Fame on the Rise

Upon hearing this, Chu Yunxiao pondered for a moment before saying calmly:

"From the current situation, although that man has the big fellow pinned down, he cannot land any effective attacks. If this drags on, he will surely lose once his inner qi runs dry."

Everyone nodded in agreement. To be honest, Lu Ming being able to suppress an Early True Qi Realm expert with his mere eighth layer of Inner Qi had already greatly exceeded their expectations.

As for saying he could win, they did not even dare entertain the thought. The gap between them was simply too vast.

"Does that mean Gang Leader Li is guaranteed to win?"

The man who had spoken earlier asked again.

Yet Chu Yunxiao shook his head. "I meant over the long term. In the short term, it is still hard to say."

Having said that, he fell silent and focused intently on the battlefield.

Though puzzled, the others found it improper to ask further.

At the center of the battle, Lu Ming and Li Chonghu exchanged blows, but for most of the time, Lu Ming was on the offensive while Li Chonghu could only respond passively.

It could be said that Li Chonghu had already fallen into Lu Ming's rhythm.

Flying Sky Slash!

After several more exchanges, Lu Ming finally caught a major opening and unleashed the third form of the Heavenly Saber Saber Art.

A bright blade light tore through the air, chopping down at his opponent's head while his center was wide open.

"Ha ha, this is exactly what I was waiting for!"

Rather than being alarmed, Li Chonghu was delighted. This opening had been deliberately exposed by him, all to lure Lu Ming into meeting him head-on.

Now that his opponent had indeed taken the bait, although this slash was swift, it was also heavy and powerful. If Lu Ming wanted to withdraw and change his move, it certainly would not be as fast as his earlier strikes.

And Li Chonghu could catch it.

Sure enough, with a muffled bang, amid the soft hum of the blade, the long saber was firmly seized by his True Qi-covered claws and could no longer break free.

"Let's see how you dodge this time!"

As he spoke, he prepared to crush the long saber into fragments.

"Hmph. You have your crafty scheme, and I can turn your own stratagem against you!"

Though his saber had been caught, Lu Ming's expression remained calm. His keen senses had long seen through his opponent's intentions—it was clearly a trap to lure the enemy in deep.

And he had chosen to play along.

The instant the saber descending through the air was caught by those claws, Lu Ming abandoned it outright. At the same time, he spread his legs, both dissipating the force from his fall and steadying his body.

Then both palms shot out together toward Li Chonghu's abdomen.

It was the third form of the Soaring Dragon Palm, Dragon Emerges from Sea.

What?

At that moment, Li Chonghu had both claws raised over his head, gripping the blade. He had never expected his opponent to have such a plan.

But it was already too late. Both palms struck solidly against his abdomen.

Bang!

A dull boom rang out, and Li Chonghu was sent flying several yards. Yet he did not fall, instead taking several consecutive steps before regaining his footing.

However, Lu Ming did not fare much better. When his palms struck his opponent's abdomen, it felt as though he had hit a steel plate, and the rebound force drove him back several steps.

"True Qi Body Protection?"

Looking at his trembling hands, Lu Ming had finally witnessed how troublesome True Qi Realm fighters were. His opponent might not have the thick scales and armor of a demonic beast, but he had True Qi to protect his body.

"Ha ha... you guessed correctly. How could someone in the Inner Qi Realm possibly imagine the wondrous uses of True Qi?"

Li Chonghu secretly let out a sigh of relief. He had been given quite a fright just now. The abdomen was where the dantian lay, one of a Martial Artist's vital weak points.

If it had been struck, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Fortunately, at the critical moment, his True Qi had automatically protected his body. Though he felt a burst of pain, he was otherwise unharmed.

Yet before he could rejoice for long, he suddenly groaned and spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Palm Force!"

Clutching his abdomen, he stared at Lu Ming in disbelief. He desperately wanted to know how someone in the Inner Qi Realm could unleash Palm Force.

"The martial arts beneath heaven are as numerous as the stars. How could you possibly imagine them all?"

Lu Ming clenched his fists to ease the numb soreness in his arms.

"Fine, fine, fine! I'll spare your life for today!"

Li Chonghu gave Lu Ming a deep look. After leaving behind that harsh threat, he actually used his lightness skill and fled at once.

Lu Ming did not pursue him. His own condition was not much better. Not only had he lost his long saber, but Foreign True Qi had also invaded his body.

He hurriedly swallowed a Qi Recovery Pill, retrieved his cloth sack, and abandoned any thought of selling its contents, intending to return first.

"No way, Li Chonghu was defeated just like that, then ran away?"

The situation had changed too quickly for everyone to react. Only after Li Chonghu fled did they realize the victor had been decided.

Though there were many people present, probably only a handful could see the full course of the battle clearly.

Chu Yunxiao was one of them.

Although the crowd did not fully understand the details of the clash, they understood the outcome. A wave of heated discussion immediately erupted.

"Unbelievable. The eighth layer of Inner Qi defeated the True Qi Realm by crossing an entire major realm. I had only ever heard of such things happening in those great sects."

"Does anyone know this young hero's name?"

"I do. I heard from the shopkeeper who buys demonic beast materials that he is called Lu Ming."

"So he is Young Hero Lu."

"Young Hero Lu."

Some people had already stepped forward to greet him, cupping their fists in salute.

Lu Ming naturally returned the gesture. Sweeping his gaze around, he saw that although the Black Tiger Gang members had all fled, this was not a place to linger. He said:

"Everyone, I have matters to attend to. We can talk another time."

With that, regardless of their reactions, he hoisted his cloth sack onto his back and left.

"Take care, Young Hero Lu. Let us gather again next time."

"That's right. Next time at the Drunken Immortal Tower, it will be my treat."

Amid the calls, Lu Ming soon vanished from sight.

Yet the discussions stirred up by this matter did not fade. Instead, they spread farther and farther.

"Lu Ming... whether in strength or cunning, he is first-rate in every way. I never expected that on this mission away from home, I would encounter such an interesting person."

Chu Yunxiao was greatly interested in Lu Ming. The contest of wits during that battle had not escaped his eyes in the slightest.

Whether it was the timing with which Lu Ming seized an opening or his decisive choice when faced with a trap, both earned Chu Yunxiao's admiration.

Still, admiration was admiration. He did not believe himself inferior.

If he too had been at the eighth layer of Inner Qi, he was confident he could defeat Li Chonghu.

In his view, although Li Chonghu's claw strength was astonishing, his moves lacked flexibility and variation. Moreover, he knew too few martial arts, leaving his methods against enemies overly singular.

At the end of the day, though Li Chonghu was the leader of a gang, he was merely a Rogue Cultivator.

Compared to sect disciples like them, he was far inferior.

Of course, where there were those who admired Lu Ming, there were naturally those harboring ulterior motives.

In a corner, two people wearing bamboo hats whispered to each other:

"I have had my eye on this boy for quite some time. I originally intended to observe him a while longer before drawing him into the cult, but I never expected him to give us such a tremendous surprise today."

"Indeed. To fight across realms with such talent, the Cult Master will surely like him."

"Come. Investigate his circumstances more thoroughly. When we act, we must ensure everything is foolproof."

"Good."

Only after Lu Ming crossed the single-plank bridge and arrived outside Old Man Zhao's courtyard did he finally relax completely. Then he could no longer suppress it and spat out a mouthful of blood.

"What happened to you, boy?"

Seeing this, Old Man Zhao, who had been reclining in the courtyard, flashed to Lu Ming's side and placed a palm against his back.

"Foreign True Qi. Were you struck by a True Qi Realm Martial Artist?"

As he spoke, he sent a stream of gentle power into Lu Ming's body.

"You are half right. I was not struck by a True Qi Realm fighter—I struck one."

"Now that is interesting. Tell me the details."

Just as Lu Ming was about to speak, he spat out another mouthful of blood, though this one was stagnant blood.

By then, Old Man Zhao had already withdrawn his palm. "All right. I have expelled the Foreign True Qi for you. As for the remaining internal injuries, rest and recuperate for a few days, and you will be fine."

"Thank you, Elder Zhao."

"It is nothing. Quickly, tell me what happened."