CHAPTER 88: CHAPTER 86: CONFLICT

The stout fellow possessed agility that was completely at odds with his physique.

He charged forward like a wild boar, with a whoosh.

The distance of over ten steps was crossed in the blink of an eye.

’Slap slap!’

Before Huang Longgang could react, both sides of his face were struck hard.

’Thud!’

Another kick hurled Huang Longgang onto a nearby fruit stand, causing the apples to scatter everywhere, rolling all over the ground.

The stout fellow retained some sense and refrained from drawing his sword in the street, only giving Huang Longgang a fierce beating.

However, being beaten violently in front of a beloved woman inflicted greater emotional damage on Huang Longgang than the physical pain.

Huang Longgang’s face visibly swelled.

His eyes turned bloodshot as he climbed up from the ground, rushing forward while incoherently yelling, "I’ll kill you!"

Even in his charge, Huang Longgang tried to maintain rhythm and balance in his steps.

Just two steps away from the stout fellow, he balanced on one leg like a golden rooster, borrowed strength for a powerful push, swiveled his waist, and swung his right arm into a hook, fiercely striking towards the opponent’s face!

’Snap!’

The crisp sound of firecrackers rang out.

In a fit of rage, Huang Longgang made a breakthrough, delivering his most powerful strike yet!

’Bang!’

A fist wrapped like a dense dough, unyielding, came at him.

Fists collided, and Huang Longgang’s expression changed, retreating three steps before he could stabilize.

"Martial Artist!?"

"Hmph! So it’s just Extreme Fist Sect’s useless chicken!" The stout fellow, Peng Zhuang, sneered endlessly, "Your Extreme Fist Sect only acts mighty among ordinary people, but when faced with us from the Heavy Sword Sect, you all must kneel and call us grandpa!"

After speaking, he advanced again, giving Huang Longgang several more slaps.

Realizing the opponent was a martial artist, fear arose in Huang Longgang’s heart, making it impossible for him to resist.

Just as he was about to disclose his identity as a member of the Huang Family, a shout came from the distance:

"Stop!"

Several bowmen dressed as officials briskly ran over, aiming to maintain public order.

"Peh! Consider yourself lucky!" The stout fellow spat on the ground in displeasure, signaling his companions to withdraw.

Leaving behind Huang Longgang, whom they had beaten into a swollen mess, lying on the ground, staring hopelessly at the sky.

Especially when hearing the surrounding murmurs, he wished he could find a hole to crawl into.

"This Extreme Fist Sect is no good, they’ve been thrashed by Heavy Sword Sect!"

"That’s right, times have changed. From now on, I must have my children join the Heavy Sword Sect."

"Heavy Sword Sect has been thriving these past years. My uncle works there doing odd jobs and heard they recruited a genius from the outer city, surnamed Qi, who broke martial artist records at just fifteen..."

"Hiss..."

Not far from Huang Longgang, in an alley, Lou Yi slipped a handful of pebbles back into his pocket, his face contemplative.

"Outer city genius, surname Qi, fifteen years old... must be the Qi Family’s third son."

"I should find an opportunity to remove him..."

Lou Yi’s figure gradually faded into the shadows of the alley.

If friction with Huang Longgang and Zhou Yang was just a matter of clashes.

The vendetta against the Qi Family was sworn with no possibility of reconciliation.

Lou Yi understood the principle of eliminating threats completely.

...

...

The Extreme Fist Sect, deep within the hall of a palace-like building, guarded by five or six solemn disciples at the door, security was tight.

From inside, faint arguing could be heard.

"If we capture that Black Deer Spirit, how many top-grade Qi Blood Pills can we concoct from its deer blood? How many experts could we add to our sect?"

"Have you considered that the City Lord’s Mansion, Xu Family, Su Family, and Heavy Sword Sect have all sent people!

Should we join in, fierce conflict with them is inevitable. If we lose a few Circulation Martial Artists, can we still stand in the Inner City?"

"Afraid of this, afraid of that, why learn martial arts or practice fists at all? Might as well go back home and farm!"

Beside the violet sandalwood dragon-patterned round table, two elderly men with slightly white hair stood up and argued fiercely, spittle flying, their faces red, seemingly ready to fight at any moment.

By their side sat six or seven people, both men and women, most appearing over forty years old.

Among them was Elder Zhou, responsible for this inner sect assessment, and the elder in purple responsible for Lou Yi and others’ final interview.

Around the table, stood several rows of younger disciples.

Li Yagui stood prominently in the front row, while Chen Muju, Zhou Yang, and others stood in the rear, all with stern expressions, not a hint of jest.

"Alright, stop arguing."

With the sound of a voice like a morning bell, the two elderly men simultaneously fell silent.

The speaker was an immensely robust man.

He appeared to be in his thirties or forties, dressed in a black sleeveless tunic, revealing the bulging muscles on his arms, comparable to a camel’s hump.

A red string tied atop his head, with numerous black hairs on both sides of his cheeks.

When he opened his mouth, visible white steam poured out, a sign of strong Qi-Blood.

This man was none other than Zhou Bufeng, dubbed the number one expert of the Extreme Fist Sect, also the Great Elder, holding real power.

But he sat at the second position of the round table, while a short, thin, sleepy elderly man sat at the main position by the door, seemingly drooling.

"Sect Leader, what do you think we should do?" Great Elder Zhou Bufeng asked the elderly man at the main position.

"Ah!" The elderly man seemed to have just awoken and spoke with bleary eyes, "What should be done about what?"

"A Black Deer Spirit has appeared in the Hundred Beasts Mountain Range, should we attempt to capture it?" Zhou Bufeng repeated, suppressing his anger.

"Oh, what do you think?" The Sect Leader replied drowsily with a yawn.

"This is an opportunity; Black Deer Spirit’s flesh and blood provide far greater nourishment than ordinary spirits, even benefiting us. Of course, we should do it, with full force!"

"Great Elder, you mustn’t! What we need most now is peaceful recuperation; we cannot afford to lose personnel!" The elder opposing earlier once again expressed disagreement.

"Hmm?!" Zhou Bufeng’s face turned stern, his eyes widened angrily like copper bells, frightening the elder pale.

"You want heavy involvement, he believes there shouldn’t be casualties." The Extreme Fist Sect Leader suddenly clapped his hands, "In my opinion, why not compromise and send just one person?"

"Thus involved, should they die, it won’t significantly impact our sect!"

Upon hearing the Sect Leader’s comments, silence fell over the room.

Zhou Bufeng’s brow twitched, and the chair beneath him constantly creaked under the strain.

The elders looked at each other in astonishment, even the disciples at the back exchanged glances in confusion.

"This matter—shall be discussed later!" Great Elder Zhou Bufeng nearly gritted through his teeth, "What is the current situation of our sect’s enterprises?"

With the conclusion of the previous topic, the Extreme Fist Sect Leader returned to his lackluster state.

Another elder at the table began to report, "The thousand-acre leased fields in the west of the city have a decent harvest, reaching seven hundred jin per acre. The four hundred acres in the east..."

With this elder’s report, the Extreme Fist Sect’s enterprises gradually unfolded before the attendees.

Besides leased fields, there were orchards, shops, restaurants, etc.

Martial arts practice requires substantial money, which comes from various businesses, which in turn is protected by martial force, forming a perfect loop.

However, when discussing the medicine fields industry, everyone’s faces turned somber.

"The medicine field under the small mountain, Heavy Sword Sect still refuses to relinquish it." The elder declared.

"Our ancestors cultivated that field, the deed is with us, what justification does Heavy Sword Sect have for holding onto it?" Zhou Bufeng shouted angrily.

"They claim responsibility for the deaths of their Elder Han and Elder Pei lies with us. Without a reasonable explanation, they will not return it."

The so-called explanation meant compensation, everyone present understood Heavy Sword Sect’s meaning and was infuriated by their robber-like actions.

...