Chen Dabiao!

Chen Dabiao!

Just as the lesson collapsed into chaos and the atmosphere turned strange and awkward.

"Yunwan! Yunwan, what's wrong?!"

An urgent, booming male voice filled with anger rang out nearby like a thunderclap.

A tall, burly young man in an expensive, well-tailored martial artist's outfit strode over in a panic, his thick brows and large eyes giving him a rather rugged appearance. Several followers with fairly strong auras trailed behind him.

This young man was Chen Dabiao, the direct descendant of the Chen Household's current generation.

Once martial artists reached the later stages, their lifespans increased dramatically, giving rise to martial aristocratic clans!

For example, South River Base City had several Aristocratic Clans!

The Chen Household ranked among the top three, and even had a Fifth Tier expert within its ranks!

The Chen Household was also a prominent Lineage in South River Base City. Though slightly inferior to the Su Household, they were still considered a suitable match.

Chen Dabiao had known Su Yunwan since childhood and had always regarded her as the goddess of his dreams. He had pursued her tirelessly, but unfortunately, Su Yunwan had always remained neither warm nor cold toward him.

He had heard that Su Yunwan had recently been frequenting the dangerous Seventh Entrance, and unable to put his mind at ease, he had come specifically to check on her. He had also wanted to make his presence known before the upcoming competition.

Yet the moment he found the place, he saw the goddess of his dreams crouching on the ground, her shoulders trembling as if she were crying.

And standing before her was some brat in a tattered, bloodstained training uniform, carrying a silver spear and wearing a cold expression!

How could he possibly tolerate that?!

"Yunwan, did this brat bully you?!" Chen Dabiao rushed to Su Yunwan's side in a single stride. He wanted to help her up, yet did not dare touch her rashly, so he could only glare furiously at Lin Ming, his eyes nearly spitting fire. "Who are you?! How dare you bully Yunwan! Are you tired of living?!"

Lin Ming glanced at him without saying anything, then turned his gaze toward Su Yunwan. His eyes plainly asked: Who's this? Your friend? He doesn't seem very bright.

Su Yunwan was also stunned when she saw Chen Dabiao. She hurriedly wiped her face, rose to her feet, and suppressed the anger and grievance Lin Ming had stirred in her heart. Frowning, she said, "Chen Dabiao? Why are you here? I wasn't crying, and no one bullied me. We were... exchanging martial arts techniques."

"Exchanging martial arts techniques?" Chen Dabiao looked at Su Yunwan's slightly reddened eyes, then at Lin Ming's aloof, stay-away-from-me expression, as well as the ruined, bloody surroundings. His face was filled with disbelief. "Yunwan, don't be afraid! With me here, no one can bully you! Did this brat force you to teach him martial arts techniques because he has a little strength? Or does he have designs on your..."

"What nonsense are you talking about?!" Su Yunwan interrupted impatiently. She was already in a terrible mood after being angered to tears by Lin Ming.

Chen Dabiao's loud, self-righteous concern only made her more irritated. "Lin Ming is teaching me! He's teaching me martial arts techniques! Understand?"

"He's teaching you?" Chen Dabiao looked Lin Ming up and down as if he had heard the greatest joke in the world.

Young, far too young. He had probably just come of age. He was dressed like cannon fodder, and his aura... Huh? Second Realm? And he did not seem weak.

But so what if he was in the Second Realm? Chen Dabiao had reached the fourth level of the Second Realm at only twenty-three!

He possessed the B-rank talent Fury! Fighting at full strength, he could rival experts at the sixth or seventh level of the Second Realm! Among South River's younger generation, he was a well-known figure!

"Yunwan, stop joking. Him? Teaching you martial arts techniques?"

Chen Dabiao sneered, his gaze at Lin Ming filled with contempt and hostility.

"Brat, I don't care who you are or what sweet talk you used to deceive Yunwan. Now, immediately, get lost! Stay away from Yunwan from now on! Otherwise..."

He clenched his fists, and his knuckles cracked loudly, the threat unmistakable.

Lin Ming finally turned his attention properly toward Chen Dabiao. He looked at him for two seconds, then tilted his head and calmly asked Su Yunwan, "Who's this? One of your suitors? The clingy kind?"

Su Yunwan nodded instinctively. "Mm, more or less..."

Lin Ming understood. He nodded and spat out a succinct description.

"Oh, so he's a simp."

His voice was not loud, but everyone present was a martial artist and heard him perfectly clearly.

The air instantly froze.

Su Yunwan's beautiful eyes widened as she stared at Lin Ming in disbelief. This guy... was he always this direct? Though... he didn't seem to be wrong?

Chen Dabiao, meanwhile, looked as though he had been struck by lightning. His face turned from red to green, then from green to black, before finally flushing the color of liver! Violent blood energy erupted uncontrollably from his body, whipping the dust from the ground into the air!

"What! Did! You! Say?!" Chen Dabiao squeezed the words out through gritted teeth, his eyes fierce enough to devour someone. "Brat, you're courting death!"

"Dabiao! Calm down!" Su Yunwan hurriedly stepped between them and said anxiously to Lin Ming, "Lin Ming, say less!"

Then she turned to Chen Dabiao, her tone stern. "Chen Dabiao, I'm warning you, don't cause trouble here! Lin Ming is my friend, and he's also the... teacher I hired!"

"Teacher? Him? Is he even worthy?!" Blinded by rage, Chen Dabiao could not listen at all. Pointing at Lin Ming, he roared, "Brat, if you're a man, don't hide behind a woman! Do you dare get on the arena with me? Today, I'm going to teach you a lesson and show you what it means to know your place! I'll also let Yunwan see who's truly worth relying on!"

His words sounded righteous, but in truth, he simply wanted to display his strength before Su Yunwan and crush this brat who had appeared from nowhere and dared insult him.

The commotion had already drawn many Death Squad members and Guard Army soldiers to watch. Some recognized Chen Dabiao.

"Holy shit, that's the Chen Household's eldest young master, Chen Dabiao!"

"I heard he's already at the fourth level of the Second Realm! And he has the B-rank talent, Fury!"

"That Madman Lin seems to be only at the third level of the Second Realm, right? If they fight..."

"Chen Dabiao can rank among the top twenty of South River's younger generation! Madman Lin may be fierce, but he's ultimately just a wild cultivator..."

"This is going to be good!"

Lin Ming listened to the surrounding discussions without the slightest change in expression. He looked at Chen Dabiao, who was trembling with rage, then at Su Yunwan's anxious and helpless face, and suddenly found the whole thing rather boring.

"Not interested." He casually gave three words, then turned to leave.

Fighting a spoiled young master whose brain had been clouded by hormones was simply a waste of time. Rather than doing that, he might as well deduce some martial arts techniques or think about how to earn more Kill Points.

"Stop! You coward! Chicken!" Seeing Lin Ming about to leave, Chen Dabiao assumed he was afraid and became even more aggressive, roaring relentlessly, "If you don't fight me today, don't even think about leaving! Unless you kneel and kowtow to me three times, admit that you're trash, and swear never to approach Yunwan again!"

Lin Ming stopped.

He slowly turned around and looked at Chen Dabiao. At last, a trace of emotion appeared in those usually indifferent eyes—a coldness like the gaze he would give a dead man.

"You're very noisy," Lin Ming said calmly, yet the surrounding temperature seemed to drop several degrees. "Since you insist on fighting, hurry up. I'm in a rush."

"Good! You've got guts!" Chen Dabiao grinned savagely and pointed toward a relatively open area nearby that had been temporarily used as a training ground. "Over there! If I don't beat you until you kneel and beg for mercy today, I'll write my name backward!"

The two walked toward the open space one after the other. The crowd immediately surged after them, discussing the impending fight excitedly.

Su Yunwan wanted to stop them, but seeing Lin Ming's expression, she knew she could not stop him. She could only stamp her foot and follow, yet inexplicably found herself worrying for Chen Dabiao.

She had personally seen Lin Ming kill the Third Tier Blood Wolf King! Chen Dabiao was not weak, but compared to a monster like Lin Ming...

In the open space, the two stood facing each other ten meters apart.

Chen Dabiao rolled his wrists and ankles, twisted his neck, and wore the look of someone certain of victory. His mouth kept running as well.

"Brat, don't say I'm bullying you. I can give you three moves, or..."

Before he could finish.

Lin Ming, standing opposite him, moved.

There was no warning, no buildup, not even a starting stance.

He simply took one step forward.

The ground beneath his feet cracked soundlessly! His body became like a phantom, leaving a faint afterimage in everyone's vision as he instantly crossed the ten-meter distance and appeared before Chen Dabiao!