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Chapter421
"Place your bets! Betting odds for Zhang Shao: 1.5; for Gu Family Master: 3…"
"This isn't a good sign," Han Xi observed, noting the majority betting on Zhang Huaishen and frowned.
The arena was for fair competition, but the betting could sway the fighters’ spirits.
"Do you think Zhang Huaishen will lose?"
"I've never crossed hands with Gu Zhuo. What about you? How familiar are you with him?"
Shao Qi smiled faintly. Initially, he never considered Gu Zhuo a match. But in the recent years, Gu Zhuo's progress was swift, often pushing Shao Qi’s boundaries.
"It's a fifty-fifty chance. It’s tough to predict."
"Aren't you placing your bet?" Han Xi was set to place her bet, showing support for Zhang Huaishen regardless of the outcome.
"I've already placed my bet." When it comes to choosing sides, Shao Qi doesn't bother weighing the odds of winning or losing.
"Right, you're always straightforward. Too bad we didn’t see your partner today. I trust his judgment more. Maybe if he gave Huaishen some advice before the match, he’d have a better chance of winning."
"How do you know he isn’t here?"
"What?"
Shao Qi, ensuring no one was within earshot, whispered into her ear, "I heard Zhou You taught him a new martial arts technique. I don't know the specifics, but it's meant to take the enemy by surprise."
Han Xi gave a formal bow, "Regardless, I want to thank you on Huaishen’s behalf."
Holding her hands down, Shao Qi replied, "No need for formalities. In fact, I should be thanking you. I'm curious about this young master of the Gu family. He's been making quite the splash; he better live up to the hype."
Han Xi stood with her arms crossed, glancing intently at the arena below. The two competitors hadn’t entered yet, but the tension was palpable. To say she wasn't nervous would be a lie.
"I've heard that his most desired opponent is you."
"Then I'll wait."
Chapter 214: Win or Lose
As the match began, the arena fell into a hushed silence. Countless cameras zoomed in on the stage where the two equally formidable young fighters stood, neither yielding an inch.
Gu Zhe made the first move, wielding two long steel whips. Most could only manage one, but he skilfully wielded both, effectively blocking his opponent's retreat.
Without a doubt, Zhang Huaishen's weapon of choice was a sword. Many in the audience were familiar with his swordsmanship and had little expectation.
"Zhang, the young leader of Wudang, give it your all or your defeat will be embarrassing," Gu Zhe remarked, snapping his whips with a commanding presence.
"I assure you, I will give my very best," Zhang Huaishen responded, his demeanor betraying both confidence and a hint of provocation.
Gu Zhe launched into an aggressive onslaught. His whips left lash marks all over the stage, the gusts they produced revealing his potent internal energy.
"Master Gu's internal strength is indeed impressive."
"Speaking of internal strength, I truly admire the Marshal's wife. If only we could see her on this stage one day."
"That may not be the case. The video from that time might have been staged. After all, the true experts are the ones on stage."
"The techniques of Wudang are truly exasperating. It's like watching a floating cotton ball, but each strike feels like hitting one. It seems the soft-overcoming-hard principle really holds."
After relentlessly attacking for ten minutes without laying a scratch on Zhang Huaishen, nor being able to disarm him, the fight became a dance of aggression and evasion – unsatisfying for both spectators and participants.
"Young Wudang leader, are you trying to wear me out?" Gu Zhe asked in frustration.
Zhang Huaishen smiled lightly, "Mr. Gu, aren't you aware that the Tai Chi sword of Wudang employs such tactics? Can't help it; I don't know any other moves."
"Hmph, let's see how long you can dodge." Taking a deep breath, Gu Zhe pushed off the ground, leaping into the air, his two steel whips aiming at Zhang Huaishen from different directions.
Just as Zhang Huaisen parried the weapon in front of him with his sword, preparing to dodge to one side, the whip from behind swiftly changed its trajectory, coiling towards his neck.
Zhang Huaisen quickly withdrew his sword, leapt up, and backflipped several paces.
However, Gu Zhuo didn’t give him a chance to catch his breath, pressing forward relentlessly. Sword and whip clashed repeatedly, and Zhang Huaisen seemed to be at a disadvantage.
"I detest fighting with those from the Wudang Sect. Their soft techniques are utterly vexing," lamented Han Xi, whose weapon was a long spear. She had often sparred with Zhang Huaisen, and their bouts rarely yielded a clear victor.
"While it appears Zhang Huaisen is losing ground, he hasn’t gone all out. Nor has Gu Zhuo revealed his ace move."
"Oh? What's his trump card?"
"I'm not sure, but it’s certainly not this wild, aggressive onslaught."
A glint flashed in Gu Zhuo’s eyes. He intentionally let go of one of his whips mid-swing, which shot towards Zhang Huaisen’s face. As Zhang deflected it with his sword, a transparent, fingertip-sized projectile appeared before his eyes.
Startled, he instinctively raised his sword to block it. However, instead of being deflected, the projectile shattered into countless tiny shards, some of which embedded themselves in Zhang Huaisen.
"Ah... Zhang Huaisen is injured!"
Gashes appeared all over Zhang Huaisen’s body. The material of this concealed weapon was mysteriously sharp, rendering his armor ineffective.
He inspected his sword and noticed a dent. With such weapons in play, Gu Zhuo’s odds of victory seemed even higher. Who knows how many more of these he possessed?