This...this is impossible!

How on earth did this guy deflected all of his attacks in this pitch darkness?! Did Shengming predicted that this would happen so she trained him beforehand?

​​

Yeah, that must be it. He refuse to admit that this average Joe was an expert. An expert that managed to overwhelm him in his territory.

But wait...did he ever fought with her before? Furthermore, he's pretty sure none of them knows he's advantageous in the dark.

Infuriating it may be, but he needs to withdraw and gather himself first. He'll think of another plan to subdue him, seeing as his initial tactics weren't coping to his expectations.

Barely avoiding the incoming strike from Ethan's leg, Gong Hei did a backflip and sprinted towards one of the pillars without a sound.

Strange. This is the first time he fought with him and yet he can read his movements and predict his attacks.

Not even those hoodlums he fought before in the Underworld had managed to see through his ambush.

Aiyo, if Ethan see his right now, he would rub this humiliation to his face like the prick he is. Speak of the Devil, last time he'd heard and saw him was in the TV.

Looks like his stubbornness paid off and finally wooed his white moonlight.

Hah, what luck he had. Lillie Bai would eat him alive. She's gorgeous and very smart alright; every man's dream. However, she's too imposing, domineering, and aloof.

Boss should've went for someone gentle and demure, like Shengming.

"Gngh!" Gong Hei coughed as the air from his lungs were forcefully expelled by a punch on his diaphragm. He stepped back, staggering.

"Give it a rest, the fight is already in my favor since the beginning."

"My feet are still on the ground, I will not admit defeat!" He snarled.

"Suit yourself." Without another word, Ethan lunged towards him with an unbelievable speed.

He who prided himself to be more efficient in the dark, had to narrow and heighten his sight to read where his opponent's swift attack would land.

A powerful kick landed on his right arm and it made him skid a few meters away and get thrown against a pillar.

Gong Hei grunted. His back, head, and arms throbbed in pain.

Ethan bolted towards him again and was about to reenacted the attack Lillie and Grandmaster Wei used on him before, but another idea emerged in his mind the last second.

Gong Hei was now panicking. Too fast, he can't evade it in time!

He braced himself and brought his arms up for a block. He'll have to accept the attack then immediately requite by jabbing his pressure points.

That was the plan, but...

"My win, as expected." Gong Hei heard his opponent's voice above him. Snapping himself out of stupor, he felt the cold floor on his back and his head throbbing from the impact.

"Jun Jihuo wins." He heard Shengming announced from the vantage area as well as loud cheers and claps.

But that's not what bothers him.

"What the hell?!" He exclaimed and shot right up like a spring, soreness all but forgotten, but he can tolerate.

Did he hit his head bad enough to be hallucinating right now?

It's really dark, so he wasn't sure if what he just witnessed was the real thing.

But it was so familiar, it felt like he was having deja vu. This guy...did he really executed one of Vermillion Dragon's complex assaults? Or was it his eyes playing tricks with him again?

Ethan dusted his sleeves off and straightened before looking at Gong Hei directly in the eyes.

"Your cologne reeks, Batman."

Gong Hei's brain malfunctioned.

What?

...

WHAT?!

"BO—!" Gong Hei slapped his mouth close when Ethan shot him a pointed look that told him to shut up.

"According to our agreement; if I lose, I will be your servant for the rest of our stay here," Ethan said. "But if I win, you'll have to agree to my demands."

Gong nodded fervently. Although the fight didn't seem to be fair in his part—he was fighting his former boss! The boss who knew nearly everything about him!—he dares not to object.

So wait...if this guy was actually his former boss, then Shengming...

"B-boss...I deserve death." He whimpered.

But you can't blame me, okay? You just can't!

Ethan hummed, "En, you do. But I won't kill you, even after your bold stratagem against my wife."

That translated into, "I'm not done with you yet."

Dare to hit on my wife in front of me? You deserve more than death!

Gong Hei was crying blood right now at the maliciousness oozing out of his former boss' eyes.

How could he have known it was you?!

And Shengming...oh, his sweet and gentle Shengming is actually the She-Devil in disguise! A literal wolf in sheep's clothing!

"Before I'll discuss my demands with you, shall we relocate somewhere more private?" Ethan proposed.

As if all of his energy was sucked out of him, Gong Hei weakly replied, "Right this way..." He can already imagine how he'll die.

He gestured for Ethan to walk in front of him, but his former boss didn't move from his ground.

In the pitch darkness, he saw Ethan looking at the vantage area and doing some sort of sign language that he doesn't understand.

A few seconds later, Ethan walked ahead. Lillie and the rest also moved to climb back down.

Everyone winced when the bright light assaulted their eyes as they exited the dark training hall. Hands flew to overshadow their eyes and let them slowly adapt once again to the bright environment.

"Senior Brother, Taiyi, Lizheng, Little Nina, would you mind if you head back to the courtyard first? Jihuo and I have something to discuss with Grand Disciple Gong."

Everyone but Death agreed without protest.

"Why am I not included?" Death whined.

"Because they're our guests, Senior Brother. You need to be there to entertain them while I'm gone." Lillie reasonably stated and placed a hand on his back to urge him to go.

Inconspicuously, her fingers tapped his back saying, [I'll explain later.]

"Fine." Death grumbled petulantly, pouting as he walked away with their three guests in tow.

Lillie turned her heels to face Gong Hei with Ethan standing right next to her. "Grand Disciple Gong, let us chat, shall we?" She smiled.