Zhou Yun Makes His Move (Please Keep Reading)

"Senior Brother Chen, you've really gotten me into a fine mess..."

Zhou Yun could only smile bitterly. He'd just come to watch the others trade punches, but now he was the one who had to step into the ring.

"I truly had no choice... Junior Brother Zhou, just do your best."

Chen Jingping looked helpless, but spoke with utmost seriousness. "These bouts between guest retainers have always stopped short of causing serious injury. There's no danger of anyone losing their life... I know the guest retainers at White Phoenix Martial Hall. At most, they're only at the early stage of Bright Force."

"With your early-stage Bright Force and two martial arts you've mastered, even if you can't win, you should at least be able to wear each other out."

Zhou Yun thought for a moment. If his opponent was only at the early stage of Bright Force, then going up to claim the prize shouldn't be much of a problem...

He hadn't yet replied when the bald young man seated with the Shen Family rose, his face icy.

He didn't head elsewhere. He was walking straight toward the ring.

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

Chen Jingping's pupils contracted. He clearly hadn't expected this turn of events.

This was far from what he'd anticipated—worlds apart, in fact.

As a core member of the Xiang City Chen Clan, Chen Jingping had a vast network of contacts and sources of information. He'd brought Zhou Yun along this time just to secure a fallback. He hadn't expected that fallback to be needed.

Now not only was he counting on that fallback, but his opponent had also struck at the very foundation of his plans, bringing in a genius at the advanced stage of Bright Force who had mastered two martial arts.

Clearly, they'd come fully prepared.

"Senior Brother Chen, is there a reward if I win the bout?"

Seeing the bald young man step into the ring, Zhou Yun seemed unconcerned. Instead, he turned to Chen Jingping and asked.

"If you win, the Chen Family will give you ten percent of the monthly profits from the mine we're developing beneath White Phoenix Martial Hall!"

Chen Jingping made a bold promise. This wasn't the time to quibble over a little profit; even ten percent of the mine's profits was the most he could offer.

At this point, he no longer expected Zhou Yun to defeat his opponent. He only hoped Zhou Yun could use his advantage in movement to drag things out as long as possible...

"Good. Then wait here a moment, Senior Brother."

Zhou Yun set down his hot tea, took off his outer robe, and walked into the ring.

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

Chen Jingping froze. But as Zhou Yun's background came to mind, he secretly shook his head.

Though he'd sponsored Zhou Yun on a whim back then, he knew everything there was to know about him.

At present, Junior Brother Zhou had mastered only two martial arts. His cultivation had advanced rapidly, but he was still, at most, at the early stage of Bright Force. It wasn't as if he could suddenly comprehend a martial art to the advanced stage, could he?

Even if heaven smiled upon him and he comprehended one martial art to the advanced stage, that Shen Family expert had mastered two. How could Zhou Yun possibly compare?

Chen Jingping steadied himself, quickly thought things through, then stood.

"No, I have to ask my clan uncle to intervene. Otherwise, we'll lose the mine beneath White Phoenix Martial Hall for sure!"

He immediately called over a member of the Chen Family and sent him to fetch his clan uncle from Black Stone County. His eyes remained fixed on the ring.

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

Chen Jingping murmured to himself. Then he noticed Shen Qingxue watching the bout as well.

She still looked as cool and distant as ever, but her eyes were fixed on a young man.

"Zhou Yun, I still don't know how you managed to kill a Dark Force expert on your own that night. This time, let me see everything you're capable of..."

In the ring.

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

"Sky Sea Martial Arts Hall, Lei Wanjun."

The bald young man returned the salute. His eyes seemed calm, yet a storm churned beneath the surface, as if a torrential rain were about to sweep over them.

"After you."

Zhou Yun settled into the Black Ape Fist stance and waited for his opponent to make the first move.

He wasn't in a hurry. He decided to get a feel for the man's style before making any plans.

"After you."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Lei Wanjun lunged like a python, closing in on Zhou Yun with blinding speed.

His attacks were ferocious. He immediately moved in close, every strike aimed at Zhou Yun's face.

Zhou Yun was caught up in the onslaught for a moment, but calmly deflected the man's attacks. At some point, he had already begun using his footwork.

He moved as lightly as a Black Ape, his fists weaving between Lei Wanjun's palm strikes as his attacks gathered like an incoming tide.

Lei Wanjun furrowed his brow, realizing how difficult his opponent was to deal with.

Fists rained down around him, interspersed with his own attacks. If he took a hit, he would inevitably leave himself open.

So he changed his approach as well. His attacks gradually slowed, and he focused more on defending against Zhou Yun's fists.

Fist met fist, palm met palm. For a time, it was impossible to tell who had the upper hand.

"Could Junior Brother Zhou really pull this off?"

Chen Jingping's eyes lit up. He hadn't expected Zhou Yun to hold his own against Lei Wanjun right from the start.

After all, Lei Wanjun was an advanced Bright Force expert. The difference between that and the early stage was only a single word, but the gap was still enormous.

The difference was clear not only in the force of the inner energy released from one's dantian, but also in how long one could sustain martial arts mastered to the advanced stage.

Yet Zhou Yun seemed to be relying entirely on a martial art and a movement technique, both only mastered to the intermediate stage. His defense against Lei Wanjun's attacks looked clumsy, yet was precise.

"Martial intent?"

Chen Jingping saw what was going on. It seemed Junior Brother Zhou had gained some understanding of the two martial arts taught by Black Stone Martial Hall, giving rise to Black Ape True Intent.

Viewed that way, this bout might be worth watching after all.

At the Shen Family's seats, near the Sky Sea Martial Arts Hall delegation.

A burly man stood with his arms folded, calmly watching the scene.

He was Shen Qingxue's third uncle, the master of Sky Sea Martial Arts Hall: Shen Cangyue.

Shen Cangyue watched everything onstage, then suddenly turned his gaze to Shen Qingxue across from him and spoke slowly. "Qingxue, is this the person you chose for the position last time?"

"Yes, Third Uncle."

Shen Qingxue gave a slight nod, her expression still cool and distant.

She knew that her third uncle had been involved in the Dark Force assassins' attack last time, but because of their public roles, she couldn't confront him openly.

Some matters had to be investigated in secret. She couldn't bring them into the open.

"He's a promising young man. It's just a pity he's under Liang Wanshan."

Shen Cangyue shook his head, as if there were more to his words.

"Third Uncle seems to be in good spirits, bringing your closed-door disciple to help another martial arts hall. Aren't you afraid of bringing shame on your own hall?"

Shen Qingxue shot back without the slightest courtesy, taking a sip of White Phoenix Tea.

"There are things someone your age can't understand..."

Shen Cangyue fell silent and focused on the bout in the ring.

He'd made his living with his fists since childhood, and his dedication to martial combat was beyond that of ordinary people. He was also the only Transformation Force grandmaster who had weathered every move Liang Wanshan threw at him.

Some people had once said that if he hadn't been injured a few days earlier while escorting goods with the Sky Sea Chief Escort, the outcome of his battle with Liang Wanshan might still have been uncertain.

Shen Qingxue remained silent. She didn't understand why Shen Cangyue, who had treated her as his own daughter since childhood, had become the way he was now.

Was he truly only coveting the position of Chief Escort Leader? But he'd had so many opportunities before...

As her thoughts churned, the situation in the ring changed.

Zhou Yun moved. He began to take the initiative, launching an attack.