Single Fight

“Whoosh!”

Before the Ice Soul Arrow could fully form, a blue brick engraved with the character “De” flew over and struck Chen Nianyun right on the head.

“Ah!”

Chen Nianyun let out a miserable scream as he was knocked down by the brick. Then Lin Xiaolu rushed forward and started stomping on him repeatedly:

“Take this arrow! And this arrow! And this arrow!”

Chen Nianyun wailed loudly as he was stomped on, writhing on the ground and squealing like a pig being slaughtered.

He cried out in a loud voice, “You’re cheating! I hadn’t even fired my arrow yet before you attacked me!”

Yu Chuchu also shouted angrily, “Lin Xiaolu, you’re playing dirty! Brother Nianyun hadn’t even fired his arrow yet before you attacked him.”

“I asked if he was ready to start and he said yes!” With one line, Lin Xiaolu rendered everyone speechless.

“I don’t accept this!” Chen Nianyun covered his bleeding head and sobbed, “Let’s go again! This time I won’t accept it!”

Dongfang Dan sneered, “Sore loser! Chen Nianyun, you’re really pathetic.”

“I don’t care, if you have the guts then fight me again and let me form my arrow first before making a move.” Chen Nianyun bawled loudly.

Lin Xiaolu snorted disdainfully, “Fine, this time I’ll make you yield completely.”

He picked up the “De” brick and retreated back to his original position. Chen Nianyun also crawled up with a bruised and swollen face, glaring at him with eyes brimming with tears and fury.

This time, he learned his lesson. He first silently formed hand seals until the icy spear point condensed and formed at his fingertips. Only then did he wipe away a tear and shout loudly, “Can we start now?!”

Seven-year-old Lin Xiaolu gave a cold humph. “Start!”

“Whoosh!”

“Swish!”

The moment the words left his mouth, the De brick and ice arrow shot forth simultaneously.

“Bang!”

The sharp Ice Soul Arrow and De brick collided midair. The ice arrow shattered while the brick was knocked flying.

But in the next moment, Lin Xiaolu had already charged forward. His small body leapt up and midair he grabbed the flying De brick. With a crack, he smashed it down on Chen Nianyun’s head!

“Ah!” Another miserable scream. Chen Nianyun was struck for the second time, falling to the ground with blood flowing from his head.

“Take this arrow! And this arrow! And this arrow!” Lin Xiaolu repeated his stomping frenzy, beating Chen Nianyun until he couldn't recognize his own mother. His screams grew louder and louder, while the surrounding children watched with trembling hearts.

“Do you yield?” Lin Xiaolu demanded arrogantly as he continued his stomping.

“I yield, I yield!” the bloodied Chen Nianyun wailed loudly.

Seeing that he had conceded, Lin Xiaolu finally stopped his beating. His gaze swept across the surrounding children, scaring them into taking steps back.

With both hands in his pockets, Lin Xiaolu looked towards Chen Nianyun arrogantly and gloated, “Forcing me to correct you with virtue, you’re simply asking for humiliation!”

Beside him, Dongfang Dan clapped his little hands and cheered, “Brother Lu even knows idioms now, let’s applaud!”

He clapped a few times but when he saw the other children remain still, his chubby eyes immediately narrowed.

“Clap clap clap clap clap clap~” Enthusiastic applause rose up like a tidal wave as the surrounding children quickly clapped their hands, afraid of clapping too slowly and getting beaten.

The arrogant boy nodded slightly and left with the little girl in tow, amidst the thunderous applause.

Only when he had gone far away and completely disappeared did a few children from the Ling Jian Sect dare to prop up the half-dead Chen Nianyun.

Yu Chuchu supported the bloody Chen Nianyun, heartbroken at the sight of his injuries, and urged her companions, “Quick, go find Master to treat Brother Nianyun’s wounds.”

“Master has already returned to our abode after class,” a few Ling Jian disciples said hesitantly. “Let’s take Brother Nianyun back to Ling Jian Peak and have our Patriarch heal him.”

“But wouldn’t Patriarch go find Lin Xiaolu for trouble then?” One child scratched his head and said, “Brother Nianyun and Lin Xiaolu signed a writ. Wouldn’t it be improper if we told Patriarch?”

“But Brother Nianyun is still bleeding! What should we do if we don’t tell Patriarch?”

The children descended into chaotic chatter until Chen Nianyun fainted.

Seeing this, the children were even more at a loss. But just then, a child at the periphery suddenly cried out, “Look over here!”

Everyone turned to look and saw that he was holding the writ with Chen Nianyun and Lin Xiaolu’s names on it.

“Lin Xiaolu didn’t take the writ with him!”

Upon seeing the writ with both their names, everyone was taken aback. Amidst their stares, Yu Chuchu stepped forward to take the writ and tore it up directly.

“What happened today was Lin Xiaolu deliberately assaulting Brother Nianyun. There was never any fair duel to begin with,” Yu Chuchu said fiercely to everyone present. “Understood?”

The children were surprised into silence, hesitance in their eyes.

“Chuchu, this isn’t right. Teacher Yang taught us that we cultivators should honor our word and promises...”

“Honor, my foot!” The girl glared with phoenix eyes. “Lin Xiaolu bullies us every day in class, taking protection fees and beating people randomly. We’re merely acting in the name of justice!”

Hearing her words, one child pumped his fist and echoed, “I concur, we’re acting in the name of justice!”

“Right, let’s tell Patriarch that Lin Xiaolu sneak attacked Brother Nianyun and get him punished.”

“With injuries like these, Lin Xiaolu will surely be expelled from being an inner sect disciple. He won’t be able to bully us anymore in the future.”

The children quickly responded one after another. Yu Chuchu was extremely satisfied and sneered coldly, “This is for everyone’s benefit. Absolutely do not speak of the duel, we must present a united front. Understood?”

“Understood!”

...

...

Returning to his small residence, Lin Xiaolu began his usual horse stance training while his sister sat meditating inside.

Now, the amount of time Lin Xiaolu spent in horse stance had far exceeded what it was initially.

According to the training methodology Li Mingru had taught him, his progress should not have been so quick. But faintly, he could feel that although he didn’t seem to have much talent for cultivating, his physique was very suited for practicing martial arts.

He was extremely disciplined. Without anyone instructing him, he had kept up his training for a whole month, pushing himself to exhaustion every day. As a result, his workload kept increasing. Although only seven years old now, he could already do thirty pushups continuously.

He could also jog tirelessly for a whole hour. After bathing the other day, Lin Xiaolu discovered that his body had started changing.

His arms, abs, and back had all gradually developed some muscular contours.

According to the training plan, if he kept this up for half a year, Lin Xiaolu felt that he would be able to start learning the martial arts manuals Elder Brother had given him.

He wondered just how effective those secret manuals were. The boy looked forward to it.

After finishing one round of horse stance, he loosened his legs and prepared to start pushups. But just then, a blazing white arc shot across the sky, slicing through the blue dome and white clouds as it sped straight towards the peak of Pluck Stars Summit!

The commotion was huge and even the meditating Li Miaoxin was startled. She came out of the house and looked up at the sky.

Seeing the elongated white rainbow, she wondered which elder of the sect had come looking for Patriarch?