But what Song Qiao hadn't expected was that Gao Meng would directly volunteer to fight.
She stared at Song Qiao and said, "Mr. Song, let me fight. I can definitely defeat the opponent."
Song Qiao looked at her in surprise. He saw a look of determination on her face, her previous gentleness gone.
As he marveled at the great change in her character, he heard Gao Meng continue, "My daily practice, combined with your training, is more than enough to deal with ordinary people!"
Song Qiao met her gaze. "Alright, but you must be very careful. If you're outmatched, give up!"
"Don't worry!"
Elder Xu watched the interaction between Song Qiao and Gao Meng and knew that Gao Meng was to be sent into the arena.
A look of disdain flashed in his eyes. He called out to Xu Yang on the other side, "Xu Yang, come here."
As soon as the words fell, a man in his early twenties emerged from the crowd.
He was none other than Elder Xu's grandson and his star disciple, Xu Yang.
Unlike the rough and robust Elder Xu, he was fair-faced and handsome. Coupled with his Western suit, he looked sharp and elegant.
However, his movements were swift, and the suit fit him perfectly, emphasizing his physique.
Clearly, he was strong, not as delicate as his appearance suggested.
Song Qiao glanced at Xu Yang and then, after a moment's thought, instructed Gao Meng, "Judging by Elder Xu's aura, it's fist techniques, and this Xu Yang is the same."
Gao Meng nodded solemnly. "Don't worry, I know! I've been practicing with that in mind all along."
"Therefore, you must base your stance on fist techniques. The Xingyi Quan I taught you, you've practiced it well. As long as you use it effectively, defeating him won't be difficult. Just remember the four words I told you: 'overcome the strong with the weak!'"
Overcome the strong with the weak?
Gao Meng pouted, her face showing a hint of displeasure.
She then said, "Do you think I can't defeat the opponent, that you don't have much faith in me?"
Song Qiao simply smiled faintly. "Of course not. It's just that these four words have infinite power and require careful contemplation, experienced during combat. I can only explain it to you here, but it's ultimately up to you!"
Seeing Song Qiao speak in such a vague manner, Gao Meng was somewhat dissatisfied, but she knew there was nothing more to be done.
Like many other profound pursuits, martial arts, when reaching a high level, become intertwined with philosophical thought. One must experience and constantly summarize in practice to improve.
Teng Haibo, guarding nearby, saw Song Qiao send Gao Meng to fight and offer her private counsel, and he couldn't help but worry.
This girl seemed to be on a completely different level compared to Xu Yang.
One was tall and mighty, the other delicate and fragile.
Although she was also a practitioner of martial arts, he couldn't quite imagine the power of her fist techniques.
There's a saying that raw strength can overcome all skill.
So, even though he had decided to cling to Song Qiao for support, upon seeing their current predicament and the dispatch of the young girl Gao Meng, he felt very uncertain.
His only recourse now was to hope Song Qiao was reliable.
Song Qiao stood up and announced that Gao Meng would be the fighter.
Gao Meng stood up, immediately becoming the center of attention.
Teng Haibo quickly stepped forward and said, "Young lady, please be careful. Oh, I'm not saying this for myself, I just genuinely hope you win."
Gao Meng's expression darkened slightly. She felt looked down upon, as if he didn't think she could win.
Seeing Gao Meng's expression, Teng Haibo inwardly cursed his bad luck for upsetting her. He quickly tried to mend his words: "Although I believe in Mr. Song and I believe in you, fists and feet have no eyes. On the stage, you must be cautious, especially to prevent the opponent from cheating!"
Gao Meng nodded, indicating she understood.
The surrounding members of the Tongmen gang were in an uproar upon seeing such a delicate girl like Gao Meng stepping up to fight.
"It seems they have no one else left, sending a woman to fight."
"Yes, a woman like that, she won't last long!"
"Heh heh, beauty versus the beast!"
"..."
Tang Wen had seen Gao Meng before, assuming she was just there to gain experience accompanying Song Qiao. He never expected her to represent Song Qiao in the fight.
He couldn't help but look down on Song Qiao. He said to the person beside him, "This Song Qiao is just short-sighted. He even has his female disciple participate in such a crucial bet match. I hope he doesn't lose too embarrassingly later, hehe..."
He chuckled disdainfully.
His subordinate replied, "This way, Xu Yang's chances of winning increase, which is also good for you."
Tang Wen had already considered this. He then addressed Song Qiao's side, "Mr. Song, are you really going to send Miss Gao to fight? Alas, I fear people will say Xu Yang won unfairly, and my position as helmsman will be tainted!"
Although he was already certain of victory, he still put on an act.
Elder Xu, with his sharp eyesight, could tell that although Gao Meng possessed a certain level of combat ability, she was still significantly outmatched by Xu Yang.
Of course, he also considered the possibility that if Gao Meng was defeated too easily during the match, the result might be invalidated.
So he asked, "Mr. Song, are you sure you want Miss Gao to fight?"
Song Qiao's expression was calm. "Of course. She requested it herself, and I believe in her ability."
As soon as he said this, Elder Xu, Tang Wen, Xia Haibin, Xu Yang, and the others were all stunned.
The onlookers at the scene also found it incredible.
Many simply thought Song Qiao was boasting.
Based on Gao Meng's appearance?
Perhaps even Song Qiao himself wouldn't fare well if he fought.
"Of course, if you feel it's an unfair victory and don't want them to fight, then forget it. We can reschedule for another day," Song Qiao said calmly.
Upon hearing this, Elder Xu and his group were taken aback. They felt Song Qiao was cunning, shifting the blame back to them.
If they won, they might be accused of winning unfairly.
If they lost, they would surely face gossip.
Of course, if they lost, their faction would have little influence in this gang.
Thinking this, Elder Xu made up his mind. How could he miss such a golden opportunity?
After all, with his grandson Xu Yang's skill, dealing with such an unknown minor character would be a piece of cake.
So, putting on a magnanimous air, he said, "Since you, Mr. Song, dare to send someone to fight, how can we refuse to oblige! I trust your skill is high, and your disciples are extraordinary. We shall see."
At this moment, Teng Haibo watched Elder Xu and his group's performance and could only sneer. They were truly a bunch of hypocrites.
But at the same time, his heart was in turmoil.
He felt he should trust Song Qiao, yet he feared Gao Meng's defeat.
Among the crowd, only Sun Tengfei, like Song Qiao, remained calm and composed throughout.
In fact, Sun Tengfei's composure stemmed from his greater trust in Song Qiao.
Through their previous encounters, he had concluded that Song Qiao was no ordinary person. While not infallible, he was certainly well-planned and would never fight a battle he couldn't win, especially at such a critical juncture.
Of course, his calmness stood in stark contrast to the heated atmosphere of the scene.
Most people present favored Xu Yang.