Reputation Beyond His Abilities

"Chu-zai, that guy, that guy..."

Far away in the crowd, Fish Head Xu spotted the short-haired young man and excitedly tugged at Yang Chu's sleeve, clearly stunned.

"I saw him."

Yang Chu's gaze was fixed on the short-haired young man too. He had spotted him even before Fish Head Xu.

The short-haired young man had arrived at the Shark Martial Arts Gym later than Yang Chu and Fish Head Xu, but not by much. He had already been standing among the crowd when Awakened Lion made his entrance.

"But why did he toss back the person who'd wanted to challenge Shark Yan? Was it because he didn't want Shark Yan to be challenged first today?"

Yang Chu's eyes flickered as his mind raced, piecing together what he'd observed.

When Shark Yan had loudly called, "Who wants to test his mettle?" the short-haired young man hadn't come forward. Instead, he'd seemed to be waiting for something.

But when a boxer from some martial arts gym stepped out, the short-haired young man had jumped in to stop him and issued his own challenge.

There was something intriguing about the way he'd acted.

"Looks like you're not with the others."

Outside the Shark Martial Arts Gym, Mai Rong'en watched as the short-haired young man challenged him. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, then he seemed to see through the young man's intentions and sneered. "But you picked the day of my grand opening to challenge me. Heh, looking to make a name for yourself? I'll make that happen."

With a ripping sound, Mai Rong'en tore off his training shirt, revealing a lean, muscular upper body that looked forged from steel. He clasped his hands in salute to the short-haired young man. "Shark Martial Arts Gym, Mai Rong'en."

When the short-haired young man heard Mai Rong'en say, "Looking to make a name for yourself?" an intense fighting spirit seemed to surge through him. He clasped his hands firmly. "Unity Sect, Xiahou Wu."

"Good name. Let's see if your skills are any good."

In the middle of the crowd, Shark Yan raised his fists into a boxing guard and rolled his shoulders. Then, with a sudden sliding step, he closed in on Xiahou Wu and struck at his face with a jab.

Xiahou Wu neither dodged nor retreated. He raised his left hand to deflect the jab, but Shark Yan's right hook was already driving toward his chest and abdomen.

The two punches came fast, following a common boxing combination.

Most people could block the first jab, but would find it almost impossible to handle the hook that followed right after.

Xiahou Wu showed no sign of panic. He still didn't retreat. His shoulders, hips, waist, and back moved as one as he swept his arm across and pressed down, solidly blocking Shark Yan's hook.

Shark Yan's expression shifted. His hook was a signature power punch, heavy and fast, carrying several hundred pounds of force. His opponents always dodged such a blow; almost no one, like Xiahou Wu, had ever met it head-on.

That single exchange made Shark Yan cast aside his contempt. He knew Xiahou Wu was a formidable opponent.

But Shark Yan didn't change his move. Instead, he twisted his arm, turning the hook into a straight punch. His shoulder jerked, and his already-blocked right fist suddenly shot forward another inch.

The burst of force was so subtle and cleverly applied that even Xiahou Wu hadn't anticipated it. He took half a step back, just avoiding Shark Yan's fist.

"Short-range power?"

A flicker of surprise crossed Xiahou Wu's face. He hadn't expected Mai Rong'en to blend such a technique into his boxing.

"And there's more where that came from!"

Mai Rong'en bared his white teeth. His fierce face twisted into a savage grin, and his arms suddenly whipped back and forth like a pair of iron lashes, hammering toward Xiahou Wu with a series of sharp cracks.

Xiahou Wu blocked several blows in succession, then abruptly dropped into a nimble low stance and circled behind Mai Rong'en.

Mai Rong'en spun around like a tiger turning to face its prey. He let out an angry roar, channeling his force into the strike. With his shoulder lowered and back extended, his body formed a straight line as he drove a punch directly at Xiahou Wu's heart.

Xiahou Wu swayed and evaded Mai Rong'en's fist once more. In the blink of an eye, the two leaped and darted around, constantly shifting positions as the impacts of their punches and kicks cracked like explosions.

The crowd surrounding the Shark Martial Arts Gym was startled by the terrifying force of their clash and hurriedly backed away five or six meters.

Mai Rong'en moved on quick, weaving steps. At times he boxed, his fists falling like raindrops; at others, he mixed in elbows, wrist strikes, body blows, and other techniques.

Xiahou Wu, by contrast, barely changed his approach from start to finish. He mostly blocked and dodged, keeping his eyes on Mai Rong'en's every move as if trying to see through his entire style.

Suddenly—

As Mai Rong'en stepped in to pursue Xiahou Wu with a flurry of attacks, his hand struck empty air. Xiahou Wu's hidden phoenix-eye fist landed with a sharp smack beneath his arm.

"Ah—"

As though the blow had hurt him, Mai Rong'en roared. He bent his right arm and drove his elbow down, lunging forward as he thrust it toward Xiahou Wu's chest.

Xiahou Wu drew in his chest and stepped back half a pace. Before Mai Rong'en's elbow could land, he countered with a hook to the muscles on the inside of Mai Rong'en's upper arm.

The fierce force threw Mai Rong'en off balance. Xiahou Wu followed with a swing punch to the back of his head. With a thud, Mai Rong'en pitched forward and crashed hard to the ground.

The exchange had been astonishingly fast. Most of the punches and kicks were too quick for the onlookers to see clearly.

They had only seen the two leap and dart around, trading a flurry of blows, and then Mai Rong'en had ended up on the ground.

The whole place fell silent.

"Master!"

"Master, are you all right?"

After a long moment, the disciples and students in training clothes outside the Shark Martial Arts Gym rushed over to help Mai Rong'en when they saw him fall.

Several others glared furiously at Xiahou Wu. If they hadn't known they were no match for him, they might have rushed at him.

Supported by his students, Mai Rong'en swayed, unable to stand. He had fallen so hard that his nose and mouth were cut, and his face was covered in blood. He looked utterly wretched, nothing like the Hong Kong and Macao boxing champion who had once looked down on everyone.

"Hey, what's going on here? You know fighting isn't allowed here, right?"

Just then, a uniformed policeman patrolling a nearby street pushed through the crowd. He glanced at Mai Rong'en, lying on the ground with blood all over his face, then at Xiahou Wu standing nearby, before turning to Mai Rong'en. "Hey, are you hurt?"

He then looked back at Xiahou Wu, placing his right hand on his holster. "Did you do this?"

Xiahou Wu paid the uniformed policeman no attention. Looking only at Mai Rong'en, who was sitting on the ground supported by his students, he said coolly, "Wing Chun inch power, Tongbei Splitting Mountain, Baji Heart-Striking Elbow, Hung Gar's Three Hammers, Chaquan's Seven-Star Hands, and boxing footwork—you've learned a little of everything, but mastered none of it. You've dabbled in all sorts of styles without integrating them. You'd be better off specializing in one. The Hong Kong and Macao boxing champion is overrated."

After speaking, Xiahou Wu walked over to the open space where he'd been before and picked up his enormous backpack. Without sparing anyone a glance, he walked out through the crowd.

The uniformed policeman, the disciples of the Shark Martial Arts Gym, and the many onlookers were all cowed by Xiahou Wu's presence. For a moment, no one dared stop him; they could only stand and watch.