Chapter 155: Chapter 113: So What if I Humiliate You?
Zhao Changqiu’s eyes narrowed, and he instinctively gripped the hilt of his Treasure Saber, his stern gaze fixed on Zhan Fusheng.
If Zhan Fusheng dared to make a move, he would strike without a moment’s hesitation.
Chen Sheng observed Zhan Fusheng’s twisted expression, a faint, almost imperceptible smirk playing on his lips. He took off his Embroidered Official Robe, set it aside, and then raised his head to look Zhan Fusheng up and down.
"There are no superior officers here today. I will give you a chance to draw your blade. Win or lose, I promise this will not reach Envoy Nie. Do you... dare to make a move?!"
As his words fell, a sudden hush descended upon the entire Government Office Hall, both inside and out.
All eyes were now fixed on Chen Sheng and Zhan Fusheng.
Lu Cheng sighed to himself and quickly tried to mediate:
"Gentlemen, please calm down. We’re all colleagues in G Camp. Why let it escalate this far? If word of this gets out to our superiors, it will be bad for everyone."
"Lu Jing’an is right. Zhan Jing’an, why aren’t you apologizing to Captain Chen at once?"
Zhao Changqiu, who stood to the side, quickly chimed in.
’It wasn’t that he was afraid of the situation escalating,’ Zhao Changqiu thought. ’After all, both Chen Sheng and Zhan Fusheng have powerful backers. As long as they set the terms, there wouldn’t be any real trouble. What truly worries me is Chen Sheng’s actual strength.’
’Zhan Fusheng entered the Chaoyuan Realm years ago, and his power is nothing short of extraordinary.’
’And from what I’ve heard, Captain Chen has only just reached the Innate Realm. The disparity in their power is immense. If they fight, Chen Sheng is sure to be the one to lose.’
’Most importantly, Chen Sheng is new to his post. If he loses to Zhan Fusheng, he will find it even harder to command respect from the men.’
Zhan Fusheng ignored the pleas from Lu Cheng and Zhao Changqiu. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
"Do you truly mean what you said?!"
"A gentleman’s word is his bond. When I, Chen Sheng, give my word, it is as good as done,"
Chen Sheng said, enunciating each word.
"Fine. Then this subordinate will seek to learn from your methods, Captain Chen. Should I be unfortunate enough to lose, I will follow your every command from this day forward. If I break this oath, may heaven and earth strike me down!"
Zhan Fusheng agreed on the spot, even making a public oath, as if afraid Chen Sheng might go back on his word.
’In his mind, there was no way Chen Sheng could be his match.’
’He had already thoroughly investigated his opponent’s background. Chen Sheng had broken through to the Innate Realm two months ago at most, while he had been honing his skills at the Chaoyuan Realm for several years.’
’His Cultivation had long since reached the peak of the Chaoyuan Realm.’
’If they were to truly fight, he felt no fear whatsoever.’
"Good."
Chen Sheng gave a slight nod, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding Jingwu Guards.
"If I am defeated, then from this day forward, you, Zhan Fusheng, may operate in G Camp without answering my summons. Our grudge will be settled, once and for all!"
"Impressive!"
Zhan Fusheng nodded emphatically. He then turned, took a single step, and launched himself into the air, Flying away.
"Captain Chen, I will be waiting for you on the training grounds."
"Sir, you..."
Zhao Changqiu, at his side, started to speak but then trailed off. He wanted to object, but he didn’t know what to say. The challenge had been made in front of everyone.
Chen Sheng raised a hand, silencing him, then said simply:
"Let’s go."
...
「G Camp, Training Grounds」
A square arena, built from bluestone slabs, stood three feet high and measured roughly ten zhang in both length and width. Two figures now stood upon it, one on the left and one on the right, facing each other from a distance of ten zhang. An invisible, murderous aura radiated from them, silencing the whispers of the crowd below.
Nearly every Jing’an Guard from G Camp, whether on duty or not, had gathered. They formed a tight ring around the arena, packed shoulder to shoulder.
In the front row, Lu Cheng wore a solemn expression, his eyes darting between Chen Sheng and Zhan Fusheng. A strange light flickered deep within them, betraying his inscrutable thoughts.
Zhao Changqiu, however, made no attempt to hide his worry. His hands were clenched into tight fists, his palms slick with cold sweat.
The crowd’s feelings about the fight were mixed. Some hoped Chen Sheng would establish his authority, while others looked forward to seeing Zhan Fusheng knock the new Captain down a peg.
"Captain Chen, please."
Zhan Fusheng took a deep breath to calm his turbulent thoughts, then spoke in a low voice.
He now had no path of retreat; his only option was to fight with all his might.
Chen Sheng, by contrast, looked as calm and unbothered as ever. His dark, close-fitting attire accentuated his tall, straight posture. In response to the invitation, he simply said:
"You are my subordinate, so I will not take the advantage of striking first. Go ahead. Show me what you’ve got."
"Good! Good! Good!"
Zhan Fusheng repeated the word three times, the last trace of hesitation in his eyes replaced by a ruthless gleam. "Then you had better watch closely, Captain Chen!"
Before his words had even faded, a sharp SHIING echoed as Zhan Fusheng unhooked the standard-issue Jingwu Bureau long saber from his waist. Without a second glance, he drove it backward into the bluestone floor beside him. The blade quivered, letting out a low, incessant hum.
And then—
"HRAAAGH!!!"
With a roar that cracked like thunder, the Innate True Qi around Zhan Fusheng’s body erupted. Azure True Qi flared up like a flame. The hard bluestone beneath his feet gave a loud KRAK and split into a spiderweb of fissures.
The next instant.
Zhan Fusheng shot forward like a coiled beast unleashed, leaving a blurry afterimage in his wake. With a piercing whistle of displaced air, his right fist, glowing with the condensed power of an azure Fist Gang, flew straight for Chen Sheng’s face with no wasted motion.
The punch was incredibly ferocious, a clear sign that he was holding nothing back, intending to establish his dominance with a single blow.
Yet, in the face of this sudden, ferocious attack, Chen Sheng’s expression remained perfectly calm.
’He had taken a Vitality Pill earlier. Ever since, the Innate True Qi and vital energy in his body had been surging like a torrential river, held in check only by his exquisite control.’
’Now, the time was right.’
His hands remained clasped behind his back as he took a single, deliberate step forward with his right foot.
"VOOOM—!"
As his foot landed, invisible ripples seemed to spread out from the point of contact.
A faint golden sheen, like liquid light, flashed across the exposed skin of Chen Sheng’s neck and arms.
The next instant, a far more vast and majestic wave of Innate True Qi erupted from every pore of his body. It was incredibly pure and condensed, carrying with it an aura of indestructibility.
In a flash, the phantom of a translucent Golden Bell, roughly the height of a man and formed from condensed Innate True Qi, materialized out of thin air, enveloping Chen Sheng completely.
Ancient, intricate patterns seemed to flow across the surface of the Golden Bell, which radiated an aura as immovable as a mountain, impervious to all harm.
"DOOONG!!!"
Zhan Fusheng’s ferocious punch, powerful enough to shatter stone, struck the phantom of the Golden Bell dead center.
The bell phantom did not shatter as expected. Instead, the impact produced a deafening toll—loud, deep, and resonant, as if it had come from an ancient temple bell.
A sound wave, carrying a faint golden halo, erupted from the point of impact, spreading outward in a violent ring.
Zhan Fusheng, at the epicenter, bore the full brunt of it. He felt a massive, irresistible force surge back up his arm from his fist, causing it to go instantly numb with searing pain.
The shockwave sent his long hair flying and his robes whipping about him. Worse, the bell’s toll seemed to pierce straight into his Divine Soul, throwing his vital energy and blood into chaos. For a brief moment, his vision swam with stars, and a wave of dizziness washed over him.
’What?!’
This sudden, unexpected turn of events made Zhan Fusheng’s face fall, and raw horror bloomed in his heart.
