C8 Isaac!

Another challenger took to the stage, and the mood in the venue shifted palpably.

The crowd buzzed with excitement.

"Is that him? I've heard he's a disciple of the former Muay Thai champion, Ong. He's fought in underground matches and is incredibly tough!"

"Right, they say he's left 72 opponents crippled over the last couple of years!"

"This is going to be quite the spectacle!"

"..."

The fight was on!

With the crowd's eager eyes upon him, the Muay Thai expert charged at Coach Fang, launching a textbook elbow strike. Coach Fang, quick on his feet, sidestepped and engaged, trading blows in a rapid exchange that lasted over ten rounds, with neither gaining a clear upper hand.

"Die!"

Seizing his moment, the Muay Thai expert aimed a spinning kick at Alec's face.

But Coach Fang had intentionally left an opening, already poised to counter. He executed a sweeping leg kick, bringing the Muay Thai expert crashing to the ground, then sprang up, driving his knees hard into the fallen fighter's chest.

Blood spewed from the Muay Thai expert's mouth.

The match was over.

The entire gym erupted in cheers!

Defeating the scion of a Muay Thai legend—what a feat!

"Isaac Smith!"

"Isaac Smith!"

"Isaac Smith!"

"..."

The name of Coach Fang reverberated wildly through the crowd.

"His real name is Isaac Smith?"

Duane inquired, puzzled.

Wasn't it Alec?

"Of course not," Grant replied with pride, "Coach Fang is unbeatable, hence he changed his name to 'Invincible'. Impressive, right?"

"Very impressive..."

Duane was sweating bullets.

So Alec was actually quite the egotist.

At that moment,

the host stepped forward.

"...Regrettably, despite the presence of many formidable competitors today, like the Muay Thai heir Alec, Judo master Wang Hong, boxing expert Li Lichang, Sanda champion Sun Wei, and twelve other challengers, none could best Master Isaac. Therefore, I declare..."

"Hold on."

Isaac, with a master's poise, smiled and gestured for quiet. "I'd like to offer one more match. Anyone here who wishes to challenge me may step forward. This not only gives everyone another opportunity but also demonstrates my genuine intention in hosting this challenge."

The audience below showered him with praise, not just for his prowess but also for embodying the grace of a true grandmaster. Their admiration was unending.

He subtly signaled to Grant from the stage.

During a previous break, Grant had paid him handsomely to rough someone up.

Why not seize the opportunity?

Catching the cue, Grant flashed a wicked grin and nudged Duane forward. "Hurry, it's your time to shine. Go for it!"

"Okay."

Duane made his way to the stage.

The crowd stirred, turning their attention to him and murmuring, "Is this guy an idiot? Master Isaac is so formidable, yet he still dares to challenge him?"

"Hey, isn't that the Xavier family's son-in-law?"

"Yes, that's him. What's he doing challenging Isaac?"

"I heard his wife only gives him 600 dollars a month. He must be desperate for cash, trying his luck here."

"Well, his luck's about to run out, hahaha..."

"..."

Laughter rippled through the spectators.

It couldn't be helped.

His wife was Fayedge City's most renowned beauty, and her fame had inadvertently made him, the kept man, just as well-known.

Duane stepped onto the stage.

Isaac addressed the audience with a smile, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final challenge. Whoever prevails will claim the Heart of the Sea right from the podium!"

The crowd erupted with excitement.

They all shouted for Duane's defeat.

Grant was beside himself with anticipation, eager to witness Duane's downfall!

Before long.

The two competitors faced each other in the center of the ring.

At the sound of the referee's bell, Isaac charged at Duane, ready to unleash his most powerful, stylish, and suave technique—the Kicking Chain Kick—to give Duane a thrashing, both to appease Young Master Yang and to conclude the challenge on a high note.

But then.

The moment he got close enough to see Duane's face clearly, he was thunderstruck.

"You, you are..."

Isaac halted, dumbstruck.

Those flippant yet profound eyes, that strikingly handsome visage, that effortlessly graceful demeanor...

Yes, it was him!

Thud!

Isaac's knees hit the floor hard before Duane. "Master, master..."

A wave of shock swept through the audience below!

Everyone was left with their mouths agape, utterly bewildered.

In that moment, Duane shot him a sharp glance.

Quick-witted Isaac immediately picked up on Duane's reluctance to disclose anything and swallowed the word "Master" before it could escape his lips.

Right then, he was so overwhelmed with emotion he felt like crying.

Ever since Duane had imparted martial arts wisdom to him years ago, Isaac had made significant progress. Despite Duane never acknowledging him as a disciple, Isaac couldn't forget it and, in fact, wore it as a badge of honor.

Whenever he mentioned his master hailed from Mossley Village, people would look on with envy.

Mossley Village was renowned for being a place where formidable talents lay hidden.

To forge a connection with someone from there meant the possibility of skyrocketing to success!

In that moment.

The room fell into a hush so profound you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone gazed at the unfolding scene, clueless about what had just happened.

"Let's begin the match!"

Duane declared.

Isaac wouldn't dare to challenge Duane!

But he had to do something, so clutching his chest, he cried out in feigned agony, "I've been... injured by your internal energy..."

With that, he closed his eyes and collapsed in a faint.

Instantly.

Both on and off the stage, everyone's jaws dropped in confusion.

What in the world was happening?

Duane was at a loss for words.

The excuse, the performance, it was all just too blatantly staged!

With the competition over,

Duane seized the moment of collective shock to stride up to the podium and claim the Heart of the Sea.

"It's truly stunning!"

He admired the necklace, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

The gem's quality and the craftsmanship were exceptional.

He had seen the wealthy and powerful bring numerous treasures to the old man of Mossley Village, but this necklace seemed even more refined and opulent. It was like an oasis in a desert, a realm in the heavens, offering a sense of refreshing and otherworldly beauty.

"It's a perfect match for my wife's graceful and unassuming elegance!"

Duane expressed his contentment.

As he reached for the necklace, a staff member hastily intervened to stop him.

"What?" Duane furrowed his brow in confusion.

"..."

The staff member hemmed and hawed, at a loss for words.

He still couldn't believe that Duane had won.

The spectacle that had unfolded in the arena was too eerie, too inconceivable.

Moreover, the staff member was one of Isaac's men. Aware that the treasure Isaac had painstakingly acquired was intended to boost the challenge's reputation by offering it as a prize, he never imagined it could be lost to someone else.

At that moment.

Isaac, who had sustained internal injuries, opened his eyes and called out to the bewildered staff member, "Hurry and hand over the prize to this master! Can't you see I've lost? Do I look like a sore loser to you?"

"Oh, oh..."

With that, the staff member finally released the prize.

Duane claimed the Heart of the Sea and strode away from the scene.

It took a while before everyone else came to their senses.

They began to curse, eyes blazing with envy, "Damn it! It must be because Master Isaac was worn out after fighting a dozen top fighters in a row. That kid just lucked out!"

"Exactly, it has to be!"

"If I had known, I would have stepped up earlier. That necklace is worth twenty million!"

"Damn, that kid's luck is just too good..."

"..."

Naturally, the most frustrated of them all was Grant!

He had been eager to see Duane get thrashed, but instead, Duane had walked away with an incredible windfall.

The Heart of the Sea was valued at a whopping twenty million!

And now that the crisis at Lavinia's company was averted, his own chances were even slimmer!

"Damn it!"

Fuming, he clenched his fists and seethed, "I've got to break one of his arms or legs, that's for sure!"

Then, without delay.

He rushed home to see his father, blurting out, "Dad, lend me your personal bodyguard, I need to—"

Smack!

His father cut him off with a sharp slap across the face.

"Dad, what, what's going on?"

Grant asked, utterly bewildered.

His dad was usually so affectionate, never even willing to utter a harsh word. Why the slap today?

"Have you gotten yourself into trouble again?" His father was shaking with rage. "Our company is ruined! All our clients and suppliers have cut ties with us! The word from above is that you've messed with someone you shouldn't have!"

"No, no..."

Grant uttered, his voice trailing off in bewilderment.

He had been wracking his brains, turning over every recent memory, but he hadn't stirred up any trouble lately, aside from Duane, that freeloading guy.

But it couldn't possibly be him!

Slap!

Another slap from his father jolted him: "Spit it out already! Who the hell did you piss off?"

...

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Lavinia took rare care to doll herself up. She slipped into a white shirt and a form-fitting skirt, looking both sexy and charming. Just as she was about to step out, she caught sight of Duane returning on his electric scooter, cradling an elegant gift box. "What's that you've got there?"

"Oh, this? It's nothing," Duane replied with a smile.

He wasn't ready to reveal the Heart of the Sea just yet. He planned to spring it on her as a birthday surprise!

Lavinia couldn't be bothered to pry further. "Perfect timing. Drive me to Blessing Restaurant. I've got a dinner date with my sweetheart."

"Ah?"

Duane paused, taken aback.

"What's the matter? Don't want to?" Lavinia's brows knitted together in a frown.