Chapter 261: Surrounded

Lin Xiao’s patience finally ran out.

What else was there to say to these arrogant fools who couldn’t recognize their own limits?

Instead of wasting his breath, speaking with his fists would be much more straightforward.

Lin Xiao made up his mind in an instant. His eyes flashed coldly as he suddenly pushed off the ground, shooting forward like an arrow. In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of one of the loudest Gold Claw Sect disciples.

This disciple had been cursing gleefully, spitting out vulgar words without a care, his insults growing nastier by the second. Relying on the fact that his group vastly outnumbered Lin Xiao, he stood nearby without the slightest hint of caution, slouching lazily as though completely unafraid.

In truth, it wasn’t just this disciple. The others also assumed that, with Lin Xiao surrounded by so many of them, no matter how skilled he was, he wouldn’t dare strike while unarmed.

But they were all wrong.

Lin Xiao’s strength and tactics couldn’t be measured by common sense.

From the moment he had stepped through the gates of Chen’s Martial Arts Hall and seen the miserable state of the students, he had already resolved to give these people a lesson they would never forget.

The Gold Claw Sect disciple didn’t expect Lin Xiao to attack so boldly. It wasn’t until Lin Xiao was right in front of him that he instinctively raised his arms, assuming a defensive posture.

Despite being caught off guard, the disciple didn’t panic. His stance was well-executed, reflecting solid martial arts training.

However, in Lin Xiao’s eyes, his speed was far too slow.

Whoosh!

Lin Xiao’s left hand curled like a claw, shooting forward like lightning. He grabbed the Gold Claw Sect disciple by the throat. His grip instantly choked off all the curses that had been spewing from the man’s mouth.

The throat is one of the most fragile and fatal areas of the human body. Once seized, it’s practically a death sentence.

The disciple’s eyes bulged, his face turning bright red in an instant.

Lin Xiao’s grip was incredibly strong. Even though he only used a portion of his strength, it gave the disciple the terrifying sensation that his neck was about to snap.

Fear flooded the disciple’s eyes. Strange gurgling noises escaped his throat, like a chicken being strangled. He thrashed wildly, desperately trying to free himself.

One hand grabbed at Lin Xiao’s wrist. He attempted to pry his fingers loose while the other clawed aimlessly at Lin Xiao’s face. As a disciple of the Gold Claw Sect, he had some skill in their signature Eagle Claw technique, and his strength was considerable. But compared to Lin Xiao, the difference was like that between a giant and a child.

Lin Xiao let out a cold snort. He lifted the disciple overhead with one hand. With a casual shake of his arm, he easily nullified the man’s frantic struggle and counterattack. Then, with blinding speed, he slammed the disciple down into the ground.

The sickening thud echoed as the disciple’s face smashed into the ground.

His nose collapsed inward, turning into a bloody, mangled mess. Several teeth shattered on impact. Blood mixed with dirt smeared across his face.

Lin Xiao had held back; otherwise, the disciple’s head would’ve burst like a watermelon.

Even so, the injury was too much for the Gold Claw Sect disciple to bear. He let out a garbled scream, his limbs convulsing as his eyes rolled back into his head. He passed out cold from the sheer pain.

Lin Xiao released his grip. The unconscious disciple twitched on the ground. He stood back up, his gaze sweeping across the other Gold Claw Sect members.

His eyes were as cold as ice. The murderous intent was unmistakable.

Only at this moment did the other Gold Claw Sect disciples finally react.

“What did you just do?!”

“You actually dared to attack first? You’re asking for it!”

“Everyone, get him! Break him down!”

“You’re dead! No one can save you now!”

The Gold Claw Sect disciples felt provoked. They roared in fury and lunged at Lin Xiao as if they were about to tear him apart.

Cold killing intent flickered in Duan Fei’s eyes. Lin Xiao’s blatant disregard for his words and the audacity to attack one of his fellow junior brothers was like a hard slap to Duan Fei’s face.

He crossed his arms, watching Lin Xiao with icy eyes, but didn’t join in the attack. With his experience, he could tell that Lin Xiao was a martial artist with some skill. But the ones surrounding Lin Xiao were elite disciples of the Gold Claw Sect.

These elite disciples had trained in martial arts for years. While they hadn’t reached the level of Bright Force, their strength far surpassed that of ordinary people. They had rich combat experience, and their coordination was tight. Even a martial artist with Bright Force would have a hard time holding out for long against their combined assault.

After all, Bright Force was merely the entry level of martial arts—stronger than regular people, but not vastly different.

If that weren’t the case, Duan Changhan wouldn’t have bothered bringing them along.

Seeing Lin Xiao surrounded, Chen Lingxin, standing on the outskirts of the crowd, felt a surge of determination flash across her face.

“Master, I’ll help you!”

She took a few deep breaths and wiped the sweat from her forehead. She clenched her fists. Despite her exhaustion, she prepared to charge into the crowd to fight alongside Lin Xiao.

“No need. Just watch,” Lin Xiao’s voice rang out from within the encirclement. It was calm and steady, without a hint of nervousness.

Chen Lingxin halted her steps. She trusted Lin Xiao completely. Whatever he said, she followed without question.

Facing the ferocious onslaught of the Gold Claw Sect disciples, Lin Xiao raised both hands, slightly spread apart. He assumed the opening stance of Xingyiquan. His eyes flashed with an intimidating light as he locked onto the disciple charging at him from the front.

This disciple, tall and powerfully built, wore a vicious grin as he closed the distance in just a few strides. With a shout, he leaped into the air and aimed a brutal kick directly at Lin Xiao’s head.

“Go to hell!”

The power behind this kick was immense, and its momentum was fierce.

Behind this disciple, two more approached from the left and right. Their hands clawed forward like eagle talons. Their fingers were bent, and their nails, several inches long, gleamed with a cold light as they reached for Lin Xiao’s shoulders.

The tendons in their hands were taut. The muscles twisted like ropes, with veins bulging along their forearms. Their Eagle Claw technique had been honed to an advanced level.

In addition to these three, there were more Gold Claw Sect disciples closing in from behind, aiming strikes at Lin Xiao’s chest and lower back. The ferocity of their attacks was so overwhelming that even without looking, one could feel the threat they posed.

If Lin Xiao had been an average martial artist at the Bright Force stage, he might have struggled to fend them off.

But they were facing Lin Xiao—someone beyond their wildest imaginations.

Lin Xiao sneered in disdain.

Suddenly, his body shook violently. The short hair on his head stood on end.

With that shake, his entire skeletal structure—from inside out, from bottom to top—emitted a rapid series of popping sounds, like beans exploding. Beneath the crisp noise was a faint, almost imperceptible rumble, akin to thunder.

In an instant, Lin Xiao’s body grew taller by several inches. His muscles tightened like iron cords. His hands glistened with a metallic sheen. Without hesitation, he clenched his left hand into a fist and punched with explosive force.