Evening began to descend upon Yellow City.
The bright afternoon sky slowly turned orange. The shadows of buildings stretched across the streets, while the wind carried thin dust swirling in the corners of the city.
In front of the eatery whose door was already destroyed, some people were still gathered. They whispered to each other, occasionally glancing inside.
"Is it true he did that?" someone said.
"They say without inner energy…" another added.
"Impossible…" someone objected. "I think he was just pretending not to have inner energy."
The voices sounded faint. Arguing with each other. Throwing opinions. As for the subject of conversation, Li Wuchen, he was still sitting casually in the eatery. As if none of it had anything to do with him.
In front of him, the empty bowls and plates were neatly stacked. Li Wuchen picked up a glass of water and drank slowly.
On the other side, the old man beside him leaned back relaxedly. Clearly, he looked very satisfied and full. He even seemed to be closing his eyes, perhaps starting to feel sleepy. Suddenly, the old man commented in an indifferent tone, "They're coming."
Wuchen didn't turn.
"How many people?"
The old man grinned.
"Enough to level this eatery with the ground."
Wuchen nodded slightly, "Then we have to be quick."
The old man laughed softly. "Ha… I like the way you think."
At this moment, the sound of heavy footsteps was heard. All of them sounded heavy. And there were many.
BANG!
Someone kicked the already damaged door of the eatery. This time, the unfortunate door came off its hinges completely.
Several men entered. Their auras were different from the previous thugs. They all felt heavier, sharper, and more dangerous.
Behind them, a man walked slowly. His body was tall. His long hair was neatly tied. His clothes were olive green and clearly made of expensive material. Only affordable with a lot of money. His face was quite handsome; however, his smile was thin and cold.
He stopped in the middle of the eatery. And with sharp eyes, he immediately fixed his gaze on Li Wuchen.
"So… you're the one."
Everyone fell silent. Everyone held their breath.
They knew that a big show would soon begin.
Wuchen put down his glass.
Only this time, he raised his head with slightly more seriousness.
"Who are you?" Wuchen asked indifferently.
Hearing this, some people were immediately shocked.
How bold!
The tall man smiled faintly.
"My name is… Zhao Linyan."
Upon hearing the name, several customers immediately lowered their heads. Some even slowly looked for a chance to escape the eatery. The name just mentioned was clearly not ordinary. This was the young leader of the Black Wolf Group. A martial artist with quite high inner energy.
Zhao Linyan stepped closer. His steps were light. But every step carried pressure that made the air feel heavy. He stopped a few steps from Wuchen's table. Looked him up and down. And with a flat expression said,
"My subordinates said… you beat them up."
Wuchen nodded.
"Correct."
Zhao Linyan narrowed his eyes, "Why did you attack my subordinates?"
Li Wuchen shrugged, "What else? They ate here but didn't want to pay."
For a moment, everyone was enveloped in silence again. But it only lasted a moment. Because soon after, some of Zhao Linyan's subordinates laughed softly. However, Zhao Linyan himself did not laugh. He only looked at Wuchen more deeply.
"So… just because of that?"
Wuchen answered flatly, "Yes."
Zhao Linyan nodded slowly. Took a breath. Then smiled while commenting, "What a strange person."
He turned to his subordinates, "You lost to someone like this?"
Those who had been beaten lowered their heads. Not daring to answer.
Zhao Linyan snorted and looked back at Wuchen.
"Fine. In that case… I'll give you a chance."
He raised one finger. "Kneel. Apologize. Then I'll consider everything settled."
Everyone was shocked again.
This was somewhat rare. Usually, the Black Wolf Group would not forget a grudge so easily. But this time, just by kneeling and apologizing, the problem would be settled. This was an offer too good to pass up. Everyone looked at Li Wuchen while holding their breath. They hoped this youth would not be too impulsive and choose the path of peace.
Wuchen himself did not answer immediately. After thinking for quite a while, he looked at Zhao Linyan calmly and said,
"No."
A short answer.
But enough to make the atmosphere freeze. Some people even retreated unconsciously. Crazy! This youth was crazy! Was he deliberately challenging the entire Black Wolf Group?
Hearing Wuchen's answer, Zhao Linyan smiled. He was not surprised at all. As if he had expected such an answer. But this time, his smile was colder.
"So that's your choice? Just so you know, I don't like repeating my words." Zhao Linyan said in a tone full of threat.
Hearing the last sentence, Wuchen finally stood up. His movements were calm and unhurried. He looked at Zhao Linyan. Eye to eye.
"I also don't like repeating my words." Wuchen said in an equally cold tone.
For a few moments, the two only stared at each other. Even so, everyone knew that confrontation was inevitable.
The old man beside Wuchen whispered softly, "Ah, when can I rest peacefully."
*****
Zhao Linyan sighed softly. "Very well. Since you asked for it, don't blame me for being ruthless."
At the same time, the aura in his body slowly emerged.
Not huge.
But surging and sharp. The aura he released was like a thin blade slicing through the air. Due to this pressure, some tables shifted. Glasses trembled slightly. Plates and bowls even cracked and broke.
Wuchen also felt the pressure from Zhao Linyan's aura. But his body didn't move. There wasn't even any reaction on his face. He didn't frown. Didn't grimace. Let alone scream in pain.
Seeing this, Zhao Linyan narrowed his eyes. "So you really do have some ability…"
He raised his hand. Inner energy flowed. The air around him trembled slightly.
"Then… let's see. Can you withstand this one."
Zhao Linyan stepped forward. His movement was extremely fast. And somehow his hand reached out. Straight toward Wuchen's neck.
Whoosh!
The attack was smooth.
Fast.
And deadly.
But Wuchen didn't want to die young. He reacted immediately. He did not retreat, but stepped forward. As if deliberately confronting the opponent's attack directly.
His hand rose. Forming a claw, and—
Grab!
Zhao Linyan's wrist was caught. Everyone was enveloped in silence again. But this time, there was a different kind of silence. For the first time… Zhao Linyan's smile changed slightly. He tried to free himself but Wuchen's grip was extremely strong.
"Interesting…" Zhao Linyan narrowed his eyes. A moment later, his inner energy exploded.
BOOM!
A faint wave of inner energy spread around, pushing Wuchen's body half a step back. His grip on Zhao Linyan's arm was released.
Seeing that Wuchen could no longer hold him, Zhao Linyan attacked again.
This time his attack was much faster. And sharper.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
He unleashed two consecutive attacks.
However, Wuchen managed to avoid all those fierce attacks.
One step.
Two steps.
Wuchen's movements were very simple. Without any fancy tricks or techniques. But very efficient in real combat.
Seeing all his attacks only hit the air, Zhao Linyan became furious. He sped up his movements and increased the density of his attacks.
However,
No matter how fast and dense he made his attacks; none of them hit the target.
At this moment, Wuchen continued to move. Even though this was his first intense fight against an inner energy expert, his attitude was very calm. There was a sense that he could read all of his opponent's movements.
In the corner of the room…
The old man narrowed his eyes. "That damn kid is really terrifying. His observation is extremely sharp. Even though it's his first fight, he can already read the opponent's rhythm."
Meanwhile, after moving a few more times, Zhao Linyan stopped attacking and leaped backward. His eyes narrowed and his face darkened. There was anger. Fury. And shame there.
"From the beginning you've only been jumping around like a monkey. Unfortunately, I don't have much time to play with you," he said sarcastically.
Then, he raised his hand. Inner energy gathered.
Denser.
Heavier.
The air around him trembled more strongly.
Seeing this, the customers who understood immediately retreated.
"Damn! He seriously wants to kill someone," someone whispered to his companion while jumping back.
Zhao Linyan looked at Wuchen.
"This attack… is the real one."
Wuchen answered casually, "Good. I can't wait."
Zhao Linyan snorted. He stomped his foot once, and then,
his presence disappeared.
Completely disappeared from his spot.
A moment later, from nowhere and somehow, he had already appeared in front of Wuchen.
His palm struck straight.
Whoosh!
This attack was much stronger. A palm strike filled with full inner energy. If it hit, let alone a human, even an elephant could be smashed through.
Usually, facing an attack like this, Zhao Linyan's opponents would choose to dodge while looking for a chance to counterattack. But Li Wuchen was an anomaly.
He did not retreat or run. Instead, he strengthened his stance and pulled his right hand back. Then,
He punched.
BANG!
The collision occurred.
CRACK!!
The floor where Li Wuchen stood cracked and his feet were dragged back one step. However, he did not fall.
He remained standing.
Zhao Linyan looked at him in disbelief. This was an extraordinary thing he had just encountered for the first time. "Your body is very strong."
Wuchen clenched his fist.
"Your inner energy… is also decent."
The old man behind almost choked. "This kid…"
*****
Outside the eatery…
Lin Xue'er stood on the roof. Her eyes were fixed inside.
The wind blew her hair gently. "Finally…" she murmured.
She watched every movement. Every collision. And how after the first clash, the exchange of attacks continued. Li Wuchen and Zhao Linyan unleashed their attacks on each other. And the situation still hadn't changed.
The girl's eyes narrowed.
"A body without Nuraga… but able to withstand an opponent with high inner energy."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"Li Wuchen… you really are an anomaly."
*****
Back inside the eatery…
The fight paused again. Zhao Linyan smiled. But this time, his smile was full of interest.
"It's been a long time… since I met someone like you. Fighting someone as strong as you, I don't need to hold back anymore."
Zhao Linyan made a hand technique. His inner energy surged and gathered into something bigger. The air around him trembled strongly. Showing an extraordinary fluctuation of energy.
Meanwhile, the owner of the eatery looked very dejected and sad. He came out from the shapeless door while sighing. Resigned to the fact that this time his eatery would be completely destroyed.
Wuchen stood straight, observing his opponent's preparation. His eyes were calm. But this time, he slightly lowered his body.
His stance changed. Becoming lower and more stable.
The old man behind grinned. "Finally that crazy slave is getting serious too. I'm curious how far he has developed."
Zhao Linyan saw the change. He understood that his opponent was now more serious. Instead of being afraid, Zhao Linyan's eyes flashed with excitement.
"Good…"
He stepped forward.
Wuchen did too.
The two figures moved at the same time, with speed that the naked eye could not catch. In an instant, the two were already facing each other, exchanging blows.
Li Wuchen unleashed a punch while Zhao Linyan used his palm,
BOOM!!!
The sound of collision echoed and gave birth to a thundering explosion.
The floor cracked deeper. Tables were thrown. Walls and roof scattered. And murky smoke from dust filled the entire fighting area.
Everyone fell silent. Their hearts pounded. Waiting for what would happen. Who won? How severe was the loser's condition?
And in the middle of the dust, two figures stood. Neither retreated. Neither fell. Only their chests were heaving heavily, a sign that blood flow to the heart was somewhat disturbed.
Zhao Linyan smiled widely.
"You can last this long, even though you don't have nuraga. I'm getting curious, is there still something you're hiding?"
Wuchen looked at his opponent calmly. Then answered,
"Relax. There's still quite a lot I'm keeping."
The dust slowly settled.
But the tension inside the now-destroyed eatery… was rising even higher.
- To be continued.