Rising to Fame

Cheng Heng met him with the Tiger-Subduing Fist Technique. His skin, flesh, and sinews instantly tensed, and he drove the Vajra Art to its utmost limit, making his entire body seem as though it were clad in a layer of refined steel!

"Bang!"

With a heavy crash, their fists and kicks collided, and both men staggered back several paces!

The crowd beneath the arena cried out in alarm.

Yang Qingyun's expression gradually turned grave. The scene he had expected had not unfolded; the two sides had actually fallen into a bitter struggle at the same time!

Where had this unknown brat come from?

Was he really from the Outer City?

"Hm!?"

Wu Zhenyue's heart shook violently. The Iron Sand Palm that had always swept through everything in its path was actually useless against this brat today!

Moreover, after exchanging several moves, Cheng Heng's external training was clearly no weaker than his own!

The Iron Sand Palm he had painstakingly cultivated for decades could not even penetrate the other man's skin, flesh, and sinews.

Unwilling to give up, Wu Zhenyue gritted his teeth and activated the Hidden Force throughout his body. A dim glow wrapped around his palms as he tried to send that Hidden Force into Cheng Heng's internal organs.

Spotting an opening, he suddenly exerted force with both palms and chopped down at Cheng Heng's head from above. This was his trump card—Mountain-Splitting Strike!

A sharp light gathered in Cheng Heng's eyes. He mobilized all the Hidden Force within him, sending it surging along the sinews of his arms to his palms. Neither dodging nor retreating, he raised his fist to meet the attack head-on, fist and palm crashing together.

A piercing muffled groan exploded as dust instantly billowed across the center of the arena!

Wu Zhenyue felt a dense, heavy force flow backward through his palm. The meridians in his arm suddenly swelled with pain, while his bones gave faint cracks as though they could no longer bear the strain.

Cheng Heng, on the other hand, only retreated seven or eight steps and panted heavily, yet he was clearly uninjured!

The wealthy landowners watching below had originally thought this would be a battle that swept away dead wood and crushed rotten branches. Instead, the situation on the field had become increasingly inscrutable.

In a life-and-death struggle, not even the slightest carelessness could be tolerated.

At this point in the fight, Wu Zhenyue had no choice but to admit that he had underestimated Cheng Heng earlier.

Wu Zhenyue's face abruptly grew solemn. With a furious roar, he charged forward at lightning speed like a heavy cannonball.

Wu Zhenyue brought his palms together and, in the blink of an eye, launched a surprise attack before Cheng Heng. Then he viciously struck toward Cheng Heng's head.

If this blow landed, it would send his skull flying!

Cheng Heng united waist and stance, shifting his body slightly to the side and narrowly avoiding the palm. He then twisted his wrist, his five fingers clamping down like steel hoops around Wu Zhenyue's arms as the Hidden Force throughout his body continuously surged into Wu Zhenyue's meridians and limbs.

Wu Zhenyue was utterly horrified, a chill shooting straight to his scalp!

Not good! I can't let Cheng Heng keep entangling me like this! He used all his strength to pull back his arms, but Cheng Heng's hands held them tightly fast. No matter how he struggled, he could not break free from Cheng Heng's iron-cast arms.

Then Cheng Heng twisted hard. "Crack!"

A crisp sound of breaking bone rang out. Wu Zhenyue's left arm was brutally snapped, white bone breaking in the middle!

"Aah!!!"

Wu Zhenyue screamed, his eyes bloodshot. Disregarding everything, he gathered all the Hidden Force in his body into his right palm, then slammed it heavily into Cheng Heng's chest!

Cheng Heng took that powerful, heavy palm strike head-on, while his right fist viciously smashed into Wu Zhenyue's throat.

"Pfft!"

Wu Zhenyue's neck gave a crisp crack. His entire body jolted, his eyes bulged, and he sprayed a mouthful of blood before collapsing limply onto the arena.

Clutching his chest, Cheng Heng staggered back dozens of steps, blood gushing from his mouth. He stopped at the edge of the arena and began regulating his breath, suppressing the surging blood and qi within him.

By this point in the match, victory and defeat had already been decided.

Wu Zhenyue no longer had any strength to fight back. If he was not treated in time, he likely would not have long to live!

The crowd below was still left dumbstruck by the scene before them, and many could hardly believe their eyes!

Wu Zhenyue had actually lost, while the obscure Cheng Heng had won!

"Quick! Someone come and take Master Wu to the Inner City to find the best physician!"

Yang Qingyun's face turned livid as he shouted sternly.

The Yang Family members below rushed onto the arena, hurriedly lifting Wu Zhenyue and running toward the Inner City.

Wu Zhenyue was taking more breaths out than in. With great difficulty, he said to Yang Qingyun:

"Me... if I die... please... Family Head Yang... take care of... my family..."

"Rest assured, Master Wu!"

Yang Qingyun took a deep breath and said gravely:

"Quick! Hurry! Send Master Wu back to the Inner City! Spare no cost to save Master Wu's life!"

The Yang Family members carried Wu Zhenyue away, their hurried footsteps vanishing into the crowd.

Watching this, Cheng Heng shook his head with a complicated expression. Even if Wu Zhenyue was saved, he would likely be crippled for the rest of his life!

In this match, neither Wu Zhenyue nor Cheng Heng had held back. That was the greatest respect they could offer their opponent!

Those who belonged to the martial world died in the martial world. As martial artists, they should have long possessed such awareness.

After the Yang Family members disappeared, the multitude beneath the arena finally erupted into cries of disbelief.

An established Hidden Force expert had actually been defeated by Cheng Heng!

Only then did the Wang Family members seem to awaken from a dream, staring at the scene before them in disbelief.

This young man before them had actually brought a miracle to the Wang Family!

Wang Duchuan looked dazed. "Heaven has blessed us, allowing my Wang Family to preserve our family estate!"

Wang Duchuan had not held much hope for Cheng Heng, never imagining that he would win in such spectacular fashion!

Wang Ming was even more dumbfounded. He rushed onto the arena and tightly embraced Cheng Heng.

"Brother Cheng, you truly are the savior of my Wang Family!"

At a loss for what to do, Cheng Heng coughed heavily several times. Only then did Wang Ming start in surprise and release him.

Cheng Heng had also suffered serious injuries in this match.

If the second layer of the Vajra Art had not protected his body, Wu Zhenyue's Iron Sand Palm strike could likewise have taken Cheng Heng's life.

"Quick! Hurry! Send Cheng Heng back to the Inner City and find the best physician to treat him. We absolutely cannot let any hidden injuries remain!"

Wang Duchuan cast Wang Ming a cold glance, then spoke to the many Wang Family disciples behind him.

"Brother Cheng, forgive me. I was so happy that I forgot you were injured too!"

"Come with me. We'll return to the Inner City and find the best physician to treat you!"

Wang Ming scratched his head, looking thoroughly embarrassed.

Cheng Heng did not resist. He followed Wang Ming into a carriage and returned to the Inner City to have his wounds treated!

The injury to his chest was not light. It needed immediate treatment; otherwise, if it truly left behind hidden damage, it would cause immeasurable losses to his future martial cultivation.

"The Wang Family wins today's match!"

With that announcement, today's match finally came to an end, concluding with the Wang Family's victory.

The many merchants and landowners below watched in astonishment. They had never expected today's match to be completely overturned by a youth who had appeared out of nowhere.

After everyone had left, Yang Qingyun watched the carriage carrying Chen Qing disappear, his expression gradually turning grave.

He had never anticipated today's outcome. This match had completely lost the Yang Family the painstaking efforts they had invested over three full years. From now on, it would be difficult for the Yang Family to gain a foothold in Gaoyang County!