C15 Men Can't Say No!

"You think you can run away? Think again! …"

Wu Sheng, sensing Wu Chang's desire to retreat, didn't create distance between them. Instead, he closed in, relentlessly unleashing a barrage of punches and claw strikes, allowing Wu Chang no room to catch his breath.

Simultaneously, slender threads, reminiscent of spider silk, began to emerge from Wu Sheng's fingertips. As soon as they made contact with Wu Chang's hands, they clung tightly to the arm Wu Chang was using to defend himself.

Entangling Eight Claws!

This was a notoriously challenging skill Wu Sheng had mastered during his final assessment at the Divine Martial Academy. The skill had the potential to advance between three cycles and four cycles.

It was this very skill that had caught the attention of the Scourgehold's management, leading them to entrust Wu Sheng with the responsibility of guarding the Innate level of the Scourgehold alongside Wu Chang.

Feeling an unyielding resistance on his arm that he couldn't easily shake off, Wu Chang's face turned pale as he realized he'd been ensnared by Wu Sheng's Entangling Eight Claws.

Despite his surprise at Wu Sheng's unexpected improvement in strength and mindset, Wu Chang, with his composed nature, quickly regained his composure. He planted his foot firmly behind him, halting his retreat, and instead of pulling back, his ensnared arm pushed forward.

His fingers curled into a claw-like grip, reminiscent of a ferocious tiger's paw, and latched onto Wu Sheng's elbow, exerting force in the reverse direction.

Mo Fanchen's eyes widened at the sight of Wu Chang's sudden counterattack, and he found himself stepping forward involuntarily, eager for a clearer view.

The technique was familiar to Mo Fanchen; it was the very move he had come across in the Grand Forsaken Grapple just the day before.

If all went as expected, and Wu Chang applied the correct amount of force, Wu Sheng was likely to be swiftly overpowered by Wu Chang's next move.

As Mo Fanchen reached the same conclusion once again, the tide of the battle in the arena shifted dramatically!

The arm that Wu Sheng had seized suddenly contorted like a serpent winding around a branch, striking Wu Chang's unprotected chest with a swift and eerie twist!

Wu Chang's chest roiled with tumultuous blood and Qi from the impact of Wu Sheng's strike. It was only his substantial astral aura that prevented him from coughing up blood right there and then.

Seizing the momentum, Wu Sheng launched a relentless barrage of attacks. His fists and palms fell like rain upon Wu Chang, who found himself utterly unable to counter, merely struggling to defend.

Wu Chang hastily retreated, attempting to break free from Wu Sheng's range, but Wu Sheng's Entangling Eight Claws skill proved to be bizarrely tenacious. Wu Chang felt as though invisible threads had ensnared him, binding him close to Wu Sheng despite his efforts to escape.

Had his astral aura not been so robust, Wu Chang would likely have been quickly overcome by Wu Sheng's fierce onslaught.

From outside the arena, Mo Fanchen watched the combatants with an intense gaze. As he worried for Wu Chang, he pondered his own potential strategies in such a predicament.

Suddenly, the Shadow Waltz skill he had recently acquired from Feng Qingliu flashed before his eyes, and Wu Chang's figure began to blur, replaced by an image of himself in the fray.

In this vision, he was not as beleaguered as Wu Chang; his movements were fluid and graceful, like a willow in the breeze or a shadow in dance, effortlessly evading the ferocious and dense attacks of his opponent.

"Immovable Mountain!"

Wu Chang's sudden bellow shattered Mo Fanchen's reverie!

In the arena, Wu Chang halted his retreat and summoned the strength of the Immovable Mountain skill, withstanding several of Wu Sheng's blows. His legs planted firmly on the ground, his unencumbered left hand shot out like a dragon, seizing Wu Sheng's belt, and with a mighty heave, he hoisted Wu Sheng overhead before slamming him down with devastating force.

Sensing imminent danger, Wu Sheng quickly mustered his astral aura to shield himself and unleashed the Entangling Eight Claws technique, striking Wu Chang repeatedly. This swift response allowed him to counter Wu Chang's powerful move known as the "Thousand Jin Fall."

"Thousand Jin Fall!" Wu Chang bellowed, his temper flaring after taking several hits. Channeling his genuine energy to his shoulders, he unleashed the force of the Thousand Jin Fall, pressing Wu Sheng, who was still struggling to regain his footing, to the ground with the ferocity of an avalanche.

Simultaneously, Wu Chang executed a series of joint locks using the Grand Forsaken Grapple, pinning Wu Sheng helplessly to the floor.

Wu Chang emerged victorious!

"Are you convinced now?" Wu Chang asked, grinning triumphantly at Wu Sheng.

Scrambling up from the ground, Wu Sheng spat out in frustration, "Convinced? Of course not! You've just had a few more years to eat and grow strong! If only my genuine energy reserves were on par with yours, those last few strikes would have been enough to take you down!"

"You have only yourself to blame for your lack of genuine energy. If you had abandoned defense and focused your genuine energy on those final punches, you might have won," Wu Chang retorted.

"Damn! If I had dropped my guard, your move could have caused me internal bleeding!" Wu Sheng shot back.

From the sidelines, Mo Fanchen watched the Wu brothers' exchange, deep in thought. Their recent skirmish had sparked something within him, a glimmering insight he was desperate to grasp, but it eluded his grip, slipping away like something coated in oil.

Mo Fanchen couldn't quite put his finger on what it was, but he was certain that capturing it would lead to a significant breakthrough in his martial journey.

"Mo, how can you be so oblivious?" Wu Chang, still basking in his victory, chided Mo Fanchen with a nudge, feigning annoyance. "Doesn't my outstanding performance deserve a round of applause?"

"Absolutely!" Mo Fanchen, somewhat bewildered, burst into applause, showering Wu Chang with compliments. "Brother Chang, your might is unmatched, your skills are beyond compare, undefeated across the lands!"

Wu Chang was basking in the compliments, finding them particularly soothing. Wu Sheng, on the other hand, as the one who had been defeated, found the same words grating to his ears.

"Humph! More like he's invincible at being full of it!" Wu Sheng snorted in displeasure. Spotting Mo Fanchen still buttering up Wu Chang, he couldn't help but feel a surge of annoyance. He beckoned to Mo Fanchen with a sneer, "Come on! Let's spar a bit! If you win, I'll handle all the menial tasks around here for you from now on! But if you lose, you'll be the lucky owner of all my stinky socks!"

"Me? Spar with you?" Mo Fanchen was taken aback by Wu Sheng's abrupt challenge. He didn't need to ponder the reason; it was clear that Wu Sheng was looking to regain some pride after his recent loss. And since a rematch with Wu Chang wasn't promising, it seemed Mo Fanchen was the next best target for a venting session.

Before Mo Fanchen could even voice a refusal, Wu Chang jumped to his defense. "Look at you, so full of achievement! You're an Outer Aura warrior picking on a Body Tempering novice! Shame on you! I'd like to express the Wu family ancestors' profound disdain on their behalf!"

"I'm happy with it! I'm enjoying this! If you don't like it, tough luck!" Wu Sheng retorted, blatantly disregarding Wu Chang's contempt.

As the two brothers launched into another verbal skirmish, Mo Fanchen remained quiet, but his mind was racing with calculations. If he truly faced off against Wu Sheng, his limited repertoire of martial skills would surely lead to a beating.

Still, if a fight was inevitable, he wasn't about to take a beating for nothing. The prospect of merely avoiding janitorial duties wasn't enough; he'd have to strategize to gain access to some valuable martial skills and pills. And perhaps, in the heat of battle, that elusive spark of insight from earlier might reappear.

Determined to enhance his own capabilities, Mo Fanchen knew he had to take a stand. "Sheng, with your exceptional martial prowess, why bother challenging me? I'm just a Body Tempering warrior with a grasp of only the most basic skills."

"At my level, I wouldn't last three moves against you, Sheng. I can handle the pain, but what's the point if it doesn't even bring you any satisfaction?"

"Besides, if your habit of picking on the weaker ones becomes known at Scourgehold, it could tarnish your reputation, don't you think?"

"Sheng, here's an idea! Let me train for a while longer, master a decent skill, and once I've elevated my realm, I'll be ready to receive your instruction anytime. How does that sound?"

Upon hearing Mo Fanchen's words—a mix of flattery, suggestion, and a subtle nudge—Wu Sheng fell silent. After pondering for a moment, he broke into a knowing smile and responded, "Mo, you do make a compelling point! Even though you're just a temporary hand, as a Scourgehold manager, it's my duty to offer you some guidance and help strengthen our ranks!"

"Mo, you can't refuse! A man should never back down, right?"

"Big brother, are you listening? I'm not here to bully Mo; I'm here to offer him some pointers! Surely you have no objections now, right?"

As Wu Sheng spoke, Mo Fanchen realized his intentions were understood. He felt a secret thrill, yet he couldn't shake the apprehension about the forthcoming 'lesson.'

I just hope Wu Sheng doesn't go too hard on me during his 'guidance' session!