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Chapter 122 A Master
When Lin Wanrong left the restaurant, the night had already fallen deep. Initially, according to his plans, he wanted to spend quality time with Qiaoqiao that night. If not, he'd thought of merely passing time in her room. However, old Dong drove him out without any mercy. It seemed that old Dong's mindset still needed further liberation, and it would be best if he could learn to be more like Qingshan.
Today, he had seen two beautiful women, Yushuang and Qiaoqiao, and although this brought him pleasure, there was a twinge of regret. Yushuang had to go to the temple to meditate and eat vegetarian meals, while Qiaoqiao was sick. Additionally, he was driven out by Qiaoqiao's father, which left Lin Wanrong somewhat regretful.
Shaking his head helplessly, he walked a bit before he started to notice something was wrong with his surroundings.
He had walked this small path countless times, and although it was usually quite tranquil, it had never been as deserted as tonight—there was not a single soul in sight.
Lin Wanrong, who had already developed keen senses, was puzzled. As he listened, he heard a few strains of wind noise. Turning back, he saw two shadowy figures, fast as shooting stars, rushing towards him.
After inheriting half of Xiao Qingxuan's skills, his reactions had become quicker, and his eyesight had improved significantly. He saw from afar that the two figures moved with quick, powerful strides—it was clear that they were skilled. Taking in the eerie silence all around, he realized, these two were undoubtedly here for him.
Simultaneously, two more figures appeared silently behind him, surrounding him tightly in a circle along with the other two.
Lin Wanrong looked around and saw that all four men were strong and stout, their arms as thick as thighs. They were intimidating figures standing there with an air of menace.‘Darn it, such audacity, just a few thugs acting like they're the city patrol?’ Lin Wanrong cursed silently in his heart but put on a smile and said, "Gentlemen, stopping me late at night, may I know the purpose?"
One of the men, who appeared to be the leader, said in a loud voice, "Lin San, our young master has requested your presence." His voice was deep and full of vigor, evidently a well-trained individual.
"Young Master? Which Young Master?" Lin Wanrong asked, his mind racing.
The four men's aggressive postures suggested that this "young master" bore a grudge against him. In Jinling City, only Tao Dongcheng had a score to settle with him. Could it be Tao Dongcheng who had sent these men?
"I have no relation or obligation to your Young Master Tao. Why does he summon me at this late hour?" Lin Wanrong ventured.
"Less talk, more walking." The seemingly leader of the four men commanded loudly, reaching out to grab him.
All four men were clearly trained fighters. The leader's hand shot out with lightning speed, so quick that it would bewilder any onlooker.
At first, Lin Wanrong was startled. But when he took a closer look, the man's movements seemed to slow down. A thrill of delight surged in him, ‘I too am a master now, what should I fear?’ Understanding the essence of fighting—where actions speak louder than words, he decided to throw the first punch. Silently, he aimed at the man's wrist and launched a punch with all his might.
Lin Wanrong, having obtained half of Xiao Qingxuan's abilities, had his vision and reflexes enhanced a hundredfold, and his strength seemed endless. The only thing he lacked was technique. However, all techniques in the world were meant for fighting, and despite their countless variations, they had one sole purpose—to harm. He didn't like martial arts training and was an expert at slacking off. He thought to himself, ‘It doesn't matter if I don't know the techniques, I just need to maintain one thought—counter every move. As long as I don't let this guy land a hit, that's all that matters.’
At this moment, both his strength and vision were of the highest order. His punch towards the man attempting to sneak attack him was perfectly timed, hitting him right on the wrist. His strike was full of strength, surprising the man with its power. It was a testament to the theory that having no technique could indeed trump technique.
The man was taken aback, thinking, "This kid has a lot of strength!" Not daring to block Lin directly, he quickly changed his punch to a kick. The other three men thought their elder brother was going easy on him, and, growing impatient, called out, "Elder brother, quickly subdue this kid!"
As soon as the words fell, they realized something was wrong. The kid they called Lin San not only blocked their elder brother's kick, but he also took the opportunity to throw a punch at his chest, forcing the elder brother to step back.
"Prick the fingers, and go for the shoulders!" The three men shouted together and began to attack.
Lin Wanrong, who had only heard of this technique on television, was far from frightened. Instead, he was pleased. He thought to himself, ‘This clearly indicates that my kung fu skills have been acknowledged by my enemies, and the command sounds so damn good.’
Although Xiao Qingxuan was young, due to her mentor's guidance, she was already one of the top fighters in the world. Lin Wanrong, having only half of her skills, was not to be underestimated. Even when encountering top martial artists, he was capable of defending himself.
While he was feeling smug, he suddenly felt a pain in his back—he had been hit by a sneak attack. Given his current skills, even if he was slightly lacking in technique, he shouldn't be disadvantaged by these third-rate fighters. The hit he just took was entirely due to his lack of combat experience and his overconfidence.
At this point, his skin was thick, and this hit didn't really bother him. However, it ignited a fury within him. ‘Damn it, I am a master! If I can't beat four of you punks, what the hell am I doing?’
He shouted and charged into the fray, battling the four men. He took a couple more hits, but his fighting experience grew rapidly, and his application of his strength became more proficient.
Gradually, in his eyes, the movements of the four men slowed down, their weaknesses glaringly apparent. He was finally beginning to taste the sensation of being a master.
After ten moves, despite being under the siege of four men, Lin Wanrong relied on his superior vision to dodge and weave. He didn't take any more hits. Not only that, his steps became faster, his strikes more ruthless—each punch carrying a gust of wind, each move aimed at vital points.
The four burly men were in a state of distress. This Lin San, despite having only a few simple moves like "Black Tiger Steals the Heart" and "Immortal Steals the Peach," executed them in such an unconventional and formless manner, constantly suppressing them. Despite their combined strength, they were unable to overpower him. This scenario truly illustrated the old saying: a master can be defeated by chaos.
However, Lin Wanrong only found the fight more exhilarating and relaxed as it progressed. He firmly believed that truth comes from practice, and the techniques obtained in battle were the most practical. Regardless of what styles, like Arhat Fist or Shaolin Long Fist, were used, the only truth was winning the fight. After acquiring Xiao Qingxuan's abilities, he hadn't had a chance to spar. A rare practice opportunity was before him, and he was battling four-to-one. How could he possibly miss this chance?
Bolstered by abundant stamina, Lin Wanrong was as fierce as if he had taken ten Viagra pills. If not for the purpose of practicing his skills with these four men, the fight would've ended much sooner. Now, he was finally experiencing the thrill of being a master, a sensation that was damn good.
"Four Tigers, stop!" A voice came from behind the men surrounding him. The Four Tigers quickly leaped to the side, halting their assault.
They stopped, but Lin Wanrong didn't. His footwork quickened, and he sent out a rapid flurry of punches, landing them on the chests of the Four Tigers, forcing them to retreat several steps. They all lost their balance and sat down heavily on the ground.
"You...you have no respect for the rules of the martial world?" The leader of the Four Tigers spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, enraged.
"Four of you attacking me, and now you want to lecture me about rules?" Lin Wanrong chuckled coldly. "Four Tigers, right? Do you believe I can turn you into Dead Tigers?"
The four men glared at Lin Wanrong, but they didn't dare to speak.
Lin Wanrong glanced at the man who had intervened. He saw him sitting calmly on a white horse, his thick brows and large eyes making him incredibly annoying. ‘Damn it, will you die if you don't ride a white horse for a day?’
In his heart, he held great contempt, but on his face, he smiled, "Young Master Tao, out for a stroll this late?"
Tao Dongcheng glanced at his Four Tigers, thinking, ‘When I first met you four, you had some skills, defeating many good men, which is why I tried so hard to recruit you. But today, you can't even beat a servant from someone's home, bringing shame to me.’ He turned to Lin Wanrong, "Lin San, I asked someone to fetch you today only to ask you a few questions. Please don't misunderstand."
Lin Wanrong laughed, "Misunderstand? Young Master Tao, do you have any letters for me to deliver to the Eldest Miss? You could have simply sent a servant, why send out the Four Tigers?"
Tao Dongcheng, looking annoyed, shot the Four Tigers a glance. He had to swallow this humiliation. Turning to Lin Wanrong, he said, "Lin San, let's be clear. I only want to know why you persistently disrupt my relationship with Yuruo."
"You and the Eldest Miss have a relationship?" Lin Wanrong feigned surprise, "I haven't noticed. Besides, when have I ever interfered with your affairs? I'm not particularly good at such things."
Tao Dongcheng snorted, "Let's not mention the incident on Purple Gold Mountain for now, but after I painstakingly asked Commander Cheng to bring soldiers to rescue Yuruo and you in Dangtu, not only did you show no gratitude, you even knocked me off my horse. Why did you take Yuruo away? What are your intentions?" By the end of his statement, Tao Dongcheng's expression had turned stern.
‘Playing the victim, are we?’ Lin Wanrong thought, ‘You're not as good at this game as I am.’ Feigning surprise, he exclaimed, "So it was Young Master Tao who came to our rescue that day! Oh, what a grave misunderstanding, blaming a good person. That day, the Eldest Miss and I were trapped on the mountain for three days, we were terrified. Seeing soldiers rushing up, how could we distinguish friend from foe? The sight of swords and spears scared us, so we ran as far away as we could. I had no idea you were wronged, Young Master Tao, I'm truly ashamed."
Tao Dongcheng, infuriated by Lin Wanrong's glib words, retorted, "Lin San, do you take me for a child? Why were the bandits so familiar with the Xiao family? Why did they specifically take you? Why did you run when you saw me leading the soldiers up the mountain? If my guess is correct, you must be colluding with the White Lotus Sect's bandits to defraud the Xiao family, and yet Miss Xiao trusts you so much."
This Tao Dongcheng was a true hypocrite, but Lin Wanrong, too, was an unyielding villain. He chuckled, "Young Master Tao, your guess is very reasonable. However, you should be discussing this with the Eldest Miss, not me."
Tao Dongcheng fell silent. Lin Wanrong glanced at him with contempt and sighed, "Compared to your Master, your cunning really falls short."
Tao Dongcheng started, "What did you say? Master and servant?"
‘Damn it, just keep pretending.’ Lin Wanrong ignored him, chuckling coldly, "That night you and your Master were together, but have you ever wondered how I escaped from your hands? Who sent someone to save me?"
Tao Dongcheng remained silent, his face ashen.
Lin Wanrong knew he had hit the nail on the head. Only a handful of people knew how he had escaped that day and thwarted their plans. Tao Dongcheng and his Master must have been perplexed.
Since he had thoroughly fallen out with Tao Dongcheng, Lin Wanrong decided to drive the point home. He strolled a few steps, hands behind his back, then suddenly laughed, "Go back and tell your Master, he should behave himself. He's not the number one in the world."
"You, you--" Tao Dongcheng couldn't help but change color, shocked by his words.
"Who could rescue me from the White Lotus Sect and treat the White Lotus Sect and your Master as if they were nothing? How many such people are there in the world?" Lin Wanrong chuckled.
"Who... who exactly are you?" Tao Dongcheng stammered.
This was precisely what was bothering him. Facing this seemingly worthless servant of the Xiao family, he felt a sense of inscrutability.
"It doesn't matter who I am, I just want to advise you, it's best to stay honest," Lin Wanrong said coldly.
Strike the snake on its weakest spot. These words, a mix of truth and falsehood, deceit and persuasion, were Lin Wanrong's psychological warfare weapons.
Tao Dongcheng's Master was colluding with the White Lotus Sect, yet didn't dare to reveal his true identity, which surely indicated a grand scheme behind the scenes. At the same time, it suggested that there must be people he greatly feared. Since he was capable of manipulating Cheng De, the Commander-in-chief of Jiangsu, it was certain that he and Lu Min, the Governor of Jiangsu, were not on the same side. And now, Lin Wanrong was in good standing with the son of Lu Min. They were undoubtedly uncertain about Lin Wanrong and dared not act recklessly. So Lin Wanrong let them guess for themselves.
Tao Dongcheng racked his brains and grew increasingly frightened. Judging from Lin San's relationship with Luo Yuan, it was clear that Lin San and the Governor belonged to the same faction. He recalled his Master's instructions not to offend Luo Min at this moment, which meant he couldn't act against Lin San either. Grinding his teeth in frustration, he swung himself onto his horse and motioned to the Four Tigers, "Let's go."
‘Damn, they're leaving just like that?’ Lin Wanrong said to the Four Tigers, "Why don't a few of you stay behind? We can continue fighting."
The Four Tigers' eyes flared with anger and a hint of fear, clearly somewhat intimidated by Lin Wanrong's fighting prowess. Lin Wanrong burst out laughing. It was truly exhilarating to be a skilled fighter, and he still had two unused weapons.
Tao Dongcheng could no longer contain himself. He yelled from atop his horse, "Lin San, do not push your luck!"
‘I just can't stand you, what about it?’ Lin Wanrong despised these princely types on their white horses. ‘If you've got guts, fight with real weapons like me.’ Seeing this arrogant young man, he wondered if he had any sisters. If so, Lin Wanrong would certainly flirt with them, then dump them, then flirt again, tormenting them till they wished for death. He thought smugly.
Once Tao Dongcheng and his party had retreated into the distance, Lin Wanrong turned to leave, but was stopped by a soft sigh. He turned around to see a delicate figure standing under the eaves of a distant house, looking at him with an expression of melancholy.
Lin Wanrong was taken aback. After a long pause, he finally said, "How did you get here?"
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