Chapter 56: Who Is Master Chen?
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Ever since he was accepted by his master as a disciple and started practicing the ancient Muay Thai, he had never lost a fight. Therefore, not until he saw Lin Hu’s incredible power of running on water, did he think that there could be someone more powerful than him.
However, Song Tao quickly turned his fear into motivation. His dedication to martial arts had made him eager to fight against such a powerful opponent.
“Please!”
He bowed to his opponent.
“You first.”
Lin Hu put one arm behind his back; the other reached out toward Song Tao.
Song Tao was angered by his opponent’s stance. “Did he think that he could defeat me with only one arm?”
Although this man seemed to have incredible abilities, Song Tao himself had been invincible across southeast Asia. Who would emerge victorious was yet to be seen.
Song Tao snarled at his opponent and started the secret art of the Ancient Muay Thai. Suddenly, his skin turned coal black as his body drastically increased in size. In a blink, he had become a seven-foot tall giant.
“The Secret Art of Sacrifice? That’s what I am talking about.”
Lin Hu nodded.
The Fourth Uncle spoke under his breath, “Song Tao is going all out. The Secret Art of Sacrifice could only be used three to four times in a lifetime before the user spent his life energy. After each and every use, the fighter will have to rest for a few months before they could fight again.”
Miss Lu didn’t speak a word; her eyes were glued to Lin Hu.
Song Tao howled a few more times before he threw himself at his opponent.
Song Tao’s speed had slowed down significantly; however, the power in his fist was immeasurable.
Guo Wei’s face paled. He wagered that if Song Tao had used the secret art against him, he wouldn’t last longer than three moves.
Meanwhile, Lin Hu stood on stage unflinchingly. He didn’t counter the attack until Song Tao’s fist was only a few inches away from him.
His counter-attack was quiet but precise.
“Kacha!”
After the two fists collided, Song Tao’s body flew back like a lifeless rag doll.
Silence fell to the arena as everyone gaped at the man who had defeated a seven feet tall giant with one punch. Lin Hu shook his head and said:
“You are too weak. Maybe we can fight a bit longer after you have trained for another twelve years.”
Lin Hu linked his hands behind his back and turned to look at the audience.
“Who else wants to challenge me?”
Although all the businessmen sitting at the platform had brought their champions, no one had answered Lin Hu.
The businessmen were shaken after seeing Lin Hu ‘s dramatic entrance from the lake. Their champions couldn’t even defeat Song Tao, much less the man who had crushed Song Tao with one punch.
Baldy Liu’s smile curdled on his face; he wished that he could hide in a hole so that Lin Hu would never notice him again.
Miss Lu seemed less confident as well; her face looked concerned.
Lin Hu’s involvement had spoiled her plan. The fighter was too powerful even for the Fourth Uncle.
“No one else?”
Lord Hu scanned the audience until his gaze landed on Xu Ao. He was not the only person who looked to Xu Ao; everyone else also wanted to know how Xu Ao was going to handle the situation.
Xu Ao took a deep breath; he knew that he could no longer keep quiet.
He was the most powerful and influential tycoon of the Jiang Bei region, as such he would have to carry the burden of confronting Lin Hu. He asked Master Gu under his breath, “Master Gu, can you handle him?”
Master Gu stood up solemnly and bowed deeply to Xu Ao. “Lord Xu, I appreciate your care over the years.
“I am halfway to my grave, so what the heck, let me fight for you one last time.”
Master Gu was ready to fight with abandon.
Xu Ao regarded Master Gu with a concerned look. “Don’t force yourself. We can admit defeat for now. ”
Master Gu nodded slightly and started off toward the stage. He straightened his back and looked as if he was 20 years younger.
Seeing Master Gu walking onto the stage, the smile evaporated from Lin Hu’s face. He looked at the old man suspiciously and asked:
“As someone who had achieved Phenomenal Success, you should be a worthy opponent. However, it’s a shame that you had sustained an injury a long time ago and it affected your power significantly.
“Based on your combat stance, I wager you are from the Gu family. Do you know Gu Shitong.”
Master Gu furrowed his brows and said, “You know my family?”
“Haha. When my teacher came to China seventeen years ago, Gu Shitong was the first person who had tasted defeat at the hands of my teacher.” Lin Hu said lightly.
“How is that possible?” Master Gu’s face turned bleak.
The Gu family was a two-hundred-year-old martial arts family. The family’s head, Gu Shitong was a legendary figure who had reached the top level in Internal Force cultivation. During his entire life, he was defeated only once. He was gravely injured in that battle, and the wound had greatly impeded his cultivation. If not for those wounds, he would have already entered the Transcendent State.
Master Gu felt a nagging fear inside of him, and he asked reluctantly:
“Who is your teacher?”
Lin Hu linked his hands behind his back and gave him the name.
“Lei Qianjue of the Hong Sect!”
The name of his teacher stirred the audience as a swell of surprised murmurs rose around him.
Although not a lot of people had heard of Lei Qianjue, Hong Sect was a household name. It was an ancient organization that spread across the globe. It was the largest organization among overseas Chinese. Compare to the behemoth might of the ancient secret organization, the power of these businessmen and women from Jiang Bei was near non-existent.
Even if Xu Ao was the most powerful man in Jiang Bei, he was nothing before he became a member of the Hong Sect.
Someone gasped as realization finally dawned upon him.
“Lin Hu? He was the ‘Alaskan Tiger’ from the Hong Sect”
Some audience members who had lived overseas were surprised by the revelation.
Although no one had heard of Lin Hu, that was not the case for the name Alaskan Tiger. Rumor had it that he was a rich Chinese man from Alaska. He controlled the shipping route near the Arctic, and all shipping fleets would have to pay a toll directly to his family should they wish to cross the Bering Strait.
His company was as powerful as a small country; these businessmen from Jiang Bei simply couldn’t compare.
Xu Ao’s heart sank after hearing the revelation as he lost all hope.
He knew right away that Linhu was not after the reward; he came here to fry a much bigger fish.
Linhu was richer and more resourceful than most people at the tournament, and he also had the support of the mighty Hong Sect. If he planned to stay in Jiang Bei for a long time, he would be able to consolidate the fragmented local power in no time.
The Fourth Uncle remarked under his breath.
“He is Lei Qianjue’s disciple. No wonder he is so powerful.”
“Who is Lei Qianjue?” Miss Lu asked.
“Your ladyship, you are too young to remember him. When Lei Qianjue became famous, you were only ten years old.” The Fourth Uncle smiled wryly. “Lei Qianjue was a hermit grandmaster from the Hong Sect. Rumor had it that he had reached enlightenment on the arctic tundra and he had created a secret art called ‘Thousand Trickeries’ that had otherworldly powers.”
“When he first came to China, he had defeated sixteen grandmasters in a row and quickly made a name for himself. ”
“That’s insane!” Miss Lu gasped. Her illustrious families achievement was what had lent her strength and confidence, especially the fact that there was a Transcendent Master among her ranks.
However, since Lei Qianjue was the number one grandmaster in and outside of China, she wagered that he was more powerful than any Transcendent Master.
“What happened later?” Miss Lu asked curiously.
“Fortunately, Master Ye Nantian intervened and put a stop to Lei Qianjue’s rampage. He made Lei Qianjue swear to never to step on Chinese soil again.” The Fourth Uncle said and then heaved a sigh.
“Ye Nantian from Yan Jin city?” Miss Lu gasped again. The surprise was written all over her face.
Compared to Lei Qianjue, Ye Nantian’s name was all too familiar to her.
He was regarded by everyone as a martial arts genius and was thought to be the most likely martial artist to enter the immortal state. He was the pillar of the martial arts community in Northern China. Even Miss Lu’s father, the transcendent master of the Lu family admired Ye Nantian greatly.
“Indeed, Master Ye had become a household name after his duel with Lei Qianjue.” The Fourth Uncle nodded.
By then the fighting on the stage had already finished.
Despite the disadvantages, Master Gu had to face his opponent. After all, the honor of Xu Ao and the entire Jiang Bei business community was at stake.
However, the gap between him and Lin Hu was too great. His old age and the old injuries had taken a toll on his performance.
Mater Gu was dealt a blow on his opponent’s seventh move. He was sent flying by Lin Hu’s palm strike.
Fortunately, Lin Hu had held back his power.
He was here to consolidate the factions, and not to kill anyone. As for now, he only wanted to display his strength and didn’t meant to gravely injure Master Gu.
“Do you want to keep going?”
Lin Hu glared at the businessmen on the platform and asked.
Xu Ao’s face was contorted by fear; he lowered his head and admitted defeat, “We submit!”
“Bravo! BRAVO!”
Xin Zhong jumped out of his chair and waved his fists in the air excitedly.
Xu Ao had been sitting in the number one position for too long, and things were finally about to change.
Everyone felt the silent beating of war-drums as the former number one’s position being challenged by a rising new power.
Lin Hu surveyed the faces of the businessmen and women sitting on the platform; everyone lowered their heads and dared not to hold Lin Hu’s gaze. Despair and fear were written all over Zhou Tianhao’s face.
“Lin Hu? That’s him! Linbao’s brother!
“He came to avenge his brother!”
However, Lin Hu simply glanced over him. It was evident to Lin Hu that Zhou Tianhao was too weak to have defeated his brother.
Lin Hu announced: “My brother Linbao had disappeared in Chu Zhou City. I have no issue with anyone defeating him in a fair fight, but I need to find him. He is my brother and a disciple of my teacher Lei Qianjue.
“If no one knows where my brother is, I will have to take one of you so that I can report back to my teacher.”
Lin Hu rounded his eyes and announced vengefully.
“Master Chen! I know you are here!
“You defeated my brother and tainted my teacher’s reputation. Do you think you can get away with it?’
“I, Lin Hu have come for you. Show me what you got!”
No one dared to speak a word, and only Lin Hu’s booming voice reverberated in the open space.
All the audience asked the same question.
“Who is Master Chen? What had he done to stir the ire of such a renowned and powerful fighter?”
Someone among the audience murmured:
“Is he talking about Master Chen from Chu Zhou City?”
Everyone was shocked after hearing the question. They recalled the news about a certain Master Chen from Chu Zhou City who was able to control the lightning. However, would he come out and face the challenge of such a terrifying opponent?
Most people didn’t think so.
“I am afraid that Master Chen had long since run away from Jiang Bei. Now we have to bear the consequences of his actions.”
Lin Hu stood still like a flag pole on the stage after he had asked the question.
One minute, two, three…
Master Chen was still nowhere to be seen.
Zhou Tianhao’s legs were trembling as he was about to lose the last sliver of hope.
“Did Master Chen really run away?”
Xu Ao shook his head and let out an ugly grin.
“What am I thinking? Do I really expect to see an all mighty Master Chen to show up and stand against Lin Hu and save the day?”
“Stop daydreaming; Mater Chen is probably a charlatan at best ”
Suddenly, someone among the audience stood up slowly.
“Are you talking about me?”