Chapter 157: Has He Lost His Mind?

Upon Elder Chen’s consent, Wei Chengxue’s face twisted into a self-satisfied, cold smirk. He leaned in to whisper in Xu Huiba’s ear, “Show no mercy.”

Xu Huiba’s face, tough and muscular, twisted into a menacing grin. He nodded, “Master, don’t worry. I’ll make those from the Chen Martial Arts Hall wish they’d never been born.”

Satisfied with Xu Huiba’s response, Wei Chengxue smiled approvingly.

Striding to the center of the hall, Xu Huiba ripped off his shirt, revealing a hairy chest that made him resemble a burly gorilla. He cast a challenging gaze around him and bellowed, “Who among the Chen’s Martial Arts Hall dares to take me on?”

Angered by Xu Huiba’s taunts, the students of Chen’s Martial Arts Hall couldn’t hold back any longer.

“I will!”

A robust and towering student emerged from the crowd, marching towards Xu Huiba with fury in his eyes. Standing at 1.85 meters, he towered over Xu Huiba. His handsome and muscular build made Xu Huiba’s coarseness even more pronounced.

“Go, Senior Brother Zhao! Take down this annoying guy!”

“Show no mercy, let him witness the strength of our Chen’s Martial Arts Hall!”

Encouraging shouts from the students filled the air, rallying behind the tall student.

This student was a core member of Chen’s Martial Arts Hall, ranking among the top students, second only to Chen Lingxin, and even surpassing Chen Tianli in strength.

His confidence stemmed from this very reason. Xu Huiba, notorious for his brutality, was no ordinary adversary. Lesser students would stand no chance against him, only serving to embarrass themselves further.

Jealousy flickered in Xu Huiba’s eyes. He detested those taller and more handsome than himself. He resolved to humiliate this opponent thoroughly.

“You make the first move,” Xu Huiba said, arms crossed, as he nonchalantly gestured to Senior Brother Zhao. “Show me what you’ve got.”

Senior Brother Zhao maintained a grave expression, his anger not incited by Xu Huiba’s disdain. Instead, he became exceedingly cautious, inching towards Xu Huiba with measured steps.

Such caution was necessary. Despite Xu Huiba’s crude and disrespectful demeanor, his martial arts prowess was formidable. He was well-known throughout Jiangnan province’s martial arts community, which had earned him the position of the leading disciple at Wei Martial Arts Hall, making him a worthy rival to Chen Lingxin.

Observing the scene unfold, Lin Xiao couldn’t help but shake his head inwardly. Although the fight hadn’t yet started, the student known as Senior Brother Zhao had already lost. His pre-battle timidity had put him at a disadvantage, his movements hesitant and lacking Xu Huiba’s composure.

If Senior Brother Zhao had unleashed his full strength in a fierce assault driven by his inner rage from the beginning, he might have stood a chance against Xu Huiba.

But at this point, his odds of winning were practically nil.

As these thoughts crossed Lin Xiao’s mind, he cast another glance at Chen Lingxin.

Since the slap from Elder Chen, Chen Lingxin had fallen silent. She hadn’t spoken for a while, her hand covering her cheek, appearing dazed and lost. Had it not been for this setback, she would have been the first to confront Xu Huiba, not leaving the chance to anyone else.

Lin Xiao shifted his attention back from Chen Lingxin to the confrontation between Xu Huiba and Senior Brother Zhao.

Senior Brother Zhao, now within two meters of Xu Huiba, seemed poised to strike. He lunged forward, his right fist clenched, aiming a punch at Xu Huiba’s chest.

Bang!

Xu Huiba remained unmoved, not even bothering to dodge. His crossed arms didn’t flinch as he took the hit squarely.

Senior Brother Zhao’s forceful punch merely caused Xu Huiba’s body to slightly jolt. The backlash numbed Zhao’s wrist and forced him to retreat a step.

The impact, much to his dismay, was utterly ineffective. Senior Brother Zhao stood there, wide-eyed in shock and disbelief. The cheering students fell silent, their faces etched with incredulity as the previously heated atmosphere plummeted to an icy standstill.

Xu Huiba burst into raucous laughter, spitting on the ground and taunting, “What’s the matter? Didn’t you eat enough? Was that weak punch meant to be a tickle?”

Wei Chengxue, standing nearby, joined in the laughter, clapping mockingly, “Brilliant, just brilliant! Elder Chen, it seems your student doesn’t measure up. He’s tall, sure, but I thought he’d be formidable. Turns out he’s just a good-for-nothing pretty boy.”

Elder Chen’s expression darkened, his fists clenched tightly without realizing it. If it weren’t for the shadowy mastermind lurking behind, he would have already given Wei Chengxue a taste of his wrath.

His own student had been humiliated in front of an audience, mocked on the home ground of the Chen’s Martial Arts Hall. It was a total loss of face for their school.

On the field, Senior Brother Zhao’s complexion fluctuated between pale and flushed, overwhelmed with shame. His face felt burning hot with humiliation. Suddenly, with a roar of frustration, he charged at Xu Huiba and swung a punch.

“Worthless! Go back and lie down,” sneered Xu Huiba. He swiftly dodged the attack, ducking low, and delivered a brutal punch to Senior Brother Zhao’s chest.

Senior Brother Zhao staggered back seven or eight steps before he could barely steady himself. His face turned deathly pale, blood drained from his cheeks. Abruptly, he spat out a mouthful of blood, his legs buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.

With a single punch, Xu Huiba had inflicted serious internal injuries, rendering him incapable of continuing the fight.

“Haha, who’s next? Does the vast Chen’s Martial Arts Hall not have a single competent challenger?”

Xu Huiba, emboldened by his victory over Senior Brother Zhao with just one punch, became even more audacious.

“Where’s that little girl Chen Lingxin? Come on out and fight me, don’t hide like a turtle.”

Upon hearing Xu Huiba call her out by name, Chen Lingxin was jolted from her daze.

She blinked and saw the scene of Senior Brother Zhao vomiting blood and being assisted by fellow students. Filled with rage and eager to restore her honor against Xu Huiba, she was about to lunge forward.

At that moment, Lin Xiao, standing beside her, gently grabbed her wrist, his tone calm and steady.

“Let me handle this. You’re not in the right state to face Xu Huiba. Going against him now would not bode well for you.”

Normally, Chen Lingxin would have lashed out at anyone who dared to say such things. But coming from Lin Xiao, it was different.

“Master, I’m counting on you. Please, give him a good beating for me,” Chen Lingxin implored, grasping Lin Xiao’s arm tightly and shaking it with urgency.

Lin Xiao nodded subtly, released Chen Lingxin’s wrist, and strode towards Xu Huiba with a relaxed pace.

“I’ll keep you company.”

“So it’s you,” Xu Huiba remarked, narrowing his eyes. The memory of Lin Xiao’s swift rescue of Chen Lingxin had left a strong impression.

“You’re quick, but unfortunately, you’re up against me. I fear no one, especially not those with fast footwork.”

Xu Huiba wasn’t bluffing. He truly wasn’t intimidated by opponents known for their speed.

Generally, given Lin Xiao’s youth and the agility he had just displayed, it would suggest that he specialized in speed rather than strength.

In contrast, Xu Huiba’s training focused on physical strength, mastering external techniques to an impressive level. Ordinary attacks could hardly make a dent in his defense.

This was evident with Senior Brother Zhao—though his strength was considerable, he couldn’t break through Xu Huiba’s defenses and failed to cause any real harm.

However, this was only a general assumption.

“Is that so?” Lin Xiao’s expression remained serene. He stood calmly, showing no desire to launch the first strike. “Let’s see how formidable you are. I’ll stay right here. If you can make me move even a step, consider it your win.”

Facing Xu Huiba, Lin Xiao echoed the same challenge he had given Chen Lingxin during their first encounter.

Chen Lingxin, watching from the crowd, covered her face with her hands, her eyes gleaming as she focused on Lin Xiao.

“What did you say?” Xu Huiba asked, hardly believing his ears, thinking he had misunderstood.

“Seems you’re skeptical. Alright, I’ll only use one hand,” Lin Xiao declared, tucking his left hand behind his back and beckoning Xu Huiba with his right.

Lin Xiao’s evident disregard for Xu Huiba, treating him as though he were insignificant, left everyone around them utterly astonished.

Xu Huiba, after all, was the main disciple of Wei Martial Arts Hall and had a notable reputation in Jiangnan Province’s martial arts community. Yet here was an ordinary Chen’s Martial Arts Hall student, a relative unknown, daring to challenge Xu Huiba using only one hand and without shifting his feet.

Had they misheard, or was this just a joke? It seemed too preposterous!

“He must have lost his mind,” the onlookers thought, observing Lin Xiao’s composed demeanor.