This sudden turn of events took everyone completely by surprise. Just moments earlier, it had seemed that Situ Kong was about to perish under Yang Meng's palms, yet in an instant the situation reversed. Smack! Smack! Two sharp slaps sent Yang Meng reeling, stars bursting before his eyes, and he collapsed to the ground. The crowd gasped in shock. Yang Meng had brought disaster upon himself, and everyone felt a chill in their hearts, thinking, "This old man's inner power is profound—he is certainly no ordinary figure."
Before long, Yang Meng struggled back to his feet, his face clearly marked with palm prints. Glaring angrily, he shouted, "Qilin Elder Lin Ping! Xuanwu Elder Shen Er! Help me deal with this wretched old man!"
Hearing this, Situ Kong felt delighted instead. He laughed and said, "How could I refuse such kindness? Come on, both of you!"
The two great elders of the Nine Heavens Palace—Qilin Elder Lin Ping and Xuanwu Elder Shen Er—stepped into the field. Shen Er spoke first: "I am Shen Er, Xuanwu Elder of the Nine Heavens Palace. May I ask your honorable name?"
But Situ Kong had already assumed a fighting stance, ready to exchange blows. Laughing, he replied, "Since we're here to fight, my name isn't important. Defeat me, and you'll naturally know."Before a duel, opponents would usually probe each other's names, so they would have some idea of whom they faced. In the martial world, everyone needed a resounding title; once a name rang out, it carried weight. If one's martial skill was outstanding, word would naturally spread. Even if not, courtesy at least demanded that one state a name.
Lin Ping sneered, "I'd say your reputation isn't loud enough—you don't dare say it."
At this, Situ Kong stopped laughing. His expression turned serious as he said, "Very well. I am the 'Madman of the West,' Situ Kong."Situ Kong was an eccentric among the older generation of martial masters. His skills were extraordinary, his arts peerless. Roaming the martial world with elusive movements, he appeared like a divine dragon—seen only by its head, never its tail. Most people knew his name but had never seen him.
Hearing this, Lin Ping burst into laughter. "If you're the 'Madman of the West,' then the two of us must be the 'Tiger Among Men' Shi Yong and the Drunken Beggar Fei Jin!"
Seeing this, Situ Kong laughed again and shook his head. "You're a strange fellow. When I didn't say who I was, you said my name wasn't famous enough and that I didn't dare speak it. Now that I have, you don't believe me. Let's just trade a few moves."Indeed, not only Lin Ping but nearly everyone present—aside from Wu Tong and a few others—found it hard to believe. After all, people had only heard of the Madman of the West, never seen him.
Lin Ping roared and thrust both palms forward, lunging at Situ Kong with a chopping strike. Situ Kong's eyes flashed. "Damn it—why do I keep running into ill-intentioned people today? Not even a greeting before attacking!"With one hand he deflected the move, his body flowing with his steps. Lin Ping shouted fiercely, "If you have any skill, show it now!" His expression was grim as he threw a punch toward Situ Kong.
Situ Kong replied mockingly, "Let me see what you're capable of as well!"Hands and feet flew together. Situ Kong's footwork was calm and elusive—seeming to move left while actually going right, surging forward yet truly retreating. Lin Ping was utterly bewildered. Suddenly, Lin Ping spun like lightning, channeling his full strength as two fierce palm winds surged straight toward Situ Kong's chest. Situ Kong blocked with both arms, then flipped and leapt into the air. With a casual palm strike, he lightly struck Lin Ping squarely on the back.
Though Lin Ping possessed formidable inner power, he could not stop his momentum. He stumbled forward, barely managing to halt himself, nearly pitching face-first into the ground in a most humiliating display.
Situ Kong burst out laughing. "So this is your great skill—eating dirt like a dog!"
The crowd roared with laughter. Lin Ping spun around, his face darkening as he lost all composure. Enraged beyond measure, he sank his qi, gathered his lifetime of power, straightened his body, and lightly tapped the ground. He leapt into the air like a ghost. With a thunderous roar, his palms howled with furious wind as he flew in, striking fiercely toward Situ Kong's chest—an awe-inspiring attack.
Situ Kong shrieked theatrically, "Oh no! A mad dog bites!"He sidestepped with lightning speed, dodging several times in succession, his steps tracing a precise pattern. Suddenly, he blocked left and parried right—smack, smack! Two dull thuds followed by two muffled groans. Lin Ping was sent flying, tumbling across the ground before scrambling back up, staring at Situ Kong in shock and fury. "Who are you, really?!"
The 'Madman of the West' Situ Kong shook his head, half amused, half helpless. "You're truly strange. Didn't I already tell you? I'm the 'Madman of the West,' Situ Kong!"
Lin Ping turned on Xuanwu Elder Shen Er, glaring. "Shen Er, why aren't you fighting?!"
Shen Er replied calmly, "He says he's the 'Madman of the West.' I have my doubts as well. If he truly is the Madman of the West, there's no point in me intervening. If he isn't, then you alone should be more than enough."
Having lost face, Lin Ping was now consumed by rage and had lost all reason. He roared, "Heaven, Earth, Wind, Thunder—attack now!"The Heaven-Earth-Wind-Thunder Envoys—Zhou Da, Xu Er, Sun San, and Ma Si—exchanged uneasy looks. No matter how bold they were, a chill ran through them, their hair standing on end. Lin Ping shouted angrily, "I said attack—what are you waiting for?!"
The four exchanged glances, nodded to one another, drew their swords, and leapt into the field. "Forgive us," they said.
Situ Kong snorted. "Well now, this old man really is ruthless. Can't win, so you gang up—and even draw weapons!"From the sidelines, Liu Yun called out, "Senior, do you want a sword?"
Situ Kong replied disdainfully, "I won't need one to deal with these brats!"
Wu Tong called out loudly, "Heaven, Earth, Wind, Thunder—don't overestimate yourselves. Withdraw!"The four hesitated, glancing at one another. Lin Ping roared again, "Heaven, Earth, Wind, Thunder—attack!"At once, the four said, "We mean no offense!" and moved in.
Unflinching, Situ Kong strode forward and said coldly, "The Nine Heavens Palace lets demons run rampant, throwing the martial world into chaos. You four look impressive enough—today I'll play with you a bit!"
Zhou Da and Xu Er took positions to the north and south, while Sun San and Ma Si stood east and west. At the same time, all four attacked, swords slashing horizontally together. The onlookers thought that no matter how great Situ Kong's martial arts were, being unarmed against four simultaneous sword strikes would be impossible to evade.
Yet Situ Kong heard the whistling wind and, with lightning speed, seized Zhou Da's sword wrist. At once he struck with a palm—Zhou Da groaned and was sent flying, crashing to the ground. Situ Kong then reversed his grip and wielded the sword himself. Sword light flashed; clang, clang, clang! rang out. Cries of pain followed as Xu Er, Sun San, and Ma Si screamed—their thighs instantly gushed blood. Wounded and unable to rise, they had to brace themselves on their swords to keep from collapsing.
At that moment, Situ Kong's eyes flashed. He suddenly flung the sword—straight toward Lin Ping! Lin Ping was terrified and dodged aside as the blade buried itself deep into a towering tree behind him. In that instant, Lin Ping lost all semblance of heroic bearing.
Situ Kong swept the Xingwu Gang and Nine Heavens Palace members with a mocking gaze and laughed. "Today I'm just playing with you. I have no intention of killing anyone!"
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