Chapter 342: Revelation

Both Wu Wei and Sun Bin looked hesitant. Chu Qiguang looked confident, unsettlingly so.

Wu Wei and Sun Bin were both very resentful of Chu Qiguang, but they had to admit that he was extremely capable, and his display of confidence made them wonder if he had some trump card up his sleeve.

No, there's no way he can do anything to turn the tables, Wu Wei thought to himself. A fifth-state martial artist can beat a fourth-state one even with his eyes closed! Chu Qiguang must be convinced that Jin Haitian is actually just a servant. That must be why he's so confident.

After some contemplation, Wu Wei and Sun Bin exchanged a glance with one another, and both of them were convinced that they had Chu Qiguang fooled.

With that in mind, Wu Wei's greed immediately got the better of him again, and he hurriedly asked, "How many shares do you want to bet?"

"How about fifty thousand of the new trade association's shares?" Chu Qiguang proposed with a smile.

Considering the future outlook of the merged trade association, fifty thousand shares could be worth hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, and Wu Wei's pulse immediately began to quicken at this tantalizing prospect.

"Alright, you've got yourself a deal! Let's sign an agreement first!" Wu Wei demanded.

Chu Qiguang was naturally happy to oblige. Since both the Huiqin Feudal Lord and Grand Abbot Wang Xi were present as witnesses, there was really no need for a written agreement, but it served as an extra layer of security.

After all of the preparations were complete, Wu Wei drew a circle onto the ground, then declared, "You lose if you step out of the circle or are no longer fit to continue fighting. Any objections?"

Chu Qiguang was once again happy to oblige, but he was starting to feel some discomfort again in the face of everyone's eager scrutiny.

As the symptoms slowly set in, Chu Qiguang urged, "Alright, let's begin then."

It had already been a year since he revealed his fourth state cultivation base, and if he wanted to be able to run the new trade association, he would have to reveal even more power.

Hence, he was already looking for an opportunity to demonstrate his fifth state cultivation base, and Wu Wei had just offered an opportunity to him on a silver platter along with fifty thousand shares.

Jin Haitian casually stepped into the circle. Things were going far smoother than he had anticipated. I'll slap him a few times, then toss him out of the ring. That should do the trick.

Chu Qiguang had the backing of Zhong Shan'e, so Jin Haitian knew better than to try and kill or severely injure him. Instead, his objective was only to humiliate Chu Qiguang to tarnish his influence and reputation.

Everyone watched in silence as the two combatants stepped into the ring. Those who were aware of Wu Wei's ploy were watching with keen anticipation, while everyone else was mostly perplexed and bemused.

Even if I'm going to have to reveal some of my power, I have to make sure not to go overboard, Chu Qiguang thought. I can't use certain cultivation arts like the Vajra Laws and the Steel Tendon Iron Bone Arts.

As soon as the Huiqin Feudal Lord announced the commencement of the battle, Jin Haitian's eyes instantly snapped open, and it was as if a mighty dragon had awakened from its slumber.

Chen Zhu looked stunned as Jin Haitian's aura swept through the entire venue. Who is he? There's no way he's just some servant to Wu Wei!

Jin Haitian charged forward with incredible speed and power, and in the blink of an eye, he had already closed the gap between himself and Chu Qiguang. His right hand shot forth like a spear, sweeping up a gust of fierce wind as he aimed to slap Chu Qiguang across the face.

All of the spectators felt like they had only blinked, but Jin Haitian's hand was already about to strike Chu Qiguang in the face.

Meanwhile, Chu Qiguang remained completely still.

Jin Haitian was slightly alarmed. Shoot! He's not reacting at all! It's been too long since I last fought a fourth-state martial artist; I forgot just how much I need to hold back.

Even though he was a direct disciple of a martial god, he had never been sheltered or received extra protection in the Cloud Midst Military Base. He had been taking part in battles ever since he reached the fifth state, and as a battle-hardened veteran, he was accustomed to going all-out in every fight.

In a remarkable display of bodily control, Jin Haitian forcibly wrenched his arm back slightly to diminish the force of his blow in order to avoid inflicting excessive injuries upon Chu Qiguang.

However, his concerns turned out to be completely unnecessary, as in the next instant, a pristine, white hand appeared in the path of his slap, stopping his arm cold in his tracks.

Jin Haitian was stunned that Chu Qiguang had managed to defend himself. Impressive! For a fourth-state martial artist, at least.

While continuing to exert force on Chu Qiguang's hand, Jin Haitian raised his other hand to slap Chu Qiguang from the other direction. This time, he was using power beyond the limit of the fourth state.

Who the hell is that man?! Grand Abbot Wang Xi exclaimed inwardly. Chu Qiguang was too careless. This must've been a premeditated ploy from Wu Wei to embarrass him.

A cold light appeared in Chu Qiguang's gaze. He could pass off the first time as an accident, but the second time was clearly not a coincidence. He wants to slap me, is that it? Looks like he's under Wu Wei's orders to humiliate me in front of everyone.

All of a sudden, a burst of scorching heat erupted from him, and at the same time, he stomped, shattering the earth beneath his feet. The power that he displayed in this instant had already exceeded the upper limits of the fourth state as he unleashed the first of the Twelve Infernal Palms straight at Jin Haitian's head.