Chapter 268: Monster! Freak!

“This can’t be… This can’t be happening…”

Duan Changhan mumbled to himself, his face full of disbelief.

There was no way he could believe Lin Xiao’s words. It was absurd. How could anyone possibly master Eagle Claw Techniques so thoroughly in such a short time?

The thought of Lin Xiao learning Eagle Sweeps the Skies, a technique so closely guarded by the Golden Claw Sect, was utterly insane. Unless a high-ranking member had betrayed the sect, such a thing should be impossible.

But the idea of betrayal seemed far-fetched to him.

Golden Claw’s leaders enjoyed unparalleled status and benefits within the sect. Betraying that for the meager gains of defecting to another power? Unthinkable. Besides, while Eagle Claw Techniques were impressive, they were hardly worth the trouble for a larger sect. It wasn’t like they needed to steal such skills.

So, if there were no traitors, then how could Lin Xiao possibly know it?

‘Could it be… that he’s telling the truth?’

Duan Changhan’s mind raced as he replayed the fight.

No matter how hard he attacked, Lin Xiao effortlessly blocked every move. That overwhelming feeling of being outmatched… Lin Xiao’s aura was like a bottomless abyss, impossible to measure. As the fight dragged on, Duan Changhan had only grown weaker, his attacks losing power until he was completely spent.

Thinking back, as much as he hated to admit it, Duan Changhan knew one thing for sure: Lin Xiao was far stronger than him.

If Lin Xiao had wanted, the fight could have ended in seconds.

But he didn’t. Instead, Lin Xiao let him struggle for a full five or six minutes, deliberately drawing things out until Duan Changhan was completely exhausted before taking him down.

Duan Changhan lifted his head and stared at Lin Xiao’s calm, composed expression. As unbelievable as it seemed, he couldn’t deny the truth any longer.

At that moment, only one thought echoed in his mind.

‘Where the hell did this monster come from?’

At that moment, Duan Changhan remembered his own mocking words from before the fight: Geniuses always die young.

Now, with fear creeping into his heart, he looked at Lin Xiao with a mix of dread and disbelief.

‘This isn’t a genius, this is a monster! A complete freak!’

In just a few short minutes of fighting, Lin Xiao had mastered the Eagle Claw Techniques. It was something that would take ordinary people ten years to perfect. If that wasn’t monstrous, what was?

A genius was still within the realm of comprehension. But a freak like Lin Xiao? That was something completely beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

While Duan Changhan was reeling from shock, the Golden Claw Sect disciples were completely dumbfounded.

When they had first come to Jinghai City from Jiangdong Province, they’d never imagined they’d end up like this. When Lin Xiao killed Jiang Linfeng earlier, they had felt fear but still clung to a sliver of hope. Now that Duan Changhan had also been defeated, that sliver was gone, replaced by total despair.

Their hearts were dead—utterly broken.

Even Duan Fei couldn’t hold it together anymore. He closed his eyes as two streams of tears ran down his face.

Earlier, he’d been filled with hatred and defiance, vowing to kill Lin Xiao. But now, all he felt was overwhelming fear and maybe even a trace of admiration.

Lin Xiao’s strength was on a level far beyond anything he could have imagined. If his father couldn’t stand against Lin Xiao, what chance did he have?

That kind of crushing difference left him no room to dream of catching up.

Humans are like this—when faced with someone just a little stronger, jealousy flares. But when the gap becomes insurmountable, all that’s left is awe.

He regretted everything. Regretted letting his pride lead him to leave the comfort of Jiangdong Province and come to Jinghai City to suffer this humiliation.

While the Golden Claw Sect side was drowning in despair, the Chen Martial Arts Hall erupted in joy.

Injured disciples helped each other up, faces lit with smiles. A few of the less injured ones hobbled over to the Golden Claw disciples who had been particularly ruthless earlier and gave them a few hard kicks.

“Still feeling cocky, huh?”

“This one’s for Senior Brother Zhao! Remember him? The one you knocked out cold earlier!”

“I thought the Golden Claw Sect was supposed to be so impressive. Turns out they’re just a bunch of weaklings, taken down by our master all by himself!”

“Come on, get up! Fight us again if you dare!”

Chen’s Martial Arts Hall disciples shouted insults while landing a flurry of kicks and punches. Their anger toward the Golden Claw disciples had clearly reached its peak.

The beaten Golden Claw disciples didn’t even try to fight back. Already battered from Lin Xiao’s earlier attacks, they now endured the humiliation in silence. Some of the weaker ones even burst into tears, snot and tears streaming down their faces.

Lin Xiao stood quietly, watching the scene without a hint of pity.

If they had known this was coming, they wouldn’t have been so arrogant in the first place.

Now they looked pathetic, but that was only because they’d lost. If the tables were turned, their cruelty and arrogance would know no bounds.

“Enough!” Chen Lingxin finally stepped in, her voice firm as she ordered the Chen Martial Arts disciples to stop.

Though she despised the Golden Claw Sect, she understood that this victory belonged to Lin Xiao, not the Chen Hall’s strength. As much as she admired Lin Xiao, her pride made her yearn for the day when the Chen school could defeat the Golden Claw Sect on its own.

With their senior sister speaking up, the disciples reluctantly backed off, though their anger still simmered beneath the surface.

Meanwhile, Duan Changhan tried to push himself off the ground, bracing with one hand. But before he could rise, Lin Xiao stepped forward, planting his foot squarely on Duan’s chest and forcing him back down.

Lin Xiao looked down at him, his gaze cold and detached.

“Anything else to say?”

Duan Changhan lay there, his once-pristine white tang suit now filthy and torn, his face smeared with dirt and bruises. His hair was a mess, and he looked utterly defeated.

All the confidence and pride he once had were gone, crushed beneath Lin Xiao’s overwhelming strength.

“Defeat is defeat. I have nothing to say,” Duan Changhan replied, his voice hollow. “Kill me or spare me, it’s up to you.”

Duan Changhan’s face twitched. Lin Xiao’s actions, filled with mockery and disdain, made humiliation burn deep in his chest. Hatred surged like a rising tide as he spat out, “But let me remind you, behind us stands the entire Golden Claw Sect.”

“And?” Lin Xiao’s tone was flat, uninterested.

“You’ve injured so many of us and even killed Junior Brother Jiang. If you dare harm me further, the Golden Claw Sect will never let this go. You’ll be our mortal enemy from now on.”

Duan Changhan started with a threat but quickly softened his tone, trying to strike a deal.

“But if you let us leave now, I can guarantee the Golden Claw Sect will never trouble you or the Chen School again. We can act like today never happened. What do you say?”

“You really think I’d believe you?” Lin Xiao’s lips curled into a faint smile, but his eyes were cold as ice. “Jiang Linfeng promised the same thing before. And look how that turned out. He came back with all of you to seek revenge. If you can’t even keep your word, why should I trust you now?”

“Fine. Tell me what you want,” Duan Changhan said, his voice hardening.

He could tell Lin Xiao wasn’t someone who could be swayed by words. Dropping his attempts to negotiate, he showed his willingness to face the consequences.

Lin Xiao’s gaze swept around the ruined training hall. The Chen Martial Arts Hall was in shambles. Training equipment lay in pieces, destroyed by Golden Claw disciples. The Chen disciples themselves were injured and battered, and even their master, Chen Tianxing, remained unconscious on the ground.

“Don’t worry,” Lin Xiao said, his tone ice-cold. “I won’t kill you. But you won’t walk away unscathed.”

He gave a sharp, chilling laugh. “Whatever you did to Uncle Chen, I’ll do to you. Sounds fair, doesn’t it?”

Duan Changhan turned to glance at the unconscious Chen Tianxing, and his face instantly drained of color. Panic surged through him as he struggled desperately. “No! You can’t do this to me! If you dare, the Golden Claw Sect will never let you go!”