C5 Regardless of Winning or Losing Only Life and Death Mattered!!

No matter the outcome, it was a matter of life and death.

"Oh my God, am I hallucinating?"

"Lin Chen knocked down Wang Qianfeng with a single punch? Can someone please tell me this isn't happening!"

"Body Tempering Level 3 against Level 4, a one-hit knockout!"

"Did Lin Chen have a breakthrough last night?"

...

Walking through a sea of astonished stares and the buzz of their discussions, Lin Chen remained unfazed, the very picture of a seasoned master.

He hadn't made a breakthrough that quickly, but he hadn't wasted the previous night either. Chen Wuji had taught him a new technique.

"Strength rises from the ground, the punch is powered by the heart."

This technique, named "Charge," involved just one punch. It seemed straightforward, but only Lin Chen, who had practiced it firsthand, knew the difficulty of mastering it.

To put it simply, he had dedicated the entire night to perfect this single punch, spending hours on the horse stance alone until Chen Wuji was barely satisfied.

Judging by his recent clash with Wang Qianfeng, Lin Chen was quite pleased with the results.

Chen Wuji's demands were tough, but the skills he imparted were solid.

"Lin Chen!"

An angry shout echoed as several figures approached and encircled Lin Chen.

"Chu Yifeng? What do you want with me?"

Lin Chen gave the newcomer a cool glance.

Chu Yifeng, another scion of the Chu family, always carried himself with an air of superiority and had frequently mocked Lin Chen.

"So, I hear you've beaten Wang Qianfeng of the Wang family? Ha, you've really stepped up your game!"

Chu Yifeng squinted at Lin Chen, his sneer chilling.

"What's it to you? I fought Wang Qianfeng, not you. As a Chu family member, are you planning to avenge him or something?" Lin Chen responded calmly.

"Hmph! Ridiculous. Wang Qianfeng is nothing to me; why would I bother standing up for him?" Chu Yifeng scoffed, his face darkening. "As for you, Lin Chen, you're nothing but a stray dog the Chu family took in. Without us, you'd be dead. Yet here you are, arrogantly waving our family's banner and stirring up trouble. I'm not amused!"

Lin Chen smiled, his gaze dripping with mockery as he looked at Chu Yifeng. "Let's cut to the chase; you just can't stand me, can you? Why all the grandstanding? Wang Qianfeng isn't your father. I beat him, and that's that. Why the pretense of compassion?"

Chu Yifeng's eyes blazed with fury as he fixed Lin Chen with a frosty stare. "You cur, do you really think you've earned the right to speak before me just because you bested that waste, Wang Qianfeng? If I don't give you a thorough thrashing today, you'll never learn your place."

He moved to strike Lin Chen right then and there.

"Hold on a second!"

"Oh? You're scared now? Fear won't help you; you're going to pay the price today," Chu Yifeng sneered, his hands ready to spring into action, nearly lunging forward.

"Scared of you? You must be joking! Chu Yifeng, a showdown between us is inevitable, so why rush it?" Lin Chen replied calmly. "You're at Body Tempering Level 8, and I'm at Level 3. Even if you defeat me, what glory is there in that?"

Chu Yifeng narrowed his eyes. "What are you getting at?"

Lin Chen shrugged nonchalantly. "If you're set on fighting here, that's fine by me. But surely you haven't forgotten the Chu family's strict rule against infighting. If you openly defy it, you're bound to face the consequences under our family's discipline."

"You dare use the family rules to threaten me? You think I'm afraid? You're nothing but a hound of the Chu family. Even if I deal with you openly, what of it?" Chu Yifeng huffed, his voice dripping with contempt.

Lin Chen remained unruffled. "As I've said, we can fight anytime. I'm only looking out for you. Are you that eager to break the family's rules?"

Chu Yifeng's gaze flickered, and after a moment of contemplation, he squinted and said, "So what's your point? You're conceding? Fine, kneel and kowtow to me, and I might just spare you this once."

"Haha!"

Lin Chen let out a cold laugh, his eyes sharp as knives as he locked onto Chu Yifeng and slowly declared, "In two months, at the Chu family Clan Competition, I'll face you in an open and fair battle. Then, it won't matter who wins or loses; it will be a fight to the death. Do you dare accept?"

A fight to the death, regardless of victory or defeat?

As these words hung in the air, the crowd erupted into a commotion. Some were already eagerly anticipating a duel with such high stakes!

Chu Yifeng was initially taken aback by Lin Chen's challenge, but his shock quickly turned into a scornful laugh. "Fine! You've said it yourself, so no backing out! Everyone here is my witness. It won't do you any good to change your mind now. I'm surprised a cur like you has the nerve. Well then, I shall grant you two more months of life!"

He turned, flashing a vicious smile at Lin Chen, "You'd better prepare for your demise!"

Lin Chen flashed a grin, revealing a set of pearly white teeth, and responded, "I'm waiting."

Chu Yifeng felt a surge of indignation, as if he had been deeply insulted. He had never imagined that a worthless dog like Lin Chen would dare to speak to him in such a manner. Clenching his teeth, he hissed, "Very well, you truly are a scion of the Lin family. So eager to meet your end, are you? Then wait. In two months, I'll grant you a swift death!"

"This fool, too ignorant to recognize his limits, should've been dead long ago. His very existence is a waste of the Chu family's resources!" The people beside Chu Yifeng sneered and jeered.

In the past, such taunts would have enraged Lin Chen, but today, he felt nothing. Instead, he was the picture of composure, fully aware of what he needed to do.

"Enough talk. In two months, we'll see if you, Young Master Chu, still have the opportunity to speak!" With a hearty laugh, Lin Chen strode away.

As the onlookers from the Chu family watched Lin Chen's departing figure, they were dumbfounded. They couldn't fathom the source of Lin Chen's newfound audacity, but one thing was clear to all: Lin Chen had indeed changed.

From a distance, Chu Qianxun observed the recent events with a detached gaze. She exhaled a frosty breath and emotionlessly commanded those around her, "Take the Essence Condensation Pills I won't be needing and give them to Lin Chen. Hopefully, he'll make good use of them."

Lin Chen was oblivious to the machinations occurring behind his back, and even if he were aware, it wouldn't have mattered to him in the slightest.

Thus, when Chu Qianxun's personal guard arrived with the Essence Condensation Pills, Lin Chen dismissed him without a second thought. Despite his desire for the pills, he refused to accept them.

He had resolved to engage in a mortal duel with Chu Yifeng, so how could he accept aid from the Chu family? To do so would mean that even in victory, there would be no honor.

And to think, it was Chu Qianxun herself who had sent the Essence Condensation Pills!

"Haha, indeed, he's someone I, Chen Wuji, deem worthy of my attention. Well done, lad, well done!" At that moment, Chen Wuji's voice emerged from the jade pendant, laced with a hint of temptation, "Young man, if you wish to win, it's not out of the question. Even against Chu Qianxun, victory would be a simple task. Just follow my lead, and I can assure you'll achieve all that you desire!"

Lin Chen didn't dwell on Chen Wuji's implications. His sole focus was on altering his destiny. Without waiting for Chen Wuji to finish, he interjected, "Regardless of the terms, I'll agree. But you must aid me in winning... No, you must ensure that I can defeat him!"