276: Chapter 273 North Strong, South Weak?

Seeing Li Changsheng walking towards him, Chen Youcai also walked over with a smile.

He was very impressed with this newcomer, Master Li. Although he hadn't personally witnessed the fight between Master Li and Master Wan, judging by the outcome, Master Li's strength was definitely not inferior to Master Wan's.

However, just as he was preparing to greet Li Changsheng with a smile, he saw Li Changsheng dodge around him and walk outside.

"Hmm?"

Chen Youcai was a bit bewildered. Turning his head to look, his expression immediately turned resentful.

He saw Li Changsheng smiling and greeting Zhang Zhao, who had also just finished eating in the distance.

This hurt Chen Youcai deeply; just a moment ago he had called him "Master Chen," and now he had run off to someone else.

Ms. Lux was equally hurt, but she quickly pulled herself together.

Because a few fighting experts passing by had scanned her up and down seven or eight times in just three seconds.

— —

"Brother Li, do you really want to spar with me?"

At this moment, inside a specialized martial arts training room on the tenth underground floor—there were only ten such rooms in total.

During the day, they were highly sought after and most couldn't get one, but at this hour, many people were just planning to practice a little before going to bed.

"Brother Zhang, don't tell me you're afraid?" Li Changsheng said with a smile, his hands behind his back.

"That provocation is way too obvious, but I have to say, it's quite effective. Alright, I'll fight."

Zhang Zhao didn't hesitate. Both of them had specially applied for the training room, so they had to make good use of it.

They had known each other for a few days, and truthfully, there was no need to say much; Zhang Zhao had long wanted to spar with Li Changsheng.

"How do you plan to fight? A civil bout or a martial bout? How would we do a civil bout, and if it's a martial bout, how do you intend to fight?"

There were many ways to spar, and Zhang Zhao asked directly.

After all, some bouts focused on specific specialties, or wrestling and Grappling, while others involved round-table fights, cage fights, or life-and-death ring matches, among others.

Hearing this, Li Changsheng began to ponder.

Originally, he had intended to keep it casual, just a light spar, maybe one or two moves, without even needing to determine a winner.

But another method of combat couldn't help but surface in his mind.

"I happen to be working on a Southern Fist Great Master branch quest recently, perhaps I could try this."

Thinking of this, Li Changsheng cupped his hands, his expression becoming serious, and said solemnly, "Master Zhang, as the saying goes, Southern Fist, Northern Leg."

"Back in '29, there was a grand martial arts competition held in Zhejiang Province where participants had to sign life-and-death waivers before fighting. Are you aware of it?"

Hearing this, Zhang Zhao was stunned, not expecting Li Changsheng to change the subject so abruptly.

He thought for a moment and nodded.

"Of course I've heard of it. This competition was different from the one in '86. This one featured numerous famous experts and was extremely well-known. There were direct descendants of prestigious sects, direct lineages of Great Masters, and even independent experts."

"Why bring this up all of a sudden?"

Zhang Zhao was very puzzled. For professionals, there was no one who didn't know about this competition. After all, it couldn't be compared to the '86 one. The experts in attendance included Martial Masters like Sun Lutang, Liu Chongjun, Yang Chengfu, Du Xinwu, Li Jinglin, Liu Baichuan, Jiang Xinshan, Zhang Zhaodong, Wang Yuansheng, Zhang Shaoxian, and other Great Masters.

Furthermore, it was held before the War of Resistance, during an era when the whole world held Xia in contempt, calling it the 'Sick Man'.

It was also an era of a nationwide martial arts craze, the era when the most famous experts and Great Masters emerged. One can imagine how formidable the martial arts experts were back then.

The intensity of that competition can only be imagined.

It was equivalent to the last true Martial Forest assembly, where heroes gathered, including Grandmasters, monks, and Daoist priests from all schools and sects.

"In that case, you must also know about some of the phenomena from that competition."

"Which phenomenon are you talking about?" Zhang Zhao asked, confused.

That competition did indeed have some interesting phenomena, for instance, established sects failing to defeat the younger generation.

Of course, those youngsters were no pushovers; they all came from the Central National Martial Arts Institute. Who was teaching at the National Martial Arts Institute back then? It was none other than Grandmasters and Great Martial Masters. It was understandable that such a situation occurred.

But another phenomenon was monks and Daoist priests failing one after another.

A classic example was an old monk from Yu Province who brought two disciples to observe. The two disciples, itching to test their skills, wanted to go up and fight.

However, the old monk felt his disciples weren't skilled enough, so he went up himself.

As a result, he fought a Martial Master named Hu Fengshan. Just as it started, he was struck in the head, his skull collapsed, and he died instantly from a single punch.

Because that competition really required true skill to stand one's ground, there were quite a few interesting phenomena. For a moment, Zhang Zhao didn't understand which one was being referred to.

Li Changsheng smiled. "It's the phenomenon of Southern Fist being unable to defeat Northern Leg."

"Oh, you mean that. Master Li, are you planning to spar with me using Southern and Northern styles?" Hearing this, Zhang Zhao immediately understood what Li Changsheng meant.

Back then, there was another phenomenon: Southern Fist couldn't defeat Northern Leg.

On the first day of the competition, except for the first few matches which were Northern vs. Northern, the rest were all Southern vs. Northern.

But because the differences in fighting techniques between South and North were vast, the Southern Fist Martial Masters were defeated without exception.

Moreover, in the Southern vs. Northern matches, winners were decided as soon as the fight started, so there were many matches in a single day, and consequently, many defeats.

Therefore, that time was considered a regret for Southern Fist.

"Want to vindicate Southern Fist?" Zhang Zhao smiled, then looked suspicious. "Brother Li, I don't recall you knowing Southern Fist? You don't want me to use Southern Fist to fight you, do you? I don't know Southern Fist."

Looking at Zhang Zhao, Li Changsheng smiled faintly with his hands behind his back, but his eyes quickly became sharp.

"That's right, today I will spar with you using Southern and Northern styles. I will use Southern Fist, and you can use Northern Leg or Northern Fist—it doesn't matter. You and I will represent Southern and Northern styles respectively and have a go!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the room fell completely silent.

Zhang Zhao's eyes widened, he blinked, and then said: "Brother Li, are you serious? In that '29 competition, they signed life-and-death waivers. Is it necessary for us to go that far?"

"Master Zhang, we'll stop at a touch. How about we use thirty percent effort and hold back seventy percent?"

Seeing that Zhang Zhao still thought it was a life-and-death fight, Li Changsheng couldn't help but feel amused and exasperated.

"Phew." Zhang Zhao breathed a sigh of relief.

"I thought you wanted a death match. I'm not afraid of dying, I'm just afraid of killing you. By the way, is your Southern Fist actually any good? I've never heard you say you knew Southern Fist."

Zhang Zhao scrutinized Li Changsheng suspiciously.

"Brother Li, although we are just sparring, I can understand your desire to vindicate Southern Fist, but in my opinion, Southern Fist is simply inferior to Northern Leg."

"You aren't a specialist in Southern Fist either; don't end up failing to prove anything and losing face instead."

Zhang Zhao really couldn't understand it.

In his view, Southern Fist being inferior to Northern Leg was an established fact.

That competition back then fully demonstrated this point. There were no fake matches back then; if you had real skill, you could stand your ground, and if you didn't, you would end up like that old monk, killed on the spot by a single punch.

Moreover, in that competition, there weren't just one or two Southern vs. Northern matches, but many. One or two times couldn't prove which side was stronger, but so many times—it was a fact.

"Hehe, Master Zhang, you worry too much. I don't really intend to vindicate Southern Fist or anything. If Southern Fist wants vindication, let their true successors come and do it."

"I just want to prove that there are no weak or strong styles, only people are fundamental."

Li Changsheng said this calmly, which immediately made Zhang Zhao's temper flare up.

He was being looked down upon.