Chapter 458: Shockwave

Lin Xiao picked up his bag and, under the complex gazes of the crowd, stepped toward the Southern Martial Alliance’s office building. Chen Lingxin followed closely behind.

“Master, you were amazing!”

“Hmm.”

“Don’t be so cold! You were seriously way too cool just now. Your disciple is about to worship the ground you walk on.”

“…”

After Lin Xiao and Chen Lingxin left, the spectators lost interest in sticking around and dispersed with thoughts of their own.

What they had seen and heard today would undoubtedly become a topic of discussion for a long time.

And the conflict between Lin Xiao and the Blazing Sun Martial Hall spread like wildfire, quickly reaching all corners.

In this age of information overload, news spreads fast, especially now, during the peak of the Martial Exchange Conference, with martial artists from all over the Southern Region gathered in Dongzhou.

The students of Blazing Sun Martial Hall helped each other up from the ground, exchanging glances, silent and stunned. A sense of bleakness and defeat washed over them.

They had left full of pride and confidence, never imagining they’d end up in such a miserable state.

An Baichen, supported by two students, looked pale. Cold sweat was dripping down his forehead.

“Senior brother, should we take you to the hospital?” one of the students asked quietly, his speech slightly slurred from missing several teeth.

An Baichen clenched his jaw and said bitterly, “Back to the hall. Find my father. What happened today can’t end like this. I’ll make that guy understand the price of offending Blazing Sun Martial Hall.”

***

In the central district of Dongzhou, on the top floor of a five-star hotel, inside a luxury suite.

A tall figure in a dark red suit stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, hands clasped behind his back, gazing out over the dazzling cityscape.

From the back, he appeared broad-shouldered and imposing, standing like a mountain. His entire presence exuded the aura of a powerhouse.

The door opened soundlessly, and a graceful girl with delicate features walked in.

“Senior Brother Lei, news just came from the Southern Martial Alliance,” she said respectfully. “I thought you might be interested.”

The man by the window slowly turned around, revealing a square-jawed, commanding face. He looked to be in his thirties, with a long scar across his forehead. When his eyes opened, they gleamed sharply, making it hard for anyone to meet his gaze.

“Speak,” Senior Brother Lei’s voice was low and powerful.

“An Baichen of Blazing Sun Martial Hall was defeated by a young man in front of the Southern Martial Alliance building in a single move.” The girl skipped any unnecessary words and got straight to the point.

“Defeated in one move? Are you sure?” Lei’s thick brows furrowed. “An Baichen is ranked sixth on the Prodigy List and has reached Dark Force. How could he be so easily bested?”

“The junior brother we have stationed at the Southern Alliance confirmed it, word for word,” the girl said.

“Who was the one that beat him?”

A flicker of interest crossed Lei’s face. “To defeat An Baichen in one move, there aren’t many in the entire Southern Province who could do that.”

“That’s what I was getting to. The one who defeated him was very young, probably around twenty, and he’s not on the Prodigy List.”

The girl handed her phone to Lei. “Here’s his photo, Senior Brother, please take a look.”

Lei glanced at the photo, then returned the phone. “I don’t recognize him. Have you found any background info?”

“Time’s been short. We haven’t uncovered much yet,” the girl shook her head, then added, “However, there’s one rumor. Can’t say for sure if it’s true.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“According to someone who witnessed the incident, this young man is from Jinghai City in Jiangnan Province. His name is Lin Xiao. Not long ago, he reportedly went alone to Golden Claw Sect, challenged them single-handedly, and defeated all their experts, including the head of the sect.” As she said this, a trace of solemnity appeared on the girl’s face.

“Oh?” Lei raised his left hand, stroking his chin with thick fingers. “So he’s the one who caused a stir at the Golden Claw Sect? Seems their sect master really is past his prime.”

“Senior Brother Lei, do you think this person might threaten your position on the Prodigy List?”

“The Prodigy List is just a hollow title, I don’t care about it,” Lei said calmly, his voice brimming with confidence. “Besides, so what if he beat An Baichen? An Baichen is nothing to me. I’m the senior disciple of the West Sea Sect, the number one sect in the South. I have that much confidence.”

“Then… how should we handle this person?”

“No need to do anything. I’ll find a chance to test him myself.” Lei waved his hand. “Isn’t the Martial Hall Ranking Evaluation starting tomorrow? Go find out which force he’s representing.”

“Understood.” The girl nodded and left the room.

“Lin Xiao, huh?” Lei clenched both fists, the joints cracking like firecrackers. “Defeating An Baichen in one strike? Interesting… very interesting…”

***

Meanwhile, at the Ten Absolutes Sect headquarters.

Inside a massive martial training hall, a woman in a dark red training outfit was sparring.

She appeared to be around twenty-five, tall and lean. Her looks were slightly above average, but her eyes were piercing, as if they could cut through flesh.

She was facing off against four young men, also dressed in red training clothes. Each of them had prominent temples and bright, spirited eyes. The movements of their hands and feet stirred up intense gusts of wind.

Yet, even under their combined assault, the young woman moved with ease. Her body shifted like a phantom, leaving behind trails of afterimages. As she evaded their attacks, she casually knocked each of them flying.

It was clear she had held back—after being thrown, the four young men rolled to their feet. Their faces were a mix of awe and admiration.

“Senior Sister, your skills have improved again!”

“Unfortunately, I’m still a step behind Lei Wen.” The woman let out a soft sigh and cast a sharp glance at them. “You all seem distracted. What’s the matter?”

“Senior Sister, you didn’t hear the news?” said a young man with a buzz cut, lowering his voice. “An Baichen got taken down in one move. In public, no less. Totally humiliated.”

“Really? Who defeated him?”

“A guy named Lin Xiao. Also very young, maybe around twenty. To defeat An Baichen in one move, he must be something special.”

“Every Martial Exchange brings out new geniuses; that’s normal.”

The young woman gave him a sidelong glance. “Instead of worrying about useless gossip, you should focus on training and improving yourselves. Have you rested enough? If so, let’s continue.”

“Senior Sister, please have mercy. We’ve been your punching bags all afternoon.”

Conversations like this were taking place all over Dongzhou.

The name Lin Xiao had, for the first time, entered the collective consciousness of the entire Southern Martial World.