In a desolate wilderness outside the city, more than a dozen vehicles were parked.
Yuan Liangping personally opened the back of a truck, revealing rows of military hardware.
Those who gathered around him gasped in unison upon seeing the contents.
A sturdy man in his middle age, with a rough face, exclaimed, "Young Master Yuan, this is truly a grand gesture. With so many weapons, you could equip a SWAT team!"
Yuan Liangping said in a deep voice, "Brother Gun, I've already given you ten million. After this is done, there will be another fifty million!"
The man's eyes gleamed, and he vowed, "Young Master Yuan, rest assured. With such firepower, even gods will be turned into sieves. However, we must test the guns!"
Yuan Liangping waved his hand indifferently, "There's no one around here, feel free to test them. Once you're done, we'll get to work."
He stepped aside, watching Brother Gun and dozens of his men unload the weaponry.
They were all rifles, with ample ammunition, plus over a hundred grenades and even rocket launchers.
Brother Gun stepped forward, picked up an AK-47, and with a click, disengaged the safety, his eyes unable to conceal his excitement.
He was a formidable figure from the Jiangbei underworld and had handled guns before, but seeing so many powerful firearms at once was an eye-opener.
Normally, he wouldn't dare to play like this, but with Yuan Liangping backing him, it was a different story.
Brother Gun, gripping the gun in his hand, said excitedly, "Young Master Yuan, can we keep these after the job is done?"
"Yes, if you can carry them away!" Yuan Liangping replied.
Hearing this, Brother Gun and his subordinates became even more enthusiastic.
They loaded the magazines and fired a burst into the empty distance.
The gunfire echoed in the wilderness, startling a large flock of birds into flight.
...
Flowing Cloud Dojo.
"How is your grandfather's condition?"
The woman who had played the flute that night asked in a low voice at the entrance of the quiet room.
Gongsun Liang, who was guarding the door, looked back at the closed door and whispered, "Grandpa Zheng is in good condition. Grandmother Gu need not worry."
Although called grandmother, the woman appeared to be only in her forties, with a slender figure and a face like a painting.
She nodded and asked, "Is that Chen Fan really worth your grandfather treating so seriously?"
"Grandpa Zheng said that although that person is injured, he also possesses the aura of a veteran warrior, an aura forged through countless battles and immense hardship. Such an enemy, even if not overwhelmingly strong, must not be underestimated in combat!" Gongsun Liang said earnestly.
"I know, your grandfather wishes to break through a bottleneck and step into the martial path!"
Gazing at the closed door, and thinking of Gongsun Zheng meditating within, the woman's expression was complex.
On one hand, she hoped the man inside would take that legendary step.
On the other hand, the more legendary the man inside became, the more distant their paths would diverge.
Of course, she had no doubt about the outcome of this battle.
"Aunt Gu!"
Footsteps approached, it was Gongsun Yuan, the master of the dojo.
The woman surnamed Gu looked over, her gaze questioning.
"There are quite a few guests here to watch the fight!"
Gongsun Yuan said with a hint of embarrassment.
The woman raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you asking me to speak for you?"
"Uncle Zheng dislikes crowds and specifically instructed me not to publicize this fight. Yet, the news still spread," Gongsun Yuan said with some helplessness, lowering his voice. "That Chen Fan is quite famous in Hangzhou now. This cannot all be blamed on me!"
"Mr. Long, is it!"
The woman nodded, not blaming him, and asked in return, "Who has come?"
"Some fellow martial artists who heard the news, like the patriarch of the Mei family from Haizhou, Senior Mei Shixi, Senior Luo Zilie from Tianmu Mountain, Senior Liang Mingzhou from Quzhou... These are all renowned martial artists from the two rivers region!"
The woman was surprised, "So many fellow practitioners have come?"
"These individuals know of the Gongsun clan's reputation. They have been paying attention since Uncle Zheng arrived in Hangzhou. This is still a short notice for the duel, otherwise, more martial artists from beyond the two rivers would have arrived!" Gongsun Yuan said.
"Since the duel is set to take place within the dojo, these people indeed cannot be refused," the woman nodded slightly.
"The rest are from Hangzhou's elite circles who heard the news," Gongsun Yuan said with a sigh. "Many of them, I also cannot refuse."
His dojo was in Hangzhou, and he couldn't displease the young masters and scions of some local influential families.
However, the larger the audience, the greater the potential trouble.
There was even the possibility of someone harboring ill intentions.
Furthermore, he knew that if a master at Gongsun Zheng's level were to unleash their full power, spectators too close could easily get injured.
This was also a source of headache for Gongsun Yuan.
The dojo naturally had a training ground, and it was spacious, but with many spectators, it would inevitably feel cramped.
The woman also frowned slightly.
She turned to Gongsun Liang and said, "Ah Liang, go in and ask your grandfather for instructions."
Gongsun Liang scratched his head, gently pushed open the door, and went inside.
A moment later, Gongsun Liang emerged.
His expression was somewhat excited, with a hint of exhilaration, "Grandpa Zheng has asked Uncle Yuan to arrange for the duel to be held on the bridge!"
"A duel on the bridge?" Gongsun Yuan asked, puzzled. "Will the other party agree?"
Arranging this would be somewhat difficult, but not impossible.
"Grandpa Zheng said Chen Fan will not refuse!"
"Go and make the arrangements," the woman said casually. "If it doesn't work out, I'll contact the scenic area management!"
"There's no need for Aunt Gu to intervene. The Gongsun family has enough influence for this!" Gongsun Yuan took a deep breath, nodded, and left to make the arrangements.
The influence of the thousand-year-old Gongsun clan was beyond what the mundane world could imagine. With just a few phone calls, they received the cooperation of the relevant departments.
There were not many tourists in the evening, and at this time, the area began to be cleared.
The woman glanced at the sky. It seemed there was still considerable time before the appointed hour, so she did not wait any longer and headed to the front yard.
After all, there were some fellow martial artists present, and they needed to be attended to.
She arrived next to the training ground and saw a large crowd already gathered there.
Those from Hangzhou's elite circles had brought many bodyguards and attendants, making the dojo's training ground seem less spacious.
"Heroine Gu!"
"Heroine Gu, it's been many years, your grace is as radiant as ever!"
Several people chatting around a tea table rose to greet her upon seeing her.
Although the title "heroine" sounded odd in modern times, these people uttered it naturally, as if it were ordained.
Moreover, these individuals were all exceptionally robust, with sharp gazes, exuding a refined aura that ordinary people lacked.
This was a group of ancient martial artists, who revered ancient ways, performed ancient rituals, and held ancient martial arts in highest esteem.
They were people with true skill, by no means comparable to those so-called masters who deceived the world with false fame.
However, they generally conducted themselves with discretion, rarely appearing before the public, and thus were unknown to most.
The woman smiled and nodded, greeting them one by one.
After pleasantries, someone asked, "Heroine Gu, what is the background of the fellow who is to duel with Senior Gongsun? This name, Chen Fan, I've never heard of him. Why is he worthy of Senior Gongsun's personal involvement?"
"Indeed, what is Senior Gongsun's status and power? To personally engage him seems to be giving that person too much importance!"
The woman said, "There is always a reason for engaging in a fight. Everyone, please do not underestimate your opponent."
"Just now, Brother Zheng changed the venue for the duel to the Broken Bridge."
"What, a duel on the bridge?"
After their initial surprise, these martial artists' faces lit up with anticipation.
"West Lake, upon the Broken Bridge, a sword comes from the west!"
"Just imagining this scene evokes boundless reverie and anticipation!"
"Let us hope that Mr. Gongsun's opponent is not too weak, lest he fail to live up to this beautiful landscape, this thousand-year-old scenic spot!"