Chapter 58: Unexpectedly Weak (Bonus for 2500 recommendation votes)

In the Shuige, Yu Liancheng engaged in a fierce battle with the Sour Scholar, the Old Pedant, and the Mustache.

Sounds like muffled thunder erupted from time to time, and the fragmented energy surged in all directions, shattering the surrounding tables, chairs, and other objects.

Xiao Laotou continued to watch all of this with a smile; he did not intervene, only beckoning to the beauty in the sleeping robe beside him.

"Shaman, why don't you make a move?" Xiao Laotou asked with a smile.

Even when facing Xiao Laotou, the beauty in the sleeping robe's face remained as cold as ice, and she countered, "Does he have a grudge against me?"

Xiao Laotou shook his head: "It seems not, but he appears to want to rob you of your money; he is a bandit."

Shaman said coldly: "If he wants to rob money, then give it to him. No matter how much he wants, just let him take it."

"You, oh you." In the gaze Xiao Laotou cast toward Shaman, there seemed to be a hint of pity: "Your martial arts and discernment are also quite good, but can you tell which side will win?"

Shaman shook her head.

If it were a one-on-one fight, I fear not one of them, the Old Pedant and the others, could last thirty moves in Yu Liancheng's hands.

But with the three of them joining forces, their synergy and mutual reinforcement suddenly elevated them to another level.

Xiao Laotou smiled: "In reality, the outcome was already determined from the start."

Before Shaman could ask what he meant, she heard Yu Liancheng suddenly let out a long sigh: "I originally thought that if the three of you joined forces, you could put up a fight against me. It is a pity that I overestimated you. Protected by Xiao Laotou, not only have your martial arts not reached perfection, but you even lack the cultivation of top-tier experts."

The Old Pedant and the other two could not help but be startled.

Their exchange had reached a white-hot intensity, and the three needed to be fully focused, dealing with him with all their might. Yet Yu Liancheng remained at ease, even able to speak.

"Alright, today's activity is enough; it is time for you to lie down."

Yu Liancheng's energy leaked out, and the world went "Boom—", as if a Divine Mountain had collapsed. The breathing of the Sour Scholar and the others hitched, yet their faces showed joy.

Previously, Yu Liancheng had been as motionless as a mountain, his defense airtight and incredibly heavy, leaving them with no way to strike.

But now, this miraculous energy had vanished, and their opportunity had arrived.

The Sour Scholar inhaled sharply, the airflow before him rolling and churning as if the air had been sucked dry, and his chest and abdomen suddenly expanded; he abruptly exhaled and let out a shout, his figure flashing like lightning as his fist came crashing down.

Yu Liancheng let out a cold snort and similarly threw out a fist, colliding with the Sour Scholar's fist without any pretense.

This strike from the Sour Scholar was condensed by mobilizing the Hunyuan Qi Art throughout his body; his fist was like a heavy cannon, and even a wall of copper and Iron would be blasted through by this blow.

But the moment the two fists collided, a muffled thunderous "Bang" exploded, and his entire body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, blood spraying wildly from his mouth.

The Mustache's Bone-Melting Palm and the Old Pedant's Finger Blade had already attacked from the left and right simultaneously.

Yu Liancheng pushed out both palms, meeting the two of them respectively.

The Mustache and the Old Pedant felt a stir in their hearts; Yu Liancheng's palm strike was fast and swift, yet it lacked much variation. To try and deal with both of them simultaneously with such a palm technique was undoubtedly a pipe dream.

Could it be that this fellow had become arrogant and reckless after defeating the Sour Scholar? To the point that his moves had developed flaws.

Who would have thought that at this very moment, Yu Liancheng took a light breath and suddenly let out a long chant.

This long chant also seemed to contain a certain power, vibrating and rolling incessantly within the Shuige, and the residual energy that Yu Liancheng had struck into the bodies of the Mustache and the Old Pedant during their exchange suddenly erupted, causing their figures and True Qi to suddenly stall.

And in a contest between experts, a single instant is often enough to decide the outcome.

With two "Bang" sounds, the Old Pedant and the Mustache flew out as if they had fallen apart, vomiting blood in mid-air.

In just a few breaths, the situation that had originally been evenly matched was broken, and the three experts suffered a crushing defeat.

Apart from Wu Ming, I fear no one on the scene could have imagined this.

Every one of them here appeared mediocre, yet they were all rare experts.

And those famous masters of the Edo were, in their eyes, nothing more than people with empty reputations, unworthy of notice.

Although Yu Liancheng was famous in the Edo, he might not necessarily be held in their regard.

But at this very moment, they finally understood that the martial arts of the person before them had reached the pinnacle of the world.

Even on the Island, the only people who could defeat him were the Nine Young Master and Xiao Laotou; the former was not even certain.

"Good, good, good, your performance is truly beyond my expectations," Xiao Laotou sighed.

Yu Liancheng also sighed: "The performance of these three is also beyond my expectations."

Xiao Laotou said: "Their martial arts were not bad to begin with; I originally thought they could hold out for a few more moves under your hands."

Yu Liancheng said: "It is a pity that I discovered their flaws."

Xiao Laotou said: "Oh?"

"The Hunyuan Qi Art is a clumsy skill; it appears profound and unfathomable, unstoppable, but in reality, it lacks agility and variation. The Finger Blade requires a kill in one strike; a prolonged battle will inevitably lead to flaws and oversights."

Yu Liancheng took a jar of wine that hadn't been broken and tilted his head to take a few gulps: "As for the Bone-Melting Palm, it is soft and continuous, the opposite of the Finger Blade. When encountering an expert who has practiced the Finger Blade or the Drunken Cloud Seven Killing Hands, it is very likely they will be killed in one strike."

Xiao Laotou said: "These should have been within your expectations."

Yu Liancheng nodded: "Correct. As long as these few martial arts have not reached the state of perfection, they will all have the shortcomings I mentioned above. What truly exceeded my expectations is that although they possess unique skills and divine arts, they lack the cultivation of top-tier experts."

Xiao Laotou seemed somewhat puzzled: "Oh? Why is that?"

Yu Liancheng said: "Are the plans you devise every time flawless and foolproof?"

Xiao Laotou smiled: "Perhaps not, but it is not far off."

"That is it. Your plans are arranged too well; every time, you have them deal with experts who are much weaker than themselves. While this is safe and certain, it leaves them without the experience of competing against top-tier experts."

Yu Liancheng said: "Although they have arrogance, once they encounter someone stronger than them, they can at most exert eighty percent of their ten-percent power. And once they cannot take down their opponent for a long time, their hearts become increasingly anxious, causing them to doubt themselves, leading to certain defeat."

Xiao Laotou nodded thoughtfully: "Correct, what you say makes a lot of sense."

Yu Liancheng said: "What I say has always made a lot of sense."

He flicked his sleeve, and an invisible gust of wind rose in the arena, sweeping up the silver notes and flying them into Yu Liancheng's palm.

Since he had declared a robbery, he could not give up halfway.

He pulled out one hundred thousand taels of silver for Xiao Laotou.

Xiao Laotou beamed with joy and said: "Making fifty thousand taels in one go; this kind of business can be done again next time."

Yu Liancheng turned his gaze to Shaman again and smiled: "Beauty, are you interested in having a meal with me? My treat." Having said that, he waved the silver notes in his hand.

"Boring." Shaman gave him a cold look and turned to leave.