"Going up against a Fourth Transformation opponent at the peak of the Third Transformation, Fang Zheng actually won! Not only did he defeat a stronger foe, but he even overcame someone as powerful as Ju Kaibei! Truly a prodigious young talent!"
"This was an undisputed, crushing victory. Ju Kaibei even unleashed his killer move, the Giant Spirit Transformation, yet he was still knocked flat by Fang Zheng—so much so that he conceded of his own accord."
In teahouses, taverns, and neighborhoods alike, whenever people had time to chat, the battle between Fang Yuan and Ju Kaibei was all anyone could talk about.
For both fighters to have been at their peak, yet still have a Third Transformation defeat a Fourth Transformation—such a precedent was exceedingly rare.
Nearly a thousand spectators had watched the battle, and every single one had witnessed Fang Yuan's victory firsthand under the full glare of public scrutiny. He had won fairly and squarely, with no tricks or exploits—his combat power had truly been above Ju Kaibei's.
As for the origin of the Strength Gu, Fang Yuan had deliberately spread false information, steering everyone's suspicions toward the Guye Clan.
"From today onward, Lord Fang Zheng is my role model!"
After this battle, many people had taken to calling Fang Yuan "Lord." His combat power had finally won the recognition of the majority.
"Lord Fang Zheng is incredibly dashing—the era of Ju Kaibei is over," some female Gu Masters said, their eyes gleaming.
"A new generation replaces the old. Ju Kaibei has fallen, paving the way for Fang Zheng's fame," many veteran Gu Masters sighed, all feeling the inexorable push of the tide.
"Fang Zheng beat Ju Kaibei—but can he defeat Yan Tu? If he beats Yan Tu as well, he'll be the only person to have dominated the martial arena in years! As long as he defends his title eighteen times, he'll become a non-clan Elder of the Merchant Clan!"
This battle had sent shockwaves through the martial arena.
The old order had been shattered, and a new power had risen.
People began to envision Fang Yuan's future, their excitement barely contained.
The Merchant Clan hadn't had a non-clan Elder in over a decade.
If Fang Yuan had only barely scraped past Ju Kaibei with a sliver of an advantage, everyone's anticipation would have been far more muted.
But after witnessing the overwhelming combat power Fang Yuan had displayed over Ju Kaibei, the crowd erupted with excited analysis:
"Fang Zheng has the All-out Effort Gu! The Hard Labor Gu, the Self-reliance Gu, and even the Strength Gu—ancient force-path Gu Masters were no better than this!"
"The All-out Effort Gu makes his attacks ferocious and unstoppable, a dominating force without equal! The Hard Labor Gu lets him grow stronger the longer he fights. Paired with the Self-reliance Gu, the combination is ingeniously brilliant. The Strength Gu, meanwhile, transforms his ranged combat from a weakness into a devastating advantage. The sight of all eight Beast Shadows striking simultaneously is nothing short of terrifying—that's Fang Zheng's ultimate killer move!"
"Ju Kaibei didn't lose unjustly. He may have been a Fourth Transformation cultivator with a realm advantage, but force-path Gu require very little True Essence, which effectively nullified that edge. Fang Zheng's Gu are simply too excellent—powerfully combined and seamlessly coordinated. No wonder Ju Kaibei conceded on the spot. His spirit was thoroughly crushed."
"How can one person's fortune and opportunities be so impossibly great? Fang Zheng's luck is practically heaven-defying! He's only been in Merchant City for a few years and already accumulated this level of power. Such a formidable Gu combination will surely let him make a name for himself across the Southern Border."
"A name for himself? He already has one… Many people now refer to him alongside Bai Ningbing as the 'Black and White Fiends.' But most people just call him the Little Beast King."
Fang Yuan commanded eight great Beast Shadows, fought with a dominating, crushing style, and charged forward with abandon—the nickname "Little Beast King" was perfectly apt.
As for why they didn't simply call him "Beast King"—that was because the Beast King was already an infamous Demonic Path Gu Master. He occupied Hundred Beast Mountain alone, kept company with a hundred different beasts, boasted a cultivation of Fifth Transformation, and was utterly unreasonable and incomparably vicious. Both the Righteous and Demonic Paths deeply feared him.
Fang Yuan was still only at the peak of the Third Transformation. Though he had defeated Ju Kaibei and gained instant fame, he was still far below a Fifth Transformation Gu Master like the Beast King.
In another sense, the fact that people gave him the diminutive "Little Beast King" was an indirect testament to how brightly the crowd envisioned his future.
"I'm really looking forward to his title defense matches. Every champion who dominated the arena had legendary defense runs. Back in the day, Lord Wei Yang—whose cultivation was a mere Middle Stage Third Transformation, even weaker than Fang Zheng's—could still reign supreme in the arena. Every single one of his battles became a classic!" an experienced Gu Master reminisced with emotion.
And so, many people began calculating Fang Zheng's prospects going forward.
"At this point, how many real rivals does Fang Zheng have? Ju Kaibei, Yan Tu—and oh, Bai Ningbing."
"But Ju Kaibei's already lost the Giant Spirit Will to Fang Zheng. That was a ruthless move. Among the Giant Spirit Body, Giant Spirit Heart, and Giant Spirit Will Gu, the Giant Spirit Will was the hardest to obtain. Without it, Ju Kaibei's killer move is incomplete. The threat he poses to Fang Zheng has been drastically reduced."
"Yan Tu will be Fang Zheng's greatest opponent. He and Ju Kaibei were known as the 'Two Pillars of the Arena'—his strength is not to be underestimated. But since Fang Zheng could defeat Ju Kaibei and now has the Strength Gu to shore up his ranged weakness, his odds against Yan Tu should be quite high."
Some also brought up Bai Ningbing: "Bai Ningbing is not to be underestimated either. After her loss to Yan Tu, when she returned to the arena, her cultivation had already broken through to the Initial Stage of the Fourth Transformation! A Fourth Transformation Gu Master at such a young age—what incredible aptitude! However, she and Fang Zheng are extremely close. It's very likely that even if they meet in the arena, she'll concede voluntarily to support Fang Zheng."
Fang Yuan and Bai Ningbing had been living together in Nan Qiu Garden, and this was already common knowledge. Many suspected the two had developed the most intimate of relationships.
Yet just as everyone was buzzing with excitement, Fang Yuan suddenly announced his withdrawal from the martial arena.
The news sent shockwaves through the crowd.
"Why would Fang Zheng give up such an excellent opportunity?"
"Becoming a non-clan Elder and dominating the arena—it was right within his grasp!"
Countless people sighed with regret.