Chapter 87: Misunderstanding

Lin Xiao stood before these words, entranced by their depth.

After what seemed like an eternity, he let out a long sigh, and with genuine admiration, he said, “What a good saying.”

These words were clearly penned by the same hand as those on the Chen’s Martial Arts Hall plaque. However, their styles contrasted dramatically.

One set of characters was youthful, full of pride and unconstrained, while the other was mature, suggesting an elder’s wisdom and hidden sharpness, the outcome of having seen through the world’s vanities.

As Lin Xiao read the words Understand the Mind, See the Nature again and again, it felt as if he were glimpsing the insight of a peerless master—someone who had seen through the complexities of the world and returned to simplicity.

“This was written by my ancestor,” Chen Jinsong stated, standing next to Lin Xiao. His gaze was complicated, filled with unspoken thoughts.

Lin Xiao’s eyes remained fixed on the characters on the wall. Within those words, he found something he had been seeking.

“Master Chen, may I spend some time alone here?”

“Of course.”

Chen Jinsong gave Lin Xiao a meaningful glance, chose not to comment, and then silently exited the martial arts hall, leaving Lin Xiao alone.

Once Chen Jinsong had left, Lin Xiao sat down cross-legged. His mind quickly entered an indescribable state.

Understand the Mind and See the Nature.

These words echoed within Lin Xiao’s mind.

“To understand the mind and see the nature, know what must be known, hold fast to what you’ve realized. Let nothing in the world disturb your clarity. Let worldly affairs flow like water. All things are impermanent. I remain unmoved, my heart steady as stone.”

Boom! A thunderous realization exploded in Lin Xiao’s mind, illuminating his heart.

An indeterminate amount of time passed before Lin Xiao emerged from his contemplation and rose to his feet, stepping outside. At that moment, there wasn’t the slightest trace of doubt in his heart about the path ahead.

He felt something he hadn’t in a long time—anticipation.

The bottleneck that had troubled him for years seemed to have loosened. He could sense it—his Thunderbolt Decree, which had remained at the first level of Qi Initiation for a full decade, was on the verge of breaking through to the second level.

By the standards of the ancient martial arts world, that would place him at the Flowing Force stage.

Although Lin Xiao had obtained the Thunderbolt Decree by chance, and it was an incomplete technique, it was more profound than any other ancient martial arts technique he had encountered.

The incomplete Thunderbolt Decree outlined three stages, Qi Initiation, Qi Refinement, and Spiritual Ascension, with each stage divided into three levels.

Regrettably, the Thunderbolt Decree was incomplete. It only provided detailed guidance for the three levels of Qi Initiation, offering little more than vague hints about the stages beyond.

Lin Xiao had been stuck at the first level of Qi Initiation for quite some time. Though it was only the beginning of the path, this level was already considered equivalent to the Bright Force and Dark Force stages in ancient martial arts.

He had long reached the peak of the first level—comparable to the Dark Force stage—but had been unable to break through. Now, thanks to his recent moment of clarity, the bottleneck that had hindered him for years had finally loosened. If he could step into the second level of Qi Initiation, it would be equivalent to entering the Flowing Force stage.

In a world where Dark Force experts could already command respect and authority, someone who reached the Flowing Force stage would be viewed as a grandmaster.

***

Outside the martial arts hall, a group of students in training uniforms bearing the emblem of Chen’s Martial Arts Hall stood gathered in small clusters, chatting and laughing among themselves.

Though not large in number, each one radiated strength and vitality—an energy that commanded respect.

They were waiting for their master to arrive and begin the day’s training.

Suddenly, the doors of the previously sealed hall opened, and Lin Xiao stepped out.

The moment they saw him, the students fell silent, visibly caught off guard by his unexpected appearance.

“Who’s that guy?”

“I don’t recognize him. I’ve never seen him before.”

“Did he sneak out of the hall? Could he be a thief?”

A brief silence followed—until one student, his expression shifting with sudden realization, spoke up louder than the rest.

The others reacted immediately. To them, the appearance of an unfamiliar figure inside the martial arts school could only mean trouble. If he wasn’t a thief, then what was he?

Their gazes turned sharp. In seconds, they had surrounded Lin Xiao, blocking off any path of retreat.

Lin Xiao glanced around, frowning slightly. There was no sign of Chen Jinsong or Chen Tianxing.

“I’m not a thief. I was invited by Elder Chen,” Lin Xiao said calmly, meeting the sharp gazes surrounding him.

His words were met with a burst of laughter. Even the more level-headed students found the claim hard to take seriously.

“Elder Chen’s guest? You could’ve come up with a better excuse,” one scoffed. “Do you even understand what Chen’s Martial Arts Hall stands for? Even the Chief of Jinghai’s Police Department would be treated as a peer at best. Elder Chen is the master’s father. He’s a senior figure.”

“This is rich,” another said, shaking his head. “You seriously think you qualify to be Elder Chen’s guest?”

“He has to be a thief,” someone muttered. “Just look at his clothes. He’s not even dressed like someone who could afford lunch here, let alone walk in through the front gate.”

“Exactly. With Elder Chen’s status, there’s no way he’d associate with someone like this.”

The students were far from convinced by Lin Xiao’s explanation.

“Just admit it. What did you steal?” one student demanded.

He was taller than Lin Xiao by half a head, his build broad and muscular. Stepping forward, he thrust a hand against Lin Xiao’s shoulder in a hard shove.

He had expected to knock him back easily, but Lin Xiao didn’t budge. It was as if he were planted into the ground.

The student blinked in surprise, his expression flickering with embarrassment. Irritated, he pulled back his fist, ready to escalate.

“Let’s keep it civil,” Lin Xiao said evenly. “There’s no need for violence.”

Given that he was soon to become the honorary headmaster of the martial arts school, Lin Xiao felt it would be inappropriate to lash out at the students. So, he chose not to retaliate and instead continued trying to explain.

But the students had already made up their minds. The misunderstanding had taken root, and they were convinced he was a thief.

Several of them ignored his words entirely, closing in with hostility.

“Do you think we’re fools?” one snapped. “What’s there to talk about with a thief like you? Be smart, give up now, and maybe we’ll go easy on you.”

A few students moved in from both sides, their stance aggressive, while others stood back with arms crossed, clearly waiting for the situation to escalate.

Lin Xiao was neither tall nor exuded the bearing of a master, which led the more perceptive students to underestimate him. They saw him as nothing more than a common thief, hardly worthy of their attention.

“What a joke—trying to steal from a martial arts school. That’s basically asking for a beating.”

“Seriously. It’s been a while since we’ve seen someone this bold. He clearly has no idea what kind of reputation Chen’s Martial Arts Hall holds in Jinghai City.”

As the students continued their jeering, two of them, positioned on either side of Lin Xiao, suddenly moved. Without warning, they lunged toward him in unison.

These weren’t amateurs. While they might not have been practitioners of ancient martial arts, their skills were well above average. To ordinary people, they would’ve seemed like seasoned fighters—disciplined and far removed from street-level brawlers.

To Lin Xiao, there was no distinction.

As the two students rushed toward him, he couldn’t help but let out a quiet chuckle. Just as their strikes were about to land, he stepped back—not hurriedly, but with the ease of someone strolling through a garden.

His timing was flawless. Not too early, not too late. A simple, effortless retreat.

The two students, eager to impress, misjudged their attack and slammed into each other. The force of their lunge turned the collision into something far from graceful. Both staggered backward and hit the ground hard.

“What just happened?”

“He dodged us?”

“Was that just luck? Those two are among the more experienced students. They’re not pushovers.”

“No… that wasn’t luck. This guy’s definitely skilled.”

The atmosphere shifted. The mocking tone from earlier faded as the students looked at Lin Xiao with new eyes. Their expressions were no longer smug or hostile—but cautious, even respectful.

Though they lacked the insight of someone like Elder Chen, they were still students of a respected martial arts school—trained to recognize ability when they saw it. And now, it was obvious Lin Xiao was anything but ordinary.