Are They Afraid?

Guan Lie and Wei Zhendong stepped onto the stage beneath everyone's gaze.

The two faced each other, their eyes locked. Powerful auras surged between them. Overwhelmed by their presence, Bai Hongsheng could not help retreating two steps, shock flashing in his eyes.

Peak Hua Jin practitioners were terrifying indeed. He too was a Dark Force practitioner, yet he could not even withstand the aura radiating from the two of them.

"Please!"

Wei Zhendong extended a hand.

"Please!"

Guan Lie did the same.

The two walked to the table on the stage, picked up the brushes laid atop it, and with strokes that danced like dragons and serpents, signed their respective names.

They clasped their fists again, then turned and stepped off the stage from opposite sides, without exchanging a single unnecessary word.

Only then did Bai Hongsheng step forward and direct two staff members to spread out the agreement for everyone below the stage to see.

"The martial contest agreement has been concluded and takes effect immediately!"

"The contest will consist of three matches: the Strength Training Realm, Ming Jin, and Dark Force divisions. Everyone who takes the stage must be a current student of the martial hall. If any fraud is discovered, that side will be declared the loser of the match!"

Bai Hongsheng wiped away sweat again and announced loudly,

"We will now proceed with the first match. Competitors from both sides in the Strength Training Realm, please take the stage!"

The staff carried the table away, and Bai Hongsheng leaped down from the stage as well. He wanted nothing to do with this limelight. He had always been brimming with passion whenever he hosted martial contests, but today, he only wanted to keep a low profile.

Wei Zhendong sat in his armchair without even turning his head, merely waving a hand.

A man stepped out from the ranks, came before him and clasped his fists in salute, then turned toward the stage. More than ten meters away, he suddenly accelerated, sprinted several steps, and launched himself into the air. With his arms spread wide like a great eagle, he let out an eagle's cry and landed atop the two-meter-high stage.

Once onstage, he struck several more Eagle Claw Technique stances. His claws whistled sharply through the air, his sweeping legs rolled up gusts of wind, and every move carried astonishing power.

"What magnificent claw work!"

"So cool!"

Cheers erupted from below the stage. Outsiders watched the spectacle; insiders saw the craft.

The masters of the various martial halls all nodded faintly. Though they disliked Xiongying Martial Arts School, they had to admit that this student had an exceptionally solid foundation. He was clearly on the verge of breaking through to Ming Jin.

"This Eagle Claw Technique truly deserves to be called a first-rate martial art. It's indeed overbearing!"

Even Xiong Jiang's gaze grew solemn. He swept his eyes across his disciples. Among those in the Strength Training Realm, he feared none had any confidence in defeating him.

Hong Jiantong said calmly, "Wei Zhendong is very good at selecting disciples. This young man's Bone Structure is exceptionally suited to cultivating the Eagle Claw Technique. Among Guan Lie's disciples, I'm afraid no one can compare to him!"

"This match is dangerous!"

Xiong Jiang's expression darkened.

At that moment, inside a private room on the third floor of a teahouse outside the plaza.

Shen Kaijiang, Zhou Yundong, and Chen Yingzhong were sitting in the room drinking tea.

"Guan Lie is too stubborn. He refused to accept our support. He'll definitely lose this first match!"

Chen Yingzhong said blandly.

A cold, mocking expression hung on Zhou Yundong's face as he said, "Guan Lie is an arrogant man. If he hadn't been injured by someone back then, he might have already broken through to Dan Jin. How could he possibly accept our terms? I said from the start that there was no need to negotiate with him!"

Shen Kaijiang nodded as well. "I fought Guan Lie back then. His cultivation was indeed profound, and he was the best candidate. What a pity. If he loses, Wei Zhendong's momentum will grow even stronger. The other martial halls may give up resisting. Once he unites all the martial halls in Yunyang, he'll have enough power to contend against us!"

His brow furrowed as he looked toward Chen Yingzhong and asked, "How are the talks over there going? Have they agreed?"

Chen Yingzhong smiled faintly. "That old fox is cunning as hell. He knows perfectly well that once Wei Zhendong's momentum rises, his position will certainly be lost. How could he refuse?"

"Good!"

Relief appeared on Shen Kaijiang's face. With a faint smile, he said, "Let them fight it out first. Let Wei Zhendong swagger around for two days. Then we'll stomp him straight into the dirt and see how long the Qin Family can keep strutting without Wei Zhendong's support!"

Zhou Yundong suddenly said, "Have we found out who the He Family planted in the Qin Family is? Who exactly is it? Could it be a Core Strength Grandmaster?"

Shen Kaijiang and Chen Yingzhong both grew serious at those words.

"I've already arranged for people to gather information from Ning River. We should receive word soon enough!"

Shen Kaijiang said indifferently, "You two needn't worry too much. The Ningjiang He Family cannot possibly give the Qin Family its full support. Sending Wei Zhendong here is already considerable support. Core Strength Grandmasters aren't cabbages growing by the roadside. Would they really work so hard just because the Qin Family sold off a daughter?"

"That may be so, but we still need to know who it is, so we can have some sense of security!"

Zhou Yundong said gravely.

"Could it be that Luo Jiangyan?"

Chen Yingzhong suddenly turned solemn. "Luo Jiangyan has been in Yunyang for so long and still hasn't left. If it's her, then we'll be in trouble!"

"Impossible!"

Shen Kaijiang waved a hand, his expression serious. "The Ningjiang He Family may be powerful, but they can't command a genius grandmaster like Luo Jiangyan. I heard Luo Jiangyan came to Yunyang to find someone!"

"Find someone? Who is she looking for?"

Chen Yingzhong asked doubtfully.

"We don't know yet!"

Shen Kaijiang shook his head too, confusion in his eyes.

"What is Tiger Might Martial Arts School doing? Why did they send a disciple like that onto the stage?"

Zhou Yundong suddenly said.

Only then did the three stop their discussion and turn their eyes toward the arena.

After executing several moves, the Xiongying Martial Arts School student stopped. Standing on the stage, he looked fiercely toward Tiger Might Martial Arts School and clasped his fists. "Han Zhou of Xiongying Martial Arts School requests instruction from whichever one of Tiger Might Martial Arts School wishes to come up!"

Han Zhou was only seventeen or eighteen, yet he had the shoulders of a tiger and the waist of a wasp, arms like an ape's, lean muscles, and sinews coiling like dragons. One glance was enough to tell that his strength was extraordinary. His ten fingers were long like eagle claws, his temples bulged, his essence full and spirit brimming. His voice boomed like a great bell, and his bearing was immensely imposing.

Among Tiger Might Martial Arts School's Strength Training Realm disciples, quite a few had flickering eyes upon seeing Han Zhou's strength, knowing they were no match for him.

Chu Silin had originally been somewhat dissatisfied with the choice of Chen Song, but upon seeing Han Zhou's cultivation, she secretly rejoiced that she had not been chosen. She had no confidence at all in facing Han Zhou. He was clearly on the verge of breaking through to Ming Jin, and there was already the faint explosive sound of force in his Eagle Claw Technique.

Guan Lie looked toward Chen Song. After three days of intense training, Chen Song had improved greatly. Yet when Chen Song met Guan Lie's gaze, his eyes shifted away. In terms of bearing alone, he had clearly already lost by a considerable margin.

Chen Song was good in every way, except that he was too soft. He lacked the will of a martial artist to battle heaven and earth.

Guan Lie sighed faintly. In recent years, the martial hall had not received any promising seedlings. Chen Song was already considered one of the better ones, yet he was still far from enough. It seemed he had made mistakes in selecting disciples these past few years.

"Father!"

At that moment, Guan Lu suddenly stepped forward and cried out urgently.

Guan Lie looked at her and raised a hand to stop her from continuing. Guan Lu stamped her foot anxiously. She too could see that Chen Song's bearing made it impossible for him to defeat Han Zhou, but her father would not listen to her. No matter how anxious she was, it was useless.

"Why hasn't Tiger Might Martial Arts School come up yet? Are they afraid? Then just admit defeat!"

Han Zhou laughed loudly from the stage.

This drew roaring laughter from Xiongying Martial Arts School's students. Even the surrounding crowd burst into loud laughter, and it sounded unbearably harsh.

Guan Lie's expression suddenly changed. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Chen Song. "Chen Song, are you confident?"

"I... I'm not!"

Chen Song's body trembled at the words. He gritted his teeth and shook his head. He truly had no confidence.

Anger rose in Guan Lie's heart. He had not expected that even after carefully nurturing him, Chen Song had still not changed. His gaze swept over the disciples before suddenly landing on Fang Mo.

"Fang Mo, you go!"