Chapter 154: Chapter 108: A Single Punch Shakes Xingning Street; Sufficient Spiritual Essence to Refine the Demon Suppression Stele
"Fan... Fan! This is bad! There’s trouble on Xingning Street!"
The short, chubby youth ran up to Chu Fan, bending over with his hands on his knees to catch his breath. "There’s an outsider performing outside the Drunken Immortal Tower. He was making too much of a ruckus, so the owner told him to leave, but he refused and started arguing..."
"Ling Feng wanted to prove himself, so he went up and fought him. But... but the outsider pinned his head down and gave him a brutal beating!"
Chu Fan raised an eyebrow.
’Ling Feng had only broken through to the Blood Refining Realm a few days ago. Although he wasn’t very strong, how could he be humiliated like this on the Seven Stars Gang’s own territory?’
The short, chubby youth continued, "That outsider is at the Bone Marrow Forging Realm! He also declared that if any Martial Artist from the Seven Stars Gang at or below the Bone Marrow Forging Realm can beat him, he’ll leave his performance money and get the hell out of Cyan Yang City immediately."
"We had no choice but to come find you!"
Chu Fan was stunned once again.
’An outsider dared to openly challenge the Seven Stars Gang, one of the three major gangs?’
’Does he have a death wish?’
’Something about this felt off.’
Cao Feng, standing beside him, chuckled. "It’s just the Iron Armor Sect’s dirty tricks. They lost the last fight and were unwilling to withdraw from Xingning Street. This is them deliberately looking for trouble."
"They know you’re in charge of Xingning Street now, and they’ve guessed you either just broke through to the Bone Marrow Forging Realm or are about to. So they found a tough customer from that realm to put you in your place."
"If you lose, you won’t be able to show your face on Xingning Street anymore."
"It’s a classic move for gangs in the martial world, just a way to screw with people."
"So that’s how it is." Chu Fan had a sudden realization.
’The Iron Armor Sect sure knows how to cause trouble...’
"Perfect. Xingning Street is on the way to the Moon Arrow Martial Arts Hall anyway."
Cao Feng clapped him on the shoulder. "Let’s go. We’ll head over and see just how capable this guy the Iron Armor Sect found really is."
...
Xingning Street, outside the Drunken Immortal Tower.
The once-spacious street was now completely blocked by a massive crowd.
In the center of the crowd, a large area had been cleared out.
A burly man stood with his arms crossed, wearing a coarse-cloth short jacket. His skin was dark, and his muscles looked as if they were cast from bronze and iron.
His temples bulged, and his defiant eyes swept over the surrounding Seven Stars Gang members with utter contempt.
Not far from his feet, Ling Feng lay sprawled pathetically on the ground, his face covered in dust and streaked with blood.
’He couldn’t accept it...’
He had fought two consecutive matches, and both ended in his crushing defeat.
Ling Feng struggled several times but couldn’t get up, his heart burning with rage.
Liang Qiu’s face was ashen as he walked into the circle and helped Ling Feng to his feet.
"Hmph, the Seven Stars Gang? One of the three major gangs of Cyan Yang City? Looks to me like your reputation is undeserved!"
The outsider’s voice boomed like a great bell, deliberately making sure everyone could hear. "Don’t you have anyone who can fight? I said anyone at or below the Bone Marrow Forging Realm can step up! Beat me, and I’ll get lost immediately!"
"If you can’t win, then kindly step aside and stop blocking me from performing!"
The onlookers chattered amongst themselves. Some were excited, and some were worried. But most were simply enjoying the drama, hoping it would escalate.
The owner of the Drunken Immortal Tower was so anxious he was stomping his feet at the entrance, but there was nothing he could do.
When Chu Fan and Cao Feng arrived, they saw the place was in an uproar. The crowd was packed several layers deep, and the noise was loud enough to tear the roof off.
Cao Feng patted Chu Fan’s shoulder and jutted his chin toward the Drunken Immortal Tower. "You handle this. I’m going upstairs to find a good spot to watch the show."
With that, he pushed through the crowd and went upstairs, heading straight for a private booth by the window on the second floor. He sat down and leisurely looked down at the scene below.
At another window-side table just behind Cao Feng, a woman with a face as pale as paper and a faint aura was also staring coldly at the scene below.
It was none other than Liang Yuhen, who had nearly been killed by the white-robed man from the Moon Worship Sect last night!
She had been attacked by the white-robed man from the Moon Worship Sect last night. Although she had luckily escaped with her life, she was severely injured. Right now, even circulating her qi and blood was a struggle.
But when she saw Chu Fan’s figure, a fire of hatred, mixed with a hint of anticipation, suddenly lit up in her dim eyes.
’Chu Fan... You’re finally here...’
Liang Yuhen sneered inwardly.
’I may have lost the battle at Luofeng Valley, but I was only at the Blood Refining Realm back then.’
’Just a few days ago, I broke through to the Bone Marrow Forging Realm. My strength has increased immensely, and all I can think about is getting my revenge one day.’
’And Chu Fan, from what I know, only recently became a Small Leader in charge of Xingning Street because of his accomplishments.’
’In my opinion, no matter how talented Chu Fan is, he could have only reached the Bone Marrow Forging Realm a few days before me at most. At best, he’s in the initial stage of the Bone Marrow Forging Realm right now.’
’But this outsider the Iron Armor Sect found was handpicked. He’s a genuine peak Bone Marrow Forging Realm expert, someone who could break through to the Bone Tempering Realm at any moment!’
Liang Yuhen could hardly wait to see Chu Fan defeated in public, utterly humiliated.
’If Chu Fan gets severely injured, that would be even better!’
’After this, let’s see if he still has the gall to call himself the boss of Xingning Street!’
...
Downstairs, Chu Fan didn’t rush forward. He just stood in the crowd, watching the spectacle.
Across the way, the blood on Ling Feng’s face had yet to dry. He stood beside Liang Qiu, glaring furiously at the bear-like, burly outsider in the center of the ring.
And at this moment, the one standing opposite the outsider was, surprisingly, Zhang Meng.
Chu Fan had a faint impression of Zhang Meng—
Back in Luofeng Valley, after he had defeated Liang Yuhen, this man was the first Seven Stars Gang disciple to come up and try to get friendly.
Zhang Meng was also at the Bone Marrow Forging Realm, and his build was quite burly as well.
But compared to the outsider, he was a full head shorter. He looked like a child standing before a giant, his presence completely overshadowed.
Just as Chu Fan was about to step forward, a familiar voice suddenly came from beside him, "Eh? Little brother, you came to watch the show too?"
Chu Fan turned his head and grinned. "Well, if it isn’t the Black-hearted Shopkeeper of Hundred Herbs Hall? You crooked merchant, did you abandon your business just to join the crowd?"
The shopkeeper of Hundred Herbs Hall’s mouth twitched. He retorted irritably, "What way is that to talk! Hundred Herbs Hall is famous for its fair dealings with young and old alike!"
