Yet, even as he saw the fist about to strike him, Ku Zhu remained calm and collected. He gazed at it indifferently, a faint smile on his lips.

Then, as the middle-aged martial artist approached, Ku Zhu suddenly executed a technique—Rising Dragon from the Sea.

An unassuming arm, having gathered power in mid-air, shot forward as Ku Zhu took a step, aiming straight for the martial artist's midsection.

BOOM!

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

With that single punch, the expressions of everyone present—excluding Wang Zhan, Yao Yao, Ku Zhu, and Yang Zecheng—changed abruptly. They could no longer remain seated, leaping to their feet with furrowed brows, their eyes fixed on Ku Zhu.

"He's also a Grandmaster? How did he do that!"

"Impossible! That Grandmaster must be at least intermediate stage. Although his talent is lacking, hard work can compensate. Even we wouldn't be able to handle him this easily..."

Someone glanced at Wang Zhan but found his expression remained as calm as still water.

Realization struck them. Perhaps today's host isn't so simple!

Hadn't they seen it? The Grandmaster who went up first was sent flying by Ku Zhu's single punch, crashing heavily into the ground and creating several deep pits!

Not to mention this was a concrete floor; the man's control over his strength was enough to send chills down their spines.

However, the gaze of Lu Pan, one of the representative figures, turned serious in an instant. He had glimpsed some of Ku Zhu's true capabilities.

It wasn't just him; Jiao Houlu, Ding Jingshan, Wu Lingling, and other prominent scions also saw it.

Of course, Ku Zhu hadn't expected to fool everyone. This was merely because Wang Zhan wanted to assess their strength and clarify their levels.

After all, a Martial King was a Martial King. Mental energy could be used as a temporary disguise, but it could not always perfectly conceal one's true strength, at least, not from those with keen insight. From details such as the control over one's power, it would be clear. To individuals at or above the Martial King level, the Grandmaster Realm was so far beneath them it wasn't even worth comparing.

Therefore, as the surrounding crowd grew tense, these four immediately questioned Wang Zhan.

"Young Master Wang, it's just a friendly match. Why send out an expert of the Martial King Realm?"

Of course, they all knew such a challenge was untenable, as Wang Zhan was merely following standard procedure. But they weren't willing to keep suffering in silence. Were they supposed to just watch their subordinates be humiliated? It was better to call him out, let everyone know the power Wang Zhan possessed, and then they could all decide carefully, even if this was obviously overwhelming power.

However, Wang Zhan chuckled lightly and said earnestly, "Rest assured, it's just a friendly match. Ku Zhu is a true Sea-Stabilizing Divine Needle, even among my subordinates. I had him fight because I believe his presence will make our cooperation more enjoyable!"

Wang Zhan smiled faintly, his meaning clear: that was that.

A Martial King expert is right here; so what if there are objections?

The others pondered, considered, and remained silent.

Finally, Jiao Houlu was the first to step forward. "Since Young Master Wang possesses such power, our concerns are clearly unnecessary. In that case, I, Jiao Houlu, am willing to take this gamble with you, Young Master Wang! What do you say?"

Ding Jingshan, Wu Lingling, and the others followed suit.

In the end, Lu Pan, who held a notable reputation even in Jing State, also agreed. "Alright, since everyone has decided, I, Lu Pan, am no coward. Besides, Young Master Wang has shown such sincerity that I, Lu Pan, cannot refuse!"

With that, the atmosphere in the arena relaxed somewhat.

Power? Wang Zhan had already demonstrated it.

Benefits? A large slice of the pie was right before them.

And if they wanted to court death, a Martial King was standing right before them!

Given this, what other choice did they have? Naturally, it was either a case of all guests rejoicing, or it didn't matter if they panicked.

So, a rare smile touched Wang Zhan's lips. "In that case, I'll have to trouble you all. If you knew the kind of person I am, you'd understand that as long as you're willing to believe in me, I, Wang Zhan, will definitely ensure you receive a fitting reward!"

Speaking of which, a deal worth twenty to thirty billion was brokered by Wang Zhan as casually as a roadside hawker making a sale. This might seem unbelievable to some. But when truly faced with Wang Zhan's proposition, they would understand. Even knowing it was an unstable venture, they would willingly agree to cooperate, given the widespread attention and admiration, and the promise that twenty Grandmaster Realm experts could be cultivated.

And so, all preparations were complete, the east wind had arrived; all that remained was to ride the wind and ascend!

The subsequent arrangements were much simpler. Once the shares for each major city were allocated, every scion of the noble families would possess sufficient shares and interests, effectively treating this venture as their personal treasury.

This was precisely why Wang Zhan had specifically asked Yang Zecheng to mobilize them here. After all, these marginalized individuals from esteemed Jing State families—people who had seen and experienced everything yet were sidelined—were Wang Zhan's ideal candidates for his operations on the ground. No one else could compare!

However, by the end, once a map had been divided according to their respective capabilities and chosen areas, at the end of a small meeting, Lu Pan and the other three lifted their heads in unison at the very last moment, their gazes fixed on Wang Zhan. They then smiled faintly.

"Young Master Wang, your subordinate's skills are indeed formidable. We were wondering if you, Young Master Wang, would be willing to give us an opportunity to experience your esteemed techniques?"

Wang Zhan, seeing the challenging glint in their eyes, laughed heartily. They just want to sound me out. What's there to fear?

"Of course!" he replied. "However, since it's just for learning, we needn't use Essence Energy or mental energy. A simple contest of martial skills will suffice. What do you think?"

This, of course, was due to Wang Zhan's own considerations. He didn't want a simple spar to inadvertently cause him to break through to the next realm. Moreover, his true strength was still largely unknown within the Federation; it was better to keep it concealed.

Therefore, at this moment, a contest of pure fisticuffs—the most conservative and least destructive form of combat—became Wang Zhan's best choice.

Of course, the other four didn't care about Wang Zhan's reasoning, as long as he agreed.

"In that case, I, Lu Pan, will be so bold as to ask for Young Master Wang's guidance first!" Lu Pan declared, not holding back. He immediately launched a mighty punch, unconcerned about the surrounding crowd or any inconvenience his display might cause.

In fact, his was a family of martial artists with a lineage stretching back to near antiquity. They had absorbed the strengths of many schools, and his own martial arts skills were already honed to perfection. So, it was perfectly fitting for him to be the one to step forward now. He hoped that, if Wang Zhan wasn't careful, he might even be able to dampen his imposing aura and see if he could seize more initiative.

But Wang Zhan didn't think a mere reputation would be enough to scare him off. Besides, he hadn't been idle lately; he was still absorbing various secret manuals from the Small World and had gained considerable insights.

Thus, he gladly accepted the challenge, declaring, "Well struck! Eight Extremes Fist!"

Compared to the devastating power of Essence Energy and mental energy, although fisticuffs were less destructive, the level of autonomy and control they offered was significantly higher. After all, these techniques, etched into the deepest memories of their bodies, were their truly indomitable instincts.

And so, at that moment, the two clashed head-on, neither retreating a single step, both engaging in fierce, hard-hitting exchanges with seemingly unblockable techniques. Wang Zhan, in particular, was decisive and fought with sweeping, powerful movements that forced the onlookers to retreat repeatedly. Especially after studying countless fist techniques, his mastery over ancient boxing methods had grown more profound. Now, when he executed the Eight Extremes Fist, it carried the earth-shattering momentum capable of smashing mountains and triggering avalanches.

Lu Pan, true to his heritage, advanced relentlessly, step by step, his unceasing assault commanding fearful respect. Whether attacking or defending, in close quarters or open combat, the profound foundation of a martial arts family was evident in his every move, each executed with clear purpose and sound principle.

Moreover, the truly dazzling aspect of the fight wasn't just this. One could see that the momentum of the two combatants was indeed fierce, and their clashes were savage. Yet, their evasive instincts were more refined and deeply ingrained than those of many Grandmasters. Even after nearly a hundred exchanges, neither combatant bore a single mark; they were evenly matched, trading blow for blow.

In other words, they had managed to evade all of each other's attacks, resulting in a deadlock. Thus, it was a stalemate, and they could only continue to clash and entangle.

Witnessing this, not only the Grandmasters but even Ku Zhu, a Martial King, found his gaze deepening in thought.

No wonder I felt such a significant threat from Wang Zhan. So his martial arts proficiency has reached this level! Though not yet at the pinnacle of perfection, he has already achieved a high level of mastery and is on the verge of forming his own unique style. When that time comes, Wang Zhan will naturally ascend to the Grandmaster Realm and, consequently, possess his own exclusive martial arts. And don't forget, Wang Zhan doesn't rely solely on martial arts to survive. His true assets are his ability to disregard the accumulation needed for realm breakthroughs and the vast ocean of mental energy in his mind!

Even if Ku Zhu didn't know all of Wang Zhan's trump cards, he knew one thing for certain: since Wang Zhan was a peerless genius capable of attracting the attention and earning the regard of Wei Daoming, he could hardly be a simple figure.

Similarly, Wang Zhan's adept handling of Lu Pan did not escape Yang Zecheng's notice.

Yang Zecheng knew. Wang Zhan had invited him to join the team not just out of a desire to repay a favor. More importantly, Wang Zhan was preparing to build his primary echelon!

The flower... has already borne fruit!

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