Mistaken Match: Marrying the Enigmatic CEO
Chapter 2370; Origin of Martial Arts
“Looking for someone?!”
Dicky’s eyes finally locked onto Emmanuel.
People came here for things, taking items, making deals. But coming for a person? That was something rare.
“Oh, it’s you,” Dicky said, his voice shifting.
Though the sneer remained, Emmanuel could sense a subtle change. Tis time, it wasn’t the same arrogant insect.
This one carried a different kind of venom.
“Yeah, it’s me,” Emmanuel responded, his voice flat and steady.
“I’m looking for Ghost Doctor. If you know where he is, let me know.” He kept it polite, his words measured.
Dicky burst out laughing loud and mocking, like he’d heard the funniest joke.
“You’re still the same, huh? Didn’t I tell you last time? No one gets to look for people around here.”
“Why?” Emmanuel asked, genuinely curious.
Dicky’s eyes narrowed to slits, his sneer growing.
“I don’t owe you ants an explanation. Just know your place and do as you’re told.”
The air grew thick, like a storm waiting to break.
Mr. Adkins and the others stayed quiet, tension radiating off them. They could feel the heat between the two but didn’t dare step in.
Emmanuel didn’t flinch. As a commander, he didn’t waste time. “If you’re not going to help. I’ll do it myself.”
“Do it, then.”
Dicky’s grin widened, anticipating dancing in his eyes. He’d been waiting for this.
Their last fight had been left unfinished. Dicky couldn’t stand the humiliation of being beaten by someone he saw as lower tier. This time he’d make sure Emmanuel regretted ever crossing him.
“Thanks.”
Emmanuel didn’t hesitate. He stepped forward, heading straight for the building.
The crowd gasped.
Even Dicky was surprised.
Did this idiot really think he could just walk past him? Didn’t he know it was a death wish?
“Die, then!”
With a snarl, Dicky lunged.
Emmanuel wasn’t naïve. He understood every word Dicky said. But time was slipping through his fingers. His masters was waiting, and he couldn’t afford to waste even a second.
Prepared for a fight, Emmanuel didn’t hesitate. He sidestepped Dicky’s strike, moving with fluid precision.
But then, something unexpected happened. Dicky’s punch didn’t just end. It surged forward, exploding with a second wave of force.
Emmanuel barely managed to evade it, yanking his arm free just in time. He spun in the air, landing with such force that the ground beneath him cracked, the tremor ringing though the air.
Their energy collided like two storms.
“Commander, watch out!”
Eve, too close to Emmanuel, was caught in the blast. She hit the ground but still managed to shout a warning.
Emmanuel cursed inwardly. Dicky had grown fast.
The last time they fought, Emmanuel had been injured, still healing from the damage. He had barely held his own, but now, after more than a year of brutal training, he felt stronger, sure he was far beyond Dicky. Yet the man in front of him had grown just as quickly. The first punch nearly knocked him off balance.
The second strike followed like a whirlwind, relentless, heavy, and swift. The blows kept coming, faster than Emmanuel could react, each one more crushing than the last.
Adkins and Joe stood stunned. This wasn’t something they’d ever seen before. It felt otherworldly.
Were all the people on this mountain gods?
With no other choice. Emmanuel tapped into the Art of Sunflame. Summoning the Dragon-Breaking Palm, he pushed Dicky back with a violent thrust.
The shockwave rattled the entire checkpoint building.
Wooden tables and chairs splintered, collapsing under the force of their clash.
It was clear, if they kept going, this place wouldn’t survive.
Dicky’s expression mirrored Emannuel’s shock. Emmanuel couldn’t believe how much Dicky had improved, but Dicky was just as stunned by Emmanuel’s transformation.
“Stop! Stop now!”
A voice from above echoed through the chaos, urgent and commanding.
The speaker hadn’t even arrived yet, but the panic in their voice was palpable.
But Dicky didn’t care. His fury burned brighter, and with a growl, he charged forward again.
Today, he was going to finish this.
Emmanuel didn’t hesitate.
With a roar, he unleashed the Dragon-Breaking Palm once more.
The blast pushed Dicky back, sending him stumbling, powerless.
Even from the ground. Eve could see it clearly, Emmanuel was putting everything he had into this fight, just to keep up with Dicky.
The building trembled again as the force of the Dragon-Breaking Palm shattered a wooden wall.
The group turned toward the hole, eyes widening as they gazed into the abyss. The night air hung thick with an eerie white mist, and below, the scene was nothing short of surreal, two realms, separated by nothing more than the stricture above them.
What could lie behind that hole?
How could the world on the other side be so radically different, as though it existed in a completely separate dimension?
“Stop!”
The voice rang out again, unmistakable, Claude, Emmanuel’s senior.
“Claude!”
Emmanuel’s heart surged at the sight of him. The moment he saw Claude, hope flooded back, Commander Adkins and Rhett were safe, or at least, their chances were now better.
“Emmanuel, why are you back here?”
Claude’s face was mix of concern and irritation.
Only Emmanuel, the war god, would dare challenge Dicky. He had no idea what kind of hell awaited them atop this mountain.
“Dicky, apologies. Let me handle this.” Claude said, turning toward the guard.
To Emmanuel’s surprise, Dicky, despite his usual arrogance and disdain, gave Claude a nod of respect.
With a snort, he motioned for his men to follow and left.
“Emmanuel, come with me.” Claude commanded, his tone firm.
He glanced at the chaotic battle around them and, without a word, led Emmanuel toward a doorway, one he had just walked though moments ago.
He had to show Emmanuel what was behind the hole, or else he might get into big trouble next time.
“Of course.”
Emmanuel followed Claude promptly.
Instead of taking Emmanuel through the building, Claude led him to an opening he came through earlier.
If Emmanuel hadn’t mastered the Art of Sunflame, he might’ve missed the energy radiating from the mountain. But as they stood there, something pressed against him, something powerful. “What’s this place? Why do I feel an energy like the Heart of the Sun, flowing endlessly?”
“You can feel it!”
Claude raised an eyebrow and gave Emmanuel a proud thumps-up. “Master was right about you. You really are a martial genius, just like the Dawnbringer.”
Emmanuel blinked. “What do you mean?” His curiosity took over.
He knew his grandfather was the Dawnbringer, but was it possible that his master knew him too?
“Do you know where martial arts truly began?”
Claude took his time before answering, his voice steady as he set the stage for something for deeper.
“Does it have something to do with the Heart of the Sun?” Emmanuel asked, piercing the clues together.
“Exactly!”
Claude’s approval shone in his eyes. He continued, his voice growing more animated as he spoke. “The Heart of the Sun isn’t just a name. It’s an ancient stone that fell from the sun thousands of years ago, maybe longer. It landed here, on this very mountain. From here, humans began their journey into martial arts. And over time, a few gifted individuals unlocked the secrets to immortality, becoming immortals.”
Emmanuel’s eyes went wide. “Immortals?”
The idea seemed impossible, but the weight of Claude’s words hit him hard. His great ancestor, the war god, had lived past a hundred, but could immortals really exist?
Claude nodded, his voice low and thoughtful. “These immortals founded their own sects, waging brutal wars for control over the word. Many of them could defy natural death, but in the end, they were consumed by their desires. They died fighting each other.”
“Then, 1800 years ago, the last three immortals ended the chaos. They chose to isolate themselves here, atop this mountain, away from the world. They swore never to interfere again, and this place became a forbidden zone, cut off from the rest of humanity.”