Slaying Wu Ming in the Arena

"A martial duel?!"

"Hahaha, you greenhorn actually dare to challenge Master Wu to a martial duel."

"Fine, I shall grant your wish!"

Wu Ming laughed wildly.

Zhou Zhongru, standing to the side, also revealed a smile.

Li Beichen's proposal played right into his hands.

In the Thirty-Six Trades, and indeed throughout Ram City, a martial duel was the most direct method for resolving disputes.

Once agreed upon, even if one were injured, maimed, or killed on the spot, no overt retaliation was permitted.

They believed that with these words, Li Beichen was digging his own grave.

"As it happens, there is a martial arena in the courtyard in front of the trade association. Once the life-and-death waiver is signed, you may proceed."

Zhou Zhongru looked at Li Beichen.

"Consultant Li, there is still time to change your mind!"

"No need, just bring the life-and-death waiver!"

Li Beichen's repeated refusals made Zhou Zhongru's expression turn ugly. He turned his back to Li Beichen and gestured to Wu Ming with a clenched fist.

This was a signal for Wu Ming to show no mercy.

Anything was permitted, so long as he left him alive.

Only by keeping Li Beichen alive could they scheme to obtain his secret formula.

The martial arena outside the Meat Trade Association was a square platform.

It stood three feet off the ground, constructed of blue bricks.

Passersby could see it clearly.

Li Beichen and Wu Ming signed the life-and-death waiver.

Then, they leaped onto the arena.

The surrounding pedestrians saw this and immediately erupted into a clamor.

"Look, a martial duel!"

"And it's between ranked martial artists! That one is Wu Ming, the consultant for the Meat Trade!"

"His opponent must be a ranked martial artist as well."

The crowd surged forward all at once.

They surrounded the arena, blocking it off completely.

The chance to witness a public duel between two ranked martial artists was rare.

For ordinary people, it was a tremendous thrill.

The news spread rapidly through the Market Ward and even reached the Jinglong District.

Wang Er and the senior and junior brothers from the Like-Elephant Martial Hall received the news and hurried over.

In Ram City, a martial duel was a rather solemn affair.

It required a respected elder to preside over it, and they could not be from the same trade as the participants.

Following the rules, an old doctor from the Medicine Guild was invited to preside over the duel between Li Beichen and Wu Ming.

The elder displayed the signed and thumb-printed life-and-death waiver to the onlookers.

At the same time, he read aloud in a loud voice.

"The rules of the martial duel: bare hands only, leaving the platform constitutes a loss."

"However, fists and feet have no eyes; life and death are left to fate!"

"Today, Li Beichen and Wu Ming have established this life-and-death waiver; each shall be responsible for their own injuries or death."

Although Li Beichen and Wu Ming had signed a life-and-death waiver, they could still choose to jump off the platform to concede if they were outmatched, and weapons were prohibited.

This was a lower-intensity martial duel.

The highest form was a fight to the death, where blades were permitted and there was only one rule: only one person could leave the stage alive.

The summer sun blazed, but Li Beichen's eyes remained cold.

Under the gaze of hundreds of people.

He nodded, confirming the life-and-death waiver was correct.

Wu Ming did the same.

Seeing this, the elder took a deep breath and announced with a resonant voice.

"I declare... the martial duel, begin!"

The moment the words fell, Wu Ming charged toward Li Beichen like a rampaging wild boar.

Li Beichen could even clearly see the layers of fat rippling on his face.

Today's duel was limited to fists and kicks; although Li Beichen had his Locust Stone on him, it was only as a precaution.

If Wu Ming did not resort to underhanded tactics, he did not intend to use the Locust Stone.

Fair and square, fist to flesh.

Both being in the Ninth Grade, Li Beichen was confident he could easily suppress Wu Ming.

Facing Wu Ming's ferocious attack, Li Beichen raised his hand, and a thunderous crack erupted.

The power of Ming Jin unleashed a thousand catties of force.

His fist was like an Ivory Fist Spike aiming to pierce the heavens.

Giant Elephant Fist, Second Form, Ivory Fist Spike!

"Good lad!"

Pa! Wu Ming also exerted his full strength, striking out with a sharp crack.

Peng!!!

Their fists collided, emitting a dull, heavy thud.

Li Beichen remained rooted to the spot, while Wu Ming stumbled back three steps.

Wu Ming put his hands behind his back, rubbing his aching knuckles, and cursed under his breath.

"This brat, his fists are tough."

He looked at Li Beichen, the flesh on his face twitching.

"Let's see how many cracks you can manage!"

In Wu Ming's view, Li Beichen had only just entered the Ninth Grade; even if his talent was astonishing, he wouldn't be able to produce many explosive sounds.

Once his initial burst of energy faded, he would be exhausted.

At that point, he would naturally be at his mercy.

Li Beichen saw through Wu Ming's thoughts; his eyes narrowed, his gaze as sharp as a falcon's.

Between his punches, another thunderous, crisp crack rang out.

Peng!!!

Wu Ming stumbled back three steps.

Li Beichen pressed forward.

Pa! Pa! Two lightning-fast punches carried the sound of wind and thunder.

Wu Ming struggled to parry.

After four consecutive explosions, Li Beichen could see that Wu Ming was now spent, unable to produce another sound.

"Stuck in the Ninth Grade for over a decade—I don't know how much you've neglected your martial arts to only be able to manage four cracks."

"I surren—"

Li Beichen threw another full-force punch, his body like a great bow and his fist like an arrow released from the string; the thunderous sound was like a snapping bowstring, coming before Wu Ming could finish his surrender.

Aiming straight for his face, he struck.

Peng!!!

Wu Ming flew backward, a mouthful of teeth scattering across the floor.

He was dazed in mid-air, his consciousness blurring.

Do not let up on a cornered foe!

Li Beichen stepped forward again, raising his fist to strike.

Wu Ming regained a sliver of consciousness, looking at the fist rapidly enlarging before his eyes.

Terror instantly flooded his face.

"Spare me..."

Li Beichen's fist stopped three inches from Wu Ming's face.

"Speak, who put you up to this? Was it Zhou Zhongru!"

"Yes, it was all him! I'm just a hired hand, spare this lowly one, master..."

Peng!!!

Li Beichen's fist suddenly descended.

"Ah!"

A miserable howl.

But under Li Beichen's relentless punches, Wu Ming's voice gradually faded away.

Only the sound of Li Beichen's fists tearing through the air echoed in the surroundings.

The onlookers, who had been excited and cheering just moments ago, fell silent as cicadas in late autumn under the weight of those successive blows.

A chill rose from the depths of their hearts.

What a ferocious youth...

Up in the Chamber of Commerce pavilion, Zhou Zhongru's expression was incredibly grim.

"Utterly useless, to be beaten by a seventeen-year-old youth."

"I'll have to pull strings at the Thunderbolt Martial Hall again to find an Eighth-Grade martial artist."

"I wonder how much more profit I'll have to offer Huang Baitao..."

Men die for wealth, just as birds die for food.

Those blinded by greed often take desperate risks.

Though Zhou Zhongru was shaken at this moment, he was still thinking of other ways to seize Li Beichen's property.

In his eyes, Li Beichen was merely a hotheaded boy with some brute strength; he might have been caught off guard for a moment, but the boy could never turn the tables on him.

He had secretly plotted the deaths of Eighth-Grade experts before, and he had backers behind him; a mere Ninth-Grade was nothing to worry about.

On the martial arena.

Li Beichen confirmed that Wu Ming had stopped breathing, then delivered one final, heavy punch before standing up.

Fresh blood dripped from his knuckles onto the stage.

The martial arena was already stained with dark, indelible crimson.

Now, it bore a fresh mark.

The destiny of countless martial artists ended right here.

Li Beichen scanned his surroundings; no one dared to meet his gaze, and they all instinctively lowered their heads.

The fight had ended quickly, with only a few moments having passed.

He looked toward the elder from the Medicine Guild who was presiding over the match.

The white-haired old physician snapped out of his daze.

He hurriedly stood up and stepped forward, checking Wu Ming's breath and pulse before shaking his head.

However, he saw scenes like this several times a year and had long since grown accustomed to it.

He looked at the crowd and announced the result.

"The winner of the martial duel is..."

"From Jinglong District, Li Beichen!"