Chapter 156: Impulse!

Upon hearing Wei Chengxue’s words, Elder Chen’s face immediately turned grim. Wei’s remark struck a nerve, exposing the current vulnerability of Chen’s Martial Arts Hall. With his own cultivation gone and Chen Tianxing’s skills not on par, neither was a match for Wei Chengxue.

However, Elder Chen was not overly concerned. Beyond Lin Xiao, the additional help he had enlisted could handle Wei Chengxue.

His real concern was that these confrontations were merely the opening act. The challenger was just setting the stage for his true adversary, the mastermind behind the scenes.

The fact that these preliminary skirmishes had drawn out the Wei Martial Arts Hall, a peer of the Chen’s among the Four Great Martial Arts Halls, deeply unsettled Elder Chen.

The Four Great Martial Arts Halls were typically a united front. Although the relationship between the Chen and Wei schools was strained, they maintained a façade of peace. Wei Martial Arts Hall’s overt aggression suggested that the forces backing Elder Chen’s enemy were likely more formidable than he had anticipated.

Setting aside Elder Chen’s disquiet, Yang Yuanji, the head of Xuantian Martial Arts Hall, who sat beside him, stood up indignantly after Wei Chengxue’s declaration.

“Master Wei, isn’t it too much to make such statements at the annual exchange meeting of the Chen Martial Arts Hall, particularly on a day marking Elder Chen’s retirement from martial arts?”

Zhou Chenguang, the head of Wuxu Martial Arts Hall, also weighed in with a meaningful glance, “Master Wei, we all belong to Jiangnan Province’s ancient martial arts community. It’s better to sit down and discuss these matters.”

“There’s nothing left to discuss. Fellow martial artists, you’ve arrived at an opportune moment. A spectacle is about to unfold before you,” Wei Chengxue retorted, unapologetically.

Wei Chengxue’s arrogance only grew. “Elder Chen, I’m aware you’ve sought reinforcements, but feel free to make your move now if you dare. I fear you’ll soon find yourself without any aces up your sleeve for the impending challenges.”

Elder Chen’s expression fluctuated, his fists clenched tightly in his sleeves as he fixed his gaze on Wei Chengxue. Eventually, he managed to regain his calm.

He recognized the truth in Wei Chengxue’s taunts. The real mastermind had yet to make a move, and showing his hand prematurely would undoubtedly put him at a disadvantage.

But while Elder Chen might restrain himself, it didn’t mean others would be able to do the same.

“Have you spouted enough nonsense, you old turtle? How dare you spout such rubbish in Chen’s Martial Arts Hall? Let grandma here teach you a lesson.”

With these furious words, a white blur darted out from the crowd. In the blink of an eye, it reached Wei Chengxue and launched a palm strike straight at his face.

This person who suddenly charged out was none other than Chen Lingxin.

“No, not good!”

Elder Chen’s face turned ashen as he saw Chen Lingxin lunge at Wei Chengxue, his heart leaping into his throat.

For Chen Lingxin, with her current level of cultivation, taking on Wei Chengxue – the head of one of the Four Great Martial Arts Halls – was tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock.

Chen Lingxin might be a prodigy, but her youth was a disadvantage against Wei Chengxue, a master who had reached the Dark Force stage. She stood no chance against him.

Now that Wei Chengxue had dropped all pretenses, he would surely show no mercy.

Indeed, Wei Chengxue’s lips twisted into a chilling smirk as he faced Chen Lingxin’s fierce attack. With a calm and composed demeanor, he raised his hand, preparing to counter her strike.

This palm strike, seemed feather-light and silent, was in fact laden with the full brunt of his internal strength.

For someone at Chen Lingxin’s level, taking such a hit would mean nothing less than the complete shattering of her palm.

Elder Chen, along with his allies Zhou Chenguang and Yang Yuanji, watched with horror-stricken faces. Their experienced eyes could immediately discern the lethal force of the palm strike, but it was already too late for them to intervene.

Just as Chen Lingxin’s palm neared collision with Wei Chengxue’s, the crowd braced for a gruesome outcome.

In that hairbreadth moment, a shadowy figure streaked by like a phantom.

Moving with lightning speed, the figure reached behind Chen Lingxin, grabbed her waistband, and yanked her backward, abruptly halting her forward charge.

At that moment, Chen Lingxin’s palm was merely half a meter away from Wei Chengxue’s, which pulsed with inner strength.

Wei Chengxue’s calculated move fell short. A momentary snarl crossed his face as his palm, initially striking out, now increased its speed, relentlessly targeting Chen Lingxin.

Yet, his strike hit nothing but air. The shadowy figure that had appeared so abruptly cradled Chen Lingxin’s slender waist, shifted his stance, and instantly retreated by two meters, putting a safe distance between them and Wei Chengxue.

It was then that the crowd got a clear view. The savior who whisked Chen Lingxin out of danger was a young man in a student’s training outfit, his appearance unremarkable.

“Who is this young man?”

“Judging by his uniform, he must be a student of the Chen Martial Arts Hall, right? But are ordinary students there really this formidable?”

“His speed was incredible. He must specialize in movement techniques.”

“That explains it. Chen Lingxin is lucky. Had that student been even slightly slower, her hand might have been destroyed.”

Amidst the onlookers’ whispers, Lin Xiao withdrew his hand from Chen Lingxin’s waist, maintaining his serene demeanor, and spoke softly, “Chen Lingxin, you are too impulsive.”

Chen Lingxin, oblivious to the danger she had just avoided, still wanted to rush over.

“Don’t hold me back, I have to give that old scoundrel a lesson!”

Smack!

Elder Chen walked over briskly, his expression steely, and delivered a sharp slap across Chen Lingxin’s face, resonating with a crisp sound. A clear imprint of five fingers appeared on Chen Lingxin’s delicate cheek. Dazed and disbelieving, she clutched her face, looking at Elder Chen in shock.

“Grandpa, why did you hit me?”

“This slap is to teach you not to always overestimate yourself,” Elder Chen declared, his tone tinged with frustration. “Do you realize that if it weren’t for Lin Xiao’s intervention, your hand could have been ruined?”

“But Grandpa, that old jerk, he…”

Hearing her grandfather’s words, Chen Lingxin realized the gravity of the situation she had just been in. However, recalling Wei Chengxue’s earlier comments, she felt wronged. Tears gathered in her eyes, but she stubbornly resisted the urge to cry.

“He’ll have me to deal with him, don’t worry,” Elder Chen assured, turning to face Wei Chengxue with a piercing gaze. Despite having lost his cultivation, his presence sharpened remarkably.

“Master Wei, as an elder, engaging in a physical confrontation with the younger generation is quite disgraceful. Since you’ve chosen to bully those weaker than you, then don’t blame our Chen family for being rude.

As Elder Chen spoke, Yang Yuanji, the head of Xuantian Martial Arts Hall, and Zhou Chenguang, the head of Wuxu Martial Arts Hall, stood up. They flanked Elder Chen, their eyes fixed intently on Wei Chengxue.

Wei Chengxue, feeling the wrath emanating from Elder Chen and the intimidating presence of Yang Yuanji and Zhou Chenguang, whose skills were on par with his own, hesitated. His face twitched before he took a step back.

“Elder Chen, as an elder, your words carry weight. I won’t argue. However, since the Chen’s Martial Arts Hall is hosting an exchange event, it should involve mutual learning. What better way for martial artists to communicate than through sparring? Let the younger generation have their turn. The elders need not intervene.”

As he spoke, Wei Chengxue gestured towards a figure in the crowd.

“Xu Huiba, go ahead and engage in a sparring match.”

Upon hearing Wei Chengxue’s suggestion, Elder Chen pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement.

“Very well.”

Although he was eager to reprimand Wei Chengxue, Elder Chen knew that the real mastermind behind the scenes had yet to surface, and this provocation from Wei Chengxue was merely the beginning.

‘The enemy lurks in the shadows while we are exposed. Moreover, Wei Chengxue’s own martial prowess is not weak.’

He realized that even if Zhou Chenguang and Yang Yuanji joined forces, they would struggle to subdue Wei Chengxue quickly, and it would deplete a significant amount of their internal energy.

Thus, Elder Chen had no choice but to endure for now.