understand. At his peak, Hong Zhengdao possessed far more strength than this. He is indeed old, and he is indeed injured. Let's go."

"Are we still bringing Zhang Lingshan into the Hunting Team?"

"I will decide. Don't worry about it."

"Alright."

(End of Chapter)