C81 Thank You Big Brother Chu

"The third," Chu Yan stated coolly.

"Hmm?" Lin Yun furrowed his brow. "What does that mean?"

Chu Yan gestured toward the distance. "The first guy who vowed to break my jaw ended up being the one I used to bust open the door. He still hasn't managed to get up."

Chu Yan then pointed down at his feet. "The second, Ye Chen, who claimed he'd break all my limbs, stood right where you are now. I broke his arm instead."

As Lin Yun locked eyes with Chu Yan's deep, unfathomable gaze, a shiver ran through his scalp. "So, what now?"

"You're the third. Congratulations," Chu Yan said with a sudden smile. Despite the innocent expression, Lin Yun felt a chill run down his spine, involuntarily stepping back.

It took a moment for Lin Yun to collect himself before he spat out a threat: "You just wait!"

With that, he turned and left, his retreat more of a scramble, resembling a desperate escape.

Chu Yan watched Lin Yun's hasty departure with disinterest, then refocused on the upcoming selection competition.

Shortly after, the competition commenced with the elder presiding.

The rules were straightforward: Lin family disciples would face off on stage, and the match would end when one was knocked off or surrendered.

The first match featured Lin Yun, who had drawn the number one lot. His opponent was a fifteen-year-old named Lin Wei.

Neither in age nor skill was Lin Wei a match for Lin Yun. Within three short rounds, Lin Yun landed a palm strike to Lin Wei's chest, sending him tumbling off the stage.

"I won! I won!" Lin Yun exulted atop the stage, jubilant.

His opponent, nursing a trickle of blood at his lip, left the stage with a look of disappointment.

Having advanced smoothly through the first round, Lin Yun regained some confidence and sought out Chu Yan in the crowd.

He was all set to gloat, but the sight of Chu Yan giving him a thumbs-down gesture instantly inflamed him.

"Just you wait!" Lin Yun hissed through clenched teeth, his fists balled up tight.

The second match ended quickly, and soon it was Chu Yan's turn in the third round after drawing the number five lot.

Chu Yan's adversary was a girl named Lin Xue, a thirteen-year-old with a cultivation level at the mere first tier of the Genuine Martial Realm.

It was clear to all that Lin Xue stood no chance against Chu Yan. As the pair took to the stage, a murmur rippled through the crowd below.

"Poor Lin Xue, facing Chu Yan right out of the gate."

"Chu Yan's likely to send Lin Xue flying out of the ring in just one round."

"Let's just hope Chu Yan takes it easy and doesn't let Lin Xue get hurt too badly."

The spectators' comments reached Lin Xue's ears, souring her mood.

She was well aware of her slim odds against Chu Yan, especially since the tale of his overwhelming victory over Lin Liqiang in the council hall had been spun into a story, recounted thrice daily within the Lin household. Lin Xue could practically recite it by heart.

Nevertheless, she steeled herself, stepping forward to face Chu Yan with determination.

"Brother Chu, forgive me for this," she said, her voice quivering slightly.

"Alright, let's begin. Don't worry about it," Chu Yan responded with an encouraging smile.

For some reason, his warm smile eased Lin Xue's nerves considerably.

"Flying Snow Sword Technique!" Lin Xue suddenly cried out, unleashing a streak of sword light towards Chu Yan.

Chu Yan was familiar with the technique, having seen it in the Lin Family's Martial Skill Pavilion; it was a mere low-tier Mortal Realm skill.

Given Lin Xue's low cultivation level, her execution of the technique posed no threat in Chu Yan's eyes.

Without shifting his stance, Chu Yan simply lifted his arm and, with just two fingers, caught the incoming blade. With a gentle exertion of force, he sent Lin Xue, sword and all, tumbling off the stage.

"Ah!" All of a sudden, a powerful force struck, sending her body flying uncontrollably. Lin Xue instinctively let out a sharp scream.

She braced herself for an embarrassing tumble, but the next moment, she landed firmly on the ground, as if someone had caught her and gently set her down.

Instantly, Lin Xue realized that Chu Yan had shown her mercy.

"Big Brother Chu, I-I've lost," Lin Xue said, looking up at Chu Yan on the stage. She picked up her fallen sword and turned to leave.

Despite accepting her defeat, a bitter ache welled up inside Lin Xue.

It was her first time competing in such a formal setting, and she had been soundly beaten.

As she walked away, a mist clouded Lin Xue's eyes, but she bit down hard, fighting to keep the tears from falling.

"When you strike with your sword, lifting your wrist by just an inch can boost your power by at least twenty percent."

It was then that Lin Xue heard Chu Yan's voice behind her.

She turned instinctively to face him and was immediately greeted by his warm, encouraging smile. "Want to give it a try?"

The encouragement shining in Chu Yan's eyes filled Lin Xue with an unspoken confidence.

She nodded, drew her sword, and thrust forward.

This time, following Chu Yan's advice, she lifted her wrist an inch higher as she made her move.

Swish!

A flash of silver sword light cut through the air, creating a brilliant arc of light.

Lin Xue's face lit up with a mix of shock and joy as she exclaimed, "It works!"

Not just her, but the other Lin family members who saw this could sense the difference in speed and power between the two strikes.

"You have a solid foundation. It's just that your current level is a bit low, which is why you can't fully unleash the power of your swordsmanship," Chu Yan reassured her. "Don't rush. With steady progress, you'll get there." He smiled at Lin Xue, making a fist in encouragement, "Keep it up."

In that instant, Lin Xue felt her heart overflow with warmth and determination, her earlier discouragement vanished. She nodded vigorously, "Yes! Thank you, Big Brother Chu!"

His voice crackled with gratitude and admiration.

If Lin Xue's earlier reference to "Big Brother Chu" was merely about age or status, her current use of the term was heartfelt and sincere.

The Lin Family's higher-ups, perched on the elevated platform nearby, observed the exchange and nodded subtly in approval. Lin Chongtian's face even broke into a smile.

Though the event was dubbed a competition, the Lin Family's true aspiration was for their young members to gain experience and advancement; the actual rankings were of lesser concern.

Chu Yan's mentorship of Lin Xue perfectly aligned with the senior Lin members' intentions. By contrast, Lin Yun's recent actions, harming his own clan members for the sake of victory, were now viewed with considerable disdain.

Watching Chu Yan descend from the stage, Lin Yun, who had been brimming with arrogance moments before, was now white with rage, his teeth clenched so tightly they might crack.

Chu Yan had managed to deliver a stinging blow to his ego without laying a finger on him, leaving Lin Yun powerless to respond.

Seething with this realization, Lin Yun was so furious he felt like spitting blood.