Chapter 68

Numb!

Fu Ang on the ring felt his whole heart go cold.

I just wanted to regain my face; I didn't really want to fight you.

He didn't want to experience that pain of a knife cutting into his flesh a second time.

Lin Chen couldn't see Fu Ang's facial expression and didn't know Fu Ang's inner thoughts; he only seemed to see confusion in the other's eyes.

Is it an illusion?

Or is he deliberately trying to confuse me?

Lin Chen focused and stayed on guard. The opponent should have known that his Breeze Palm had reached Small Success after losing to him last time, yet he still wanted to challenge him. Besides the breakthrough in stage, it was possible he had also made progress in his technique.

Both the Breeze Palm and the Water Cloud Palm could strike after the opponent, and the Iron Bone Art's fighting style was very rough and fierce, so he wasn't afraid of letting the opponent strike first.

The Iron Bone Art didn't have a rhythm like a violent storm, so Lin Chen wasn't afraid that if the opponent struck first, he would be drawn into the opponent's technique rhythm.

Lin Chen didn't move, and Fu Ang wanted to move even less.

On the ring, both of them stood quietly.

But the martial artists watching under the ring weren't having it.

Are you two on stage performing a standing pole exercise?

Showing off how solid your horse stance is?

"Have Lin Lin Shixiong and Fu Ang fought before?"

Lu Yongfeng had already returned to the side of Zhao Jingchuan and Cheng Ying and asked curiously, looking at the two motionless people on the stage.

"We didn't know Lin Lin Shixiong had defeated Fu Ang before, but just before Fu Ang challenged him, Lin Lin Shixiong said Fu Ang's strength was not below his own."

Zhao Jingchuan repeated what Lin Chen had said.

"Disciples of the Zhenyue Martial Hall are indeed not easy to deal with. It is said that this Fu Ang has already practiced the Iron Bone Art to the Mastery stage. Whether Lin Lin Shixiong can win this battle is really hard to say." Lu Yongfeng had worry in his eyes.

"I still believe Lin Lin Shixiong will win." Zhao Jingchuan was firm. He didn't know why, but ever since the Martial Hall, he had been full of confidence in Lin Lin Shixiong.

On the ring.

Fu Ang looked at Lin Chen and asked in a deep voice, "Are you an old student or a new student?"

Lin Chen pondered for a moment: "A new student."

After telling the truth, Lin Chen noticed that Fu Ang's eyes changed—the confusion was gone, replaced by fighting spirit.

"Then come."

Having received the answer, the trace of timidity in Fu Ang's heart dissipated.

He did indeed feel timid about the pain of a knife cutting into his flesh, but that premise was based on the opponent being an old student.

As a new student, he didn't have the masochistic psychology of fighting against old students.

But since the opponent was a new student, he was his competitor. If he feared a competitor because he was afraid of pain, then why was he practicing martial arts?

Lin Chen felt the other's fighting spirit and didn't delay any longer. Since the opponent wouldn't strike, he would have to be the first.

Swish!

Taking a step, Lin Chen's figure left an afterimage in place. He reached Fu Ang's side, and at the same time, his right palm struck out swiftly. Wherever it passed, the air seemed to be cut by a sharp blade, making a "hissing" sound.

Fu Ang's eyelids twitched. He didn't choose to use his arms to take it head-on. His sturdy body actually made a nimble turn, and he stomped his feet hard, causing the ring to tremble.

Borrowing the counter-shock force from his feet, Fu Ang, wrapped in a strong wind, crashed toward Lin Chen like a moving small mountain.

Unlike last time, this time Fu Ang was crashing with his back.

The Iron Bone Art's hardest part is the back.

Fu Ang's speed was very fast, but for Lin Chen, it was nothing.

Facing this crash from Fu Ang, he could choose to avoid it, but in this split second, Lin Chen finally decided to collide head-on.

He wanted to test just how strong the defense of the Iron Bone Art really was.

Seeing Lin Chen choose to take it head-on, several masked martial artists under the ring showed mockery in their eyes.

What an arrogant idiot!

The hardness of the back of a Mastery-level Iron Bone Art is difficult to break without surpassing two acupoints; even the Iron Blood Martial Hall's Iron Collapse Fist couldn't do it.

The Breeze Palm landed on Fu Ang's back, and there was a loud "bang," like the clashing of gold and iron. Fu Ang's body paused, but there was joy on his face.

He blocked it!

Feeling the counter-shock force coming from his palm, Lin Chen raised an eyebrow. The defense of the Iron Bone Art was indeed shockingly strong, but it wasn't enough!

Bang!

Lin Chen struck out with another palm. This time, the power of his Breeze Palm increased by a few points.

Bang, bang, bang!

Three palms in a row!

There was dead silence under the ring.

Everyone watched as Fu Ang, who had been arching his back high a moment ago, saw his back continuously bending!

Several martial artists had deep shock in their eyes, their gazes fixed on Lin Chen's palm.

Hiss!

Fu Ang, the person involved, was grimacing under his mask.

Pain!

It was too painful!

The first palm was fine, but that second palm just now almost made him collapse.

Has this person's strength improved again since last time?

But this time, Fu Ang didn't intend to admit defeat. After knowing the opponent was a new student, as long as he didn't fall, he wouldn't admit defeat, let alone flee the ring.

Bang!

Fu Ang fell.

After Lin Chen's fourth Breeze Palm landed, he was completely sprawled on the ring.

The scene was silent.

Countless hot gazes landed on Lin Chen—some shocked, some wary, some incredulous...

"This... is this what Lin Lin Shixiong meant when he said the opponent's strength was not below his own?"

Cheng Ying's mouth was slightly agape, his mind recalling the tone Lin Lin Shixiong used when he said that earlier.

Was Lin Lin Shixiong serious?

"Breeze Palm at Small Success, Five-Acupuncture Stage. It seems the information collected by the instructors is wrong."

"A disciple of the Breeze Martial Hall was hiding his strength. Now that the competition is approaching, he feels there's no need to hide anymore?"

Under the ring, many students who intended to compete for the ranking in this Eight Martial Halls competition had their expressions turn serious, whispering to each other.

It seems they need to re-understand the situation of the students in the various martial halls.

The Breeze Martial Hall had someone hiding their strength; other martial halls likely had them too. In fact, they knew deep down that their own martial halls also had those hiding their strength.

Fortunately, this person was at the Five-Acupuncture Stage; his stage was a bit low, so he wasn't worth worrying about.

"I concede."

Lin Chen walked off the stage. Lu Yongfeng whispered to Zhao Jingchuan and Cheng Ying: "Don't make contact with Lin Lin Shixiong for now. You two aren't wearing masks, and you might expose Lin Lin Shixiong's identity. I see many people at the scene staring at Lin Lin Shixiong right now."

Lu Yongfeng scanned the scene. Lin Lin Shixiong used the Breeze Palm. Before his identity was exposed, everyone would only suspect he was a disciple of the Breeze Martial Hall. This would be beneficial for Lin Lin Shixiong during the competition, at least allowing his opponents to underestimate him.

Fu Ang stood up from the ring, took a deep look at Lin Chen's departing back, jumped off the ring, and walked toward the exit of the courtyard gate without stopping. No one was blind enough to go and block or mock him at this time.

Lin Chen got off the ring and saw Lu Yongfeng and the others also walking toward the outside of the courtyard gate. A trace of doubt flashed in his eyes, but the next moment he guessed their intentions.

Not making contact with him was because they didn't want to expose his identity.

Lu Yongfeng and the others had all come out of Kaohe Town. If he stood together with the three of them, anyone with the intention to investigate could guess his identity.

Lin Chen could feel the gazes of the surrounding martial artists toward him were full of wariness and speculation, but he didn't care and left the ring area right after Fu Ang.

When Lin Chen stepped into the courtyard of Zhao Jingchuan's elder, he saw Lu Yongfeng and the others.

"Lin Lin Shixiong, you were being a bit too humble."

As soon as Cheng Ying saw Lin Chen enter, he shook his head: "When you got on stage to face that Fu Ang, we were worried for you for a long time under the stage."

Humble?

Lin Chen explained: "I wasn't being humble. I really felt that Fu Ang's strength was not below mine. Perhaps he was deliberately hiding his strength, who knows."

Defeating Fu Ang didn't make Lin Chen complacent.

Lu Yongfeng, who was on the side, heard Lin Chen's words, and his pupils shrank. He had been secretly pleased with himself for defeating a disciple of the Mantis Martial Hall earlier, but now he instantly calmed down.

Lin Lin Shixiong was right. A victory on the ring didn't prove anything. Perhaps the opponent hadn't gone all out and was defeated by him because they underestimated him.

Zhao Jingchuan smiled slightly; he still felt Lin Lin Shixiong was too humble.

"Lin Lin Shixiong, you are already at the Five-Acupuncture Stage. In this competition, you have a great chance for the top ten."

"Hard to say. That Fu Ang is the second-ranked student in this batch at the Zhenyue Martial Hall, and there is someone above him. Other martial halls must have them too. The top-ranked student of each martial hall—that already takes away eight spots."

Hearing Lin Chen's answer, Lu Yongfeng and the others fell silent. It was indeed so.

The top student of every martial hall in this batch was extremely strong, having already stepped into the Seven-Acupuncture Stage by now, and their technique proficiency wasn't low either.

As for students at the Six-Acupuncture Stage, there were quite a few. With thirteen days left, perhaps some could step into the Seven-Acupuncture Stage.

After a moment, Lu Yongfeng raised his eyes and said: "If Lin Lin Shixiong can enter the Six-Acupuncture Stage, the top ten should be stable."

"Right, Lin Lin Shixiong, if you enter the Six-Acupuncture Stage, it will definitely be stable. If you are short on money, I can take out some more here."

Zhao Jingchuan agreed and looked at Lin Chen: "Lin Lin Shixiong, besides the Acupoint-Nourishing Pill, you can also buy some rare bird meat."

"The silver is enough for now." Lin Chen waved his hand and said seriously: "The martial hall just gave me a sum of silver."

"The martial hall gave you silver? Isn't that a violation?"

Cheng Ying spoke, but the next moment he immediately covered his mouth, and even looked around carefully, fearing that what he just said would be heard by others.

They all knew the iron rule that martial halls would not privately give resources and silver because they valued a certain student.

"It's not a violation; it's a reward set by the martial hall, approved by the Martial Administration Office."

Lin Chen didn't say too much, but once these words were out, Lu Yongfeng and the others' mouths opened even wider.

Cheng Ying and Zhao Jingchuan knew that the martial hall had a reward system, but they knew in their hearts that they couldn't get it at all, so they hadn't cared to pay attention to it. They only knew that those who could get the rewards were definitely not ordinary people.

Lu Yongfeng had disbelief in his eyes. He had pride in his heart and had specifically remembered information in this regard when he entered the martial hall.

Lin Lin Shixiong didn't meet the requirements for the martial arts stage reward, so it must be for technique proficiency.

Within three months, if a martial arts technique reaches Small Success, the reward is twenty taels.

So Lin Lin Shixiong's Breeze Palm has already reached Small Success?

After the shock, Lu Yongfeng also realized. Right, if it weren't for the Small Success Breeze Palm, how could Lin Lin Shixiong have defeated Fu Ang?

(End of chapter)