A Battle That Shook Qingjiang (Please Keep Reading)

The Wu and Fang Households exchanged glances, deep wariness in their eyes.

He had broken through to Xiantian without a sound and kept his strength hidden until now, revealing it before everyone only today.

A man with both courage and cunning was often the most frightening kind.

Gu Yiping, for all his talent in the Martial Way, was no businessman. He could never support the Dragon Elephant Martial Hall on his own.

That was why he had joined forces with the Xu Household.

"Please step in, cousin, and curb the Xu Household's arrogance," the Wu Household Head said quietly.

The cousin he addressed was the master of the Heavenly Dragon Martial Arts School.

He was much younger than the Black Wind School Master, only forty-five or forty-six, yet he had already reached Mid-Xiantian.

"Xu Mingwei is no simple opponent."

The Heavenly Dragon School Master had watched the fight closely.

"His Root Bone is remarkable. I'm afraid his physical strength even exceeds mine, though I'm at Mid-Xiantian. Compared with Early Xiantian, Mid-Xiantian only gives me somewhat more Xiantian True Qi."

"If he goes all out, suppressing him is the most I can do. And given my age, if we end up evenly matched, everyone will still see me as the loser."

The Wu Household Head frowned. After a moment's thought, he said, "Then we'll target the hall's master instead."

"If we seriously injure him, the Dragon Elephant Martial Hall will lose face all the same."

The Heavenly Dragon School Master glanced at Gu Yiping beside Xu Mingyuan and said flatly, "Very well."

"Mingwei, my worthy nephew, you truly deserve to be called Qingjiang County's Grandmaster prospect." The Wu Household Head smiled in praise. "If you were the Martial Arts School Master, I doubt anyone here would object."

"Oh? Does the Wu Household Head want to test Master Gu's strength?"

Xu Mingwei's lips lifted slightly. The hint of a smile on his face made it seem as though he had seen straight through their plans.

A household head friendly with the Wu Household suddenly spoke up. "The Wu Household Head is right. If a hall master lacks strength, how can he hold the hall together or teach its disciples?"

"He might even end up injured by one of his own students."

Hearing this, Gu Yiping could hardly remain silent. He stepped forward.

"If everyone from Qingjiang County wishes to test my Martial Way, I have no objection. The Black Wind School Master has already fought Young Master Xu, so why don't the Heavenly Dragon School Master and the Black Tiger School Master spar with me together?"

"What do you say, gentlemen?"

The moment he finished, someone laughed derisively.

"Hahaha! Master Gu, aren't you getting ahead of yourself? You want to fight both school masters at once?"

"Exactly. If you could face either one without losing, you'd already be strong enough to preside over a martial hall."

Gu Yiping remained calm in the face of their mockery. He walked to the center of the grounds and shook out his body. A powerful aura suddenly burst from him, sending a fierce wind surging in every direction.

It was every bit as terrifying as the auras Xu Mingwei and the Black Wind School Master had shown earlier.

"Another Xiantian Martial Artist!"

"Where did the Xu Household find a Xiantian Martial Artist?"

"Right! I've never heard of this man in Qingjiang County."

The crowd erupted into a clamor that showed no sign of stopping.

A green glint appeared in the Heavenly Dragon School Master's eyes. He turned to the Black Tiger School Master. "Brother Fang, since Master Gu wishes to spar with us, why not oblige him?"

The Black Tiger School Master nodded.

Their figures blurred into afterimages as they swept into the center of the grounds.

The three exchanged glances, then struck.

The Heavenly Dragon School Master attacked from one side and the Black Tiger School Master from the other, one hand shaped into a dragon claw, the other into a tiger claw. Both struck toward Gu Yiping's flanks.

Gu Yiping raised his arms to either side and blocked them with ease.

Then his movements changed. His hands coiled like green snakes, reaching to seize their arms.

But the two school masters were no ordinary opponents. They changed moves at the same instant.

Bang, bang, bang!

The three traded moves without pause. Ordinary onlookers could see only a blur of shifting afterimages.

Dozens of breaths passed.

Gu Yiping fought both school masters at once and held his own, leaving much of the crowd stunned.

Both school masters were Mid-Xiantian martial artists in their prime.

They weren't putting on an act, were they?

Two Mid-Xiantian martial artists couldn't defeat an unknown nobody?

More than a few people wondered the same thing.

He's strong!

He's no ordinary Mid-Xiantian martial artist. He might even be Late Xiantian!

The Heavenly Dragon School Master and the Black Tiger School Master exchanged a horrified glance.

They held nothing back now, drawing on their Xiantian True Qi to unleash their martial techniques.

"Heavenly Dragon Claw!"

"Black Tiger Baleful Flame Fist!"

A golden dragon claw and a blazing crimson fist struck toward Gu Yiping's chest, one from the front and one from behind.

"Dragon Elephant Protective Aura!"

All at once, a dragon's roar and an elephant's cry rang out from Gu Yiping. A dark teal shield of True Qi formed around him, stopping both the golden claw and the crimson fist.

Clang!

The sound rippled outward. Some in the crowd heard a roar beside their ears, followed by a stabbing pain in their heads.

Fortunately, it lasted only an instant. Otherwise, those who were not even martial artists might have lost their hearing.

Bang, bang!

The Heavenly Dragon School Master and the Black Tiger School Master were both forced back.

"Dragon Elephant Combined Strike!"

Gu Yiping seized the moment while they were still off balance. One punch sent the Heavenly Dragon School Master flying, and a kick sent the Black Tiger School Master after him.

Silence fell over the grounds.

Only the sharp clicks of throats as people swallowed could be heard.

"Master Gu, I think that's enough sparring."

Xu Mingwei had spoken.

At his words, Gu Yiping drew in his aura.

The Heavenly Dragon School Master and the Black Tiger School Master slowly rose. Their faces were somewhat pale, and their breathing was unsteady.

Even so, they cupped their fists toward Gu Yiping. "Thank you for holding back."

"Think nothing of it." Gu Yiping swept his gaze across the crowd. "Does anyone else wish to spar with me? No matter who you are, I'll be happy to oblige."

Not a bird chirped. Not a soul spoke.

"Haha, Master Gu, surely you jest."

"We couldn't be happier to see the Dragon Elephant Martial Hall established."

"Indeed! Your strength is unrivaled in all of Qingping County. With you in charge, the hall is bound to flourish!"

The crowd seemed to put on entirely new faces as they began praising Gu Yiping and the Dragon Elephant Martial Hall.

"Then thank you all for your support." Gu Yiping cupped his fists to the crowd and spoke calmly.

The five Aristocratic Clans—the Wu, Fang, Wang, He, and Cao Households—gave up their challenge. Having lost face today and all but become a laughingstock, they had no reason to stay.

They soon left.

The other wealthy merchants and families, however, were interested in sending their children to the Dragon Elephant Martial Hall. They gathered around Gu Yiping and made conversation.

After that day, word spread quickly throughout Qingjiang County: Xu Mingwei had reached Xiantian and overwhelmed the Black Wind School Master, while Gu Yiping had fought the other two school masters at once and defeated them.

Even people in villages for miles around soon heard the news.

That it spread so quickly was, of course, thanks in no small part to Xu Mingyuan's efforts.

Dongxi Village.

The Xu Household estate.

When Xu Chuan heard the news, the corner of his mouth lifted. It was just as he had expected.

The Xu Household had long since learned everything about the three martial arts schools' strength, while the schools knew nothing of the Xu Household's. It was only natural that they had come out on the losing side.

And Xu Mingwei's mastery of archery, along with Xu Chuan himself, remained further trump cards for the Xu Household.

"Qingjiang County should stay peaceful for a while now."

Xu Chuan murmured to himself, then looked up at the longbow hanging on the wall. "It's time to make Shitou a new, stronger bow."