Chapter 729: The Man in Black Arrives

The astonishing news that the Mu Family had established a branch altar in Yangzhou spread throughout the land that very day! Especially on the day the branch altar was set up, the confrontational questioning by Qin Yun and Qin Qing from Lingxiao Palace was widely circulated. The tense dialogue stirred up quite a stir in the martial world. Several well-known alliances and gangs secretly increased their presence in coastal areas… If a conflict arose between the Mu Family and Lingxiao Palace, it was obvious who would benefit.

But! Lingxiao Palace possessed resources from many coastal cities, and it was difficult for the Mu Family to take care of everything at once. Such a situation presented an excellent opportunity to deploy forces and seize advantages. After all… A single resource point could bring huge benefits to an ordinary gang, and gaining several of them would be crucial for their development! They hoped the Mu Family and Lingxiao Palace would start fighting immediately so they could take advantage of the chaos and reap some benefits.

However, Lingxiao Palace clearly did not have the resolve to completely break ties with the thriving Mu Family. On the day the branch altar was built, a group of people left in frustration, their faces grim. But… That same night, under a dark sky, something significant happened in Yangzhou…

The mysterious man in black reappeared in Yangzhou, outside the Mu Family’s branch altar. As soon as he approached, he was noticed by the highly vigilant Mu Family disciples. “Who’s there?” The disciples, also on guard against Lingxiao Palace and fearing any extreme actions from them, had stationed many men both inside and outside the altar. When the outer guards saw the man in black emerging from the darkness, they immediately alerted those inside.

Whoosh… A dozen men rushed out from the main gate, their gazes fixed on the masked figure in black clothes walking slowly forward. “Friend, coming here so late—are you here to find someone or cause trouble?” As they spoke, the Mu Family disciples took up combat positions… Who would dress up like this and cover their face if it weren’t for some ulterior motive in the dead of night? The sound of swords being drawn filled the air! “Both,” came the reply.

The man in black stopped firmly, his visible eyes scanning the altar’s plaque. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes as he finally spoke, “Send Yin Hu out. Tell him the man in black from Yangzhou’s docks wants to fight him.” “Yangzhou’s docks… You’re that mysterious masked man in black!” The Mu Family disciples paled in shock.

Recently, rumors about a man in black have been circulating widely among the common people. His extraordinary footwork has changed many people’s views on martial arts today and has also sparked a trend of outsiders challenging the top fighters on the Dragon List.
The man in black appeared here for no other reason than to challenge Silver Fox…
“Wait!”
A disciple of the Mu Family, who seemed to hold considerable authority, glanced at the man in black twice, then turned around and ordered his brothers to put away their swords before rushing inside.
Noticing the disciples putting away their swords, the seemingly unmoved gaze of the man in black finally showed a slight fluctuation…
Truly worthy of the Mu Family!
With a master coming to challenge at the door, they remained so calm and composed, putting away their weapons and regaining their usual composure. This reflected not only strict discipline but also, from the disciples’ expressions, their confidence in Silver Fox.
Such confidence in Silver Fox?
The man in black narrowed his eyes slightly, sensing the stir in his emotions, before closing them again!
Time flowed like water, slowly passing…
Half a minute later, a bold laugh came from the Mu Family’s branch, breaking the man in black’s serene state.
“It’s delightful to have friends coming from afar!”
The man in black frowned once more. He could sense from the laughter a long-awaited joy and a strong sense of confidence.
Unconsciously, his heart began to sink…
On the day he achieved success, there were two people in the entire martial world he didn’t wish to challenge!
Happy and the Emperor!
Below these two, he dismissed everyone else.
But after losing to the nameless man in black at the Yangzhou docks, his confidence was shaken. Yet he didn’t abandon his plans. With the momentum from defeating many top fighters from the First-Class Hall and Lingxiao Palace, he challenged numerous Dragon List fighters, advancing triumphantly until he was defeated by the Xiyi Gate fighter “Red Dust”.
He had suffered his second defeat!
Now…
The man in black came to the Mu Family first to meet this second-strongest fighter there, “Silver-faced Marquis”, and secondly, to leverage Silver Fox’s fame to become the top fighter in the martial world, recognized by all.
His original plan was to defeat the top fighters from the four major gangs before revealing his identity and then proclaiming the establishment of the fifth major gang.
But in the first battle, although he defeated two top gang fighters, he himself was defeated by the man in black. Proud as he was, he didn’t reveal his identity.
In the second battle, he helped elevate the obscure “Red Dust Marquis” to the status of a hero once again.
This battle was his last chance!

Defeating the Silver Fox and revealing one’s identity could also bring the glory of overcoming top experts from three major gangs, earning the support of countless martial arts masters and gathering a formidable force to compete in the Central Plains. But what if one failed…
To be honest, the man in black hadn’t considered that. Now, such a possibility suddenly flashed through his mind, like a gust of cold wind. His resolve was unshaken; after a brief moment of distraction, he quickly regained his composure, his gaze turning cold once again as he stared at the man in the silver mask descending the steps from inside.
“…”
The man in black frowned again. He sensed an extremely strong military aura from the other man—unlike ordinary players, every step seemed precisely measured, steady and unhurried; his eyes were cold yet intense, and his breathing had its own rhythm, instinctively drawing others in.
“Are you the mysterious man in black from the Yangzhou Dock who defeated many top experts from the First-Class Hall and Lingxiao Palace?” The Silver Fox walked down the steps and stopped about ten meters away from the man in black, his expression unreadable.
“You’re the Silver Fox.”
The man in black was filled with complex emotions and refused to let the Silver Fox take control of the conversation. He said coldly, “The second strongest expert of the Mu Family?”
The Silver Fox smiled indifferently and tapped the damaged silver mask covering his face. “It’s true, I am the Silver Fox. As for being the second strongest expert of the Mu Family, I’m not worthy of such a title.”
“Let’s get to the point. I’m here today to challenge you. You choose the rules—shall we stop at a certain point or go all out?”
“As you wish,” the Silver Fox replied calmly.
…
Since the Mu Family’s branch had only just been established and was at the center of much attention, the arrival of the man in black and the Silver Fox’s voice attracted many onlookers.
Whoosh!!
Numerous torches were quickly lit all around! The open area outside the branch was illuminated as if it were day.