Lan Yun and Yuwen Chengdu's Martial Contest

"Grandmaster Zhang, you don't know? Then how did you cultivate to such a realm? This junior still hasn't even found the threshold!"

"I really don't know about this Grandmaster realm you speak of. I figured everything out for myself. Why don't you tell me about it?"

Judging by Zhang Sheng's expression as he spoke, Yuwen Chengdu could tell he really didn't seem to be lying.

That left him somewhat astonished. Just how much talent would that take?

At that moment, Zhang Sheng became even more mysterious in his eyes.

"Since Grandmaster Zhang wants to know, this junior has nothing to hide.

"After all, martial artists with some ability have generally heard of Grandmasters. They simply haven't seen one.

"That has led many people to believe that the Grandmaster realm doesn't exist."

Hearing Yuwen Chengdu describe Grandmasters in such mysterious terms, Zhang Sheng couldn't help growing interested.

"Then, General Yuwen, have you ever seen one?"

Yuwen Chengdu first nodded, then shook his head, leaving Zhang Sheng, who was beside him, puzzled as to what he meant.

"I can't quite say that I have. I nodded because that person really did surpass the bounds of ordinary people.

"But I shook my head because that person had yet to reach the Grandmaster realm and could only be considered a Half-Step Grandmaster.

"Yet even with only half a step remaining, breaking through to Grandmaster is fraught with countless difficulties."

After hearing Yuwen Chengdu's explanation, Zhang Sheng understood what was going on.

Wasn't that simply a bottleneck in cultivation? Without a sudden enlightenment, that person might remain that way for life.

"Could it be that this person has some connection to you, General?"

"Yes! He is my master!"

"Then your master must have told you about Grandmasters!"

"My master did mention them to me, and he repeatedly stressed that one must never offend a Grandmaster. Otherwise, one can only pray that the Grandmaster is kind."

"Are they that fearsome?"

"Yes!"

Yuwen Chengdu answered, looking at Zhang Sheng with a resolute gaze.

Zhang Sheng rubbed his nose awkwardly, but thought to himself,

If my strength is at what they call the Grandmaster realm, ordinary people really wouldn't dare offend me. This isn't something they could guard against by relying on numbers.

No wonder things have been so quiet lately. They were intimidated by my strength and didn't dare act rashly.

It seems I've underestimated my current strength somewhat.

After turning everything over in his mind, Zhang Sheng suddenly saw it all clearly, and his mood naturally lifted.

"General Yuwen, I wonder if there are any other Grandmasters around now?"

"Yes! I heard my master say that there seems to be a Daoist whose Daoist name is Perfected Ziyang!

"As for any others, I don't know. There may or may not be."

"Perfected Ziyang!"

The moment Zhang Sheng heard the name, his eyes narrowed.

Isn't Perfected Ziyang Li Yuanba's master? Could such a person exist in reality too?

What kind of world have I transmigrated into? Could it be a Romance world?

"Grandmaster Zhang, have you heard of Perfected Ziyang?"

"Uh, no! I was just a little surprised that the Daoists have such an expert!"

"That's nothing unusual. Daoism has always been mysterious.

"Take Zuo Ci, Yu Ji, and Nanhua from the late Eastern Han period. They were all Daoists, and their strength seems to have reached the Grandmaster realm as well."

"It seems I can't underestimate the people of this world either!"

Hearing that so many Grandmasters had existed in this world, Zhang Sheng felt his blood stir.

After all, he had always believed that, in this world, only some people with great physical strength had any real ability.

He hadn't expected Grandmasters whose strength surpassed his own to exist as well. For a moment, he wanted to meet them and see whether his Martial Soul or their strength was greater.

"This junior came here this time, firstly, to apologize for what happened last time.

"Secondly, I wanted to ask Grandmaster Zhang for a match, to see how far I stand from a Grandmaster."

Yuwen Chengdu was also a man obsessed with martial arts. Now that he had such a fine opportunity to learn from a Grandmaster, he immediately put aside his pride.

Zhang Sheng did not answer Yuwen Chengdu's request immediately. Instead, he looked at him quietly, seemingly considering whether to agree.

But he soon made his decision.

"General Yuwen, there's no rush for our match. There's someone here who is also interested in you.

"After hearing you had arrived, she wanted to test your martial skills."

"Oh? Then I must meet her. Where is she now?"

Yuwen Chengdu agreed so readily because of Zhang Sheng.

In his view, anyone trained by a Grandmaster like Zhang Sheng surely wouldn't be mediocre.

With that in mind, Yuwen Chengdu naturally welcomed the challenger.

That was how martial artists were. How rare it was to find an evenly matched opponent!

"Let's go! Come with me to the training ground. There isn't enough room to fight here!"

Zhang Sheng led Yuwen Chengdu to the training ground, not forgetting to order a subordinate to fetch Lan Yun.

That was right! Lan Yun was the challenger Zhang Sheng had spoken of.

Not long after Zhang Sheng and the others arrived at the training ground, an excited, girlish voice rang out.

"Master! I'm here! Where is he?"

Zhang Sheng turned and saw the excitement on Lan Yun's face and the great hammer in her hand.

He couldn't bear to look. Covering his forehead with one hand and pointing at her with the other, he said,

"Your image! Your image! I can't bear to look!"

"Master! Master! Which one is Yuwen Chengdu? Show me, quick! I want him to have a taste of my hammer!"

Lan Yun paid no attention to Zhang Sheng's words. All she could think about was having a good fight with Yuwen Chengdu.

Yuwen Chengdu, standing to one side, was somewhat dumbfounded. What was with this little girl who had suddenly appeared?

She spoke so arrogantly. Could she be the challenger Grandmaster Zhang had mentioned?

Looking at Lan Yun, whose head didn't even reach his chest, Yuwen Chengdu felt that if he punched her once, she would cry for ages.

"Grandmaster Zhang, you don't mean her, do you? Isn't this... isn't this a bit much?"

"What? You don't think much of her?"

"No! It's just..."

Naturally, Yuwen Chengdu wouldn't say it aloud, but what fighting strength could such a delicate little girl have?

He even wondered whether Zhang Sheng was brushing him off, intending to use this little girl to make him give up.

"You needn't have any doubts. She is the one challenging you!"

"Hey! You're that Great General Tianbao, Yuwen Chengdu!"

"You flatter me, miss! I am indeed Yuwen Chengdu!"

Yuwen Chengdu might have been deeply respectful before a Grandmaster like Zhang Sheng,

but before others, he still had his own pride.

Not just anyone could make him bow his head, even someone close to a Grandmaster.

"What are you so smug about? After we fight, your title of number one warrior might be mine! Hmph!"

"You...! This general won't stoop to arguing with a little girl!

"Grandmaster Zhang! If you don't want to give me a match, surely you don't need to insult me by bringing out a little girl!"

Yuwen Chengdu still had some self-restraint. He did not fly into a rage over Lan Yun's behavior.

Instead, he showed the magnanimity of a young master from a prominent family and argued his case with Zhang Sheng.

"You're not allowed to talk to Master like that! Take my hammer!"

Seeing that Yuwen Chengdu looked down on her and had so little faith in her master,

the little girl grew angry too. She raised the enormous hammer in her hands and smashed it at him.

"Boom!"

A huge crater appeared in the training ground, sending broken stones flying in all directions.

When Yuwen Chengdu saw Lan Yun swing the great hammer at him, he was startled and hurriedly dodged.

Then he saw the destruction the enormous hammer had caused. At that moment, he felt his thoughts short-circuit, and a thought popped into his head:

Damn! What a violent loli!

Of course, people in ancient times certainly wouldn't have spoken that way, but Lan Yun's display did make Yuwen Chengdu take a fresh look at her.