Little Giant Spirit God

"Senior Brother, look! He's so handsome!" The woman jumped on her toes, gazing toward the arena.

"Junior Sister, can you stop being so shallow? When traveling the martial world, what matters is martial skill, not looks."

"But he really is handsome! If I were Miss Lin, I wouldn't even compete. I'd just marry him."

"Junior Sister, why don't you take a good look? Your Senior Brother's looks aren't bad either."

The woman turned around and gave him a once-over. "Senior Brother, you... forget it."

Someone said,

"That kid's no good. He definitely won't withstand a punch from Fan Zhutian."

"Last winter, when the Iron Fist Gang was fighting over territory, they hired Fan Zhutian. With a single punch each, he took down seven or eight experts from the Blue Spear Association..."

Seeing that the newcomer was young and baby-faced, Fan Zhutian paid him no attention. However, Zhang Yu's exceptionally handsome appearance drew cheers from many of the women watching, and the crowd below began discussing him animatedly. Seeing his own limelight stolen, Fan Zhutian immediately grew displeased.

He mocked him, saying, "Pretty-boy husband, did you come onto the stage to seek death? Take your sword and hurry home to learn embroidery from your mother, hahaha."

"Starting off by provoking him. He's looking for death!"

Zhang Yu looked up. The giant wore a thick bear-fur coat and had steel knuckle dusters strapped over both hands. He appeared to be bare-handed, but in truth, he was at no disadvantage at all. Ordinary blades and swords could not injure him through the bear hide, which was as thick as armor. And if one took a punch from him, one would suffer severe injuries even if one did not die.

I can't meet him head-on.

Zhang Yu threw back his head and laughed as well, his laughter growing louder and gradually drowning out everyone else's.

The area below the stage fell silent, and everyone looked at him.

"This man can't be an idiot, can he?"

Fan Zhutian asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Zhang Yu chuckled. "I'm laughing because your forehead is dark. You're going to suffer a bloody disaster today!"

"I was born with a dark complexion. When have I ever suffered a bloody disaster?"

"That's because you haven't met me yet."

"You're courting death!"

"Dark Face, it's too early to say that. We'll know after we fight."

Fan Zhutian's face darkened further. He had suffered people's disdain since childhood and hated nothing more than others mocking his appearance. In a low voice, he said, "Kid, do you know that according to the rules of the martial world, life and death are disregarded on the arena?"

Zhang Yu smiled. "That's the first time I've heard that."

"Then kneel down and kowtow three times right now, shout 'Grandpa, spare my life' three times, then stick your butt out and get into position. I'll kick you off the stage. I'm in a good mood today, so I'll forgive your rudeness."

Zhang Yu let out a soft laugh. "If you're willing to do that, I'll spare your life too."

Fan Zhutian charged forward like a savage bull plowing the earth, making the entire arena tremble beneath his feet.

His speed was not particularly fast, but the arena was small, leaving little room to maneuver.

Faced with this intensely oppressive scene, anyone with a slightly weaker will would already have been too frightened to move.

Someone below the stage explained,

"Watch closely. These are Little Giant Spirit God's three signature moves."

"First move: Wild Ox Charge."

The original owner had joined the Sun Moon Divine Cult two years ago and had considerable experience fighting enemies in battle. Rising from an ordinary foot soldier to Deputy Flag Master was proof of his extraordinary ability. With the assistance of the Green Jade Thumb Ring, Zhang Yu's six senses had become extraordinarily sharp. The giant's movements, which were not particularly fast to begin with, appeared even slower in his eyes.

However, in this situation, dodging in advance would allow his opponent to adjust his charging path. Besides, the moment he moved, it would be easier for his opponent to find an opening.

Zhang Yu stood where he was.

When only three steps remained between them,

his body suddenly slid sideways. He passed beneath the giant's left elbow and flashed to the other side of the arena.

Fan Zhutian missed completely.

The two switched positions.

"What footwork! He actually dodged it!"

Tiger Second Master slapped the railing and shouted his approval. He had noticed the last person to take the stage long ago—the young man had originally been sitting by the window of the Drunken Immortal Tower. Tiger Second Master had assumed he was an ignorant young noble who did not know the immensity of heaven and earth. He had not expected the man to truly possess some skill.

"Black Ox, I'm over here! Are you throwing yourself into your mother's arms?" Zhang Yu laughed loudly, deliberately provoking the giant.

Fan Zhutian fell for it, gathering his strength once more before charging toward him.

Zhang Yu became more practiced and dodged even more easily. He could even attack his opponent with the Azure Water Sword at the same time. However, the bear-fur coat was simply too thick. The Azure Water Sword was not a divine weapon, and with Zhang Yu's hit-and-withdraw style, it was difficult to inflict any real damage. To Fan Zhutian, it was no different from being bitten by a mosquito several times.

Someone below the stage asked,

"Brother, didn't you say he had three signature moves? Why has he been using 'Wild Ox Charge' the whole time?"

"Ahem, Fan Zhutian can't catch that kid. Even if he had a hundred signature moves, they'd be useless."

"At this rate, does he really have a chance of winning this round?"

"He can win against Fan Zhutian only because his footwork happens to counter this crude style. That doesn't necessarily mean he's particularly brilliant."

The speaker had not considered that countless people could see Fan Zhutian's weakness. Yet why had no one been able to exploit it properly and defeat him? Some things were easy to discuss on paper, but competing on the battlefield was an entirely different matter.

"Heh heh, Brother, you make a good point. Then our chance has come, hasn't it?"

"Exactly. When traveling the martial world, one must not seek a momentary triumph. The one who laughs last is the winner!"

At this point, Fan Zhutian also realized that if this continued, he would die of exhaustion on the arena without ever catching the slippery kid. No matter how he attacked, his opponent always managed to dodge accurately.

He panted heavily. "You... if you have the ability, stop dodging! What kind of hero keeps dodging?"

"If you have the ability, catch me. You can't even touch my clothes—what kind of hero are you?"

Zhang Yu was not anxious in the slightest. He was using skillful force, so his stamina consumption was minimal. As long as he dragged things out, Fan Zhutian would undoubtedly lose.

In the embroidered tower,

Lin Youlan lifted her teacup and took a small sip. A little color returned to her pale face.

Lin Kun asked, "Mr. Zhong, what do you think of this young man?"

Lin Youlan secretly pricked up her ears.

"This man has an extremely keen grasp of timing. He must have been trained by a renowned master, and his talent is quite high. However, judging only from his footwork and swordsmanship, everything is disorderly and lacking in form. It looks like the rough style of a street brawler. It shouldn't be so."

"You mean he's deliberately concealing his strength and unwilling to reveal his lineage?"

"Perhaps. Let's keep watching."

On the arena, as expected, Fan Zhutian's stamina had been depleted by seventy or eighty percent, and his movements had slowed further.

Zhang Yu switched from defense to offense, using the Azure Water Sword to circle and harry him. Like a mosquito in the woods, he did not seek to kill with one strike. As long as he could draw a tube of blood, small gains would accumulate until he had the advantage.

Zhang Yu asked with a smile, "Big guy, are you still all right?"

Fan Zhutian braced both hands on his knees and panted like an ox. "If you're all right, then I'm all right!"

Fan Zhutian charged again, but with far less momentum.

Zhang Yu's gaze sharpened slightly. He circulated his Dantian and infused the Azure Water Sword with Internal Energy.

He easily circled behind Fan Zhutian, then lowered himself sideways and thrust out with his sword, stabbing toward the tendons behind his opponent's right leg.

When the sword reached the flesh, Zhang Yu thought for a moment, then raised it three inches.

The sword pierced through the calf, and blood spurted out.

The giant staggered forward two steps before collapsing against the railing at the edge of the arena.

Zhang Yu withdrew his sword and stood upright, making no move to pursue him.

"Big guy, it wasn't easy for you to cultivate such formidable hard-body skills. I can't bear to injure you. Go down yourself."

Fan Zhutian was not an unreasonable man. Zhang Yu had held back with that sword. Otherwise, it would not have been a mere flesh wound—it would have severed his tendons.

"I've lost. I'm convinced."

He cupped his hands toward Zhang Yu. "I am Fan Zhutian, known in the martial world as 'Little Giant Spirit God.' May I ask your name, brother?"

"I am Zhang Liyu. I've only just entered the martial world and don't have a nickname yet."

Fan Zhutian laughed heartily. "Brother Zhang is just like his name. Your movements are as slippery as a carp rolling about. If we meet again in the martial world, I'll buy you a drink to thank you for sparing me today."

The people below the stage all cheered.

Zhang Liyu's footwork was exquisite, and when his final sword had decided the match, he had still been willing to hold back. This made his heroic character and broad magnanimity even more apparent.

Fan Zhutian dragged his injured leg off the arena. When he reached the embroidered tower, he refused the Lin Estate steward's offer of employment and took only the forty taels of silver.