Martial Sovereign of the Turbulent World

Chapter 170: Chapter 168: Cut Open My Belly to Prove My Innocence? I Was Just Worried I Wouldn’t Get an Opportunity

"The Life and Death Barrier? He’s demanding I face it by name?"

Fu Juemin was stunned for a moment, then laughed in spite of himself. "What is Zhao Jigang thinking? Why should I face that blasted Life and Death Barrier?"

"The Zhao Family invited me to be their ’Martial Sacrificial Officer’ and still owes me six hundred fifty thousand silver coins as an apology gift. Have they paid up?"

"They have."

Madam Ding’s voice was as calm as still water. "It just arrived this morning. Not only did they pay, but they added an extra one million silver coins."

"He’s certainly generous."

Fu Juemin blinked, then shook his head. "But I’m not stupid. I’m not going to step forward and admit I killed the man for a mere one million."

Madam Ding said slowly, "His challenge isn’t about seeking revenge. It’s for you to prove that the man... was not killed by you."

Fu Juemin’s brow furrowed slightly.

"...The Life and Death Barrier on the Xuanwu Platform was created as a last resort to settle irresolvable feuds in the Martial Arts world."

"He accuses you of murder, you flatly deny it, and he has no conclusive evidence. So, you go to the Xuanwu Platform. One side sets up the challenge, the other side attempts to overcome it. Both parties can request assistance."

"If you succeed, he must accept that your words are true, and the grudge is wiped clean, never to be mentioned again."

"But if you refuse the challenge, it proves you have a guilty conscience. You’re afraid because you did kill him."

"And what if I accept but don’t succeed?"

"It’s called the Life and Death Barrier. Failure means certain death."

"And death settles all debts. The feud will naturally be over..."

After hearing Madam Ding’s explanation, Fu Juemin slowly nodded. "I understand."

"It’s like a man goes into a shop, eats one bowl of noodles, and pays for one bowl of noodles. But the shopkeeper insists he ate two bowls and still owes for one."

"To prove his innocence, the man has no choice but to cut open his own stomach to let them see..."

"Zhao Jigang... he wants me to cut myself open to prove my innocence."

Fu Juemin said calmly, "But I did, in fact, eat two bowls of noodles. Still, why should I have to prove it to him? Can’t I just ignore it?"

"I’m afraid not."

Madam Ding spoke slowly, "Zhao Jigang has joined forces with the families of the influential people who died on the platform that day. He even got a Westerner director from the Public Concession Engineering Bureau to act as a witness for this challenge."

"If I’m not mistaken, tomorrow, the major newspapers under the Chen Family’s control will start building public pressure to force our hand. Furthermore, the Blue-clothed Gang and the Woodcutter Gang have now spoken up in his support..."

"I can understand the Blue-clothed Gang. There was a Master from their gang on the main stage during the Martial Arts Association meeting."

Fu Juemin frowned. "But on what grounds is the Woodcutter Gang getting involved?"

"You don’t know?"

Madam Ding glanced at him. "The Woodcutter Gang has always been Luo Zhengxiong’s eyes, ears, and claws within the city. Without special circumstances or a direct order from Central, even Luo Zhengxiong can’t just send troops into the city. The Woodcutter Gang is his hand in here."

Hearing this, Fu Juemin’s expression became unusually calm.

He gently placed his teacup on the small table and said slowly, "So, you’re saying we have to accept this challenge, whether we want to or not?"

"They’re forcing you, Aunt Ding, to accept it on my behalf..."

Madam Ding didn’t answer immediately.

She reached out with the fire tongs and gently poked the silver charcoal in the small red clay stove. Sparks flew with a light CRACKLE.

"Force?"

She put down the tongs, slowly rose to her feet, and gazed out at the bleak courtyard beyond the warm pavilion. "They didn’t force me. I... accepted it myself."

She turned to look at Fu Juemin, her face devoid of joy or anger, showing only a calmness like a deep, dark pool.

"I, Ding Moshan, came to Shenghai at sixteen. It’s been nearly thirty years since then."

"Some people seem to have forgotten how I clawed my way, step by step, to where I am today over these thirty years."

Madam Ding’s tone was flat and her voice wasn’t loud, but every word was crystal clear.

"They’ve come looking for trouble with you time and time again. I was just worried I wouldn’t get a chance to openly return the favor."

She walked over to Fu Juemin and, like an elder, gently straightened his already neat collar. "The Kitties told me. They said you’re incredibly skilled when dealing with those demons and ghosts, that your fists and feet are formidable."

"Aunt Ding knows you’re powerful and that you’re not afraid of them. But this time, you don’t have to do a thing. Don’t go on stage, and don’t make a move. Just stand aside and watch quietly."

"Before, Aunt Ding taught you to follow the rules. That advice was specifically for dealing with the likes of Mr. Wen and Luo Zhengxiong."

"But now? Some random nobody sets up a stall on the side of the road and dares to invite us to their table and lecture us on rules?"

The corners of Madam Ding’s mouth curled up, but her smile was filled with unconcealed, murderous intent. "That Zhao fellow wants us to face his so-called Life and Death Barrier on the Xuanwu Platform, doesn’t he?"

"Fine. We’ll play along for now. We’ll gather our people and make our preparations. When the time is right, then..."

She didn’t finish, but the bone-chilling coldness in her words was self-evident.

Fu Juemin stared blankly at Madam Ding, first surprised, then breaking into a faint smile.

’That’s right.’ He himself had almost forgotten what kind of person Aunt Ding truly was.

Mr. Ding of the Qinglian Gang, who held monstrous power and wealth on Shenghai Beach, certainly hadn’t gotten to her position by meekly following the rules.

Fu Juemin thought for a moment, then added, "What about Mayor Wen’s side...?"

"You don’t need to worry about that."

Madam Ding said nonchalantly, "Shenghai City has always been the territory of our Wen System."

"That new director of the Secretariat and Public Security Bureau, Nan Xiangcheng, who was dispatched by the Xin Republic Central some time ago? He’s probably so scared of us killing him on the spot before he even reaches the Public Security Bureau’s doors that he’s still hiding in the Jianghai Defense Command, too afraid to show his face."

"Mr. Wen also intends to use this opportunity to probe Luo Zhengxiong’s side and see what they’re really made of."

Fu Juemin nodded slightly.

Wen Zhiqiu and Luo Zhengxiong—one in politics, one in the military, one inside the city, one outside—had always kept to their own lanes.

But Nan Xiangcheng, arriving with a transfer order from Central, had quietly shattered this delicate balance between them.

If he wasn’t mistaken, after this storm passed, Shenghai was likely heading for a long and "eventful" period.

....

After taking his leave of Madam Ding, Fu Juemin dismissed his subordinates and went alone to his usual training room.

The walls and floor, damaged during his great battle with Li Tong here some time ago, had long since been repaired.

Fu Juemin stood alone under the cascade of light pouring from the dome. The room was silent, but the image of Li Tong couldn’t help but surface in his mind.

’I wonder how Uncle Tong is doing now. Has he found that itinerant from the Formless Sect who was looking for trouble with him?’

He bent down and lightly touched the floor with his finger. With a soft THUNK, his fingertip sank in as if poking tofu.

He moved his finger slowly, and with a cringe-worthy sound of compressed wood, he carved the two words "Zhao Jigang" into the floor.

Upon hearing that Zhao Jigang had set up a Life and Death Barrier, Fu Juemin’s original plan had been to use [Painted Hide] to disguise himself, sneak over at night, and kill him directly.

But now that Aunt Ding had her own plans, he no longer needed to carry out his risky scheme.

’I wonder... if I go all out with my Three Souls in One Body [Demon Body], can I kill a Martial Artist of the Gratitude Sensing Realm...’

Once the thought took root, it was hard to suppress.

Fu Juemin stripped off his outer clothes, leaving only a thin inner shirt, and stood in the spacious training room.

Then, with a flicker in his eyes, he activated three Talents from his status panel: [Copper Hide], [Soft Bone], and [Meat Mountain].

In the next second, a tyrannical, intense, and primally savage aura erupted from every pore of his body like a volcanic explosion!

Deep within his Consciousness, the clear, bright, and solemn Pharmacist Buddha Dharma Form instantly shattered, dissolving into a shower of radiant light.

Beneath this radiance, three Demon Souls roared as a raging Demon Fire surged!

If an outsider had been present, they would have been horrified to see a massive, formless, yet seemingly tangible mass of dark energy suddenly expand from Fu Juemin, distorting and vibrating the very air around him!

At the same time, several hundred meters away in the Five Beasts Training Room—a converted wine cellar—the many creatures in the Five Directions Beast Cage suddenly grew agitated, letting out wave after wave of frantic and uneasy shrieks and roars...

.....