Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Lethal Intent of Dongfang Yu

On the martial stage.

Ouyang Bo stood with arms crossed over his chest, chin slightly raised, his face full of arrogance as he looked at Lin Hu across from him.

“Step down yourself… Out of respect for Lin Cheng, I won’t lay a hand on you.”

Fat Lin picked his nose, flicked away what he found, and grinned. “You’d better not do me any favors—go ahead and beat me as hard as you can. Lately, I’ve felt a little itchy-skinned…”

Ouyang Bo frowned, thinking to himself, Is this fat guy right in the head?

“You really want me to make a move?”

Fat Lin hefted the tungsten-iron staff resting on his shoulder and said, “Since you’re so kindly advising me… how about this: if you can withstand one strike from my staff, I’ll turn around and leave right away.”

A stir swept through the crowd at Lin Hu’s words, everyone staring at him in disbelief.

Has this fat guy lost his mind?

A man who supposedly can’t cultivate dares to boast like this before Ouyang Bo, a sixth-level True Qi cultivator!

“Take your strike? You’re too cocky. Let’s see if you’ve really got the skills, or if you’re just putting on a show.”

As he spoke, Ouyang Bo’s fists trembled, his sixth-level True Qi cultivation revealed without reserve, and he charged straight at Lin Hu.

Unfazed by the oncoming force, Fat Lin leaped into the air, both hands gripping his staff as he brought it crashing down.

The tungsten-iron staff grew larger and larger in Ouyang Bo’s eyes.

His heart skipped a beat as he sensed the overwhelming power within that blow.

He stopped his forward charge at once, arms crossing overhead in defense—the bracers on his arms faintly glimmered.

Bang!

With a single strike, Ouyang Bo was driven to his knees, cracks spidering across the stage beneath him.

Soon after, the stage repaired itself.

A collective gasp swept the spectators.

“When did Lin Hu become so powerful?”

“Incredible!”

“Wasn’t it said he couldn’t cultivate?”

“Could the elders have deliberately kept it secret?”

“That doesn’t make any sense either…”

Ignoring the commotion below, Lin Hu withdrew his staff, calmly watching Ouyang Bo.

Ouyang Bo remained kneeling on the stage, stunned, confusion and disbelief flooding his mind.

“You… you can cultivate…”

Lin Hu replied, “That’s right. Thanks to Zhang Yan and the others… I can cultivate now.”

Above them, the five elders exchanged glances.

One of them spoke, “Did you see that?”

“He’s at the seventh level of True Qi.”

“This boy is quite something…”

Sun De stood expressionless to the side, his thoughts unreadable.

Lin Hu wins!

Only as the referee elder announced the result did the shocked crowd come to their senses, the look they gave Lin Hu now entirely changed.

No one noticed the man in purple not far from the stage, cold sweat streaming down his forehead.

He was the very man who had set up the betting a few days prior.

Incense burned away.

Once the referee saw that the participants had recovered their breath, he announced, “The second round begins. Will the five advancing disciples please come draw lots…”

“One of you will receive a bye and advance directly to the next round…”

The five ascended the stage.

After the other four had drawn their lots, Lin Hu picked up the last one.

A bye!

Damn!

Lin Hu was speechless—he’d hoped to show off by beating up a couple more people on stage, but that dream was dashed.

If the others knew what he was thinking, they’d probably rush the stage and beat him up themselves!

“Lin Hu gets a bye. The other four, prepare for battle…”

The first match was between Bai Lu and a woman named Zhang Qian.

Though their clash lacked a bit of fire, the crowd found it thoroughly entertaining.

Some bold and lecherous types even kept their eyes fixed on the hems of the women’s skirts, waiting for a fortuitous gust of wind to reveal some secret.

Zhang Qian won!

As the referee announced the result, Bai Lu walked off the stage in disappointment.

“You did very well already…”

Lin Cheng spoke as Bai Lu descended, her spirits visibly lifted at his words. She nodded sweetly with a smile.

The second match surprised everyone.

A man named Bai Ju defeated his opponent Zhang Bao—also at the sixth level of True Qi—in just three moves, drawing shocked stares.

After watching Bai Ju fight, Lin Cheng turned to Lin Hu and said, “This Bai Ju is something. Don’t take him lightly, or you might fall into his hands…”

Niu Shisan quickly added, “Yeah, Fatty, we’ve bet five thousand spirit stones on you… If you lose, we’ll beat you senseless…”

The others nodded eagerly. “Don’t doubt us.”

Lin Hu: “…”

As the matches drew to a close, the sun stood high and the clouds drifted. More people had come to spectate.

Lin Cheng even spotted several inner-sect disciples in red robes, and that familiar figure in black—Dongfang Yu, who had not shown his face for some time.

Having only recently returned, Dongfang Yu naturally heard that Zhang Yan and Zhan Peng had died at Lin Cheng’s hands.

Though he had little affection for those two, they were still his followers, and Lin Cheng’s actions had provoked him deeply.

There was old animosity between them as well, and now his gaze toward Lin Cheng was filled with unconcealed murderous intent.

“Junior brother, do you have a grudge with Dongfang Yu?” came the voice of the wine-addled senior behind him.

He strolled over, wine gourd in hand.

“Senior Wine-Mad, you’re here…” said Lin Cheng. “There’s a bit of bad blood between us, but it’s nothing serious…”

Wine-Mad patted Lin Cheng on the shoulder. “Be careful with him. I sense killing intent from him…”

“He’s deep and cunning—not to be underestimated…”

At these words, the group nearby was startled.

Han Meng asked, “Senior, do you mean… Dongfang Yu wants to kill junior brother?”

Wine-Mad replied, “Just be careful, that’s all…”

Wang Shan asked, “Senior, how confident are you if you faced him?”

At this, Pang Bo and the others pricked up their ears.

Wine-Mad pondered a moment before saying, “I’ve never fought him, but to have been the Sect Master’s personal disciple for so many years… I think, apart from the eldest senior brother, no one in the entire Qingyang Sect can claim to have the upper hand over him…”

Hearing even Wine-Mad admit he couldn’t defeat Dongfang Yu, the others grew somber.

Lin Cheng clenched his fist. “When the enemy comes, we resist; when the flood arrives, we dam it. If he really comes for me, I’ll make sure he loses a layer of skin, even if I die…”

The group was struck by his resolve.

Meanwhile, on the martial stage, Zhang Qian faced Bai Ju, who stood with hands behind his back, exuding a formidable aura.

Bai Ju extended his right hand. “Please, junior sister Zhang.”

“Since that’s the case, I shan’t refuse,” Zhang Qian replied, launching her attack.

“Tranquil Heart Formula!”

With a cry, her assault swept toward Bai Ju, who easily neutralized her techniques. She swiftly formed another sign with her right hand. “Frigid Blossom Scatter!”

Bai Ju’s eyes narrowed, recognizing the power of the move. No longer careless, he formed a sign and unleashed his own spell.

“Grand Hall Stance!”

After a dazzling clash, Zhang Qian was forced back more than a dozen steps before regaining her footing. She knew he had held back; otherwise, her defeat would have been even more humiliating.

She stepped forward, cupped her fist respectfully, and left the stage.

Bai Ju wins!

The referee elder appeared, stroking his beard as he looked at Bai Ju. “You have one incense stick’s time to recover your strength.”

Then, turning to the crowd below, he called out, “After one incense’s time… the final match will decide the champion of this outer sect competition…”