The sun blazed overhead.A sudden northern wind swept through.War drums thundered.The heroes held their breath!
The Rebel-Suppressing Assembly was in full attendance—heroes from across the realm had gathered, banners snapping like whips in the wind, a suffocating aura of killing intent pervading the field. At this moment, the two great forces—the Black Dragon Sect and the Heaven's Veneration Sect—had reached the absolute brink. Their confrontation was now mere moments away from erupting into battle.
Around them, martial world luminaries stood in grim silence, holding their breath in anticipation. It was like the deathly stillness before a summer storm, the air itself thick with an oppressive weight.
The First Bout — Meng Ming vs. Hu Qi
From the Black Dragon Sect's ranks, Left Dharma King Meng Ming stepped forward. His frame was towering and muscular, his eyes sharp as lightning, his presence heavy with power. Each step was steady, deliberate—like a great tiger descending the mountain. The atmosphere across the entire assembly seemed to freeze.
He clasped his fists and saluted, his voice resonating like a great bell:
"Meng Ming, Left Dharma King of the Black Dragon Sect. I have long heard of your great name, Senior, and hold you in high esteem. Please—enlighten me!"
Every word rang with force, his tone commanding, his bearing that of a seasoned master who knew both etiquette and pride.
The Mencius Legacy
Hu Qi, the Heaven's Veneration Sect's Left Envoy, was well past seventy, with hair and beard white as frost—yet his spirit was vigorous, his gaze deep as the abyss, reflecting the wisdom and tempering of decades.
The moment he heard the name "Meng Ming," a thought flashed through his mind—a passage from Mencius · Gongsun Chou:
"Do you delight in courage? I have heard of the great courage of the Master:When I examine myself and find no fault, I will not be afraid even of a man in coarse cloth.When I examine myself and find fault, I will go forward against ten thousand men."
In that instant, Hu Qi felt his blood stir. His spirit flared like a rising sun.
He stepped forward, clasped fists, and said in a voice calm yet ringing:
"This old man, Hu Qi, Left Envoy of the Heaven's Veneration Sect, is aged and frail—my name in the world is but a hollow shell, of no harm to others, of no benefit to the realm.Your ancestor, Mencius, is a name honored for all ages. He once said:Benevolence brings honor; the lack of it brings disgrace. To hate disgrace yet dwell in what is not benevolent is like hating dampness yet living in a low place!"
Meng Ming's heart jolted as if struck. His face flushed crimson. He had always known of his lineage from Mencius, yet the road he walked now was far from his ancestor's ideals. To have this exposed before all present—how could he not feel shaken?
At last, he muttered, voice faltering:
"Senior, though your words are deep, I… I am but a rough man of the greenwood. I have no true connection with Mencius."
Hu Qi read his expression and sighed inwardly. He said no more, only adding softly:
"My words end here. Let us cross hands."
Yet in his heart, Mencius's words echoed:
"Fortune and misfortune—none fail to bring them upon themselves."This day's battle would be the final judgment between right and wrong.
Dragon Claw vs. Monkey Fist
Meng Ming was not one to be taken lightly—veteran of countless battles, master of his sect's deadliest skills. At the moment his voice fell silent, he sprang into the air, his body a soaring dragon breaking the clouds. Both claws swept down with overwhelming force—Dragon Claw Skill, the Black Dragon Sect's signature art.
Claw shadows rolled like dark waves; the air whistled and roared. Dust swirled violently beneath, the claw force tearing at the wind itself—a strike that made hearts quail.
Hu Qi instantly sensed the peril—this was no blow to meet head-on. Pivoting his stance, he shifted aside with "Wind Step," evading by the smallest margin. But Meng Ming's first strike, though missed, flowed seamlessly into a second—his left claw lashed out faster than a storm, straight for Hu Qi's face! Hu Qi bent back sharply, retreating three steps, but Meng Ming pressed relentlessly, claws never leaving him a moment's breath.
His feet moved in the Mad Dragon Steps—suddenly his speed doubled. The third claw came with a tearing sound, claw-shadows weaving into an illusory dragon in the air, hemming Hu Qi in with nowhere to run.
Hu Qi felt the pressure like pounding waves. One more exchange like this, and the fight would be lost. In the split second before the claws closed in, his body shifted—light and quick, his movements suddenly nimble and unpredictable. This was the Heaven's Veneration Sect's secret—Monkey Fist's light form.
At the instant Meng Ming's claws slashed down, Hu Qi lowered his stance, bent his arms, and shot forward with Monkey Emerges from the Cave. His palm aimed straight for Meng Ming's chest!
Meng Ming's eyes widened—danger! He tried to retract his claws to block, but Hu Qi's follow-up was already in motion—body slipping in low, wrist turning, palm force surging like a sudden tide.
BOOM!The collision sent shockwaves rippling outward. Meng Ming staggered back several steps, chest heaving, a trace of blood seeping from his lips. He still glared fiercely, but found his breath uneven, inner energy churning wildly—forcing further attack was impossible.
Hu Qi, hands clasped behind his back, said evenly:
"Left Dharma King Meng Ming—your skill is formidable. You gave me a claw; I return you a palm. Between us—it is even."
And with that, he stepped back. Meng Ming clenched his jaw, but could not refute it. He saluted stiffly—acknowledging the draw.
The crowd erupted in murmurs of awe—few had expected the septuagenarian envoy to hold the Black Dragon Sect's Left Dharma King to a standstill.
The Second Bout — Luo An vs. Shi Kai
Black Dragon Sect leader Murong Gui masked his displeasure with a cold smile:
"So—the Heaven's Veneration Sect's Left Envoy Hu Qi and my Left Dharma King Meng Ming fight to a draw. Truly, the old hero still has some fire. But tell me—does your sect have another old hero willing to fight?"
The taunt was unmistakable—like saying, "The old general, Lian Po, is aged—can he still eat his fill?"
Before the words faded, Right Envoy Luo An stepped forward.
"Luo An, Right Envoy of the Heaven's Veneration Sect—willing to test the Black Dragon Sect's skill!"
Nearly seventy, Luo An's hair was white, yet his bearing was as commanding as a mountain, his eyes bright and piercing.
Murong Gui's brow furrowed slightly.
"The Heaven's Veneration Sect's Left and Right Envoys—both advanced in age, yet still vigorous. Not easy opponents."
Then he called:
"Right Dharma King Shi Kai—step forth and meet this elder hero."
A gust of wind seemed to precede the man as Shi Kai emerged—tall, broad-shouldered, every inch radiating strength.
"Shi Kai, Right Dharma King of the Black Dragon Sect. I have long heard your great name, Senior. Please—grant me your instruction."
Luo An's eyes narrowed slightly at the name Shi Kai. It brought to mind the ruler of the Later Zhao in the Sixteen Kingdoms era—Shi Le. He asked aloud:
"Your ancestor—could he be none other than Shi Le, founder of the Later Zhao?"
Shi Kai froze, stunned—the truth was exactly that. And for Luo An to speak it so directly, before all gathered, stirred a spark of respect within him.
Luo An smiled faintly, his aura swelling like a dragon's roar:
"Then—let us begin!"
The wind rose; clouds churned overhead.The battlefield, once stilled by the first duel's end, now burned anew—The second clash of titans was about to begin.