Chapter 247 - 243: Arena Match

Chapter 247: Chapter 243: Arena Match

In a corner of the martial arts hall, Ye Xing sat quietly on the stone steps, tapping his phone screen as he scrolled through the pages of a novel. Suddenly sensing something, he looked up and was taken aback.

He saw all the coaches and students in the hall excitedly surging toward him.

’What’s going on? I just want to read my novel in peace, for fuck’s sake. Why are so many of you crowding around me?’ Ye Xing was speechless.

"Master Ye Xing, what brings you to the hall today? It’s been so long since we’ve seen you!" The hall’s coaches bowed, their voices full of fawning respect. They had all, to some extent, witnessed Ye Xing’s abilities, so they naturally tried to curry favor with him. If they could learn even a single move or two, the benefits would be endless. The most obvious example was their own master, Wu Qiang. Ever since receiving guidance from the man before them, his strength had skyrocketed, making him no weaker than an average National Martial Arts Master.

"Hm? Is the competition over?" Ye Xing stood up, slipping his phone into his pocket. "I came to the hall to pick up Frank. We’re getting ready to go to the United States, so we have to leave now!"

"Don’t go, Master Ye Xing! Brother Qiang isn’t here right now, you have to stand up for us!" the coaches said anxiously. "That Karate Dojo master, Yieh Hanjian, is still on the stage, showing off his power. Please, Master Ye Xing, defeat him!"

The coaches of the Changsheng Martial Arts Hall were truly desperate. Having been bullied at their own front door by the Karate Dojo, they had long been suppressing their frustration. Unfortunately, they just weren’t strong enough, which only added to their gloom. Now that a great master and powerful backer like Ye Xing had finally appeared, how could they possibly let him go so easily? They immediately began pleading with him earnestly and repeatedly.

"Master Ye Xing, if we let that Yieh Hanjian cause trouble like this, the reputation of our Changsheng Martial Arts Hall will take a huge hit," Fang Bin chimed in, trying to persuade him. "After all, the Longevity Fist is a fist skill you passed down yourself. If we admit defeat, I’m afraid there will be a lot of gossip in the future saying our Longevity Fist is inferior to their Karate."

"Haha, it’s not that serious. Yieh Hanjian’s strength is just average. Wu Qiang can handle a small matter like this himself when he gets back," Ye Xing said in a clear voice.

The commotion on this side was quite large, and naturally, the Karate Dojo’s master, Yieh Hanjian, noticed it from the stage.

’That’s strange. Why are so many people surrounding that young kid? What are these people from the Changsheng Martial Arts Hall up to?’ Yieh Hanjian frowned slightly, feeling puzzled.

Just then, he saw the young man walking over, followed by a large, enthusiastic crowd, their faces filled with immense anticipation.

The young man approaching was, of course, Ye Xing. In the end, he couldn’t resist the pleas from the Changsheng Martial Arts Hall members.

As Ye Xing stepped onto the stage, the crowd below immediately erupted.

"It’s been so long since we’ve seen Master Ye Xing in action. I’m so excited!"

"Yeah! Back then, Master Ye Xing single-handedly wiped the floor with our entire hall. Now that so much time has passed, his strength must be even greater!"

"How many moves do you think it’ll take Master Ye Xing to beat Yieh Hanjian?"

"Martial Arts Master Wu Qiang used twenty-one moves. Master Ye Xing will definitely beat Yieh Hanjian in under ten!"

"Ten moves? Too many. You guys don’t know how insanely strong Master Ye Xing is. Back when this was still the Changchun Martial Arts Hall, he came to challenge us and took down everyone in just a few moves. I’m honored to say I was one of the ones on the floor. Damn it, he hit me with one kick and I was in too much pain to get back up. This Yieh Hanjian is the master of a hall, so he’s stronger than me, but I’m guessing three moves should be about right!"

The crowd below whispered amongst themselves, discussing animatedly. Their gazes were fervent, a mixture of anticipation and curiosity, as they stared intently at the two men on the stage.

The Karate Dojo’s master, Yieh Hanjian, and Ye Xing stood on opposite sides of the stage.

"Kid, are you a coach from the Changsheng Martial Arts Hall?" Yieh Hanjian asked in a low voice.

"No," Ye Xing shook his head. "You could say I’ve studied the Longevity Fist for a while."

"So you’re not a Longevity Fist coach!" Yieh Hanjian’s eyes lit up and he breathed a slight sigh of relief. Then he sneered, "Just a mere student who’s only studied for a little while dares to come up and challenge me? You really don’t know your own limits!"

If he were a coach from the Changsheng Martial Arts Hall, Yieh Hanjian would naturally have to take him seriously. After all, the Changsheng Martial Arts Hall had more than one coach on the level of Fang Bin; it was just that as the hall expanded, some of the more senior coaches had been sent to various branches to serve as branch masters.

"You’ve misunderstood. I never said I was going to challenge you," Ye Xing said indifferently.

"Not challenging me?" Yieh Hanjian was stunned for a moment. "If you’re not challenging me, then what did you come up on the stage for?"

"I have a flight to catch soon, so I’m in a bit of a hurry. I only have three minutes. Beating the junior only to have the senior show up is a waste of time. One match is enough!" Ye Xing’s gaze shifted directly to the crowd below. He pointed at the Japanese man, Yamamoto Fumitake, and said coolly, "You. Do you dare to come up for a match? If you don’t have the guts, then forget it."

Ye Xing’s meaning was obvious. He looked down on Yieh Hanjian and didn’t want to waste time on two separate matches, intending to directly challenge Yieh Hanjian’s senior brother, Yamamoto Fumitake. In truth, Ye Xing wouldn’t have given a second thought to even a hundred men like Yamamoto Fumitake, let alone one. But since he had to challenge someone, he figured he might as well pick the "stronger" one.

The moment Ye Xing finished speaking, Yieh Hanjian, the Karate Dojo master, flew into a rage. "Kid, what’s that supposed to mean?!" he roared. "With your third-rate skills, I could finish you in three moves! You want to challenge my Senior Brother Yamamoto? Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"

"Junior Brother Yieh, come down. Since this kid doesn’t know his place and wants to challenge me, I’ll grant him his wish." A cruel smile appeared on Yamamoto Fumitake’s face as he walked onto the stage.

"Kid, you’re dead meat. My senior brother is an underground fighter; he doesn’t know how to hold back," Yieh Hanjian said with a malicious grin as he stepped off the stage.

Yamamoto Fumitake emanated a vicious aura, the kind of presence cultivated through years of life-or-death combat. It was an aura that could instill fear in anyone.

Yamamoto Fumitake walked step by step toward Ye Xing, then suddenly paused. He frowned, his eyes fixed on Ye Xing’s face as he asked doubtfully, "Strange... who exactly are you? Why do I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before?"

"Seen me? How is that possible? I don’t know you." Ye Xing was momentarily surprised, then his expression shifted. "Did you participate in the New York Demon King Competition?"

"Yes. The New York Demon King Competition is the top event in the underground fighting world, bringing together first-class underground fighters from all over the globe," Yamamoto Fumitake said proudly. "I had the honor of participating in the New York Demon King Competition and even made it into the top one hundred!"