Three Punches Sent Him Flying

Chen Jing walked forward slowly, then let his gaze sweep over Guan Shan again and again. Each time his eyes settled, it was as if he were weighing his opponent from the inside out.

Chen Jing had seen the exchange between Guan Shan and Xiang Lingfei just moments ago clearly.

Guan Shan's blood and qi were indeed stronger than Zhao Zonglin's, but when it came to combat experience, he was far inferior to Zhao Zonglin, who had spent years teetering on the edge of life and death.

His blood and qi were abundant, but restless.

His strength was formidable, yet untempered by real combat.

After weighing the two, Chen Jing was already confident he had this in the bag.

Within five moves, he would definitely send Guan Shan flying.

Just as Chen Jing approached, a sneering voice rang out.

"What? The one who lost went down, and now another one's here?"

Tang Jun looked at Chen Jing sidelong, contempt curling at the corner of his mouth.

Facing Tang Jun's blunt mockery, Chen Jing remained composed and cupped his fists. "I am Chen Jing, the martial artist currently employed by Zhuangyu Restaurant."

"Earlier, Junior Brother Xiang was simply itching for a fight, so he sparred casually with Brother Guan."

At Chen Jing's mention of itching for a fight, Xiang Lingfei's face instantly flushed red.

What did Chen Jing mean by that? Was he saying he was inferior?

If Zhuang Tao hadn't been standing nearby, Xiang Lingfei would probably have been unable to stop himself from scolding Chen Jing.

But he was the loser now. If he kicked up a fuss, he'd only embarrass himself further. So he could only swallow his anger, his face turning as red as the skin of an overripe sweet potato.

After hearing Chen Jing's explanation, Tang Jun let out a derisive laugh and looked him up and down, his scorn growing even more pronounced. "You're the martial artist from Zhuangyu Restaurant?"

"Don't tell me that after I beat you, someone else is going to jump out and claim he's the martial artist from Zhuangyu Restaurant. How long is this going to go on?"

Tang Jun's words made it clear he didn't take Chen Jing seriously at all.

Seeing Tang Jun humiliate Chen Jing like this, Zhuang Tao could no longer bear it. He quickly stepped forward and cut in coldly. "That won't happen."

"This bout will decide the winner!"

Those four brief words brought the street to an immediate hush.

At that, Tang Jun laughed even louder and beckoned to Guan Shan. "Go on. Knock him flat too."

Guan Shan came forward with an impatient look, sizing Chen Jing up.

As far as he was concerned, both Xiang Lingfei and Chen Jing were just defeated opponents of his.

After all, his blood and qi had now reached the peak of First Blood. It wouldn't be long before he broke through to Second Blood.

Taking on Chen Jing, a First Blood Martial Artist, would be a piece of cake!

"You'd better actually have some skill."

Guan Shan said coldly, "This time, I won't hold back!"

"If you're scared, get on your knees and surrender now."

As Guan Shan finished speaking, the crowd watched Chen Jing with intense anticipation.

After all, Guan Shan had declared that he would use his full strength in this bout.

Could Chen Jing, an obscure First Blood Martial Artist, really withstand Guan Shan's assault?

But Chen Jing only took a deep breath. His fingertips tensed slightly as he gathered his strength. Then he slowly raised both arms, lowered his shoulders and elbows, and shifted his weight down. His opening stance was steady and precise, and his blood and qi quietly coalesced around him. Clearly, he was ready to give the fight everything he had.

Guan Shan assumed the signature stance of the Mountain-Opening Hall.

As the two settled into their stances, the crowd erupted, their breathing growing quick and shallow.

Everyone fixed their eyes on Chen Jing and Guan Shan.

Liu Chuzhou, who had been upstairs the whole time, also turned his gaze toward them.

Liu Chuzhou had no intention of stepping in over Tang Jun's provocation of Zhuang Tao.

In his eyes, Tang Jun and Zhuang Tao were both insignificant figures.

He had only come this time to do the talented Xiang Lingfei a favor.

But given Xiang Lingfei's performance today, Liu Chuzhou had already lowered his assessment of him by an entire notch.

Under everyone's watchful gaze, Guan Shan's Mountain-Opening Fist Technique, heavy as a thousand catties, barreled straight toward Chen Jing.

As the two faced off, Guan Shan made the first move.

He stamped the ground with a crash, his body shooting forward like a boulder breaking loose from a mountain, his fists fierce and unstoppable.

No probing. No feints.

He went all out with his very first punch!

The air itself exploded under its force.

"He's coming!"

The crowd cried out at the sight.

Chen Jing furrowed his brow, threw his arms into motion, and met the attack with the River-Breaking Fist.

Thud!!

Fist met fist, and both men staggered backward.

The impact sent Chen Jing back three consecutive steps, each one making the flagstones tremble beneath his feet.

Guan Shan, meanwhile, retreated only one step before regaining his balance completely.

Seeing this, Xiang Lingfei shook his head and muttered, "He's only this strong, yet he still went and made a fool of himself. I'd say..."

Before he could finish, Zhuang Tao shot him a fierce glare from the side.

"They've only traded their first punch. What are you in such a hurry for? Shut up and watch!"

Xiang Lingfei was immediately silenced and could only shut his mouth in frustration.

Just then, Guan Shan's second punch came right on the heels of the first. It crashed down like a surging mountain flood, the fierce wind carrying overwhelming force and giving Chen Jing no time to catch his breath!

Chen Jing's mind was as hard as iron. As he continued to fend off Guan Shan's attacks, he kept his eyes fixed on the path of Guan Shan's fists.

Guan Shan's punches were as fierce as thunder, but the successive strikes had already drained a great deal of his blood and qi. His fists gradually slowed, and gaps in his defenses quietly began to widen.

The next second, Chen Jing suddenly raised his fist, the veins in his arm bulging. A strike of the River-Breaking Fist roared forth with a shrill sound that tore through the air.

Chen Jing's punch was so fast it was nearly impossible to follow. The crowd's vision blurred, and his fist was already upon them!

"So fast!"

"He was just being forced down a moment ago. How did he suddenly unleash that kind of power?!"

The onlookers cried out one after another, drawing in sharp breaths, their faces full of disbelief.

Upstairs, Liu Chuzhou's expression shifted slightly. A trace of surprise finally crossed his formerly indifferent eyes.

Facing Chen Jing's earth-shattering, lightning-fast assault, Guan Shan's pupils contracted to pinpoints, alarm exploding in his heart.

He had no time to block!

But how could he accept being defeated by a single punch? He clenched his teeth and forcibly twisted his body, throwing a punch with the last of his strength, trying to meet Chen Jing head-on and drive him back!

Thud!

The dull crash of fists colliding rang deafeningly.

Guan Shan felt his thumb and forefinger go numb at once. It was as if a red-hot sledgehammer had smashed into his entire arm. Agony raced through his meridians and spread through his body. He staggered half a step sideways, nearly losing his footing.

"What?!"

For the first time, Guan Shan's eyes widened with stunned disbelief, his face filled with shock.

Chen Jing's strength was several times greater than he had expected!

And Chen Jing wasn't about to give Guan Shan a chance to catch his breath.

Chen Jing stepped in and pressed forward, blood and qi churning around him. His fist suddenly gained another surge of power. The force of the River-Breaking Fist rolled like a river reversing its course, carrying a sharp whistle as it slammed toward Guan Shan's chest!

Thump!!

Amid the muffled impact, Guan Shan's chest tightened as though a massive boulder had ground across it. He was driven back three steps, his face instantly turning purplish red. A coppery sweetness surged up his throat, and he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood, only barely forcing it back down.

"Guan Shan... he's being completely overwhelmed?!"

The sudden turn of the fight sent the crowd into an uproar. Cries of astonishment rose one after another as many rubbed their eyes, unable to believe what they were seeing.

A moment ago, Guan Shan had been in the lead. In the blink of an eye, he'd been beaten into helplessness.

Compared with Xiang Lingfei's fight just earlier, the difference was like heaven and earth!

At that moment, the power of Chen Jing's third punch burst forth like the last thunderclap before a storm.

Chen Jing's fist moved at blinding speed, leaving only a fleeting afterimage in the air. His shout rang across the scene. "River-Breaking Fist!"

Bam!!!

The punch landed squarely on Guan Shan's lower abdomen. As its tremendous force thundered through him, Guan Shan's body was sent flying. He tumbled awkwardly through the air twice, crashed heavily to the ground, then rolled several yards before finally coming to a stop, raising a cloud of dust!

Pfft!!

Once he hit the ground, Guan Shan could no longer suppress the churning blood and qi in his body. He spat out a huge mouthful of blood, instantly staining the ground before him red.

He slumped to his knees, his whole body trembling violently. He didn't even have the strength to raise a hand, much less get up and fight again.

Seeing Guan Shan collapsed on the ground, spitting blood, the entire scene fell into dead silence. Even the sound of breathing seemed to vanish.

The next moment, an uproar like thunder exploded. "Guan Shan... was sent flying in just three punches?!"

"How is that possible? Who is Chen Jing, anyway? How can an ordinary First Blood Martial Artist be this strong?!"

In the private room upstairs, Liu Chuzhou's eyes narrowed sharply. He finally raised his previously half-lidded eyes and fixed them on Chen Jing, a thoughtful smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

In his eyes, this sharp-clawed, ruthless Chen Jing, who kept his edge hidden, was clearly more worthy of the Liu Family's investment than the rash Xiang Lingfei.

"This man... is no ordinary First Blood Martial Artist."

Liu Chuzhou murmured, a flicker of interest in his eyes.

Meanwhile, downstairs, the smile on Tang Jun's face had frozen completely. It was as if someone had slapped him hard, leaving his face stinging.

He'd just mocked Chen Jing for overestimating himself. Now, those words felt like slaps, whipping across his face.

Chen Jing calmly lowered his fist, his expression unchanged and his breathing still steady. "You fought well."

The words were casual, yet they were like an ice-tempered blade, stabbing into Tang Jun's ears, sharp and grating.

Tang Jun's face instantly turned the color of pig liver. Anger and wariness mingled in his eyes for the first time as he pointed at Chen Jing and shouted in a flustered rage, "You... you're clearly at the peak of First Blood, but you deliberately hid your strength earlier. You dared to conceal your true power!"

At this, Zhuang Tao's spirits soared. He hurriedly stepped forward and shouted at Tang Jun, "When martial artists spar, what matters is their skill with their fists, not their boasts!"

Zhuang Tao's imposing presence made Tang Jun instinctively retreat half a step. For a moment, he was left speechless.

Xiang Lingfei, standing nearby, was even more at a loss for words. His face turned pale and green by turns, and his earlier arrogance vanished without a trace.

He had just told Chen Jing not to go up and embarrass himself.

But now, it was clear that he was the real clown.

"Clap, clap, clap..."

Just then, the crisp sound of applause suddenly rang out, cutting off Tang Jun before he could speak.

The next moment, the noisy crowd seemed to part under some invisible force, opening a path on its own. Liu Chuzhou walked down from the second floor with his hands behind his back, a meaningful smile on his face. His gaze remained fixed on Chen Jing from beginning to end, his steps steady and his presence impossible to ignore.

"Brother Liu!"

Seeing him, Xiang Lingfei's heart tightened. He hurriedly stepped forward and tried to strike up a conversation, hoping to salvage some face.

But Liu Chuzhou seemed not to have heard him at all. He walked right past him and steadily approached Chen Jing.