Conflict

Deep within the complex lay a plaza, surrounded by all sorts of shops—some selling spirit medicines, others weapons, armor, or even martial arts. All of it could be found here.

This was considered one of the more upscale spots in the Trade Fair. Most of those who could come here were people of some standing in Qingyang Town. At the moment, quite a crowd had gathered around the plaza's edge, watching two groups of youths and maidens facing off inside.

Neither side was very old, but the sharp tension between them was unusually intense.

The Xie Family and the Lin Family were both major powers in Qingyang Town, and most people knew about the Lei and Xie Families' suppression of the Lin Family and the Mad Saber Martial Hall. So when they saw the younger generation locking horns, no one was particularly surprised.

"Lin Xia, I'd advise you to hand over that Fox Crystal Chain. Otherwise, don't expect to walk out of here standing today~"

At the head of the Xie Family's younger generation, a tall, slender maiden stood proudly, sneering at Lin Xia.

"Hand it over to you?" Lin Xia laughed coldly. On her cheek was a bright red handprint, left behind when the woman before her had taken advantage of the chaos to slap her.

The moment she finished speaking, she directly snapped the chain in her hands. Lin Xia understood well enough that the chain was just an excuse. With Xie Ting's status, how could she possibly lack something like this? The other party was deliberately picking a fight!

Sure enough, when she saw Lin Xia break the chain, Xie Ting showed no anger at all. Instead, she smiled slyly and said, "What a stubborn temper. Looks like today, you're determined to go against this young lady?"

"Xie Ting, don't go too far!" Lin Hong, standing beside Lin Xia, shouted angrily. He looked rather disheveled himself, clearly not having fared well in the earlier scuffle.

"Oh? And what if I do? If it weren't for my Xie Family's charity, would your Lin Family even have a foothold in Qingyang Town?" Xie Ting's lips curled into a smirk.

"Bullshit. When it comes down to it, you can't do a thing to us or the Mad Saber Martial Hall. If your Xie Family really had the guts, would you just stand by and watch us carve up Qingyang Town's profits?"

Lin Changqiang shot Lin Dong a surprised glance. In his memory, this seemed to be the first time Lin Dong had cursed.

The sudden interruption made Xie Ting frown. She followed the voice and saw four figures hurrying over, with Lin Shan—who had been beaten and fled earlier—at the front.

"It's Lin Changqiang and Lin Dong!" Seeing the people behind Lin Shan, Lin Xia and Lin Hong's eyes lit up, as if they'd found their pillar of support.

"You alright?" The group walked up and looked at Lin Xia and the others. When Lin Dong saw the shocking red mark on Lin Xia's face, his brow instantly furrowed.

He was about to step forward and teach the other side a lesson, but the next second, he was startled to find Lin Changqiang already raising his right hand with a blank expression!

"Five Fireball Technique."

Though his tone was utterly flat, it sent a chill down Lin Dong's spine.

The moment the words fell, Lin Changqiang mobilized all the Yuan Power in his body, frantically channeling it into his right hand. Fireballs the size of basketballs popped out one after another like bamboo shoots after rain—five, ten, fifteen!

Not only did he drain his entire Yuan Power reserve, but he also squeezed out the twenty percent that Holy Light Protection had just recovered, barely managing to use the Five Fireball Technique three times. A total of fifteen fireballs then poured down like a storm on Xie Ting and her group, who were still frozen in place, too slow to react!

"Stop, stop! Don't fight anymore!"

"Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom..."

Just as the fireballs shot out, a sharp, urgent cry rang out, but what followed was the continuous sound of fireballs colliding with flesh. In an instant, the entire plaza was filled with wails of agony.

"Too bad, you said it too late~" Lin Changqiang glanced at the newcomer and smiled carelessly.

As the smoke cleared, countless eyes stared in disbelief at Xie Ting and her group. Every single Xie Family junior was battered, their clothes tattered, spitting blood as they lay on the ground, each bearing varying degrees of injury. Xie Ting and the others who had stood at the front and been hit by multiple fireballs were blown back and knocked unconscious on the ground, the air thick with the smell of burnt flesh.

If he hadn't worried that the Xie Family would fly into a rage and affect the hunt, potentially costing Lin Dong's future sworn brothers their lives, he would have gladly swapped the Scholarship Gem for an iron sword and blown those little bastards to bits!

"Ruthless and decisive!"

Some people silently appraised Lin Changqiang in their minds.

Lin Xia and the others were also stunned by Lin Changqiang's actions. They hadn't expected him to strike without a word, let alone master such a powerful martial art. But when they saw the miserable state of the Xie Family members, their shock turned into joy and a warm feeling in their hearts.

"Bastard!" Not far away, the maiden who had just shouted for them to stop also saw the scene. She was so furious that her willow-like brows shot up and her whole body trembled. "What you just did will bring utter destruction upon your Lin Family!"

"That's Xie Yingying of the Xie Family," Lin Xia whispered to Lin Changqiang and Lin Dong as the girl appeared. "She's the most outstanding of the Xie Family's younger generation now, already at the Eighth Layer of Body Tempering."

Lin Changqiang was about to step forward when a hand gently pressed on his shoulder. He turned in confusion, only to see Lin Dong give him a meaningful look before stepping out himself.

"Right, I never told Lin Dong about Holy Light Protection before, since I wanted to cut down on daily training time. He must think I've used up all my Yuan Power now." Lin Changqiang's face darkened as he silently took a step back.

"Spare me the grand, empty words. In the end, it's all about whose fists are bigger. She hit someone from our Lin Family, so we hit back. If you want to settle the score, just make a move. Spouting unrealistic nonsense only makes you look ridiculous."

Lin Dong's words earned nods from many in the crowd. The Lin Family had grown rapidly over the years. Though they had never clashed with the Lei and Xie Families, anyone who knew the details understood that the Lin Family's strength wasn't much less than either of those two families on their own.

Only if the Lei and Xie Families joined forces could they suppress the Lin Family. But the Mad Saber Martial Hall, another power in Qingyang Town, would never stand by and do nothing. After all, once the Lei and Xie Families wiped out the Lin Family, they'd be next.

So the four major powers had always maintained this fragile balance. Talk of wiping out another side was indeed a bit childish.

Xie Yingying's mouth was completely sealed by Lin Dong's words, and her expression turned sour.

"Haha, well said! Bigger fists are the real truth."

Just as Xie Yingying was left speechless, laughter suddenly rang out from the second floor. Everyone looked up to see a figure leap down. The moment he appeared, all the Lin Family juniors felt a wave of pressure.

"It's Lei Li!"

Looking at the tall, straight man in form-fitting clothes, Lin Xia and the others' expressions instantly changed, their eyes filled with worry.

"Lei Li, the so-called number one among Qingyang Town's younger generation, Xie Yingying's fiancé, huh?"

Lin Dong's brow furrowed slightly, then relaxed again.

"Perfect chance to see what the Mysterious Gate Seal does when it hits a person!"