Chapter 259: Crushed!

“Tragic, just tragic. If you’d simply followed my senior brother’s instructions, none of this would have happened, right? But no, you had to go against our Golden Claw Sect. Now, not only have your students suffered, but your entire martial Arts Hall is about to be destroyed.”

Although Jiang Linfeng sighed, the glee in his eyes and the satisfaction of avenging his past humiliation were impossible to hide.

“If you have any issues, take them out on me and my family. The students are innocent. Doing this… can you even call yourselves an honorable sect?” Old Master Chen gritted his teeth in frustration.

“An honorable sect? Old Master Chen, I think you’ve got it wrong. We’re simply having a friendly exchange.”

Duan Changhan laughed heartily.

“Your students were just too weak! You should step outside and take a look. Your students have all been beaten to the ground. Even your son is lying on the floor. Who knows if he’s even alive? Look, the sign of the Chen Martial Arts Hall is about to be taken down.”

He chuckled coldly and continued, “The Chen Martial Arts Hall has been around for over a century, but today it’s about to disappear completely. It’s quite a shame, isn’t it?”

Old Master Chen’s face darkened, but he knew the situation was dire and that he had to endure.

However, Chen Tianxing, standing nearby, grew more and more furious with every word. Even though he knew Duan Changhan was deliberately provoking him, his anxiety got the better of him.

Unable to hold back, he roared, “Shut up!”

The sound was like a thunderclap, shaking dust loose from the roof.

A cold gleam flashed in Duan Changhan’s eyes. In an instant, his hand shot out like lightning. He grabbed Chen Tianxing’s wrist and twisted it violently.

“Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit. You think the Golden Claw Sect is to be trifled with? You’re courting death.”

Duan Changhan’s eagle claw grip was incredibly powerful. With just a casual twist, he could break a bull’s neck. A mere grab could pierce through a steel plate.

Chen Tianxing’s heart sank. Gritting his teeth, he flexed his arm and unleashed his Bright Force. He tried to break free from Duan Changhan’s grasp.

But Duan Changhan’s cultivation was at the Dark Force stage, far beyond Chen Tianxing’s abilities. There was no way Chen could resist.

Crack!

A string of horrifying cracks echoed through the air as Duan Changhan twisted Chen Tianxing’s arm into a grotesque spiral.

Chen Tianxing howled in pain. His eyes instantly turned bloodshot. He swung a fist at Duan Changhan’s head with his good arm.

Duan Changhan sneered in contempt and casually struck back.

With a loud thud, Chen Tianxing was sent flying across the room, crashing into a table and scattering chairs in his wake.

“Tianxing, are you okay?”

The old master hurried over to help Chen Tianxing to his feet.

“Don’t worry, Dad, I’m fine.”

Chen Tianxing spat out a mouthful of blood and, wobbling slightly, forced himself upright. One of his arms hung limp at his side. He panted heavily, glaring furiously at Duan Changhan.

The damage Duan Changhan had inflicted was brutal.

He hadn’t just dislocated Chen Tianxing’s joints. He had shredded the muscles, tendons, and even the bones in the entire arm. Even if Chen Tianxing managed to reset the bones, the arm would never return to its former strength. It might never function properly again.

Seeing Chen Tianxing’s miserable state and the sorrow in Old Master Chen’s eyes, Jiang Linfeng erupted into wild laughter. His voice was filled with glee as he struggled to catch his breath.

“Hahaha! Finally, you’re getting what you deserve!”

Chen Tianxing’s teeth clenched tightly, his body shaking as he fought to stay on his feet. He refused to collapse. He stared daggers at Duan Changhan and his crew.

Duan Changhan, with his arms crossed, spoke with a tone of condescension.

“Old Master Chen, Master Chen, I’ll give you one last chance. If you agree to my terms, I’ll spare your lives.”

“You… can… dream! The Chen family would rather die standing than live on our knees!”

Old Master Chen spat the words out with grim defiance, staring at Duan Changhan with unwavering intensity.

Chen Tianxing, his face etched with determination, added, “As long as I draw breath, I won’t let you destroy this school. If you want to take down the Chen Martial Arts Hall, you’ll have to step over my dead body first.”

“Die standing? Step over your corpse?” Jiang Linfeng sneered, “What can you do? A cripple and a worthless fighter who only reached the Bright Force stage. What are you hoping for? A miracle? You think that Lin Xiao will come to save you?”

He snickered, “Don’t worry. Soon enough, he’ll be joining you in hell.”

Chen Tianxing shot a cold glare at Jiang Linfeng, his eyes filled with murderous intent. He despised Jiang Linfeng from the bottom of his heart for being such a treacherous, shameless coward.

“Even with only one arm left, I can still kill you! Kill you, you useless cripple! I only regret not letting Lin Xiao finish you off earlier!”

“Big words for a man on the verge of death. You want to kill me? I’ll take you down first!”

Jiang Linfeng was visibly shaken by the killing intent in Chen Tianxing’s gaze. He instinctively stepped back. However, after hearing Chen’s words, his rage flared up.

He shouted, “And Lin Xiao… just wait! I’ll make sure he wishes he were dead!”

Chen Tianxing took a deep breath, pushing through the excruciating pain from his injured arm. With a fierce stomp, he lunged at Jiang Linfeng. His uninjured arm reached straight for Jiang’s throat.

Perhaps due to his injuries, Chen Tianxing’s charge was filled with a desperate, do-or-die momentum.

Jiang Linfeng, his martial abilities long crippled, panicked and darted behind Duan Changhan.

He pleaded for help, “Senior Brother…”

“Master Chen, you should just give up,” Duan Changhan said calmly as he effortlessly blocked Chen Tianxing’s attack.

With a single palm strike to Chen’s chest, he sent the larger man flying backward.

Boom!

Chen Tianxing was thrown three or four meters back. He crashed into the wall before sliding down to the floor. His already pale face turned even whiter as he coughed up another mouthful of blood.

After sending Chen Tianxing flying, Duan Changhan glanced at Jiang Linfeng.

“Junior Brother Jiang, I’ve avenged you. Don’t forget what you promised me.”

“Of course, Senior Brother, I haven’t forgotten,” Jiang Linfeng replied with deep respect. “As soon as we return to Jiangdong Province, I’ll hand over all my assets to the sect.”

A satisfied smile spread across Duan Changhan’s face.

“There’s no need to give the sect everything. You can keep a portion for yourself. After all, we’re brothers in the same sect, no need to be so strict about dividing things.”

Jiang Linfeng nodded repeatedly in agreement, though a flash of pain flickered in his eyes.

Though the Golden Claw Sect was using this situation as an excuse to establish a foothold in Jiangnan Province, Jiang Linfeng had paid a hefty price for his revenge. Not only had he donated a massive amount of money to the sect upfront, but he had also promised to hand over all his assets to the Golden Claw Sect once the plan was successful.

“Senior Brother, besides dealing with the Chen family, there’s someone else you mustn’t forget,” reminded Jiang Linfeng, his tone laced with deep hatred.

Though his enmity with the Chen family ran deep, his hatred for Lin Xiao burned even hotter.

If not for Lin Xiao, he would still be an expert in Dark Force, not a crippled man with his martial abilities completely ruined, living like a dog.

“That guy, Lin Xiao, is the one who destroyed my cultivation! You can’t let him get away.” Jiang Linfeng growled.

“Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten. I’ll handle it as promised. If he dares to show up, I’ll make sure he learns the consequences of crossing the Golden Claw Sect,” Duan Changhan replied calmly.

***

Meanwhile, outside in the courtyard.

The entire group of Chen Martial Hall students lay on the ground. Some bled from the head, others with broken limbs or bruised faces. Not a single one could stand.

The sounds of fighting from inside the main hall, mixed with Chen Tianxing’s cries of pain and Jiang Linfeng’s maniacal laughter, echoed loudly outside.

“Master!”

Those students who were still conscious looked horrified. They tried to pick themselves up and continue fighting the Golden Claw Sect students. But before they could even regain their footing, they were knocked back down.

Chen Lingxin was exhausted and barely hanging on. She had been forcing herself to hold her ground against Duan Fei. Hearing her father’s agonized screams, her already pale face turned even whiter as despair weighed heavily on her heart.

She stopped attacking Duan Fei and stood still. She breathed heavily. Her training clothes were soaked with sweat.

“What have you done to my father?” she demanded, her voice filled with anger.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Duan Fei spread his hands, flashing a smirk. “Your father was asking for trouble, so my father just helped him out a little.”

He slowly stepped closer to her. A smug grin spread across his face.

“Well, no need to drag this out any longer. Since you’re so pretty, I’ll go easy on you.”

Watching him close the distance, Chen Lingxin clenched her teeth. Her eyes blazed with determination. She would rather die than suffer humiliation.

Just as the tension between Chen Lingxin and Duan Fei was about to explode, a thunderous crash echoed through the courtyard.

The heavy, steel-plated wooden doors of the Chen Martial Hall were suddenly kicked open. Splintered pieces flew in all directions under the sheer force of an unimaginable blow.