People around them heard the mention of Uncle Ming and gasped; others looked on, baffled.
Zhou Xu turned toward Zhang Yiping. "Brother Zhang, does Uncle Ming have a stake in this bar too?"
Zhang Yiping shook his head. "I wouldn't know about that, but Sister Na and Uncle Ming seem to have a good relationship. Perhaps she is..."
He didn't finish the sentence, but those listening were quick to grasp his implication.
Yao Lili asked, "Who is Uncle Ming? Is he that impressive? Boss Liu went soft the moment he heard the name."
"Uncle Ming is a member of the Lin Family," Zhang Yiping explained. "His name is Feng Tianming. He’s a free spirit who loves fine liquor, antiques, and women. They say when he was young, he was known as the First Young Master of Hecheng. Because he stays out of the family business, outsiders don’t know much about him, but in our circles, he’s famous—a true bigwig. Liu Hongyu is a ruthless character, but if Uncle Ming has shares in this bar, he wouldn't dare touch it."
"Brother Zhang, you really know everything," Yao Lili said, adopting Zhou Xu’s honorific to sound closer to him.
Zhang Yiping did not object; he relished the flattery. Of course, he cared more about Lin Manqing's opinion. He spoke at such length hoping to impress her, to show he was well-connected in the upper circles. He knew the Lin Family valued such things. In their world, connections were more important than ability—or rather, the ability to maneuver within those circles was the greatest strength of all.
***
Liu Hongyu laughed and leaned back into the sofa. "I won't interfere with your internal bar affairs. I’m just here to spend money. Carry on, please, carry on..."
He gestured for Leopard and Ma Shan to continue. At this moment, Leopard was still in Ma Shan’s grip, his neck choked by a club and a knife pressed against his eyelid.
Zhou Na’s face was cold. "Ma Shan, put the knife down!"
Under normal circumstances, Ma Shan would have obeyed Zhou Na without question. But not today. He had caught Leopard off guard; if he let him go now, it would be impossible to catch him again. Leopard would surely retaliate. Ma Shan wasn't afraid for himself, but he was worried about Ding Xiang and Li Muchen.
"Sister Na, Leopard played dirty. If I let him go just like that, I won’t be able to face my brothers."
Seeing Zhou Na, Leopard felt emboldened. He figured Ma Shan wouldn't dare actually hurt him, so he taunted, "Come on then, Ma Shan! If you've got guts, poke my eyes out! Do it!"
Zhou Na’s face turned livid. "What is this? My words no longer matter? Are you two trying to start a mutiny?" By using the word "you," she signaled her intent to punish both sides equally. If Ma Shan didn't back down now, he would be overstepping.
He gritted his teeth. "Sister Na, let my brother and sister go first. Once they leave, I will release Leopard and come to you to accept my punishment. Whatever you want to do to me, I’ll take it."
Zhou Na gestured to the bar's security guards. "Let them leave."
The crowd behind Li Muchen and Ding Xiang parted, creating a path. Ma Shan turned to Li Muchen. "Muchen, take Ding Xiang and go. Grab a taxi the moment you're outside. Send me a message when you get home."
Li Muchen didn't move. "I'm not leaving."
Ma Shan assumed Li Muchen was afraid for his safety. When they were kids, if Ma Shan got into a fight he couldn't win, he’d tell Li Muchen to run, but Li Muchen never would—he always chose to take the beating with him.
"Get out of here!" Ma Shan urged, anxious. "I can handle this."
Li Muchen shook his head. "Liu Hongyu hasn't apologized yet. How can I leave?"
Ma Shan was speechless. *What did he learn in the mountains? Did it rot his brain?* He was frantic, but saw no way out.
Zhou Na looked at Liu Hongyu and asked Li Muchen, "Apologize for what?"
"That man bullied my younger sister," Li Muchen said. "Doesn't he owe her an apology?"
"But your sister is fine, isn't she?"
"It’s precisely because she’s fine that I’m only asking for ten kowtows. If she had been harmed, he’d be dead already."
A hush fell over the entrance at these words. Someone in the crowd, eager to see the chaos escalate, shouted, "That’s right! Make him kowtow! Ten isn't enough, make it a hundred!"
Liu Hongyu stopped being angry; he sat on the sofa, smiling as he watched Zhou Na. He didn't take Li Muchen seriously at all.
Zhou Na felt Li Muchen was being foolish and said with a touch of pity, "Young man, you should leave quickly. I’ve already stepped in to cover for you."
Li Muchen smiled. "I’m afraid you can’t cover this."
Zhou Na froze, then grew annoyed. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," Li Muchen said, unwilling to explain.
Zhou Na was furious. "Guards, get them out of here!"
The security staff swarmed forward, ready to take Li Muchen down. He pulled Ding Xiang gently to his side, and before anyone could see his movement, the guards were flying through the air. They hit the ground like broken dolls, groaning, unable to stand.
The onlookers hadn't even seen what happened. "What just happened? Did that boy do it?"
"I don't know, I didn't see him move!"
As people speculated, Zhou Na knew exactly who was responsible. *So he's a martial artist. No wonder he’s so arrogant.* She hadn't wanted to make things difficult for him, but now she had no choice.
"Get him, all of you!"
The remaining guards rushed in with their clubs. The result was no different; they quickly joined their comrades on the floor.
Ding Xiang was frightened, clutching Li Muchen’s hand. "Brother Muchen..."
Li Muchen looked at the men on the ground, sighed, and said, "Let’s go."
He led Ding Xiang out. No one stopped him; no one dared.
When he reached Lin Manqing, he stopped suddenly. "Miss Lin, could I ask you a favor?"
Lin Manqing blinked. "Go on."
"Please, look after my sister, Ding Xiang."
Lin Manqing hadn't expected such a request, but after a moment, she said, "Very well."
"Thank you."
Li Muchen placed Ding Xiang’s hand into Lin Manqing’s and gently patted her nose. "Stay with Miss Lin. Wait there until Ma Shan and I come for you."
Ding Xiang nodded blankly.
Li Muchen turned to Lin Manqing. "Let’s go. Don't stay here."
Zhou Xu protested, "You tell us to go, and we go? Who do you think you are?"
Yao Lili added, "Exactly. We’re not leaving."
Li Muchen just looked at Lin Manqing. Without a moment's hesitation, she pulled Ding Xiang and turned to leave.
"Manqing!" Zhang Yiping chased after them.
"Brother Zhang!" Zhou Xu glared at Li Muchen and followed. Yao Lili and Zhang Jie followed suit.
Only when they were gone did Li Muchen turn back. He didn't want Ding Xiang to see the bloodshed that was likely to follow. Entrusting her to Lin Manqing was the safest option; he knew who she was—the eldest daughter of the Lin Family.
Li Muchen walked back into the private room and nodded at Ma Shan. Ma Shan understood his brother perfectly. With his burdens gone, the pent-up frustration of years of bullying by Leopard ignited like dry tinder, his blood boiling.
"Screw you!"
Ma Shan jerked his wrist, driving his dagger into Leopard’s eye socket. A piercing, soul-shaking scream erupted from Leopard. The onlookers screamed in turn. The area outside the room fell into chaos; people began to flee, and within moments, only the bar staff remained.
"Ma Shan!" Zhou Na shrieked. "You really did it!"
"Sister Na, you’ve been kind to me, and I’ll repay you one day. But I’ve endured Leopard for too long. He set me up today; this is a debt I have to settle."
He pulled the dagger from Leopard’s eye, his steel pipe still pinning the man’s throat, the knife tip now hovering over his left eye.
"Boss Liu, save me! Boss Liu, help me..." Leopard screamed.
That plea hit Zhou Na like a bolt of lightning. Suddenly, everything became clear. Today wasn't a coincidence—it was a trap set by Liu Hongyu. Ding Xiang was just an excuse; Ma Shan was the target. And Leopard, in all likelihood, had been bought off by Liu Hongyu.
In other words, Liu Hongyu’s goal today wasn't Ding Xiang—it was her, or rather, the Blue Bridge Bar.
Zhou Na looked at the two bodyguards behind Liu Hongyu. She wasn't a martial artist, but she knew how to read people. One of the bodyguards had remained motionless the entire time, eyes cast down, like a monk in meditation. Even when Leopard was blinded and screaming like a slaughtered pig, the man hadn't so much as blinked.
*He’s a master.*
She looked at Li Muchen. *No wonder he said I couldn't cover this.* Li Muchen stood there, calm and composed, as if none of this had anything to do with him. She couldn't help but linger on his face.
Leopard continued to scream for help. Ma Shan didn't hesitate, driving the knife into the other eye before knocking Leopard unconscious with a blow from the pipe. He retreated to Li Muchen’s side, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Muchen, I didn't know you learned kung fu in the mountains! We haven't fought together in over a decade. Let’s finish them off!"
Li Muchen smiled faintly. "All right."
***
"Ma Shan!"
Zhou Na was shocked and furious. It wasn't just that Ma Shan had hurt Leopard—it was that he was completely ignoring her orders. Realizing she had lost control of the situation, she pulled out her phone and messaged Uncle Ming.
Seeing Ma Shan’s performance, Liu Hongyu was stunned. He knew Leopard was a force to be reckoned with—he managed several venues besides Blue Bridge Bar. That was why he’d partnered with him. He hadn't expected Ma Shan to be so vicious, gouging out Leopard’s eyes in mere seconds. Even in his own wild youth, Liu Hongyu thought, he’d never been this ruthless.
As for Li Muchen, he dismissed him. He’d barely moved before the bar security fell—it had to be a staged act by Zhou Na.
Liu Hongyu turned to his bodyguard. "Master Huang..."
The man addressed as Master Huang finally lifted his eyelids, glanced at Li Muchen, and gave Liu Hongyu a slight nod. Relieved, Liu Hongyu stood up and smirked at Zhou Na. "Looks like Sister Na can’t hold the fort anymore. Why don’t you call me 'darling' and let me handle this for you?"
"No need," Zhou Na said coldly.
"Are you sure?" Liu Hongyu stared greedily at her chest. "Uncle Ming is getting on in years; can he even handle a night? I’m serious about helping you. I can satisfy you."
Zhou Na was livid. "Liu the Scar, what are you spouting? Uncle Ming will be here soon. Let’s see if you dare talk like that when he arrives."
Liu Hongyu roared with laughter. "Good! I’ll wait for him. Let’s see what he can do to me. How about we have a quick round before he gets here? Don’t worry, I’m fast. I won’t hold things up."
Zhou Na was trembling with rage, yet fearful. The bar security wouldn't dare move, and Leopard was still on the floor wailing. Even if they did move, they were no match for the expert behind Liu Hongyu. And Liu Hongyu wouldn't have come with only two men.
Involuntarily, she looked toward Ma Shan and Li Muchen. She was angry at Ma Shan for disobeying her, but he was her only hope.
"Ma Shan..." she whispered, her voice tinged with melancholy.
Ma Shan understood. "Sister Na, don't worry. I just couldn't stand Leopard. I have no ill will toward you. If anyone tries to hurt you, they'll have to go through my blade first."
He scraped his dagger against his iron pipe, the screeching sound chilling the air.
Liu Hongyu sneered. "Don't think swinging a knife makes you a tough guy. You’re not in my league. Once I break your legs, let's see how cocky you are!"
Before he finished speaking, Li Muchen kicked out, catching Liu Hongyu right in the stomach. He went flying into the sofa he had just vacated.
The two bodyguards reacted instantly. One vaulted over the armrest to catch Liu Hongyu, his movements clean and efficient. The other, Master Huang, had looked slow, yet he arrived at the sofa first, his shadow flickering. He tapped Liu Hongyu’s back, and the man landed softly into the seat.
Ma Shan warned, "Brother, Liu the Scar is notoriously vengeful. Be careful."
Li Muchen laughed. "Are you afraid?"
Ma Shan glared. "Afraid? Afraid of his grandma! I’ve been fighting since I was a kid. When have I ever been afraid?"
"Good."
Li Muchen stepped toward Liu Hongyu.
"What do you want?" Liu Hongyu gasped, still shaken.
"One more chance," Li Muchen said. "Kneel and kowtow ten times. I’ll accept it on my sister’s behalf."
"You son of a bitch!" Liu Hongyu cursed and beckoned his guard. "Take him out!"
Master Huang remained still, but the other bodyguard stepped forward. Ma Shan leaped in front of Li Muchen, blocking his path. "Want to touch my brother? You’ll have to get through me first!"
The bodyguard pulled a short blade from his waist, didn't say a word, and lunged for Ma Shan’s ribs.
"Nice!" Ma Shan shouted, dodging and bringing his pipe down.
They traded blows in the cramped room. The bodyguard’s blade work was sharp and decisive—lethal, military-style strikes. Ma Shan’s style was broader and more aggressive, using the long pipe and short dagger in a tight, coordinated rhythm.
Seeing Ma Shan wasn't losing—in fact, he seemed to be gaining momentum—Li Muchen relaxed.
Master Huang, however, didn't even watch the fight; he kept his eyes locked on Li Muchen. Seeing him idle, Liu Hongyu yelled, "Master Huang, attack! Take him out, but keep him alive—I want to torture him slowly!"
"Shut up!" Master Huang didn't even turn his head.
Liu Hongyu went quiet. Zhou Na was stunned. *He’s not a mere hired thug? Why is Liu Hongyu afraid of him?*
Master Huang bowed to Li Muchen. "Huang Hai of the Iron Garment Sect. Your use of the 'Eighteen Falls of the Sticky Clothes' is quite refined. May I ask which school you hail from, and under whom you studied?"
Li Muchen found it amusing. The man mistook celestial divine power for "Sticky Clothes Falls"—a technique that relied on leverage and internal energy to redirect an opponent's force. What Li Muchen practiced was the Tiandu Arts, the Nine-Turn Profound Origin Manual. Even though he hadn't yet reached the Xiantian realm, tossing around a few ordinary mortals was child's play.
"The Iron Garment Sect..." Li Muchen shook his head. "Never heard of it."
Huang Hai took this as an insult. "Very well, brat. I’ll show you the true power of the Iron Garment’s Eighteen Hard Practices!"
He tensed his arms, and his shirt shredded into pieces, dancing in the air like snowflakes. He revealed a physique of muscles as hard as iron. These weren't the bloated, useless muscles of a gym-goer; they were dense, layered, and powerful.
The sight left the staff and onlookers speechless. Zhou Na felt a cold dread—even if Uncle Ming arrived, could he handle this?
Liu Hongyu laughed. "See that, kid? That’s real kung fu. You’re dead!"
Ma Shan had forced the other bodyguard into a corner, battering him until he fell. Seeing Huang Hai’s transformation, Ma Shan rushed over. "Then let me, Ma Shan, see your authentic Iron Shirt!"
He struck with his pipe. Huang Hai didn't move, letting the blow land on his chest. It sounded like a heavy club hitting leather-wrapped steel; the pipe bounced back, Ma Shan’s arm vibrating with the shock.
"Damn, it really is the Iron Shirt!" Ma Shan yelled, then lunged with his dagger for Huang Hai’s throat. Still, Huang Hai didn't move. The tip of the blade couldn't penetrate his skin.
Ma Shan tried to strike again, but Li Muchen stopped him. "Let me."
Ma Shan nodded, whispering, "Be careful. If things go south, we run."
Li Muchen stepped up. "You said I used the Eighteen Falls? Let me show you how my version breaks your Golden Bell and Iron Shirt."
Before the words had left his lips, Huang Hai went flying.
*Thwack!*
Huang Hai slammed into the wall. His Iron Shirt technique protected him from the impact, but he was horrified—he hadn't seen how Li Muchen had moved at all.