Chapter 100: The Weaker Party Attacks First, The Worst Tactic?
Chapter 100: Chapter 100: The Weaker Party Attacks First, The Worst Tactic?
Two figures violently collided, then separated in an instant.
The strong yet flexible Iron Fan clashed with a pair of bare fists, and surprisingly, it was the Iron Fan that came off worse.
Mr. Tie Shan knew this was bad. Without hesitation, he unleashed his signature skill.
Seven Extremes Shadow!
A swift burst of power erupted. The Iron Fan danced, filling the sky with afterimages.
Black Blade sank into his stance, shoulders low. His fists twisted, covered in a layer of black energy.
Night Divine Fist, Third Form—Night Parade of Hundred Demons!
Shadows of fists and fans clashed, endless and unbroken.
Qian Sanduo’s expression changed. "This is bad! Black Blade has taken that step!"
Tang Wen watched the two fighters whose duel was now producing special effects, raising an eyebrow. "He’s awakened? To what degree?"
"Yes. If you consider a full awakening a ten, his level has already surpassed one." Qian Sanduo’s face was grim. Things had changed; they probably wouldn’t be able to complete the Zheng Family’s commission.
Tang Wen thought for a moment and asked, "Will Black Blade’s strength undergo a qualitative change because of this awakening?"
Qian Sanduo shook his head, stating with certainty, "Not a qualitative one, no. But he’s no longer an ordinary Martial Artist. His physical strength, stamina recovery, and ability for continuous bursts of power will be far greater than a typical Martial Artist’s because of it."
Tang Wen nodded silently.
Qian Sanduo added, "After Black Blade wins, your duel with him is scheduled for this evening. We originally thought he wouldn’t be able to recover to his peak state in just a few hours. Now, it seems as long as he isn’t seriously injured, all he needs to do is eat some Exotic Beast Meat and get some sleep. He’ll be able to recover to eighty or ninety percent."
"It doesn’t matter. I can protect myself even if I lose, and if I win, it’s a huge profit. We’re not the ones who should be worried." Tang Wen’s words were a bit shameless, but they were true.
The ones who should be worried were the Huang Family and the Five Great Clans.
As the two spoke, a victor was decided on the field.
It was Mr. Tie Shan who, despite clearly having the strength to continue fighting, conceded after one explosive exchange.
The crowd was in an uproar.
Many gloating gazes turned toward Tang Wen.
’Young man, the Zheng Family’s reward isn’t so easy to claim, is it?’
"Heh!" Black Blade wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and grinned at Tang Wen, his face a ferocious mask.
His internal organs had been rattled; it barely counted as a minor injury.
Ignoring the provocation, Tang Wen seemed lost in thought. Black Blade’s Night Parade of Hundred Demons had just given him some new insight into the [Mountain-Opening Cannon Fist, Seventh Form: Eight-Armed Divine Fist].
「The Zheng Family Estate.」
"Commander Tang Wen, just do your best this evening."
After speaking, Patriarch Zheng set down a small white porcelain bottle and left, not even giving Tang Wen a chance to reply.
"Uh..." Tang Wen saw the three words "Blood-Strengthening Pill" written in red on the bottle. He opened it to find a single red pill inside.
A Blood-Strengthening Pill could excite a Martial Artist’s body, instantly restoring their stamina.
But the side effect was that after the drug wore off, they would be weakened for one to two days.
It was considered a last-resort life-saving measure.
’An unexpected gain.’ Tang Wen casually stuffed it into his bag.
He had no intention of taking this thing.
The Huang Family had given him a private courtyard.
It had everything he could need, including a training room and a lounge.
Tang Wen began to contemplate his Fist Technique.
[Visualization Martial Arts: Mountain-Opening Cannon Fist, Mastery (2891/6000)]
He had spent the last period of time wandering the wilderness.
He had no idea how many rocky hills in the wilds he had blasted apart with his Cannon Fist, but his experience had grown significantly.
And the "Mountain-Opening Cannon Fist" truly lived up to its name.
Whenever Tang Wen was blasting mountains, he always felt an exceptional, exhilarating release.
The experience points on his Panel also increased more rapidly.
All he could say was that the "Mountain-Opening Cannon Fist" was aptly named indeed.
In the blink of an eye, evening arrived.
In summer, the sky darkens late, and the horizon was a swathe of golden-red.
When Tang Wen arrived, Black Blade was already waiting on the tournament field.
Near the field, a sea of people had gathered, forming a large circle.
Every Martial Artist in Five Families City was present.
Not a single person wanted to miss this show.
Tang Wen never expected that after watching the show for so long, he would end up being the one on stage.
And in the eyes of the crowd, he was cast as the fool.
Black Blade sneered, "Idiot! I thought you wouldn’t dare to show up!"
"Who are you calling an idiot?"
"You, of course!"
"Oh, so an idiot is calling me." Tang Wen’s eyes dripped with contempt.
Commander Qian and the members of Flame Camp burst out laughing.
"You’re courting death!" Black Blade was burning with rage. He tried to rush forward, but two men beside him hurriedly held him back.
"Brat! I’ll shatter you, punch by punch!" Black Blade stared into Tang Wen’s eyes.
Tang Wen usually disdained trash talk, but that didn’t mean he was bad at it. He pointed to the setting sun on the horizon. "Take a good look!"
"Look at what?"
"Idiot. You won’t be seeing it tomorrow."
"You!" Black Blade was about to explode again but was held back.
Patriarch Zheng spoke up, "Alright! Gentlemen, I have a new decision to announce."
"Another new decision? Don’t tell me someone else wants to join the tournament!" a Martial Artist from Black Mountain Camp sneered.
Someone else heckled, "Yeah, surely the great Huang Family of Five Families City isn’t thinking of going back on their word?"
Tang Wen glanced over; the voice had come from the direction of Yanshan Camp.
The crowd broke into heated discussions.
Patriarch Zheng held up his hands to quiet them. "For this tournament, my Huang Family holds the right of final interpretation. If anyone is unwilling to participate, you may withdraw now. My daughter’s lifelong happiness is not a child’s game."
Patriarch Zheng refused to be pressured by their words.
The hecklers were suddenly at a loss for words.
Tang Wen nodded. ’I see. They can’t guilt-trip you if you have no shame.’
’But the key to this move is still having the strength to back it up.’
If any other Martial Artist had dared to say that, Black Blade would have already smashed them with his fists.
Seeing the crowd quiet down, Patriarch Zheng continued, "What I want to say is, whoever wins must also fight my daughter and win her approval!"
"That’s perfectly reasonable!"
"Yes, it is a matter of marriage, after all. It should require Miss Zheng’s consent."
"Miss Zheng the Elder is also a Martial Artist. Getting past her won’t be easy."
"..."
Black Blade shouted, "So you’re saying I have to kill this brat from Flame Camp first, then beat my little wifey, to become the Huang Family’s son-in-law, is that right?"
Patriarch Zheng shot him a look but didn’t comment.
Miss Zheng the Elder had not made an appearance. She sat alone in a quiet room, and before her was a "Blood-Strengthening Pill" identical to Tang Wen’s.
Breathe. Visualize.
Her eyes snapped open, shining like stars.
She was ready.
She stood up and walked out of the meditation room.
"Sister Zheng, you’re finally out! Do you think that Tang Wen can beat Black Blade?"
"Sister Zheng, what if he can’t win?"
"You’re not really going to marry that dark brute, are you? He is quite tall..."
Zheng Nanzhu’s expression changed. She hadn’t expected this.
The one waiting for her outside was the squeaky-voiced girl from the Wang Family.
Faced with this string of malicious, rhetorical questions, Zheng Nanzhu found her composure wavering.
SLAP!
"Shut up!"
The squeaky-voiced girl’s cheek instantly turned red, five clear finger marks visible upon it.
The girl was stunned by the slap.
She couldn’t believe what had just happened.
A wave of satisfaction washed over Zheng Nanzhu. "If he can’t win, you’ll be part of the dowry!"
The Wang Family had many children, and this squeaky-voiced girl was merely the daughter of a concubine.
Ignoring her wails, Zheng Nanzhu strode out the door.
"Fighters, prepare. The match begins in ten seconds."
Black Blade was tall and powerfully built, over 190 centimeters, and stood there like a humanoid Violent Bear.
Tang Wen was not yet sixteen and had suffered from poor nutrition in his early years. He was a full head shorter than his opponent.
Combined with his slender frame, he didn’t look like he was any match for Black Blade.
Black Blade slapped his own cheeks. "Kid, if you’ve got any guts, don’t you dare surrender!"
"...Two, one."
WHOOSH!
A Fireball flew out, blasting into a mountain.
The Visualization was complete. Terrifying Power surged into his legs.
Tang Wen’s speed exploded. He simultaneously performed another Visualization, his fist striking like a thunderclap!
The various Martial Artists, Patriarch Huang, and the other experts were slightly taken aback. ’The weaker fighter launching a preemptive attack? That’s a poor strategy!’