Chapter 77: Even the Chicks Have Mastered Hidden Force

“Kid, I didn’t expect you to have such skill at such a young age!” Huang Tianqi, the chief of Sky Mountain, praised Xin Lang.

But Huang Tianqi immediately continued, “Archers, prepare! Turn the three of them into pincushions!”

From the surrounding tall buildings and houses, dozens of archers suddenly appeared, their bows fully drawn, arrowheads aimed straight at Xin Lang and his companions.

“Wait!” Xin Lang suddenly called out. No matter how skilled he was, he couldn't withstand so many arrows fired at once. He spoke loudly, “Chief Huang, I heard you’re a ninth-level martial artist! I came here today to challenge you. If you’re afraid of losing face, you can choose not to accept!”

“Haha…” Listening to Xin Lang, Huang Tianqi burst into laughter. “Kid, playing tricks with me? You think I don’t know you’re provoking me? I order the archers to kill you because your skills are too weak. You’re not worth my effort!”

“You think we’re weak? If you have the courage, take a punch from me! Earth-level advanced technique, Dragon Subduing Eight Strengths, third movement—Stacking Force!”

Xin Lang’s feet exploded with power, his body shooting towards Huang Tianqi, a punch whistling through the air aimed directly at his face.

“Overestimating yourself!”

Huang Tianqi replied disdainfully, raising his fist to meet Xin Lang’s strike, “Earth-level high technique, Qitian Fist!”

Bang! The collision of their fists sent clouds of dust swirling.

After that single exchange, Xin Lang was pushed back several meters. Though Huang Tianqi stood unmoved, his expression was unusually grim.

“You’re only a third or fourth-level martial artist. How do you possess such strength?”

As he spoke, Huang Tianqi’s expression changed again, for Xin Lang’s Stacking Force launched its second and third waves of attack.

“Chief Huang, do I qualify to challenge you now?” Xin Lang asked with a smile.

As he spoke, he observed the changes in the Upgrader regarding the Heavenly Halberd. With that punch, Xin Lang saw that the Heavenly Halberd in the weapon area had leveled up to the second rank.

At the same time, the Upgrader displayed a prompt: “Super Weapon Heavenly Halberd upgraded to second-rank super weapon. Power amplification function increased to twice its previous strength. After two consecutive uses, it enters cooldown; cooldown time is halved, and an expansion function is added!”

“Excellent! Wonderful! Power amplification doubled, and cooldown halved! Though only one rank up, the functionality increased by more than double! But what is this expansion function?”

Xin Lang had no time to ponder that expansion function now, for a formidable enemy still stood before him. This was a battle of life and death, not a mere friendly match as with Luo Hengxing and the others.

Everything concerning the Upgrader happened in a fleeting moment; outsiders had no idea what changes had occurred in Xin Lang.

Because of the upgrade to the Heavenly Halberd, Xin Lang didn’t continue attacking. Huang Tianqi seized the opportunity to forcibly suppress the Stacking Force Xin Lang had driven into his body.

“Kid, impressive! Your hidden force technique is quite unique, it even has the aura of a super technique! But if you think you can defeat me with it, that’s impossible. I regret to inform you, not long ago, I advanced to become a tenth-level martial artist!” Huang Tianqi declared.

“Hmph, enough talk! Do you dare accept my challenge?” Xin Lang pressed him further.

“Why wouldn’t I? But if you lose, you must leave your hidden force technique—and your life—behind!” Huang Tianqi replied.

“Fine, then how about a wager?” Xin Lang suggested.

“A wager? What do you want to bet?” Huang Tianqi asked.

“The three of us brothers will face you three chiefs in a battle to the death! If you win, you get our skills and our lives. If you lose, Sky Mountain will belong to us three brothers! We’ll take command of everyone on the mountain. Do you dare accept our challenge?” Xin Lang proposed.

“Kid, your earth-level technique may be valuable, but it’s not worth as much as our Sky Mountain—”

Before Huang Tianqi could finish, Xin Lang interrupted him, “What’s wrong? Are you afraid you’ll lose, Chief Huang?”

“Damn it! Three brats, you think we’re afraid of you?” Second Chief Li Tianba shouted from the side.

“Yes, big brother! It doesn’t matter who stands to gain, but we three brothers can’t lose face in front of our men!” Zhao Tianhong added.

Zhao Tianhong and Li Tianba regarded Xin Lang and his companions as mere children. Even though Xin Lang had just withstood a punch from Huang Tianqi, they didn’t believe he could defeat a tenth-level martial artist, and they considered Qian Baidu and the Fatty even less.

“Battle! Battle! Battle…”

No one knew which bandit started the chant, but soon all the bandits followed suit. In their hearts, their chief was invincible.

Heh…

Xin Lang and his two companions crossed their arms, looking at the three chiefs. Now, Huang Tianqi had no choice but to accept.

Huang Tianqi shot a fierce glare at Li Tianba and Zhao Tianhong. Since the moment Xin Lang and his companions had appeared, a sense of foreboding had risen in his heart. That was why he’d wanted his men to shoot them down with arrows. Now, however, thanks to Li Tianba and Zhao Tianhong, he was riding a tiger and couldn’t get off; he had no choice but to go along.

“Zhao Tianhong, you injured my old man—come out and face your death!” Fatty was the first to challenge Zhao Tianhong.

“Little fatty, if you’re looking for trouble, don’t blame your third grandpa for showing no mercy!” Zhao Tianhong regarded the shabby-looking Fatty with utter contempt.

“Earth-level intermediate technique, Mighty Golden Steel Claws!” Zhao Tianhong’s hands formed claws, his fingers radiating five streams of hidden force as he launched his attack, clawing straight for Fatty’s chest.

Fatty seemed to react a half beat too slow, and Zhao Tianhong’s claws landed squarely on his chest. Zhao Tianhong grinned wickedly, “Little fatty, prepare to die!”

“Dragon Subduing Eight Strengths, first movement—Rebounding Force!”

Bang! No sooner had Zhao Tianhong’s Mighty Golden Steel Claws struck Fatty’s chest than a tremendous rebound force sent his hands flying back.

“What? Hidden force trained into the chest? How is this possible? You’re not a tenth-level martial artist—how could you have hidden force in your chest?” Zhao Tianhong exclaimed in shock.

“Damn, hidden force in the chest is nothing. Your fat grandpa has even trained it into his little finger!”