Invincibility Begins with Mastery of Fist Techniques-Chapter 227 - 220: Accepting the Challenge

Just as Norton had said, moving from the shadows into the open had its benefits, but by the same token, operating in public came with many constraints. This was unavoidable.

"Hmph."

The foreign man in the lead sneered, glanced at the surrounding audience, and shot a look at the people behind him. Without wasting any more words on the Ji Po Jue Arena’s management, they put away their banner, shouldered their way through the staff with their powerful bodies, and swaggered out of the arena.

They weren’t fools. With so many people present, many of whom were from the Martial Arts Realm, a head-on confrontation would be an unwise choice and would not serve their interests.

They knew exactly where the line was. Now that their objective was achieved, there was no need to linger.

The crowd stared intently as the group swaggered out of the arena. A moment of silence was followed by an eruption of noisy discussion.

"What’s going on? Why did that foreigner say we didn’t dare to accept their challenge?!"

"Yeah! What’s the deal? That foreigner is so arrogant! I really want to stomp his smug face into the ground!"

"This is outrageous! Absolutely outrageous! In this day and age, how dare they still use words like that! It’s despicable!"

"We can’t let them get away with being so arrogant!"

"..."

The crowd was in an uproar, and the discussions continued unabated for so long that the dueling matches couldn’t begin as scheduled.

"Maintain order and let the dueling matches proceed. I’m going to report this to the Sect."

The arena manager frowned at the scene and spoke to the security guards beside him before striding quickly backstage.

However, that night, the same thing didn’t just happen at the Ji Po Jue Arena. Similar incidents occurred at every famous arena in the Southern Boxing Three Capitals. And it wasn’t limited to the Southern Martial Arts Realm; a similar situation also arose at a branch venue of the Northern Martial Arts Conference.

The next morning, many people saw photos that had gone viral on foreign websites. They were pictures of those foreigners holding banners, taken not far from the arena entrances. The individuals in the photos were different, but all their expressions held an indescribable mockery.

Meanwhile, within the country, because the higher-ups were pushing for the Martial Arts Realm to go public, online discussions had become a major channel for public perception. These news stories and photos spread just as quickly across the domestic internet, causing a massive uproar nationwide.

"So arrogant! In this day and age, how dare they still use such discriminatory and insulting words!"

"I work for a relevant department. I heard these people have already been forcibly deported for disturbing the peace!"

"What good is deporting them?! The news has already spread like wildfire overseas! We have to show them what we’re made of, or they’ll never learn what respect means!"

"And what about the Martial Arts Realm? They were making such a big fuss before, so why aren’t they responding now? People are kicking down their door, and they’re just sitting there? Are they really just tough at home but cowards abroad?"

"I hope not, or this will be a huge disappointment!"

"..."

The internet was filled with condemnation, doubt, and disappointment. It seemed the public’s emotions had been ignited in an instant.

Such a small series of actions had stirred up such a massive storm. The Donghua Martial Arts Realm had only just surfaced, and if this matter wasn’t handled well, it would suffer a devastating blow.

「Seven Spirits Sect, Yunmeng Manor.」

BANG!!

Browsing the news online, Seven Spirits Sect’s Senior Brother, Ji Yunzhou, wore a dark expression. It was as if countless shadows were spreading out from behind him.

He slammed his palm down, and the entire solid wood desk instantly turned to dust. The surrounding Seven Spirits Sect disciples trembled in fear.

"It’s been years since that term has been used. We Martial Artists contend with heaven and earth, striving to challenge our limits and transcend life and death. How can we allow ourselves to be branded with such a label? What is the origin of this incident? If they want a fight, then we’ll give them one. What is there to hesitate about?"

Ji Yunzhou asked, his eyes narrowed.

"Their goal is to disrupt the smooth transition of the Donghua Martial Arts Realm. Or to go even further—they want to use this opportunity to suppress our Donghua Martial Artists and sever the destiny of Donghua’s Martial Dao!"

A middle-aged man said with a frown.

"If this goes on, Donghua’s martial destiny will be severed without them even having to lift a finger! What is the stance of the higher-ups?"

Ji Yunzhou said, his eyes narrowed.

"It’s not yet clear. However, they chose this moment because the new Saint Awakening Zhou Yuanjue was severely injured in an unknown ambush some time ago. The Donghua Martial Arts Realm’s younger generation is without its pillar, which is why they dare to be so brazen."

The middle-aged man said.

"Zhou Yuanjue."

Hearing that name, Ji Yunzhou fell silent. He had seen the videos circulating online. As proud as he was, he had to admit that that level of power was terrifying and impossible to resist.

"The Donghua Martial Arts Realm has more than just Zhou Yuanjue!"

"Issue a statement for me. If the higher-ups won’t make a decision, then I, in my own name, will travel to the Starry Sky Country to meet them. Even if I die on the way, I will have no regrets!"

Ji Yunzhou said faintly.

"Heh, you’re a bit late with that statement. Heirs from the Holy Heart Sect, the Celestial Heart Sect, the Nine Dragons Sect, and several other Southern Eight Sects already issued similar statements this morning."

The middle-aged man said with a slight smile.

Hearing this, Ji Yunzhou looked slightly stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"How could those of our generation, who stand proudly between heaven and earth, ever bend our backs?"

...

...

「Zixiao Mountain, the summit courtyard.」

"If we don’t accept the challenge, it’s already too late, even if we immediately ban the information from spreading online. The plan to bring the Martial Arts Realm into the open will be delayed, and the public’s misunderstanding of it will deepen. Besides, most of those youngsters from the martial arts conferences have already issued their own statements this morning."

"But if we do accept, public sentiment is at a fever pitch. A victory would be fine, but a loss would crush this soaring morale. The Martial Arts Realm would be plunged into a slump and might not recover for a year or two."

"On top of that, as for this batch of special Warriors, no one knows how far their abilities have progressed."

"And at this exact moment, Saint Awakening Zhou Yuanjue is severely injured and has not yet awoken. If we accept the challenge, the odds of victory are impossible to predict. Elder Tang, what are your thoughts on this matter? The higher-ups wish to know your opinion."

The green-robed elder said softly, standing before the courtyard.

Silence fell. Suddenly, a deep yellow magnetic field converged in the sky. The surrounding trees began to move though there was no wind. The magnetic field of the entire Zixiao Mountain fluctuated violently, coalescing into a colossal dragon that only those with keen perception could discern.

The massive dragon’s head hung above the courtyard. Its eyes slowly opened, revealing a dazzling golden light.

The dragon’s mouth opened slightly, and it uttered a single word. The word violently shook the surrounding magnetic field, causing the trees to tremble and dust to fly. The green-robed elder’s beard and topknot whipped about in the resulting gale.

"Fight!"