By afternoon, the news had spread throughout the Outer Court.
Zhou You, the subject of recent rumors, had challenged Zhang Shu in the name of being Sparring Partners.
The matter of Zhou You beating Zhang Shu badly had not spread, so no one knew the gap in their strength. They believed the outcome still held some suspense.
The new apprentices ran about spreading the news. After all, this was a rare spectacle.
When Sparring Partners fought, they usually stopped at the right point, fearing they might injure their companions.
This time, Zhou You and Zhang Shu were settling both old and new grudges, and they had even invited Senior Disciple Brother to serve as witness. It was bound to be immensely exciting.
"Senior Disciple Brother, those apprentices are saying Zhou You has ties to the Mad Horse Gang. What do you think?"
A formal apprentice asked Lu Qiang in a low voice.
The martial hall strictly forbade its disciples from colluding with gangs. The nature of this matter was extremely serious.
Lu Qiang shook his head. "Just rumors, like duckweed with no roots, scattered by the first gust of wind."
"Don't bother with it. Go see how their match turns out."
Lu Qiang could not even be bothered to acknowledge the rumors, because he was certain that this wind could not stir up any waves.
Whoever fabricated the rumors was an idiot as well.
The martial hall was exceedingly strict in selecting apprentices and investigated every person's family circumstances and background.
When Zhou You had entered the hall, his background had already been investigated thoroughly, including how he had offended the Wild Fox Gang and why he had come to the martial hall seeking protection.
They even had records on Gao Qiang. Ever since Gao Qiang had joined a gang, Zhou You had severed all ties with him.
Claiming Zhou You was a spy sent by the Mad Horse Gang was no different from saying that Lu Qiang was incompetent and a poor judge of character.
Lu Qiang saw at a glance that this was merely a sordid tactic among the new apprentices, slandering one another's competitors in secret.
Such a performance was nothing new in the martial hall.
"Zhou You and Zhang Shu—one of them is definitely being eliminated today."
Lu Qiang possessed the typical mindset of one in a superior position. He did not care who had reason on his side; he only looked at who was more worth cultivating.
If Zhou You could endure the slanderous rumors and maintain a steady state of mind, it would prove he was promising material. He might even become a formal disciple in the future.
But if he could not withstand the blow, lost, and forfeited his value for cultivation, then it would no longer matter whether the mud flung at him was true or false.
"Senior Disciple Brother is here."
The crowd parted, and the new apprentices clasped their fists toward Lu Qiang one after another, their attitudes respectful.
Zhou You and Zhang Shu stood in the open space, their expressions grave. Clearly, they had been facing off for some time.
"Zhou You, don't get cocky. Senior Disciple Brother is here—he'll administer justice."
Hearing that Lu Qiang had arrived, Zhang Shu let out a breath of relief.
With Senior Disciple Brother here, Zhou You certainly could not go too far. There was room to maneuver now.
Zhou You sneered. Justice? How many pounds did justice weigh? Could it stop a fist?
"Zhang Shu, I recall that you've been at the martial hall for over eighty days. There are only a few days left before your term expires."
The instant Zhou You spoke, Zhang Shu's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous feeling rose within him.
"If I break your leg today, do you think you'll still have a chance to cultivate Martial Force?"
Every word Zhou You spoke was a blade aimed at the heart, stabbing Zhang Shu until cold sweat drenched him.
A hundred days to recover from broken sinews and shattered bones. If he was injured, he would inevitably be unable to practice martial arts for the coming days and would have to waste time recovering.
Without any suspense, once the hundred-day term ended, Zhang Shu would definitely be expelled from the martial hall.
"Zhou You, you're too vicious! I cannot live under the same sky as you!"
Zhang Shu screamed himself hoarse, his eyes filled with hatred and fear.
Zhou You smiled faintly. "Not as vicious as you. You fabricated rumors with a petty man's heart, slandered my reputation, and threw my state of mind into chaos."
"Zhang Shu, today I'll teach you a principle."
"What use does a martial artist have for so many twists and turns in his guts? If you can't fight, no amount of tricks are dogshit."
The moment his words fell...
Zhou You sprang forward and raised his hand, striking straight at Zhang Shu's face.
"Still Square Step and Imperial Strike Hand?"
Seeing his movements, Lu Qiang could not help frowning. Why would this kid not listen to advice?
Zhang Shu had arrived earlier and had attained deeper mastery of the Tiger Subduing Fist. How could mere basic handwork and footwork possibly shake him?
That was exactly what Zhang Shu thought.
"Zhou You, do you think you can defeat me with just the Imperial Strike Hand?"
With a roar in his throat, Zhang Shu opened with one of the Tiger Subduing Fist's killing moves: Black Tiger Digs Out the Heart.
This punch had nearly thirty percent of its fire and polish. If it struck a strong man, it would break his breastbone on the spot and stop his heart.
In past practice, Zhang Shu had punched wooden stakes and left clear fist marks each time, showing that his punching force was far from weak.
However, his opponent this time was neither a wooden stake nor a sparring partner with whom he shared practiced coordination.
Whoosh!
Zhang Shu's vision blurred, and he lost track of his target. The killing move Black Tiger Digs Out the Heart struck empty air.
Alarm bells rang in his mind. He immediately took a step forward with the momentum and kicked upward. "Tiger Tail Whip!"
The transition between moves was smooth and natural, and there was no real problem with how he exerted force.
Zhou You crossed his hands, pushing and pressing. Amid a bang, he blocked Zhang Shu's flying kick.
Yet the force rebounding back was actually weaker than he had expected, greatly surprising him.
"Zhang Shu is going to lose."
As Lu Qiang watched Zhou You, faint approval appeared in his eyes.
He had actually misjudged him. It was not that Zhou You had not practiced the Tiger Subduing Fist; rather, he had cultivated it to an exceptionally profound level.
Every movement Zhang Shu made lay within his control. Even using basic handwork and footwork, he could receive them with ease.
Seeing this, there was no longer the slightest suspense as to victory or defeat.
Bang, bang, bang...
After they exchanged several moves, a sudden upheaval occurred.
Zhou You suddenly slid low, his speed surging as the distance of ten meters vanished in an instant.
One hand embraced yin, the other pushed yang. Infusing them with 12 points of strength, he crushed through Zhang Shu's defensive stance like dry weeds and rotten wood.
Then, without either hand preceding the other, both struck Zhang Shu's chest at the same time.
Without making a sound, Zhang Shu fell stiffly to the ground like a wooden stake, and Zhou You planted a foot on his chest.
"Tell me. Who told you to frame me and smear my name?"
Zhang Shu still wanted to be stubborn, but Zhou You lifted one foot and stepped on his shinbone.
"If you don't talk, I'll crush your leg bones and make you a lame dog for the rest of your life."
The formal apprentice beside Lu Qiang saw this and reminded him, "Senior Disciple Brother, shouldn't you step in and stop this?"
"No need. It's just children fooling around."
Lu Qiang turned and walked away. "Zhou You won. Leave what comes next to him."
The other new apprentices had thought Senior Disciple Brother would intervene. Seeing him turn and leave, they were stunned.
Did that not mean he was ignoring the matter entirely?
In his despair, Zhang Shu was overcome with terror. He seemed to see himself begging with a crutch, and the words burst from his mouth. "I'll talk."
"It was Tu Laosan of the Wild Fox Gang. He knew I had a grudge against you, so he gave me the idea."
"..."
As Zhang Shu confessed everything without holding anything back, the new apprentices' gazes toward him turned contemptuous and disgusted.
So you were the scum colluding with a gang!
From this moment onward, everything was over for Zhang Shu at the martial hall.
"Zhou You, I've confessed everything. Let me go."
Zhang Shu still clung to hope. As long as he was given the chance to cultivate Martial Force, he could still rise again after a fall.
Then he suddenly saw Zhou You smile. Despair flooded his heart, and he begged frantically, "No!"
With a crack, his leg bone was crushed on the spot. Overwhelmed by agonizing pain, he fainted.
Zhou You's expression was icy. Confessing honestly did not mean I would not break your leg. One matter was one matter, another was another.
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