Rising to Fame

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

"Judging by the current situation, although that man has been suppressing the big fellow, he hasn't been able to land any effective attacks. If this drags on, that man will inevitably lose once his inner qi runs out."

Everyone nodded in agreement. To be honest, Lu Ming being able to suppress an Early Zhen Qi Realm expert despite being only at the eighth layer of the Nei Qi Realm had already far exceeded their expectations.

As for whether he could win, they didn't even dare imagine it. After all, the gap between them was simply too great.

"So that means Gang Leader Li is guaranteed to win?"

The person who had asked earlier questioned him again.

However, Chu Yunxiao shook his head. "I said that would be the case over a long period. In the short term, it's still hard to say."

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

Although everyone was puzzled, they didn't dare ask further.

At the center of the battle, Lu Ming and Li Chonghu exchanged blows back and forth. However, most of the time, Lu Ming was attacking while Li Chonghu was forced to defend.

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

Skyward Slash!

After a few more exchanges, Lu Ming seized a major opening and unleashed the third stance of the Heavenly Saber Technique.

A bright saber light sliced through the air. Taking advantage of his opponent's wide-open center, it came crashing down toward the top of his head.

"Haha, this is exactly what I've been waiting for!"

Li Chonghu was not startled but delighted instead. It turned out that he had deliberately exposed that opening, intending to lure Lu Ming into clashing with him head-on.

Now that his opponent had indeed taken the bait, Li Chonghu could see that although the saber was fast, it carried tremendous force. If Lu Ming tried to retract it and change his move, it would inevitably be slower than before.

And Li Chonghu could seize that opening.

Sure enough, the next moment, a muffled bang rang out. Amid the light hum of the saber, he firmly clamped the long saber between his claws, which were filled with true qi, leaving it unable to break free.

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

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

"Hmph, you have your schemes, but I can turn them against you!"

Although his long saber had been seized, Lu Ming's expression remained calm. He had already sensed his opponent's plan—it was clearly an attempt to lure him in deeper.

And he had chosen to turn the trap against him.

The instant the long saber, which had been cleaving down from midair, was caught between Li Chonghu's claws, Lu Ming abandoned it outright. He then spread his legs in one smooth motion, both dissipating the force of his descent and stabilizing his body.

Immediately afterward, he thrust both palms forward toward Li Chonghu's abdomen.

It was the third stance of the Soaring Dragon Palm—Dragon Emerges From Sea Strike.

What?

At that moment, Li Chonghu's claws were raised above his head as he gripped the saber. He had never expected his opponent to have such a plan.

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

Bang!

A heavy thud rang out as Li Chonghu was sent flying several yards. He did not fall, however, instead taking several hurried steps before steadying himself.

Lu Ming was not much better off. His palms had struck Li Chonghu's abdomen as though they had hit a steel plate, and the rebound had forced him back several steps.

"True qi protecting the body?"

Looking at his trembling hands, Lu Ming finally understood how troublesome a Zhen Qi Realm expert was. His opponent might not have the thick scales of a demonic beast, but he had true qi to protect his body.

"Haha... You guessed right. How could you possibly imagine the wonders of true qi when you're only at the Nei Qi Realm?"

Li Chonghu secretly let out a sigh of relief. He had been given quite a fright just now. After all, the abdomen housed the dantian and was a vital weak point for any Martial Artist.

If he had been struck there, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Fortunately, at the critical moment, his true qi had automatically protected his body. Thus, although he felt a burst of pain, he had suffered no serious injury.

However, before he could celebrate for long, he suddenly let out a muffled groan and spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Palm force!"

Clutching his abdomen, he looked at Lu Ming in disbelief. He desperately wanted to know how someone in the Nei Qi Realm could unleash palm force.

"There are countless martial arts beneath heaven. How could you possibly imagine them all?"

Lu Ming clenched both fists, easing the soreness and numbness in his arms.

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

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

Lu Ming did not pursue him. His own condition was not good either. Not only had he lost his long saber, but a strange strand of true qi had also invaded his body.

He hurriedly took a Qi Replenishing Pill, then retrieved his cloth bag. He did not bother selling anything and decided to return first.

"Wait, Li Chonghu was defeated just like that, and then fled?"

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

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

Chu Yunxiao was one of them.

However, although most of the crowd had not understood the details of the exchange, they could understand the outcome. A burst of heated discussion immediately erupted.

"Incredible! Someone at the eighth layer of the Nei Qi Realm actually crossed an entire major realm to defeat a Zhen Qi Realm expert. In the past, I'd only heard of such things happening within those great sects."

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

"I do. The shopkeeper who buys demonic beast materials said his name is Lu Ming."

"So he's Young Hero Lu."

"Young Hero Lu."

Some people had already approached him, clasping their fists in greeting.

Lu Ming naturally returned the gesture. He swept his gaze around. Although the Black Tiger Gang's people had all fled, he could not stay here for long, so he said:

"Everyone, I still have things to do. We'll talk next time."

Having said that, he ignored the crowd's reactions, hoisted his cloth bag onto his back, and left.

"Take care, Young Hero Lu. Let's meet again next time."

"That's right. Next time, we'll meet at the Drunken Immortal Tower. It'll be my treat."

Amid the voices, Lu Ming soon disappeared.

However, the heated discussion this matter had caused did not fade. Instead, it spread farther and farther.

"Lu Ming, huh? Whether in strength or schemes, he's outstanding in every way. I never expected to encounter such an interesting person during this mission."

Chu Yunxiao was very interested in Lu Ming. The contest of wits during the battle had all fallen into his eyes without missing a detail.

Whether it was the timing with which Lu Ming seized the opening or his decisive choice when facing the trap, everything had earned Chu Yunxiao's admiration.

However, admiration was one thing. He did not believe he was inferior.

If he were also at the eighth layer of the Nei Qi Realm, he was confident he could defeat that Li Chonghu as well.

In his view, although Li Chonghu's claw force was astonishing, it lacked flexibility and variation. Moreover, he knew too few martial arts, leaving him with only a limited range of methods against his enemies.

At the end of the day, although his opponent was the leader of a gang, he was still merely an unaffiliated cultivator.

Compared with disciples of sects like them, he was far inferior.

Of course, those who admired Lu Ming were not the only ones. There were also people harboring ulterior motives.

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

"I've had my eye on this kid for a long time. I originally planned to observe him for a while longer before luring him into the sect, but I never expected him to give us such a huge surprise today."

"That's right. The ability to fight across realms—such talent is exactly what the Sect Master will like."

"Let's go. Investigate his circumstances more thoroughly. When we make our move, everything must be foolproof."

"Good."

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

"What's wrong with you, kid?"

Old Man Zhao, who had been lying in the courtyard, saw this. With a flash, he appeared beside Lu Ming and pressed one palm against his back.

"Strange true qi? You were struck by a Zhen Qi Realm Martial Artist?"

As he spoke, he sent a gentle force into Lu Ming's body.

"Only half right. I wasn't struck by a Zhen Qi Realm expert. I struck one."

"That's interesting. Tell me exactly what happened."

Lu Ming was just about to speak when he spat out another mouthful of blood, though this time it was congealed blood.

Old Man Zhao had already withdrawn his palm. "All right. I've expelled the strange true qi for you. As for the remaining internal injuries, a few days of recuperation will suffice."

"Thank you, Old Man Zhao."

"It's nothing. Hurry up and tell me what happened."