"Elder, could you tell me why you agreed to this duel?"
On the arena, Zhang Yunhao looked at Raging Fire Mad Saber Lei Jue and asked, "Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to turn you against them. I was planning to kill you outright and didn't intend to waste time talking, but you're stronger than I expected, so now I'm curious."
"That's quite a bold thing to say."
Lei Jue didn't take offense. He shook his head and said, "Why else? For money. A junior I knew from way back came with a whole pile of silver and asked me to fight. I happened to be short on cash, so I agreed."
"I see."
Zhang Yunhao wasn't surprised. Even experts had to eat; they weren't as detached as the novels made them out to be. He smiled and said, "Since it's about money, that makes things easy. After I defeat you, I'll pay you to help me with something."
"Kid, I'm starting to think you're even more arrogant than I was at your age! Under normal circumstances, shouldn't I be the one threatening you right now? How did it turn into you threatening me?"
Lei Jue couldn't help laughing. He rather liked the kid, but he'd taken the money, and that meant he had a duty to do the job!
Below, the Bearded Strong Man scoffed loudly. "Tian Ming, what can you do besides brag? Senior Raging Fire Mad Saber, stop wasting your breath and kill him already."
Zhang Yunhao still ignored the man. He turned to Lei Jue and said, "Enough talk. I'll defeat you first, then we can discuss working together."
"If you'd dared to speak to me like that back in my day, I'd have cut you down on the spot."
Lei Jue found it amusing. "Enough about that. If you can beat an old man like me, you can do whatever you want. Come on!"
"Then I won't hold back. Leopard Fist!"
Zhang Yunhao didn't waste any more words. He stepped forward, making the arena shudder, then drove a punch straight out. A violent blast rang out as a surging gale rushed toward Lei Jue. Before the fist even reached him, the wind was already whipping Lei Jue's white hair into a frenzy.
"What incredible strength! What terrifying explosive power!"
Lei Jue couldn't help feeling startled. He'd heard people say Zhang Yunhao was immensely strong, but he'd never taken it seriously. How strong could raw strength really be? But now he realized he'd been wrong. This man's power was terrifying—even an old hand like him might not be able to take a single punch.
"No wonder you're so full of yourself. But if strength alone could win, there'd be no need for martial arts."
Lei Jue smiled faintly. His body seemed weightless as he drifted backward through the gale, dodging Zhang Yunhao's fierce punch. It was his Floating Paper Movement Technique.
"What amazing footwork! But, Elder, you're on the defensive now!"
Zhang Yunhao praised him, then seized the slight advantage he'd gained and launched a flurry of punches at Lei Jue like a storm. His speed was so great that fist shadows seemed to fill the sky, while the air crackled all around them.
Even Lei Jue seemed to have no choice but to keep dodging beneath such a violent, terrifying onslaught. He couldn't strike back at all.
"Divine Fist Blood Hand is even more formidable than I imagined. No wonder he built such an impressive record in so little time."
Everyone present watched in stunned amazement. If they'd gone up against him, they'd probably already be sprawled on the ground. The dozen or so bandit chiefs were especially glad they'd invited Raging Fire Mad Saber to fight. Otherwise, they'd have been done for.
In fact, it wasn't just them—even the Eighteen Heroes were astonished. They'd never seen Zhang Yunhao attack with such ferocity!
"So the Gang Leader never used his full strength before. This is his real power."
Zhang Dazhuang and the others marveled, their admiration for Zhang Yunhao growing by the moment. His imposing presence even reached the spectators watching from more than a hundred meters away, leaving them full of wonder.
"Divine Fist Blood Hand really lives up to his name. Even Raging Fire Mad Saber might not be able to take him down."
Many who'd assumed Tian Ming was doomed began to waver. Tian Ming's junior sister, Huang Lei, was just as dumbfounded. Was this really her senior brother? When had he gained such terrifying strength?
"It seems Senior Brother had an encounter of his own. No wonder he's grown so ambitious!"
Huang Lei's eyes flickered. Behind her, the Righteousness Twin Swords were delighted. With Tian Ming this strong, he might really win. Then they could use his strength to carry out their great undertaking and save Great Jin State!
On the arena, Zhang Yunhao's attacks grew even more ferocious. He could have knocked down a whole wall, yet he still wasn't giving it everything he had. He could even speak as he fought. "Elder, don't tell me that's all you've got. I'll be very disappointed!"
"Not bad, Tian Ming. Everyone underestimated you. Even when I was young, I was only about as good as you are now. But the thing is, I'm not the man I used to be."
Lei Jue naturally had more than this. Though he kept dodging, he remained perfectly composed, not the least bit flustered. He even had the leisure to say, "Besides, you have too many openings."
Zhang Yunhao pressed his attack harder and asked, "Oh? Tell me about them."
Lei Jue dodged as he offered his advice. "Your strength is tremendous, but because it's so tremendous, it's always carried you through. So you've never learned to control it. At least thirty percent of the force in every punch is wasted, and because you can't control your strength, you leave too many openings."
After a pause, Lei Jue added, "Of course, most experts can't do anything about your openings, even if they spot them. Overwhelming force can crush a hundred techniques. But against a top-tier expert, those openings could prove fatal."
Zhang Yunhao's pupils contracted slightly. In truth, he'd already noticed what Lei Jue was talking about. It wasn't that he didn't want to control his strength—his cultivation had grown too quickly for him to keep it in check. That was why he was eager to finish his mission and obtain the Mind Space.
Even so, that didn't mean Zhang Yunhao would lose. He said, "Elder, talk is cheap. If you've got the skill, then try me!"
"Then let's try! I hope you can survive one slash!"
Lei Jue smiled and silently placed his right hand on the hilt of the battered long saber at his waist. With a clang, the blade slid free.
In an instant, Lei Jue changed.
Before, he'd been nothing more than an old man you might see anywhere. But now that he held the saber, he was like a peerless blade, its edge fully revealed. Everyone present felt as if a saber hung above their heads, its menace pressing down on them.
This was the true Raging Fire Mad Saber. Before, he'd been nothing more than a long saber hidden in its sheath!
"Mad Demon Death Blade!"
Then Lei Jue struck. There was no complicated form, no dazzling display—just a plain, horizontal slash. Yet it landed precisely on an opening in Zhang Yunhao's fist technique, cutting toward his vital chest and abdomen.
More importantly, the slash was unimaginably fast, like a bolt of lightning. By the time you saw it, the blade was already about to cut into you. It even seemed impossible to dodge, no matter what you did!
Zhang Yunhao's expression changed. Though he tried with all his might to evade the blow, he still couldn't escape it. A streak of blood blossomed in the air!
Before you continue