Zhou Yun Makes a Move (Seeking Reads)

"Senior Brother Chen, you have truly brought me to ruin..."

Zhou Yun offered a bitter smile. He had only come to watch the sparring match, yet now he was the one expected to step into the ring.

"It was truly a last resort... Junior Brother Zhou, just do your best."

Chen Jingping's face was full of helplessness as he spoke with utmost sincerity: "Sparring between guest retainers has always been about stopping at the point of contact; there is no risk of life or death... I am familiar with the guest retainers of the White Phoenix Martial Hall, and at most, they are only at the minor success stage of Bright Force."

"With your strength at the minor success stage of Bright Force, combined with two minor success martial arts, even if you cannot win the match, you should at least be able to fight to a mutual exhaustion."

Zhou Yun pondered for a moment. If the opponent was truly only at the minor success stage of Bright Force, it wouldn't be a big deal for him to go up and win a prize...

However, before he could speak, the bald youth sitting in the Shen Family's section stood up with an icy expression.

He did not head anywhere else; he walked straight toward the ring.

"This... isn't that the closed-door disciple of the Sky Sea Martial Arts Hall master? Since when did he become a guest retainer for the White Phoenix Martial Hall?"

Chen Jingping's pupils constricted; he clearly had not anticipated this turn of events.

This was far from what he had predicted—the difference was as vast as heaven and earth.

As a core member of the Xiang City Chen Family, Chen Jingping's intelligence network was vast. He had only brought Zhou Yun along as a safety net, never expecting that this safety net would actually be needed.

Now, not only was the safety net in use, but the opponent had also pulled the rug out from under them by hiring a genius who had reached the great success stage of Bright Force and mastered two martial arts to the great success level.

Clearly, they had come fully prepared.

"Senior Brother Chen, is there a reward for winning the sparring match?"

Seeing the bald youth enter the ring, Zhou Yun did not seem overly concerned, instead turning to ask Chen Jingping.

"If you win the match, I will grant you ten percent of the monthly profits from the mine the Chen Family operates under the White Phoenix Martial Hall!"

Chen Jingping made a bold promise. This was no time to be stingy with small gains, even if ten percent of the mine's profits was the absolute limit of what he could offer.

He no longer expected Zhou Yun to defeat the opponent; he only hoped that by relying on the advantage of his movement technique, he could drag the match out as long as possible...

"Very well, then please wait a moment, Senior Brother."

Zhou Yun set down his hot tea, removed his outer robe, and stepped onto the ring.

"What does he mean? Does Junior Brother Zhou actually have a way to win?"

Chen Jingping was stunned, but as the information he had on Zhou Yun surfaced in his mind, he shook his head inwardly.

Although he had sponsored the man on a whim, he knew everything about this Junior Brother.

Currently, this Junior Brother only possessed two minor success martial arts, and while his personal cultivation realm had broken through rapidly...

He was at most at the minor success stage of Bright Force. How could he suddenly have an epiphany and master a martial art to the great success stage?

Even if the heavens favored him and he achieved such an epiphany, that expert from the Shen Family had two martial arts at the great success stage. How could he possibly compare?

Chen Jingping suppressed his inner turmoil, thought quickly, and stood up.

"No, I must ask my clan uncle to intervene, otherwise the matter of the mine under the White Phoenix Martial Hall will truly be lost!"

He immediately signaled a member of the Chen Family to find his clan uncle in Black Stone County, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the ring.

"Junior Brother Zhou, I hope you can hold out for a little longer..."

Chen Jingping muttered to himself, suddenly noticing that Shen Qingxue was also watching the match.

Her expression remained as cold as ever, yet her eyes were fixed on a certain youth.

"Zhou Yun, I still don't know how you managed to kill a Dark Force expert alone that night. This time, let me see the full extent of your strength..."

On the ring.

Zhou Yun cupped his hands in a martial salute: "Black Stone Martial Hall, Zhou Yun."

"Sky Sea Martial Arts Hall, Lei Wanjun."

The bald youth returned the salute, his eyes revealing a calm surface hiding a turbulent depth, as if a rainstorm were about to sweep across the field.

"Please."

Zhou Yun assumed the stance of the Black Ape Fist, waiting for his opponent to make a move.

He was not in a hurry, deciding to gauge the man's style before making any plans.

"Please."

As the words fell, Lei Wanjun lunged like a python, closing the distance to Zhou Yun with lightning speed.

His offensive was fierce and relentless, immediately engaging in close-quarters combat, with every strike aimed at Zhou Yun's face.

Zhou Yun was momentarily entangled, but he calmly neutralized the man's onslaught, his feet already moving in a rhythmic, evasive pattern.

He was as light as a black ape, his fists weaving through the gaps in Lei Wanjun's palm techniques, his own momentum building like a rising tide.

Lei Wanjun frowned, realizing his opponent was difficult to deal with.

Those fists rained down, intermingling with his own attacks; one wrong move and he would surely leave an opening.

Therefore, he also changed his fighting style, gradually slowing his offensive and focusing more on parrying Zhou Yun's fists.

The two traded fist for fist and palm for palm, and for a moment, it was impossible to tell who had fallen into a disadvantage.

"Could Junior Brother Zhou really pull this off?"

Chen Jingping's eyes lit up; he had not expected Zhou Yun to fight Lei Wanjun to a standstill right from the start.

One had to know that the latter was a master of the Great Accomplishment of Bright Force. Although there was only a one-word difference from the Minor Accomplishment of Bright Force, the gap between them was significant enough.

Beyond the explosive power of the internal energy within the dantian, one could see the difference just by looking at the duration for which they could execute advanced martial arts.

Yet, throughout the entire exchange, Zhou Yun seemed to be using only one Minor Accomplishment fist technique and one Minor Accomplishment movement technique, yet he was precisely neutralizing Lei Wanjun's offensive despite appearing to be in a sorry state.

"Is it a Martial Dao True Intent?"

Chen Jingping discerned the trick, thinking that this Junior Brother Zhou must have gained an understanding of both martial arts from the Black Stone Martial Hall, thereby giving birth to the Black Ape True Intent.

Looking at it this way, this bout of fisticuffs was actually worth watching.

At the Shen Family seating area, near the Sky Sea Martial Arts Hall.

A burly man with his arms crossed over his chest stared calmly at the scene.

This person was none other than Shen Qingxue's third uncle, the master of the Sky Sea Martial Arts Hall, Shen Cangyue.

Shen Cangyue watched everything on the stage, then suddenly shifted his gaze to Shen Qingxue, who sat opposite him, and spoke slowly: "Qingxue, is this the candidate you chose for the post last time?"

"Replying to Third Uncle, it is."

Shen Qingxue nodded slightly, her expression remaining cold and detached.

She naturally knew that the Dark Force ambush last time had something to do with this third uncle, but due to their public standing, it was difficult to confront him on the spot.

Some matters had to be investigated in the shadows; they could not be brought to the surface.

"He is a good seedling, it is just a pity that he follows Liang Wanshan."

Shen Cangyue shook his head, his words carrying an underlying meaning.

"Third Uncle certainly has refined tastes, bringing your closed-door disciple to assist another martial hall; I fear it diminishes the prestige of your own hall."

Shen Qingxue retorted without a hint of politeness, taking a sip of White Phoenix Tea.

"There are some things that someone of your age simply does not understand..."

After saying this, Shen Cangyue stopped speaking and focused his attention back on the fisticuffs on the stage.

He had lived by his fists since he was young and possessed an extraordinary obsession with martial combat; he was also the only Transformation Force grandmaster who had survived all the moves under Liang Wanshan.

It was rumored that if he hadn't been injured while escorting a shipment with the Sky Sea Chief Escort just days before, the outcome of his battle with Liang Wanshan would have been uncertain.

Shen Qingxue remained silent; she did not know why Shen Cangyue, who had treated her like his own daughter since she was a child, had turned into the person he was today.

Could it really just be coveting the position of Chief Escort? But there had been so many opportunities before...

Just as her thoughts grew complex, the situation on the stage shifted.

Zhou Yun moved; he began to take the initiative to attack.