"Bai Gan?"

"Burnt Spring."

"Not many women enjoy drinking hard liquor."

"A bad habit, but a hard one to kick."

Li Yan fell silent, only to take a more discerning look at her—a young woman in sportswear, her hair tied back in a long ponytail, cradling a small bottle of white liquor in her hand.

She was quite the attention-grabber.

The woman watched Han Baiyu's Arena with a calm gaze, her eyebrows suddenly arching.

At first, Li Yan thought his own stare had displeased her, but he soon realized it wasn't the case. What truly moved her was the figure of Little Zhou on the stage.

The Du Family Fist might sound unremarkable, yet it stands as one of the four great renowned fists of Shandong, even bearing the honorific of Literary Saint Boxing.

The Vietnamese fighter's steps were swift and concise, his style ferocious. The Military Dagger's carving strikes were both fierce and fast, narrowly missing Little Zhou's vital points, sending chills down the spines of onlookers.

Suddenly, Little Zhou knocked aside the Vietnamese's Military Dagger, his body swaying to the left. His legs bent slightly, abandoning his originally stable and upright stance. The Iron Claw Tiger, swift as a specter, swiped at the Vietnamese's neck.

It was at this moment that the woman's eyebrows rose.

The Vietnamese fighter retracted his right hand, aiming to slash at Little Zhou's wrist, but when the Military Dagger struck the knuckle-duster, Little Zhou's wrist trembled ever so slightly, causing the dagger to falter for a brief instant.

The Vietnamese's face was struck with horror, a chill flashing before his eyes, as Little Zhou's other knuckle-duster had already made its mark on his eyelid!

"The hand embodies the essence of Literary Saint Boxing, while the footwork and techniques are from the Tai Chi Plum Blossom Praying Mantis, the Entwining Dragon Eye-Piercing, the Literary Saint Boxing's Long Bridge Great Horse. The Praying Mantis Fist is light and lively, to blend these elements to such a degree is to truly master the art. This youngster is indeed a rare talent. The Red Ghost's subordinate who practices the Bagua Palm is fierce and cunning, with more experience than this one, but his energy is superficial and his strength hollow, a mere paper tiger. If this one discerns the bluff, the outcome remains uncertain."

These murmurs from the Long Ponytail Girl inadvertently caused Li Yan's heart to sink.

The woman tilted her head back, draining the Bai Gan, smacked her lips, and stood up to leave.

Li Yan suddenly called out to the woman: "Miss, do you take pleasure in watching the fights?"

"You've lost, step down from the stage yourself."

The knuckleduster only grazed the Vietnamese fighter's eyelid, blood soaking through his vision as he swallowed hard, his complexion turning from pale to ashen. Eventually, he set down the military dagger, raised his hands high, and despite the chorus of boos, descended from the ring.

Manager Ruan Hongzhi nodded in approval. With this victory, Little Zhou had secured ten consecutive wins on the ring, becoming the talk of the town. However, Little Zhou's approach was too restrained for many bettors' liking, leaving them feeling somewhat underwhelmed and the excitement around his fights somewhat tepid.

Stolen novel; please report.

The rule of the boxing ring was clear: a fight isn't over until one is knocked unconscious or thrown out of the ring. Yet Little Zhou's strikes always seemed to stop just short of full force. Out of the ten, all his opponents suffered only superficial wounds, save for a Malaysian who, after attempting a sneak attack post-defeat, had one eye permanently blinded by Little Zhou's retribution.

"When can I have a match with Li Yan?" Little Zhou inquired coolly as he stepped out of the ring.

Ruan Hongzhi smiled, "These days, the ring is brimming with talent, and you and Li Yan aren't the only fighters with ten straight wins. Since Red Ghost faded away, no one has been worthy of becoming the champion of the sixth arena, and the seventh hasn't been opened in a long time. According to the rules, only those with more than twelve consecutive wins qualify to challenge the seventh arena. So, it's either your next fight or the one after that—you two are bound to clash."

Little Zhou's expression softened, "That's good to hear."

The woman turned to glance at him, her breath tinged with the scent of alcohol:

"Are you hitting on me?"

Li Yan touched his nose, "Just making conversation."

The woman chuckled, "Don't be nervous, I'm quite flattered to be approached by a handsome guy."

She scrutinized Li Yan for a moment, "You look familiar. Do you often come here to watch the fights?"

"Something like that."

Li Yan nodded and then inquired, "It seems, miss, that you have quite an insight into traditional martial arts?"

The question seemed to scratch an itch for her, and with a sly smile, she replied, "In my youth, I was a disciple of the renowned Bagua Palm master Zhang Chenjin, a successor of the Yin Style Bagua Palm lineage."

Li Yan responded with a smile, "No wonder you could instantly recognize Tai Chi Plum Blossom Praying Mantis and even name the Entwining Dragon Eye-Piercing technique. I'd hardly believe you if you claimed to be ignorant of Northern martial arts."

"Ancestral home in Tianjin, my exposure comes from my family," the woman answered nonchalantly.

Although Cangzhou was the hometown of martial arts in the north, Tianjin was the most flourishing hub of northern martial arts during the Republican era. It was not surprising for a woman whose ancestors were connected with the Tianjin Martial Arts World to recognize the likes of Wen Sheng and Tai Chi Plum Blossom Praying Mantis. She must be the affluent heiress of a certain prominent martial arts school in Hong Kong, her demeanor exuding the crisp, bracing air of a martial artist.

Li Yan tentatively inquired, "You mentioned someone practicing Bagua Palm in the boxing ring earlier. Miss, have you watched him perform?"

"The one named Li Yan? I've seen a couple of his matches on the sidelines. He's quite the sensation lately, backed by a beautiful woman with powerful connections, which has really boosted his popularity."

"Who might that be? Point him out to me," Li Yan asked deliberately.

"He's not fighting today. Besides, I wouldn't recognize him even if you asked me to; I never paid attention to his face. All I remember is that his style isn't authentic Bagua Palm; it's probably taught by one of several independent families from the north."

Since the woman hailed from the Yin Style Bagua Palm lineage, it was no surprise she could identify Li Yan's background. He nodded subtly, with a smile that was not quite a smile, and said, "It seems, Miss, you don't have a high opinion of him. Why not share more? I was actually thinking of making some money off him."

"It's hard to say. I wouldn't go as far as to say I disapprove."

The woman fell silent for a moment before continuing, "The essence of national martial arts lies in weapon duels. Without moving the weapons, it's hard to discern any superiority. However, this man might be suffering from a serious illness. If you're betting on him, I'd advise caution."

"I, on the other hand, think he's quite formidable. That Little Zhou probably doesn't stand a chance against him," Li Yan replied earnestly.

The woman laughed heartily, "Win or lose, it's all the same."

Her eyes danced over Li Yan, "We've been talking for a while now, but how should I address you, sir?"

"Uh..."

Li Yan pondered for a moment, imagining if Judy saw him chatting so amiably with a young woman, the scene would indeed be interesting. Aloud, he asked, "And you, Miss, might I have the honor of your name?"

"Me."

The woman tilted her head, her smile serene and charming, "My surname is Yu, and my name is Yu Shu. Those in the circle kindly refer to me as Taisui."

**********

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