Chapter 71: Chapter 70: Coming for Me?

The first light of dawn broke, outlining the distant mountains.

A ray of golden light shot from the eastern peaks, piercing through Fenglin County and scattering the morning mist. The entire county seat brightened.

Wu Chen casually tucked the martial arts manual that countless people dreamed of under his arm. Munching on a pancake, he headed in the direction he’d been given for the Zhenyuan Martial Arts Hall.

HUH! HAH! HUH! HAH!

Soon, he heard synchronized shouts. Along with the voices, he could feel the vibrations from stomping feet traveling through the ground.

’Looks like this Zhenyuan Martial Arts Hall has taken on quite a few disciples.’

’They’re certainly putting on a big show.’

From the sound alone, Wu Chen estimated there were nearly two hundred disciples inside the Zhenyuan Martial Arts Hall.

And there were likely a good number of other skilled Martial Artists as well.

Soon, he arrived at the entrance of the Zhenyuan Martial Arts Hall.

Compared to the other two martial arts halls in the city, the Zhenyuan Martial Arts Hall’s bright, red-lacquered gates looked quite imposing. A Flesh Refining Realm Guard stood on each side of the entrance.

Just like the other two halls, the training grounds were located right inside the main gate.

Walking up the stone steps to the hall’s entrance, he could see the synchronized figures within, their shouts and stomps shaking the ground.

Seeing a stranger ascend the stone steps, one of the guards at the entrance immediately shouted, "What do you want?!"

"I’m here for martial arts, and to make a deal with the Zhenyuan Martial Arts Hall!"

Wu Chen brushed the pancake crumbs from his fingers, pulled the manual from under his arm, and waved it in the Guard’s face.

The Guard froze for a moment. He had seen people use silver taels or rare medicinal herbs to get training, but a brand-new booklet? ’Is this guy trying to pull a fast one?’

But he didn’t dare be negligent, so he said:

"I’ll go report this. You wait here."

Then he hurried off into the courtyard.

The Guard quickly found the young master inside. Hearing that someone had come on business, the young master personally went to the hall’s entrance to greet them.

It was a chubby figure who walked with a slight limp.

When this figure appeared at the main gate.

The two of them, one inside and one out, stared at each other, stunned. Then they spoke in unison:

"It’s you!"

Of course Wu Chen recognized Wang Erhu. He’d beaten him twice.

And of course Wang Erhu recognized Wu Chen. His leg was still lame.

"Get him! Kill him for me!" When enemies meet, their eyes burn with hatred. Wang Erhu completely forgot that the man had come on business.

Besides, he didn’t give a damn about any business deal.

He’d been beaten twice and lost two of his beloveds in quick succession. A great ball of fire was smoldering in his chest with nowhere to vent.

Now his enemy had shown up at his own front door. With over three hundred people in the estate, how could he possibly fail to get his dignity back?!

"Attack! Someone get in here and beat him senseless!" Wang Erhu shrieked.

But having experienced Wu Chen’s methods firsthand, he himself retreated further inside.

Seeing the chubby face, Wu Chen was also taken aback. He really hadn’t expected the person he’d beaten twice yesterday to be from the Zhenyuan Martial Arts Hall.

And from the looks of it, he was some sort of scion of the hall’s Patriarch.

But it was too late for Wu Chen to say anything. With Wang Erhu’s shriek, a dozen or so men swarmed out.

There were two experts of the Meridian Passage Realm’s Realm One Lineage, and the remaining dozen or so were all at the late stage of the Flesh Refining Realm. It was quite a formidable lineup.

Wu Chen watched the dark mass of people swarming toward him. After a moment’s thought, he decided to fight back.

First, since he was here to trade one martial art for another, he had to prove he was strong and his technique was not weak. This would make the Zhenyuan Martial Arts Hall willing to make the deal.

Second, he could win.

Third, this place was remote.

Even if they reported him to the authorities after the fight, he would be long gone from Fenglin County by the time officials arrived.

The Guards rushing toward Wu Chen didn’t draw their blades.

They just rolled up their sleeves and brandished their fists, apparently afraid of causing a fatality.

Seeing this, Wu Chen also acted with martial virtue and met them empty-handed.

’Swift Swallow Plucks a Leaf Stance, activate!’

His figure drifted elegantly through the crowd, his hands striking like blades at the soft spots on their arms and ribs.

The blows weren’t fatal, but they were enough to make them cool down for a while.

In just a few moments, they were all on the ground, clutching their arms and wailing in pain.

This scene made all the disciples training inside the hall freeze.

After felling the Guards, Wu Chen looked at the trembling Wang Erhu inside the gate, about to ask if they could discuss business now.

But just then, a graceful silhouette approached.

"Wang Erhu, didn’t the Guard say someone was here on business?"

Wang Erhu’s older sister, Wang Lin, walked over, yawning. "Why are you making such a huge ruckus?" she complained.

"Save me, Sis! Save me!"

The moment she appeared, Wang Erhu acted as if he’d seen his savior, his massive body quickly hiding behind Wang Lin.

Although both were at the Four-Meridian level of the Meridian Passage Realm, Wang Erhu had reached it by being force-fed medicinal soups. His sister, on the other hand, had gotten there through diligent training and tempering her physique. The difference in their combat prowess was naturally like heaven and earth.

Wang Erhu knew he was no match for the man before him, but his sister might be.

"Sis, the guy who beat me twice yesterday came to our house to cause trouble!"

"You have to get revenge for me!"

He had hobbled home yesterday and told Wang Lin all about his tragic ordeal.

Thinking of yesterday’s beating, and how this person now dared to bully him at his own home, tears welled up in his eyes, and he cried like a three-hundred-pound child.

"Alright, alright, Sis will help you get even. Stop crying!"

Wang Lin spoke in a soft, gentle voice and walked helplessly toward the entrance.

She looked at the Guards groaning on the ground, scattered about outside the gate, and then thought of the ordeal her brother had described yesterday.

Being naturally domineering, how could she possibly let this go?

She slowly raised her head, her angry eyes fixing on the lone figure standing amidst the fallen Guards—the one who had come to challenge their hall.

First his feet, then his hips, then his waist, and then his chest.

Finally, Wang Lin’s eyes landed on his face.

The anger in her eyes vanished, her gaze completely transfixed.

"Sis, do something!"

Wang Erhu sensed that the atmosphere was a bit off and urged her on.

He would have been better off keeping quiet. The moment he spoke, a jade-like hand slapped him across the face.

Wang Erhu’s portly body flew backward. Before he could even figure out what had happened, he heard his older sister’s voice:

"If this young master hit you, I’m sure he had his reasons."

"???"

Wang Erhu was filled with unspoken bitterness. ’If I’d known this would happen, I wouldn’t have brought it up and saved myself a beating!’

Wang Lin looked at the young man outside the gate with a fiery gaze, then hurried to greet him, her voice turning sweet and alluring:

"Since you’ve come on business, Young Master, please come inside to talk!"

She made an inviting gesture.

Wu Chen nodded and immediately strode inside.

’It seems my display of skill showed them that my martial art is extraordinary.’

Wu Chen felt that fighting had been the right move. Besides, this junior from the martial arts hall wasn’t an idiot.

One after the other, the two of them arrived at the reception hall.

The hall was spacious but not overly extravagant.

A maidservant brought seasonal fruits and brewed a pot of fragrant tea.

Wu Chen had no time to eat or drink. Without dawdling, he said directly:

"Miss, I have a martial arts manual here. Its contents are quite profound. It would be better to call an elder from your household to take a look."

He was afraid the young woman wouldn’t understand it, which would waste his time. It would be better to let an old Martial Artist from the hall see it, as they would surely recognize its value at a glance.

That way, they could quickly complete the trade, and he could get on with finding his next martial art!

Wang Lin covered her mouth and chuckled lightly. "Don’t worry, Young Master. I am in charge of all matters in the family."

Wu Chen nodded and said no more, thinking this was probably how these large, prominent families trained their juniors.

He then handed over the booklet in his hand.

Wang Lin accepted the newly-copied manual, which still smelled of fresh ink. She weighed it in her hand; it felt quite heavy.

She asked curiously, "I wonder what business you have in mind, Young Master? Are you applying to be a Martial Artist here?"

Wu Chen shook his head. "I want to trade this Meridian Passage Realm martial art in my hand for one of your Meridian Passage Realm martial arts."

Wang Lin nodded, finally understanding Wu Chen’s purpose. She began to flip through the contents to verify the martial art’s authenticity.

After just a page or two, her brows furrowed tightly. She could already see the subtlety and brilliance of this saber technique.

After another page or two, she closed the book, knowing it would be rude to keep reading without discussing the deal.

She had studied under a famous master abroad and was quite powerful herself, so she was well aware of the value of the martial art in her hands.

With this saber technique alone, the Wang family could absolutely secure its position as the number one family in Fenglin County!

"Please wait a moment, Young Master. I will go retrieve our family’s heirloom martial art." Wang Lin’s expression grew solemn. Not daring to be slow, she placed the manual on the table.

A short while later, she returned with an ancient-looking manual. She walked up to Wu Chen and respectfully presented it with both hands.

"This palm technique is the ultimate art of my Wang family. I hope you will not find it lacking, Young Master."

Looking at the old manual in Wang Lin’s hands, Wu Chen knew the deal was done.

"You may take it and peruse it at your leisure, Young Master,"

After taking it, Wu Chen heard Wang Lin’s words, gave a nod, and departed from the Zhenyuan Martial Arts Hall without a moment’s hesitation.

Wang Lin sat back down in the main seat. She watched his back disappear from the courtyard before turning to the daunting saber manual on the table beside her.

It took her the better part of half a day to read through it completely. When she finished, she was stunned.

"A Top Grade saber technique, just to trade for an ordinary martial art from my Wang family?"

She lifted her head, her eyes filled with shock from the exquisite saber technique, followed by a hint of confusion.

"Who would ever make a losing deal like that?"

「A long while later.」

Wang Lin’s gaze burned as she looked out into the courtyard, in the direction where the figure had long since vanished:

"Could it be... he came for me?"

"Is that why he got embarrassed after taking the manual and left in such a hurry?"

"He’s actually a shy person!"

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