Shi Jingang, Arrogant

A moment later, Lu Chen let go, his expression calm. "No bones broken. It'll be fine once the swelling goes down."

He handed back her shoes and socks, stood up, and warned, "Next time, don't kick me again."

"Understood, Senior Brother Lu."

Mei Ying took them and replied in a sweet voice, though she felt a bit stifled inside. She cast a glance around, only to realize that her sister and Wen Liangyu were long gone.

"My sister is such a fool," Mei Ying huffed indignantly. "She gets so dizzy from a man's sweet talk that she doesn't even care that her own sister sprained her ankle."

Lu Chen's gaze swept across the silent woods. "What do you mean by that?"

Mei Ying curled her lip, disdainful. "That Wen Liangyu is a notorious freeloader at the academy. His family is dirt poor, and he only manages to stay at the academy by sucking up to a female proctor in charge of miscellaneous affairs and living off her handouts."

A flicker of disgust crossed her eyes. "He's been fawning over me quite a bit lately, saying things that sound better than a song—bah! I'm not falling for it. His family is poor, and he has no talent in literature or martial arts. Aside from that face and his glib tongue, he's completely useless."

The more she spoke, the angrier she became. "And now, after hitting a wall with me and realizing he couldn't get anything out of me, he's turned around to sweet-talk my sister!"

Lu Chen listened quietly; Mei Ying's words confirmed his suspicions.

This Wen Liangyu was indeed a calculating, crooked-minded man.

"Have you told your mother or your sister about this?" he asked.

Mei Ying shook her head. "I mentioned it to my sister, but she didn't take it to heart. As for Mother, I haven't said anything yet."

Lu Chen said, "I understand. Let's head back first."

The two followed their original footprints back the way they came.

The woods grew increasingly silent.

Suddenly, a figure came stumbling toward them from behind. Upon closer inspection, it was Wen Liangyu. He looked as if he had seen a ghost, his face turned a sickly green, his soul seemingly frightened out of his body.

But most importantly, where was Mei Dai, who had been with him?

Lu Chen's hands moved faster than his eyes; he grabbed Wen Liangyu by the collar and demanded sharply, "Where is Mei Dai?"

"She, she... it's not my fault... that big guy... he just suddenly appeared..."

Wen Liangyu's speech was incoherent; he looked truly terrified out of his wits.

Lu Chen's heart sank. He didn't ask any more questions, instead shoving Wen Liangyu to the ground and barking at Mei Ying, "Go back and find your mother, quickly!"

Mei Ying's face turned deathly pale. She nodded in a panic and turned to run.

Lu Chen dashed off in the direction Wen Liangyu had come from.

He hadn't gone far before he heard Mei Dai's panicked shouting ahead, accompanied by a dull, thunderous, and foolish-sounding voice.

In a clearing in the woods, Shi Jingang of the Iron Fist Martial Hall stood like a wall, blocking Mei Dai's path.

Mei Dai backed against an old tree, trembling with fear.

Shi Jingang stared down at her, grinning foolishly.

"Heh heh, little lady, you're so pretty, just like a fairy in a painting. I took a liking to you the moment I saw you. Let's get married. I'm strong, I can protect you, I like you!"

Mei Dai was shaking with rage. "You—you stop this nonsense! Move aside!"

"My master said if you like someone, you have to marry them! Anyway, I've taken a fancy to you! You're my wife now, so be a good girl and come with me!" Shi Jingang's fan-sized hands reached out toward Mei Dai's arms.

"You're courting death!"

Lu Chen's right leg swept out like a steel whip, slamming into Shi Jingang's side!

Bang!

Shi Jingang's burly frame was kicked back several paces, carving deep furrows into the snow.

The foolish grin on his face froze, replaced by shock. He widened his eyes and exclaimed, "Hey! That's some strength! You pretty boy, you've got quite a kick!"

Using the momentum to pivot, Lu Chen stood firmly in front of Mei Dai.

Mei Dai, still shaken, grabbed Lu Chen's sleeve. "Senior Brother Lu! Where is Liangyu? Where is he?"

Lu Chen frowned inwardly and said calmly, "He is fine and has already returned. It's dangerous here; you must leave immediately and find your mother!"

"But..."

"Go!" Lu Chen's tone hardened.

Mei Dai bit her lip, but overcome by fear, she hurriedly lifted her skirt and ran back the way they came.

"Hey, wife, don't go!" Shi Jingang panicked, stepping forward to give chase.

"Your opponent is me." Lu Chen stepped in to block him again, his gaze icy.

Shi Jingang flew into a rage, clenching his massive fists until his knuckles popped. "Pretty boy, you dare snatch a woman from me! See if I don't beat you to death!"

Lu Chen said coldly, "She is the daughter of my master's wife. To act so lewdly in broad daylight—do you really think the Wen'an Martial Arts Guild is empty of men?"

"The Wen'an Martial Arts Guild? Bah!" Shi Jingang spat in disdain. "A bunch of weaklings and cowards! No manliness at all! Who said I'm bullying her? I like her, I want to marry her! Back in our village, plenty of women and girls like me, wanting to sleep with me and have my babies. Me taking a liking to her is her good fortune!"

Lu Chen sneered, "You should save that 'good fortune' for your own mother."

Shi Jingang was too dull-witted to realize he was being insulted. He only shouted, "I'm not arguing with you pretty boy anymore, I've got to go find my wife!"

He took off in pursuit, with Lu Chen following closely behind.

The two soon returned to the vicinity of the arena.

They saw that Mei Dai and Mei Ying had already returned to their teacher's wife, sobbing as they buried their faces in their mother's embrace.

The moment Shi Jingang caught sight of them, his eyes went glassy and his mouth began to water. He chuckled foolishly, "My, my! Three such succulent beauties—haha, they're all mine! I want them all!"

"Insolent!" The teacher's wife turned deathly pale, shielding her daughters behind her as she glared at Shi Jingang.

Mei Dai had already tearfully recounted their encounter in the woods to her mother and the others present.

The Wen'an Martial Arts Guild had already been displeased with the arrogance of the out-of-county martial hall on the arena floor, and now that such a disgusting incident had occurred, the crowd's indignation reached a boiling point.

Nearby, Old Master Du was so furious his beard stood on end as he roared:

"Shi Laohei, how have you been teaching your disciple? Madam Mei Luo is a master of a martial hall, after all; your disciple is showing absolutely no respect!"

Mei Luo was the name of the teacher's wife.

The dark-faced old master of the Iron Fist Martial Hall stood up slowly, his tone arrogant:

"My disciple's talent is one in ten thousand; he has a bright future ahead of him. So what if your daughters are pretty? They're meant to be bedded by men anyway. Being a concubine for Jingang is a step up for them."

"Master Shi, please watch your tongue. Do not think that because your disciple is skilled, you can speak without restraint. If you dare insult my daughters again, do not blame me for being discourteous. My Plum Blossom Martial Hall is not a place to be trifled with," the teacher's wife retorted angrily.

Shi Laohei glared, acting the bully: "What? You're not convinced? If you aren't, have your disciple spar with mine on the arena floor. Do you dare accept?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Lu Chen stepped forward, standing firmly in front of the teacher's wife.

"Chen'er, no!" The teacher's wife's expression changed drastically as she hurriedly grabbed his sleeve. "He is a First-Seal martial artist; your foundation is still too shallow, you cannot beat him."

Lu Chen said indifferently, "What is a First-Seal? Killing him is no different from slaughtering a stray dog."

"Brat, what did you say!" Shi Laohei's face darkened. "You haven't even grown your hair out, you haven't even formed a Seal, yet you dare to boast like this? You've got guts. Let's go to the life-or-death arena right now—do you dare?"

Shi Jingang also chimed in, shouting, "This pretty boy only knows how to run his mouth! If you have the guts, meet me on the arena floor and see if I don't tear you apart!"

"Go back and tear your own mother apart," Lu Chen spat.