"So the kid actually agreed. He's got some nerve." Zhao Jianhua's opinion of Shi Feng shifted slightly.
Zhang Luowei was hailed as a fighting prodigy. His Luohan Fist had long since reached an advanced level, and many professional fighters couldn't match him. Shi Feng was just a gamer at the end of the day. Sure, beating Zhou Yuhu was no small feat, but compared to Zhang Luowei, they weren't even in the same league.
Nearby, Zhao Ruoxi was getting anxious.
"Why is this Shi Feng so stupid?" she muttered to herself in exasperation. "All it took was Lan Hailong puffing him up a little, and now he's strutting around. Zhang Luowei is a genuine martial arts master."
Standing off to the side, Lin Feilong watched Shi Feng with a cold smirk. He'd seen that sparring match and knew Shi Feng was no pushover, but compared to Zhang Luowei, there was still a significant gap. Besides, in that match, Zhou Yuhu had been careless and completely underestimated Shi Feng, which was why he got taken out in a single hit. If Zhou Yuhu had been more cautious, the result would have been entirely different.
As long as Zhang Luowei defeated Shi Feng, combined with Lan Hailong's heavy promotion of the event, even if Shi Feng didn't lose in the game, losing in a publicized bout like this would amount to the same thing. The Zero Wing Guild would definitely lose a lot of face because of Shi Feng, since both fighters were representing their respective guilds, not themselves.
This was exactly where Lan Hailong's cunning showed.
He'd flatter Shi Feng to death!
First, he'd build Shi Feng up as some incredible powerhouse, making everyone gasp in awe. Then he'd elevate Shi Feng to the status of guild representative, turning what was supposed to be a casual sparring session into a showdown between two guilds. And after that, having Zhang Luowei crush this supposedly mighty Shi Feng would serve to demonstrate Shadow Guild's superiority.
Even if Shi Feng was merely a mid-level manager at Zero Wing, he'd still face severe punishment. After all, this was a matter of guild honor.
Lan Hailong's methods were utterly ruthless—killing without drawing blood!
While the crowd buzzed with excited discussion, the staff had already begun preparing the sparring area.
"Who do you think will win?"
"Zhang Luowei, obviously. He's my idol. Back when he took first place in the whole school, it was effortless—nobody could last more than three moves against him. Shi Feng did beat Zhou Yuhu, who was ranked third, so he's pretty strong, but he just doesn't seem to have any presence. Zhang Luowei, though—if you stand anywhere near him, your whole body feels this intense pressure. If he fixes his gaze on you, your back goes cold, like a savage beast is staring you down. It's a primal kind of fear. Shi Feng? I don't feel a thing from him. It's like he's not even there."
"I agree. Shi Feng might be top-tier in the Divine Realm, but this is real-world combat. Lasting ten or more moves against Zhang Luowei would already be impressive. If this were in the Divine Realm, it might actually be an entertaining match."
Just as everyone was dismissing Shi Feng's chances, Zhou Yuhu, who had been resting in a corner, deliberately walked over to Zhang Luowei.
"Brother Zhang, be careful with that Shi Feng guy." Zhou Yuhu spoke cautiously. "I've fought him before. His strength is lacking, and his stamina isn't great either. But his combat experience is extensive. He times his strikes perfectly—every punch and kick feels alive, completely under his control."
"You're overthinking it, Xiao Hu. Even if Shi Feng were at a professional level, I'd still take him down. I'll get back the face you lost," Zhang Luowei said with a smile, patting Zhou Yuhu on the shoulder. A few words from Zhou Yuhu weren't going to shake his confidence. At his level, his willpower was as hard as iron.
It wasn't that Zhang Luowei was underestimating Shi Feng—it was the pride of a true master, the unshakable confidence that he could defeat any opponent.
"Brother Zhang…"
Zhou Yuhu knew he couldn't persuade him, but only someone who had truly crossed blows with Shi Feng understood just how terrifying he really was.
If Zhang Luowei was a fearsome beast, then Shi Feng was like mountains and oceans—no matter how much power you wielded, it was utterly insignificant before the vastness of nature.