All Heavens: A Role-Playing System Starting from Tianlong

Mu Wanqing was taken aback. Before she could even realize what those words meant, Zhang Cheng had already put down his wine glass and stood up.

Everyone in the hall was taken aback and turned to look at him.

Duan Zhengchun put down his chopsticks and smiled, "Brother Zhang, what's this?"

Zhang Cheng cupped his hands in thanks. "Thank you for your hospitality, Prince Duan. Now that we have eaten and drunk our fill, I can finally discuss some serious matters with you."

Duan Zhengchun's smile froze slightly: "Oh? What is it?"

Zhang Cheng looked at him and slowly said, "I've come to settle an score with Prince Duan on behalf of a woman."

Of course, the prince is naturally a womanizer, and has wronged countless women throughout his life. I'm afraid even he wouldn't be able to match what I'm saying.

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.

Zhang Cheng glanced around, his tone remaining calm:

"Of course, it would be impolite to arrive without prior notice. It would be unjust for me to threaten you with violence in return for Your Highness's hospitality."

"In that case, I'll give Your Highness half an hour to prepare. The experts from the Prince's mansion, the skilled fighters from the palace, the eminent monks from Tianlong Temple, and even the troops that can be mobilized within half an hour—all can be summoned at once. I'll take them all."

Although Zhang Cheng disrupted Duan Zhengchun's banquet, he did not get angry.

The reason was that Zhang Cheng's offer was more like a suicide pact than a revenge pact.

As the younger brother of the King of Dali and the Prince of Zhennan, he held a high position and wielded great power. Within Dali, he could mobilize countless forces. Even with limited time, he did not believe that anyone in the world could stand against him on their own.

Duan Zhengchun pondered for a moment, then stood up and asked, "Brother Zhang, who exactly is this woman you mentioned who has a grudge against me?"

If it is indeed true, you may speak plainly. Though I am not talented, I am capable of taking responsibility for my actions. Your ambiguous statements leave me unsure how to respond.

Zhang Cheng looked at him and said calmly, "Your Highness doesn't need to know who it is. Just know that there is a woman in this world who has suffered for almost twenty years because of your philandering."

He paused, then continued, "As for who she is—if Your Highness feels guilty, then the answer will naturally be correct; if you feel no guilt, then it doesn't matter if the answer is incorrect."

"Alright, half an hour isn't a long time, Your Highness should hurry and find some help."

Duan Zhengchun's expression changed slightly, and he stood there stunned.

I've suffered for almost twenty years...

Several figures flashed through his mind, but he couldn't be sure which one it was.

"Zhang Zhuangshi, is there some misunderstanding here...?" Duan Yu stood up and started to speak, but before he could finish, Yue Laosan pushed him back into his seat.

Yue Laosan lowered his voice and said in a muffled tone, "What are you doing getting involved if you don't know martial arts? Aren't you afraid someone will kill you with one palm strike?"

Duan Yu was restrained and unable to move, and could only watch anxiously.

Zhang Cheng glanced at Duan Yu, then looked at Duan Zhengchun:

"Whether there's a misunderstanding or not, Prince Duan knows perfectly well. However, judging from your reaction, it seems that the conditions I just offered were too generous, making you think I was joking."

Before he finished speaking, Zhang Cheng flashed into the courtyard. He raised his right hand and struck out with a palm strike in mid-air—

"boom!"

With a palm strike, a rockery three zhang away exploded! Shards flew everywhere, and dust filled the air. When the dust settled, the rockery, which was originally over ten zhang tall, had been reduced to rubble.

Everyone was horrified.

"Your Highness, I urge you to deal with this carefully within half an hour. This will allow me to experience the prowess of the experts from Dali."

After Zhang Cheng finished speaking, he sat cross-legged on the spot, closed his eyes, and waited quietly.

The Northern Darkness Divine Art, a top-tier martial art in the Heavenly Dragon Realm, combines Yin and Yang in its true energy, making it incredibly powerful. Before leaving his seat, Zhang Cheng had already secretly prepared for a precise strike.

The sheer force of the attack immediately stunned everyone. Even Duan Yanqing, who knew Zhang Cheng's strength best, was secretly shocked, never expecting that Zhang Cheng's strength had improved so much in such a short time.

Duan Zhengchun was also alarmed at this moment.

When he returned home earlier, Yue Laosan had come to tell him that there were unpleasant guests at the mansion and that he should be on guard.

Duan Zhengchun took this matter very seriously—this “Second Master” who died with his son was somewhat mad, but his martial arts skills were so high that they rivaled those of the three dukes of Dali, and even the four guards of the Prince’s Mansion were inferior to him.

A "bad guest" who can be valued by such a person must be quite powerful.

However, he felt that with himself and the four guards of the Prince's Mansion backing him up, and with the help of his close friend, Marquis Gao Shengtai of Shanshan, he was fully prepared.

But seeing the power of Zhang Cheng's palm strike, he realized that he had underestimated his enemy.

Now that he knew the other party was not seeking death, but rather was skilled and daring, Duan Zhengchun naturally wouldn't sit idly by and wait for his doom.

He was still very curious about the identity of the woman Zhang Cheng had mentioned, but he could wait until he won the fight to find out.

He did not intend to take Zhang Cheng's life.

Given his past actions, the other party's claim that he was entrusted by someone to seek revenge against him is most likely true.

The fact that this person came alone for a request shows that he is a righteous man, not to mention that the other party had saved his son.

In the arena, Zhong Ling looked around, unsure of what to do.

Several guards from the nearby Prince's Palace heard the noise of the artificial hill being destroyed and drew their swords to approach, but when they got close to Zhang Cheng, their eyes rolled back and they fainted.

Upon seeing this, Duan Zhengchun personally stepped forward, dragged out several unconscious guards, and then ordered someone to seek help from his elder brother.

……

Half an hour passed quickly.

The courtyard was now filled with people.

The King of Dali, Emperor Duan Zhengming of Baoding, and the three dukes of Dali, headed by Hua Hegen, were all present. Even Abbot Benyin of Tianlong Temple and Master Huangmei of Nianhua Temple were invited.

In addition to Duan Zhengchun, the Prince of Zhennan, Gao Shengtai, the Marquis of Shanshan, and the four guards already in the palace, most of the best fighters in Dali have arrived.

Zhang Cheng opened his eyes, slowly stood up, and looked around. "The time has come. It seems that Prince Duan has made sufficient preparations."

He stood with his hands behind his back, his tone indifferent: "Which of you will be the first to challenge me? Of course, it's fine if we all charge in together."

From the crowd, a man holding a fishing rod stepped forward and bowed to Duan Zhengming and Duan Zhengchun: "Your Majesty, my lord, please let the four of us brothers go first."

Seeing the two nod, he turned to Zhang Cheng, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Chu Wanli, a guard of the Prince of Zhennan's mansion, has come to learn from your superior skills."

The fishing rod in his hand was over ten feet long, made entirely of fine steel, and could be used as both a soft whip and an iron rod. He could both strike with the rod and pull with the fishing line, a unique technique.

At that moment, he swung his rod straight for the middle, but the fishing line behind him attacked from behind, flanking him from both sides.

Unfortunately, his speed was far too slow compared to Zhang Cheng's.

Zhang Cheng had already activated [Cooperative Combat] when he got up, further enhancing his strength.

His Lingbo Weibu (a martial arts technique) has been completely transformed due to the insights he gained from revisiting "Practice While Standing". He no longer needs to be bound by the complete number of steps; he only needs to withstand a little meridian pulse impact to stop and change moves at any time, making him far more agile than ordinary people.

He moved swiftly and was already beside Chu Wanli.

Chu Wanli felt a blur before his eyes and his hand lighten—the fine steel fishing rod had fallen into the other party's hands.

Zhang Cheng flicked his wrist, using the pole as a spear, and thrust it straight at the man's chest. The force was perfectly controlled, sending the man flying several feet away, but only wounding him without killing him.

Chu Wanli fell heavily to the ground, struggled for a moment, but ultimately could not get up.