Chapter 12: Shock (Please Recommend and Collect)
Zheng Heng was startled; he knew very well what the Divine Crossbow Team was! It was the strongest force in Luming Town, and even ninth-ranked experts would struggle to escape the encirclement of thirty Divine Crossbows.
Seeing the firm look in his father's eyes, Zheng Heng understood. He nodded heavily and quickly ran outside.
At the threshing ground outside the town, not only were the Zheng family's clanspeople swiftly gathered, but even the townspeople who were not part of the Zheng family had also flocked to the scene.
"Zheng Ming, rest assured, I will defeat you on the third move!" Zheng Jinlong arrived at the center of the threshing ground with a feigned casualness, boasting arrogantly.
"Young Mistress, can the Second Young Master really beat that bad guy?" Li Xiaoduo was tearing at her garment with both hands, her words filled with worry.
Standing beside her, Fu Yuqing's eyes were intently focused on Zheng Ming, who stood opposite Zheng Jinlong, a hint of doubt rising in her gaze.
"Hmm, how could that be possible?"
The murmur from Fu Yuqing almost made the little maid, Li Xiaoduo, burst into tears. Although she was uncertain if Fu Yuqing held any martial arts skills, at this moment, she genuinely needed someone to comfort her.
After all, at this moment, her heart was weighed down with worries that she had no one to share with or a place to express them.
"Young Mistress, does the Second Young Master really not stand a chance at all?" Clutching Fu Yuqing's hand tightly, Li Xiaoduo's eyes were filled with hope.
Only then did Fu Yuqing withdraw her gaze from Zheng Ming and turned her head to look at Li Xiaoduo, asking with confusion, "What's wrong?"
It was then Li Xiaoduo realized that her Young Mistress hadn't clearly heard what she was saying. For a moment, Li Xiaoduo was at a loss for words, and then she thought that the Mistress's distraction must be due to concern for the young master of her own family.
"Hahaha, Laozi bets a hundred silver taels that the Third Young Master will definitely break both of that kid Zheng Ming's legs," Zheng Hu, standing behind the Third Elder, shouted loudly.
His voice was loud enough to be heard throughout the threshing ground.
No sooner had his words left his mouth, a man who had come with Zheng Hu shouted back, "I'll take that bet with you, Brother Hu, but I wager that the Third Young Master will definitely break that kid's three legs."
In a burst of unrestrained laughter, someone else chimed in, "Right, we'll also bet with Brother Hu that the Third Young Master will break that kid's three legs."
Crude laughter echoed throughout the threshing ground while Zheng Heng clenched his fists tightly. Just as he was struggling to hold back, a palm landed on his shoulder.
It was the hand of Zheng Gongxuan.
Zheng Heng understood his father's intention, but at this moment, he could not bear it!
"Gongxuan, some people just refuse to drink a toast and must be forced to drink a forfeit. In the end, they gain nothing and instead slap their own face, don't you agree?" the Third Elder spoke with a sinister voice.
Zheng Gongxuan kept silent, knowing the Third Elder's words were meant for him.
It was at this moment that Zheng Jinlong spoke out, "Kid, listen well, I, the Third Young Master, will strike both sides of your face with my first move, Double Wind Piercing Ears."
Double Wind Piercing Ears was not a technique from Bear King Fist, but rather a move from the ninth-grade intermediate fist method, Wild Wind Fist.
The moment he spoke, Zheng Gongxuan's expression changed. He hadn't expected that the Great Elder would teach Zheng Jinlong the Wild Wind Fist, a martial arts skill that only Rank 10 martial artists within the family were qualified to cultivate!
Given Zheng Ming's situation, he likely couldn't dodge this move.
Just as he was about to stand, Zheng Jinlong had already gracefully leaped into the air and swiftly aimed for Zheng Ming's face with both hands.
Although Zheng Jinlong's Wild Wind Fist had only just reached the level of familiarity, the intricacies of a ninth-grade intermediate fist method were naturally incomparable to that of Bear King Fist.
A primary ninth-grade fist method could be equivalent to a Microcosmic Realm tenth-grade beginner fist method.
To everyone watching, this punch was one that Zheng Ming absolutely could not dodge!
At the very moment Zheng Jinlong rushed forward, Zheng Ming remained motionless, as if he was struck with fear.
However, just as everyone was waiting to hear those two loud slaps, Zheng Ming moved. Zheng Jinlong's cultivation level was at the Twelfth Rank, and so was Zheng Ming's.
Moreover, Zheng Ming's Bear King Fist had already attained the Comprehension Stage. In the instant Zheng Jinlong attacked, Zheng Ming's fist swung out.
Sky-Piercing Fist!
A Sky-Piercing Fist, filled with all of Zheng Ming's inner strength, landed right on Zheng Jinlong's face!
"Bang!"
Zheng Jinlong's body flew backward like a broken sack. In that fleeting moment, as he was sent flying, his vision went dark, and his consciousness was filled with disbelief.
He couldn't understand why, just as his hands were about to hit Zheng Ming's face, a fist smashed into his own, the violent power surging from that fist directly into his body.
His mind went black, and then his entire body crashed heavily to the ground.
"He actually managed to cultivate inner strength!" Fu Yuqing's bright eyes shifted as she spoke, her words brimming with surprise.
And the Third Elder, who had previously been sitting leisurely, suddenly stood up from his chair. His ominous gaze was fixed on Zheng Ming, who stood in the center of the threshing ground as if unmoved by the attack, his eyes also filled with disbelief.
How could this be possible!
How could Zheng Jinlong possibly lose to Zheng Ming? Although Zheng Jinlong was not the most extraordinary among the young members of the family, he was still a Twelfth-Ranked Martial Artist.
How could he be defeated by someone who hadn't even cultivated Inner Strength, and defeated in one move at that?
When they came to Luming Town, the Third Elder had carefully reviewed the files of Zheng Gongxuan's family. This Zheng Ming had not achieved any rank at all.
But just now, the punch he threw was clearly beyond the Microcosmic Realm, and had even reached the peak of the Comprehension Stage— the Bear King Fist.
And judging from the momentum of that punch, the Inner Strength it contained definitely exceeded Thirteen Ranks.
Just as the Third Elder stood up, Zheng Hu's voice rang out: "Trash is trash, so pathetic..."
Before he could utter the word "defeated," Zheng Hu's mouth hung open, as if the words were stuck in his throat.
Zheng Hu couldn't believe that what he was seeing was real. He had assumed that the person who was sent flying would be Zheng Ming, but to his surprise, lying on the ground like a dead dog, was actually the Third Young Master.
How could this be possible? Wasn't Zheng Gongxuan's second son just a useless person?
Zheng Gongxuan couldn't believe his own eyes either; he stared at the familiar figure standing in the middle of the threshing floor, wondering if he was seeing things.
"Dad, Second Brother has won, Second Brother has actually won!" Zheng Heng gripped Zheng Gongxuan's hand tight, his words filled with endless elation.
Had it not been for the many family members present at this moment, he would have rushed forward and thrown Zheng Ming into the air.
Zheng Ming's victory invigorated his heart, releasing all the frustration that had built up since Zheng Hu and the others had burst into Luming Town.
Zheng Gongxuan slowly calmed down and muttered to himself, "Heart Sword Pavilion truly lives up to its name, indeed omnipotent!"
"Second Young Master, Second Young Master has defeated that grandson! I knew Second Young Master was the best!" Li Xiaoduo looked at the downed Zheng Jinlong, her little face turning red, her beautiful eyes brimming with deep admiration.
And the people of Luming Town were also staring dumbfounded at this scene. In their memory, Zheng Ming had not achieved any rank.
Yet unexpectedly, at this moment, with just one punch, Zheng Ming had knocked out the arrogant city visitor, the Third Young Master, who had boasted he would beat Zheng Ming half to death with three moves.
Since Zheng Hu entered Luming Town, almost all the townspeople had been holding their breath against the Third Elder and his people. At this moment, they finally found an outlet for their pent-up feelings.
"Second Young Master fought well!"
"Second Young Master is mighty, what a satisfying punch!"
Instantaneously, the entire threshing floor boiled over, and the cheers resonated like a chorus!
"Zheng Gongxuan, I have underestimated you. I didn't expect you to hide your strengths so deeply!" the Third Elder glared at Zheng Gongxuan, his words sharp as a knife.
Although Zheng Gongxuan had already made up his mind to ask Zheng Ming how he had achieved his rank and become a Martial Artist when he got back, he replied to the Third Elder without showing any weakness, "Thank you for the compliment, Third Elder."
"Zheng Ming broke the rules by using a Forbidden Technique and sneak attacking the Third Young Master, an unforgivable crime!" A thunderous shout echoed in the air, and with this shout, Zheng Hu leaped up, rushing toward Zheng Ming.
At this moment, Zheng Hu intended to harm Zheng Ming, reversing black and white with no sense of shame.
For a while, the cheering crowd of Luming Town fell silent.
A flash of anger flickered in Zheng Gongxuan's eyes; just as he was about to leap up, he felt a powerful aura enveloping him.
It was the Third Elder, ready to strike if he made the slightest movement.
Although Zheng Gongxuan was inwardly furious, he would never allow Zheng Hu to harm his son. So he did not move but waved his hand in the air.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"
Ten hard crossbows were shot at Zheng Hu in the void, as quick as lightning and with a sound like thunder.
Zheng Hu had intended to injure Zheng Ming first, but before he could reach the middle of the threshing floor, he was greeted by ten crossbow arrows.
These crossbow bolts showed no mercy in the slightest, intending to put Zheng Hu to death!
Fortunately, his years of cultivation had not gone to waste, having reached the Peak of Tenth Grade and even mastering the family's Ninth Rank Martial Arts—the Fierce Tiger Fist.
In the moment that the crossbow arrows were about to penetrate his chest, Zheng Hu used a move from Fierce Tiger Fist called "Descend the Mountain and Enter the Forest" to twist his body sharply.
At the same time, he smacked a crossbow bolt that was impossible to dodge.
"Bang!"
The collision between the fist and the crossbow arrow broke the latter in two under Zheng Hu's Tenth Grade Inner Strength, but his palm felt a searing pain. Only when the arrows hit the ground did Zheng Hu turn his head to look towards their origin, to see thirty strong men, each holding a black crossbow gleaming darkly— the Divine Crossbow Team, the strongest force of the Zheng family of Luming Town! Seeing this Divine Crossbow Team, Zheng Hu shouted, "Zheng Gongxuan, what are you trying to do? Could it be that you… you want to rebel?" Zheng Gongxuan ignored Zheng Hu, instead fixing his gaze on the Third Elder, and his disdainful demeanor infuriated Zheng Hu. He believed he could replace Zheng Gongxuan, but he didn't expect to be met with such contempt.
The Third Elder, upon seeing those thirty crossbow bolts, had a fleeting change of countenance, as he, too, had advanced to Ninth Grade, turning Inner Strength into Inner Qi, but even he wasn't completely confident he could prevail against thirty Divine Crossbows! ps: A new week calls for recommendations and collections. Thank you for your support, brothers! Old Cat is grateful!
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