The leader of the Phoenix Clan, Qiu Feng, frowned, unable to hide her agitation."Meng Cheng, are you deliberately picking a fight?!"
The leader of the Xuzhou Clan, Xu Li, would not tolerate Meng Cheng's posturing in front of him. He said coolly,"Clan Leader Qiu, there's no need to worry. I'll spar with him myself."
Qiu Feng considered that if circumstances took a sudden turn, she could still step in to take over the fight. With that in mind, she withdrew.
Xu Li—known in the martial world as Thunderwind Hand—had long since reached the pinnacle of martial attainment, a first-rate master without peer. Meng Cheng's provocation was clearly meant to disrupt Xu Li, to delay him and drain his inner strength, thereby buying time and advantage for Zhang Cheng, the leader of the Dockside Clan.
Meng Cheng shouted loudly,"Clan Leader Xu, your strikes are ruthless! Even if my martial skills fall short, for the sake of my brother He Yong, I will fight today—even if it means knocking out my teeth and swallowing blood!"
Xu Li fixed him with a piercing, unblinking stare."Meng Cheng, stop playing games. Make your move. I'll give you a quick end."
At those words, Meng Cheng felt a chill creep into his heart. Xu Li had already gauged his true ability; before a single move was exchanged, Xu Li's words had cut like blades. Meng Cheng knew he was already a pawn crossing the river—there was no retreat left. He could only fight it out to the bitter end.
A vicious aura surged through Meng Cheng. With a thunderous shout of "Take this!", he shot straight up into the air, soaring four or five zhang high, executing the light-skill technique "Crane Soars to the Heavens." As he descended, he suddenly folded mid-air, flipping his body and driving both palms downward in a double-piercing strike aimed directly at Xu Li's crown.
Xu Li immediately sensed the ferocity of the incoming palm force—sharp as blades, not to be taken lightly. His expression hardened. Channeling his true qi, he raised both palms to meet the attack, blocking and bracing in one smooth motion, then advancing his palms in response. His movements were clean and elegant. Meng Cheng's fierce momentum was instantly checked; instead, he felt Xu Li's arms solid as iron. One block, one parry—the force behind them was nothing short of overwhelming.
Meng Cheng had gone all out from the first strike, his move awe-inspiring in power. Yet the gap between his cultivation and Xu Li's was vast—far more than a minor difference. As their palm forces collided, Xu Li received and countered with crisp efficiency. The disparity in skill was immediately apparent.
The two exchanged blows at close range—fists and kicks flying without pause. Xu Li shouted sternly,"Know when to stop! If you don't withdraw now, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"
He immediately switched from defense to offense, launching a left-hand punch toward Meng Cheng's back. Meng Cheng twisted away, then suddenly leapt backward several zhang, throwing his head back in wild laughter.
"So that's all you've got?" he jeered. "Use whatever skills you have—I'm not afraid of you!"
With furious roars, Meng Cheng flailed both palms and charged again, fighting with reckless abandon. Xu Li infused his arms with power and met him head-on. Executing "Four Ounces Deflect a Thousand Pounds," he drew arcs with both hands, making contact and guiding the force outward. Borrowing strength to redirect strength, he sent Meng Cheng stumbling forward, nearly losing his footing.
"Last warning," Xu Li barked. "Stand down now."
"Spare me your fake benevolence!" Meng Cheng snarled.
With that, he swung both fists, kicked off the ground, and rushed in again. In the exchange of words and blows, Xu Li keenly sensed an approaching danger. This was all a setup. If he hesitated out of misplaced mercy and failed to deal with this man swiftly, it would not only affect his upcoming duel with Zhang Cheng, but also jeopardize the entire Heroes' Assembly.
Seeing Meng Cheng charge in, Xu Li struck decisively—palms cleaving downward, each move pressing closer. Their exchange grew faster and fiercer. With no time left for restraint, Xu Li roared,"You brought this upon yourself!"
His arms shook as he shifted force, pushing aside and lifting in one seamless transition. He unleashed the Thunderwind Palm, the move "Thunder Shakes the Earth." Instantly, palm winds howled violently; his strikes became ghostlike in speed, impossible to track.
Bang!Meng Cheng was blasted backward, crashing heavily to the ground. Smack! Blood sprayed from his mouth, and all his earlier arrogance vanished in an instant.
The reason He Yong and Meng Cheng had stirred up trouble and repeatedly blocked Xu Li was simple: they intended to exhaust Xu Li's inner strength. From the start, they had prepared to sacrifice themselves. Mere expendable pawns—inferior mounts sent against a superior one—all to fulfill Zhang Cheng's dream of becoming the supreme leader.
Now grievously wounded, they had no one to blame but themselves.
Standing amid the grass brushed flat by the struggle, Xu Li let out a long sigh."Kind words cannot save those bent on death; compassion cannot deliver those who choose destruction."
At that moment, Qiu Feng stepped forward and said,"In life and in action, to remain true to one's conscience is enough. Clan Leader Xu has done all he could—why sigh?"
Just then, a few cold snorts rang out. A burly figure strolled onto the field. It was none other than Zhang Cheng, leader of the Dockside Clan. He sneered,"Why the pretended righteousness, the two of you?"
Qiu Feng's expression turned stern."Clan Leader Zhang, heroes from all corners are gathered here today. You cannot smear others with slander and false accusations. Clan Leader Xu is loyal, restrained, and just in all matters—a model worthy of emulation."
Zhang Cheng retorted,"Meng Cheng and He Yong were injured by Clan Leader Xu—everyone here saw it with their own eyes. That is an undeniable fact. You cannot talk your way out of it!"
Qiu Feng shot back without yielding,"Right and wrong may be hard to judge, but heaven and earth will reveal the truth in time!"
Zhang Cheng shifted tactics and replied,"White robes stained with dust remain white, so long as the heart stays pure!"
Qiu Feng answered obliquely,"Clear water remains clear; sorrow reflects like a mirror. A straight staff looks bent in water—some bare their hearts, yet others complain of the taste of blood."
Their words crossed like blades, veiled with hidden barbs. The two sides argued fiercely, locked in stalemate.
Just then, another figure stepped forward. The crowd looked up—It was Fei Jin, leader of the Beggars' Sect.
He spoke loudly,"Under heaven, upon this earth, good and evil are never easily judged. Rather than arguing over who is right or wrong, why not decide it through martial contest—fight to claim command!"
His words struck like a staff awakening the crowd. Thunderous applause erupted at once. More than a thousand heroes clapped in unison, cheers shaking the heavens.
Someone shouted,"Fight to claim command!"
Immediately, the entire assembly roared in response:"Yes! Fight to claim command!Fight to claim command!"