"I'll help you work through the moves."
Cui Hao agreed, took up the starting stance of Broken Fist, and the two immediately began exchanging techniques.
As they went, he deliberately held back his strength, focusing on guiding and sensing his qi and blood.
They sparred for the time it took three incense sticks to burn, until a disciple came over to report, "Senior Brother Sun, someone's looking for you at the entrance."
Sun Cheng settled into a stance, nodded to Cui Hao, and hurried toward the entrance.
At the martial school's gate, Hu Tang paced anxiously. As soon as he saw Sun Cheng, he hurried over, his face livid. "Li Xiao refused. Go cripple Zong Gaonian for me."
"Father-in-law, even without Zong Gaonian, there'll be a Li Gaonian," Sun Cheng said with a frown. "The Yan Family is dead set on swallowing us up. The only option is to find someone at the same realm to trade blows with Zong Gaonian."
"Then what do you suggest?" Hu Tang had too much anger pent up inside him. He pointed at Sun Cheng. "How much silver has the Hu Family poured into you over the years? You can't even break into Dark Force. You're useless! Otherwise, how could the Hu Family suffer this humiliation?"
In Qingyuan City, no one could quite ignore the rules just because they had Dark Force—but no one dared provoke them, either.
His father-in-law had always been sharp-tongued. Sun Cheng took a deep breath. "Give me the gold, and I'll ask a junior fellow apprentice to fight."
"A junior fellow apprentice?" Hu Tang knitted his brows. "Who?"
"A true genius," Sun Cheng said in a lowered voice, full of conviction. "He's also at the peak of the Mortal Martial Realm, with his qi and blood at their height!"