The crowd was utterly shaken by this soul-stirring scene. Dazzled and unsteady, they saw that upon Huo Bing's once deathly pale face now stood the clear imprint of five fingers—there was no doubt that he had just been slapped twice by "Madman of the West" Situ Kong, leaving him seeing stars and staggering on his feet.
Ling Xian'er clapped her hands and cried out loudly,"Senior, your spirit is undiminished, your heroic bearing still intact!"
The "Hebei Fiend" Wang Yu roared in anger,"Old lunatic! Who in the world are you? The Three Great Evils of the Central Plains are not to be trifled with!"
Situ Kong chuckled mischievously."I won't tell you. If I did, it wouldn't be fun anymore!"
Having been slapped twice, Huo Bing of Henan was naturally still seething with rage. His eyes bulged as he shouted,"Whoever he is, anyone who dares oppose the Three Great Evils of the Central Plains is courting death! Let's attack together!"
Suddenly, a furious shout rang out. A massive black shadow spun like lightning through the air—it was Huo Bing himself, launching downward in a fierce aerial strike.
Situ Kong stood proudly, utterly still. At the critical instant, he swung out a palm strike—his timing flawless. With no room to retreat, Huo Bing had no choice but to meet it head-on.
Bang!
His body was sent flying. Upon landing, he staggered backward four or five steps before regaining balance.
At the same moment, Mo Jian, the Old Monster of Hedong, and Wang Yu, the Hebei Fiend, swept in from left and right, striking straight toward Situ Kong's chest. Their techniques were refined, vicious, and deadly.
Situ Kong slipped past Wang Yu's incoming palm, swept aside a leg attack, and turned just as two fierce gusts of force closed in—Mo Jian was striking with both arms, the two attacking from either side. Fists and kicks followed relentlessly, shadowing his every movement.
Even a top-tier martial artist would find it nearly impossible to block or evade such a sudden, coordinated assault—it was truly unavoidable.
Yet under these circumstances, Situ Kong twisted aside, darting and shifting with effortless grace, light and carefree. He was deeply versed in the subtleties of countless martial arts, his cultivation peerless.
At this moment, Huo Bing rejoined the fray, fists swinging wildly. The battle now became three against one, the trio encircling Situ Kong and unleashing a furious barrage.
Suddenly, Situ Kong's palm traced a swift arc. His strike was lightning-fast—an exquisite, illusory transformation of technique. In an instant, sharp sounds rang out without pause.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
The crisp slaps echoed clearly. The crowd saw at once that the faces of the Three Great Evils—pale as death—now bore unmistakable handprints. Needless to say, each of them had been slapped twice by Situ Kong, left reeling, stars spinning before their eyes, their steps unsteady.
Situ Kong cackled madly,"Fun! Fun!"
The Three Great Evils were furious yet dared not speak. Wang Yu stammered fearfully,"You… you—who are you, really?"
Situ Kong grinned shamelessly."Why should you care who I am? Come on—play with me some more!"
Seeing his antics, Ling Xian'er was both amused and exasperated. She called out clearly,"Senior, that was a fine lesson indeed!"
The Old Monster of Hedong pondered silently. This man was mad, yet his martial skill was terrifyingly high. Suddenly, a thought struck him.
"Could it be… 'Madman of the West,' Situ Kong?"
Wu Tong strode forward and declared in a ringing voice,"Indeed it is!"
At once, the assembled heroes gasped in astonishment. Murmurs rippled through the crowd as they whispered among themselves. Truly, great fame was never without substance—these few moves alone were extraordinary beyond measure.
Situ Kong, a master among masters in the martial world—most had only heard his name. Who could have imagined witnessing him in person today?
At that moment, Zhao Ke, the Dharma King, stepped forward, clasped his fists, and bowed."Senior, your great name has long thundered through the jianghu. This junior, Zhao Ke of the Fire-Worship Sect, pays his respects!"
Instantly, heroes from all factions surged forward like carp crossing a river, all coming to pay their respects.
Voices rose one after another, praising Situ Kong's unmatched martial prowess, declaring that few under Heaven could rival him. Hearing such acclaim, Situ Kong was immensely pleased. Being so highly honored delighted him greatly.
"You flatter me, all of you!" he said with a grin.
The Three Great Evils had originally sought to settle scores with Situ Kong, but now their faces burned with shame. At that moment, Wu Tong barked sharply,
"Three Great Evils of the Central Plains—why haven't you left yet? Are you waiting for another beating?"
Though scolded, the three were secretly relieved. Knowing Wu Tong had no intention of pressing the matter further, they wasted no time—greasing the soles of their feet, they leapt away in disgraced retreat.
Watching them flee, Dharma King Zhao Ke felt greatly satisfied. He raised his voice and said,"There is an inn just ahead. Heroes, since fate has brought us together today, why not share a drink?"
Yuan Rong, the Fierce Deity, laughed heartily."Let's go! With such bold words from Dharma King Zhao Ke, today we meet through martial skill—no fight, no friendship. Now that old grudges are wiped away, why not drink to our hearts' content?"
Thus the group set off together, arriving at an inn outside the county walls. Zhao Ke laid out a grand banquet, and the heroes gathered to drink.
Once seated, food and wine were brought forth in succession. Zhao Ke stood and proposed a toast. Cups were raised, and after the first sip, the wine coursed through heroic hearts, loosening spirits and broadening minds.
Zhao Ke and Li Rui, the Dharma King, then toasted Wu Tong and his wife for their timely aid. Shortly after, Yuan Rong also raised his cup.
"Dharma King Zhao Ke, Dharma King Li Rui, Hall Master Wu Tong and Madam, Senior Situ—today we brothers of the greenwood have truly learned something. Only now do we realize how vast the world truly is, far beyond what the eye can see. I offer this cup in respect!"
Yuan Rong spoke with heartfelt emotion. Having roamed the martial world for many years, only today—after meeting Zhao Ke and Li Rui—did he truly believe that righteousness and virtue still existed in the jianghu.
As the saying goes:'In youth, one fails to understand Cao Mengde; only later does one recognize a true hero.'
The group raised their cups together. Wu Tong and Situ Kong, both strong drinkers, rose to toast table after table. Seeing them approach, the heroes hurried to their feet, now regarding the two as great heroes and mighty champions.
Cups clinked again and again. Laughter rang out. Days of worry were swept away, hearts light and content.
After several rounds of wine, the heroes chatted freely about strange tales of the martial world, including the feud between Black-Eater King Sima Lun and "Stone-Splitting Palm" Yin Li over "Jade Guanyin" Gao Siyao—a tangled affair of love and hatred that had stirred the jianghu into an uproar, known to nearly everyone.
Wine flowed cup after cup. Many of the greenwood brothers drank themselves senseless. The heroes drank on until the sun dipped behind the western hills, only then parting in complete satisfaction.