Chapter Sixty-Six: Xiong Gang

"Why should we wait a while? It's already mealtime. Why don't we go now?" Liu Lingshuang, seeing that Ye Sansi was hungry and with nothing else to do, suggested they head out for a walk.

Li Taiyi and Lin Nian'er also stood up, ready to set off, but Jin Sun hurriedly waved her hands and said, "No, no, that's not possible. There are people eating at this time. We have to wait until they've finished before we can go."

Ye Sansi asked, "People eating? Who are they?"

Jin Sun stammered, "It's the ones I mentioned earlier, the ones who make things difficult for me. They're all strong and some even know martial arts. We have to wait until they're full before we go over. If we disturb them, we'll be taught a lesson. It's better to wait a bit longer."

Liu Lingshuang sprang up in anger. "This is outrageous! We're all here to seek the immortal path. Why should they hold themselves above everyone else, and why should we be left with their scraps? It's simply detestable!"

With that, she grabbed Jin Sun by the sleeve and dragged her toward the door. "Don't worry, Little Sun. With us beside you, they won't dare do anything."

Hearing her say so, Jin Sun could only lead the way, explaining as they walked, "To reach the barrier, we need to follow the steps all the way up. It won't take long. I've heard there are one hundred and eight stairways on this Immortal Island, and thus one hundred and eight meal distribution points."

Ye Sansi, Li Taiyi, and Lin Nian'er followed closely. Ye Sansi asked with some confusion, "Since there are so many meal points on the island, why don't you go elsewhere to eat?"

Jin Sun replied, "Although there are one hundred and eight stairways, the island is enormous. They're spread so far apart that it's a long journey between any two. I don't have the time to look for others either, so I just wait until they're done. It doesn't really matter."

Before long, they caught sight of one of the hundred and eight stairways Jin Sun had described.

The steps weren't made of any precious stone or adorned with gems and jade, but their grandeur was imposing, and stepping onto them felt solid and reassuring.

Jin Sun explained, "At first glance, these steps seem vast, but the distance to the barrier is short. We can reach it in less than half a stick of incense."

Ye Sansi nodded. He noticed flowers and grasses planted along both sides of the stairway, reminiscent of those on Mount Buyun, and said happily, "This Inch of Immortal Island is truly fascinating. Upon arrival, before seeing any immortal elders, we're provided with lodgings and can enjoy such beautiful scenery."

Jin Sun laughed and replied, "Brother Ye, that's exactly what I thought when I first arrived. But after a while, you get tired of it."

"It's because this Inch of Immortal Island isn't beautiful enough. On Mount Buyun, the flowers, birds, and butterflies are all lovely, and sometimes you can see the clouds and mist. When the sunlight comes through, the sight is magnificent. I've spent over a decade on the mountain and never grown weary. After coming down, I find myself longing for Mount Buyun even more."

Liu Lingshuang chuckled. "All right, all right, as the king of your mountain, of course you think your domain is the best. I've been to Inch of Immortal Island before. The outer scenery is fine, but compared to the inner island, it's nothing. When you see it in the coming days, you'll understand what a true fairyland is."

Jin Sun exclaimed, "So Brother Ye comes from an immortal mountain! Yet you speak and act just like an ordinary person. My father always said you can't judge a person by their appearance."

"Hahaha," Liu Lingshuang laughed. "Little Sun, you're so adorable. You're young, but you speak with such courtesy. We're only mortals, just like you, here to learn the way on this island."

Ye Sansi stepped forward and asked, "Little Sun, you seem younger than all of us. Why did you decide to come to this island on your own?"

Jin Sun smiled and answered, "The name of Inch of Immortal Island is renowned in the world. If I can become a disciple and learn powerful immortal arts, I won't be bullied anymore, and I can stand up for the helpless. The island only accepts disciples once every three years. If I waited any longer, I'm afraid my passion would fade."

In the eyes of the four, Jin Sun was just a child, but her resolve mirrored their own.

Soon, they reached the top of the steps and found themselves on a small platform, barely able to accommodate a hundred people.

More than a dozen men were already eating there, all of them burly and strong, not inferior even to Ye Sansi. They sat with their shirts open, bowls in one hand and chopsticks in the other, wolfing down their food like starving ghosts.

Upon seeing newcomers, these men exchanged glances, set down their bowls and chopsticks, and strode menacingly toward Jin Sun and her companions. Jin Sun, frightened, hid behind Liu Lingshuang.

Liu Lingshuang stood her ground, hands on hips, tapping her left leg disdainfully. Jin Sun whispered from behind her, "Sister Lingshuang, be careful. The one in front is Xiong Gang, son of the head of the Barbarian Zhang Sect. He's ruthless..."

Xiong Gang strode over and shouted, "You look unfamiliar. New arrivals?"

He was even taller and more muscular than Ye Sansi, with arms thicker than Ye Sansi's thighs.

But Ye Sansi had seen much of the world—beasts, villains, demons—none of which had ever made him flinch. Why would he fear this man? He straightened his back and shielded his group, replying, "Yes. So what?"

Xiong Gang said, "You look sturdy enough. Want to be my little brother? I'll take care of your food and clothing. How about it?"

"Oh, my," Liu Lingshuang laughed, "I didn't expect such generosity from someone your size."

Xiong Gang, hearing her voice, noticed Jin Sun behind her and said, "So it was you who brought them here. You know the rules of these steps. Looking for trouble?"

Liu Lingshuang raised her voice. "What do you mean, 'boy this, boy that'? Little Sun is a girl, and such a sweet one at that. How can you bully her?"

"Hahaha, we're not here to find wives, we're here to seek the immortal path. The food distribution spots are limited. The strong need to eat well first. A few weaklings going hungry a bit longer won't matter."

Liu Lingshuang pointed at Xiong Gang in anger. "What twisted reasoning! You rely on brute force to oppress the weak and then expect everyone to yield to you. Where is the justice in that?"

Xiong Gang considered her words but found them useless to himself. He waved and said, "You're educated and can argue, but I only believe in one thing: the weak should serve the strong. If you disagree, fight me. If you win, I'll follow your rules. If you lose, you'll follow mine. How about it?"

"Fine, let's fight," Ye Sansi said, cracking his knuckles. He could tell Xiong Gang was only strong in appearance; when it came to skill, he was no match. Ye Sansi wanted to teach him a lesson and make him think twice before bullying others.

But just as Ye Sansi was about to step forward, Liu Lingshuang pulled him back, stood on tiptoe, and whispered in his ear, "Let me handle this one, Sansi. I really can't stand that Xiong Gang. I must teach him a lesson."

Ye Sansi nodded, warning her to be careful.

Liu Lingshuang placed her hands on her hips, took a big step forward, and shouted at Xiong Gang, "So your name is Xiong Gang? You're so arrogant—let this young lady take you on!"

"You? With those thin arms and legs? Don't let your big brother Xiong accidentally hurt you, ha!" Xiong Gang scoffed, seeing how delicate she looked.

Yet, Xiong Gang knew the rules of a duel and respected his opponent. He ordered his followers to clear space and signaled for Liu Lingshuang to step to the center. Ye Sansi and the others stood aside to watch.

When both were ready, they exchanged bows as custom dictated.

As soon as the salutes ended, Xiong Gang made the first move, thinking Liu Lingshuang weak and easily dispatched so he could save energy for fighting Ye Sansi and Li Taiyi.

But things did not go as he expected. He threw a punch, prepared to pull back at any moment, but Liu Lingshuang dodged nimbly and he missed completely. Only now did he realize she knew some martial arts and began to take the match seriously.

Before Xiong Gang could recover, Liu Lingshuang gathered her strength and lashed out with a whip kick. Due to his height, she couldn't reach his head or neck, so her kick struck his arm but did no harm at all.

She attacked again and again, but Xiong Gang's muscles and bones were so solid that unarmed, she could not defeat him. But this was a duel, and on immortal ground—if she used a weapon while he fought barehanded, she would be ridiculed.

If she wanted to win, she could easily use the "Heaven-Earth Lock" technique; as a mortal, Xiong Gang would be rendered immobile. But she knew her magic was secretly learned; using it would only bring her trouble.

Xiong Gang boasted, "Little girl, what now? I've let you attack so many times and you haven't even scratched me. Do I even need to fight back? Surrender now and let that sturdy brother try instead."

Ye Sansi was about to step forward, but Li Taiyi stopped him. Taiyi walked to Xiong Gang and said, "Hey, if you want to fight my big brother, you have to go through me first."

Seeing Taiyi's thin frame, Xiong Gang laughed, "You, little monkey? You're weaker than any girl here. You really want to fight? This time, I won't hold back."

Taiyi cupped his fists. "No need to hold back. Come at me with all you've got."

Both saluted. As soon as the duel began, Xiong Gang attacked first, just as Taiyi had hoped. Xiong Gang's fists flew, but Taiyi danced away using the Fiery Crane Step, keeping well out of reach.

Xiong Gang attacked, Taiyi dodged. After more than ten moves, Xiong Gang hadn't touched Taiyi, and was already winded, panting heavily. He paused and said, "This isn't fair—you just dodge around! How is that a duel?"

Li Taiyi smiled, "Very well, now I'll attack. Ready?"

With a flick of his right foot, Taiyi instantly closed the distance. Xiong Gang panicked and threw a punch, but Taiyi caught it, turned with the Smoky Palm technique, and flipped Xiong Gang over his back, sending him crashing to the ground in a cloud of dust.

Against Xiong Gang, Taiyi was utterly relaxed and effortlessly victorious.