Chapter Twenty-Five: Target of All

"An internal force expert—no wonder Gao Tianxiong accepted the challenge. This is getting interesting," Liu Xinyue remarked from the stands, a playful curve touching her lips.

Martial artists are divided into external force, internal force, and then those who step into the ‘graded’ ranks.

Strictly speaking, those with only external force cannot truly be called martial artists; they’re merely practitioners, relying on muscle strength for attack and defense. Er Hu, Baldy, and Little Crew Cut belonged to the upper-mid tier among external force experts.

Internal force, however, comes from within; strength is guided by one's breath, marking the true entry into the martial artist’s ranks. The gap between an internal force martial artist and a mere practitioner is vast.

Hong Chen smiled lightly. "So Miss Liu is a connoisseur of the martial arts as well?"

Liu Xinyue shot him a glare. "Hardly. I’m still stuck at the external force stage myself. I just picked up a bit of common knowledge by osmosis."

"And now," Hong Chen continued, "which side do you think has the better chance tonight?"

Before Liu Xinyue could reply, Liu Hao suddenly turned toward Hong Chen, his brows furrowed, his eyes unfriendly. "Hong Chen, I have something to discuss with Xinyue. It’s not convenient for outsiders to hear."

He was issuing a clear order to leave.

Although the seating in the stands was public, technically Hong Chen could have stayed put. But he didn’t want to embarrass the Liu family’s eldest son over such a trivial matter. He smiled at Liu Xinyue. "I’ll go look for my friend," he said, and rose to leave.

Liu Xinyue wanted to call him back, but Liu Hao gave her a stern glare. "I was trying to save him some face, but he just talks too much. Let me tell you, that guy is the Lin family’s good-for-nothing son-in-law. I heard he’s about to be thrown out by them. Do you not understand why he’s getting close to you? Grandfather’s been blinded by him, but don’t tell me you’re falling for him too. Our Liu family will never keep a useless son-in-law."

Liu Xinyue’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you insane, brother? There’s nothing between me and him."

"Good. Even if he really did cure Zijian or gave Grandfather an effective prescription, we paid him every bit of what he was owed. From now on, we’ll have nothing to do with him. Delete his number, block him on your phone, and if you run into him again, keep thirty meters away. Getting involved with someone like that is not only shameful for you, but for our Liu family as well. Do you hear me?"

Liu Xinyue knew her brother was a stubborn chauvinist. She and Hong Chen couldn’t even be called friends, and there was no need to persuade Liu Hao to accept him. She just nodded perfunctorily. "Got it."

After the second match, Gao Tianxiong remained on the stage. Over on the Huang family’s side, Huang Wujiang gathered his people for a quick discussion. In the end, the Huang family sent out a two-meter-tall giant—nicknamed Iron Tower—to compete in the third bout. Huang Wujiang himself did not take the field.

Gao Tianxiong was a little surprised. According to his intel, the Huang family had three internal force experts, of whom Iron Tower was one. But the strongest was Huang Wujiang, who had reached the level where internal force could be projected outward—just half a step away from entering the "graded" ranks.

So, in this decisive match, was Huang Wujiang refusing to fight because he feared losing face, or did he simply look down on his opponent?

Surprise aside, Gao Tianxiong didn’t care. In his view, the result would be the same no matter who stepped up, just as he would not alter his established strategy. The previous bout was a direct clash; this one would be defense with counterattack, not seeking a quick victory but waiting to exploit any opening with a decisive strike.

Such a tactic minimized risk but ceded the initiative and required absolute confidence in one’s own abilities.

As the fight began, events unfolded as expected: Gao Tianxiong quickly fell on the defensive, chased around the ring by Iron Tower. Yet he managed to avoid all vital spots, and each time he was forced to the edge of the stage, he slipped away from danger.

A minute passed swiftly. Iron Tower’s relentless assault took its toll—even for an internal force expert, his stamina hit a temporary trough. Gao Tianxiong spotted his opponent’s weakness: the lower defense was far less solid than the upper. He unleashed four consecutive whipping kicks; Iron Tower dodged the first three, but the fourth struck the inside of his knee.

A wave of numbing pain shot through Iron Tower’s leg, causing him to stagger and nearly lose his balance. Gao Tianxiong seized the opening, suddenly exploding with power. With a fierce shout, his fists rained down on Iron Tower’s head and chest.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Iron Tower lived up to his nickname; his ability to take punishment was remarkable. Even after three solid blows to the chest, he held his ground. But Gao Tianxiong’s attacks were like a raging river—endless and unstoppable.

At last, Iron Tower exposed an opening on his face and took a punch square to the brow. The giant toppled like a felled tree, collapsing unconscious on the spot.

Two to one—Hongcheng Group had won tonight’s wagered match.

In the stands, the crowd exchanged uncertain glances. Their reactions varied, but in the end, only a small portion applauded; the majority remained silent.

Gao Tianxiong noticed the tepid response and frowned inwardly. It wasn’t surprising that his entrance had received little enthusiasm—most people favored the Huang family. But now that victory was decided, shouldn’t at least the neutral families put on a show of support?

A vague sense of unease crept into his heart.

Maintaining a calm façade, Gao Tianxiong stepped down from the stage and looked toward the Huang family’s group. Huang Wujiang met his gaze, showing not a trace of defeat—just a faintly amused smile.

"Mr. Gao, I never expected you to hide your abilities so well. Since you’re an internal force expert, it’s no wonder Paradise Bar has grown so large. May I speak frankly—would you care to hear?" Just as Gao Tianxiong was about to reply, a seemingly affable voice interrupted. He turned and narrowed his eyes.

Five men were descending from a side section of the stands. The leader was a tall, heavyset young man, barely past thirty, but well known in the industry: Qiao Bin, eldest son of the Qiao family—also called the Smiling Tiger, with a kindly face and a ruthless heart.

The Qiao and Huang clans were both near top-tier families, equal in status, essentially tied for second place in the local hierarchy.

With composure, Gao Tianxiong replied, "Young Master Qiao, please speak your mind."

"Two clubs, four KTVs, and three original bars—now four more have opened, including a flagship. Paradise is almost on par with my family’s Night City. I think it’s time to stop. If you have more money than you know what to do with, Hongcheng Group can always invest elsewhere—it’s not as if you only work in one or two industries." Qiao Bin played the mediator, shooting a subtle glance at Huang Wujiang. "As for tonight’s match, let’s just call it a friendly. You know as well as I do, Huang didn’t personally fight—he left you some leeway. Let’s shake hands and keep business amicable. What do you say?"

To limit Paradise Bar’s expansion, and to forfeit the three best Huang family bars just won—was this his idea of fairness?

It was nothing but shameless bluster!

Gao Tianxiong laughed coldly inside, but outwardly maintained decorum. "Thank you for your advice, Young Master Qiao. But I believe things should proceed as agreed."

Qiao Bin’s eyes narrowed slightly. "So you’re not going to give me any face, Mr. Gao?"

Gao Tianxiong chuckled but didn’t reply, giving his answer in silence.

Qiao Bin’s face clouded with regret. "It seems my reputation isn’t worth much after all…"

"Is Qiao Bin’s reputation not enough? How about mine, added to his?" From the second row of the nearest section, another young man spoke up. He was strikingly handsome, his expression cold and arrogant as he looked down from above.

His voice was calm, tone indifferent, but the already quiet hall fell utterly silent at his words.

Gao Tianxiong’s pupils contracted. The young man was none other than the industry’s leading heir, Wang Yukun—the eldest son of the Wang family, top-tier in Qing City.

Previously, Gao Tianxiong had heard rumors that the Huang and Qiao families, as well as several second-tier families like the Lu and Li clans, were unhappy with Paradise’s expansion. He’d worried about becoming a target but hadn’t taken it too seriously, since the industry lacked a leader strong enough to unify the others. He’d only asked Hong Chen to lend silent support as a precaution.

But now, with Wang Yukun stepping in, the situation was truly dire. The Wang family alone outweighed the combined influence of the Qiao and Huang clans. More importantly, with the leader’s position clear, followers would flock to his side.

It didn’t take long to prove this point. After Wang Yukun spoke, there was only about ten seconds of silence before the core members of the Lu, Li, Tao, and Chen families stood up in succession. They outwardly echoed Qiao Bin’s words, but in truth were backing Wang Yukun.

Thus, out of the nine families in Qing City ranked just below the top tier, seven now stood against Hongcheng Group. Hongcheng found itself facing off against the entire industry.