Another Match

Zhou Zhennan strode quickly toward Shi Kang.

Seeing this, Lu Hao yanked Shi Kang behind him and said in a low voice, "Kangzi, get down. Leave this to me!"

Seeing Zhou Zhennan's menacing aura, Shi Kang was just about to say something.

Lu Hao seemed to know what he was worried about and added, "Don't worry. I can handle it!"

With that, Lu Hao stepped forward and stood in front of Zhou Zhennan.

Zhou Zhennan's eyes were bloodshot. He clenched his right fist, raised it, and unleashed Water Serpent Flicks Its Tongue, smashing it toward Lu Hao's face.

At the sight of this, Qian Hao, seated on a stone bench beside the arena, felt his heart sink sharply.

Zhou Zhennan was the deputy hall master of the Water Serpent Gang's Clear Water Hall. He was on par with Qian Hao, both of them Martial Apprentices at the Second-Layer Gate-Breaking Realm.

Even at Qian Hao's peak, if he fought Zhou Zhennan one-on-one, the odds of victory would only be fifty-fifty.

As for Lu Hao, a lowly gang member who had not even awakened his Qi-Blood, the outcome of facing Zhou Zhennan was self-evident.

At that thought, Qian Hao turned his head and closed his eyes, unable to bear watching Lu Hao die miserably in the training grounds.

No sooner had Qian Hao closed his eyes than a dull bang sounded from the training grounds. It was followed by several coughs of blood, then a few faint "Hah... hah..." sounds. Finally, there came a thud, like the sound of a body hitting the ground.

Qian Hao let out a long sigh. He was the person in charge of these negotiations. Other than Shi Kang's victory, they had lost the other two matches, and Lu Hao had even died in the training grounds.

This time, not only would he lose his own life here, but he had also thrown away all the Black Tiger Gang's prestige.

At that moment, the arena was deathly silent.

Several breaths passed, yet there was still no movement at all.

Qian Hao could not help turning his head. He slowly opened his eyes and looked toward the training grounds.

Yet what he saw made him suck in a sharp breath.

The one lying in the center of the training grounds was not Lu Hao, but Zhou Zhennan.

Zhou Zhennan lay flat on his back, his eyes bulging wide and his pupils unfocused. Blood streamed from his nostrils, ears, and the corners of his mouth.

Zhou Zhennan was dead, not Lu Hao?

Qian Hao abruptly raised his head and looked at Lu Hao.

Lu Hao stood in the center of the training grounds, calmly gazing at Liu Zimu outside the arena.

Qian Hao's mind went completely blank.

Hadn't Lu Hao failed to awaken his Qi-Blood? How had he killed a Martial Apprentice at the Second-Layer Gate-Breaking Realm in the blink of an eye?

Although Shi Kang had defeated Cai Kun, who was at the First Gate-Breaking Realm, the two had gone through a bitter battle and fought for a long time before the victor was decided.

Yet Lu Hao had made Zhou Zhennan bleed from all seven orifices with a single punch.

If that was the case, then Lu Hao had to be at least at the Third Gate-Knocking Realm to kill Zhou Zhennan so effortlessly.

Qian Hao thought of what he had said to Lu Hao and Shi Kang over the past few days. He had told them to fend for themselves, and had even thought the two of them were burdens dragging him down.

Yet after three matches, the Black Tiger Gang had won two. The only match they had lost was the one he himself had fought and lost.

At that moment, Qian Hao mocked himself inwardly. So I was the clown all along.

Only after quite a while did the Water Serpent Gang members outside the training grounds finally react.

"He... he killed Deputy Hall Master Zhou?"

"Were my eyes playing tricks on me just now? Did you see clearly how he killed Deputy Hall Master Zhou?"

"He only threw one punch!"

"What fist technique did that Black Tiger Gang brat use?"

"It looked like the Black Tiger Plucks the Heart move from the Black Tiger Fist Technique."

"He killed Deputy Hall Master Zhou, a Second-Layer Gate-Breaking Realm Martial Apprentice, with one punch. What realm is that kid in?"

"Damn it! Those Black Tiger Gang bastards really didn't come here to negotiate!" someone in the crowd shouted.

"They sent three experts to play the pig to eat the tiger, setting Manager Cai and Deputy Hall Master Zhou up to be killed."

"That's right! They didn't come here to negotiate!"

"Kill them! Avenge Deputy Hall Master Zhou! Avenge Manager Cai!"

Inside Clear Water Hall, every gang member had their blood rush to their heads at those cries. They looked at Lu Hao's group of three with murderous expressions, while the sounds of blades being drawn rang out from time to time.

By then, Liu Zimu had already risen to her feet.

She looked at Lu Hao. The seductive softness on her face had long vanished, replaced by a trace of gravity.

Though Zhou Zhennan was only a deputy hall master, his strength was not to be underestimated. His Qi-Blood was abundant, and he had already touched the threshold of the Third Gate-Knocking Realm. In at most another two or three months, he would officially step into the Third Gate-Knocking Realm.

Who would have thought that such an expert in the gang would be beaten to death with one punch by this Black Tiger Gang brat before her?

Liu Zimu spread her long legs, wrapped in short black gauze trousers, and slowly walked into the training grounds. The two full mounds on her chest rose and fell with her steps like pale green waves. Yet at this moment, everyone present had their attention fixed on Lu Hao, and not a single person stole another glance at Liu Zimu.

"I never thought this old lady would misjudge someone today!" Liu Zimu came to stand opposite Lu Hao. "You are at least at the Third Gate-Knocking Realm. Otherwise, you could never have killed Deputy Hall Master Zhou with a single punch."

Lu Hao looked at Liu Zimu expressionlessly and said nothing.

Liu Zimu suddenly raised her voice.

"Doesn't your Black Tiger Gang want a truce with our Water Serpent Gang? The gang leader has entrusted the negotiations entirely to me. Now, fight me in another match. If you win, the two gangs will cease hostilities. As for how the terms are negotiated, the Black Tiger Gang will have the final say."

Liu Zimu paused, her gaze shifting from Lu Hao to Qian Hao, then to Shi Kang, before finally returning to Lu Hao.

"If you lose, then leave the heads of all three of you in the Water Serpent Gang, as sacrifices for Deputy Hall Master Zhou and Manager Cai."

After saying that, she glanced at Zhou Zhennan's and Cai Kun's corpses.

As a Golden Saber Gang spy planted within the Water Serpent Gang, Cai Kun could be said to have succeeded beyond measure. He had gotten along extremely well with the Water Serpent Gang members, especially Zhou Zhennan, who had treated him like a blood brother and ultimately lost his life because of Cai Kun.

Hearing that Liu Zimu wanted another match with Lu Hao, the previously clamorous Water Serpent Gang members also fell silent and looked toward the center of the training grounds.

Shi Kang shouted anxiously from below the arena, "Brother Hao, we've already finished three matches. The Water Serpent Gang is going back on their word. Don't fight them again!"

Shi Kang was both anxious and afraid. He worried that Lu Hao was no match for Liu Zimu. Even someone as strong as Qian Hao had been sent flying by a single palm strike from Liu Zimu, which was enough to show that her strength was unfathomable.

Liu Zimu swept Shi Kang a cold glance before looking back at Lu Hao.

Lu Hao did not turn around. He merely raised a hand and gave it a gentle wave. "Don't worry, Kangzi. I've got this!"

With that, Lu Hao looked at Liu Zimu.

The woman before him was a hall master of the Water Serpent Gang, an expert at the Third Gate-Knocking Realm.

He had only killed Martial Apprentices at the First Gate-Breaking Realm and Second-Layer Gate-Breaking Realm before. He had never crossed blades with someone at the Third Gate-Knocking Realm. At that thought, a spark of eager excitement ignited in Lu Hao's eyes.