Exchange of Blows

"My name is Lin Yao. I discovered some dirty business involving Kidnapping and Mutilation among Beggar's Sect disciples. At first, I only wanted to stay out of trouble, but they chased me down all the way. When I could no longer endure it, I erupted and killed those madmen. Yet the moment your precious daughter saw this, she attacked me without bothering to distinguish right from wrong."

Lin Yao knew Guo Jing's character, so he plainly recounted everything that had happened. Guo Jing's expression shifted slightly, and he turned his head to look at his wife beside him.

Faced with her Jing-gege's gaze, Huang Rong gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head. Clearly, she meant that they could not simply believe the one-sided account of the madman who had molested their daughter.

Then, her gaze remained fixed tightly on Lin Yao, seemingly searching for an opportunity to strike.

Yet Lin Yao was extremely cautious while facing two great experts. Though he had an arm around the slender waist that remained smooth and supple even through her clothes, he did not lose himself in that wonderful sensation. He constantly maintained an angle from which he could attack Guo Fu's neck and other vital points.

If anyone dared make a move, killing her first would be best. He did not care whether she was pretty or not.

Seeing the determination and killing intent in Lin Yao's eyes, Huang Rong, now a mother, no longer possessed the decisiveness she had during the Condor Shooting era. The situation was exceedingly thorny, and she did not dare act rashly.

Seeing the reactions of those before him, as well as feeling somewhat uncomfortable beneath Huang Rong's sharp gaze, Lin Yao continued, "Hey, old auntie, stop staring at me so intensely. There's no chance between us. You were born before I was, and when I was born, you were already old. Don't go thinking of an old cow chewing young grass.

"You look somewhat like the little sister named Guo Fu in my arms—the one those twins keep calling for. You must be my future mother-in-law, right? Don't look at me like that. I'm afraid my future father-in-law beside you will misunderstand."

"You..."

Hearing this, a trace of anger flashed through Guo Fu's eyes, and her face grew even redder. Just as she was about to say something, Lin Yao tightened the hand around her waist again, pressing their bodies closely together and leaving her unable to utter another word.

The two twin simps were so furious their eyes nearly split apart. They wished their martial arts would suddenly improve so they could tear Lin Yao's body into ten thousand pieces. All they could do now was hate themselves for not training harder in the past.

Guo Fu lowered her head slightly. She could no longer bear to look at the gazes of those little followers behind her, nor the gazes of her own parents.

She was having far too much bad luck today.

Guo Fu felt like crying, yet had no tears.

As for Lin Yao, although his actions appeared intimate, he had actually taken half a step back, using half of Guo Fu's body to shield himself.

Unmoved by the burning stares of the defeated-dog simps behind him, Lin Yao kept his attention on Guo Jing and Huang Rong before him.

"Young brother, your martial arts are so formidable, yet you are unknown in the martial world. You must have worked hard and trained diligently, and you must be a resolute man capable of enduring loneliness. Why are you making things difficult for my daughter, a weak young woman?"

Even with Guo Jing's somewhat honest nature, his heart was filled with anger upon hearing those words. Yet despite possessing strength second only to the Five Greats, with his daughter held hostage, he could not bring himself to make a righteous sacrifice of family.

As for Huang Rong, who had wanted to strike in secret, Lin Yao's words made her increasingly furious. Even Ouyang Feng had never made her feel this miserable back then.

Seeing Lin Yao subtly using Guo Fu to shield his vital areas, such as his throat and the space between his brows, she could not help cursing inwardly.

This little fox is truly incomparably cunning... As for this so-called old cow chewing young grass, how could a brat like you compare to even a single hair of my Jing-gege? Pah...

"Enough talking. Your daughter attacked me without distinguishing right from wrong and hurt my fragile little heart. I've already decided to take her back and make her the wife of my mountain stronghold.

"Of course, this is only my side of the story. If you do not believe me, go back and investigate whether your Beggar's Sect has been hiding those filthy deeds you people committed.

"How many people discovered it and were then beaten to death by them? And you so-called great heroes and heroines, renowned throughout the martial world, are actually the protective umbrella shielding those who harm the common people.

"Don't you feel ashamed?

"Or perhaps you used force, along with the righteous cause of defending the nation, to enter officialdom, only to slowly become assimilated by it? Have your original convictions already been fed to the dogs? If so, pretend I never said anything. Go ahead and attack."

"Brother Lin..."

Guo Jing's expression changed slightly at Lin Yao's string of piercing questions. He instinctively wanted to say something, but no words came out.

As someone with a childlike heart, he could sense that there was no deception or exaggeration in Lin Yao's words. That made him feel even worse.

He had remained stationed around Xiangyang to protect the common people, yet the Beggar's Sect, a major sect under his command, was harming its fellow countrymen. His heart was in turmoil.

"Jing-gege..."

Seemingly sensing that Lin Yao had already shaken Guo Jing's heart, Huang Rong reached out and tugged on his sleeve. She wanted to say something, yet found it difficult to interfere.

After all, while she was not the Beggar's Sect's leader, she held its real authority. If the sins committed by the disciples below had not been dealt with in time, they could all be counted against her.

She also understood that this was why her Jing-gege was suffering so much.

"Enough with that bitter, grief-stricken look. Anyone who didn't know better would think you had suffered some great injustice. In truth, the life you enjoy now may very well be supported by offerings the Beggar's Sect obtained by squeezing the blood and sweat from poor commoners.

"Of course, since you, Hero Guo Jing, have earned such fame throughout the martial world, you surely are not the sort to gain fame through deception. What you need to do now is quickly investigate this, purge your sect, and then periodically conduct self-examinations of your own forces. Clear out the opportunists so you can preserve the integrity of those beneath you to the greatest extent possible.

"Of course, that is a matter for later. Right now, the most important issue is what lies between me, your daughter, and the two of you."

Lin Yao waved his hand impatiently.

"As for the matter between us, let martial world matters be settled by martial world rules. Let's put it this way: you, Hero Guo Jing, possess extraordinary strength, so we'll follow the rules of the martial world.

"I'm newly emerged into the martial world. Facing a renowned Hero Guo like you, it'll be just one move.

"If you cannot kill me in one move, then acknowledge my relationship with your daughter.

"After all, before so many people, we have kissed and embraced.

"I'll acknowledge you as my father-in-law, and you'll acknowledge me as your son-in-law. Naturally, we should also consider your daughter's wishes. There's no rush to marry; it's fine for us to get along for a while first."

"..."

Everyone present stared at Lin Yao in stunned disbelief. Was he really being this hasty?!

Guo Fu's formerly fiery nature had gradually been subdued by Lin Yao's earlier actions. At the same time, she had become accustomed to his shocking words.

Instead, she was the calmest person present, even though this matter concerned her most of all.

A thought even surfaced in her heart. She had not expected that this bastard named Lin Yao would actually consider her wishes. It gave her a strange feeling.

He had clearly been so forceful before, yet at a time like this, he was considering his thoughts again. Unlike in this era, where all it took was the orders of one's parents and the words of a matchmaker—even if the two had never met until the day before the wedding, they still had to become a family.

The corner of Guo Jing's mouth twitched slightly. He suppressed his anger and pondered for a moment before finally giving a slight nod.

"Since Brother Lin has put it this way, Guo can only agree. Of course, if everything is as you say, I will not take your life. As for the matter between you and my daughter, we must also consider the wishes of my wife and daughter."

Because Lin Yao looked very young, at most in his early twenties, Guo Jing did not believe his strength could be that great.

What was more, Guo Fu had only brought a dozen or so attendants on this hunting trip, along with the Wu Brothers, who were slippery and lazy in martial arts and doomed never to amount to much.

From Lin Yao's cautious manner when facing him and his wife, he might possess some martial arts skills, but they certainly could not be very high.

Otherwise, with the arrogant and overbearing temperament of the man before him, he would have charged in openly long ago instead of taking his daughter hostage.

His reputation as the greatest martial artist beneath the Five Greats had not been built on empty praise. Suppressing a young man in his twenties would be effortless.

In truth, given Guo Jing's nature, he rather appreciated Lin Yao's straightforward personality. If Lin Yao and his daughter had come to know one another under gentler circumstances, he would not have objected to the two of them.

"Fine. Let's strike together and see whether I can stand against the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms."

As soon as Lin Yao finished speaking, he did not release Guo Fu from his arms. Instead, still holding her, he pushed off fiercely with his feet, leapt into the air, and swung his palm at Guo Jing.

Guo Jing remained calm. With a slight flick of his sleeve, he extended his right palm, circulated the Internal Skill within his body into his palm, and struck toward Lin Yao with a powerful blast of internal force.

Guo Jing might have enjoyed the fine reputation of being the strongest beneath the Five Greats in the original work, yet at every crucial moment, he always seemed to need the protagonist Yang Guo to save the day.

But in truth, after all these years of refinement, Guo Jing's strength had long ceased to be inferior to those five old men above him.

After all, Guo Jing had cultivated the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms for decades. His cultivation speed only seemed slow when compared to Yang Guo and Little Dragon Girl. In reality, with his pure heart, he was inferior to no one in the original work.

Once the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms were unleashed, they could shatter enormous boulders ahead. An ordinary person would have been smashed to pieces long ago.

Of course, Guo Jing kept his word and had held back at this moment. He only wanted to knock Lin Yao down, subdue him, and rescue his daughter. The rest could be discussed afterward.

"Smack!"

Just as Guo Jing thought he could defeat and cripple Lin Yao in a single move, the instant their palms collided, an immense force suddenly surged from Lin Yao's palm, actually matching him blow for blow.

No, this power... could he be a martial arts prodigy born with divine strength?!

Before Guo Jing could change his move, Lin Yao seized the opening he had revealed. The power in his palm doubled, and without losing momentum, he slammed it into Guo Jing's arm.

"Boom!"

With a dull roar, Guo Jing staggered back several steps. His palm had reddened slightly; he had already fallen into a disadvantage.

"Father..."

Seeing her father, whom she had believed invincible, lose the upper hand to Lin Yao in their very first exchange—

Though Lin Yao had caught him off guard, the difference in their ages still made it profoundly shocking.

Guo Fu no longer knew what she should feel toward Lin Yao, who was still holding her.

"That kind of strength, Brother Jing..."

Huang Rong anxiously supported Guo Jing, who had lowered his head in silence. Perhaps he felt that he had grown somewhat overconfident over the years. He had actually let down his guard against a young man—had the praise from all under heaven made him complacent?

"Hero Guo Jing, the victor has been decided. Will you honor your promise...?"

Hearing this, Guo Jing, still silent, looked awkwardly at his expressionless daughter and then at his wife, who was concerned for him. He sighed and fell silent once more.

Seeing Guo Jing like this, Lin Yao recalled the force from their earlier clash and felt a trace of relief. Fortunately, Guo Jing had not struck with his full strength.

Otherwise, he would have lost long ago.

During that exchange, had it not been for Lin Yao's powerful body and extraordinary strength, he would still have lost even against a restrained Guo Jing.