Chapter Eleven: Conversation

"...In short, most of the schemes targeting me were planned by Lin Yan. I will have no peace with him until one of us dies!"

Silence filled the hall.

Yao Xingzhi's gaze towards Chen Feng changed. He asked, "Is everything you said true?"

"Every word I've spoken is the truth! If I lie, may lightning strike me! The Chen Family is now left with only me, which is the greatest proof."

Chen Feng's expression was firm, leaving no room for doubt.

"Moreover, the incident happened only a few months ago. With Senior Brother's abilities, it wouldn't be difficult to investigate this matter. I have no reason to lie here."

"These Lin and Li Families are truly lawless!" Yao Xingzhi said indignantly. "That Lin Yan looks honest, I didn't expect him to be such a vicious person!"

"Xingzhi!"

Zhou Bingzhong reprimanded him sternly. Yao Xingzhi immediately stopped and remained silent. Chen Feng couldn't help but sigh inwardly, Senior Brother Yao is truly... a man of passion.

Zhou Bingzhong looked at Chen Feng.

"Let me ask you, if an opportunity were to present itself right now, a chance to kill Lin Yan immediately, and you had to choose between your hatred and the martial arts school's rules, what would you choose?"

Chen Feng was about to speak when Zhou Bingzhong emphasized:

"Answer me with your heart."

After Chen Feng pondered, he gave his answer--

"I would kill him."

A glint flashed in Yao Xingzhi's eyes, wishing he could clap his hands in approval.

However, under the pressure from his Master, he still sat obediently on the stool, motionless.

"Then have you considered the consequences of killing Lin Yan?"

Before Chen Feng could answer, Zhou Bingzhong continued:

"I observe your Qi Blood is full, and you are on the verge of a breakthrough. Why would you choose to kill Lin Yan instead of enduring the humiliation and waiting until you become my Personal Disciple, with no worries, before seeking revenge?"

"If you kill Lin Yan and break the martial arts school's rules, what if I refuse to take you as a disciple because of it? What would you do?"

"Or what if I don't want to interfere in your feud with the Li and Lin Families and hand you over to appease their anger? What would you do then?"

"Have you considered all of this? Chen Feng, answer me with your heart."

Zhou Bingzhong's gaze fell upon Chen Feng, feeling as heavy as a thousand pounds.

Chen Feng was stunned by his words, suspecting that Zhou Bingzhong might have seen him during the fight and was now interrogating him.

This line of hypothetical questions and inquiries clearly placed Chen Feng in the position of the murderer.

As Chen Feng looked up, he met Zhou Bingzhong's eyes, as if he could see right through him.

After a moment of thought, Chen Feng's eyes were firm, and he met Zhou Bingzhong's gaze without flinching, slowly saying:

"Reporting to Master, I have considered all of it."

"Speak."

"Although a gentleman's revenge is never too late, the moment Lin Yan knew I was your Registered Disciple yesterday, the Lin Family would spare no effort to eliminate me as a threat."

"Continue."

"Furthermore, Lin Yan's mockery yesterday insulted my family. If I don't kill him, I will harbor resentment, my thoughts will be unsettled, and I will have distracting thoughts when practicing martial arts."

"Therefore, as long as Lin Yan is alive, I will not be able to focus on practicing martial arts."

Yao Xingzhi, standing to the side, nodded quietly, his eyes full of approval. In his eyes, if one faced a deep-seated hatred like a cowering turtle, what was the point of practicing martial arts?

However, Zhou Bingzhong's expression remained unchanged, saying:

"Reasonable enough... However, you haven't answered the most important question: what if I refuse to accept you as a disciple?"

Chen Feng hesitated, his eyes filled with struggle.

"Speak!"

Chen Feng gritted his teeth: "You will accept me."

"Oh? Why?"

Zhou Bingzhong's face finally showed another expression, a mixture of curiosity and interest.

"Because I will widely publicize my feud with Lin Yan..."

"And so?"

"So you will have no choice."

Yao Xingzhi didn't quite understand. Zhou Bingzhong, however, smiled and said, "Explain to me why I will have no choice."

"Firstly, the Lin Family is merely a second-rate Faction. If you abandon a Registered Disciple because of the Lin Family, it is equivalent to bowing to a second-rate Faction. This is completely unacceptable for the Martial Arts School, and the reputation of Dragon Walk Martial Arts School will plummet."

"If you abandon a disciple for profit, then today you can abandon me, and tomorrow you can abandon other disciples for profit. From then on, the Martial Arts School will have no cohesion, and many disciples will have no loyalty to the Martial Arts School."

"Secondly, the Sacred Dynasty governs the world with filial piety. It is only right for me to avenge my parents, and even more so in the eyes of a martial artist."

"The hearts of the people are with me. If you do not accept me as a disciple, you will be telling the public that the dignified Zhou Guanzhu is merely a petty person who does not understand reason and aids evildoers."

With every word Chen Feng spoke, Zhou Bingzhong's eyes curved a little more, as if in joy, while Yao Xingzhi's gaze grew colder, as if in anger.

"So... you will definitely take me as your disciple."

"Insolent!" Yao Xingzhi slammed the table and stood up, glaring at Chen Feng with disbelief all over his face.

"You, you! How could you say such a thing! I thought you were someone who avenged wrongs and would rather die than yield! How, how could you..."

...Moral blackmail.

A flicker of guilt flashed in Chen Feng's eyes. His words were, between the lines, moral blackmail against Zhou Bingzhong.

This was a plan he had carefully considered. It was indeed a bit shameless towards the martial arts school.

However, all these assumptions required one premise: that Lin Yan was indeed killed by Chen Feng.

A strange light flashed in Chen Feng's eyes.

He believed he had handled it perfectly. When killing Lin Yan, he hadn't used the Five Elements Fist Technique or even Tai Chi Fist, fearing it would implicate him.

As long as there was no evidence, none of the assumptions would hold true. He wasn't the murderer, so there would be no need to use schemes to morally blackmail the Hall Master for self-preservation.

"Master, forgive me."

Chen Feng looked earnestly at Zhou Bingzhong, his eyes resolute.

Yao Xingzhi, standing beside them, was so angered he couldn't speak. In his heart, Chen Feng's methods were simply too dirty.

He was splashing all sorts of dirty water onto his Master, and then pinning a huge black pot on him.

And according to Chen Feng's words, the Dragon Walk Martial Arts School really had to take him in.

This kind of overt scheme made Yao Xingzhi incredibly depressed, a restlessness rising in his heart. He wished he could grab the stick beside him and beat Chen Feng to death.

Where in this world was there such logic!

On the contrary, Zhou Bingzhong nodded with a chuckle, just like Yao Xingzhi's attitude a few minutes ago—appreciation and affirmation.

"At your age, to be able to think of using others and to ponder problems so thoroughly, I am not as good as you in this regard."

"You have comprehension, strategy, and perseverance. Chen Feng, I can find no reason to turn you away."

A joyful look suddenly appeared on Chen Feng's serious face.

"Master, you mean?"

Zhou Bingzhong smiled and nodded.

"From now on, you will be my disciple."

"No need to wait until you've advanced to Martial Artist. Starting today, you are my Personal Disciple. What do you say?"

Chen Feng didn't hesitate. He immediately stood up, lifted the hem of his robes, and knelt on the ground to perform the kowtow.

Everything he had said today came from the bottom of his heart.

He had almost revealed all his secrets to Zhou Bingzhong, wanting to treat him with sincerity.

He was gambling.

Gambling that Zhou Bingzhong would choose him.

Now it seemed... his gamble paid off.

"Chen Feng greets Master!"