As the leader, Thunder Hand Ge Long flushed red with anger and humiliation. Having been pushed to this point, he could no longer preserve appearances and barked,
"Deputy Leader Wei, there's no need to mind jianghu rules anymore—let's attack together!"
Flying Eagle Sect's deputy leader Qiu Biao let out a few cold chuckles.
"Ge Long, Wei Fu—besides having numbers, how many of you can really fight? One of yours is already badly injured. What—do you think that young fellow possesses peerless martial arts?"
Hearing this, Ge Long glanced at his disappointing son Ge Tian, whom Qiu Biao was clearly mocking. Weighing the situation, Ge Long knew that if he did not step in himself, he would lose all face. A savage grin crept across his face.
"If the brat insists on courting death, he'll have no one to blame but himself!"
Wei Fu added,
"The title Thunder Hand Ge Long is no empty boast. Let the younger generation open their eyes!"
Qiu Biao waved a hand and said,
"Wang Yun, take a rest. I'll personally test the famed Thunder Hand Ge Long!"
The moment his words fell, Qiu Biao flashed into the arena. Seeing the Flying Eagle Sect's deputy leader step forward to challenge him, Ge Long could no longer evade. He strode out boldly.
"Deputy Leader Qiu—no need for more words. Take this!"
His body darted forward, and suddenly his hand shot toward Qiu Biao's chest. Two fingers stabbed out, splitting to strike the throat, Jiangtai, and Xuanji acupoints at once—a bizarre and sinister technique, the Two-Finger Chan Acupoint Strike!
Qiu Biao flipped his palms rapidly, executing "Reject the Tiger, Advance the Wolf," slipping past the acupoint assault. His left hand circled while his right palm traced an arc, a hidden force surging from the palm to shield his body.
At the very first exchange, Qiu Biao encountered perilous moves. Ge Long's techniques were strange and vicious—fingers turning into palms, palms into fingers. Qiu Biao's heart jolted.
Thunder Hand Ge Long truly cannot be underestimated. He really does possess extraordinary skills!
The two clashed in earnest, palms cutting through the air like gales. With a shout, both unleashed simultaneous palm strikes. Stones scattered, sand flew; fists and palms collided in rapid succession—slashes, kicks, blows—tight, ferocious, relentless.
Suddenly, Qiu Biao stamped both feet and shot forward like lightning. His left hand rode the incoming palm force, lifting and slapping aside with exquisite precision, while his right hand executed "Azure Dragon Probes the Sea," driving a fierce palm wind straight toward Ge Long's chest!
Ge Long raised his palm to block and countered with a chopping strike from the left. Qiu Biao retreated to advance, whipping his left hand in "Azure Dragon Swings Its Tail," while his right wrist sank, blasting out a powerful palm force straight at Ge Long's face.
Ge Long answered with a palm of his own.
Boom!
The two tremendous forces collided. Both men were jolted backward—Ge Long staggered two steps, while Qiu Biao was forced back four.
Ge Long suddenly roared, his shout exploding like a thunderclap on flat ground. His right hand swept out, his palm technique abruptly changing. In an instant, fierce and overbearing palm strikes erupted like wind and thunder, surging like collapsing mountains and overturning seas, driving Qiu Biao into chaos. His defenses faltered; he could barely hold on.
At that moment, a figure darted in—it was Qiu Ting.
Her form flickered as she wove between the palm strikes. In a flash, three people and four palms collided.
Bang! Bang!
All three were knocked backward.
Ge Long exclaimed in surprise,
"Miss, didn't we agree on a one-on-one fight?"
Qiu Ting replied calmly,
"Thunder Hand Ge Long truly lives up to his reputation. But today's matter cannot be settled by whose fists are bigger. Ruiguang Temple has already hired the Flying Eagle Sect as its guardians. The Flying Sand Sect forcing its way in is unreasonable—and a blatant violation of jianghu morality!"
Thunder Hand Ge Long burst into laughter.
"And who can prove that Ruiguang Temple hired the Flying Eagle Sect? You can say whatever you like! I'm here today to settle this matter. If Ruiguang Temple refuses to hire the Flying Sand Sect, it's an insult to our sect—and an insult to me, Thunder Hand Ge Long!"
At that moment, a powerful voice rang out:
"In this world, everything must be settled with reason!"
The voice boomed like a great bell,震得 everyone at Ruiguang Temple's ears ringing. Hearts trembled. Flying Sand Sect's deputy leader Wei Fu was shaken to the core.
Who has arrived?
As the words faded, Wu Tong and two others emerged slowly from Ruiguang Temple. The speaker was Wu Tong himself.
The abbot of Ruiguang Temple pressed his palms together and said,
"Amitābha. This old monk was just about to ask Hall Master Wu of the Loyalty and Righteousness Hall to handle this matter."
Wu Tong replied respectfully,
"Abbot Liaofan, leave it to me."
Turning to Wei Fu and Thunder Hand Ge Long, Wu Tong said firmly,
"Deputy Leader Wei of the Flying Sand Sect, Elder Ge—Ruiguang Temple's hiring of the Flying Eagle Sect was arranged personally by me. If there is any issue, bring it to the Loyalty and Righteousness Hall. Do not trouble Ruiguang Temple, and do not trouble the Flying Eagle Sect."
The Flying Sand Sect's men stiffened at Wu Tong's appearance, exchanging uneasy glances. With Wu Tong present, they knew they stood to gain nothing. Yet Wei Fu could not afford to lose face and shouted dismissively,
"On what grounds does the Loyalty and Righteousness Hall get the final say? Why can't my Flying Sand Sect be Ruiguang Temple's guardians?"
Thunder Hand Ge Long sneered.
"What a grand name—the Loyalty and Righteousness Hall! Is the whole world yours to command?"
Wu Tong replied coldly,
"At the very least, the Loyalty and Righteousness Hall is an official authority, and we witnessed Ruiguang Temple's hiring of the Flying Eagle Sect. Or do you think you decide such matters?"
His words were sharp and relentless, pressing forward with reason at every turn. In an instant, Wei Fu and Ge Long were left utterly speechless.
At that moment, Liu Yun exclaimed softly,
"Ge Tian? So your wings have hardened—you're roaming the jianghu with your father now?"
Thunder Hand Ge Long was Ge Tian's father. Back at the consecration banquet of Lingxiao Hall, Ge Tian had once provoked Zhao Rou, swaggering arrogantly and relying on his father's power to bully others—only to be publicly humiliated by Zhao Rou.
Now Ge Tian's face flushed crimson. Looking up, he suddenly met Liu Yun's gaze. Her beauty was unchanged—graceful and radiant as ever.
Awkwardly, he muttered,
"Miss Liu Yun… it's been a long time."
Liu Yun replied calmly,
"I'm no longer a miss. I'm married."
Ge Tian's face changed sharply.
"To… that young lord from before?"
Liu Yun laughed softly, her voice sweet.
"Silly boy. My husband is both far away and right before your eyes—graceful in bearing, noble in character. He is none other than Wu Tong, Hall Master of the Loyalty and Righteousness Hall."
The words struck Ge Tian like five bolts of thunder. Seeing Liu Yun's pure and transcendent beauty, jealousy and fury surged within him.
"So he dares steal my woman? He must be courting death!"
Before the words had even fallen, he leapt forward, charging straight at Wu Tong, his palm striking toward the crown of Wu Tong's head with lightning speed!
The crowd gasped in shock.
Wu Tong had never imagined that Liu Yun's marriage would still provoke such madness. He did not move an inch. In the blink of an eye, he lifted his left foot—
BAM!
Ge Tian screamed as his body was sent flying sideways through the air…