All the heavens begin with the love in the courtyard.

Under his deliberate manipulation, the amount of money wagered on this duel exceeded the highest in history. A large number of Japanese merchants bet that the Hongkou Dojo would win, while other Westerners did not have high hopes for Jingwu School, except for Boss Huang and his British and French backers.

Boss Huang patted his chest and guaranteed to his master that Jingwumen would win 100% this time. Only then did his backer dare to decide to go all out and spend a lot of money to hype up the rivalry between Jingwumen and Hongkou Dojo in various newspapers.

Who wins and who loses will be revealed today!

Chapter 30: Huo Ting'en vs. Ryuichi Akutagawa

When Bai Jiaxuan arrived at the arena, he didn't expect there to be so many people there. The area outside was packed with heads, including high-ranking officials, ordinary people, and people from all walks of life.

Because the theater is not yet open for ticket checking, everyone can only wait outside for the time being. The theater is very large, with a total of 300 seats.

Although Mr. Huang hyped this up in the newspapers for nearly half a month, the audience members who were qualified to enter the venue were not ordinary people. Apart from some high-ranking officials and dignitaries, the rest were Westerners.

The three hundred tickets were all given away by Boss Huang as a favor. Those who could get tickets to enter were all people of status. Even the competition organizer, Jingwu Men, only got five tickets.

Boss Huang's arrangement was also to prevent the Japanese from resorting to desperate measures. These spectators were all people of status in Shanghai. They were not only spectators but also referees. Everyone knew who would win and who would lose.

If tickets are made available for purchase, some unauthorized people might sneak in. If the Japanese get desperate after the match and start a brawl, it will cause an embarrassing situation. After all, Mr. Huang has staked his entire fortune on this competition, so he naturally has to be extremely careful.

With the identities of these three hundred people as a backdrop, even if the Japanese lose, they won't dare to act rashly immediately. They will only try to cause trouble for Bai Jiaxuan later. However, by then, Bai Jiaxuan will have already fled far away, so what does that have to do with Boss Huang?

The background of Jingwumen is not simple either. Uncle Nong led the team and they were soon led into the theater to prepare.

When Boss Huang and Bai Jiaxuan met again, they only nodded slightly but did not greet each other.

About ten minutes later, the young Japanese boy from Hongkou Dojo, led by Fujita Tsuyoshi, finally arrived at the theater.

A group of Japanese soldiers, carrying samurai swords and dressed in matching white kimonos, looked like they were in mourning clothes.

Fujita Tsuyoshi's face was stern this time, and the coldness in his expression seemed to tell everyone that he was very unhappy!

Indeed, Fujita was very unhappy. As an army colonel, he was the highest-ranking officer of the Shanghai branch, and he took full responsibility for the attack on the branch.

He had already learned that he was about to be transferred back to China for training, and his future was bleak. This martial arts competition was his last chance to redeem himself. He had received a telegram that if he lost the competition, he would not have to return to China; he could commit seppuku to atone for his sins.

Under such pressure, how could Fujita Tsuyoshi possibly be in a good mood?

At this moment, he had only one thought in his mind: in this competition, he would demonstrate the true greatness of the Japanese Empire and prove to the world that the Chinese were no match for him and were just the sick men of East Asia!

After both sides entered, the theater finally opened for ticket checking, and various dignitaries, accompanied by their lovers or wives, began to enter the theater in twos and threes.

There were more than twenty cars parked outside, and rickshaws filled the next street, because this street was already too crowded to fit anyone.

Although the peddlers and laborers were not allowed to enter and watch, that did not stop them from standing outside gossiping. Many shrewd vendors had already pushed their food carts to sell, and people squatted or stood in twos and threes, filling the square in front of the theater.

This grand event caused a sensation in Shanghai, something never before seen. For a long time, the weakness of the Chinese people has been well-known throughout the world, but this time, a sect actually dared to challenge one of the great powers, the little Japanese.

For those at the very bottom of society, this was the first time they had seen something called hope.

The previous match between Huo Yuanjia and Ryuichi Akutagawa didn't have much impact, but Huo Yuanjia still lost. Perhaps for many apathetic people, Huo Yuanjia's loss seemed to be normal.

Because the Chinese people were never able to defeat the Western powers, even the Japanese, who looked just like them, were considered more powerful than the Chinese in the eyes of ordinary Chinese people.

In the eyes of Westerners, the Chinese are synonymous with ignorance, backwardness, and weakness. Today, the Jingwu School's challenge to the Hongkou Dojo is just a show for them. It doesn't matter who wins or loses.

Bai Jiaxuan had already planned this duel since he started investigating Huo Yuanjia's poisoning death.

Boss Huang wants to make money and gain fame. He wants to use this martial arts competition to make Chen Zhen famous and become a symbol of China in the future.

Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, two generations of kung fu superstars, brought Chinese kung fu to the world and changed many foreigners' perceptions of Chinese people.

Many foreigners got to know China through the movies of two kung fu superstars, which led many foreigners to believe that all Chinese people know kung fu.

However, the two kung fu superstars could not change foreigners' stereotypes about Chinese people. Overseas, Chinese people were still one of the most bullied races. Only after a century, with the rise of China, did the world truly come to know China again.

Bai Jiaxuan cannot change the world's perception of China, but he can use his kung fu to make the Chinese people of this era open their eyes and see that the Chinese are no less capable than the Japanese, and that the Chinese can also become a powerful force.

No matter how many people are inspired by this belief and strive to excel in their respective fields, he feels that everything he has done today has been worthwhile!

Bai Jiaxuan was resting with his eyes closed backstage, while Huo Ting'en and his second senior brother, Wang Zhiqiang, were doing leg stretching exercises. Both of them were very nervous and kept running and jumping around backstage.

Neither of them disturbed Bai Jiaxuan, because they knew that the protagonist of the day was not them, but the calm and collected Chen Zhen.

Although Chen Zhen rarely sparred with the disciples of Jingwu School during his stay there, everyone knew that Chen Zhen's martial arts skills far surpassed theirs, so they naturally wouldn't want to embarrass themselves.

After waiting backstage for nearly an hour, an elderly man finally invited the three of them to the stage. Huo Ting'en and Wang Zhiqiang immediately clasped their hands in a gesture of respect to the elders.

Bai Jiaxuan was not familiar with the martial arts world of China, nor did he know this old man, so he remained indifferent and did not bow.

The old man was slightly displeased by Bai Jiaxuan's attitude, but he did not express it. Instead, he led the three of them from backstage to the martial arts stage prepared by the theater.

Huo Ting'en noticed Bai Jiaxuan's expression and quickly leaned close to his ear to introduce the old man in front of him.

The man before us is none other than the renowned martial arts master, Sun Lutang.

After being introduced by Huo Ting'en, Bai Jiaxuan felt that the name Sun Lutang sounded familiar, but he didn't know much about martial arts in the Republic of China era. Most of his knowledge came from movies and TV dramas from later generations, and he probably only knew about Huang Feihong and Huo Yuanjia.

He seemed to have heard of this person before, but he didn't have a deep impression of him and didn't pay much attention to him.

He is not one of these martial arts masters, nor does he need to know them; he uses killing techniques.

After the three of them went up to the front, they discovered that the center of the theater had been converted into a circular arena, about fifty square meters in size, made entirely of solid wood, with several bright electric lights hanging in the center of the arena, illuminating the entire arena.

All three hundred seats around the room were now occupied, filled with dignitaries dressed in luxurious attire. Only a few Japanese boys in white kimonos sat neatly in the front row.

Bai Jiaxuan and his two companions stepped onto the dueling platform, while on the other side, Fujita Tsuyoshi also led two other people onto the platform, one of whom was Akutagawa Ryuichi.

Bai Jiaxuan's gaze fell on Fujita Tsuyoshi, and the other man's gaze fell on him as well. Fujita Tsuyoshi already knew from Akutagawa Ryuichi that there was a master in the Jingwu School, and he could tell at a glance that it should be the dark-skinned young man opposite him.

Bai Jiaxuan looked at Fujita Go for a while, then moved on to another person. This person was a bit older than Fujita Go and Akutagawa Ryuichi, and looked to be in his early forties. He had a square face, a protruding forehead, and an indescribable sense of pressure in his eyes.

The appearance of this person caused Bai Jiaxuan's eyes to narrow slightly; Bai Jiaxuan was somewhat surprised by this person's appearance.

This person's aura was even stronger than Fujita Tsuyoshi's. This sudden appearance of a stranger surprised Bai Jiaxuan.

However, it was just an accident. After he stepped onto the fighting stage, he stood to the side, with his hands behind his back, slowly closed his eyes, and waited for the host to call for the start.

The person in charge of this martial arts competition was Sun Lutang. After the old man stepped onto the stage, he immediately took out several life-or-death contracts and had everyone sign them.

After signing the waiver of life and death, Sun Lutang explained the rules of the martial arts competition. The rules were actually quite simple.

The winner simply needs to completely defeat the other three players. To increase the excitement, if one side concedes, all three players must concede simultaneously; if even one player concedes, the match continues.

There is clearly a loophole here. If one of the three is killed or knocked unconscious, and the other two surrender, can the match end?

However, this is not stated in the rules, which means that this competition is basically a fight to the death. If the opponent is ruthless enough, they can kill one person first and break the rules.

However, these rules were agreed upon by both parties. Boss Huang was only providing a fighting arena; as for life and death, that was none of his business.

Once everything was ready, Sun Lutang announced the official start of the duel and began to retreat to a corner of the arena, giving the space to both sides.

Huo Ting'en looked at Akutagawa Ryuichi with bloodshot eyes. His father's killer was right in front of him, and he had to kill him with his own hands.

As soon as the match started, he pointed a finger at Ryuichi Akutagawa, indicating that he wanted to fight him one-on-one.

Ryuichi Akutagawa glanced at Huo Ting'en with disdain. He might be timid if he were to face the guy with his hands behind his back, but he was confident against Huo Ting'en.

He then asked the man with the protruding forehead for instructions, and the man nodded. Only then did Ryuichi Akutagawa slowly walk out and stand face to face with Huo Ting'en.

The other two people on each side remained standing still, without making any move.

Bai Jiaxuan watched this scene with his hands behind his back and a cold expression. Akutagawa Ryuichi and Huo Ting'en were evenly matched. Let's warm up and watch the show first!

Without wasting words, Huo Ting'en struck a starting pose, which was the Huo family's seventh-generation family secret technique, the Lost Track Fist.

The Mizongquan style is not difficult to learn, but it is very difficult to practice. The Huo family never passes it on to outsiders, and Huo Ting'en is the only one in the Jingwu School who personally teaches it.

Huo Ting'en swayed from side to side as he slowly approached Akutagawa Ryuichi. When they were less than two meters apart, Huo Ting'en's hands moved with lightning speed, striking Akutagawa Ryuichi's head.

Ryuichi Akutagawa quickly retreated. He had encountered this move before when he fought Huo Yuanjia, and he had suffered a loss then. If Huo Yuanjia hadn't been poisoned, he wouldn't be here now.

Now, facing the Huo family's Lost Track Fist once again, he was prepared. Akutagawa Ryuichi took several steps back, and Huo Ting'en pressed forward.

Just then, Ryuichi Akutagawa paused, then swept his legs horizontally, hooking Huo Ting'en to the ground. He then began to counterattack, making a palm shape with his hand and chopping down towards Huo Ting'en's neck.

Huo Ting'en was startled when he was hooked down. He knew he had been too hasty and was about to do a somersault to get up when Akutagawa Ryuichi's attack arrived. He didn't have time to think and remembered a move that Bai Jiaxuan had taught him.

Huo Ting'en made a blocking motion with his left hand, then his right fist turned into a grab, reaching up from below towards Akutagawa Ryuichi's crotch. This startled Akutagawa Ryuichi, who quickly flipped over and jumped to escape the grab.

Huo Ting'en was not surprised that he failed to catch the other's testicles. He then took the opportunity to flip over and leap up, and then pounced on the other once again.

The two exchanged blows, going back and forth for more than a dozen moves, each gaining an advantage and losing a disadvantage. They both received slaps or punches to their bodies and faces, but none of them were fatal.

Originally, Ryuichi Akutagawa's martial arts skills were slightly better than Huo Ting'en's, but now that Huo Ting'en had received intensive training from Bai Jiaxuan, he was no longer afraid of using underhanded techniques. Ryuichi Akutagawa was almost crippled by Huo Ting'en several times, which made Ryuichi Akutagawa much more cautious. As a result, the two fought for seven or eight minutes without a clear winner.

Seeing this, Sun Lutang, who was in charge, shook his head slightly. He had been entrusted by Nong Jingsun of the Jingwu School and had promised to save Huo Ting'en's life at a critical moment.

Although Huo Ting'en's martial arts skills were slightly inferior, he had a slight advantage in their recent exchange, which relieved him.

His main concern was preventing the other two from making a sudden move. The match between Akutagawa Ryuichi and Huo Ting'en had clearly only just begun, and the real masters of the Japanese had not yet made their move.

He didn't think highly of Jingwu School in this competition, but it concerned the reputation of Jingwu School. The only thing he could do was to save Huo Ting'en's life at the critical moment. As for the other two, he couldn't care less about them.

Sun Lutang couldn't discern the depth of Bai Jiaxuan's martial arts skills from the indifferent young man, nor had he ever heard of such a person in the martial arts world, so naturally he wouldn't focus his attention on Bai Jiaxuan.

The match between Huo Ting'en and Akutagawa Ryuichi was neither exciting nor bloody, which made the audience below uninterested. Everyone was discussing and guessing who would win the match.

Many of these spectators had placed bets with Boss Huang, but most of them bet on the Japanese to win. They could see that the Japanese were being suppressed, so many of them looked somewhat displeased.

Huo Ting'en and Akutagawa Ryuichi fought for more than ten minutes without inflicting fatal damage on each other. Both of them were getting impatient, and the frequency of their exchanges began to increase.

The intense fight left both men drenched in sweat. Huo Ting'en's face was red and swollen from being slapped by Akutagawa Ryuichi, but his opponent hadn't fared any better, taking a punch to the chest.

However, none of this was fatal; Huo Tingen had been waiting for an opportunity!

Finally, in the twentieth minute of the fight, both sides were exhausted, and Ryuichi Akutagawa was clearly losing his composure.

He rushed forward and took a punch from Huo Ting'en. He then grabbed Huo Ting'en, squeezed his legs together, and knocked Huo Ting'en to the ground. The two of them started rolling around on the ground like children fighting.

However, Huo Ting'en had already anticipated this move. After rolling twice, Huo Ting'en suddenly used his right hand to punch Akutagawa Ryuichi in the armpit from bottom to top.

The punch was powerful enough and the angle was tricky enough. With a crack, Akutagawa Ryuichi's left arm rose up and then slumped down limply.

Ryuichi Akutagawa screamed, then released Huo Ting'en and rolled over to stand in front of Tsuyoshi Fujita. He stood up half-kneeling, his face flushed and trembling.

His face was contorted with pain. He lowered his head and gestured to Fujita Tsuyoshi that he had lost and asked to step down. He could no longer defeat his opponent with only one hand, and he could only plead with Fujita Tsuyoshi.

At this moment, Fujita Tsuyoshi's veins bulged, and his two fists were clenched tightly together. This piece of trash in front of him couldn't even beat Huo Yuanjia's son. Wasn't this obviously telling everyone that Akutagawa Ryuichi won his duel with Huo Yuanjia by using such despicable means as poisoning?

"Useless trash! You have insulted the honor of the samurai of the Great Wa Empire! Die!"

Fujita finally erupted, raising his leg and kicking Akutagawa Ryuichi in the waist. The power and speed of this kick far surpassed Akutagawa Ryuichi's.

Before the other party could react, there was a cracking sound. Akutagawa Ryuichi was kicked in the waist and broke in two before he could even scream.

He vomited blood violently, and his body rolled haphazardly into a corner like a rag, leaving a long trail of blood on the ground.