It was said that the Five Great Canal Gangs of Jiangbei had gathered, yet the meeting for the Anti-Rebellion Assembly soon descended into chaos. Each gang leader clung to his own stance; words clashed, tempers flared, and no consensus could be reached. In the end, it was decided that blades and fists would speak where tongues failed—the outcome of the duels would determine whether they would join the campaign against the rebels.
The matches were fought fiercely. In the end, the pro-resistance faction triumphed decisively. Yang Linzhong, master of the Xingwu Gang, was defeated, while Xu Li, master of the Xuzhou Gang, stood tall as the champion, subduing rival after rival. Yet just as the final decision seemed within reach, the Black Dragon Sect forced its way in, seeking to overturn the outcome and place the canal guilds firmly under their control.
All at once, a chilling murderous aura swept through the courtyard. Every gaze turned toward the entrance. There strode in West Heavenly King Xiao Cheng, his steps heavy with menace, his eyes sharp as blades. His voice rang out like thunder:"A few petty matches, and you think to decide great matters? The Black Dragon Sect has never recognized such farce!"
Uproar spread among the crowd; whispers carried unease. Xu Li, however, stood unshaken. His voice rang with righteousness:"The Black Dragon Sect is but a jackal serving a tyrant, despised by the world!"
His words struck like iron, stirring the hearts of those who supported the rebellion. The gathered heroes shouted their approval, blood surging with fervor.
Xiao Cheng's face darkened. This man dares scorn the Black Dragon Sect? Arrogant fool—he will learn his lesson! He stepped forward, cold eyes gleaming, and barked:"Enough words! Let us prove it with fists!"
With that, his sleeves snapped in the wind as he launched a crushing punch, his fist roaring through the air toward Xu Li's chest.
But Xu Li met him with calm. "Through combat, we shall see who is hero in this world!" he said. His shoulders sank, elbows lowered, and with a sudden whirl, he deflected Xiao Cheng's force. His body pivoted, and in the same breath he struck—"Thunder Rumbles!" The Wind-and-Thunder Palm exploded forth like a bolt of lightning cleaving the sky, surging straight at Xiao Cheng.
Xiao Cheng's heart jolted. No wonder Yang Linzhong was beaten! This man is no mere river thug. Yet he too was a seasoned warlord, tempered in a hundred battles. Steeling his spirit, he summoned the Black Dragon Sect's secret art, the Thirteen Tiger Palms. With a roar, he unleashed "Heaven-Shaking Tiger's Roar!" His palms swept outward like a tiger springing from the forest, the air itself screaming under the savage force as he met Xu Li head-on.
Palms and fists collided in a tempest of energy. Xu Li's movements were swift as storm winds, his strikes rolling in endless waves. Again and again he pressed forward, his inner strength surging. "Wind Howls, Heaven Shudders!" he cried, hurling a barrage of palm shadows toward Xiao Cheng's face.
Xiao Cheng barely managed to block, retreating with a tiger's leap, cold sweat beading his brow. This man's power…!
But Xu Li gave no pause. His palms flowed like thunderclouds gathering force. With a stamp of his foot, he unleashed "Sun and Stars Eclipse!"—his inner strength bursting forth like crashing tides, pressing down upon Xiao Cheng with irresistible force.
Xiao Cheng steadied his stance and countered with "Tiger Crouches, Dragon Coils!", his palms roaring back to meet Xu Li's strike. Their energies clashed; the ground itself quivered as dust and gravel swirled into the air.
Move after move, the two men fought with unyielding ferocity. For more than a hundred exchanges, they battled, each displaying mastery of body and spirit. Onlookers held their breath; the very fate of the canal gangs—and the Anti-Rebellion Assembly—hung in the balance.
At last, Xiao Cheng bellowed, unleashing two killing strikes in succession—"Leaping Tiger" and "Invincible Tiger Claw". His form blurred like a great beast pouncing, his palms slashing with lethal intent. Xu Li's eyes narrowed; with a twist of his body he evaded, his stance sinking into a bow step, stable as Mount Tai.
Xiao Cheng pressed forward like a storm, his steps pounding, his strikes like blades of wind. Xu Li moved with the grace of a swimming dragon, parrying, dissolving, and returning each assault.
Then Xiao Cheng gathered his full strength, his aura blazing. With a final roar, he struck with all his might—only to meet Xu Li's killing blow. Xu Li's eyes flashed cold. Drawing upon his deepest reserves, he drew his palms to his chest, traced a sudden arc, and loosed his ultimate strike: "Wind Howls, Heaven Shudders!"
A gale howled into being, raging outward as his inner force surged to its peak. Xiao Cheng's face blanched. Hastily he unleashed "Heaven-Shaking Tiger's Roar" once more, but it was too late. Their powers collided in an earth-shaking explosion. Dust and stones flew as a deafening boom split the air.
When the haze cleared, Xiao Cheng's body was sent hurtling backward, crashing into the ground with a resounding crack. Blood spilled from his lips as he struggled to rise, his aura shattered, his chest heaving weakly.
Gasps erupted all around. The arrogant West Heavenly King, one of the Black Dragon Sect's fiercest champions, lay broken upon the earth—defeated by Xu Li's palm.
The Sect's retainers rushed to his side, faces ashen, while Xu Li stood tall, his sleeve trembling only slightly. His voice rang out, proud and unyielding:"Through combat, we see the true heroes of the world!"
At these words, Left Dharma King Meng Ming could no longer endure. His face darkened, his pride stung like a blade at his throat. Stepping forward, he declared in a cold voice:"Xu Li! You are not the only hero under Heaven. Do not grow arrogant. I, Meng Ming of the Black Dragon Sect, shall test your vaunted Thunder Palms myself!"
He leapt into the arena, his black robe billowing like storm clouds. "Long have I heard of the Thunderhand. Today, I shall taste it for myself!"
Xu Li, undaunted, saluted with cupped fists. "Very well—let our palms decide!"
Without hesitation, his palms struck out like rolling thunder—"Unfathomable as the Wind!" Meng Ming braced, his legs firm, his tiger claws snapping forward with brutal force. The two clashed fiercely, trading grips, blocks, and strikes, hands locking, legs kicking, neither yielding an inch. With a thunderous boom, both were forced back a pace, their auras flaring like storm and fire.
The crowd roared in awe, their hearts shaken. What they witnessed was no ordinary duel, but the clash of titans that would decide the fate of the rivers and lakes.