C37 The Vice President Wants to Acknowledge Lin Chen as His Grandsoninlaw!

"If I harm him, I won't make it out of this antique street?" Lee Chen let out a scornful laugh. To him, the audacity of a mere Hallmaster from a small chamber of commerce to threaten him was laughable—he must have a death wish!

"Hallmaster Liu, are you aware of who I am?" Lee Chen's eyes glinted with a cold light; he was seriously contemplating murder.

"Your identity is of no consequence to me," Liu Wu replied coolly. "All I know is that this young man's artwork has enabled me to break through to the peak of the Houtian realm, while you're merely at the intermediate stage."

Liu Wu maintained his icy demeanor, his words laced with an unmistakable threat. As a martial artist, he valued clear distinctions between debts of gratitude and vengeance. Lin Chen had shown him kindness, and he intended to repay it in full.

"Hallmaster Liu, your behavior is nothing short of partiality, a blatant breach of the three major chambers' regulations!" Lee Chen accused. "This youngster hasn't presented a shred of evidence to prove that my Master Kunlun's artwork is a forgery. He's clearly here to stir up trouble!"

"Yet instead of punishing him, you've chosen to protect him. I wonder, what would happen if I were to escalate this matter to the higher-ups?"

The calligraphy and painting shop owner, seeing Lee Chen's momentum falter, arched an eyebrow and stepped forward. He shared Lee Chen's intense dislike for Lin Chen and couldn't stand Liu Wu's protective stance.

"My actions are purely personal and have no bearing on the chamber of commerce," Liu Wu stated flatly. "If you have a problem with that, feel free to come after me."

"Fine, very fine," the shop owner sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "If you're acting on your own, then I'll just have to bring the chamber's senior officials here."

As the shop owner angrily dialed a number on his phone, Qian Duoduo, witnessing the escalating tension, became increasingly nervous.

"Boss, maybe we should just let this go," he suggested tentatively. "It could get messy if the chamber's higher-ups get involved."

"Plus, this jerk we're dealing with doesn't strike me as any ordinary Joe."

Qian Duoduo whispered, nudging Lin Chen with concern.

"Relax, everything is under control of your boss," Lin Chen reassured, giving Qian Duoduo's shoulder a confident pat.

He had it all figured out. Once the chamber of commerce's bigwigs arrived, he'd reveal his true identity!

Not only would he get to smack down Lee Chen and the art shop owner, but he'd also walk away with that one-billion-yuan wager.

Sure, he might get hassled by martial artists down the line, but he was prepared for that.

After all, the billion-yuan bait Lee Chen dangled was too tempting to pass up.

Aside from setting aside two hundred million for the madwoman and one hundred million for Qian Duoduo, he'd still pocket a cool seven hundred million.

Spending five million a day on some company, it would take him well over a hundred days to burn through that seven hundred million!

"Lee Chen, if you release Lin Chen... my brother, I'm willing to agree to a reasonable request," Su Qingyin offered, seeing Lee Chen's resolve to target Lin Chen.

Yet, she and Lin Chen couldn't prove the art shop's painting was a fake.

So, if Lee Chen would let it slide, she was confident that with Liu Wu's backing, the art shop owner wouldn't dare cross the line.

"I refuse!"

Lin Chen and Lee Chen declared simultaneously.

For Lin Chen, with a billion yuan nearly in hand, he wasn't about to let the prize slip away.

Likewise, Lee Chen was set on his course; once the chamber's higher-ups showed up, identity be damned, he'd break Lin Chen's legs right there and then!

"You two..."

Su Qingyin's frustration boiled over as Lin Chen and Lee Chen flatly turned down her offer.

She stamped her foot, visibly irate.

Especially with Lin Chen, who didn't give an inch despite her swallowing her pride to plead with Lee Chen.

What was it going to take? A public spectacle of him getting his legs broken to feel satisfied?

"Brother Lin, you're in good hands," Liu Wu chimed in reassuringly.

"With me here, rest assured, I'll keep you safe!"

Liu Wu turned to Lin Chen with a stern expression. Clearly, Liu Wu had the confidence to back up his bold statement, given that his master was one of the vice-chairmen of the chamber of commerce. At most, forcefully defending Lin Chen would cost him his position.

"Come on, Liu, Qingyin, do you really not trust me?" Lin Chen protested. "I assure you, I can handle these two Mr. Wangs!"

Lin Chen was caught between amusement and frustration at Liu Wu and Su Qingyin's attempts to help. After all, if he, the esteemed Master Kunlun, couldn't authenticate his own work, he might as well retire and spend his days at home, creating a larger family.

"The vice-chairman has arrived!"

As Lin Chen's words trailed off, a resonant voice echoed from outside the shop. An elderly man with silver hair, leaning on a dragon-headed cane, made his way into the shop with measured steps.

"I've heard that two authentic pieces of Master Kunlun's calligraphy have surfaced here on antique street?" The old man's cloudy eyes quickly scanned the room before he spoke in a calm tone.

"Vice-chairman Liu, it's about time you got here."

"The situation is this: these two customers were interested in purchasing Master Kunlun's calligraphy from my shop," the shop owner explained. "But then this scoundrel came out of nowhere, claiming my piece was a fake and presented a new one he had concocted."

"Throughout this ordeal, Hallmaster Liu failed to impartially enforce the chamber's rules and repeatedly sided with the other party."

"I implore you, Vice-chairman Liu, to take a stand for us!"

Upon seeing the old man, the calligraphy shop owner quickly relayed the events that had unfolded. Vice-chairman Liu nodded thoughtfully and then turned his attention to the two genuine works of Master Kunlun on the table.

"Are these really Master Kunlun's original works?"

Vice-chairman Liu's face registered shock as he examined Lin Chen's calligraphy. The shop owner, assuming the vice-chairman was referring to his piece, couldn't help but feel a surge of smug satisfaction.

"Indeed, Vice-chairman Liu, this is an authentic work of Master Kunlun," the shop owner affirmed with confidence. "And this other piece is nothing but rubbish, the handiwork of this young upstart."

"If you have any doubts, just examine the date on the rice paper and the freshness of the ink," he added, certain of his victory.

After the calligraphy shop owner finished speaking, he pointedly gestured towards Lin Chen's artwork.

"Trash?"

Upon hearing the shop owner's remark, a flicker of annoyance crossed Vice-chairman Liu's gaunt face.

"Liu Wu, break his dog legs!"

"And make sure he understands that Master Kunlun is not to be disrespected!"

Vice-chairman Liu commanded Liu Wu without hesitation.

Liu Wu's expression briefly stiffened at his master's command, but quickly, a gleam of pleasure lit up his eyes.

He might not have understood his master's reasons, but the task of breaking the shop owner's legs was something he was more than willing to carry out.

"Hold on!"

"Vice-chairman Liu, I am Lee Chen, the third young master of the Lee family from the capital!"

"Isn't it rather excessive to attack my man without discerning the facts?"

Lee Chen stepped forward, fixing Vice-chairman Liu with an icy stare as Liu Wu was about to make his move on the shop owner.

"Lee Chen, the third young master of the Lee family from the capital?"

Vice-chairman Liu's murky eyes paused at the name, then a sharp glint passed through them.

He hadn't expected the young man before him to hold such a prestigious identity.

But what of it?

Master Kunlun's honor was not to be taken lightly!

Sensing the fleeting chill in Vice-chairman Liu's gaze, Lee Chen's heart pounded.

He quickly interjected, "Lin Chen and I have a wager."

"If he fails to prove that the calligraphy in the shop is a counterfeit by Master Kunlun,"

"then today, he will have his legs broken!"

"Conversely, if I lose, I will pay him ten billion!"

While Lee Chen couldn't fathom why the old man harbored a sliver of murderous intent even after learning of his status, he was well aware of one truth: even a mighty dragon cannot crush a local serpent.

If he were to truly confront Vice-chairman Liu, it would be a death sentence!

"Liu Wu, recount to me everything that transpired earlier."

"Leave no detail undisclosed."

Upon learning of the staggering wager, Vice-chairman Liu turned to Liu Wu and gave his directive.

Without delay, Liu Wu faithfully relayed the entire sequence of events.

"You're saying this piece of calligraphy was done by... Lin Chen, and it only took him ten minutes?" Vice-chairman Liu asked, his eyes intently fixed on Lin Chen. His thoughts mirrored Su Qingyin's almost exactly. The paper was fresh, the ink still wet. For someone to produce such astonishing calligraphy in mere minutes, Lin Chen must be the fabled Master Kunlun!

"Old man, could you not stare at me like that?" Lin Chen said, clearly uncomfortable. "I'm only into girls, pretty ones at that. I've got zero interest in an old guy like you."

"That's perfect then!" Vice-chairman Liu exclaimed. "As it happens, I have a granddaughter who's considered one of the top four beauties in A City by the younger crowd. What do you say? Interested in becoming my grandson-in-law?"

Vice-chairman Liu's conviction that Lin Chen was indeed Master Kunlun deepened when he realized he couldn't discern Lin Chen's true power. He laughed heartily, his face alight with excitement as he made his proposal.

"Vice-chairman Liu, are you disregarding the Lee family?" Lee Chen's expression darkened upon hearing the suggestion that Lin Chen marry into Vice-chairman Liu's family. He didn't want to create a rift with the Vice-chairman, but this blatant disrespect was too much to bear. How could he just stand by and endure it?

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