Chapter 41: First Encounter with Dark Force (Second Update)

Xin Lang sized up the two men before him. They were tall, clad in blue garments, their wrists protected by guards, and dressed in the manner of house servants.

Xin Lang asked in puzzlement, “Your young master? May I ask which family your young master belongs to?”

“Our young master is the nephew of Lord Ouyang, the city’s ruler, and the vice head of Rising Sun Academy, Ouyang Feiyun!” declared the first servant, his tone overbearing.

“The vice head of Rising Sun Academy, Ouyang Feiyun?” Xin Lang frowned, thinking, “Why is he looking for me? Could it be that they found out I won the auction for ‘Inch Force Fist’? Or… do they somehow know about the ‘Sevenfold Rejuvenation Pill’ and my involvement?”

“Enough dawdling! Our young master is waiting ahead,” snapped the second servant.

The two servants, emboldened by their affiliation with the Ouyang family, were accustomed to throwing their weight around in Jiuyang City. To them, Xin Lang, a mere junior student of Rising Sun Academy, was hardly worth a second thought.

Xin Lang smiled. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know your young master, nor am I interested in meeting him.”

With that, Xin Lang turned to leave. Regardless of Ouyang Feiyun’s motives, Xin Lang was certain nothing good would come of this encounter.

“Stop right there!” barked the first servant.

Ouyang Feiyun had never failed to summon anyone he wished to see; there was no way they would let Xin Lang walk away so easily.

The two servants strode forward and caught up to Xin Lang, each extending a hand—one to seize his shoulder, the other to grab his calf.

“Sixth-level Martial Trainees?” Xin Lang exclaimed in surprise.

He hadn’t expected these apparently insignificant servants to be martial trainees of the sixth level, but even so, they were no match for him. Xin Lang pushed off the ground, spun his body with a graceful three-hundred-sixty-degree turn, and sent both feet flying, landing swift kicks to their wrists.

Crack! Crack!

Two crisp sounds rang out; even if their wrists weren’t fractured, they were surely dislocated!

“Ah!” The second servant clutched his wrist and cried out, “How dare you attack us! Do you have any idea who we are?”

Xin Lang chuckled. “Frankly, I couldn’t care less who you are. But if you try to ambush me again, I’ll beat you so badly your own mother won’t recognize you.” With those words, Xin Lang turned to leave.

Clap… clap… clap…

“Well done… splendid…” came the sound of applause from behind him, accompanied by a string of approving exclamations.

Xin Lang turned to see, not far away, a young man in his twenties. He possessed striking features—heroic brows and sharp eyes. Dressed in a white cotton robe, he was accompanied by an elderly man with a long beard.

“Young master!” the two servants greeted respectfully in unison.

“Ouyang Feiyun!” Upon hearing this, Xin Lang guessed the young man’s identity.

“So, you are Xin Lang, the prodigy of Rising Sun Academy? Not bad, not bad. Your skills are indeed impressive. Would you be interested in transferring to our Rising Sun Academy?” Ouyang Feiyun asked with a genial smile.

Though Ouyang Feiyun’s smile appeared affable, Xin Lang could sense the undercurrent of scheming behind it.

“Sorry, I have no interest,” Xin Lang replied, deftly sidestepping the Ouyang servants and walking toward the city gate without so much as a backward glance.

“You…” Ouyang Feiyun had never been treated with such disregard. He snorted, “Stop right there!”

Xin Lang didn’t break stride, silently amused. “You say ‘stop’ and I’m supposed to obey? Ridiculous.”

Initially, after Meng Linglong had offered generous terms, Xin Lang had planned to return to Rising Sun Academy after advancing to the rank of martial artist, intending to stay for another six months at no cost. But after this encounter with Ouyang Feiyun, he decided it was best to leave this troublesome place as soon as possible.

“Stop… You, stop right there for me!” Ouyang Feiyun shouted down the street for ages, but Xin Lang paid him no heed, already nearing the end of the street.

Most people in Jiuyang City recognized Ouyang Feiyun. Seeing him bellowing in the street, many pointed and whispered behind his back, though none dared speak openly.

Ouyang Feiyun was considered one of the leading figures among the city’s younger generation. To be so blatantly ignored infuriated him, his face coloring with rage.

As Xin Lang was about to slip away, Ouyang Feiyun turned anxiously to the old man at his side. “Uncle Zhong, that brat used to study at the Alchemy Academy. That ‘Sevenfold Rejuvenation Pill’ likely came to the Gu family through him. We absolutely can’t let him go—we must detain and interrogate him thoroughly!”

At present, Xin Lang was a tenth-level Martial Trainee, a person of considerable value. Ouyang Feiyun had intended to lure Xin Lang into Rising Sun Academy, then slowly uncover his secrets for his own gain. He hadn’t expected Xin Lang to be so uncooperative.

Since persuasion had failed, Ouyang Feiyun resolved to use force.

“Yes, young master!”

The bearded elder was named Ouyang Buzhong, a distant relative of Ouyang Feiyun and the family’s old steward. At Ouyang Feiyun’s words, his body shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, shouting, “Arrogant whelp, you’re not going anywhere!”

Ouyang Buzhong strode rapidly, catching up to Xin Lang in a few swift steps, his palm reaching for Xin Lang’s shoulder.

Feeling the rush of air behind him, Xin Lang sensed five surges of force converging on his shoulder. Thrilled and alarmed, he thought, “Hidden Force?”

He hadn’t expected his opponent to be in the “Hidden Force” stage of martial cultivation. Xin Lang had originally planned to leave quickly, but realizing his adversary’s level, he recognized an opportunity. He was currently struggling with a bottleneck in his training and needed more experience with Hidden Force techniques.

Xin Lang shifted to the side, turning to face Ouyang Buzhong, and unleashed a high-level commoner martial technique: “Whirlwind Falling Leaves Finger!”

His fingers lashed out like a storm, assailing Ouyang Buzhong from all angles.

“Hmph! Such a paltry technique—how dare you show off before me?” Ouyang Buzhong sneered, chopping with his palm. The air around his hand vibrated with the force of his blow. “Earth-level technique—Mountain-Shaking Palm!”

Xin Lang’s high-level commoner technique, though elegant and powerful, was no match for an earth-level technique. Ouyang Buzhong’s single strike disrupted Xin Lang’s moves, the hidden force in his palm sending a numbing shock through Xin Lang’s fingertips, forcing him to retreat and abandon his attack.

Xin Lang marveled, “The gap between martial trainees and martial artists is truly vast. Even as a tenth-level trainee, I can’t withstand a single move from a martial artist!”

PS: Brothers, a new week has begun. Please vote, recommend, and add to your favorites! Next chapter will be up around eight in the morning!