C16 Licking It Clean

The voice was indifferent, yet it struck the hearts of all who heard it like a sledgehammer, leaving many with their mouths agape in shock.

A mere servant disciple standing up to Young Master Yuh of the Sword Edge Alliance?

Young Master Yuh, whose real name was Yuh Chen, was a prodigy with exceptional talent. At just twenty years old, he had already achieved Body Tempering Level Four. In the Outer Court, reaching this level at his age meant that within the next decade, he was likely to ascend to the Spirit Martial Stage.

To become a master of the Spirit Martial Stage by thirty was a testament to his superior talent. Moreover, as the cousin of the Sword Edge Alliance Leader, few in the Outer Court dared cross him.

"Am I hearing things?" Yuh Chen turned, his face registering surprise before shifting into a sneer. "Are you implying that you want an explanation from me?"

As he finished speaking, a dozen young men swiftly encircled Chu Lin, their faces anything but friendly.

"You're the first to demand an explanation from the Sword Edge Alliance. I'm curious to see how you plan to proceed," Yuh Chen said, his interest piqued by Chu Lin's unexpected boldness.

Yuh Chen's arrogance was well-known; he was always the one demanding answers, never the other way around. And the Sword Edge Alliance members by his side, all at Body Tempering Level Three, had been his accomplices in countless acts of intimidation. They felt confident in their ability to defeat even those at Body Tempering Level Five.

Yet here stood a servant disciple, his youth and status clear for all to see. No matter his strength, reaching Body Tempering Level Five seemed out of reach—a feat only a genius could achieve by fifteen.

With a faint smile and no hint of retreat, Chu Lin's calm voice filled the ears of the onlookers, "Either lick his clothes clean or have me break one of your hands!"

The crowd erupted, eyes widening with a mix of disbelief and newfound respect for Chu Lin. His young face would be etched in their memories, regardless of the day's outcome.

Yang Hu, warmed by the presence of the tall figure before him, felt his admiration for Chu Lin soar. "As long as I live, I will do anything for you, to repay your kindness," he vowed silently, his lips parting ever so slightly.

"Kid, think carefully about the consequences of crossing the Sword Edge Alliance," Yuh Chen warned, his face darkening. He hadn't anticipated Chu Lin's audacity, even after learning of his identity. Today's events, if they became known, would be a stain on his reputation.

"You have ten seconds to decide," Chu Lin stated, his tone as detached as ever, even as he faced the hostile group. "After that, I'll make the choice for you."

"Seeking death!" Yuh Chen's eyes blazed with fury. "Attack! Cripple him!"

The Sword Edge Alliance members charged, their roars filling the air, but Chu Lin effortlessly evaded their blows.

As the countdown echoed ominously, "Ten! Nine!" the attackers grew increasingly fearful, unable to comprehend how a servant disciple could so easily outmaneuver them.

Yuh Chen's face twitched, and as the others were distracted, he discreetly crushed a Spirit Talisman in his hand.

"Three! Two! One!"

At zero, Chu Lin's eyes blazed with an unyielding fighting spirit. "It seems you've forfeited your choice. So, I'll make it for you!"

He lunged into the fray, and what followed left onlookers breathless.

The moment Chu Lin entered the melee, the air filled with the sounds of impact. The Sword Edge Alliance members, who had been so eager to punish him, now lay on the ground, writhing in pain, clutching at arms, legs, and groins, their screams punctuating the air.

Within moments, the young men at Body Tempering Level Three were all incapacitated, each nursing a joint cruelly injured, just as Chu Lin had warned.

Chu Lin himself was taken aback by his own combat prowess, having only recently advanced to Body Tempering Level Three. The Sword Edge Alliance members, though of equal rank, seemed powerless against him, crumbling under his strikes as if they were nothing.

Chu Lin didn't dwell on his freakishly enhanced strength. He simply chalked it up to the enigmatic Broken Copper and the Spirit Liquid.

"Young Master Yuh, have you decided?" Chu Lin asked, looking up at Yuh Chen after taking down his entourage of underlings.

"What are you after?" Yuh Chen's face paled, and he instinctively stepped back. Scanning the crowd in desperation, he bluffed, "Listen, if you lay a finger on me, you won't make it out of Black Wind Town alive!"

"If you won't make a choice, I'll make one for you!" Without another word, Chu Lin lunged forward, targeting Yuh Chen's right arm.

"Stop right there!"

Just then, a thunderous voice erupted from the crowd. A figure, even quicker than Chu Lin, swooped in to shield Yuh Chen, intercepting Chu Lin's attack with an open palm.

The impact reverberated like a punch to solid steel, sending a numbing sensation through Chu Lin's hand.

"This guy's no joke!" Chu Lin eyed the newcomer protectively standing before Yuh Chen, his brow furrowing in concern.

This young man stood taller than Yuh Chen by half a head, his stature accentuated by the long robe he wore, adorned with the intricate emblem of a short sword on the chest.

He, too, was a member of the Sword Edge Alliance.