C17 Fat and Thin Duo

A strikingly handsome young man stood before them, his tall and slender frame draped in a moon-white robe that lent him an almost ethereal quality. The arm he had used to block Chu Lin's advance was now shimmering with a faint green light, exuding an eerie aura.

"This is the Azure Stone Strike, a first-level medium martial skill!"

"Could it be? Azure Stone Strike? Is this young man Yu Qing, one of the ten great captains of Heaven's Edge?"

"Yu Qing's signature move is the Azure Stone Strike. It has to be him."

"Yu Qing, a captain of Heaven's Edge and fifteenth on the outer court's Ranking of Strong, is said to have reached the ninth level of Body Tempering!"

Murmurs of awe and fear rippled through the crowd.

"Brother Qing," Yu Chen breathed a sigh of relief and greeted Yu Qing with due respect.

Yu Qing nodded, clearly pleased with the crowd's reaction. Arrogance was written all over his face as he turned to Chu Lin and said, "Disrespecting Heaven's Edge is a grave offense. But considering our shared lineage, I'll spare your life if you cripple one of your arms right now."

Chu Lin's expression darkened. The arrogance of the Heaven's Edge members irked him. Despite sensing Yu Qing's formidable strength, Chu Lin was not about to maim himself without at least attempting to fight. Moreover, the prospect of battling a ninth-level Body Tempering expert like Yu Qing sparked a thrill of excitement in him.

"If no one offends me, I won't offend them. But if someone offends me, I'll fight back!" Chu Lin declared boldly. "And that includes anyone from Heaven's Edge who dares to provoke me!"

"You'll only understand regret when you're facing doom. You are nothing but a pitiful insect," Yu Qing said, his voice devoid of emotion as he let out a cold huff and his hand glowed with the green light once more.

"Duskhaven seems to be quite the hotspot today." In the tense moment before the impending clash, a voice laced with malice cut through the air, carrying a sinister chuckle.

The crowd parted, revealing two figures—one portly and the other slender—drawing the attention of all around them.

The heavier man was squeezed into tight clothing, his large belly straining against a button that threatened to pop off with each step he took. Rolls of fat peeked out from the gaps in his clothes, making for a less-than-flattering image.

The skinny man, on the other hand, seemed almost frail. Clothes that would fit an average person hung loosely on him, his sleeves billowing in the breeze. Had it not been for his wrists visible to the onlookers, one might have mistaken him for a creature without arms.

This duo was undeniably conspicuous, capturing the gaze of everyone present.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the mismatched pair strolled leisurely toward Chu Lin and Yu Qing.

"My goodness, it's the Fat and Thin Duo!" Yang Hu's voice, heavy with concern, reached Chu Lin's ears.

"The Fat and Thin Duo? Who are they?" Chu Lin's face took on a grave look. From their presence alone, it was clear that the Fat and Thin Duo were formidable. If Yu Qing were his only opponent, Chu Lin believed he might stand a chance in a fight, and even if he couldn't defeat Yu Qing, he was confident he could grab Yang Hu and escape amidst the throng of people.

However, with the Fat and Thin Duo backing Yu Qing, slipping away with Yang Hu amidst the confusion would be a much greater challenge.

"The Fat and Thin Duo are legendary siblings from the outer court. The larger one is Yi Feng, and the slender one is Yi Shan. Both are only eighteen and rank in the top ten of the Ranking of Strong, each possessing the ninth level of Body Tempering strength. I've heard they once teamed up to defeat an inner court senior who had reached the Spiritual Martial Stage!" Yang Hu's voice shook slightly, betraying the deep impression the duo's reputation had made on him.

"They're not also with Heaven's Edge, are they?" Chu Lin asked, casting a few more glances at Yi Shan and Yi Feng, his expression etched with concern.

"Yi Feng and Yi Shan are likely not affiliated with Heaven's Edge. I've never heard of them joining any league. Maybe they're just passing through by coincidence," Yang Hu murmured, almost as if he were making a wish.

At that moment, Yi Feng and Yi Shan approached Chu Lin. Despite Chu Lin's growing anxiety, both Yi Shan and Yi Feng walked past him and headed straight for Yu Qing. Yet, as Yi Shan, the slender one, passed Chu Lin, he quickly raised an eyebrow at him, leaving Chu Lin puzzled about the situation.

There seemed to be no connection between Yi Shan, Yi Feng, and Chu Lin, so what was the meaning behind Yi Shan's eyebrow raise? Was it a warning of some sort?

Lost in thought, Chu Lin watched as the Fat and Thin Duo came to a halt before Yu Qing.

"Senior Brothers Yi Feng and Yi Shan, what brings you to Duskhaven Town?" Yu Qing asked, his eyes betraying a flicker of concern as his usual haughtiness diminished significantly.

"I've heard that Heaven's Edge has been quite overbearing lately. Have you resorted to picking on servant disciples just to get by?" Yi Feng, the portly man, said with a tremor of his jowls, his voice booming.

"Yi Feng, Yi Shan, I'm unclear about your purpose here, but the affairs of Heaven's Edge are for Yu Xiu to decide. You're sticking your noses where they don't belong," Yu Qing retorted, his expression darkening. He was well aware that he was no match for the Fat and Thin Duo. He didn't understand how he had managed to provoke them, but Yi Feng's remarks made it clear they had come with hostile intentions. Thus, Yu Qing quickly invoked the name of Yu Xiu, the leader of Heaven's Edge, hoping to intimidate the duo.

Yi Shan, the thinner of the two, seemed slightly wary at the mention of "Yu Xiu." He cleared his throat and adopted a look of feigned righteousness. "Junior Brother Yu Qing, that's no way to talk. Senior Brother Yi Feng is just being direct. His words might be harsh, but his intentions are for the betterment of Heaven's Edge. Isn't he speaking out so that Heaven's Edge can prosper and thrive? Besides, as students of the Martial Academy, we all have a duty to uphold justice, to fill this world with love and replace war with peace. We should all be working together..."

Yi Shan spoke incessantly, his voice unceasing. Though his expression was one of righteousness, a sly grin would occasionally break through.

Chu Lin felt a twinge of embarrassment at the scene, but his concerns also significantly lessened. It appeared that the Fat and Thin Duo were not his adversaries after all.

"So, with the noble intention of bringing beauty to this world and embracing love, tolerance, and broad-mindedness, Yi Feng and I do not want to witness disciples from the same sect engaging in fratricide. Right, Yi Feng?" Yi Shan spoke at length for over two minutes before reaching his conclusion. He gave Yi Feng a pat on the shoulder and sought confirmation.

"Absolutely!" Yi Feng thumped his chest and bellowed in agreement, "Should we witness disciples from the same sect engaging in such violence, we will punish them in the name of justice. We will not stand for such behavior!"

As Yi Feng made his bold declaration, a piercing scream echoed through the air.

Yu Chen clutched his right arm, howling in agony as the bone visibly collapsed.

"I gave Yu Chen a choice: either clean my brother's clothes with his tongue or lose the use of his hand. This is the recompense I demanded for Yang Hu," Chu Lin said, a chill in his gaze. Seizing the moment when Yu Qing was distracted, he inflicted serious injury on Yu Chen. Without hesitation, Chu Lin retreated to the safety of the Fat and Thin Duo, hoisted Yang Hu onto his back, and fled.

Yu Qing, momentarily taken aback, quickly grasped the situation and trembled with rage, fixing the Fat and Thin Duo with a furious stare, "Are you making a fool of me?"

Yi Feng scratched his head awkwardly and turned to Yi Shan, "Brother, Yu Qing thinks we're mocking him."

"Mocking Yu Qing?" Yi Shan rubbed his nose, maintaining an air of righteousness. "We've made it clear that we won't forgive any disciple who harms another from the same sect. But we didn't see Chu Lin attack Yu Chen, did we?"