Playful Teasing

By dusk, after making some preparations, Luo Feng and Wang Cheng left Mingyue Community.

On the way, Luo Feng said, "Brother Wang, Uncle Wu said we'd settle this at Limitless Martial Arts Hall, so we can head straight there!"

"Mm, I haven't been to the hall in a long time. It'll be nice to look around!" Wang Cheng said with a smile, nodding.

.

They chatted as they went, and soon arrived together at Limitless Martial Arts Hall.

Besides Wu Tong, two other people were there at the hall.

One was "Fire Cannon" Chen Gu, and the other was "Eagle Blade" Kong Quan. Both were General-level Warriors, and they were the only two General-level Warriors in Mingyue Community.

Wu Tong had gone out of his way to bring both of them along, which showed how much importance he placed on Luo Feng.

The people from Lightning Martial Arts Hall hadn't arrived yet, so the people from Limit Martial Hall started chatting among themselves. They'd been getting along just fine, but when the conversation shifted to Wang Cheng, it gradually took a turn.

"Wang Cheng, I heard you left your team?"

"You're only twenty-five this year, right? If you work hard, you've still got a bright future ahead of you. What were you thinking?"

"Speaking of which, you're not young anymore. You've been a Warrior for years and dated plenty of women. How come you're still on your own? Ever thought about finding a wife? If you have, I can ask my wife to set you up with someone."

"..."

Wang Cheng was quite well-known in Mingyue Community. He was famous for being a playboy, going through girlfriends almost as quickly as he changed clothes.

Still, he was a Warrior of considerable social standing, so it wouldn't be hard for him to find a wife if he wanted one.

Of course, that had all been the old Wang Cheng. It had nothing to do with the Wang Cheng of today, and he wasn't looking for a wife at the moment anyway.

Wang Cheng gave them noncommittal answers, and soon Wu Tong and the others shifted their attention to Luo Feng.

Luo Feng was only eighteen, but under the laws enacted after the Great Calamity, he was already old enough to marry.

So the others teased him without the slightest embarrassment!

Luo Feng was terribly awkward. After all, he was a devoted man, and Xu Xin was the only one in his heart.

A little while later, the people from Lightning Martial Arts Hall arrived, and Luo Feng was finally freed from their teasing gazes. With their arrival, the relaxed, cheerful atmosphere in the hall turned tense in an instant.

Neither martial arts hall wanted its people to come out on the losing end, so the two sides naturally traded barbs.

Wang Cheng watched with interest and didn't say a word. As expected, by the end, things had taken a turn neither side had anticipated.

In a fit of fury, Zhang Zehu, whose temper was notoriously foul, would rather pay one hundred million to bail out his nephew than give Luo Feng thirty million in compensation.

Everyone was stunned by such a lopsided decision, but Zhang Zehu stood firm, so the people from Lightning Martial Arts Hall didn't try to talk him out of it.

"One hundred million! I've worked for five years and still haven't made that much!"

Just as the people from Lightning Martial Arts Hall were about to leave, Wang Cheng, who had been silent until then, suddenly smiled. "Mountain Splitting Tiger, I have a suggestion. Want to hear it?"

"You? Wang Cheng?"

Zhang Zehu looked at Wang Cheng. They were both Warriors from Yangzhou City, and both were High-level Warriors, so Zhang Zehu knew him, though the two hadn't had much to do with each other before.

"What do you want to say?" Zhang Zehu asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Since we're all Warriors, we should settle things with our fists!" Wang Cheng said with a smile.

"I'll fight you. If I win, you give that one hundred million to Luo Feng. If I lose, I'll make up the thirty million to Luo Feng myself, and Luo Feng will release your nephew. How about it?"

"You think you can take me?" Zhang Zehu scoffed.

Wu Tong, Kong Quan, and the others hurriedly leaned in and asked in low voices, "Wang Cheng, are you crazy? Zhang Zehu's an experienced High-level Warrior. He's probably close to becoming a General-level Warrior. You've only been a High-level Warrior for a short time. How could you possibly beat him?"

"I don't take the likes of Zhang Zehu seriously!" Wang Cheng said calmly. Then he added, "The real question is whether Luo Feng agrees."

"Brother Wang, I don't think that's a good idea." Luo Feng immediately tried to refuse. He wasn't the sort of person who liked taking advantage of others, and under Wang Cheng's proposal, he could hardly lose either way!

Wang Cheng, on the other hand, stood to lose big if he was defeated.

"What's wrong with it? He's just Zhang Zehu. A Warrior's strength isn't measured by age!" Wang Cheng said with a smile.

"..."

Looking at Wang Cheng's confidence, Luo Feng felt a sudden stirring in his heart. After thinking it over for a moment, he nodded. "I trust you, Brother Wang. But if Zhang Zehu gets lucky and beats you, you don't have to pay the thirty million. I'll agree to let Zhang Haobai go."

Luo Feng wasn't an irrational person. That morning, Wang Cheng had casually mentioned that he knew a thing or two about the Nine Heavens Thunder Blade, and it had completely changed Luo Feng's opinion of him.

Luo Feng had read many posts on Limitless Home. He knew that anyone who mastered the Nine Heavens Thunder Blade was among the strongest of Warriors. Although he didn't know why Wang Cheng had been so obscure before, he didn't think Wang Cheng would lie to him about something like this. That was why he agreed without hesitation.

Of course, since he didn't want to take advantage of Wang Cheng, he changed the terms of the proposal. If Wang Cheng lost, Luo Feng would simply agree to settle things with Zhang Haobai.

"If Luo Feng agrees, then we're all set!" Wang Cheng said with a smile and nodded. He didn't care about the terms Luo Feng had proposed. They could talk about that after the fight.

Since Luo Feng had agreed, Wu Tong and the others had nothing more to say. Still, Wu Tong asked, "Wang Cheng, you haven't been to the Wilderness Area in half a year, have you? Are you sure you can handle this?"

"No problem!"

Wang Cheng nodded, then looked across at Zhang Zehu and gestured for him to get ready.

"Hmph. How many years have you been a Warrior? I'm not afraid of you!" Zhang Zehu sneered, accepting the challenge.

"Then let me see what you've got, Mountain Splitting Tiger!" Wang Cheng said with a cheerful grin.

"..."

Warriors couldn't fight properly just anywhere, but this was the Limitless Martial Arts Hall in Yangzhou City, and it had enough space for two High-level Warriors to battle.

Still, with one hundred million on the line, they couldn't just start without taking precautions.

With Wu Tong, head of the Limitless Martial Arts Hall in Yangzhou City, and Cao Ming, head of Lightning Martial Arts Hall, as witnesses, Wang Cheng and Zhang Zehu signed a simple agreement to make sure neither of them backed out afterward.

Then everyone went to the training ground at Limitless Martial Arts Hall. Under the curious gazes of a crowd of students, Wang Cheng and Zhang Zehu each gripped an unopened broadsword and stood less than twenty meters apart.

"You're both Warriors who fight for humanity. You're not fighting monsters right now, so I expect you both to show restraint!" Wu Tong walked between them and warned them. Then he continued:

"The rules are simple. Whoever falls and can't get back up first loses!"

"Don't worry. I know my limits!"

Zhang Zehu swung his broadsword and sneered at Wang Cheng. "Thanks for saving me one hundred million!"

"No need to thank me!"

Wang Cheng beckoned to Zhang Zehu.

"Begin!"

Wu Tong could already feel the tension between the two. After giving the signal, he leaped away.

Whoosh!

The moment Wu Tong's voice fell, Zhang Zehu had already turned into a dark blur and charged at Wang Cheng.

Zhang Zehu was known as "Mountain Splitting Tiger," and his broadsword swept through the air with a fierce, tiger-like force. But just as he reached Wang Cheng, he suddenly felt as though something had caught his foot. A moment later, he stumbled.

Fortunately, Zhang Zehu managed to regain his balance in time. Otherwise, he would have landed flat on his face!

Zhang Zehu turned around and saw Wang Cheng standing right where he'd been, grinning at him.

"Mountain Splitting Tiger, you're pretty nimble! You even managed to stay on your feet. Maybe you should drop the 'tiger' and call yourself Mountain Splitting Cat instead!" Wang Cheng said.

"You're asking for it!" Zhang Zehu roared and charged again.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Zhang Zehu's broadsword struck toward Wang Cheng's vital points with every swing, but Wang Cheng merely shifted his body slightly, dodging every attack.

"Are you only going to dodge? Fight me!" Mountain Splitting Tiger shouted angrily.

"What a strange request!" Wang Cheng said with a laugh. The next instant, a blade shadow came at Zhang Zehu's face from an extremely tricky angle. With a smack, it sent him flying.

"That strike!"

The people from Limit Martial Hall and Lightning Martial Arts Hall watching nearby couldn't help but gasp. Luo Feng, who still lacked combat experience, only felt that the strike had been perfectly timed. Wu Tong and the others, however, understood how difficult it had been.

Even they weren't sure they could have dodged that sudden strike in Zhang Zehu's place.

"When did Wang Cheng learn a blade technique like that? And his footwork—he's better than Warriors who've mastered Micro-level footwork. Could he have reached the Perfect level?" Wu Tong and the others were all astonished, and deeply puzzled as well.

They knew Wang Cheng fairly well, and had never heard that he had a skill like this!

Even for a General-level Warrior, Micro-level footwork was considered good. Perfect-level footwork was something most Warriors could only hope to hone if they reached the War God level.

Wang Cheng was only a High-level Warrior, yet he'd displayed footwork beyond the Micro level. How could Wu Tong and the others not be shocked?

"It's definitely better than Micro level. I don't know if it's Perfect level, but if it is, that's incredible!" Wu Tong couldn't tell exactly how good Wang Cheng's footwork was, given his limited experience, but he was excited all the same.

After all, as the chief instructor of the Limitless Martial Arts Hall in Yangzhou City, Wu Tong was responsible for discovering talent!

Every time he discovered a talented Warrior, he earned considerable benefits. He already felt he'd struck gold this year after discovering Luo Feng. He hadn't expected to find Wang Cheng as well, so soon afterward!

While Wu Tong was thinking, Zhang Zehu repeatedly charged Wang Cheng, refusing to accept defeat and trying to fight him to the death. Unfortunately, Wang Cheng slapped him down every time.

And he really did slap him down—one blow after another landed across Zhang Zehu's face until it swelled up. Before long, the people from Lightning Martial Arts Hall couldn't stand watching any longer.

"Mountain Splitting Tiger, that's enough!"

Lightning Martial Arts Hall's chief instructor, Cao Ming, suddenly rushed into the arena and grabbed Zhang Zehu, who was still trying to charge at Wang Cheng.

"Wang Cheng, a match is one thing, but aren't you taking this too far?" Cao Ming asked, frowning at Wang Cheng.

"Zhang Zehu's close to the General level, and I'm no match for him in strength. This is the only way I can win!" Wang Cheng said with a smile.

"Besides, you're calling the match for Mountain Splitting Tiger. Did you ask him? If he keeps trying, I might slip up."

Wang Cheng's words made Zhang Zehu, who had just calmed down, hesitate. But he wasn't a fool. Once he'd cooled off, he quickly realized just how far behind Wang Cheng he was!

Although Zhang Zehu wanted nothing more than to kill Wang Cheng on the spot, he made no move.

"This time, Limit Martial Hall wins. We'll take the loss!" Cao Ming said with a forced smile. Then he led the people from Lightning Martial Arts Hall toward the exit.

"Don't forget the one hundred million!" Wang Cheng called after them.

"..."

They didn't reply. They simply picked up the pace and quickly left.

"Haha, don't worry. They can't wriggle out of it with that agreement signed!" Wu Tong said, laughing as he came over.

Luo Feng, Chen Gu, and Kong Quan followed close behind.

"Good grief, Wang Cheng, when did you learn that blade technique and footwork?" Chen Gu and Kong Quan both stared at him. Judging by the incredible blade technique and footwork Wang Cheng had just shown, they wouldn't dare claim they could beat him, even as General-level Warriors.

"I got the hang of them over the past few months at home!" Wang Cheng said with a smile. He didn't elaborate.

"At home?"

Wu Tong and the others naturally didn't believe him. If you could learn blade techniques and footwork like that at home, why would Warriors bother risking their lives fighting monsters?

When Luo Feng heard Wang Cheng, his expression grew even stranger. He'd seen Wang Cheng plenty of times over the past month, and his impression was that Wang Cheng was quite lazy. He didn't seem like the sort of person who could hone footwork and blade techniques like those.

Still, when they saw Wang Cheng didn't want to talk about it, they let the matter drop. Everyone had their secrets, after all!

"By the way, Hall Master Wu, keep what I did under wraps for a while. I'd like to enjoy a few more peaceful days at home!" Wang Cheng suddenly said.

"You..."

Wu Tong looked at Wang Cheng, at a loss for words. In the end, though, he agreed. After all, talent had to be willing to be discovered. What was the point of discovering someone who didn't want to be found?