Chapter 89: Unyielding

Although Lin Xiao knew that Chen’s Martial Arts Hall held considerable influence in Jinghai City, he hadn’t yet grasped the full extent of its power. The students, however, understood it all too well. To them, the school wasn’t just respected—it was one of the most formidable forces in the city.

Compared to Chen’s Martial Arts Hall, even figures like Wang Lin—the underground kingpin Lin Xiao had previously defeated—or the real estate tycoon Song Nianhua, father of Song Tianxing, paled in significance.

The school was led by Elder Chen and the headmaster, Chen Tianxing. Now, with Lin Xiao stepping into the role of honorary headmaster, he had been elevated into the very upper circles of Jinghai City’s power structure.

Chen Tianxing’s announcement left everyone dumbstruck. Perhaps the information was too overwhelming to digest. Silence enveloped the area.

“Dad, have you lost your mind?”

After a moment of stunned silence, Chen Lingxin finally spoke, her tone laced with disbelief.

“What does ‘honorary headmaster’ even mean? Our school has never had such a position. And look at his age—if word gets out that we’ve appointed someone like him to such a role, what will people think of our school? And what about Instructors Wang and Fan?”

Chen Tianxing’s expression darkened. Still mindful of her earlier outburst and concerned Lin Xiao might take offense, he scolded her without hesitation.

“Watch your mouth. I’ll speak to Instructors Wang and Fan myself. You don’t need to worry about that.”

“I am worried!” Chen Lingxin shot back, voice sharp. “And I strongly object.”

She turned toward Lin Xiao, her expression hardening.

“My father may have accepted you as an honorary headmaster, but I don’t. I challenge you.”

Lin Xiao stared back at Chen Lingxin, her eyes brimming with defiance and a thirst for battle.

“Very well, I accept your challenge,” he said calmly.

Chen Tianxing was taken aback. He wanted to interject, but ultimately he chose not to interfere.

He knew his daughter’s temperament well—unrelentingly proud and dismissive of others. Even if he intervened now, she would inevitably cross swords with Lin Xiao in the future. It seemed best to let this confrontation unfold now.

Moreover, he secretly wished for Lin Xiao to impart a much-needed lesson to Chen Lingxin, to show her that there’s always someone superior and skies beyond skies, to curb her inflated self-perception.

Chen Tianxing stepped close to Lin Xiao and whispered, “Don’t hold back. Do me a favor and give that unruly girl a proper lesson. She’s been giving me headaches for years.”

Lin Xiao let out a soft chuckle. Clearly, Chen Tianxing had his hands full with a hot-blooded daughter.

“Don’t worry, Uncle Chen,” he said with an easy nod. “I know what to do, and I won’t let her get hurt.”

By now, the students had sensed a spar was imminent. Buzzing with excitement, they quickly stepped back to clear the center.

“Senior Sister’s going head-to-head with that Lin Xiao guy? This is going to be good.”

“It’s gotta be Senior Sister. But… he’s a weird one. Quiet. It could be dangerous. Let’s just watch.”

“She’s gonna teach him a lesson, no doubt. He’ll find out real quick why the flower’s so red!”

Chen Lingxin strode confidently to the center of the open space, her eyes gleaming with eagerness. She threw a provocative glance at Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao remained calm. He walked up to a spot three meters from Chen Lingxin, lifted his feet, and lightly stomped. The hard bluestone ground beneath him shattered, cracking like a spider web.

“Whoa!”

“Seriously?”

“Is he that badass?”

The crowd erupted with incredulous shouts. Everyone’s eyes were wide with shock as they looked at Lin Xiao.

“Damn, is this guy really that badass?”

“No wonder Master appointed him as the honorary master. He seems to have some real skills.”

Breaking a bluestone slab wasn’t impressive in itself—most here could do it with enough force. But these bluestones were custom-made. They were so hard that even with a hammer, one would have to expend a great deal of effort to break them.

Yet Lin Xiao had shattered a wide section of it with a casual stomp.

It wasn’t just brute strength—it was strength paired with razor-sharp control.

Chen Lingxin’s expression shifted, her eyes narrowing. The seriousness showed—but not fear. She scoffed.

“Trying to scare me with that? If that’s your idea of intimidation, you’re in for a disappointment.”

“No,” Lin Xiao replied calmly.

He stepped lightly onto the broken slab, now surrounded by a web of fractures. His posture relaxed, but his eyes bore down on her with quiet dominance.

“I’ll stand right here. Within this boundary. If you can force me to take even one step outside it, you win.”

A low ripple of murmurs spread through the students.

“Did I hear that right? Lin Xiao’s really going to fight Senior Sister without moving from that spot?”

“That’s some serious arrogance. Sure, he’s strong—but isn’t he underestimating her?”

“Senior Sister must be fuming now.”

Their whispers, initially low, gradually grew louder until they merged into a steady chant.

“Senior Sister, fight on! Defeat him!”

Compared to the unfamiliar Lin Xiao, the students naturally rooted for Chen Lingxin. She was their own, and they were eager to see her prove herself.

Chen Lingxin ignored the students’ cheers. Her gaze locked on the footprint Lin Xiao had left in the fractured bluestone, her voice low and controlled, tinged with tension.

“Are you joking?”

“No,” Lin Xiao replied casually. “I don’t make a habit of joking.”

“Good. Very good.” Her expression darkened. “I’ve never met anyone so full of themselves. Where does that arrogance come from?”

“Without strength, it’s arrogance. With strength, it’s confidence.” Lin Xiao crossed his arms, gaze steady. “Whether I’m arrogant or confident, you’ll find out soon enough.”

Exhaling deeply, Chen Lingxin fixed a sharp gaze on Lin Xiao. Her fists clenched, and any semblance of anger seemingly vanished. However, those who knew Chen Lingxin well understood that at this moment, she was livid.

“You’ll regret this, even if you’re my grandfather’s guest, I won’t show you any mercy.”

As her final words hung in the air, Chen Lingxin sprang into motion. Though petite, her momentum was fierce—unyielding, almost overwhelming.

Her arm cut forward like a blade, palm slicing toward Lin Xiao’s throat and chest. The strike was fast—blindingly so.

But it wasn’t just speed. There was weight behind it. As her palm tore through the air, one could faintly hear the sound of wind being split.

She had no intention of holding back. Determined to teach this arrogant man a lesson, Chen Lingxin poured all her strength into the attack, aiming to end the match with a single blow.

Just as her palm closed in, a sharp glint flickered in Lin Xiao’s eyes.

Lin Xiao’s feet stood planted on the ground, appearing rooted. His body leaned back, contradicting the laws of physics, and narrowly evaded Chen’s attack.

In the blink of an eye, he snapped back up. He clenched his fist. With no wasted motion, he launched a straight punch toward Chen Lingxin’s shoulder.

The ferocity of Lin Xiao’s retaliation was formidable. His fist, as steady and unyielding as iron, seemed to harbor boundless strength. It sent chills down Chen’s spine, causing the hairs all over her body to stand on end.

The sight of this incoming punch sent a clear message to Chen Lingxin. She must dodge this blow, or lose.

Like a startled cat, she reacted on pure instinct, leaping backward with perfect timing. She narrowly avoided the blow, exiting Lin Xiao’s striking range just in time.

True to his word, Lin Xiao stayed within his boundary, making no move to follow.

Their first bout had exceeded both their expectations.

Lin Xiao was certain that Chen Lingxin’s skills far surpassed those of her younger brother, Chen Tianli. Moreover, her battle experience vastly outclassed Tianli’s. Had Chen Tianli been in her place, he would have fallen to Lin Xiao’s powerful counterattack.

But regardless of her skills, the outcome would be the same.

Despite Chen Lingxin’s wealth of combat experience and her slightly higher level of cultivation compared to Chen Tianli, she was just at the nascent stages of the Bright Force stage.

Chen Lingxin felt the pressure mounting under Lin Xiao’s penetrating gaze. She already held Lin Xiao in some regard, but it seemed she had still underestimated him. This seemingly average man was a power keg of hidden potential.

She had narrowly avoided the strike, but only because Lin Xiao hadn’t moved his feet. Had he stepped forward, even slightly, she might have lost then and there.

The thought unsettled her.

To be defeated in a single move… by him? That would’ve been a devastating blow to her pride.