Grudges

Song Linzhou froze for a moment. He really hadn't known about this.

His thoughts stirred. If Chen Feng couldn't become a Personal Disciple, wouldn't this investment be a huge loss? He decided to confirm it once more.

"I heard a rumor, Brother Chen, that your Gen Gu is..."

"Zhong Xia." Lin Yan said coldly.

There was a hint of mockery in his tone.

That was the last answer Song Linzhou wanted to hear. He looked at Chen Feng hopefully, wishing he would contradict Lin Yan.

But Chen Feng didn't contradict him. Instead, he slowly nodded and admitted it.

"Senior Brother Zhao felt my bones, and the conclusion he reached was that I had Zhong Xia Gen Gu."

Chen Feng's words were like a basin of water, dousing Song Linzhou's enthusiasm.

Song Linzhou's eyes darted about as he thought of how to take back his offer. He regretted it a little. With Zhong Xia Gen Gu, becoming a Martial Artist was incredibly difficult, let alone within the six-month deadline.

"Brother Song, forgive me, but I have to refuse. I can't accept the terms you proposed."

Chen Feng spoke slowly.

Setting aside Song Linzhou's suddenly changed attitude, which was off-putting enough on its own, Chen Feng simply couldn't accept the terms he'd offered.

A flash of delight crossed Song Linzhou's eyes. He seemed relieved that Chen Feng hadn't agreed. Then he smoothly took the opportunity to back down and said regretfully, "That's a shame. Sorry for the trouble."

Lin Yan stepped forward.

"There's nothing to regret. It's lucky for the Song Family that they didn't take in a good-for-nothing with Zhong Xia Gen Gu."

Song Linzhou froze, thinking, Who's being so tactless? He turned his head and saw Lin Yan standing beside him, though he hadn't noticed when he'd arrived.

Lin Yan looked at Chen Feng and said, "Who would've thought, Chen Feng? We've actually become fellow disciples. Why don't we let bygones be bygones? My younger sister is happy now, and you'd be wise to stay far away from her. Could you stop clinging to her like a stray dog?"

Everyone sensed the atmosphere turning tense.

Song Linzhou stared blankly at his other friends, but all they did in response was shake their heads.

"If you hadn't barked twice, I'd have forgotten all about it. She's nothing but a whore. What's there to remember?"

Chen Feng spoke calmly, his expression blank.

Lin Yan's face darkened until it looked as if water might drip from it.

The air in the courtyard instantly grew taut, as if swords might be drawn at any moment.

Without hesitation, Meng Zhaowu took a stride and stood beside Chen Feng, making his position clear.

Song Linzhou didn't know what to do, so he silently retreated behind Lin Yan. The other Gun Yuan disciples chose to stand firmly with Lin Yan, glaring coldly at Chen Feng.

The one most distraught in the courtyard was Cheng Huaian, since he was the one who had brought Chen Feng over.

The other guy was from the Gun Yuan. He could make his threats and then walk away, and they might not see each other again for months. But Cheng Huaian couldn't do that. He studied boxing at the martial arts school; they saw each other every day. How were they supposed to get along from now on?

Brother Song! You've really screwed me over!

Lin Yan seemed to think of something, and the corner of his mouth curled up.

"Chen Feng, you've only got six months. If something happens to you during that time—say, you suddenly get crippled or end up disabled—what do you think the Hall Master will do? Keep you or kick you out?"

The threat in his words was completely undisguised, laid bare for all to see.

"What do you mean by that?" Meng Zhaowu said gravely. "If you harm a Fellow Disciple, you'll have your Martial Art crippled and be expelled from the martial arts school!"

"You're President Meng's son, right?" Lin Yan looked at Meng Zhaowu and spoke slowly. "I advise you to stay away from this good-for-nothing."

"What's it to you? I, Meng Zhaowu, can stand wherever I want. You don't get to tell me what to do."

"Of course it's none of my business. I just feel sorry for President Meng. A man so shrewd, yet his son has such poor judgment. You joined this martial arts school and spend all day among these poor wretches, making friends with a bunch of worthless trash. You've got no future."

"You!" Meng Zhaowu's face turned grim. "Do you know that nearly thirty percent of your Lin Family's business goes through the Fuxing Merchant Association every year?"

Lin Yan said coldly, "You don't speak for your father, much less the Merchant Association. Your father wouldn't give up the Lin Family's business over this."

"But what you said about harming a Fellow Disciple did remind me of something. Chen Feng, if I get expelled from the martial arts school, my parents will still support me. But if you get expelled... Oh, sorry, I forgot your parents are already dead!"

Lin Yan laughed wildly, as if he were savoring the feeling.

A surge of fury flared in Chen Feng's heart, but reason pressed his anger down. His mind remained perfectly clear.

"You don't have to provoke me. I'm not stupid enough to beat you up here. Disciples who fight in private get expelled too..."

"Hey! What are you all doing over there?"

A Jiao Xi happened to be passing by the courtyard entrance. He keenly sensed the tension and hurriedly called out to them.

The few from the Gun Yuan glanced at the Jiao Xi striding toward them, then scattered in all directions.

Before leaving, Lin Yan didn't forget to throw out one last threat:

"Hmph, Zhong Xia Gen Gu... I'll make you understand. You might as well hurry back to those Slums. Maybe if you try hard enough, you can beg for a few more scraps to eat... Let's go!"

Chen Feng watched Lin Yan's figure recede into the distance, already considering what he would do that night.

Ever since Sun Qiang told him that Lin Yan was also training at the Dragon Walk Martial Arts School, Chen Feng had planned to deal with him. He'd been about to act within the next few days.

He hadn't expected Lin Yan to come looking for him first.

Since that was the case... better to strike today than wait for a better day. The longer he waited, the more could go wrong.

He wasn't in the habit of waiting until the next day to take revenge.

As for the rules among Fellow Disciples... Chen Feng wasn't foolish enough to let rules tie his hands, just as the rules couldn't stop Lin Yan from wanting to kill him.

He wasn't a Formal Disciple yet. Once he was outside the martial arts school, nobody cared whether he lived or died.

Seeing Chen Feng lost in thought, Meng Zhaowu assumed Lin Yan had gotten to him and offered some consolation. "Brother Chen, a gentleman takes his revenge even after ten years. Once you become a Personal Disciple, Lin Yan won't dare lay a hand on you..."

"Brother Meng, something urgent came up. I need to go home, so I'll take my leave." Chen Feng cupped his fists toward Meng Zhaowu, gratitude clear in his voice.

Given Meng Zhaowu's status, he could easily have stood aside while Lin Yan made things difficult for Chen Feng. Yet he'd chosen to stand with him.

Chen Feng had seen his support and would repay it someday.

With that, Chen Feng turned and left.

"Hey! Brother Chen..." Meng Zhaowu started to speak, but the words died on his lips, leaving only a sigh.

"Alas..."

The sun was sinking toward the horizon.

Chen Feng first headed back home. He still needed to make some preparations before taking action. Whether by chance or design, he ran into Liu Dabiao at the mouth of an alley.

Liu Dabiao was wandering around with a few underlings. When he saw Chen Feng, he bared his yellow teeth in a half-smile.

"Well, well, Chen Feng's back?"

"Master Biao."

Chen Feng greeted him as usual.

"I heard you went to train at the Dragon Walk Martial Arts School. How's it going?"

"Not bad, I suppose. My Gen Gu isn't great," Chen Feng said regretfully. "I'm afraid my chances of making it are pretty slim."

Liu Dabiao's eyes crinkled slightly.

"Don't give up. I reckon you've got a knack for it. If you work hard, maybe you really will become one of those big-shot Martial Artists. Then you won't even have to pay the management fee. How's that sound?"

Chen Feng was a little surprised. Had Liu Dabiao been possessed or something? Why was he actually encouraging him?

"Right, right."

Chen Feng managed to force a small smile.

"Kid, got enough money? Want to borrow some from me? The interest is... this much."

Liu Dabiao held up one hand and flashed a number.

Chen Feng's mouth twitched. So he was here to lend money at usurious interest.