prynovel Chapter 35: A Powerful Defeating of the Enemy, a Conspiracy Unfolds
Chapter 35: A Powerful Defeating of the Enemy, a Conspiracy Unfolds
Lin Chen initially paid no attention to Wang Hao's petty actions. He knew that strength was the best proof, and verbal battles were meaningless. He continued to cultivate, attend classes, and practice his skills daily, using victory after victory to refute the rumors. But Wang Hao became increasingly ruthless, his hatred growing ever stronger.
That afternoon, during the practical training session, sunlight streamed through the tall glass windows of the training ground, casting bright patches of light on the floor. As soon as Instructor Zhou Yue announced the free sparring session, Wang Hao immediately stepped forward, again volunteering to spar with Lin Chen. A cold smile played on his lips, and a dangerous glint flashed in his eyes.
The two stood in the center of the training ground, five steps apart. Lin Chen narrowed his eyes slightly, noticing that Wang Hao was different today—he was faintly emanating an aura that repelled the star power.
At first, the two fought evenly. Lin Chen used the "Myriad Manifestations Fist" to exert direct pressure, while Wang Hao used the subtle and yin-like moves of the "Black Tiger Fist" to maneuver and neutralize. Fists and feet clashed, energy surging outwards, and continuous muffled thuds echoed across the training ground. The surrounding students quickly stepped back, giving them ample space.
But as the fight progressed, Wang Hao's breathing suddenly became rapid and erratic, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes. He lunged forward, a visible black internal force gathering on his right fist—this blackness was not ordinary dark-attribute true energy, but rather a decaying, chilling, and nauseating evil energy—and struck fiercely towards Lin Chen's dantian! This move was none other than the Wang family's forbidden technique, "Black Tiger Strikes the Heart." If it struck, the dantian would be destroyed, and the martial artist would be crippled for life!
Lin Chen's eyes turned cold, and his pupils suddenly contracted. He had been prepared—from the very first moment of their exchange, his Star Power had detected that unusual energy fluctuation within Wang Hao's body. He used the "Star Chasing Step" technique, his figure moving like a ghost to dodge the fatal punch. The punch grazed his clothes, the force of the blow causing the air to whistle sharply. At the same time, Lin Chen retaliated with a palm strike, his palm brimming with brilliant Star Power, striking Wang Hao's shoulder with overwhelming force.
"Bang!"
A muffled thud echoed through the training ground. Wang Hao was forced back several steps, staggering seven or eight paces before barely regaining his balance. Then, he spat out a mouthful of black blood, which splattered onto the floor with a hissing, corrosive sound. The sound of his shoulder bone shattering was clearly audible—the crisp crack of a completely broken scapula, which most of the students present heard clearly.
"Wang Hao, you've gone too far!" Su Qingyue was the first to step forward. Dressed in snow-white robes, she exuded an aura of coldness. Her eyes were icy as she stared at Wang Hao, her voice like a blade of ice. "Practical combat training forbids attacking vital points and using forbidden evil techniques. Don't you know that?"
Su Muyue rushed over, her skirt fluttering as she ran. She looked at Lin Chen with concern, carefully checking him for injuries: "Lin Chen, are you alright? Do you feel anything unusual in your dantian? My grandfather said the Wang family has long been colluding with the extraterrestrial evil race. Their cultivation techniques are mixed with the power of the evil race; it's extremely insidious. Being invaded by that power would be very troublesome."
"I'm fine." Lin Chen smiled at Su Muyue, indicating that she didn't need to worry. Then he turned to Wang Hao, his eyes icy cold, and said, word by word, "If there's a next time, I'll cripple you."
The sound wasn't loud, but it struck Wang Hao's heart like a heavy hammer.
Wang Hao wiped the black blood from the corner of his mouth, the blood staining the back of his hand and emitting a foul odor. He glared venomously at Lin Chen, his eyes filled with crazed hatred: "Lin Chen, you just wait! The Wang family won't let you get away with this! Once the seal on Qingyang City is broken, you'll all die!" With that, he clutched his injured shoulder, his body hunched over, and left the training ground in a disheveled state. Black blood dripped down the ground, a horrifying sight.
Zhao Lei stormed to Lin Chen's side, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, and said angrily, "That Wang Hao is a complete scoundrel! He actually used the evil race's kung fu! Lin Chen, you should have crippled him just now! Keeping this kind of scum in the core class is just a menace!"
"Now is not the time." Lin Chen shook his head, his gaze fixed intently on the direction Wang Hao had left. "The Wang family is powerful, and they have the evil clan backing them. Although he lost control of his emotions and let something slip, it precisely shows that they can't wait any longer. It seems they're already preparing to make their move during the joint training. We need to prepare in advance."
Su Muyue gently tugged at Lin Chen's sleeve, her movement tender and cautious. She looked up at him and whispered, "Lin Chen, come home with me. My grandfather wants to see you. He has important matters to tell you about the Star Martial Inheritance and the seal on Qingyang City. He also said he has some things left behind by Senior Chen Feng, which should be very useful to you."
Lin Chen's heart stirred. As one of the guardians of the Demon-Suppressing Array back then, Old Master Su had experienced that fierce battle and must know many unknown secrets. Moreover, the things left behind by Senior Chen Feng—which were very likely to be intricately connected to his own Star Martial Inheritance—might be able to resolve many of the doubts that had accumulated in his heart for so long.
"Okay." Lin Chen nodded, his gaze firm. He vaguely sensed that a long-hidden truth was about to surface.