I bought a secret manual of the Hehuan Sect for ten yuan.

Yu Jinghong glared at Qin Ge, thinking, "That bastard really knows how to find the right moment to speak."

Does he really think he can win? Does he even know that he's facing a master of the Heavenly Realm?

Yu Xiaoyun wasn't angry; he just remained silent, seemingly a little embarrassed.

"I can't agree to that. Let's find another condition!"

Yu Xiaoyun didn't think he would lose, but he wouldn't use something he couldn't deliver on as a bet.

"Never mind then, there's nothing else that interests me." Qin Ge didn't care. The girl was already his, what more could he want?

Yu Xiaoyun pondered for a moment, then said, "If your friend is willing to join the Shadow Martial Hall, I can agree to your conditions!"

"That won't do!" Qin Ge resolutely refused. Even if they won, they would still have to lose two people. Couldn't he figure that out? He wasn't stupid!

Seeing Qin Ge's reaction, Yu Xiaoyun was both amused and exasperated. "Do you think I can just walk into the Shadow Martial Arts Hall whenever I want?"

"Anyone who wants to become a full member of the Shadow Martial Arts Hall must pass rigorous examinations, meeting standards in every aspect, including temperament, conduct, and martial arts aptitude!"

"What I meant by having your friend join Shadow Martial Arts Hall wasn't that they could become a full member immediately, but rather that they would become an informant for Shadow Martial Arts Hall!"

"Of course, if they want to become full members, they can apply to take the assessment."

"If they are just informants, I can make an exception and not assign them tasks or restrain them."

"But there's a condition: they have to abide by the rules of the Shadow Martial Arts Hall, otherwise they'll be expelled from the organization!"

"It's like just being nominally affiliated with the Shadow Martial Hall, right? Well, that works!" Qin Ge was immediately familiar with this idea. Wasn't he just nominally affiliated with the Lianqing Association that Hu Qingshan and the others had been causing trouble for?

"Don't get too excited yet!" Yu Xiaoyun was a little annoyed. Why did this kid act like he was sure to win?

"Since this is a prize, I can't just talk about your benefits. If you lose, I want you to join the Shadow Martial Arts Hall and become a full member!"

"Seriously?" Qin Ge protested. "You mean if I lose, I have to sell myself to you and work for you?"

"This is unacceptable! Trading a mere cultivation technique for a living person? It's simply not fair!"

Yu Xiaoyun invited me here, is he just trying to trick me into joining the Shadow Martial Arts Hall?

This guy has thick eyebrows and big eyes; I never expected him to be a fox too!

I'm not falling for that. No matter how powerful an organization is, it's not as important as my freedom!

Qin Ge's thoughts kept flowing, various ideas drifting through his mind.

Yu Jinghong was a little disappointed; it was clear that she really wanted Qin Ge to join the Shadow Martial Hall.

"Furthermore, Master Yu, didn't you say that becoming a formal member of the Shadow Martial Hall requires passing rigorous assessments? Are you perhaps trying to give me special treatment?"

Qin Ge added that he didn't quite understand why Yu Xiaoyun wanted him to join the Shadow Martial Hall. Was it purely because he was interested in his martial arts and wanted to get him a job?

"I've witnessed your martial arts skills, but as for your character and conduct..." Yu Xiaoyun paused, glanced at his daughter, and said, "Since Jinghong associates with you, she must be a decent person."

"Of course, the assessment process is the same; if you fail, there's nothing I can do!"

"Still unwilling?"

"Then let's just have a friendly spar!"

"If I join the Shadow Martial Hall, what will I be doing on a regular basis? Will I be on missions?" Qin Ge wanted to know more. He thought it would be fine if he could just be a figurehead.

In the world of martial arts, having more skills is never a bad thing; having more identities provides more protection.

"You're open to joining the Shadow Martial Arts Hall, but you don't want to be tied down, right?" Yu Xiaoyun saw right through Qin Ge's thoughts. "That's not impossible!"

"You've been babbling on and on, are you going to fight or not? I'm getting all worked up!" Yu Jinghong still felt that Qin Ge couldn't possibly win; no matter how strong he was, he couldn't possibly defeat a Heavenly Realm expert.

But when she saw Qin Ge about to make a bet, she felt uneasy, as if she smelled a familiar conspiracy.

When she challenged Qin Ge at the Yan family, she also thought she wouldn't lose, but Qin Ge beat her like it was nothing!

Looking back now, she even suspects that Qin Ge was lustful at first sight when he first met her, first provoking her to make a bet, then luring her to the Qin family, and in the end, she even got herself involved.

She didn't know if Qin Ge had the confidence to defeat Tian Jing, but she knew that this guy never suffered a loss!

That bastard is so cunning and treacherous!

But she likes it.

The three arrived at a martial arts arena in the Shadow Martial Arts Hall. Yu Xiaoyun pointed to the weapon rack displaying various swords, spears, and clubs, "You can choose any weapon you like."

"I remember you seem to be good with a sword, right?"

"I'm not good at it." Qin Ge shook his head. "It's just a sparring match, there's no need to use weapons!"

Yu Xiaoyun nodded slightly, assumed a fighting stance, and said, "Then let's make our move!"

"Wait a minute!" Yu Jinghong quickly came to her father's side and whispered a few words in his ear.

Yu Xiaoyun smiled bitterly. Who does this brat side with anyway? I'm the one who's your father!

"Watch out!"

Seeing that Qin Ge had no intention of making a move, Yu Xiaoyun took the initiative and struck out with a palm, intending to test the waters, using only one-tenth of his strength.

The strength of the Heavenly Realm is extraordinary; even a tenth of its palm force is far more powerful than the palm strike that Cen Jiusi used to injure Su Wenxi!

Yu Jinghong felt a chill run down her spine, her heart pounded wildly, and she clenched her fists tightly in nervousness.

Didn't we agree to go easy on them? Why are you being so domineering?

Qin Ge instinctively wanted to catch it with his palm, but stopped halfway through the movement.

When Yu Xiaoyun's hand came close, he felt that it was nothing special.

This completely caught Yu Xiaoyun off guard. In his astonishment, his palm was already pressed against Qin Ge's chest.

"boom--"

A muffled thud was followed by deathly silence.

Qin Ge stood as still as an iron tower, while Yu Xiaoyun's arm went numb.

Why didn't you dodge?

"I was about to ask you the same thing: why aren't you putting in any effort? Are you looking down on me?"

"..."

The two fell silent at the same time, leaving Yu Jinghong stunned.

"Good lad, try taking another palm strike from me!" As Yu Xiaoyun withdrew his right palm, his left palm came slapping down.

This time he used only 30% of his strength.

He only used 10% of his strength at first because he was worried about hurting Qin Ge, but he didn't mean to look down on Qin Ge in the slightest.

It's worth noting that he usually spars with his daughter, but he only uses half of his strength and holds back.

Otherwise, Yu Jinghong wouldn't even be able to withstand one of his palm strikes!

"boom--"

Another muffled thud, but Qin Ge remained motionless.

"Master Yu, what are you doing?" Qin Ge felt that Yu Xiaoyun's palm strike was stronger, but not by much.

He tilted his head to look at Yu Jinghong beside him, his gaze questioning.

Yu Jinghong's eyes were as clear as a husky's; she had no idea what was going on.

"This is impossible! This kid is too amazing!" Yu Xiaoyun's mind was racing, but he tried his best to control his emotions.

Although this palm strike only used 30% of its power, it was by no means weak. Even a cultivator at the Lesser Completion of the Heavenly Realm would not dare to be so arrogant as to take it head-on!

Could this kid's strength actually far surpass mine?!