Challenging the Dojo

That night.

Feiyingmen Hall indeed sent over a challenge letter.

Sun Chengshan had already made his position clear during the day—this challenge was unavoidable.

Compared to He Xuyang, Gu Hongming, the master of Flying Eagle Fist Hall, had been established in Island Town far longer, and was said to be a cut above in strength as well.

As for who was stronger between him and Sun Chengshan, even their own disciples found it hard to tell.

Before they fought, there was no way to say for sure.

The next day.

Several probationary disciples swept every corner of the martial hall with exceptional care.

Aside from the few disciples who had gone out to carry out commissions and had yet to return, the rest had basically gathered in the courtyard, practicing their fists as they awaited the coming event.

Outside the hall, neighbors and townsfolk who had caught wind of the news had risen early as well, coming over to join in the excitement.

Wang Yu was also practicing in the outer courtyard, his expression calm, unlike the other disciples who were so uneasy.

As the morning sun rose, Zhang Erdan, who had been keeping watch, rushed in in a panic.

"Master! They're here!"

All the disciples immediately stopped practicing, and Sun Chengshan emerged from the inner room.

"What are you panicking for!"

Sun Chengshan irritably waved Zhang Erdan away.

Meanwhile, Gu Hongming was already striding in.

Wang Yu noticed that he had brought only a few core disciples from his own hall this time.

Not a single person from Jifeng Hall had come.

"Gu Hongming of Flying Eagle Fist has come as agreed!" Gu Hongming called out brightly, a faint smile on his face.

"Time waits for no one. Let's begin directly." Sun Chengshan narrowed his eyes, walked to the center of the courtyard, and spoke slowly.

His back was ramrod straight, standing like a pine, his imposing aura already gathering.

Gu Hongming, however, stood with his hands behind his back, completely at ease, as though he were not in the slightest hurry.

"Back then, your hall sprang up in Island Town without a word. Three years have passed now, and Master Sun has become mighty in every direction. Your Shadowless Fist has stirred up no small storm in this little place. It truly opened my eyes."

Gu Hongming spoke in a bland tone, making the impatience in Sun Chengshan's gaze grow ever more apparent.

"Can't you save the small talk until after the fight?" Sun Chengshan said stiffly.

Gu Hongming chuckled. "It seems Master Sun is truly burdened with countless affairs every day. Or perhaps my abrupt visit yesterday offended you. If so, then allow me to apologize first. I was indeed thoughtless yesterday."

"Hmph. I see Master Gu's display today is not nearly as grand as yesterday's. Where are that fine disciple of yours and those people from Jifeng Hall? Why haven't they come to enjoy today's spectacle?" Sun Chengshan snorted, turning a blind eye to Gu Hongming's fake apology.

"Yu Cheng is injured and recuperating in his room. As for Jifeng Hall, I do not know. Perhaps something has kept them tied up.

After all, I'm the one here to challenge the hall. What does it matter whether they come or not?"

Gu Hongming offered the explanation lightly, utterly composed.

After hearing this, Sun Chengshan fell silent for a moment, then suddenly sighed.

"We are both masters of martial halls. For three years, we have kept to our own waters without offending each other. Why must Master Gu treat me like a fool?"

Gu Hongming froze at those words, apparently not expecting Sun Chengshan to say such a thing. His thoughts began to churn.

"When have I ever treated you like a fool?"

Sun Chengshan felt the time was about right. Suddenly, he was no longer in a rush. He withdrew his aura and extended a hand in invitation. "Master Gu came in such a hurry so early in the morning. Why not go inside for breakfast first? We can take this slowly."

That move left Gu Hongming at a loss. The smile on his face gradually faded, and he stood where he was without moving.

Seeing this, Sun Chengshan seemed to suddenly realize something. "Or perhaps Master Gu would like to first see how much my ore warehouse is worth?"

This time, Gu Hongming's expression began to darken.

"I really haven't calculated exactly how much it's worth, but I've hired people to inventory it. Today, I plan to sell all that ore to the Garrison Commander.

This Purple Coal Ore is first-rate thermal fuel material, and the Garrison Commander's side has a huge shortage. They gave me quite a good price list, and were even considerate enough to dispatch plenty of people to help move the goods.

Sigh, I just wonder whether some blind fool might go make trouble there today."

Sun Chengshan went on talking to himself, while Gu Hongming's face became uglier than words could describe.

"You knew all along!" he ground out through clenched teeth.

"Knew what?" Sun Chengshan smiled and took a sip of the tea Song Hezheng handed him.

"Enough small talk. Master Gu, can we get down to business now?"

How could Gu Hongming still have any mind to challenge the hall? He turned to leave at once.

Yet Sun Chengshan suddenly moved, closing in on him.

"How can anyone leave halfway through a hall challenge? Master Gu should stay."

Bang!

Sun Chengshan came on with fierce momentum. Gu Hongming let out a low roar and had no choice but to meet him with a punch.

The two hall masters instantly became locked in combat in the courtyard. At the same time, He Tie and the other core disciples shut the martial hall's gates, blocking the remaining Feiyingmen Hall disciples who were arriving.

"Y-you, what are you trying to do?!" One Feiyingmen Hall disciple panicked at the sight.

"Master said no one is allowed to leave!" Liu Yemei shouted in a sweet voice.

There had been several female disciples in the martial hall with decent talent, and Liu Yemei was one of them.

She was now one of Sun Chengshan's core disciples.

Before Wang Yu arrived, she had been the disciple most likely to reach the third level of the fist art next.

The several Feiyingmen Hall disciples looked at one another. In the end, they gritted their teeth and tried to force their way out.

However, with Song Hezheng holding the field, Wang Yu did not even need to act before those Feiyingmen Hall disciples were easily dealt with.

"Feiyingmen Hall, heh heh, nothing special after all!" Zhang Erdan mocked them relentlessly.

The few people on the ground, bruised and battered, had no time to care about his provocation. They only hoped their master could win this hall challenge and stand up for them.

Gu Hongming's strength truly was formidable. He also possessed Body Tempering Fifth Level cultivation, and the clashes of fists and palms between him and Sun Chengshan were especially fierce.

The thick stone tiles beneath them were stamped full of footprints by the two of them, some even cracking beneath their struggle.

The wind from their fists howled. Wang Yu watched, utterly absorbed.

The physical strength of the Body Tempering Fifth Level was practically inhuman. When that tremendous power erupted, it was as terrifying as lions and tigers; their speed was ghostlike, far beyond anything Wang Yu could handle at present.

By the time he could throw a single punch, Sun Chengshan might have already thrown three or five.

Sure enough, if I don't train my fist art to Great Perfection, I won't be able to rest easy when I'm out in the world.

As he thought this, the situation in the courtyard began to change as well.

Gu Hongming had been provoked by Sun Chengshan's words, his mind tangled with distractions. There was no way he could focus on the fight.

Sun Chengshan's cultivation was slightly higher than Gu Hongming's to begin with, and he was fighting on home ground. He soon gained the upper hand.

The longer Gu Hongming fought, the more flustered he became. Suddenly, he glared viciously at Sun Chengshan. "Let me go, or we'll both perish together!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Chengshan raised his brows. After driving Gu Hongming back with a punch, he himself retreated two steps and dusted off the dirt clinging to his trouser leg. Quite sensibly, he did not continue pressing Gu Hongming.

"Everyone, step back."

He even had the disciples blocking the gate move aside.

A path out abruptly appeared before Gu Hongming.

He looked suspiciously at Sun Chengshan, seemingly not expecting him to let him go so readily.

Sun Chengshan spread his hands. "I still have a bright future ahead of me. There's no need to risk my life against a fool who has reached the end of the road."

Those were his sincere words.

"Hmph!" Gu Hongming's gaze was cold and sinister. Without lingering, and without caring about the Feiyingmen Hall disciples he had brought, he turned, shoved open the gate, and rushed out.

The next moment, sounds of fighting erupted from the street, accompanied by Gu Hongming's furious roar.

"Zheng Anbang, I've never treated you poorly! How dare you do this to me!"

Not long after, the sounds of fighting outside died down.

Sun Chengshan narrowed his eyes and only then slowly walked out of the martial hall.

At some point, the street had already been sealed off by a squad dressed in black military uniforms.

The bystanders who had come to watch had been driven away without a trace.

Gu Hongming, who had run outside, lay on the ground. A tall, powerfully built man in military uniform, wearing knee-high combat boots, had his foot planted on the back of Gu Hongming's head.

At the same time, he held a long blade like silver frost in his hand, its point pressed against Gu Hongming's back. His expression was indifferent.

Gu Hongming looked utterly miserable at that moment. He was covered in blade wounds front and back, blood streaming freely. The joints in all four limbs had been shattered, leaving him unable to move. By the look of it, he had only his last breath left.