Chapter 23: 23- The painful defeat
Zhong Peng was shocked by the amount of hatred Shen Hong has for him, and he cursed Zhou Shun yet again.
" I always keep my word," Zhong Peng said.
" That I have seen " Duan Xue replied.
" I wonder how your strength has grown since the last time we met, " Shen Hong said tauntingly after seeing that Zhong Peng's cultivation was still the same as it was the last time they had a duel.
" Why don't you come and find out, " Zhong Peng said with a playful tone.
" Don't think highly of yourself, I wasn't careful last time " Shen Hong said angrily.
Zhong Peng seeing that the discussion wasn't going anywhere decided not to talk, Shen Hong seeing that Zhong Peng was ignoring him was furious but he held himself back.
" What weapon do you use, I can lend you a weapon, " Duan Xue asked.
" You don't have to worry about that, I already have a weapon " Zhong Peng replied.
" I was wondering why don't you spar with me, I don't want you to hold us back during the contest, " the guy who came with Duan Xue said.
" Duan Mingli, this is not time for that, " Duan Xue said sternly.
" I don't mind sparring with him, " Zhong Peng said, he has had enough of both of them trying to bully him.
" Ok, that's great " Duan Mingli replied with a smile.
They both moved to an open space facing each other.
" What are you waiting for, bring out your weapon," he said pulling out his axe from his spatial ring, Zhong Peng was shocked, a spatial ring costs about 500qi stones, but he doesn't have a spatial ring.
" There would be no need for that " Zhong Peng replied.
" Hahaha, since you are not going to use a weapon, I won't either, " Duan Mingli said proudly.
" Remember, none of you should injure the other, there is only one week to the cloud gathering, I hope you understood what I said, " Duan Xue said.
" You don't have to worry big sister, Duan Xue, I would go easy on him, " Duan Mingli said.
" I wouldn't either " Zhong Peng replied.
" Ok, you can both start now," Duan Xue said
Immediately after she said that Duan Mingli rushed forward and attacked Zhong Peng with his left foot.
Zhong Peng dodged the attack by twisting his waist, Duan Mingli attacked again using his fist this time Zhong Peng didn't dodge he struck straight towards Duan Mingli's fist.
*Baam* a powerful sound came as the two fists collided, their strength was evenly matched which surprised even Duan Xue herself, Zhong Peng defeated Shen Hong because he was careless but Duan Mingli attacked with all his strength and still didn't knock Zhong Peng back.
Zhong Peng seeing that his surprised opponent has revealed an opening, concentrated qi energy into his right hand and smashed towards Duan Mingli's face with an ear-piercing sound, before the fist collided with Duan Mingli's face Zhong Peng suddenly stopped.
" I hope you weren't disappointed by my strength," Zhong Peng said smugly.
Duan Xue stood there for a while, she was still shocked by how fast the fight ended, she never expected Zhong Peng to win that easily.
"Yes, I now see why big sister Duan Xue recruited you, " Duan Mingli said, there was no anger in his voice, there was even a little respect in his voice.
" You let me win," Zhong Peng said bowing slightly, in that earlier fight, from start to finish, he had not exhausted a single bit of his energy.
" I hope we can cooperate during the contest, " Duan Mingli said bowing slightly, after that, he left facing the ground.
It looks like the fight dealt with his confidence.
" It looks like your strength has grown once again, " Duan Xue said after Duan Mingli left.
" yes " Zhong Peng replied with a smile
" Hmmm, it won't be hard for you to enter the top twenty with the strength of your " Duan Xue said.
" Top twenty!! " Zhong Peng ask, thinking that he practice hard all this while and his strength could only be considered amongst the top twenty.
" Yes, the people attending this gathering are the strongest of the Zheng great kingdom you should know that Duan Mingli whom you defeated just now didn't make it to the top twenty during the last gathering " Duan Xue replied.
" What was Zhou Shun's position during the last gathering, " Zhong Peng asked curiously.
" Third position " Duan Xue replied.
Zhong Peng was shocked, with Zhou Shun's strength he was sure that no one amongst the Zheng great-kingdom younger generation was his match.
"I wonder why he chose to forfeit his match with Duan Xue" Zhong thought.
" I will be leaving now, " Zhong Peng said after a moment of silence.
As he was about to leave Duan Xue suddenly said.
"One more thing, be careful of Zhou Shun," Duan Xue said.
Zhong Peng stopped in his tracks when he heard that.
" Thanks for the advice," he said as he walked towards the exit.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone