Chapter 83: Can I Win the First Place?

“Before Lin Zhenglun presents himself, none of the Lin clan are to step beyond this gate, nor cross this boundary. To do so will be deemed a challenge to my person! And I shall cripple them!”

Jiang Wang planted his sword before the Lin family's ancestral lands, his countenance icy, devoid of any hint of jest.

Lin Zhengli was taken aback. Not with fear, but with sheer astonishment, bordering on the absurd.

Three individuals, yet they dared to blockade the Lin family’s very threshold.

From whence did this youth draw such audacity? Upon what foundation did his confidence rest?

Lin Zhengli was poised to strike, yet a voice preceded him.

The source of the voice was distant, yet its resonance had already vibrated into their ears.

“You, Jiang, possess an immense tone! Do you believe I am incapable of slaying a man?”

That was the voice of Lin Zhengren, the current preeminent combatant within the Lin clan!

Even with his profound aura and seasoned composure, he could not entirely mask the surge of wrath within his voice at this juncture.

Truly, in broad daylight, clowns were leaping about. Could any random individual come to the Lin clan to cause a commotion?

Upon Jiang Wang’s back rested a lengthy wooden box. He had carried it the entire journey from Maple Forest City to Wangjiang City.

Hearing Lin Zhengren’s voice, he neither flinched nor showed trepidation.

He simply lowered the long box from his back, opened it, and drew forth that ancient, unadorned spear.

The Xin Jin spear’s appearance was not particularly striking; the spearhead was like concealed cold light, the shaft itself was not even smooth – these were the marks etched by thirty years of tempering in the forge.

Yet, it was now the most renowned weapon in all of Qinghe County.

Jiang Wang inverted the Xin Jin spear and thrust it downwards at his feet, burying it several inches into the soil.

“Brother Zhu stated that I am merely a cultivator of the Wandering Pulse realm, and I have come to Wangjiang City with purpose. Any cultivator of the Wandering Pulse realm in Wangjiang City may step forth and duel me; even should they slay me, he shall not intervene. But should any cultivator above the Wandering Pulse realm take action, using their superior cultivation to oppress a lesser realm, regardless of who the individual may be who makes such a move, after I enter the National Daoist Academy, he will personally address you, Lin Zhengren. I will encounter you once, and beat you once!”

Jiang Wang’s words, infused with Daoist essence, caused tremors throughout the Lin family’s estate.

And Lin Zhengren’s voice did not resound again. Nor did he appear.

As if the preceding reprimand had been but a shared hallucination amongst the crowd.

The Xin Jin spear stood here, and it represented Zhu Weiwo.

Before the spear had quelled Wangjiang City, Zhu Weiwo surely did not possess such deterrent power. But now, his name alone was sufficient to cow an entire faction.

For each additional breath the silence lingered, the Lin family’s countenance would swell with further humiliation.

Thus, this silence was swiftly shattered. An elderly man with white hair, leaning upon a wooden staff, slowly emerged with the assistance of his servants.

“Since that is the case. Zhengli, step forth and make the attempt.” The old man’s voice was not loud, yet it carried an inherent killing intent: “Let us see if he is truly invincible within the Wandering Pulse realm!”

“Understood, Grandfather.” Lin Zhengli bowed respectfully to the old man, flicked his sleeves, and strode forth from the archway!

The sword light erupted instantaneously, akin to lightning!

Jiang Wang had already leaped forth with his blade.

Waves surged upwards; Lin Zhengli twisted in mid-air. Of course, he was not a reckless and simple-minded individual, and he had already executed a gesture before stepping out of the archway.

He began with the Dao technique, Waves Triple Overlap, which had earned him acclaim during the Three City Discussion, to first secure himself in an invincible position.

But Jiang Wang could twist in mid-air, which was the powerful feedback from the Four Spirits Body Forging Technique cultivated to this stage, granting him an ability to remain airborne far exceeding cultivators of the same realm.

The sword pointed at the throat!

Lin Zhengli’s expression remained unchanged; while executing gestures, he calmly activated the second overlap of Waves Triple Overlap.

Jiang Wang could not execute three consecutive mid-air turns without leverage like Li Jianqiu, but he had no need to. Simultaneously as he descended to the ground, the long sword subtly turned, and a golden light arrow shot forth from the blade, striking at Lin Zhengli who had just completed his turn.

This was the Dao technique that came with the standard magical weapon longsword in his hand, seamlessly connecting as the third attack!

Lin Zhengli once again conjured Waves, completing the final transformation of Waves Triple Overlap. At the same time, the Dao technique he was conjuring was complete, and he was about to unleash it upon his opponent, but suddenly his countenance changed drastically, and he blasted this enraged wave towards his front!

Turning an offensive technique into a defensive one, his reaction was not slow.

But before the surging purple energy, the anger condensed by the Dao technique was so fragile!

Purple energy arrives from the east, princes gaze to the west!

Jiang Wang’s feet had just touched the ground, and he utilized his strongest killer move at this moment. His entire being spurred the roaring purple energy, instantly shattering the waves.

The gleaming sword tip halted at Lin Zhengli’s brow.

Drip~ Drip!

That was the sound of water droplets sliding off the sword, dripping onto Lin Zhengli’s nose.

And he dared not move in the slightest.

After the Three City Discussion, he had harbored countless grievances. Both resentment that Jiang Wang had seized the advantage, snatching away the title of the first year’s champion that should have belonged to him. And also resentment towards his own carelessness. If not for his carelessness, how could he have lost to that barbarian? He wouldn’t even have been injured!

But the wood had already formed a boat; the matter was settled. No matter how much resentment, it was of no use.

Fortunately, Jiang Wang had come to Wangjiang City, granting him an opportunity to prove himself.

In truth, as soon as Jiang Wang and his three companions entered Wangjiang City, he received the news. The widow Lin Zhenglun had married did indeed commit suicide; of course, it was not entirely unconnected to him. He traced the letter sent by the woman before her death and discovered it was sent to Jiang Wang, then he sorted out the relationship between Jiang Wang and the widow.

Every disciple of the Daoist Academy was a future pillar of the Zhuang state, and naturally, there was no concept of swallowing humiliation.

And the methods he used to seize Lin Zhenglun’s business were not entirely honorable. Part of it was the dowry brought by the woman – of course, there were procedures that conformed to Zhuang law, but they could not withstand scrutiny from those with ulterior motives.

So he allowed Lin Zhenglun to hide back in the clan at the first opportunity; as long as he guarded the clan’s gate and did not allow Jiang Wang entry, then major issues could be reduced to minor ones, and minor issues could be resolved.

He believed that everything was under his control.

But Jiang Wang was so arrogant, with a single sword across the gate, was the first thing he did not anticipate.

And what he did not anticipate was that he fought with all his might, and he actually lost so miserably!

He did not prove his own strength; instead, he became a footnote to the strength of another.

At this moment, he suddenly recalled the words his elder brother Lin Zhengren had spoken to him during the Three City Discussion – “If you do not have complete assurance, do not give your enemy an opportunity to succeed.”

“Go back.” The hand holding the sword by Jiang Wang did not tremble in the slightest.

He did not actually cripple Lin Zhengli as he had stated, and the deterrent effect of invoking Zhu Weiwo’s name was also limited. In any case, Zhu Weiwo could not kill Lin Zhengren without cause; at most, it would be as he said, seeing him once, beating him once, and rendering Lin Zhengren unable to remain in the National Daoist Academy.

This consequence was sufficient to make Lin Zhengren possess extraordinary tolerance, but crippling Lin Zhengli was definitely not within his limits of forbearance.

Lin Zhengli stared directly at the gleaming sword tip, slowly retreating, until he retreated behind the archway.

It was not until this moment that he realized, his entire back was drenched in cold sweat.

“You may find any cultivator of the Wandering Pulse realm in Wangjiang City to come forth; I shall face them all with a single sword. Should I be unfortunately slain in battle, that too is my own failing. The two brothers who came with me today shall collect my body for me.”

Jiang Wang stood with his sword lowered, looking at the old man Lin: “And I have but one very reasonable request: my sister’s birth mother died in Wangjiang City; I require someone to take responsibility.”

“She committed suicide,” Lin Zhengli said with a stubborn tone.

“Very well then.” Jiang Wang stared at the Lin clan members who were gathering in increasing numbers behind the archway.

With a cold smile, the sword emitted a long resonant sound.

“Today, I shall see, within this Wangjiang City area, amongst those of the Wandering Pulse realm, whether I am indeed worthy of being the champion!”