Chapter 149: You Must Be a Demon

"Master! You can't do this! This is way too dangerous!" Long Teng exclaimed.

Having just been given a sharp reality check by He Changsheng, Long Teng knew full well that He Changsheng possessed extraordinary martial arts skills, and that he himself was currently no match for him at all. Yet now, Yang Meng actually intended to face the armed He Changsheng bare-handed?

They all turned to look at the Sun-Moon Mandarin Duck Knives in He Changsheng's hands. The entire weapon was forged from an unknown metallic material, pitch-black in color with a chilling, flowing gleam dancing across its surface. One glance told them it was exceptionally sharp and far from ordinary. Given He Changsheng's high status, how could his weapon possibly be a mediocre item?

Yang Meng chuckled and said, "Don't worry, Long Teng, I know what I'm doing. Besides, this isn't some traditional martial arts school; where are we supposed to go looking for weapons anyway? Alright, alright, old man He, are you ready? Don't worry, considering you'll be treating someone later, I'll go easy on you!"

"You!" Hearing this, He Changsheng was so furious that his lungs felt like they were going to burst. He stepped directly onto the fighting ring. "Enough talk! Come up and let me instruct you!"

Yang Meng stretched his limbs and walked toward the ring, but Long Teng and the others rushed forward to block him.

"Master, you can't go up there! He has a weapon!"

"Mengmeng, have you lost your mind? Have you got a death wish?"

"Exactly! Didn't you see how that old man attacked just now? He has genuine skills, nothing like the little amateur scuffles between Long Teng and the others!"

"Hey, Lobster, who are you calling an amateur scuffle?"

"That's right, Lobster, shut your mouth! This is all the trouble you caused! If it weren't to get this old man to treat Wang Lingke, would Master have stepped in?"

Yang Meng stopped everyone's overlapping chatter with a wave of his hand. "Alright, I know what I'm doing. Just wait for me to finish dealing with this old man quickly so he can treat Wang Lingke. The sooner he treats her, the sooner she recovers, right? Take a page out of Erleng's book—see him? Standing right there without saying a single word."

When everyone turned to look at him, Hu Erleng shrugged and said, "Knowing Mengmeng's personality of never suffering a loss and always squeezing out every possible advantage, you'd all be better off worrying about the old man on the other side. Listen, Mengmeng, go easy on him later, or else you'll end up with an extra father to support!"

Upon hearing Hu Erleng's remark, He Changsheng's mustache nearly twitched off his face in rage. Meanwhile, Yang Meng stepped onto the ring, looked at He Changsheng, and said, "Old man He, you're at your age and clearly deep into the martial dao, so why is your state of mind so unstable? Can a few words from others really shake your composure? That's a major taboo in combat. Don't you even know something like that?"

He Changsheng froze. After staring at Yang Meng for a moment, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. A short while later, he opened them and said, "Thank you for the guidance, young friend Yang. I indeed committed a major taboo."

Down below the ring, Bai Ze said with an expression of pure adoration, "Did you see that? That's my master right there—full of righteousness! He doesn't even forget to look out for his opponent's well-being in the middle of a fight!"

Long Teng nodded in agreement. "I'm only just realizing now that Master truly possesses the bearing of a martial hero."

Standing nearby, Qi Kun—whose face was swollen into the shape of a pig's head—blinked and muttered, "Hey Erleng, have these two idiots water in their brains?"

Hu Erleng nodded. "Looks like it to me. Calling Mengmeng a 'martial hero'? What kind of bizarre scenarios are they imagining in their heads?"

Pointing at the ring, Long Teng retorted, "Didn't you hear what my master said? A fight is about to start, and it's even a bare-handed disarming match, yet the very first thing my master cares about is his opponent's combat state! Isn't that the definition of a martial hero's bearing?"

Hu Erleng sighed. "My friend, you still don't understand Mengmeng. Do you really think he's looking out for his opponent? Good grief, what he just did is the equivalent of slapping you hard across the face and then telling you he did it because there was a poisonous mosquito sitting on your cheek. He's the one beating you up, yet he wants to play the good guy too! Care whether the old man's state of mind is stable? He's just making sure the old man won't hold a grudge while he's busy messing with him! Look at that foolish old man, letting Mengmeng lecture him like that and still thanking him—if that isn't having water in your brain, what is?"

The mental composure He Changsheng had just managed to gather instantly collapsed. He stared at Hu Erleng speechlessly. *Are you sent by the heavens specifically to torment me?*

Where on earth did this scoundrel bounce from? He had only spoken two sentences, and both of them had been enough to make He Changsheng's beard flutter with rage. To say the least, He Changsheng was a recognized grandmaster in the study of the Baguazhang lineage, yet this brat had managed to break his concentration and shatter his focus twice!

He shot a vicious glare at Hu Erleng. *No way, I'll definitely have to find a chance to teach this brat a lesson later!*

Yang Meng turned back to He Changsheng. "Old man He, if your own cultivation isn't up to par, don't blame others for talking. I heard you Baguazhang practitioners emphasize 'body wandering'—is this ring restricting your movement? We can find a bigger place so it's easier for you to run around!"

He Changsheng had found the first part of what Yang Meng said somewhat reasonable, but this last sentence completely infuriated him. *What is that supposed to mean? Do you look down on me even more now? What's with 'making it easier for you to run around'? Do you really think I'm so weak that I wouldn't be able to make you chase me all over the place?*

Done wasting words with Yang Meng and his crew, He Changsheng tightened his grip on the Sun-Moon Mandarin Duck Knives, performed a fist salute, and declared, "Baguazhang, He Changsheng, please grant me your guidance."

Even a clay figurine had three parts of fiery temper, let alone He Changsheng!

If he had merely wanted to test Yang Meng's fighting proficiency just moments ago, he had now firmly decided to play for keeps and teach Yang Meng a hard lesson.

This brat was simply too arrogant and full of himself!

In contrast, Yang Meng merely waved a hand with a completely relaxed expression. "Yang Meng from Zhuoshanziquan Village, come on, come on." With that, he shoved both hands straight into his pockets and looked at He Changsheng, adopting the posture of an idle spectator watching the fun on the street.

Seeing Yang Meng standing there with his hands in his pockets, He Changsheng felt a fresh wave of rage. *How in the world is this supposed to look like a fight?*

This young man was far too wild; he simply had to be taught a lesson!

With that thought, he nodded. Replicating the lightning-quick footwork he had used against Long Teng earlier, he closed the distance to Yang Meng in two sliding steps while keeping his hands moving continuously, sending the two Sun-Moon Mandarin Duck Knives slicing toward Yang Meng from high and low angles.

Just as Yang Meng had told Long Teng and the others earlier, Baguazhang featured exquisite footwork and blistering speed, but its direct offensive power was somewhat lacking. The Sun-Moon Mandarin Duck Knives, however, perfectly compensated for this weakness.

Long Teng and the others widened their eyes. Long Teng, in particular, who had just been schooled by He Changsheng, stared intently at Yang Meng, eager to see what method Yang Meng would use to counter He Changsheng.

To everyone's shock, Yang Meng simply stood rooted to the spot as if nothing was happening. Even as the lethal blades closed in right before his eyes, he made no move to block or parry, keeping his hands firmly tucked inside his pockets.

He Changsheng furrowed his brow. *What is Yang Meng playing at? Is he surrendering right off the bat? That doesn't seem like something Yang Meng would do.*

Yet right at that moment, Yang Meng moved. But against everyone's expectations, his hands stayed tucked in his pockets without lifting a finger to parry the incoming blades; instead, he brought his foot down heavily!

With a sharp yelp of agony echoing across the arena, He Changsheng dropped the Sun-Moon Mandarin Duck Knives from both hands and clutched one of his feet on the ring, his face contorted in pain.

Everyone present stared at Yang Meng speechlessly, because the move Yang Meng had just pulled was simply—too vicious and underhanded!

True, he hadn't used any flashy or overtly dirty tricks like a low kick to the groin or a monkey-stealing-peaches maneuver, but the tactic he employed was somehow even more insidious: he had simply stomped down with full force right onto He Changsheng's toes!

They say that the ten fingers are connected to the heart, and toes are no exception! The blinding pain instantly caused He Changsheng to drop his weapon and hop around the ring on one leg for dear life.

The sheer brutality of Yang Meng's stomp made anyone watching wince with empathetic pain.

"Long Teng, Bai Ze, remember this: an opponent's greatest strength is often their greatest vulnerability. Where does Baguazhang's true power lie? In its exquisite footwork. But if you neutralize their footwork right at the start, how can they even fight? Look at old man He now—what happened to wandering Baguazhang? Let's see him wander on one leg!" Yang Meng said to Long Teng and Bai Ze down below the ring.

Hearing this, everyone present broke out in a cold sweat. *Let He Changsheng wander now? How? By hopping on a single foot?*

Yang Meng pointed at Seventeen, standing off to the side, and said, "Long Teng, Bai Ze, remember that guy named Seventeen. Have him spar with you sometime later. That kid seems to make a living purely off speed and footwork. When you fight him, just cripple his toes first! After that, he'll be a total pushover."

Observing from the side, Long Teng and Bai Ze glanced over at Seventeen, only to find Seventeen looking right back at them. The three of them exchanged simultaneous, bitter wry smiles.

Yang Meng simply refused to play by any normal rules! Who enters a ring duel just to stomp on someone's toes? Only he could come up with something like that.

Yet, come to think of it, the trick was insanely effective! Look at He Changsheng—a semi-grandmaster of Baguazhang—and what was he doing now? Playing hopscotch on one leg, his ability to fight back completely pulverized.

There was no point in even continuing this fight!

This highly anticipated ring battle had thus reached its abrupt conclusion—and in such a delightfully comedic fashion.

"Old man He, don't forget about treating someone at the orthopedic hospital."

He Changsheng was still clutching the foot Yang Meng had stomped on with a look of pure agony, but Yang Meng acted as though he didn't notice. "Di Wei, wheel out one of our wheelchairs. Never mind, Bai Zhao, you run fast, go push a cart over! Can't you see old man He broke a bone and is hopping around on one leg? Do you people have any basic human compassion? Wang Rui, why are you just standing there? Aren't you hoping this old man treats your sister? Why aren't you showing some initiative? Lobster, don't just stand around either. In a moment, you're the one pushing old man He to the hospital. Just keep that pig-head swelling of yours and push him right in—I reckon Wang Lingke might finally forgive you then. If all else fails, let her slap you twice; that's as far as Brother can help you!"

Hearing this, Bai Ze's younger brother Bai Zhao immediately dashed off to grab a wheelchair. Since sports injuries were common during their training sessions, wheelchairs and stretchers were always kept readily available.

While Yang Meng's logistical arrangements were sound enough, the looks everyone shot him had completely changed.

You stomped He Changsheng's toes so hard the bone fractured? You really don't hold back at all! Have you never heard of the phrase 'respecting the elderly and loving the young'?

The real problem was that you were the one who broke his bones, yet you acted completely unfazed, planning not for He Changsheng to get immediate medical attention, but rather for him to hurry up and treat Wang Lingke.

Are you a demon? You've got to be a demon!