Extreme Scenario

The Martial Arts Grounds.

A brief silence fell.

Zhang Teng tilted his head toward the sky, feeling a release unlike anything he had ever known.

Tieniu was the first to break the unusual quiet.

"Good riddance! Congratulations, Senior Brother Zhang! Your great vengeance is finally fulfilled!"

As though a great weight had lifted from his shoulders, Zhang Teng finally showed a smile absent for so long.

Then he walked over to Zhang Xiaoxiao and untied her.

Zhang Xiaoxiao's face was full of worry.

"Brother... you killed Zhang Tao. He was the young master of the Zhang Household. The Lineage will never let this rest."

"Oh." Zhang Teng replied indifferently, "Let them do as they please. Whatever gratitude I owed them ended the moment they crippled me!"

"Now they want to help a tyrant commit his crimes and capture me. That makes them enemies."

After saying this, Zhang Teng continued, "Xiaoxiao, don't leave for now. Stay here."

Zhang Xiaoxiao froze.

"Brother... what do you mean?"

Zhang Teng gave her a cold look.

"I'm afraid you'll go back and tip them off. I need time to grow stronger. Even a single day matters!"

Zhang Xiaoxiao stood rooted to the spot. As she looked at Zhang Teng, her eyes held guilt, and... hurt.

They were brother and sister by blood!

Yet Zhang Teng... was guarding against her like this.

But on second thought, there seemed to be nothing wrong with his behavior.

If she went back, even if she tried to conceal things, she would probably reveal everything here under pressure from the Lineage.

"I won't leave. I'll stay right here."

Zhang Teng sighed and said only softly, "Don't disappoint me."

Zhang Xiaoxiao felt both wronged and ashamed.

"I... won't leave."

At that moment.

Zhang Teng said nothing more. Instead, he looked at Zhang Tao's bewildered attendants.

The vast majority of them were Martial Artists Zhang Tao had recruited himself, with only a few followers from the Lineage.

"Why haven't you surrendered and submitted to capture? Do you really want to risk your lives for a dead man?"

At these words, the attendants no longer dared say anything.

They understood that Zhang Teng had detained even his own younger sister. If they dared run, they would probably end up keeping Zhang Tao company.

As for fighting back?

They did not even dare entertain the thought.

Every last one of them had lost the will to fight.

There was no other reason.

They understood that the most terrifying person in these Martial Arts Grounds was definitely not Zhang Teng, who had killed Zhang Tao.

It was his master!

This man who looked so young.

They knew better than anyone how weak Zhang Teng had been after his Dantian was destroyed!

In the Zhang Clan, anyone could bully him.

Yet how long had he been here?

Zhang Teng was practically a different person. Not only had he regained his confidence, but his combat strength had soared!

After all, Zhang Tao had not been far from comprehending martial True Intent.

Among those at the same realm, he was unquestionably a dragon among men.

But Zhang Teng? With nothing more than Body Refining strength, he had actually beaten Zhang Tao, a late-stage Elixir Sea expert, to death.

They could only feel that these Martial Arts Grounds were far too terrifying.

Especially Lin Bei, who stood before them.

Although he had not acted himself, he had merely offered a few casual pointers.

Yet he had enabled Zhang Teng, a cripple whose Dantian had been destroyed, to turn defeat into victory despite an overwhelming disadvantage.

He had even crippled his opponent with a single blow!

Under such circumstances, how could they dare think of resisting?

"We surrender!"

The attendants all hung their heads, not daring to look up.

"On your knees, hands behind your backs!" Zhang Teng ordered directly.

The Martial Artists all obeyed. They understood that as long as they became prisoners, they would be safe for the moment.

Zhang Teng said to Tieniu, "Tieniu, find some rope. We'll tie them up together."

"Right!"

The apprentices of the Martial Arts Grounds began fetching ropes and bound the attendants tightly.

Only then.

Did Zhang Teng approach Lin Bei, his head lowered in shame.

"Master, I've caused you trouble."

Though Lin Bei felt helpless inwardly.

So this brat actually knew he was causing trouble?

At that moment, however, he could only offer reassurance.

"Is your mind at peace now?"

Zhang Teng seemed to find release.

"Master, my mind is at peace!"

Lin Bei's face was full of concern.

"How will you handle what comes next?"

He appeared deeply concerned, but in reality, he was already considering whether to flee.

If they proved unable to win, Lin Bei decided he would immediately find an excuse to take Zhang Teng away on a journey.

"Master, after Zhang Teng was defeated, we detained these people. They won't learn the news for three days."

Zhang Teng analyzed the situation with a serious expression.

"I've already asked people from the Central Hall to mediate... if the mediation succeeds, all will be well. Even if it fails, it can still buy us time!"

"As long as I have enough time, I'm confident I can handle any danger."

Zhang Teng's face was resolute!

"Tell me your assessment!"

Lin Bei continued questioning him.

He cared deeply about this matter. If the enemy was unbeatable, he would absolutely find a way to take Zhang Teng and make a respectful retreat first.

Zhang Teng answered honestly.

"I think, given the Zhou Clan's temperament, the Central Hall's mediation has very little chance of succeeding."

"But they still have to show the Central Hall some respect. The Zhou Clan will most likely pressure the Zhang Clan to capture me!"

Zhang Teng continued.

"The next person the Zhang Clan is most likely to send should be a clan elder who has comprehended martial True Intent and reached the Intent Gathering realm!"

"But there is also an extreme scenario!"

Lin Bei raised an eyebrow.

There could be another complication?

Without pondering further, Lin Bei immediately asked, "What extreme scenario?"

After a moment's thought, Zhang Teng said.

"The strongest person in the Zhang Clan is Zhang Tao's great-grandfather, Zhang Conglong! He is a martial True Intent expert whose comprehension has reached the peak of the True Intent level!"

"But Zhang Conglong went to the Frontier Battlefield and shouldn't return. So the extreme scenario would be him suddenly returning, hearing that I killed Zhang Tao, and coming to avenge him."

When he mentioned Zhang Conglong, Zhang Teng's expression grew noticeably complicated, but resentment also lay within those tangled emotions.

He understood.

Why had the Lineage refused to investigate when Zhang Tao poisoned him? Why had they abandoned him?

Aside from his becoming a cripple, Zhang Conglong had been the biggest reason.

After hearing Zhang Teng's description, some of Lin Bei's unease faded.

The martial True Intent realm was powerful!

But... Lin Bei was confident that, given a little time, his cultivation would keep improving.

When that time came, even if a martial True Intent expert appeared, it was not as though he could not defeat him in battle!

Since that was the case.

Why the hell should he run?

Lin Bei immediately stopped panicking, and his mood improved considerably.

"All right!"

Lin Bei interrupted Zhang Teng and instead encouraged him with a smile.

"Cultivate diligently! When you face difficulties, meet them head-on. Even if the sky falls, your master will still be here!"

Zhang Teng was deeply moved.

"Your disciple understands. I will obey your instructions, Master!"

Just then.

Lin Bei saw that Tieniu had returned.

"Have you secured the prisoners?" Lin Bei asked.

"Yes, Master. Don't our Martial Arts Grounds have an empty woodshed? We tossed them all inside."

"That's a good place!" Zhang Teng immediately voiced his approval. "It's not far from my Quiet Chamber. If they dare cause trouble, I can keep an eye on them."

Lin Bei smiled and nodded.

"Tieniu, well done. Next, I will teach you the Immortal Cultivation Method."

Overjoyed, Tieniu hurriedly knelt and bowed.

"I await your teachings, Master!"