Chapter Twenty-Four: Fierce Battle

  In March, Xuzhou's weather is still a bit cool, the trees are just about to sprout, and the gentle breeze blows across the face, although not as sharp as in the north, but also with a hint of chill that penetrates to the bottom of the lake, making people unconsciously want to find some warmth.

  At this moment, Xue Ming didn't feel the slightest chill, but instead felt hot all over. The reason was that he was fighting with his utmost strength against Song Qing, yet no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't gain the upper hand. On the contrary, it seemed that he was being tightly suppressed by his opponent and might be thoroughly defeated at any moment.

  As a notorious playboy, Xue Ping was actually very busy, either thinking about Zhang's widow's makeup or Li's wife's red silk, and didn't have any mind to care about Jianghu matters. If it wasn't for Song Qing recently making a big splash and directly snatching his small flag position, he wouldn't even notice this person.

  But since Song Qing rose to fame, almost everyone in the Wei camp has been talking about this name within a month. It seems that if you don't know Song Qing, you shouldn't be in Xuzhou Wei at all. Especially within the jurisdiction of Ben Qianhu, it's even reached the point where people chat about Song Qing while eating, walking and strolling around. As the leader of the local young men, Wang Jian wasn't particularly concerned because he had a good relationship with Song Qing and was almost like sworn brothers. However, Xue Ming, who had a bad reputation, couldn't take it, especially since Song Qing took his small flag.

  Before coming over today, Xue Ming had never done his homework. Although Song Qing's reputation was not small, the two of them had known each other since childhood, and when they were young, he would often bully Song Qing. It wasn't until he grew up a bit that he discovered it was more interesting to bully the girls in the brothel, so he let off the originally timid Song Qing.

  As for Song Qing's recent fame, Xue Ming attributed it to having walked into a pile of dog shit, and then some busybodies spread the rumor recklessly, exaggerating it more and more until it became today's Song Qing. As for Wu Laohei's incident, he would rather believe that Ding Kui did it. After all, Ding Kui is also a somewhat famous rascal in the Wei Suo area. Recently, I heard that his family's economic situation is not very good, so it's normal for him to take risks and do such things. The attack on Wu Laohei can be concluded as such.

  As for why the outside rumor is that it was Song Qing, Xue Ming also has his own argument. He thinks it should be Ding Kui who feared Song Hu, after all, the latter is also a general flag. This is why he let the reputation go to Song Qing and only took the practical benefits, without delaying anything. Isn't it strange for the son of an official in the Imperial Guard to take credit for someone else's achievement?

  Various emotions made Xue Ming always look down on Song Qing, even when he was just pushed out by Song Qing's shoulder, he thought the other party had good luck, although it couldn't be described with physical theory, but roughly speaking, he could figure it out. Until both sides really started a group fight, and Song Qing came to him alone, he tragically discovered that this guy who had been bullied by himself since childhood had changed into a different person, even more fierce than Wang Jian, the boxing madman.

  He believed that those thieves were really killed by Song Qing, and also believed that Wu Laohei's gambling house was indeed taken down by Song Qing. At the same time, he also believed in one thing: if he didn't think of a way, he would soon be shamefully captured by Song Qing, which was something he couldn't accept.

  Because it involves Xue Ping's relationship, and Xue Ming didn't take out his weapon, Song Qing also didn't use his spear. He fought with bare fists, thinking that if he could fight evenly with Wang Jian and the others, taking care of Xue Ming would be a piece of cake.

  But after just a few exchanges, Song Qing had already gained the upper hand. His fists and feet were similar to Wang Jian's, both employing a strong, fierce, and heavy style, while Xue Ming's martial arts looked beautiful but were actually mostly fancy moves. Fortunately, his father had taught him some military skills in the past, so he could barely hold on for a while. However, after a long time, his body, which had been emptied by the girls, found it difficult to withstand Song Qing's increasingly fierce attacks. His shoulders, chest, and abdomen were hit one after another, and if not for his lower body being relatively stable, he would have almost fallen to the ground.

  Song Qing's confidence grew as he continued to gain the upper hand, initially unaware of Xue Ming's true abilities, he was slightly cautious in his movements. However, after a few exchanges, he had grasped most of Xue Ming's moves, whose martial arts skills were barely passable, making it impossible for him to win against Song Qing, so his movements gradually became bolder.

  He had learned Northern-style martial arts and free-fighting techniques in his past life, with many open and closed moves. His previous caution had restricted his performance, but now he was completely liberated, and the power of his fists and feet suddenly increased greatly. Swiftly sweeping through the air, they made a whooshing sound, occasionally touching Xue Ming, who was busy dodging, and immediately overpowering him, even forcing him to retreat several steps. After a few more moves, Song Qing's foot landed squarely on Xue Ming's chest, sending him stumbling backward, suddenly opening up a huge gap in the middle.

  Such a good opportunity, Song Qing naturally wouldn't let it go, and rushed out with a punch the size of a vinegar jar, striking towards Xue Ming's head at high speed. However, just as his fist was about to make contact with his opponent, Song Qing suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, as if something dangerous was approaching.

  This kind of sensitivity to danger is something that can't be explained by words, nor does it have any scientific basis. However, some people are born with this ability and can maximize its effect with their physical strength. Song Qing was a great example of this. He didn't continue to rush forward but instead slammed on the brakes, using both legs to push back with force, jumping backward with some difficulty. In that instant, he felt an icy sensation spreading from his chest down.

  It's done!

  This was Song Qing's first reaction, in his past life he had a lot of experience fighting, and had been hit with sticks, boards, bricks, and knives, so the feeling of being stabbed was all too familiar. Fortunately, that last blow didn't seem to be too deep, and the injury probably wouldn't be too serious. However, this was also because he had quickly adjusted his position backwards in time, otherwise he might have been disembowelled.

  He took several steps back, finally adjusting his posture. Song Qingfeng quickly glanced forward and then at his chest, where he saw Xue Ming's face twisted in a scowl, holding a dagger that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. The tip of the knife was still dripping with blood, while the front of his shirt was torn open, revealing a wound that was slowly bleeding. Fortunately, the wound wasn't too big or too deep, and he wouldn't be in danger for the time being. His body had always been somewhat resilient, and after some exercise, it became even stronger, so he wouldn't die from this injury.

  It's one thing if the injury isn't serious, but it's another matter altogether when Xue Ming suddenly pulls out a knife and launches a sneak attack. Song Qing had originally not planned to make a big deal out of things or teach his opponent a harsh lesson, but with this knife slash, he decided to change his mind and leave an unforgettable impression on the guy in front of him.

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