Chapter 26: Truly Spectacular!

Wu Song cheered from the sidelines, "Well-fought, brother!"

His praise was genuine; he truly admired such spirit in his brother. Su Wu, growing increasingly confident in himself, knew that while he was still a novice with weapons, he feared no one in hand-to-hand combat.

As Dong Ping threw a punch toward his face, Su Wu swayed and dodged with agile footwork, returning a strike of his own. Surprised, Dong Ping leaned back to evade, simultaneously launching a kick. Su Wu blocked with his knee, holding his stance steady, and immediately countered with another punch. Dong Ping blocked with his forearm and slammed his shoulder into Su Wu’s chest. Su Wu sidestepped, his evasive maneuvers proving highly effective; he let Dong Ping’s charge miss and struck down at the man’s neck with his elbow. Dong Ping raised his hand to block, but the force of the blow made him stumble backward, forcing him to take a step to regain his balance.

"Well struck, brother!" Wu Song exclaimed, delighted to see his brother displaying such grit and ferocity.

"That fellow truly has some skill, holding his own against General Dong," a voice drifted from the crowd. Another added, "I wonder where he came from? We haven't seen such a man in our city before."

Dong Ping heard every word. He had intended to vent his frustrations on someone and flaunt his peerless martial arts. He had planned to force this man to his knees, begging for mercy, before walking away with his head held high—all to show the people at the prefectural office, and especially the Prefect, Cheng Wanli, exactly who he was.

Cheng Wanli was a recent arrival; his predecessor, Chen Wenzhao, had held Dong Ping in much higher regard. But Chen Wenzhao was old and had no daughters of marriageable age. More importantly, Chen Wenzhao had recognized Dong Ping’s extraordinary martial prowess, whereas Cheng Wanli merely dismissed him as a common soldier.

With his display of dominance failing and feeling belittled by the onlookers, Dong Ping’s rage boiled over. He leaped into the air, his leg sweeping out like a steel whip. Su Wu jumped backward, narrowly dodging the blow. He realized that Dong Ping was a master; if they continued trading blows like this, they would likely both end up severely injured, and it would be hard to determine a winner.

Switching tactics, Su Wu dodged another kick and lunged forward to grapple. He wrapped his arms around Dong Ping’s waist, trying to throw him. But Dong Ping was no Zhu Biao; he planted his feet firmly, refusing to budge, and rained blows down on Su Wu’s back. Su Wu immediately changed targets, releasing his hold to reach for Dong Ping’s legs.

Dong Ping’s reactions were lightning-fast. Before Su Wu could secure his grip, he stepped back repeatedly, knowing that if Su Wu managed to lock onto his legs, he would certainly be thrown. Only now did Dong Ping realize this man was no ordinary opponent—he possessed immense strength, quick eyes, and superb technique. Dong Ping retreated several paces, shoved Su Wu’s shoulder with all his might, and leaped away.

"What a man!"
"Incredible, truly incredible!"
"Splendid!"

The praises of the crowd fueled Dong Ping’s fury, knowing they were not meant for him. He shouted to his men, "Bring me my spear!"

As the "General of the Twin Spears," the spear was his true specialty. A soldier ran forward, grabbing a long spear from the hooks of a horse tethered nearby. Dong Ping took the weapon in hand and looked around, determined to assert his authority this day.

Su Wu did not let his guard down. "Er-lang!" he called out.

Wu Song gripped his heavy broadsword with both hands and stepped forward. "You bully, do you think you can push my brother around?" Wu Song spoke with a touch of restraint; this was not the lawless world of the rivers and lakes, but a city under the nose of the authorities, and he instinctively tempered his usual audacity.

Ignoring who stood before him, Dong Ping charged with his spear. It moved with blinding speed, the tip flickering like raindrops—a true master’s technique that seemed to create illusions in the air. Wu Song, however, was unfazed. With sharp eyes and raw power, he intercepted the spear with a heavy horizontal slash of his broadsword.

With a loud *clang*, the spear was deflected. Dong Ping, using the momentum, spun around and swung again. Wu Song blocked it with his blade, the force of the clash causing him to tremble slightly.

"Well done, General! Excellent spearplay!" the soldiers cheered. "That spear technique is invincible!"

Dong Ping was a man of immense pride and confidence—had he not been so arrogant, he might not have been captured by the Liangshan bandits later on. In his vanity, he looked around to feast on the admiring gazes of the crowd.

"Er-lang, be careful!" Su Wu warned, truly worried now.

"Don't worry, brother!" Wu Song spat on the ground, staring at the posturing Dong Ping. His brow furrowed, and a murderous glint flashed in his eyes.

This time, Wu Song moved first. His broadsword technique lacked subtlety, relying on brute force; he leaped into the air, putting every ounce of his strength into a downward strike. Dong Ping’s eyes narrowed, and he stepped forward, thrusting his spear. He knew his aim was precise; leaping into the air before him was a death sentence, as it left the opponent with no room to dodge.

But Dong Ping underestimated Wu Song. Wu Er-lang was virtually invincible in foot combat; few could match him, perhaps only Lu Da, the inspector from the Northwestern Army. Wu Song’s core strength was immense, allowing him to twist in mid-air and evade the lethal spear point before bringing his broadsword down with crushing force.

Dong Ping was stunned. Instinctively, he raised the shaft of his spear to his shoulders to block. The weight of the broadsword was immense; sparks flew as it struck the iron-shod shaft, some even stinging Dong Ping’s ears. He felt no pain, only the crushing weight that forced him to his knees. Only then did he realize how terrifying this man truly was.

Wu Song pressed his advantage, pinning the spear down with his blade while launching his signature "Mandarin Duck Kicks" into Dong Ping’s chest. Dong Ping, desperate to rise, found himself pinned by the weight of the broadsword like a mountain. As the kick connected, his vision blurred, and he was sent flying backward, stumbling several times before coming to a halt.

The outcome was decided.

"Well fought, Er-lang!" Su Wu felt avenged.

The crowd murmured, "Such martial arts! These two outsiders are truly elite." "General Dong actually lost? Unbelievable!" "How terrifying."

The soldiers stood stunned, unable to fathom that the mighty Dong Ping of Dongping Prefecture had been defeated. Dong Ping rose, suppressing the tightness in his chest, his face burning with rage. "Bring me two horses!" he bellowed.

Horseback combat was his true forte. Humiliated to this point, he was determined to win back his honor. With two horses—one for Wu Song and one for himself—he intended to charge through the streets before the prefectural office and fight to the death.