Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

He first looked at Gart, his face showing approval.

"I've long heard that the Black Ink Martial Arts Arena has produced an extraordinary genius this generation, and seeing him today, I can confirm that his reputation is well-deserved. The Gat brothers' punches and kicks are indeed very fierce."

Gart glanced at him, snorted, and accepted the compliment.

The young man smiled, then turned and looked towards Xilun.

"However, given the Gart brothers' current abilities, it would be a bit like bullying the weak to send a first-order baptized person into the fray."

As he spoke, his gaze swept across the crowd, landing intently on Siren, who sat in the main seat, like a hawk locking onto its prey.

"I have a request, and I hope Governor Xilun will grant it."

A cold smile curled at the corner of Xilun's lips as he thought to himself, "They're here."

He leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms in front of him, and said in a calm and even tone, "What is it? Please speak freely."

The young man grinned, revealing gleaming white teeth, but his tone carried a sharp, increasingly aggressive edge as he said:

"This Brother Gat is a top genius in the Black Ink Martial Arts Arena. It's only a matter of time before he advances to the second-tier extraordinary level within the next few years."

After much thought, I'm afraid only the Governor of Xilun has the ability and the qualifications to instruct the Gart brothers.

Upon hearing this, everyone's gaze immediately fell upon Xilun.

To have the Governor of the Brotherhood, a second-tier Ripper, mentor a first-tier Extreme Realm junior.

On the surface, this was a friendly exchange, but in reality, it put Xilun in a very difficult position.

If they win, it would be an act of bullying the weak, an unfair victory. If they make the slightest mistake, even if they are only forced back half a step by Garth, the Brotherhood's prestige will be instantly destroyed.

Everyone secretly pondered that, after all, Gat was the beloved disciple of Black Disa, the owner of the Black Ink Martial Arts Arena. Even if Xilun were to join the fight, he would probably have to consider some of their feelings and hold back, and would definitely not dare to go too far.

Otherwise, it would mean offending both the armed insurgents and the Black Ink Army.

The young man held up one finger and said with a smile:

"Firstly, today is a banquet hosted by the Governor's Mansion. The Governor himself is attending, which not only shows his hostliness but also gives everyone a real opportunity to broaden their horizons."

"Secondly, although these brothers of the Brotherhood were brave and fierce, in the end, they still lacked the toughness beyond being pillars of society."

If the Governor could demonstrate his abilities, it would put everyone at ease, letting them know that the Brotherhood is not alone.

As he spoke, he raised a second finger, a playful smile in his eyes.

"Thirdly, the Governor-General has only recently advanced to the second rank, and I've heard that he has only just mastered the new laws. Although he is strong, he may not have reached the unfathomable level of a veteran second rank expert."

It's perfect for sparring with the Garth brothers; it's not bullying.

Next, the fourth one.

Fourthly, both are young and ambitious. It's much more interesting for young people to clash than for a bunch of old guys to fight each other.

After he finished speaking, he even nodded slightly to Xilun, as if he genuinely wanted to add luster to the banquet that evening.

Xilun listened quietly to the other party's long speech, without getting angry or rushing to refute.

He simply nodded slightly, agreeing, "That makes sense."

His gaze slowly swept across the entire courtyard.

At this moment, the leaders of all the factions present also realized what was happening.

It turns out that the entire sparring process, Engel's defeat, Hughes' serious injury, and Garth's arrogance were all probably for this final blow, to force Xilun to take action.

The supposed friendly competition was fake.

The real purpose is to test Westren.

Someone secretly glanced at Leiner and Lansk, members of the armed insurgent party.

Reiner remained indifferent, lightly twirling his finger along the rim of the glass.

Lansk finally raised his head and looked at Xilun, his gaze deep, as if he were waiting for something.

Black Disa, realizing what was happening, wiped the smile from her face and stood up, shouting:

"Gart, get down! Don't be reckless. The Governor of Xilun is a second-tier figure. What are you doing, acting so foolishly! If anyone really wants to learn from you, it should be me!"

That's a well-chosen statement; it shows both protectiveness of the disciple and provides a way out.

But Jagdal wouldn't budge.

He turned to look at his teacher, his eyes shining even brighter than before, showing no sign of backing down.

All the flattery, amazement, and praise he had just received were like kerosene poured onto his heart, igniting his already restless ambition.

So what if it's second-order?

Xilun has only just been promoted.

No matter how strong it is, how strong can it be?

In the Black Ink Martial Arts Arena, the older generation always said that the difference between the second and first ranks was an insurmountable chasm, a precipice, a world apart.

But he didn't believe it. He had fought his way up to where he was today and had seen too many so-called masters.

Many guys with impressive reputations are nothing special when it comes to actually fighting.

Besides, how big is West London?

Even if a young person in their early twenties is lucky enough to have a great opportunity and suddenly rises to the top, they may not really know how to use the power of the second tier.

He was only missing that final half-step!

Thinking of this, Gart raised his chin and said in a deep voice:

"Teacher, don't worry, I know what I'm doing. If the Governor is truly willing to give me some pointers, I'll be eternally grateful."

After listening quietly, Xilun finally stood up from his chair.

In that instant, all conversations in the courtyard ceased.

He placed the glass back on the table, the bottom of the glass lightly touching the wooden surface, producing a very subtle, crisp sound.

He then walked down the stone steps, his black boots making a steady and clear sound as they touched the ground.

"It would be a real disappointment if you all came from afar and there was no excitement at all."

He walked to the center of the field, glanced in the direction where Hughes had been helped away, and only after confirming that the person had retreated to the back did he turn his gaze back to Gart.

"Since everyone wants to see, I'll play along with you for a bit."

At this point, Xilun's tone remained calm, without a trace of anger.

"However, since this is a friendly spar, let me make it clear. If you get hurt, don't blame anyone. If you want to admit defeat, you can say so at any time."

Gart frowned as he heard this, and the anger in his chest flared even more fiercely.

These words sounded like a reminder, but to him, they were almost no different from "you won't last long."

He licked his lips and grinned, "Don't worry, Governor, I'm tough and can't be hurt easily."

"Is that so?" Xilun nodded.

He didn't draw his gun or take out any weapons. He just stood there casually, his hands hanging naturally at his sides, his shoulders and back slightly relaxed, his whole person like a silent mountain wall.

The light shone on his profile, revealing his cold, hard features and a gaze as flat as if covered by a thin layer of ice.

This attitude made Gartner feel worse than any provocation.

A gust of wind suddenly blew in from outside, causing the lanterns to sway and the edges of the tablecloth to lift slightly.

Xilun looked at him and said, "You make the first move."

Gart's eyelids twitched, and then he grinned maliciously.

"good!"

boom!

The wooden planks beneath their feet instantly shattered.

He charged out like a raging bear, and the ground trembled when he took his first step.

With a sudden swing of his thick arm, he threw a punch, the back of his fist carrying a low wind pressure, heading straight for Xilun's face.

This is not a test; it's a powerful punch aimed at crushing the opponent right from the start.

Many people's expressions changed slightly.

Black Disa instinctively leaned forward.

But Xilun didn't even move his feet; he simply raised his right hand, fingers spread, and met the attack head-on.

boom!

A dull, loud bang exploded.

Gart's pupils contracted sharply.

His punch, powerful enough to break an ironwood stake, seemed to sink into a swamp, and was caught steadily by Xilun with one hand.

It wasn't a forced block, nor was it a deflection by leveraging; rather, it caught the target head-on and remained completely still.

They didn't retreat even half a step.

"Not bad strength."

Xilun looked at him, his tone still calm, as if he were commenting on a junior boxer.

"But when you throw a punch, your shoulders and back lift up half an inch first, revealing the path of your power prematurely."

Before he finished speaking, his hand trembled slightly.

A terrifying and concentrated recoil force swept back along the fist, and Gart felt as if his entire arm had hit a steel wall. His shoulder went numb, and he involuntarily took two steps back.

A series of suppressed gasps immediately rose from the sidelines.

Gart's face flushed red, and his ferocity only intensified.

He let out a low growl, and with a second forceful step forward, he slammed his left fist into his chest, swept his right elbow horizontally, and almost simultaneously raised his knee to strike, like a raging storm, pressing down in succession.

This time, it was more than twice as fierce as before.

Xilun finally moved, but he moved very little.

With a simple sidestep, he dodged the elbow strike, pressed down with his left hand to push the knee strike back, and then thrust his right shoulder into Gart's chest, causing the opponent to catch his breath and breaking the entire combo in half.

"Too hasty."

Xilun opened his mouth.

"You rely on your physical strength and like to use a barrage of attacks to suppress people, that's fine. But if you're thinking of killing someone on the spot with every move, your breathing will become disordered."

Gart's head buzzed, and his face burned as if he had been slapped twice in front of a whole house of guests.

"Shut up!"

He roared, his eyes bloodshot.

With a sudden burst of energy, the veins under his skin bulged, and his already tall figure seemed to swell even more.

The unique, heavy, and menacing aura of the Black Ink Martial Arena emanated from his body, causing even the broken wooden planks under his feet to creak and groan.

Black Disa's expression changed slightly: "Gat!"

But it was too late.

Completely disregarding everything, Garth spread his arms and pounced like a maddened giant ape, swinging his fists down from both sides simultaneously, the air slamming with a muffled thud.

If this move were to be executed, even an ordinary person in extreme condition would suffer broken bones and tendons on the spot.

However, just as the fist was about to strike Xilun, Xilun's eyes finally turned slightly cold.

The next moment, a very light yet extremely deep thunder rumble suddenly emanated from his body.

thump—

Like a great bell resounding deep within an ancient temple, or like the first rumble of thunder muffled in the clouds before a storm.

It was very light, yet it made everyone present feel a shiver in their hearts at the same time.

Immediately afterwards, Xilun pushed out with his right palm.

There were no fancy moves, no unnecessary actions, just a very simple palm strike aimed at Gart's chest.

But when this palm strike was launched, the surrounding air suddenly turned cold for a moment. A thin white frost silently formed around the rim of the several unfinished wine glasses on the table.

boom!

This palm strike landed firmly on Gart's chest.

The ferocious look on Gart's face froze instantly.

He first felt an unimaginable force slam into his body, as if a giant sea monster had rammed into his chest.

Immediately afterwards, a chilling cold that seeped into his bones spread wildly through his chest, instantly sealing off most of his blood and qi circulation.

But before he could muster his strength to resist, a powerful and overwhelming shockwave exploded from within the chill, like thunder rumbling from the inside out.

Crack!

The floorboards beneath his feet had completely cracked open.

The massive body was sent flying backward, crashing into three empty chairs before finally slamming heavily against a stone pillar in the corner of the courtyard. It knelt on one knee and spat out a mouthful of white vapor mixed with blood foam.

The entire room fell silent.

Garth lowered his head, his hands on the ground, his shoulders heaving violently, and a faint white frost had formed on the fabric of his clothes.

He tried to stand up, but as soon as he tried to breathe, he felt a tightness in his chest, as if something had crushed his entire back, and even his fingers trembled uncontrollably.

He finally understood.

The gap is not half a step, nor is it a line.

Rather, it is heaven and earth.

Xilun stood still, his clothes barely ruffled.

He looked at Gart kneeling there, his voice calm and unhurried.

"Even the strongest at the extreme level is still at the extreme level."

"A difference of half a step is a difference of half a step."

"When will you be able to suppress that rage before thinking about the second stage?"

Gart's teeth were grinding together, his face turned pale and then flushed, and he felt so tight in his chest that he could hardly breathe.

But at this moment, he didn't even have the strength to refute, and could only keep his head down as if trying to stare through the ground.

Black Disa rushed over quickly, grabbed his disciple, and patted him on the back several times.

Sensing the lingering chill and tremor within Garth's body, his eyelids twitched violently, and when he looked up at Xilun again, his gaze had completely changed.

This palm strike...

It's not simply about brute force suppression.

Instead, the breathing technique, qi and blood, and physical body all swept over simultaneously and were controlled extremely steadily.

If Xilun had truly intended to kill, Garth wouldn't be kneeling and coughing up blood right now.

On the other side, Lansk finally gently put down his glass.

For the first time, a clear ripple appeared in his usually indifferent eyes.

"It is cold and damp... and bears traces of thunderous filth."

He muttered something under his breath, as if talking to himself.

Reiner opened his half-closed eyes slightly, looked at Xiren in the arena, and after a few moments of silence, smiled faintly:

"It seems that this Governor of West London is indeed more interesting than the rumors suggest."

As for the young man, the frivolous smile on his face finally faded a bit.

He stared at Xilun, his arrogance still present, but with a newfound seriousness, even a hint of aroused interest.

A moment later, he suddenly started clapping.

Pop, pop, pop.

The applause was exceptionally clear in the quiet courtyard.

"it is good."

"That's a brilliant tactic."

As he clapped, he slowly rose, his smile no longer as nonchalant as before, but instead radiating a heartfelt warmth.

"Governor Xilun's slap really opened my eyes."

Xilun turned around, looked at him, and said nothing.

The young man stepped down from his seat, his clothes swaying slightly with each step, and slowly stood at the edge of the field under the astonished and uncertain gazes of everyone.

He first nodded slightly to Reiner, then glanced at Lansk.

The latter did not stop it, but simply watched all of this with a deep gaze.

Then, the young man turned around, looked directly at Xilun, and the corners of his lips curled up again.

"Since the Governor-General has personally intervened..."

"If I were to remain seated, I would be being extremely rude."

As he spoke, he reached up and unbuttoned his sleeve, cracking his wrists. The sharpness that had been suppressed for so long was gradually revealed in his eyes.

"Governor of West London, I wonder if I... am qualified to learn a few tricks from you?"