The various training centers and dojos' experts were stunned when they saw Fire Dance.
"Who's this little lady?"
"Is she tired of living?"
Although none of them recognized Fire Dance, her ident.i.ty didn't matter, even if she was an heiress to a large corporation or a member of a powerful family.
w.a.n.g Zongquan was still a merciless person.
Ordinary people, at most, knew this man had recently defeated Demon Wolf, an apex internal force expert overseas.
However, these experts knew that w.a.n.g Zongquan had been banished from the fighting industry in the past and had resorted to mercenary work. He was a cold-blooded monster that had secretly ended many experts' lives with his own hands. It was rumored that he was even responsible for the deaths of a few great families' upper echelons. If w.a.n.g Zongquan wanted to, he could even slay a large family's heirs, regardless of how many bodyguards protected them.
As far as the crowd was concerned, Fire Dance was suicidal to provoke w.a.n.g Zongquan so blatantly.
Unexpectedly, however, the bear-like man didn't seem angry. He watched her for a moment before grinning, then asked, "If that's the case, little lady, how do I earn this qualification you speak of?"
His goal was simple; he wanted to ensure that Heaven's Rumble Training Center's reputation hit rock-bottom.
His biggest concern was that Heaven's Rumble would refuse to fight him. He had earned quite a reputation, after all. No one would look down on the training center if it declined his challenge.
Hence, when this ignorant girl had stepped up to provoke him, he inwardly celebrated. Now, Heaven's Rumble would have no choice but to accept his challenge, and he could take his time toying with the training center and humiliating its management. Heaven's Rumble would never gain a foothold in Fenglin City.
"Our youth are so impatient. After hearing a few insulting words, she leaped into his trap. Her comment has ensured that Heaven's Rumble will have to face w.a.n.g Zongquan," Chen Tianhe, the Martial Heart Dojo's master and an old man in his 50s, said, shaking his head. He then turned to Xiao Yu, and said, "Old Xiao, I'm afraid that disaster will befall the young man you mentioned."
"Won't w.a.n.g Zongquan back out if you make an appearance, Master Tianhe?" Xiao Yu anxiously asked.
He was exasperated over Fire Dance's impatience. He knew she was an expert that had proven herself against one of the White Tiger Dojo's intermediate disciples, but w.a.n.g Zongquan was an expert among experts. When she had stepped forward, she had only caused more trouble for Heaven's Rumble Training Center.
Now, Chen Tianhe was their only hope.
Chen Tianhe had risen to fame for his martial art mastery many years ago. Even the White Tiger Dojo's Jiang Tianyuan had to show a little respect before this old man. Chen Tianhe was unquestionably powerful; he had ranked among the top 32 in the international fighting compet.i.tion during his peak.
Ranking among the top 32 fighters might not seem impressive, but they were talking about the largest fighting compet.i.tion in the world. One had to be an expert among experts just to qualify for the compet.i.tion, and hundreds of martial artists partic.i.p.ated.
w.a.n.g Zongquan had only ranked among the top 64 fighters during his peak.
"If I were 15 years younger, I might be able to contend with him, but now...," Chen Tianhe said, shaking his head.
Youthful vigor was gold in martial arts. This saying rang true both in the past and the present.
w.a.n.g Zongquan was only 38 this year, and with today's technology, he was still in his prime. Proving the point, the bear-like man had defeated Demon Wolf, who wasn't any weaker than Chen Tianhe during his peak.
"Is it really over, just like this?" Xian Yu felt as if his soul were leaving his body.
He had gone to great lengths to employ Chen Tianhe's help to ensure that Heaven's Rumble Training Center would have a home in Fenglin City. He had even called in the favor the old man had owed him for so many years. But now...
"That youngster, s.h.i.+ Feng, is really pitiful. He grasped internal force at such a tender age, yet he will have to face w.a.n.g Zongquan," Chen Tianhe lamented, sighing as he stared at the monstrous, scarred man.
s.h.i.+ Feng had definitely earned the t.i.tle 'genius' for grasping internal force, despite being in his early 20s. He had a bright future ahead of him. Controlling internal force not only helped one improve their physical control, but it also enhanced comprehension. Moreover, s.h.i.+ Feng hadn't yet reached his prime. He had plenty of room for growth. With the help of today's technology, he could gain substantial strength.
With another five or six years, s.h.i.+ Feng could fight w.a.n.g Zongquan to a standstill.
Meanwhile, a thin, middle-aged man watched the exchange between Fire Dance and w.a.n.g Zongquan from a corner of the room, frowning. This man was none other than Zhuo Linqiu.
It seems Lu Xingluo can't be underestimated. To think he would actually employ w.a.n.g Zongquan. The situation will be harder to handle now. Zhuo Linqiu felt on-edge as he watched the newcomer.
He had thought that Lu Xingluo would, at most, hire an advanced internal force expert. He hadn't expected the apex internal force expert, w.a.n.g Zongquan, to show up. Experts of his caliber were extremely rare, even on a national scale.
They were also particularly difficult to employ.
These experts had no interest in money; they simply didn't need any. Hence, tempting them into action was a challenge.
Although Zhuo Linqiu was also an apex internal force expert, he was likely no match for w.a.n.g Zongquan due to his age. If it came down to a fight, Zhuo Linqiu felt that he only had a 40% chance of winning.
While everyone whispered to each other, Fire Dance approached the large man in the center of the hall. She calmly declared, "If you want to spar with our Hall Master, you'll have to get through me."
A series of gasps and silence answered the young woman's declaration.
"Has she gone insane?"
"Doesn't Heaven's Rumble have any capable fighters. Do they really need to send this young woman to her death?"
Astonished, the crowd stared at Fire Dance, who maintained her composure even after her bold statement. They wouldn't have been worried for her if she had challenged any other internal force expert, but she had just asked w.a.n.g Zongquan to spar. He wasn't kind; he was ruthless.
Almost every opponent the scarred man had defeated had spent at least six months in a hospital bed, and that was when medical experts had been nearby during the fight.
Without the money to afford the best medical services, they would've spent the rest of their lives in a hospital!
"What is she trying to do?" Bai Qingxue began to worry as she watched her comrade.
She knew that Fire Dance had trained bitterly in G.o.d's Domain, and she was quite powerful. However, this was reality, not the virtual world. Even if she frequently trained in the real world, she'd be lucky to survive against ordinary martial arts experts. Trying to fight an expert of w.a.n.g Zongquan's caliber was suicidal.
"Is she a friend, Qingxue?" Zhang Tianya asked, to which Bai Qingxue nodded.
"Don't worry, then. Although I'm not his match, I can stop that monster for a moment if necessary," Zhang Tianya comforted his escort.
He had pursued Bai Qingxue for a long time now, although he wanted more than her perfect body and pretty face. He was far more interested in the White Clan Group that stood behind her. Only a woman of her standards was fit to stand beside him.
However, he rarely encountered an opportunity to show off his strength to her. Hence, he was quite pleased with the situation. He wasn't a match for an apex internal force expert like w.a.n.g Zongquan, but he'd have no issues stopping one of the man's attacks.
Is your training center out of fighters, little lady? If you wish to spar with me, you should know that I never show mercy to my opponents. You can't blame me for the outcome." w.a.n.g Zongquan's expression darkened, and a flash of killing intent lit his eyes.
He could've brushed off her interruption as youthful ignorance, but a public challenge was an entirely different matter.
He was an internal force expert—a master martial artist. It was humiliating to have some random n.o.body challenge him. If he did not teach this girl a proper lesson, he'd become a laughingstock.
"The state of Heaven's Rumble is none of your concern! You can talk after you defeat me!"
Fire Dance stepped forward, and her fist shot straight toward w.a.n.g Zongquan.
