Chapter 255: Coming Back for Revenge

Morning.

Yuan Yu was startled awake by the sound of the door closing. Groggily, she got out of bed. Yawning as she walked out of her room, just in time to see Lin Xiao returning from his morning training.

“Good morning, Big Brother Lin.” Yuan Yu stretched, revealing her slender, snow-white waist and her cute, delicate belly button.

“Did you sleep well last night?”

“Yes, I slept great.”

“Wash your face and then come have breakfast.” Lin Xiao placed the breakfast on the table.

After sharing breakfast with Lin Xiao, Yuan Yu grabbed her bag with her textbooks and hurried out the door. The college entrance exams were fast approaching, and though she didn’t show it, the pressure was clearly weighing on her.

Lin Xiao picked up his phone and called Huang Xinyu to tell her about Fang Tianping’s ambush from the night before.

He had actually intended to tell her yesterday, but when he called, she seemed busy, so he chose not to disturb her.

Huang Xinyu had already been wary of Fang Tianping, which was why she kept him at arm’s length, so she wasn’t surprised by Lin Xiao’s news. After confirming that Lin Xiao was unharmed, she reassured him that she already had a plan in place.

Since Huang Xinyu seemed well-prepared, Lin Xiao felt no need to worry. But just as he ended the call, his phone rang again.

“Master, something’s wrong! Jiang Linfeng brought people to get revenge on you!”

The voice calling him ‘Master’ could only belong to Chen Lingxin.

Her tone was sharp and clear, speaking quickly and urgently.

Hearing Chen Lingxin’s words, Lin Xiao’s brow furrowed deeply, and a cold glint appeared on his face.

The saying goes, ‘If you don’t kill the snake, it’ll bite you back,’ and his instincts had been correct all along.

From the moment Lin Xiao defeated Jiang Linfeng, he knew Jiang wouldn’t let it go easily—especially after having his cultivation crippled.

For a martial artist, cultivation is more precious than life itself. To go from being a formidable expert who could face hundreds and stand unafraid of firearms to a powerless, ordinary person—such a blow is unbearable for most.

It was no surprise that Jiang Linfeng couldn’t swallow his anger.

Lin Xiao had foreseen this outcome. Ever since Jiang was defeated at Chen’s Martial Arts Hall, fear and dread had been festering in him, especially with the unsettling suspicions that haunted his mind, making him even more wary of provoking Lin Xiao.

Of course, this was all under the assumption that Jiang Linfeng’s cultivation hadn’t been destroyed.

That day, when Jiang Linfeng woke up and learned that his cultivation had been crippled beyond recovery, hatred completely clouded his judgment. No longer caring about the suspicions in his mind, he was consumed by a single thought–to make Lin Xiao pay in blood.

“How did you hear about this?”

Although Lin Xiao was slightly surprised by the news, his voice remained calm and steady.

“Right now, Jiang Linfeng is at the martial arts hall, and he’s brought a whole group of people with him,” Chen Lingxin whispered, as though afraid someone might overhear. “Master, I didn’t expect Jiang Linfeng to have such a strong background. It turns out he’s part of the Golden Claw Sect and not just any member, he’s one of their direct disciples. After you crippled his hands and most of his cultivation, the Golden Claw Sect sent people to help him regain his honor!”

“The Golden Claw Sect?” Lin Xiao had never heard of this sect before.

Knowing that Lin Xiao wasn’t too familiar with the martial world, Chen Lingxin explained, “The Golden Claw Sect is a mid-level sect from Jiangdong Province, which is next to Jiangnan Province. Jiangdong’s martial arts scene is much stronger than ours here in Jiangnan, and the Golden Claw Sect is one of the more famous powers there. They run over a dozen martial Arts Halls and have thousands of students.”

After hearing Chen Lingxin’s explanation, Lin Xiao understood the situation.

No wonder Jiang Linfeng had been able to gather four grandmasters from the top martial halls in Jiangnan to challenge Chen’s Martial Arts Hall. It was all thanks to the influence of the Golden Claw Sect.

Wherever people gather, there will be a martial world, and where there’s a martial world, there will be sects.

Even though the Golden Claw Sect was only considered a mid-level sect, it was far more formidable than an average martial Arts Hall. While Chen’s Martial Arts Hall was one of the top four in Jiangnan, the province’s martial world was relatively weak, and compared to the Golden Claw Sect, it was a mere speck.

The Golden Claw Sect boasted over a dozen schools and thousands of students. They had no shortage of talented students, and the number of martial artists who had reached the Bright Force level was overwhelming. They also had many seasoned experts, including several Dark Force masters.

In contrast, a typical martial Arts Hall might have no more than a hundred students, with only one or two at the Bright Force level being considered exceptional. Many schools didn’t even have students who reached the mid-level of Bright Force.

While the Chen Martial Arts Hall was stronger than the average martial school, with around a dozen martial artists at the Bright Force level, they didn’t have a single Dark Force expert.

Jiang Linfeng’s challenge to the Chen Martial Arts Hall may not have been just a personal vendetta. It could very well have been sanctioned by the Golden Claw Sect.

After all, any organization or power desires expansion.

If Jiang Linfeng defeated Chen’s Martial Arts Hall and replaced it, it would mean that the Golden Claw Sect had established a foothold in Jiangnan Province. It was a clear and undeniable benefit.

As these thoughts crossed Lin Xiao’s mind, his gaze gradually grew more profound.

“Who exactly came to Jinghai City with Jiang Linfeng?” Lin Xiao stood up and headed out. “I’ll be there shortly. Tell the old master to hold off on any fighting until I arrive.”

“Master, Grandpa said you shouldn’t come. He told me to tell you to leave Jinghai City immediately. The people Jiang Linfeng brought this time aren’t the same as before. They’re much stronger!”

Even over the phone, Lin Xiao could hear the worry in Chen Lingxin’s voice.

“There’s someone named Duan Changhan. He’s apparently Jiang Linfeng’s senior brother, and his martial skills are far superior–”

“I’m not running. Since I’m the one they’re after, I’ll handle this myself.” Lin Xiao’s voice was calm and indifferent. “Try to buy some time. I’ll be there soon.”

Without waiting for Chen Lingxin to reply, Lin Xiao ended the call. He casually slipped his phone into his pocket and glanced up at the sky.

The sun hung high, with not a cloud in sight.

“It seems the tree wishes to remain still, but the wind won’t let it. Since that’s the case, I’ll see just how formidable the Golden Claw Sect truly is.”

In the depths of Lin Xiao’s serene gaze, two sharp glints shone, accompanied by a faint hint of killing intent.

***

“Master actually hung up on me.”

Chen Lingxin tossed her phone aside, sulking as she walked out of her room.

Outside, the courtyard was filled with people, divided into two distinct groups. One group was the students of Chen’s Martial Arts Hall, and the other consisted of students from the Golden Claw Sect.

The students from Chen’s Martial Arts Hall wore white training uniforms, while the Golden Claw Sect students were dressed in dark red.

The two sides glared at each other, with the tension so thick it felt like a fight could break out at any moment.

Even though the Chen’s Martial Arts Hall students had the home advantage, their morale was visibly lower.

The group of Golden Claw Sect students, numbering only a dozen or so, included men and women, old and young. The oldest appeared to be in their thirties, while the youngest looked barely in their teens. Yet all of them, without exception, wore cold expressions, their sharp gazes revealing an unmistakable air of strength and determination.

They looked at the students of the Chen Martial Arts Hall with condescending gazes, full of disdain. It was much like eagles soaring high above, looking down on sparrows hopping on branches below.

On the backs of their training uniforms, a vividly embroidered golden eagle spread its massive wings wide, poised to strike from the sky. Above the eagle, three large characters in dark gold spelled out Golden Claw Sect.

From just their attire, it was clear that these young people were far more sophisticated than the students of Chen’s Martial Arts Hall, leaving many of the Chen students feeling ashamed and unable to lift their heads.

Chen Lingxin saw the two groups confronting each other in the courtyard. She took a deep breath, suppressing her anger, and walked straight through the crowd toward the hall.

As she passed by, many of the Golden Claw Sect students cast leering glances at her, and some even let out playful whistles.

“So, this is the senior apprentice sister of the Chen’s Martial Arts Hall? Not bad at all!”

“Check her out, tsk tsk…”

“With a beautiful senior sister like that, I’d want to learn martial arts at the Chen Hall too. Hahaha…”

A few of the Golden Claw Sect students burst into laughter, their voices loud and brash, as if no one else mattered.

“Bastards, how dare they talk about our senior sister like that!”

“These guys are dead meat!”

The students of Chen’s Martial Arts Hall were fuming with rage, their fists clenched tightly, ready to jump into a fight and knock out anyone who disrespected their senior sister.

However, a quick glance from Chen Lingxin held them back.

Though she was just as angry, her teeth clenched tight and her bright eyes burning with fury. She knew the situation demanded restraint. In any other case, if someone dared treat her like this, they would have already received a slap across the face.

But today was different.

These Golden Claw Sect members were clearly here with ill intentions, and she knew that her academy’s students were no match for them. For the sake of her students’ safety, she had to endure, no matter how frustrating it was.

This was the responsibility she had to bear as the senior apprentice sister.

“Master, please hurry and get here,” Chen Lingxin silently prayed, suppressing her anger.