Chapter 10

"Your master's acceptance of the martial arts challenge at the dojo, I have already arranged it."

The next evening, while staying at Hong Zhenan's house for dinner, Zuo Xiaoyou heard this news.

Putting down his chopsticks, Zuo Xiaoyou nodded, "Thank you, Uncle Hong. When is it?"

"Ten o'clock on the morning after tomorrow, at Deman Teahouse," Hong Zhenan said. "Tell your master to come early, don't be late."

"Okay." Zuo Xiaoyou nodded.

"Hmm." Hong Zhenan picked up his chopsticks and, after eating a few bites, asked casually, "How strong is your master? How many ordinary men can he take on?"

"It's hard to say." Zuo Xiaoyou thought for a moment and said, "I am a junior, so it's not appropriate for me to evaluate my master. But my master's boxing skills are very powerful. Someone like Aji, he can take on a dozen at once."

"Oh?" Hong Zhenan looked at Zuo Xiaoyou with a doubtful expression. "Is he really that strong?"

"To be frank, I think my master is not inferior to Uncle Hong," Zuo Xiaoyou said.

"Impossible!" Before Hong Zhenan could speak, the young girl interjected, "My dad is the strongest martial artist in all of Hong Kong. Your master can't be as strong as my dad."

"Big Sister, don't be impolite." Although he was pleased with his daughter's words, Hong Zhenan still put on a stern face. "There are always better people out there. Perhaps Ayou's master is really stronger than me."

"That's not necessarily true." The young girl wrinkled her nose.

Zuo Xiaoyou looked at her and smiled, "If Uncle Hong were ten years younger, my master would definitely not be a match. But now that Uncle Hong is older and plagued by injuries, I dare say my master is not inferior to you. My master once said, 'There is no strongest person in the world, because even the strongest will grow old, and when they are old, any young man can knock them down.'"

"Your master is right." After hearing this, Hong Zhenan nodded in agreement. "A young and strong opponent is always a challenge. But no matter how strong you are when you're young, when you get old and can't move, anyone can easily knock you down. Your master has such insight, which is quite remarkable!"

"I won't hide it from Uncle Hong." Zuo Xiaoyou said with a hint of pride. "Back in Foshan, my master was known as the best martial artist in Foshan. When the Japanese invaded, my master once took on ten Japanese karate experts and defeated them without any resistance."

"Oh?" Hong Zhenan paused with his chopsticks. "Is your master really that strong?"

"Blowing hot air." The young girl pouted. "I don't believe it."

"Big Sister, don't cause trouble." Hong Zhenan's wife couldn't stand it anymore and scolded, "When men are talking, women shouldn't interrupt."

The young girl pouted and fell silent.

"Ha ha." Zuo Xiaoyou laughed and put a piece of tender tofu on the young girl's plate. He then turned to Hong Zhenan and said, "My master is in his prime, while you, Uncle Hong..." Looking at Hong Zhenan's white hair, Zuo Xiaoyou shook his head. "So I think if you two fight, at first, Uncle Hong might have the upper hand, but gradually, my master will even the odds. If the fight continues, Uncle Hong might lose."

"You're giving your master too much credit." Hong Zhenan, being a senior figure, had a competitive spirit. "Don't think that just because I'm old, I can't defeat your master."

"Talking won't help." Zuo Xiaoyou said. "If you want to know how strong my master is, why don't you try it yourself on the day after tomorrow?" He paused. "But the match only lasts for the time it takes to burn an incense stick. You should make the most of it, Uncle Hong, or I'm afraid the time will run out before you can determine the winner."

"I'll see about that." Hong Zhenan's fighting spirit was ignited. In all his years in Hong Kong, he had never met a worthy opponent. Now, with Yip Man appearing, he was eager to see if Yip Man was a match for him.

After dinner, Zuo Xiaoyou told the Hong family a story from the Three Kingdoms. Seeing that it was late, he bid farewell and went home.

After returning home, Zuo Xiaoyou informed Yip Man that Hong Zhenan would personally participate in the match the day after tomorrow, and asked Yip Man to prepare.

"Is Hong Zhenan very strong?" Yip Man asked.

"I think Uncle Hong and Master are evenly matched," Zuo Xiaoyou replied.

Yip Man, who had never been defeated in recent years, felt a bit arrogant. Hearing that there was a master who was his equal, he couldn't help but feel a bit excited.

"I want to see how strong Hong Zhenan is." Even a homebody can have a fighting spirit!

The day of the round table battle arrived.

That day, Yip Man did not teach his disciples and instead brought a dozen of them to Deman Teahouse.

The entire hall of the teahouse had been reserved by Hong Zhenan. In the center was a large round table, surrounded by inverted wooden stools. Further out were the martial artists and disciples from various dojos in Hong Kong.

These martial artists sat on chairs, drinking tea, and boasting to their disciples.

"I've fought on such a stage dozens of times before, but instead of stools, it was all knives!"

After the martial artist spoke, his disciples all looked at him with admiration, which was quite amusing.

While the martial artists were chatting and boasting, Yip Man and his disciples arrived.

In the original movie, Yip Man came alone to the round table battle, without any disciples. But because of Zuo Xiaoyou's involvement, this time Yip Man brought all his disciples.

As Zuo Xiaoyou put it, "It's good for the younger disciples to gain some experience."

The round table battle would involve accepting challenges from various schools. Yip Man thought it would be a good opportunity for his disciples to gain experience, so he agreed with Zuo Xiaoyou's suggestion.

Just as they reached the entrance of the hall, Zuo Xiaoyou looked inside. Aji was waving at him, "Brother You."

Zuo Xiaoyou nodded with a smile. Seeing Aji, he also saw Hong Zhenan and hurried over to greet him, "Uncle Hong, thank you for your trouble this time."

"It's my duty." Hong Zhenan's gaze fell on Yip Man, and he could sense that Yip Man was a skilled martial artist.

"Is this your master, Yip Man?"

"Yes." Zuo Xiaoyou immediately introduced Yip Man, "Master, this is Uncle Hong."

"Master Hong." Yip Man immediately clasped his hands in greeting.

Hong Zhenan stood up and returned the gesture, "Master Yip. Let me explain the rules of the match. You must stand on the table and accept challenges from the other masters. If you surrender or fall off the table, you lose. If you are still standing on the table when the incense stick burns out, you pass."

"Understood." Yip Man turned to look at the other masters, who looked like a motley crew and didn't seem very strong.

Zuo Xiaoyou said, "Master, go up! I and the other disciples will cheer for you."

"Master, knock them all down, Wing Chun is the strongest!" Huang Liang shouted.

"Hmm?" Everyone present frowned, and Hong Zhenan's expression was also not good.

"Shut up!" Zuo Xiaoyou slapped Huang Liang on the back of the head and scolded, "There is no strongest martial art, only the strongest person! Don't underestimate other martial arts. Every master here could take on ten of you!"

"I..."

Huang Liang,不服气, was about to speak, but Yip Man stopped him, "A Liang, your senior brother is right. There is no strongest martial art, only the strongest person. Don't underestimate others."

"Yes, Master." Since Yip Man had spoken, Huang Liang had to suppress his grievances and respectfully agree.

Yip Man casually stepped onto the round table. Hong Zhenan, however, said to Zuo Xiaoyou, who was standing next to him, "Ayou, what you said earlier is very true. There is no strongest martial art, only the strongest person."

Zuo Xiaoyou replied, "In the Hong Kong martial arts world, the strongest person should be Uncle Hong. But my master is not bad either."

"Brat, wait until I go up and knock your master's teeth out, and see what you say then!" Hong Zhenan laughed and scolded.

"Why don't you go up later? The incense stick burns for too long, and I'm afraid you won't have enough stamina and will be beaten by my master."

"Brat."

At first, Hong Zhenan was dismissive, but as Yip Man easily defeated two masters from the martial arts schools, his expression changed. He turned to look at Zuo Xiaoyou, who was smiling, and thought, "This kid didn't lie to me. Yip Man is really strong."

"Is there any other master who wants to go up?" After the first two masters were defeated, no one else came forward for a long time. Hong Zhenan couldn't help but urge them. But the other masters all looked down at their noses, and no one went up.

Waste of space!

Hong Zhenan cursed in his heart, stood up, and jumped onto the round table with great momentum. Without any greeting, he launched a rapid attack and engaged in combat with Yip Man.

The two exchanged punches and kicks, fighting intensely, and the spectators below were dazzled and speechless.

To be able to fight on equal terms with Hong Zhenan... What kind of background does this Yip Man have!?

After fighting for a while, Hong Zhenan and Yip Man separated, clasped their hands, and bowed to each other, "Master Yip."

"Master Hong."

"Please!"

"Please."

With a loud shout, the two engaged in battle again. Hong Fist was broad and powerful, and Hong Zhenan roared continuously; Wing Chun was close-range and short, and Yip Man used various subtle blocking techniques to withstand Hong Zhenan's attacks.

As Zuo Xiaoyou had predicted, Hong Zhenan was slightly stronger than Yip Man, but because of his age and past injuries, his stamina was poor. At first, he could slightly suppress Yip Man, but as time went on, his stamina decreased, and Yip Man, being younger, gradually turned the tide and fought on equal terms with Hong Zhenan.

If the fight continued, Hong Zhenan would eventually be KOed due to his declining stamina, but fortunately, the round table battle only lasted for the time it took to burn an incense stick. With the time wasted by the first two masters, the incense stick burned out as Hong Zhenan and Yip Man stepped on the round table, and the match ended in a draw.

Amidst the applause and cheers of the audience, Yip Man was officially recognized in the Hong Kong martial arts world and could open his own dojo to teach.

During the match, no one noticed a young man taking photos of the two with a camera. The next day, almost everyone in Hong Kong knew that a Wing Chun master named Yip Man had come to Hong Kong and fought to a draw with Hong Zhenan.

Wing Chun became popular, and Yip Man became famous.

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