Liu Ha Ma was the first to question him, speaking in an acid tone:
"What a bold and reckless brat! Such a big mouth for someone so young. Aren’t you afraid of choking on your own words? People who don’t know any better might think you’ve already stepped into the ranks of top-tier Martial Artists.
"I’ll give you a piece of advice: don’t be so arrogant. You think having a little talent makes you a big deal? Who here doesn’t have talent? Wait until you actually have some real skill before you spout this nonsense. Right now, your reputation isn’t worth a damn!"
He had originally agreed to work for the Zheng Family for the sake of beautiful women. Gu Wantong happened to catch his eye, so there was no way he would let this greenhorn ruin things with just a few words.
Wang Ta also spoke up, his voice muffled. "Chen Xiaoyou, you are still young. You don’t understand the struggles between families. Don’t let yourself be used as someone else’s weapon."
As he spoke, a faint, oppressive aura pressed down on Chen Yuan, seemingly trying to force him to back down. However, Yuan remained completely unmoving.
Zheng Suifeng had not spoken up until now, nor had he stopped them. He clearly agreed with what his left and right Tributors were saying. Now, he slowly opened his mouth.
"Young man, you have a boundless future ahead of you. Why trap yourself with the Gu Family when they have already abandoned you?
"Why not form a good relationship with my Zheng Family instead? I, Zheng Suifeng, will definitely treat you as an honored guest. I will never mistreat you. You can have all the wealth and beauties you desire. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?"
As expected of a prominent family’s patriarch. While the others were trying to scare Yuan off, Suifeng was already thinking about how to recruit him. However, his words also made one thing clear: harmony was out of the question. He was not going to do the boy this favor.
Yuan did not seem surprised by this outcome. He smiled faintly.
"In that case, Chen Mou will say no more. It’s just that with two seniors here right now, my hands are itching for a fight. I wonder if I could exchange a few moves with Elder Liu?
"Of course, this is purely sparring, stopping before any real harm is done. I came here to mediate, not to cause trouble."
Suifeng raised an eyebrow. This little guy still hadn’t given up and actually wanted to challenge Liu Man.
Admittedly, breaking through the muscle barrier took some skill, but he hadn’t reached Minor Achievement in Hidden Force yet, had he? He had only just started muscle refinement. Yet he had the courage to challenge Man, a veteran who had already reached Minor Achievement in both muscle refinement and Hidden Force. It could only be chalked up to youthful arrogance—a newborn calf unafraid of tigers.
"Patriarch, let me play with this brat. I’ll teach him the meaning of humility," Man’s deep voice rang out.
He still wanted to play the hero saving the beauty? He would show Yuan what a useless husband truly looked like.
Suifeng nodded slightly. "Go ahead. Know your limits and don’t ruin the peace between us."
"Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing," Man replied as he stepped forward.
In his heart, he thought that since it was just a spar, bumps and bruises were inevitable. When the time came, no one would be able to say a thing.
Soon, the group arrived at the Zheng Family’s martial arts courtyard. Everyone stood to the side to watch the spar. Ta stood a bit closer, ensuring he could control the situation at any moment.
"Brat, I’m telling you this upfront. Since you want to test my skills, I’m going to use some real ability. If you scrape your skin or break a bone, don’t blame me," Ha Ma said, stretching his joints while lining up a good excuse.
Yuan stood calmly and spoke in a flat tone. "Accidents happen when fists start flying. A few minor injuries are unavoidable and harmless."
The Zheng Family refused to grant him face simply because they felt he lacked the strength. In that case, he would show them enough power to earn their respect. This spar had been inevitable from the very beginning.
"Heart Intent Six Harmonies Fist, Chen Yuan."
"Toad Fist, Liu Man."
The moment the words fell, both fighters moved simultaneously.
Man’s opening stance was extremely bizarre. With both palms resting on the ground, he crouched low. The muscles on his back bulged high, and a muffled croaking sound rumbled from his throat, making him look exactly like an old toad squatting on a lotus leaf.
The next second, his legs kicked fiercely against the ground. He shot forward like a cannonball, thrusting both palms out. His palms were cupped inward, the edges sporting a layer of dark greenish calluses, as they slapped straight toward Yuan’s knees. This was the first stance of the Toad Fist—Crouching Toad Pouncing on Prey—which specialized in attacking the lower body.
Yuan stepped half a pace forward with his left foot and raised his right knee, precisely stomping his sole onto his opponent’s left palm. With a crisp SMACK, Man felt a shock run through his hand; it felt as though he had struck an iron anvil.
Using the momentum to spin his body, Man retracted his left palm and swept his right hand upward from below. His five fingers pressed together like a shovel, digging straight toward Yuan’s crotch—Sweeping Toad Flipping the Stone.
The move was vicious, and the angle was incredibly tricky. Some of the watching Zheng Family juniors let out low gasps.
Yuan kept his right knee raised, pushed off the ground with his left leg, and shifted half a foot to the side, narrowly dodging the strike. Man’s fingertips brushed past the inner seam of his trousers, the sharp gust of wind making the skin beneath tingle slightly.
He sneered inwardly. The brat dodged fast, but he could only run for so long. His Toad Fist wasn’t known for its raw power, but for its unpredictable trickery. Crouching, sweeping, shoveling, ramming, and crashing—every move struck from an unexpected angle, specifically designed to break wide-open, frontal fist styles. What right did Yuan, a brat who had only just broken the muscle barrier, have to fight him?
His third palm had already arrived. The moment his right hand missed, Man’s left palm shot out from beneath his ribs. His five fingers curled slightly like a frog’s webbed foot, concealing a burst of restrained Hidden Force in his palm as he struck straight for Yuan’s chest. Frog Seal.
If this palm struck solidly, the Hidden Force would pierce through his body. At best, it would cause shortness of breath; at worst, it would severely damage his heart and lungs.
Yuan did not dodge. He pushed off the ground with his left foot and whipped his right fist out from his waist. Striking straight down the centerline, he launched a Beng Fist head-on against the incoming frog palm.
Fist and palm collided with a dull THUD. Yuan felt a surge of Hidden Force drill through his knuckles and into his forearm, leaving it slightly numb.
Man, however, was stunned. His Hidden Force had indeed penetrated, but Yuan’s arm hadn’t even wavered. In fact, the rebounding force made the heel of his own palm throb with pain.