Calling Him Out by Name

Fang Mo watched the machine's screen, a little nervous.

He had no idea what level this batch would reach.

According to Xie Changmin, 60% was a pass, but a proper dose had to reach at least 90%.

Beep! The machine finished its test, and the results lit up on the screen.

[Name: Dragon Tiger Vitality Fluid]

[Quality: Ordinary, Low Grade]

[Energy Level: 68%]

Xie Changmin looked at the results, surprised. Then he said coolly:

"Only 68%. It barely passes. You've still got a long way to go!"

Inside, though, he was over the moon!

He had found a treasure!

How long had Fang Mo been studying under him? The boy had already made this much progress. Xie Changmin hadn't been nearly so capable back then; it had taken him half a year to make medicine of this quality.

Fang Mo scratched his head. "Yes, Teacher. I'll work twice as hard!"

Xie Changmin stroked his whiskers and said lightly, "Keep mixing. This Dragon Tiger Vitality Fluid is my own secret formula. Once you can produce a finished batch above 90%, this formula alone will keep you fed and comfortable!"

"Teacher, I'll study hard!"

Fang Mo nodded and hurried back to mixing the medicine. With so many batches left, raising his proficiency by a few dozen points today should be no problem.

"Good. Very good!"

"A little Martial Hall dares to threaten the Fang Family now!"

After hearing the woman in her fifties report what had happened, Hu Yuehua angrily smashed the cup in her hand.

The woman furrowed her brow. "Madam, Guan Lie is a martial artist at the peak of Hua Jin. He's well known in Yunyang's martial arts circles. He may be old, but his Tiger Subduing Fist is still formidable. He's trained many disciples, too, and quite a few now hold posts in important departments around Yunyang. That's why he dares to be so brazen!"

"How outrageous! They think they can walk all over us because we aren't a Martial Arts Family!"

Hu Yuehua's face darkened until it looked ready to drip water.

In today's world, martial artists stood above all others.

Whether it was interstellar warfare or planetary colonization, martial artists were indispensable.

Only martial artists had bodies strong enough to adapt quickly to the climates and environments of different planets. They fought powerful mutant beasts and savage alien races to open up new worlds. That was why their status was so high.

The Yunyang Fang Family possessed astonishing wealth, but it was not a Martial Arts Family.

In Yunyang, the other five great Martial Arts Families always held the upper hand over them.

The Fang Family employed plenty of martial artists as bodyguards and enforcers, but most were below Hua Jin. Those above Hua Jin rarely served another family as guards. At most, they accepted a family's financial support.

They might step in if the family faced a crisis, but that did not mean they would risk their lives for it.

So when Guan Lie said he would come knocking, Hu Yuehua could hardly sit still.

She was furious, but there was nothing she could do.

If Guan Lie really came to their door looking for a fight, the matter would blow up.

Word getting out that a stepmother had moved against a stepson already expelled from the family would sound awful. It would be hard to explain away, too.

She had always presented herself to the world as a devoted wife and loving mother. She could not let that image be ruined!

"Aunt Sun, do you know any experts? If not, post a bounty on the Dark Web and get rid of Guan Lie for me. The Fang Family has money if nothing else. Will ten million do? If not, make it a hundred million!"

She looked at the older woman, her voice thick with killing intent.

Aunt Sun's gaze grew thoughtful. "Madam, there's no need to go to such trouble."

"What do you have in mind?"

Hu Yuehua looked at her, puzzled.

Aunt Sun smiled faintly. "Madam, haven't there been rumors lately that the Qin Family is working with the Xiongying Martial Arts School? Xiongying has been challenging Martial Halls one after another. We could use that."

"You mean have Xiongying Martial Arts School challenge the Tiger Might Martial Arts School?"

"Exactly!"

Hu Yuehua's eyes lit up. Delighted, she said, "How did I forget about that? Aunt Sun, contact the Qin Family at once. Didn't they approach us about a partnership a few days ago?"

"If they defeat the Tiger Might Martial Arts School, we'll give them thirty million in funding!"

[Alchemy: Beginner (79/100)]

Fang Mo finished mixing all the medicine, raising his proficiency to 79 points.

His progress had been rapid. He no longer needed Xie Changmin's guidance!

But it took far too much time. He had spent the entire day in the alchemy room.

Beep, beep!

Just as he finished, his phone rang.

He thought it was Yue Jian, but when he took out his phone, he saw Xu Manli's name.

He frowned. She usually sent messages. Why was she calling him directly?

"Manager Xu, I thought there weren't any matches today?"

"Young Master Fang, something unexpected came up today. A fighter asked for you by name!"

Xu Manli's clear, soft voice came through the phone.

"Sorry, I'm a little tired today."

Fang Mo turned her down outright. He had spent the whole day making medicine, and he really was tired.

"Young Master Fang, please help us!"

Xu Manli's voice was pleading, with a touch of sweetness. "If you're willing to fight tonight, we can raise your pay to ten thousand. We'll also give you ten pounds of Exotic Beast Meat as a bonus!"

Fang Mo was tempted. He had just run out of Exotic Beast Meat.

With a thought, he entered his Sea of Consciousness, where golden writing appeared on the Bronze Mirror.

[Tiger Subduing Stance: Entering the Hall (1228/5000)]

[Tiger Subduing Fist: Elementary Mastery (967/1000)]

After all his arena fights and intense training lately, both his Tiger Subduing Stance and Tiger Subduing Fist had improved by leaps and bounds.

His Tiger Subduing Fist was close to a breakthrough. He thought it over. If he fought tonight, he could gain another twenty or thirty points.

Then he could break through tomorrow!

"All right. I'll come."

"Thank you, Young Master Fang. Be there on time tonight!"

Xu Manli's voice over the phone was sweeter than ever.

Fang Mo hung up, washed up quickly, ate a little, and headed for the Iron Stone Boxing Gym.

As he stepped outside, two people came out of the rear courtyard.

They were Guan Lu and Chi Jing.

"Fang Mo? He's going out again?"

Guan Lu spotted Fang Mo's back, her brows drawing together in displeasure.

Chi Jing saw him too. She said coolly:

"Senior Sister, why bother with him? It's not as though he'll accomplish anything with his training!"

"If he didn't live at the Martial Hall, I wouldn't care. But he does, and this will hurt our Martial Hall's reputation!"

She quickened her pace and went outside, intending to call out to Fang Mo. By the time she got there, though, he had climbed into a taxi and driven away.

Chi Jing hurriedly said:

"Senior Sister, forget about him. The others have probably gone ahead. We need to hurry if we want good seats. There's a fight between late-stage Bright Force martial artists tonight!"

Guan Lu glanced at Fang Mo's taxi, then frowned.

"Let's go."

Fang Mo arrived at Ironstone and met Xu Manli again.

Xu Manli studied him. She was curious about Fang Mo.

She had practically watched him improve. Now he had won eight matches in a row and had gained a little fame at Ironstone.

He had also brought the gym a fair amount of revenue, so she had grown much warmer toward him.

She poured him a glass of water and handed it over with a bright smile.

"Young Master Fang, thank you for coming. You've helped me out of a real bind!"

Fang Mo accepted the glass and smiled faintly.

"How strong is my opponent?"

Xu Manli picked up a sheet of information from the desk and handed it to him.

"He goes by Mountain Breaking Claw and practices the Eagle Claw Skill. His punching power is about the same as yours—three hundred and fifty kilograms—but his hand techniques are vicious!"

"Eagle Claw Skill?"

Fang Mo paused, then looked at Xu Manli. "I don't even know him. Why did he ask for me by name?"

A thought flashed through his mind. Eagle Claw Skill... Could he be from the Xiongying Martial Arts School?

Xiongying Martial Arts School had been making quite a name for itself lately, challenging one Martial Hall after another!

Xu Manli smiled faintly.

"Perhaps he saw you fight before!"

"All right. I'll take the match!"

Fang Mo nodded. He wanted to see what the Eagle Claw Skill was capable of.

He wanted a stronger opponent, too. His progress had noticeably slowed lately!

Xu Manli watched Fang Mo walk away, guilt flickering in her eyes.

Someone had indeed asked for him by name, but it was not the fighter. It was Qin Yuanping.

Qin Yuanping had challenged Chen Yeming to another match today.

Qin Yuanping had come to settle a score. He must have demanded Fang Mo because he still held a grudge over losing ten million before.

She had taken care to protect Fang Mo, quietly seeing him out after every match.

Unable to find him elsewhere, Qin Yuanping wanted revenge in the ring!

She had not wanted Fang Mo to fight.

But it was not her decision. Young Master Chen had made the call.