Chapter 98: Zheng Family Showdown
Chapter 98: Chapter 98: Zheng Family Showdown
CLANG!
The two fists collided.
It sounded like the clash of metal on metal.
Tang Wen focused his attention.
Neither side had used a Visualization Burst. This was the sheer force they could generate with only their physical strength.
’What would happen if I went up against them?’
It was a thought that inevitably crossed the mind of every Martial Artist present.
After the fists collided, Black Blade of Black Mountain Camp took half a step back.
Young Master Wang, however, retreated two steps.
Seeing his advantage, Black Blade pressed on relentlessly, his feet exploding off the ground as he lunged forward.
BANG!
Their Visualization Powers collided, creating a thunderous explosion out of thin air.
A circular shockwave erupted from the point of impact between them.
The air vibrated, and the dust and debris beneath their feet were violently blown away.
Black Blade recovered for a split second before erupting again, thrusting out both fists.
Young Master Wang leaned back, his feet a blur of shifting steps as he barely managed to block the attack.
Qian Sanduo narrowed his eyes and remarked, "This Young Master Wang is a genius, but unfortunately, he’s still too young. I’m afraid he’s no match for Black Blade."
Anyone with discerning eyes could see that Young Master Wang was in a bad spot.
They all practiced martial arts designed for killing; there were no flashy, useless moves.
And there was almost no such thing as holding back.
Strong was strong, and weak was weak.
The spectators looked at each other in dismay. Were the two young masters from the direct lineages of Five Families City really going to be defeated just like that?
Was Miss Zheng destined to marry an outsider?
"If she marries the Seventh Master of the Six Mountains and Eighteen Villages, it wouldn’t matter much. It would just mean their two families get a little stronger," Commander Qian said in a hushed voice. "But what if she marries one of those Black Mountain Ghosts?"
A harsh glint flashed in Tang Wen’s eyes as well.
It was clear that Black Blade was a First-class Peak Martial Artist.
If he were to marry into the Zheng Family, with the help of their resources, he might very well break through and advance to the Extraordinary realm quickly.
If that happened, the pressure on Flame Camp would increase significantly.
"Nothing is set in stone yet."
Just as Tang Wen finished speaking, the situation between the two combatants on the stage changed.
Young Master Wang suddenly took a punch from Black Blade to the chest while simultaneously thrusting both hands toward his opponent’s ribs.
BANG!
Both were knocked back at the same time.
Blood trickled from the corner of Black Blade’s mouth.
Young Master Wang’s face was as pale as gold leaf, and his entire body trembled.
The spectators gasped in astonishment.
Tang Wen frowned. "So this is the Wang Family’s Hard Skills?"
"It must be. Otherwise, that punch would have taken half his life!"
On the martial arts stage, Black Blade cursed angrily,
"Trading injuries for injuries? Good one, kid! Looks like you really want to go all out against me!"
A vicious light erupted in his eyes as he threw his whole body forward, his Night Divine Fist striking out like a torrential downpour.
Young Master Wang moved nimbly on his feet, meeting the assault with calm, orderly responses.
PAPAPAPA!
Their clothes were torn to shreds, and their shoes disintegrated from the repeated violent clashes, the pieces flying off in all directions.
Such brute force could not be maintained. It was impossible to sustain a full-power outburst for long.
Black Blade’s combat experience was far richer than Young Master Wang’s. For the latter to inflict any damage, his only option was to use his Hard Skills, brace himself, and trade injury for injury.
BANG!
A few more rounds of explosive exchanges passed.
Both were sweating profusely and gasping for breath, having expended a great deal of energy.
Black Blade was the first to recover. He unleashed another burst of power, viciously blasting Young Master Wang out of the ring.
Tang Wen’s eyes lit up.
Both young masters from Five Families City had been eliminated.
Now, it was almost certain that the Zheng Family would have to marry one of their own to an outsider.
Patriarch Zheng’s expression remained unchanged.
But the smile had vanished completely from Miss Zheng’s face.
The first round of bouts between the four Martial Artists was over.
The twelve Martial Artists would have to fight several more rounds to determine a winner.
Tang Wen and the others had no interest in watching the bouts of the twelve Martial Artists, so they all left the stage and entered Duobao Tower behind them.
The upper floor was not just a restaurant; it was also a place where the major factions traded and exchanged goods.
The crowd was discussing the matter of the martial arts courtship tournament:
"Commander Qian, if Black Mountain Camp and Five Families City are joined by marriage, what are your thoughts?"
"Master Li, if you have something to say, why don’t you just say it?"
"We all know what kind of scum the Black Mountain Ghosts are. If Five Families City gets mixed up with them, I won’t dare to come here anymore!"
"That’s right. From now on, we’ll have to find a way to avoid them."
"You can always come to our Yanshan Camp. Heh heh, we welcome everyone."
"You guys are in the mountains. It’s a bit inconvenient..."
Some nodded, some shook their heads, and some sighed...
Tang Wen scanned the room. Besides the person from Yanshan Camp, not a single person seemed happy about the potential union between the two families.
The Black Mountain Ghosts had a truly foul reputation.
Qian Sanduo also sighed and glanced at Tang Wen without a word.
He was a veteran of the world; he knew these people were worried about Black Mountain Camp’s lack of principles, but if it were Flame Camp marrying into Five Families City...
...they wouldn’t be happy either. They would just be worried about Flame Camp growing too powerful.
In short, things had been this way for the past ten or twenty years, and it was best for everyone if the status quo was maintained.
That was what aligned with the interests of all the various factions.
"High-Level Secret Medicine? Your Flame Camp is really something! To think you’d bring this out!"
"Only for a water wheel? For the Water Mill Diagram and a craftsman?"
"Old Qian, Her Majesty the Queen is just too kind-hearted! How could a drought possibly affect your core members?"
"..."
The major factions had each claimed a few tables in the second-floor hall.
On them, they displayed samples of goods for sale, or at least lists of samples.
After all, the room was too small to bring in some of the larger, bulk goods.
The second floor was bustling with activity.
When Commander Qian brought up trading for grain, everyone shook their heads.
Are you kidding? In this situation, grain is life. Who would dare sell it?
"I heard that in the distant Xia City, they’ve produced something called ’fertilizer.’ It can double grain yields. I wonder when we’ll be able to get our hands on it."
"Can it really double the yield? Then it should reach Sanlian City soon."
"Sanlian City is too far, and they’re greedy. They won’t necessarily sell the formula."
"..."
This place was remote, with few traces of advanced civilization. In the end, whenever people heard about something new, their first thought was always about how to get the formula.
Little did they know that the people who produced fertilizer most likely used industrial methods.
The crowd chatted and bragged, creating a lively atmosphere.
"Commander Qian!" someone from the Zheng Family called out.
"What is it?"
"Our Patriarch would like to speak with you and this Commander. Is now a convenient time?" The person who came was from the Wang Family.
Qian Sanduo shot Tang Wen a look. "Of course. We were just about to talk to you about the water wheel."
"Excellent. This way, you two."
Tang Wen didn’t think much of it and followed them to a rear courtyard. Only after entering the main hall did he realize...
...it wasn’t just the Wang Family who had invited them, but the Zheng Family as well.
Miss Zheng was also here.
The two sides exchanged a few pleasantries.
Tang Wen removed the bamboo hat from his head as a sign of respect, but he did not take off the black cloth covering his face.
After they were seated, Patriarch Zheng got straight to the point.
"If our Five Families City were to form a marriage alliance with Black Mountain Camp, what would be Flame Camp’s position on the matter?"
Tang Wen and Qian Sanduo exchanged a glance.
’So that’s how it is?’
’Your Five Families City can’t keep up the act anymore. You don’t want to ally with the Black Mountain Ghosts through marriage.’
’So you want our Flame Camp to step in for you?’
Qian Sanduo chuckled. "What a coincidence. I was just asking someone else about this. They said that, at worst, they’d just move the trading post to the gates of your Five Families City. We think that’s not a bad idea."
Qian Sanduo didn’t fall for the trap.
Just as Patriarch Huang was about to speak...
...a girl with a squeaky, affected voice suddenly asked Tang Wen, "Big Brother, why didn’t you compete? Is it because Sister Zheng isn’t pretty enough?"
Tang Wen looked over and saw a girl of seventeen or eighteen.
She was blinking her large, expressive eyes at him.
’She’s pretty enough, I suppose, but not even on the level of my three handmaidens.’
Tang Wen picked up his teacup and sniffed it. ’Hmm, green tea,’ he thought, before calmly stating, "I have a wife. Besides, I have no interest in marrying into another family."
"Uh..." The girl with the affected voice was at a loss for words.
She hadn’t expected Tang Wen’s refusal to be so blunt, completely shutting down the path of her intended conversation.
The beautiful Zheng Nanzhu looked at Tang Wen with a strange expression in her eyes.
’Growing up, no one had ever been able to resist my charm and family background.’
Patriarch Huang and Patriarch Wang exchanged a look, and the former spoke up. "Commander Qian, let’s not mince words. We would like to ask Flame Camp to intervene and sabotage this marriage selection."
’They’re laying their cards on the table!’
Qian Sanduo looked at Tang Wen. Neither of them was surprised.