Chapter 0015: Kicking the Gym (Part 2)

"Tell Huo Yuanjia to come out, or I'll tear down your Huo Family sign today!" 

"Master is not here!" 

"Not here? I bet he knew I was coming and ran away in fear!" 

"What...?" 

"Say that again!" 

"You're asking for it!" 

Hearing Yang Jun's words, the entire crowd erupted. Whether they had joined the Huo Family out of respect or just admiration, to them, Huo Yuanjia was as revered as a god. No one could tolerate such insults towards him, and anger surged through their veins. A few even considered stepping forward to teach this man a lesson with a "punch as big as a sandbag," but Liu Zhensheng quickly stopped them. If a brawl broke out, it would be dishonorable. 

"Bang…" At that moment, two disciples slammed the door shut. 

In martial arts circles, the rule was clear—open the door to fight, close the door to spar. This was a tradition! 

"Hmph, you want to exchange a few moves with me?" Yang Jun smirked, standing with his hands behind his back and looking at Liu Zhensheng with disdain. 

"Even though Master isn't here, the reputation of Huo Family Fist is not something you can tarnish!" Liu Zhensheng's expression was solemn as he fixed his gaze on Yang Jun. 

He wasn't sure of Yang Jun's level, but someone bold enough to challenge Huo Yuanjia likely had considerable skills—probably an internal martial artist. Liu Zhensheng, a practitioner of external martial arts, wasn't confident that he could defeat Yang Jun. However, since the challenge had been thrown at their doorstep, he had no choice but to respond, lest he damage the reputation of the Huo Family Manor. 

Moreover, as a martial artist, if you backed down simply because someone seemed stronger, you would never grow. 

"Alright, today, I'll see what's so special about your Huo Family Fist!" Yang Jun sneered. 

Liu Zhensheng wasted no time. He bowed slightly, his left palm meeting his right fist in front of his chest—a classic Huo Family Fist stance. 

Yang Jun, on the other hand, placed his left hand on his right wrist, and his right palm angled slightly upwards, fingers pointing at Liu Zhensheng's eyes. This was the "Wing Chun starting stance," the classic position of the Wing Chun style. 

"Come on!" Yang Jun beckoned with his hand. Liu Zhensheng didn't hesitate. With a half-step forward, he slashed diagonally at Yang Jun with his palm. 

Yang Jun didn't even use the typical Wing Chun technique; he simply blocked Liu Zhensheng's slashing palm with his wrist. Liu Zhensheng followed up with another palm strike from the opposite side... 

The two exchanged blows rapidly, both skilled in fast, fluid movements. Liu Zhensheng had been practicing Huo Family Fist diligently over the past two years, and it showed—his fists, palms, elbows, feet, and knees all came into play, showcasing the diverse attacking techniques of Huo Family Fist. 

But Yang Jun stood his ground like a rock, his hands and feet effortlessly parrying each of Liu Zhensheng's attacks. He didn't seem flustered at all, while Liu Zhensheng's expression began to show signs of strain. 

"His hands are so hard!" Liu Zhensheng could feel his hands trembling. Yang Jun's strength was overwhelming—could he be practicing hard qigong? 

Realizing he was not going to win by brute force, Liu Zhensheng decided to change tactics. The direct confrontation was too one-sided. 

Taking a step back with his right foot, Liu Zhensheng attempted his first retreat in the match. However, Yang Jun wasn't going to let him escape so easily. He immediately closed the distance with a swift step. 

"You've fallen for it, it's now!" Liu Zhensheng grinned internally, shifting his body sideways. He then launched a sidekick at Yang Jun's lower back—a move from Huo Family Fist known as "Distant Shadows in the Distance," which relied on Huo Family Fist's unique footwork and deceptive maneuvers to lure the opponent in and strike at their weak points, somewhat like a "returning horse strike." 

Yang Jun did indeed get hit by the sidekick, but he only took a small step back. The strike seemed to have no real effect on him. 

"What?!" Liu Zhensheng was stunned. The lower back was a vulnerable spot, and even if Huo Yuanjia had been hit there, Liu Zhensheng would expect him to feel something more. But Yang Jun had barely reacted. 

Could this man be stronger than his master, Huo Yuanjia? The thought briefly flashed in Liu Zhensheng's mind, but he quickly dismissed it. 

"No way, how could he be stronger than Master?" Liu Zhensheng pushed aside that unrealistic thought and steadied himself, facing Yang Jun once more. 

"Second Brother doesn't seem to be able to handle that guy!" 

"How is that possible? Second Brother just didn't use his full strength!" 

"But what about that last move? Even if Second Brother wasn't using all his strength, that kick shouldn't have been so ineffective!" 

"Yeah, I noticed Second Brother's hands were trembling earlier!" 

"What should we do?" The disciples of Huo Family began to worry. If Liu Zhensheng lost, things could get ugly. None of them believed they could win the fight on their own. 

"Should we get Big Brother?" 

"Do you think Big Brother can win?" 

In their eyes, Liu Zhensheng was the strongest disciple of the Huo Family, aside from Huo Yuanjia. As for Chen Zheng, they didn't consider him much of a threat. 

"I'll go find Big Brother!" Sixzi turned and dashed for the back door. 

**At the training yard.**

Huo Family Manor had five training halls in total. Apart from the main one, which was used by everyone, the other four were designated for specific people. 

One of them was near Huo Yuanjia's room, in the back courtyard, an area off-limits to most people. This was where the family members, such as Huo Yuanjia's mother, wife, and daughter, stayed. 

The remaining three training halls were used by the outer disciples, and two were reserved for Huo Yuanjia, Chen Zheng, and Liu Zhensheng. 

At this moment, Chen Zheng was practicing on a wooden dummy, a fundamental exercise in traditional martial arts. 

"Big Brother!" Just then, Sixzi, panting and out of breath, rushed in. 

"You are?" Chen Zheng paused, turning to look at him. 

"Big Brother… Big Brother, someone's kicking the gym! Big Brother, you have to come quickly!" Sixzi leaned on his knees, gasping for air. 

"What?!" Chen Zheng furrowed his brows. He understood what it meant to "kick the gym," and if Sixzi was coming to find him, it likely meant that Liu Zhensheng wasn't able to handle the challenger. 

Without another word, Chen Zheng grabbed his outer garment and dashed toward the training hall. 

Sixzi felt a gust of wind pass by, and in the blink of an eye, Chen Zheng was gone. 

"Big Brother, where did he go? Was that a ghost?" Sixzi muttered, before remembering something and quickly following after him.