Vol. 2 - Ch. 14 - Fireworks!

The waters of Lake Tai were calm and still.

Moonlight spilled over the surface, turning it into a sea of shimmering silver.

Xiang Wei had shouted several times, but there was no response.

He gasped for breath, exhausted.

After all, he was just an ordinary man—not someone with great stamina.

Wang Jie stared at the lake, his brows furrowed.

“Master Wang, maybe your reputation has scared Zhang Shun off.”

“I’ll call out a few more times. I guarantee he’ll come out.”

Xiang Wei wiped the nervous sweat from his forehead.

Wang Jie, however, kept his gaze fixed on the water and said in a calm voice, “No need.”

“They’re already here.”

Xiang Wei’s heart clenched. A look of panic flashed across his face.

Just moments ago, he had been hurling insults at Zhang Shun, calling him a turtle’s son and a bastard.

Now Zhang Shun was definitely coming for his life.

As that thought crossed his mind, a sudden splash sounded from the side of the boat.

Splash!

A pale hand shot out of the water, grabbing onto Xiang Wei’s ankle.

“You dare?!”

Wang Jie roared, sinking his stance low.

His eyes widened in fury, veins bulging on his neck as he swung a fist the size of a vinegar jar straight at that pale hand.

The punch whistled through the air, carrying tremendous force.

Xiang Wei flinched at the sound, his legs trembling.

If that punch landed on him, he might not even have half his life left.

But the owner of the hand seemed to sense the danger.

Still submerged, he swiftly changed his grip into an open palm.

Boom!

Fist met palm.

Silver waves of Lake Tai exploded upon impact, sending a spray of water several feet high.

A faint plop followed.

A shadowy figure, agile as a fish, vanished into the depths in an instant.

Wang Jie staggered back a few steps from the shockwave, his boat rocking violently beneath him.

His expression darkened in shock.

That punch just now—he had used seventy percent of his strength. It was his proudest move, the Shaolin Divine Fist.

Even a late-stage second-rank martial artist like himself wouldn’t dare take it head-on.

Yet Zhang Shun, this so-called White Stripe in the Waves, had done just that.

And he did it while underwater.

Every martial artist knew that fighting in water severely weakened one’s strength.

Even if someone managed to exert seventy percent of their usual power underwater, that was already extraordinary.

A cold sweat broke out on Wang Jie’s back.

Then, he noticed something—his expression darkened further, turning nearly pitch-black.

Xiang Wei, who had been standing beside him just moments ago, was gone.

Gritting his teeth, Wang Jie looked toward the lake.

A faint streak of red drifted across the water’s surface.

Under the moonlight, it was strikingly vivid.

His face twisted in a grimace.

During that brief exchange, Zhang Shun had only used his right hand.

His left hand had remained free—and it had dragged Xiang Wei into the water.

And judging by the blood now floating on the surface, Xiang Wei had already had his throat slit.

At that moment, chaotic shouts erupted from the surrounding four boats.

“They’re here!”

“Take this, you bastard!”

“Into the water! Get in the water!”

Splash!

Splash!

Martial artists dressed in Taiheng Martial Hall uniforms leapt into the lake, weapons drawn, charging toward the water bandits.

A fierce battle broke out beneath the moonlit waves.

These men had been handpicked by Wang Jie from the martial hall—each of them skilled swimmers.

Though they were only third-rank fighters at best, they should have been more than enough to deal with a bunch of water bandits.

…

Beneath the moon, Lake Tai’s tranquility was shattered.

The once-peaceful waters surged and roared, filled with cries of battle and the clash of weapons.

Suddenly—

Splash!

A figure burst from the lake, landing on one of the boats.

Tall and lean, his body was muscular yet lithe. His features were strikingly handsome, but his skin was ghostly pale.

Wet strands of hair clung to his face, still dripping with lake water.

In his right hand, he gripped a dagger. The blade gleamed coldly in the moonlight, a faint streak of red staining its surface.

With his left hand, he casually brushed aside the wet hair hanging in front of his eyes.

A smirk played on his lips.

“I’ve been in Lake Tai for a whole year now.”

“And yet, there are still fools who don’t understand the rules.”

Wang Jie’s gaze locked onto Zhang Shun—the White Stripe in the Waves—his heart sinking.

The man before him, drenched and eerily pale under the moonlight, looked no different from a vengeful water ghost.

Taking a deep breath, Wang Jie steadied himself. He shifted his right foot back, raising his fists—one near, one far.

“So, you’re Zhang Shun?”

Zhang Shun glanced him up and down.

Wang Jie was built like a fortress, with dark, weathered skin. His fists, held steady before his chest, were thick with calluses—evidence of years of relentless training.

His eyes gleamed with sharp focus, and his temples bulged slightly—a sign of powerful internal energy.

It was clear—this man was no ordinary fighter.

Yet, Zhang Shun showed no hint of fear. Instead, he chuckled coldly.

“You already know what kind of man Zhou Tongfu is.”

“If you still chose to take his job and come after me, then let’s settle this with our own skills.”

“If I kill you, don’t hold it against me.”

Wang Jie nodded, his voice steady.

“I’ve heard that the White Stripe in the Waves has a sense of justice.”

“They say you distribute much of the silver you steal to the poor.”

“For that, I respect you.”

“But my men need to eat too.”

“So… no hard feelings.”

As soon as the words left his mouth—

Wang Jie shifted his stance, tightening his grip on his fists.

The Shaolin internal energy surged within him, causing the muscles in his arms to swell.

With a powerful stomp, he shot forward, fists pounding toward Sun Sheng with an overwhelming force.

If those punches landed, bones would shatter, tendons would snap.

Yet, instead of fear, a flicker of disdain crossed Sun Sheng’s handsome, pale face.

He traced a half-circle with both palms, elbows drawing back—

Within his body, the Hundred Waves internal energy raged!

A faint sound of rolling waves blended into the natural rhythm of the lake.

Then, Sun Sheng struck out with both palms. Internal energy roared forth, sending his damp hair flying, his momentum as towering as a tsunami.

Wang Jie’s pupils contracted—deep within his heart, an unfamiliar feeling arose.

Fear.

The next moment—

Fist and palm collided!

A powerful shockwave burst from their clash, causing the very air to tremble.

Their robes billowed, snapping in the wind.

Wang Jie’s body was flung backward, crashing into the ship’s cabin.

Sun Sheng, though pushed back by the force of the punch, only took two steps before regaining his balance.

He cast Wang Jie a sidelong glance, his expression contemptuous.

“Is that all you’ve got?”

Wang Jie’s heart pounded in disbelief.

This Zhang Shun… is unbelievably strong!

What kind of palm technique was that?

He had never encountered anything like it before.

Before he could process his shock—

A voice rang out from inside the cabin.

“They’re here! They’re here!”

“Have the heroic warriors come to rescue me?”

A bright, melodious female voice filled the night air.

A young girl emerged from the cabin, dressed in men’s clothing with ropes still loosely tied around her body.

She stepped onto the deck, her face lit with a wide, mischievous grin. Her crescent-shaped eyes sparkled as she smiled, revealing two tiny tiger teeth.

Both Sun Sheng and Wang Jie froze in place, caught off guard by her sudden appearance.

She scanned the boat, her gaze quickly locking onto Sun Sheng.

After a few moments of staring, she shook her head, pursing her rosy lips.

“No way. This ‘hero’ isn’t handsome enough. That’s not how it’s supposed to be in the storybooks…”

Disappointment seeped into her tone as she sighed dramatically.

Sun Sheng: “???”

Wait… what?

His expression darkened.

He, Sun Sheng, was known as the most handsome man in Yuhang County.

And yet, in this girl’s eyes, he wasn’t handsome enough?

The girl turned her attention back to the battle raging across the lake.

The water bandits—Sun Sheng’s men—clearly had the upper hand.

They lived in the water, their swimming skills far superior to the martial artists from the Taiheng Martial Hall.

Several rounds of combat had already left multiple martial hall disciples drowned, their bodies sinking beneath the waves.

Watching the scene unfold, the girl’s excitement quickly faded.

Disappointment flashed in her eyes as she let out a sigh.

“That’s it?”

“What a waste of my anticipation.”

Sun Sheng and Wang Jie exchanged looks, their expressions unreadable.

Both turned their focus back to each other.

The tension between them thickened once more.

At that moment—

A sharp whistle echoed through the night.

“Whoosh…”

“Bang!”

A firework exploded in the pitch-black sky.

It formed a golden dagger emblem.

At the same time, a rough yet commanding voice boomed across the lake.

“Official business of the Six Doors Bureau!”

“All unrelated persons, withdraw at once!”

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