Xiao Ming's swordsmanship became increasingly proficient. Recently, every night when cultivating his techniques, he would consume a pill and many Chinese medicinal herbs. The qi and vitality in his dantian grew rapidly.
The two exchanged over a hundred blows. Xiao Ming found that although he couldn't defeat this devil, he also couldn't harm him.
What Xiao Ming brought to Ikeda Hironori was immense shock. This was simply unbelievable; in just a few days, he could fight him to a draw. If more time passed, he would only be able to receive beatings from him.
A child in his teens, who had been cultivating since birth, could not possibly possess such strength. Unless he had used some special method to rapidly improve his power.
Ikeda Hironori found an opportunity to retreat a few steps and said, "No more fighting. I came to challenge Long Xiao, why would I fight a brat like you?"
Xiao Ming was having a great time fighting. Clashing with this devil greatly boosted his confidence. He now believed that Long Xiao was not tricking him but helping him.
"You want to stop fighting just like that? What do you think this place is?" Xiao Ming said indignantly.
Ikeda Hironori looked at Long Xiao and said, "Long Xiao, don't be a coward. If you don't dare to fight, you send a child to fool me."
Long Xiao couldn't help but laugh, saying, "You can't beat Xiao Ming, so you're looking for an excuse to back down. People from your island are generally shameless, but someone as shameless as you is truly rare."
"Enough nonsense. I came to challenge you."
Long Xiao sighed, "Why are you so stubborn? My time is precious. No one willing to fight without motivation."
"What motivation? What kind of motivation do you want?" Ikeda Hironori asked, confused.
Long Xiao rubbed his fingers together and said, "Let's bet on something. Do you know what a wager is? I'm not interested in a challenge where the loser doesn't pay the price."
"You want to bet? Fine, you tell me first, what is your bet? I will offer something of equal value to gamble with you."
Long Xiao pulled out a bank card from his pocket and said, "There are six hundred million here. Let's bet a smaller amount; I'm worried you can't afford it."
Although Ikeda Hironori was Kameyama Kuma's adopted son, he couldn't access much capital.
"Gambling money is too vulgar. Let's bet on something more substantial."
Long Xiao nodded and said, "Alright, let's bet on something substantial. If I lose, you break both my legs. If you lose, you break the legs of whoever tricked you into coming here."
Upon hearing Long Xiao's wager, Ikeda Hironori felt he was getting a great deal and happily said, "This wager is reasonable. I agree."
"No, I don't agree," Zhao Xintian said urgently.
Long Xiao glared at Zhao Xintian and said, "Shut up, don't be an idiot. I'm gambling with your master, does it have anything to do with you?"
"Even if it doesn't, I don't agree."
Ikeda Hironori stepped forward and said, "Long Xiao, it's between the two of us. Don't mind him."
Long Xiao nodded and said, "Yes, Mr. Ikeda speaks sense. I like listening to that."
Xiao Ming swung the cleaver in his hand and said, "Brother Long, let me fight him for a while longer."
Long Xiao waved his hand, "No need. We'll watch the leg-breaking soon."
Xiao Ming quickly retreated, sat on a stone stool, put away his cleaver, took out a roast duck and a bottle of drink from his backpack, and prepared to eat while watching the show.
Ikeda Hironori roared and charged at Long Xiao. Long Xiao used the newly learned 'Gui Xuan' step, quickly dodging his punch.
Long Xiao continuously circled using the 'Gui Xuan' step. He didn't counter-attack, wanting to use Ikeda Hironori to refine his 'Gui Xuan' step.
Although 'Chi Mei Xiao Yao Bu' far surpassed 'Gui Xuan' step, he was afraid of it being discovered by the Long family members and dared not use it casually, especially in the capital, he dared not use it even more.
Ikeda Hironori's strength far exceeded Mei Xiaotian's, and his speed was also much faster. He was perfect for practicing footwork.
After dozens of exchanges, Long Xiao was hit on the shoulder by Ikeda Hironori's punch and stumbled, almost falling.
Seeing that he had hit Long Xiao, Ikeda Hironori's confidence surged. Although Long Xiao's footwork was exquisite, he seemed clumsy, dodging in a flustered manner.
As the attack speed increased, Long Xiao appeared even more disheveled. After more than ten exchanges, Long Xiao was kicked down by Ikeda Hironori.
Long Xiao, covered in dust, got up and chuckled, "Ikeda, your strength is good. Come again."
Ikeda Hironori didn't expect Long Xiao to be so resilient. An ordinary person would be killed by such a kick, and an ordinary martial artist would be half-dead. Yet Long Xiao showed no signs of injury.
As dusk gradually fell, hearing the fight in the front yard, Mi Tianfu, Ming Yue, and Luo Tianshui all came out to watch. The patients in the backyard also came out to围观.
Xiao Ming saw that Long Xiao was only using the 'Gui Xuan' step to dodge and knew he was using Ikeda Hironori to practice his footwork. Every time Long Xiao was hit, Xiao Ming cheered happily.
Luo Tianshui was greatly surprised to see Long Xiao using the 'Gui Xuan' step. The 'Gui Xuan' step was never taught outside the Luo family; only Luo family members and a select few disciples taught by Luo family members knew it.
"Xiao Ming, how does Brother Long know the Luo family's footwork?" Luo Tianshui asked curiously.
Xiao Ming smiled and said, "Brother Long just learned it. He's not very familiar with it yet, and he's practicing it with this devil."
"Who did he learn it from?" Luo Tianshui asked, puzzled.
Xiao Ming scratched his head and said, "It seems, it seems that fellow was called Mei something."
"Mei Xiaotian."
"Yes, Mei Xiaotian. He is a disciple of the Wumeng. He fought Brother Long in the ring with this footwork during the day, and Brother Long learned it."
To learn an opponent's moves just by sparring with them, such learning ability was extraordinary. Luo Tianshui had never heard of anyone like this before.
Long Xiao's dodging speed gradually increased, and Ikeda Hironori's attack speed also quickened. Among the onlookers, except for Xiao Ming and Luo Tianshui, everyone else was dazzled and couldn't clearly see the moves they were using.
Soon, half an hour passed. Long Xiao felt that his 'Gui Xuan' step practice was almost complete, and he began to counter-attack.
With a bang, Ikeda Hironori was sent flying back two meters and landed on his buttocks.
Long Xiao not only didn't use his five-elemental qi and vital energy but also only used fifty percent of his strength. Ikeda Hironori felt a pain in his chest, but it was bearable.
He got up from the ground, assumed a stance, and charged at Long Xiao again.
Long Xiao slightly accelerated his footwork. After a few moves, Ikeda Hironori was kicked flying again by Long Xiao.
This time, before Ikeda Hironori could get up, Long Xiao delivered over a dozen slaps.
Ikeda Hironori rolled and scrambled to get up, starting to desperately dodge Long Xiao's slaps.
Long Xiao unleashed the 'Gui Xuan' step combined with 'Long Xing Shou'. He was like a phantom, elusive, his hands appearing and disappearing unpredictably. Ikeda Hironori couldn't dodge at all.
After a rapid barrage of slaps, Ikeda Hironori's face quickly swelled like a pig's head.
"Stop, stop, don't hit anymore, I surrender," Ikeda Hironori mumbled.
Long Xiao pretended not to hear, chased after him, and delivered another round of slaps, soon leaving Ikeda Hironori unable to speak.
After stopping, Long Xiao looked at Ikeda Hironori and said, "Surrender, or continue fighting?"
Ikeda Hironori's mouth was too swollen to speak, so he could only use gestures to tell Long Xiao to stop.
"Why aren't you speaking? Are you asking for more beating?"
Long Xiao raised his hand and delivered a few more slaps, making Ikeda Hironori dizzy.
"Long Xiao, hurry and stop hitting him, you'll kill him!" Zhao Xintian, afraid Ikeda Hironori would be beaten to death, quickly stepped forward to intervene.
Long Xiao had a sly smile and said, "You said to stop hitting? Did you surrender on his behalf?"
Zhao Xintian remembered the wager and quickly said, "No, I didn't surrender on his behalf."
"If you haven't surrendered, keep hitting!" someone shouted from the crowd.
Long Xiao raised his hand, about to strike again, when Ikeda Hironori, forced to his limits, suddenly knelt before Long Xiao. He gestured with his hands, telling Long Xiao that he surrendered.