Chapter 128: The Curator

The two of them soon arrived at the training hall.

Shen An drew his black iron sword and stood with the poise of an expert.

"Make your move!" Shen An said.

"If that is the case, I shall not hold back." No sooner had he spoken than Jiang Chengzi launched his assault with the speed of a lightning strike.

He moved with breathtaking velocity.

In an instant, Jiang Chengzi was upon Shen An, his palm wind exceptionally sharp. Few could withstand such a strike; even a master at the early stage of the Third Rank would find it difficult to defend against.

"Fast reflexes, but do not underestimate me," Shen An remarked.

With a sudden, violent twist of his wrist, Shen An shifted the direction of his black iron sword, aiming it toward Jiang Chengzi’s underarm. Had the strike landed, it would have, at the very least, wounded Jiang Chengzi’s arm; at worst, it would have crippled it entirely.

At that moment, the senior disciple Zhou Yang and another disciple from the Yincheng Martial Arts Hall arrived outside the training hall. Passing by, they heard the sounds of combat and stopped to look.

They were stunned to see Shen An sparring with Jiang Chengzi.

"It is the Master himself, sparring with that young expert! That young man is a terrifying existence capable of a thirty-thousand-pound strike. It is hard to say who will emerge victorious," one of the Yincheng disciples said, watching the duel with intense anticipation.

"To think he is evenly matched with the Master! If it were me, I wouldn't last three moves. This... this level of strength is truly terrifying," senior disciple Zhou Yang said, staring in shock.

"I wonder how many rounds they will last?" Zhou Yang asked.

"I believe they are well-matched. They might trade dozens of blows," the other disciple replied.

Hearing this, Zhou Yang wanted to disagree, but he could find no reason to refute it. Although he hoped for his master, Jiang Chengzi, to win, the sheer magnitude of Shen An’s power—a thirty-thousand-pound punch—suggested he might indeed hold his own against the Master.

Inside the hall, Shen An began to systematically decipher Jiang Chengzi’s techniques.

"I have seen through your style. Now, it is my turn to counterattack," Shen An said with a faint smile, his face radiant with immense confidence.

Suddenly, a powerful aura erupted from Shen An’s body. He launched a thunderous assault, forcing Jiang Chengzi to retreat step by agonizing step.

*Swish, swish, swish.* Jiang Chengzi fell back, his footing appearing unstable.

"Such formidable prowess. It is truly hard to believe," Jiang Chengzi thought to himself, sensing that Shen An’s strength was beginning to eclipse his own.

"Senior, brace yourself for this blow. It is not an ordinary one!" Shen An unleashed a sudden punch, striking Jiang Chengzi and drawing blood.

Jiang Chengzi staggered to the corner, his face pale. As the Master of the Yincheng Martial Arts Hall, being bested by a youth was a prospect that would surely invite mockery if it were to become public knowledge.

However, Jiang Chengzi was a man of high moral standing. He would not deny his defeat out of petty jealousy or pride.

"I have been defeated. I never expected your strength to be so profound. It seems I will not be getting that money for the wine back."

"Your strength is not lacking, Senior. You were gracious," Shen An replied.

Outside the hall, Zhou Yang was utterly dumbfounded. If even the Master was no match for Shen An, who could possibly stop him? Why was the gap between two young men so vast?

"Did you see it? Did you see the move he used to defeat the Master?" Zhou Yang asked the disciple beside him.

The disciple shook his head in disbelief. "I couldn't track his attack trajectory at all. It was as if his movements were completely unfathomable."

"Unfathomable? Truly, he is worthy of being called an expert who can make the force tester reach thirty thousand. I had my doubts before, but now I am thoroughly convinced," Zhou Yang exclaimed.

Just then, Shen An and Jiang Chengzi emerged from the training hall.

Jiang Chengzi cast a glance at Zhou Yang and asked, "Did you see everything?"

"Master, I saw nothing. We were just passing by; we had no intention of eavesdropping," Zhou Yang quickly explained.

The fact that the Master had lost to a young man was not something worthy of attention. Yet, Jiang Chengzi said with calm indifference, "It is fine. I am not such a narrow-minded person."

"Senior, I have been at the Yincheng Martial Arts Hall for some time now. Thank you for your hospitality, but I must take my leave," Shen An said.

"Shen An, your future is limitless. I hope you walk the righteous path and avoid the ways of evil," Jiang Chengzi advised.

"I shall heed your words," Shen An replied.

With that, Shen An walked out of the Yincheng Martial Arts Hall.

Outside, amidst the bustling crowd and traffic, a middle-aged man walked by, leading a young girl of about seven or eight years old. She pointed at Shen An and whispered to her father, "Dad, look at that person. He seems to have come out of the martial arts hall. Do you think he is very strong?"

"Pfft, what could be strong about him? He doesn't look like a powerful Awakened at all. Look at how scrawny he is. Real Awakened individuals are those who have built up their muscles," the father replied.

"Oh, so he is weak. I was hoping he’d be impressive," the girl said, disappointed.

"Don't forget, we are here to enroll you in the Yincheng Martial Arts Hall. An Awakened of your age has a limitless future and will surely be held in high regard by the Master. He will certainly train you well," the father said.

"Dad, I’m strong, right? I will definitely earn Master's recognition and become the strongest Awakened of my age," the girl declared.

"Hahaha, that is my daughter! That is the way to be. Never be like that fellow. He looks like someone who gives up at the first sign of difficulty. Even if he has some talent, he won't amount to much. You must work hard," the father insisted.

Their words did not bother Shen An in the slightest. Having just defeated the Master, he knew that if they realized the truth, they would be utterly shocked. But they were merely two insignificant people, and Shen An would not waste his time on them.