Former Fellow Disciples, Stronger Techniques!

"What's going on?"

Liu Chu found Chen He in the crowd and asked in astonishment.

"Oh, Junior Brother Liu Chu, you're here?"

Chen He looked mildly surprised, then sighed. "You haven't been at the martial arts hall lately, so you don't know what's happened. Someone's been pulling strings behind the scenes to leak our techniques."

"Master and Senior Brother Lin Bei uncovered some clues and split up to investigate. But Senior Brother Lin Bei fell into the culprit's trap. He was badly wounded, and they even poisoned him with a deadly toxin!"

Liu Chu was stunned. Frowning, he asked, "Senior Brother Lin Bei is a Tendon Refining Realm martial artist. How could his opponent be strong enough to badly wound him?"

Lin Bei was one of only two Tendon Refining Realm martial artists at the Dragon Tiger Martial Arts Hall. He was also the hall's public face, and a formidable fighter who could go toe to toe with figures like the leaders of the Green Tiger Gang and the Wild Wolf Gang.

Liu Chu had assumed that the technique leak had been the work of, at most, a few Skin Refining Realm martial artists—or even people who had yet to break through into the Grade-Entry Realm.

Now it seemed the culprit behind the scenes had to be at least a Tendon Refining Realm martial artist, perhaps even a master at that level!

Only then did Liu Chu notice a physician beside the stretcher, tending to Lin Bei's injuries.

"Alas, this poison is exceedingly rare. I've never seen it before, and I can do nothing..."

The physician shook his head and sighed, saying he was powerless.

With that, he left with his medicine basket on his back.

"How could this happen..."

Yang Wenhuai's face darkened. Looking at his prized disciple Lin Bei in such a wretched state, he couldn't help clenching his fists.

"Keep looking for physicians. You must find someone who can cure Senior Brother Lin Bei's poison..."

Yang Wenhuai drew a deep breath and gave the order to the disciples beside him.

Lin Bei was the martial arts hall's most outstanding disciple, and the one in whom Yang Wenhuai had placed the greatest hopes. Perhaps one day he would break through to the Bone Refining Realm—or even reach the Middle Three Grades' Neizhuang Realm.

"Yes, I'll go find another physician to examine him!"

Several disciples volunteered at once, eager to find someone to treat Lin Bei's injuries.

But before they had taken more than a few steps, a voice suddenly rang out: "There's no need! I can cure that poison!"

"Who?!"

Everyone turned in surprise. A middle-aged scholar had entered the martial arts hall, holding a folding fan as he slowly approached them.

Beside the scholar walked a short-haired young man, straight-backed and cold-faced.

"It's you!"

At the sight of the newcomer, Yang Wenhuai's pupils contracted and anger rose in his face. "You're still alive? So... all of this was your doing!"

"Heh, it's been many years, Senior Brother, and yet you recognized me at a glance. I'm quite pleased."

The middle-aged scholar met Yang Wenhuai's fury with a faint smile, utterly unbothered. "Don't be angry, Senior Brother, and don't make baseless accusations. You can't slander your junior brother without proof."

"Who is he, and why is he calling Master 'Senior Brother'?"

"And Master got angry as soon as he saw him. He even thinks this man is the mastermind!"

The disciples in the hall studied the middle-aged scholar curiously, puzzled.

Liu Chu stood among them, watching the scholar in astonishment. His aura is restrained and steady. He's a master, probably a Bone Refining Realm martial artist. I can't take him lightly!

After his brief outburst, Yang Wenhuai regained his composure. He looked at the middle-aged scholar and gave a cold snort. "You know what despicable things you've done. You're not welcome here!"

"Heh, why get angry, Senior Brother? I came especially to bring the antidote."

The middle-aged scholar shook his head, looking sincere.

"You're feeling that generous?"

Yang Wenhuai knitted his brows and stared at him suspiciously.

"It seems you've misunderstood me rather deeply, Senior Brother."

The middle-aged scholar sighed, disappointment on his face. "I thought you were wise enough to see the truth of what happened back then, and to understand the difficulties your junior brother faced."

"What happened back then is over. There's no point bringing it up again."

Yang Wenhuai didn't press him on it. Instead, he said, "If you really have the antidote, I won't pursue the matter of you injuring my disciple."

"There's no need to rush, Senior Brother."

The middle-aged scholar smiled faintly. "How about we play a little game? Let your disciple spar with mine."

He gestured to the short-haired young man beside him, smiling. "If your disciple wins, I'll give you the antidote."

After a pause, he continued, "But if they lose... then you'll give me the technique. You know what I mean!"

The technique? He actually came for a technique... Does Hall Master have an even stronger one?

Liu Chu's thoughts stirred.

He could tell the scholar wasn't referring to the Dragon-Tiger Nourishing Practice. After all, that technique wouldn't be difficult for him to obtain.

Indeed, the person who had secretly caused the Dragon Tiger Martial Arts Hall's technique to leak might well be this man.

Clearly, he was after no ordinary technique!

"Hmph, now you've shown your true colors!"

Yang Wenhuai snorted. "I knew you wouldn't be so kind. So you're coveting that technique! But you're a traitor. What right do you have to covet our sect's techniques?"

"Heh, the sect has long since ceased to exist. How can you speak of a traitor?"

The middle-aged scholar waved his folding fan dismissively. "You don't want to talk about what happened back then, so I won't bring it up. But now that the sect is no more, both of us have the right to carry on its legacy and restore it to glory—even to avenge our past humiliation!"

His voice suddenly turned grave. "Do you want our former home to vanish from the martial world forever, with no chance of ever returning?"

At his words, a trace of sorrow passed over Yang Wenhuai's brow, and he fell silent.

It seems Hall Master and this man came from the same sect, and it must have been a sizeable one. But it looks like it was destroyed...

Liu Chu was secretly shocked. He hadn't expected Hall Master to have such a past.

He suddenly remembered asking Hall Master to teach him a movement technique. Hall Master had said he only knew the Yanglian Technique, the Combat Technique, and swordsmanship.

Now it seemed he had probably been lying.

Maybe I didn't have enough potential to earn Hall Master's real attention!

Liu Chu thought back to how he had demonstrated Great Accomplishment in the Combat Technique back then. Yang Wenhuai had merely praised his comprehension and said he had a chance of reaching the Tendon Refining Realm.

By comparison, Yang Wenhuai had higher hopes for Lin Bei, believing he had a good chance of reaching the Bone Refining Realm—and even some hope of attaining the Middle Three Grades!

"So, what do you say? You can send out several people if you like. We can fight them one after another, but no more than five."

"If your side wins, I'll hand over the antidote."

The middle-aged scholar continued, "If you lose, just let me copy the technique. You won't lose anything!"

Then he gave a leisurely sigh. "In the end, we're fellow disciples. Even if you lose, I'll still give you the antidote."

Yang Wenhuai looked at Lin Bei lying on the stretcher and remained silent for a long while. In the end, he agreed to the contest.

He turned to Luo Qingyue. "Qingyue, you'll take the fight. Don't disappoint me!"

"Yes, Master!"

Luo Qingyue drew a deep breath and stepped out from the crowd. She came before everyone, cupped her hands, and faced the short-haired young man. "Please!"

The short-haired young man lifted his eyelids slightly and clasped one hand behind his back, his tone languid. "I'll fight you with one hand, so you can't say I bullied you."

"You!"

Luo Qingyue felt insulted at once. She gritted her teeth, her lovely face dark with fury, and her voice turned as cold as frost. "Let's see what you're capable of!"

With that, she flashed forward, unleashing the Combat Technique. A howling gale coiled around her as she charged at the short-haired young man.