Strange Man Lin Xunfeng

In front of the Qingxiao Sect's mountain gate, a young man and woman stood side by side. Both looked quite young.

The man was handsome and dashing, dressed in a fitted blue robe with his long hair tied high. He held a long spear in one hand and exuded the spirited confidence of a young general.

The woman had delicate, beautiful features and wore a long green dress. Gentle as flowing water, she carried a bundle on her back and gazed at the blue-clad man beside her, her eyes filled with tenderness.

The blue-clad man was none other than the Martial Champion, Li Yang, while the woman in green was his cousin, Zhao Linglong.

"Cousin, is it really appropriate to shout a challenge like this right after arriving? The great sects are one thing—they have their own pride—but without Lin Xunfeng, the Qingxiao Sect's remaining disciples are all too young. They might be frightened by your reputation and dare not accept the challenge."

Zhao Linglong spoke in a soft, melodious voice.

Li Yang said indifferently, "Those who practice martial arts inevitably compete for supremacy. Since I've spoken so boldly, if there's a real man in the Qingxiao Sect, he won't avoid the challenge. Besides, I'm only sparring, not fighting to the death."

His right hand twisted slightly, and the silver spear in his grasp glimmered with a cold gleam beneath the sunlight.

As they spoke, a large crowd surged around the bend in the mountain road. Seeing this, the corners of Li Yang's mouth lifted, and excitement showed on his handsome face.

Yang Jueding led the group. He stopped before the mountain gate and looked Li Yang up and down.

"Your surname is Li, and you're the Martial Champion. Which Li Household are you from?" Yang Jueding asked.

The Great Li Dynasty valued martial prowess. To become the Martial Champion, one needed not only extraordinary talent but also an enormous investment of resources. No Martial Champion had ever come from a poor family.

Li Yang lifted his chin and replied, "The Linchuan Li Family."

Yang Jueding suddenly understood. "So you're a descendant of the Minister of War. If we beat you to tears, I wonder if you'll call your parents?"

At those words, Li Yang's smile vanished, and his gaze turned cold. "I fought my way south from Linchuan and challenged eleven sects. No one has ever made me cry. If you can defeat me, not only will I let the matter go, I'll even reward you and help repair this dilapidated mountain gate."

"Fine, you said it yourself! Man'er, you go!"

Yang Jueding agreed at once, then stepped aside.

As soon as Wu Man'er heard him, he walked forward.

The moment he stepped out, Zhao Linglong could not help frowning.

Li Yang's eyes lit up instead. He asked, "Big fellow, would you like to join the army with me and establish achievements that earn the admiration of ten thousand people?"

Wu Man'er scratched his head. "I won't join the army. I want to follow Eldest Senior Brother forever."

The corners of Li Yang's mouth rose. He smiled and said, "Then let's have a bout first!"

Wu Man'er nodded and continued walking toward Li Yang.

Seeing how recklessly Wu Man'er acted, displeasure flashed through Li Yang's eyes. He could not be bothered to waste words anymore. With one stride, he reached Wu Man'er, and his silver spear swept across, ripping through the clear air as it struck directly at Wu Man'er's waist.

Smack!

Wu Man'er raised his hand and caught the silver spear, making Li Yang's expression change slightly. Before he could think further, tremendous force surged toward him, throwing his body off balance and sending him pitching forward.

When Li Yang saw Wu Man'er's other hand begin to rise, he immediately released the spear and leaped backward. Like a swallow descending, he landed behind Zhao Linglong, nearly tumbling down the steps.

After steadying himself, Li Yang stared at Wu Man'er in alarm. Wu Man'er's strength far exceeded his expectations. He had never encountered anyone with such immense power.

"What's your name?" Li Yang asked in a low voice, no longer daring to be careless.

Wu Man'er answered with a simple-minded grin, "My name is Wu Man'er."

"Your surname is Wu? Could it be..."

Li Yang seemed to have thought of something, and his expression shifted. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Wu Man'er throw his silver spear back at him.

He raised his hand to catch it, only to feel a sharp pain in his tiger's mouth.

That monstrous strength made him even more certain of his guess.

At that moment, Wu Man'er suddenly spread his legs and lowered himself slightly. He drew his right palm back to his waist, and strands of visible force energy coiled around his body. His expression changed as well, making him seem utterly different from before.

Sensing the change in Wu Man'er's aura, Li Yang did not retreat. Instead, he gripped his spear with both hands, preparing to face him head-on.

Below the steps, the disciples from the new compound were watching as well. They stared at the towering Wu Man'er in astonishment. This was the first time they had ever seen him wear such an expression.

Li Yang let out a booming shout and leaped into the air, rising several zhang high. With the blazing sun behind his back, his Internal Energy wrapped around his body and silver spear, turning him into a streak of cold light descending from the heavens. The disciples behind Wu Man'er instinctively blinked.

Almost at the same instant, Wu Man'er struck with one palm.

Nine Heavens Divine Palm!

The disciples felt an explosion beside their ears, as though tigers and leopards were roaring. The deafening sound sent a powerful wave of force crashing toward them, pressing them into retreat.

Cheng Canghai narrowed his eyes as he watched, just in time to see Li Yang blasted away by Wu Man'er's palm.

Blood sprayed from Li Yang's entire body. Like a kite with its string severed, he was flung away and crashed into a room in the new compound, collapsing the eaves and sending dust billowing into the air. The disciples nearby were startled as well.

One move had decided the victor!

Even though they belonged to the same Qingxiao Sect, the disciples were still frightened by Wu Man'er's strength—including Yang Jueding.

Yang Jueding was filled with lingering fear and suddenly felt somewhat grateful to Li Qingqiu. If Li Qingqiu had not called a halt just now, that silly boy would have used the Nine Heavens Divine Palm, and he would not have been able to withstand it. An injury was a small matter; losing all face was the greater one.

"Cousin!"

Zhao Linglong cried out miserably. She immediately gathered up her skirt and hurried down the steps.

Wu Man'er withdrew his palm. The palm force entered his body and the force energy retracted, making his robes billow violently. His back seemed to radiate the grandmasterly bearing of one who stood invincible beneath the heavens, and the disciples felt it keenly.

"So this is superior martial arts? Truly unbelievable."

Standing behind the disciples, Zhang Yu clicked his tongue in amazement as he watched. He, too, felt a powerful urge to practice martial arts, but he quickly suppressed it.

Wu Man'er looked down at the rolling dust below. The coldness in his expression melted like an iceberg. He turned toward Yang Jueding and asked cautiously, "Did I hit him too hard?"

Yang Jueding came back to himself, and his heart gave a jolt. If the Martial Champion died here, there would be trouble!

He hurried down the mountain, while the other disciples surrounded Wu Man'er and marveled at his strength.

At the same time.

Inside the compound, Li Dongyue could hear the disciples discussing what had happened. Worry showed on her face as she said, "Senior Brother, Man'er is too simple-minded and doesn't know how to hold back. We can't let him act so freely in the future."

Li Qingqiu nodded, but he was not overly worried. He could hear Li Yang breathing. Although it was rapid, at least he was still alive.

"Go save him."

Li Qingqiu spoke, and Li Dongyue hurriedly rose, handed Yuan Li to him, and then quickly left the compound.

Li Yang had a dream. He dreamed he was fighting on a battlefield, charging in seven times and out seven times, unstoppable. Suddenly, a giant appeared before him and struck at him with its palm. He was utterly powerless to resist.

Just as he was about to be beaten to death, he suddenly woke up.

He opened his eyes and gasped for breath. He instinctively tried to sit up, but the tearing pain throughout his body made him suck in a cold breath, leaving him unable to rise.

"Cousin! You're awake!"

Zhao Linglong's delighted voice came from beside him. Li Yang glanced over and saw her sitting by the bed, with the slanting rays of the setting sun shining through the window behind her.

It was already near dusk.

Li Yang gritted his teeth and asked, "Where is this?"

"Inside the Qingxiao Sect. A young woman named Li Dongyue treated you with acupuncture," Zhao Linglong replied. Seeing Li Yang awaken, she visibly relaxed.

She said reproachfully, "Cousin, you can't be so careless in the future. The people of the Qingxiao Sect are kind. If you had been in another sect, they might not have been willing to treat you."

Although Li Yang had been injured, she did not resent the Qingxiao Sect for it. Instead, she was grateful to Li Dongyue for helping him.

Li Yang smiled bitterly. "It wasn't that I was careless. That fellow was simply too terrifying—practically inhuman. It's said that the Lishan Wu Clan began researching war weapons a hundred years ago, making newborn infants endure baths of extremely virile tempering medicine. It seems they succeeded."

"The Lishan Wu Clan? Weren't they slaughtered to the last person thirteen years ago? How can you be certain Wu Man'er is a descendant of the Wu Clan?" Zhao Linglong asked in confusion.

Li Yang bared his teeth, feeling as though his body was about to fall apart. He forced a smile and said, "Because of Lin Xunfeng. My father once said that Lin Xunfeng loved meddling in other people's business. He had some connection with the Lishan Wu Clan. When he heard that the Lishan Wu Clan had been slaughtered, he personally went there. Perhaps he found Wu Man'er somewhere."

Zhao Linglong suddenly understood and sighed. "Lin Xunfeng truly is a strange man. It's said that when he first entered the martial world, he became acquainted with His Majesty the Emperor, who was traveling incognito among the common people, and was deeply favored by him. As long as he agreed, he could have risen smoothly through the ranks. What a pity that his heart belonged to the martial world."

"He really is a strange man. Speaking of which, my Li Family also has ties with him..."

Li Yang seemed to recall something, and his expression grew complicated.

"What ties?" Zhao Linglong asked curiously.

Li Yang shook his head slightly, unwilling to say.

Just then, a voice came from outside. "Hey, are you really the Martial Champion? Does the Martial Champion need to study?"

Hearing this, the two turned their heads and saw two young girls looking at them from outside the window. They were Li Sijin and Xu Ning. The one who had spoken was Li Sijin, who was examining Li Yang curiously.

Li Yang forced out a smile and replied, "Of course. The Martial Champion also has to take the civil examination. It's just not as difficult as the examination for the Civil Champion. From the time I was little, apart from practicing martial arts, I had to study. I wasn't as carefree as you are, playing around on the mountain."

When he came up the mountain today, he had run into Li Sijin and Xu Ning and even asked them for directions.

Li Sijin pressed him further. "Champion Brother, how many ranks above others would your martial arts place you in within the martial world?"

Li Yang replied, "I can easily defeat quite a few first-rate experts, but I'm still far from the pinnacle realm."

"Then doesn't that mean my Fifth Senior Brother is a pinnacle expert?" Li Sijin asked delightedly.

Li Yang nodded slightly, then asked curiously, "How old is your Fifth Senior Brother this year?"

He recalled Wu Man'er's voice, which still carried a childish quality.

"He just turned fifteen." Li Sijin blinked and answered.

The corner of Li Yang's mouth twitched, while Zhao Linglong's beautiful eyes widened and her small mouth unconsciously fell open.

Li Sijin looked innocent, but inwardly she was secretly pleased with herself.

Seeing her pretend again, Xu Ning tilted her head slightly, unwilling to look directly at her.

Lying on the bed, Li Yang closed his eyes and lamented, "I've brought shame upon the name of Martial Champion."