Sparring

The moment Lin Feng's voice fell, the entire hall went silent. No one had expected him to stand up for Xiao Yan. Everyone knew the two were close, but at a time like this, he was merely a Dou Practitioner. Even the Clan Leader and elders treated the Misty Cloud Sect with courtesy, yet Lin Feng actually dared to say such things.

Ge Ye's gaze turned cold, while Nalan Yanran's face alternated between red and white. As a proud daughter of heaven, when had she ever been humiliated like this?

"Brat, how dare you insult my junior sister? Let me teach you a proper lesson!"

The young man beside Nalan Yanran sprang to his feet and charged straight into the center of the hall, rushing directly at Lin Feng. It all happened too quickly for anyone to react. Seeing this, Xiao Zhan hurriedly shouted, "Impudent! Feng'er, be careful!"

Lin Feng's expression changed. He only saw an afterimage flicker before him as a thought flashed through his mind. Five Star Dou Zhe. Let me see just how great the gap between us is.

Lin Feng shoved Xiao Yan aside, yet instead of dodging, he stood his ground. Everyone thought that, faced with the pressure of a Five Star Dou Zhe from the Misty Cloud Sect, Lin Feng had been too slow to react. Just as they were preparing to mourn for him, something astonishing happened.

Lin Feng's figure suddenly flashed in the center of the hall. His footwork was elusive and illusory, like a phantom, and he miraculously evaded the young man's punch.

"Hmm?"

Ge Ye's eyes shifted slightly as he recognized the extraordinary nature of Lin Feng's strange footwork.

"Interesting. This kid isn't simple."

He could tell from Lin Feng's movements that it was a high-tier movement Dou technique. For the tiny Xiao Family to possess such a technique, this boy likely had some other secrets.

It was not only Ge Ye. Xiao Zhan and the other elders were equally astonished. A movement Dou technique?

When the young man in the arena saw that Lin Feng, a mere One Star Dou Practitioner, had actually avoided the attack of a Five Star Dou Zhe like himself, the surrounding murmurs made him feel even more humiliated. He had wanted to put on a good show before Junior Sister Yanran, only for his attack to fail.

His anger rose further. "Brat, let's see where you can run now!"

Pale green Dou Qi swirled around his fists. Just as Xiao Zhan was about to intervene, Lin Feng said, "Uncle Xiao, I have a way to deal with this myself."

Hearing that, Xiao Zhan did not act rashly. He knew Lin Feng was a steady person who would never do anything without confidence. Even so, he kept his eyes fixed on the arena. Lin Feng had only just broken through to the Dou Practitioner realm, and Xiao Zhan was still uneasy about him facing a Five Star Dou Zhe raised by the Misty Cloud Sect. Thinking of this, he glanced at Ge Ye, who wore a calm expression and showed no intention of stopping the fight. The anger in Xiao Zhan's heart grew even stronger.

Xiao Yan watched the two figures entangled in battle with anxious eyes, deeply worried. Xun Er, however, held her book and watched the fight with great interest, not the least bit concerned that Lin Feng would suffer. In her eyes, Feng Ge had many secrets.

Lin Feng's footwork was elusive and impossible to predict. The disparity in strength forced him to deal with his opponent this way; he could not confront him head-on. All he could do was wear him down.

The young man from the Misty Cloud Sect used several techniques, but after failing to touch Lin Feng even once, he became enraged. "Brat, do you only know how to run?"

"Azure Spirit Skill!"

The man roared as pale green Dou Qi blossomed around his body. His aura surged instantly, and with unstoppable momentum, he charged straight at Lin Feng.

"Feng Ge, be careful!"

"Feng'er!"

Watching the man rush toward him like a meteor, with sharp whistles tearing through the air beside his ears, Lin Feng took a deep breath. Every trace of Dou Qi within him boiled. He was going all out, relying on the physical training he had undergone these days to meet the attack head-on. "Ah!"

"Bang!"

An explosion erupted in the arena. The tables and chairs in the hall were shattered into splinters, and quite a few young members of the family were caught in the blast and thrown to the ground.

Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhan stared intently at the arena. "Feng Ge!"

"Feng'er!"

Ge Ye watched the scene with interest. In his eyes, the result of this battle had long been decided. Even if this boy possessed decent talent, had broken through to the Dou Practitioner realm at such a young age, and even had a high-tier movement Dou technique, the difference in strength was impossible to make up for. Especially since he had chosen to take the attack head-on with his body at the end—utterly foolish.

As the smoke in the arena dispersed, everyone stared fixedly ahead. Ge Ye cried out in shock, "How is that possible?!"

Lin Feng stood in the arena, his clothes fluttering in the wind, still maintaining the posture of throwing a punch. The sleeve around his arm had already been torn apart, clearly unable to withstand the tremendous force. Yet at Lin Feng's feet, the young man was kneeling there in a miserable state, his aura weak and his clothes in tatters.

"Cough, cough."

The man coughed up blood, his face filled with disbelief. "How could you..."

Then he fainted. Seeing this, Ge Ye stepped forward to examine him, took out a medicinal pill for him to swallow, and supported him as his gaze gradually turned cold.

Lin Feng exhaled a breath of stale air. He staggered a few steps before finally steadying himself. Clashing with his body head-on had affected him as well.

Seeing this, Xiao Yan hurried forward to support Lin Feng. "Feng Ge, are you alright?"

Xiao Zhan was equally astonished, but he was the first to step in front of Lin Feng and Xiao Yan. "Feng'er, how are you?"

Although Lin Feng's breathing was somewhat uneven, it was not too serious. He merely shook his head and said, "I'm fine."

Xiao Zhan examined him and, seeing that there was no major problem, finally felt relieved. Lin Feng had brought him more and more surprises. He had actually defeated a Five Star Dou Zhe with the strength of a One Star Dou Practitioner! It allowed Xiao Zhan to see Lin Feng's immeasurable future, as well as the future of the Xiao Family.

"Mr. Ge, is this how the disciples of your sect behave? Bullying a junior from my Xiao Family who has only just entered the Dou Practitioner realm? Is this the way of the Misty Cloud Sect?"

Xiao Zhan's tone was icy, and as soon as he spoke, it seemed as though the air around them had grown colder.

Ge Ye's expression was unpleasant. A Five Star Dou Zhe should have had more than enough strength to teach this boy a lesson. If he had won, everything would have been fine. But not only had he failed to win, he had been defeated instead. If word of this got out, the Misty Cloud Sect's reputation would surely suffer.

He cast Lin Feng a cold glance and said indifferently, "Xiao Clan Leader, please forgive him. My disciple acted impulsively just now. Besides, a spar between juniors is harmless. Otherwise, how would we have known that the Xiao Family possessed such a genius?"

Xiao Zhan snorted coldly and was about to demand an explanation when Lin Feng stopped him. Supported by Xiao Yan, he walked to the center of the hall and looked at the young man from before. "A Five Star Dou Zhe, huh? Not bad strength. So this is the Misty Cloud Sect?"

"Heh, I've learned something today."

Ge Ye's expression shifted repeatedly. If this matter spread, it would indeed damage the Misty Cloud Sect's reputation.

"You can't even beat me. I'd say you, a Three Star Dou Zhe, are probably even weaker."

Lin Feng looked at Nalan Yanran behind him and slowly said, "And you want to break off the engagement looking like this? I'd say you're simply not worthy of my Xiao Family!"

The moment Nalan Yanran heard this, she shot to her feet. "I'm not worthy? What about him? Is he worthy of me?"

Faced with Nalan Yanran's questioning, Xiao Yan clenched his fists tightly and gritted his teeth, forcing out several words through the gaps between them.

Seeing the fury and savage expression in the young man's eyes, Nalan Yanran instinctively took several steps back. "You?"

Lin Feng sneered. "Don't look down on people. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—never mock a poor youth!"

"Give Xiao Yan three years. Three years from now, he'll go to the Misty Cloud Sect to challenge you. By then, all grudges will be settled."

Nalan Yanran sneered. "Fine, I'll give you three years. If I lose to you three years from now, I'll accept becoming your servant or maid. But if you lose, this engagement will be annulled."

Xiao Yan mocked, "There's no need to wait three years. I have no interest in you whatsoever."

Before the desk, Xiao Yan wrote furiously. He sliced open his palm with a knife and slammed it onto the paper. The young man's voice squeezed out between clenched teeth, word by word. "Today, I am divorcing you!"

"You... you dare divorce me?"

Nalan Yanran stared wide-eyed at the letter of divorce on the table. Having been admired by everyone since childhood, when had she ever suffered such humiliation?

"Good! Very good! Three years from now, I'll be waiting for you at the Misty Cloud Sect!"

Nalan Yanran's tone was icy. With a cold snort, she turned and left. Ge Ye gave Lin Feng a long look, left behind the Qi Gathering Powder, and departed.

Lin Feng flicked the Qi Gathering Powder away with a palm strike. "Take this thing with you."