In their previous encounter, the canal guilds all believed that Yang Linzhong had only secured his narrow victory by resorting to underhanded tactics. Yang Linzhong was a dark-natured man—ruthless, crafty, and willing to use any means to seize power. That day, in order to block the Phoenix Sect and the Xuzhou Guild, he had not hesitated to employ treachery. Yet this did not mean his martial skill was inferior.
Now, Yang Linzhong and Tang Fei each unleashed their full abilities. Their exchanges on the field interwove and crossed at astonishing speed. Tang Fei responded with steady composure, while Yang Linzhong—at the height of his prime—had poured all his strength into preparing for this Heroes' Gathering, training day and night without rest. He seized the center line and executed "Crane Beak, Sinking Elbow," stabbing toward Tang Fei's chest.
Tang Fei heard the wind howl past his ears. His left palm flipped outward in "Blocking the Road and Robbing the Way," guarding his chest as he met the attack head-on. He struck forward with thunderous force—fist winds roaring, hands moving like lightning, power surging with unstoppable might.
But Yang Linzhong was exceedingly cunning, constantly exploiting gaps. His right foot stepped in as his right claw lashed toward Tang Fei's face. Tang Fei withdrew his left foot diagonally backward, evading the edge, then spread his arms and generated force—hard block against hard frame. He suddenly roared,"Twin Dragons Emerge from the Sea!"
Both palms thrust forward in unison, laden with dense, pure internal power. Yang Linzhong shouted,"Excellent!"
His palms traced a circular arc as Tiger-Crane Dual Form erupted alongside a piercing cry. The attack surged forth—crane palms circling and probing, tiger palms lunging and pouncing. The strikes expanded and contracted unpredictably, the coordination of tiger and crane reaching exquisite perfection.
The two moved faster and faster—attack and defense blurring—reaching the decisive moment. Palms flew, fists answered. Suddenly, Yang Linzhong drove a palm straight through the center line. Tang Fei twisted his steps and turned his waist, narrowly evading the tiger palm—yet at that instant, thud! A beak-like strike clipped his left shoulder.
Tang Fei staggered back three or four steps, his footing unsteady. Yang Linzhong withdrew immediately after landing the hit. Tang Fei then spoke aloud:
"Guildmaster Yang has won. Tang bows in defeat."
Yang Linzhong froze in surprise."The outcome is decided already?"
Tang Fei replied calmly,"In a martial exchange, one stops at the point of contact. I have lost."
With that, he clasped his fists lightly and returned to his faction. The assembled heroes admired his bearing immensely—applause erupted without restraint, freely given to this forthright old hero. Yang Linzhong, by contrast, stood frozen in the arena, disbelief written across his face.
At that moment, Zeng Qiang of the Salt Guild strode forth. He cupped his fists and said,"Guildmaster Yang, your skill is admirable. Allow Zeng to seek instruction."
Years earlier, when Yang Linzhong had pressured the Salt Guild to support the Yan forces—resorting to threats and intimidation—the two had clashed, and Yang Linzhong had been defeated. Now he said coldly,"Brother Zeng, no need to wait for another day. The grudge of that palm strike will be repaid today."
Zeng Qiang laughed softly."So that single strike from years past has weighed so heavily on Guildmaster Yang's heart? Zeng bears responsibility for past offenses—please do not take them to heart."
He bowed deeply in formal apology. Yet Yang Linzhong merely swept him with a glance, his tone icy."Hmph. At a Heroes' Gathering, spare me false courtesy. We judge heroes beneath our palms! Why the hypocrisy?"
Measuring a gentleman by a petty mind, Yang Linzhong mistook goodwill for pretense. Zeng Qiang, left with no choice, said,"Then please."
Yang Linzhong spun and unleashed a fierce palm, its force crashing forth like collapsing mountains. Zeng Qiang had anticipated this—his right hand lifted, deflecting the strike, and with a whoosh he countered. Yang Linzhong blocked with his left hand, leaned back slightly, and a trace of triumph curved his lips. He flashed aside and struck again.
Zeng Qiang parried and guided the incoming force away, praising,"Guildmaster Yang's skill is impressive."
Yang Linzhong bristled."Hmph! Spare me that righteousness talk!"
He attacked relentlessly. Their palm techniques clashed without pause. Zeng Qiang thought that Yang Linzhong must still harbor resentment over that past defeat, so he said,"Brother Yang, today we exchange skills only to test our learning. We have no enmity—there is no need to fight to the death."
"Enough nonsense!" Yang Linzhong snapped.
They battled palm against palm, advancing and retreating in tangled exchange. After more than a hundred moves, Zeng Qiang's spirit only grew stronger, while Yang Linzhong's techniques began to falter—fatigue creeping in. Zeng Qiang's palms were vast and powerful, spreading like an invisible wall before his opponent. Yang Linzhong, having fought two bouts in succession, found his true qi depleted.
Zeng Qiang thundered a shout and leapt forward with consecutive palm strikes. Yang Linzhong retreated in haste, blocking left and shifting right. As they clashed—advance and withdrawal—Zeng Qiang seized the moment mid-flow, altered his steps, locked the wrist, sliced inward, and struck squarely with his palm.
Bang!Yang Linzhong took the blow to the abdomen and spat blood on the spot.
Zeng Qiang did not pursue."My apologies."
Suddenly a shout rang out:"So this is false benevolence from a hypocrite!"
A figure surged forward, leaping into the air and landing squarely in the arena—it was Zhang Cheng, leader of the Dockworkers' Guild.
Zeng Qiang sighed helplessly."Fists and feet have no eyes—injuries are unavoidable."
Zhang Cheng seized the moment, raising his voice harshly."Enough glib excuses! Hypocrisy, twisting right and wrong—was Guildmaster Yang's injury fake?"
Exaggerating the matter, Zhang Cheng pressed relentlessly. In a duel, how could injury be avoided? Zeng Qiang turned pale, struck with dread, unable to defend himself in words. Zhang Cheng pressed further:
"Zeng Yong! You claim to be a heroic man—yet today your conduct lacks dignity. How can you lecture our two guilds on right and wrong?"
A thin, piercing voice carried across the field. Zeng Qiang replied firmly,"On what grounds? Guildmaster Yang's injury is real. My strike exceeded measure—I have already apologized. But Guildmaster Zhang's verbal aggression is unreasonable, twisting logic by force."
Zhang Cheng roared,"Unreasonable? Twisting logic? What proof have you?"
Zeng Qiang stepped forward and addressed the assembled heroes."I, Zeng Qiang, act openly and uprightly. Today's duel involved nothing shameful. Since Guildmaster Zhang slanders me, I ask the heroes present to bear witness. Did Guildmaster Yang not say he would repay the palm-strike grudge today?"
The crowd answered in unison,"He did!"
Zeng Qiang continued,"Before the duel, did I not say that I never intended hostility, and that past offenses were mine—asking Guildmaster Yang not to take them to heart?"
Again the crowd replied,"He did!"
"And did Guildmaster Yang not say, 'No need for false courtesy—let us judge heroes beneath our palms! Why the hypocrisy?'"
The crowd thundered once more,"He did!"
With righteous bearing, Zeng Qiang declared,"Heroes, if Guildmaster Yang spat blood in this duel, can blame rest solely upon me? Is Guildmaster Zhang not indulging in verbal excess, distorting reason? Let public judgment decide!"
The crowd erupted in approval, all agreeing that Zeng Qiang's conduct accorded with justice and propriety. Zhang Cheng, intending to humiliate him publicly, now burned with rage and shouted,
"Enough false virtue! Words are useless—let us fight!"
And thus it is said:
Words are blades, level and sharp,Clever tongues twist rising and falling tones.An open heart walks the righteous path—Whence come slanderous lies?