CHAPTER 129: CHAPTER 108: FIGHTING AT THE DOCK

In front of the Twin Rivers Guild, the Dragon River surged tumultuously, creating a beautiful scene as the boats of the Fish and Dragon Association battled against the strong currents.

"Young Hero Chen, you indeed have courage and the bearing of a hero," Zhao Chuanzu approached, smiling at Chen Ku with his hands clasped behind his back, "Looking at you like this, you seem to have ill intentions."

Chen Ku rolled his eyes, "Baojiao County is my territory, and you’re the one challenging me, so *you* are the visitor with intentions."

Zhao Chuanzu smiled subtly and said, "Indeed, I am here today to challenge you, Brother Chen, who is ranked ninth. I also wish to know why the Ming Family could rank you above me. It seems I will soon experience your capabilities."

"So, shall we fight here?" Chen Ku glanced at the entrance of the Twin Rivers Guild and said, "The place is spacious. Say, how do you plan to fight?"

As he spoke, he had already retrieved his Thousand-Jin Refined Iron Niu Dargon Stick from behind. With a loud ’THUD,’ it smashed into the ground, creating a hole in the large bluestone in front of the Twin Rivers Guild.

This move shocked many onlookers, causing them to glance over.

A peculiar glint also appeared in Lin Xinglong’s eyes.

A staff weighing a thousand jin, it went without saying, could shatter any stone if lifted merely a foot and dropped. But Chen Ku had instead punctured a hole. This was not a feat achieved by weight alone but by a mastery that allowed him to wield the massive staff as if it were light, focusing its Force Power to a single point—a display of profound Skill.

"Worthy indeed as Elder Yang’s successor. It appears that one of the techniques of the Furious Ape Mighty Staff has reached great achievement. Astonishing," the speaker drew everyone’s attention.

It was none other than Thirteen Young Master Xie Qingfeng.

His voice was clear and magnetic.

Chen Ku nodded slightly in acknowledgment, "Thirteen Young Master flatters me."

Then he looked at Zhao Chuanzu, waiting for his response.

Zhao Chuanzu, having witnessed Chen Ku’s display, also showed a trace of seriousness on his face, soon followed by a slight smile as he said, "As for the manner of the challenge, since I have come to your esteemed place, naturally, I should follow local customs. I’ve heard that in Baojiao County, the Fish and Dragon Association, Firewood Iron Shop, and Medicine King Hall each have their ways of resolving conflicts with other forces, called ’Wharf Fighting,’ ’Climb the Knife Mountain,’ and ’Poison ingestion’..."

His words immediately caused quite a stir.

Jiang Shaoyou and Chai Tiangui both turned pale, then glared angrily at Zhao Chuanzu.

A friendly martial arts competition? And he wants to escalate it to this extent?

Lin Xinglong, not a local of Baojiao County, was curious. Seeing the strong reaction from the crowd, he didn’t understand their meaning. Hence, he looked somewhat puzzled and turned to his cousin Sui Qingfang, "Miss Sui, what does ’Wharf Fighting’ mean? And also ’Climb the Knife Mountain,’ and ’Poison ingestion’?"

Noticeably, Sui Qingfang’s face was also pale.

It seemed she hadn’t expected Zhao Chuanzu, an outsider, to bring up these three Baojiao County traditions so openly.

Facing her cousin’s question, she took a deep breath, lowered her voice, leaned in, and slowly explained, "What he referred to as ’Wharf Fighting’ is part of the wharf culture, also a foundational story of the Fish and Dragon Association’s rise in Baojiao County. ’Wharf’ refers to a riverine dock where commerce is conducted. As you know, across the entirety of Qiu Dragon Mansion along the river, there are a total of thirty-one docks of varying sizes. While Baojiao County’s dock is not the most renowned, it was one of the most fiercely contested in the early years."

Lin Xinglong found this to be understandable.

Docks were places of significant commercial interest. Before the founding of Daji, the Baojiao People engaged in trade along the riverbanks. However, lacking their own dock, their businesses were continually hindered. Finally, in the year Daji was founded, the Baojiao People established their own dock.

Sui Qingfang continued, "This ’Wharf Fighting,’ then, refers to the dock that was fought for. In Baojiao County, when the dock first appeared, various guilds contended for the rights to operate it. Guild leaders were naturally inclined to hire workers from their hometowns, consequently forming local guilds. The struggle over the dock was a fight for market dominance and for the very survival of merchants, boatmen, and porters. To secure their claims, historic conflicts among the guilds erupted in Baojiao. Each side bribed government officials heavily and even petitioned influential local figures at the Imperial Court to intervene, leading to dramatic episodes of ’Wharf Fighting.’ At the docks, when handling cargo, moving it uphill or downhill, not even a slight transgression was tolerated; otherwise, it would lead to bloody conflicts.

"Among them, the most financially powerful at the time was the ’Fish and Dragon Association.’ For years, it was embroiled in constant clashes with other guilds over possession of the Baojiao Wharf, without ever settling the scores or clarifying ownership, until... eighty years ago, hundreds of bloody homicides compelled the Imperial Court to intervene. That day, in the Baojiao County Yamen, all the guild leaders were summoned. In the courtyard, a large iron furnace was erected, and the officials told all the guilds: ’Each of your arguments holds merit, but I lack the interest to judge right from wrong, apologies. Today, for the sake of fairness, this furnace holds a pair of Iron Boots. Each guild will produce one person. Whoever can wear these and walk three steps across this hall, the dock at Han River will belong to that guild.’"

Lin Xinglong listened with a stern expression.

Governments had always had their unscrupulous ways, but this particularly straightforward method of judgment was new to him.

Red-hot Iron Boots!

Even martial artists were mere mortals, not Vajra Indestructible. Who could wear them? Let alone walk three steps.

"And then?" he asked.

Sui Qingfang, revealing a touch of reverence in her eyes, said,