Chapter 169: Too Terrifying!

But they had no ground to stand on to voice any complaints.

The six challengers had arrived full of bluster, assuming an easy victory was within their grasp. Yet, they found themselves soundly defeated by an unknown expert. Their defeat was so complete that they were left without a leg to stand on. Now, filled with regret, they cursed their greed and the allure of Jiang Linfeng’s promises that had clouded their judgment, leading to their reputations being tarnished.

Had it not been for Jiang Linfeng, why would they have left the peace of Jiangbei Province to seek trouble with Chen’s Martial Arts Hall?

After all, they bore no grudge against them. Jiang Linfeng’s actions had not only doomed himself but had also dragged them through the mud. As they faced the scornful eyes of the surrounding crowd, Han Lin and the others wished for the earth to swallow them whole.

“Those who agree to a gamble must accept the outcome,” Elder Chen said, his voice filled with an authoritative tone. “Now that you’ve lost, do you have anything to say?”

“We have nothing to say. A loss is a loss,” Han Lin and the others responded, heads bowed in defeat. “Regarding the grievances between Jiang Linfeng and Chen’s Martial Arts Hall, we also speak on Jiang Linfeng’s behalf to say that from this moment forward, all is forgiven and forgotten. We will also fulfill our agreement to pay the compensation.”

Recognizing it was futile to act tough when they were at a disadvantage, it made more sense to them to concede defeat gracefully and end their embarrassing ordeal sooner rather than later.

“If you’re willing to admit defeat, then let everyone present bear witness. From today onwards, you shall not set foot in Chen’s Martial Arts Hall again,” Elder Chen declared, his voice cutting through the murmurs of the hall.

After Han Lin and the others made the compensation payment, Elder Chen did not further pursue the matter, allowing them to leave. As they departed from Chen’s Martial Arts Hall, their exchange of glances spoke volumes. None had anticipated such a humiliating retreat after arriving in Jiangnan Province with such high hopes.

“Ah… Ah…” Jiang Linfeng, previously unconscious, began to stir, groaning as he came to.

“Are you alright?” the five asked in unison.

Despite their grievances with Jiang Linfeng, he was, after all, a master of Dark Force. Although currently injured, such wounds were not considered severe for a martial artist and would likely heal quickly. So, it was not wise to make an enemy of him.

“Cough… cough…”

Upon regaining consciousness, Jiang Linfeng felt an overwhelming weakness throughout his body, accompanied by excruciating pain. It was as if he suddenly remembered something important, and he hastily attempted to circulate the internal energy within his body.

However, the next moment, his complexion turned utterly pale, devoid of any color.

“My cultivation!!! My cultivation!!!”

“What?”

Han Lin and the others were taken aback. They scrutinized Jiang Linfeng more closely and realized that he indeed seemed just like an ordinary person now.

Under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t have given it much thought, given Jiang Linfeng’s ability to conceal his aura. But witnessing the utter despair on Jiang Linfeng’s face, they could no longer deny the grim reality that Jiang Linfeng had truly lost all his cultivation.

“This… this…”

Accustomed to the intricacies of the ancient martial world through their high level of cultivation, they were certain that it was impossible for a Dark Force master to completely lose their cultivation to another of the same level. Given Jiang Linfeng’s total loss of cultivation, there was only one plausible explanation.

“Flowing… Flowing Force grandmaster!”

Their heads turned fearfully toward Chen’s Martial Arts Hall in the distance, their eyes wide with dread.

The martial prowess of Jiangbei Province’s ancient martial arts community was significantly superior to that of Jiangnan Province, where masters of Dark Force, though not abundant, were certainly not rare.

Had they harbored any lingering thoughts of revenge…

At first, they had assumed Lin Xiao was just a Dark Force practitioner. Strong, yes—but with their influence, they figured enlisting a couple of grandmasters at the same level to support Jiang Linfeng would be enough to overwhelm him.

Now, however, such thoughts had vanished, replaced by an urgent desire to flee Jiangnan Province as quickly as possible.

The ancient martial arts in Jiangnan Province was just too formidable.

Lin Xiao was unaware of the events transpiring outside and the fear gripping Han Lin and the others, and even if he knew, he wouldn’t care.

Lin Xiao was quite satisfied with the outcome of this encounter. Not only did he face a rare master of Dark Force, but the confrontation with Han Lin and the others also proved to be immensely beneficial, providing him with a wealth of experience.

But that was all there was to it. The event was in the past, and whatever came next would have no bearing on him.

Assisted into the room by Chen Lingxin and seated on a couch, Lin Xiao watched as a student entered with a basin of water and a towel. Chen Lingxin directed them to set down the items and then dismissed them with a wave.

“Senior sister, shouldn’t we stay and help since Master is injured?” one student asked, clearly reluctant to leave.

He evidently desired to linger and exchange a few words with Lin Xiao, who, after demonstrating such formidable strength, had ascended to an idol-like status in the eyes of these students.

“Yeah, senior sister, let us stay. We want to help,” another student added in support.

“What help could you possibly offer? Your presence would only cause chaos,” Chen Lingxin responded with a stare, visibly annoyed. “Off you go, quickly, or I’ll beat you up.”

Fearing Chen Lingxin might actually resort to violence, the two students left, heads hung low.

“Good riddance,” Chen Lingxin muttered, watching their retreat.

Suddenly, her expression brightened with excitement. “Master, you must tell me how you became so powerful that even a master of Dark Force couldn’t stand against you. Did you drink some kind of miraculous elixir?”

“Weren’t you supposed to treat my injuries?” Lin Xiao responded, somewhat speechless at Chen Lingxin’s behavior. “So you sent them away just to ask me about this?”

“Of course not. I just felt their presence was hindering our conversation, that’s all,” Chen Lingxin clarified.

Prompted by Lin Xiao, she quickly remembered her original intent. She placed the basin filled with clean water on the table and then gently submerged Lin Xiao’s hands into it.

Although Lin Xiao had only sustained minor cuts, the fact that he had bled turned the clear water red as soon as his hands were submerged.

“Master, look, you bled so much, yet you still say you’re not injured. You’re being too stubborn,” Chen Lingxin remarked as she meticulously cleaned Lin Xiao’s hands, dried them with a towel, and then dashed into another room.

Lin Xiao could only offer a wry smile in response to Chen Lingxin’s fussing.

When she returned a few minutes later, she held a box of ointment in her hands.

“This is our Chen Martial Arts Hall’s secret remedy, the Black Jade Ointment,” Chen Lingxin explained as she sat beside Lin Xiao and opened the box. The ointment was pitch black, resembling more a poison than a cure, and released a potent medicinal scent.

“Don’t be put off by its appearance, it’s highly effective. It’s made with numerous wild herbs and processed with great care. It’s much better than those medicines in the hospital.”

Although Lin Xiao was unfamiliar with the specific ingredients of the ‘Black Jade Ointment,’ the strong medicinal fragrance alone was indicative of its quality.

“I’m really okay, it’s just a superficial wound. There’s no need for all this fuss,” Lin Xiao said again.

Chen Lingxin pouted, “Master, stop trying to be tough. Besides, you were injured protecting Chen’s family school. Are we supposed to ignore your wounds? What would others think of our martial arts school?”

Faced with Chen Lingxin’s argument, Lin Xiao found it difficult to protest further.

With Lin Xiao remaining silent, a smile crept across Chen Lingxin’s face. She carefully scooped out a small amount of the black ointment, about the size of a fingernail, and gently applied it to the cuts on Lin Xiao’s palm.

True to its reputation, the Black Jade Ointment quickly brought a deep, penetrating coolness to Lin Xiao’s hand, reminiscent of being immersed in ice water, which was very comforting.