Chapter 480: See Through

A strong sense of danger surged in Lin Xiao’s heart, and his body reacted instinctively. His entire musculature instantly tensed like iron. His eyes flashed with brilliance. He looked in the direction the aura was coming from.

In the blink of an eye, a tall figure was charging toward him at high speed.

The figure’s forward momentum was so fast that even with Lin Xiao’s keen eyesight, all he could see was a blurry afterimage.

Roooar!

In the next moment, a trumpet-like elephant roar exploded in Lin Xiao’s ears.

Accompanied by the roar, a fist the size of a rice bowl appeared before Lin Xiao’s eyes. Its surface shimmered with a metallic luster, hurtling toward him like thunder.

The power contained in this punch was like a flash flood, overwhelming and unstoppable—so much so that one could barely muster the thought of resistance.

“Coming just in time!”

A brilliant light exploded in Lin Xiao’s eyes.

In that split second, his entire body quaked, and the bones within him rang out with a series of crisp cracks. A massive aura erupted from his body, shooting skyward. His right hand clenched tightly into a fist and punched straight out toward the oncoming blow.

His fist tore through the air with the roar of a tiger.

It sounded like thunder, and the power was enough to shake mountains.

Around his fist, wisps of white air swirled. Even the light around it seemed to twist—an anomaly born from the punch’s sheer speed and the fierce friction with the air.

Lin Xiao’s steel-like fist clashed with the oncoming one, producing a deafening explosion.

The force was so powerful that it felt like an earthquake; the entire hall’s floor trembled.

Then, their forces erupted. Fist energies exploded, violent winds howled, and the residual shockwaves turned into airbursts that swept outward.

The ground beneath Lin Xiao’s feet shattered instantly. However, he remained unmoved, completely unscathed.

The tall figure’s charge abruptly stopped. His entire body slid backward for a meter, leaving two deep grooves on the smooth and solid floor.

A face with thick brows and deep-set eyes, carrying a natural air of authority, was revealed. It was none other than Lu Chengfeng, sect master of the Four Poles Sect.

Faced with the sudden turn of events, those following behind Lin Xiao, such as An Chaoyang, were all stunned.

Their faces turned deathly pale with shock, especially after witnessing the scale of their clash and seeing Lin Xiao push back Lu Chengfeng a whole meter.

One had to understand—Lu Chengfeng, as the sect master of the Four Poles Sect, one of the seven great powers, was a genuine peak Dark Force master. While he might not quite rival Tian Junliang or Chun Yuyan, he wasn’t far behind.

But what did they just see?

Lin Xiao had repelled Lu Chengfeng with a single blow? That was something even Tian Junliang and Chun Yuyan had never managed to do.

This kind of strength… This kind of strength…

It was completely beyond their imagination.

Didn’t this mean that Lin Xiao was stronger than Lu Chengfeng? No, not just stronger—far stronger.

Only a legendary Flowing Force grandmaster could wield such terrifying power!

At this realization, their gazes toward Lin Xiao were filled with fear.

Lin Xiao’s face remained cold and still. He looked at Lu Chengfeng, two meters away, his eyes flickering with cold lightning, saying nothing.

Lu Chengfeng’s reaction, however, was a little unexpected. He did not attack again but instead stood there sizing up Lin Xiao. His pupils held surprise, but even more so, a kind of realization—as if something had just been confirmed.

“Master, what is this…?”

An Chaoyang was shaken to the core and couldn’t help but speak.

Lu Chengfeng suddenly let out a hearty laugh. The overwhelming aura around him vanished without a trace. He cupped his hands toward Lin Xiao and apologized, “Brother Lin, my apologies. I meant no harm just now. I simply wished to test your strength.”

Lin Xiao’s eyes flickered. The divine light in them gradually dimmed, returning to a calm and composed state. He raised an eyebrow.

“So that’s how it is. I thought Sect Master Lu was laying a trap for me.”

“The purpose of today’s invitation was to resolve the feud between you and Blazing Sun Martial Hall. How could it be a trap?” Lu Chengfeng seemed oblivious to the sarcasm in Lin Xiao’s tone. He cupped his hands again. “If I’ve offended, I ask your forgiveness.”

Under normal circumstances, with Lu Chengfeng’s status, offering a personal apology would already be showing tremendous respect.

But given how deeply shaken they were by Lin Xiao’s strength, no one found it unusual.

“As long as it’s not a trap, it’s fine. After all, Sect Master Lu is no Xiang Yu, and I’m certainly not Liu Bang.” Now that Lu Chengfeng had apologized, Lin Xiao didn’t push the matter. “Then how does Sect Master Lu intend to resolve this feud?”

Lu Chengfeng’s face turned serious.

“I will definitely give Brother Lin a satisfactory resolution to this matter. Please, come inside and take a seat.”

“Alright.”

The two of them walked into the main hall one after the other and took their seats as host and guest.

“Chaoyang, you sit as well,” Lu Chengfeng said.

“Thank you, Senior Brother.” An Chaoyang glanced back at An Baichen, then sat down to the side.

Lu Chengfeng’s gaze swept across An Baichen and the others standing in the center of the hall. His voice turned cold. “Why are you all just standing there? Aren’t you going to apologize to Master Lin?”

An Baichen and the rest trembled all over and, as if on cue, bowed deeply toward Lin Xiao and said respectfully, “Master Lin, we were blind and failed to recognize greatness. Please forgive us.”

“Master Lin, on behalf of Blazing Sun Martial Hall, I formally apologize to you,” An Chaoyang also said. “If you have any requests, just say the word. Even if you want all of them expelled, that’s fine by me.”

Hearing this, the Blazing Sun Martial Hall students standing in the hall panicked. Their eyes filled with pleading as they looked at Lin Xiao.

“Forget it. Let’s put this matter to rest,” Lin Xiao said blandly. “No need to expel them. I never took it seriously to begin with. I just hope they learn their lesson and don’t repeat the same mistake.”

“You heard Master Lin.” An Chaoyang’s eyes narrowed as he barked at the students, “Behave yourselves from now on. Don’t go looking for trouble again. Got it? This time, Master Lin has shown great magnanimity and let you off. You won’t be so lucky next time.”

“Understood, Hall Master.”

“Thank you, Master Lin!”

The students all bowed in unison.

Lin Xiao remained composed and gave a faint nod, saying nothing.

Though he’d let them go, he had no interest in engaging with them any further.

“You’re dismissed.” An Chaoyang tactfully waved them away, then stood up from his seat. “Senior Brother, Master Lin, I’ll take my leave. You two talk.”

He could see that Lu Chengfeng had something to say to Lin Xiao, so he took the initiative to excuse himself.

“Brother Lin, to have such strength at your age is truly extraordinary. Your future is limitless.”

Once An Chaoyang had left, Lu Chengfeng looked at Lin Xiao with a tone carrying both admiration and a hint of bitterness.

“Flowing Force! Flowing Force! I may never reach it in this life.”

Lin Xiao wasn’t particularly surprised that Lu Chengfeng had seen through his cultivation level. He had already suspected during their brief clash that Lu Chengfeng might have known—and was simply confirming it.

But what still puzzled Lin Xiao was how Lu Chengfeng had managed to see through it. After all, the aura-hiding technique that came with the Thunderbolt Decree had never been seen through by anyone before.