Chapter 28: Chen Chen Revange
Tianyi Swordsmanship Dojo, First Floor Public Training Ground.
Bang!
A muffled sound echoed through the space, causing the hearts of the Tianyi Dojo students to tighten violently.
The longsword in Zhao Hongbin's hand was flicked away, and his massive body flew backward like a kite with a cut string.
He smashed heavily against the corner padding, producing a dull thud.
The padding caved in significantly. Zhao Hongbin clutched his chest, struggling to sit up as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, dripping down his chin.
Ignoring his injuries, he looked up in shock at the young man in the black combat suit standing in the center of the arena.
Zhao Hongbin's voice trembled, unable to hide his fear. "You... who exactly are you?!"
"Don't you know where this is?"
"This is Elder Wei's dojo. You dare cause trouble here?"
As the Vice Master of the Tianyi Dojo, Zhao Hongbin had been stuck at the high-tier of the Initial Stage for three years.
However, his swordsmanship was not low; he was infinitely close to the Steel-Cutting Realm and was quite famous in the local Awakener circle of Lanjiang.
It should have been impossible for an ordinary swordsman of the same rank to defeat him.
Yet, in the exchange just now, the opponent had flicked the sword from his hand in just three moves.
On the third move, Zhao Hongbin had sensed the opponent's sword momentum—he had already stepped into the Steel-Cutting Realm.
The area around the arena was already packed with students and staff.
The crowd exploded into noise, the sound of discussion surging like a rising tide.
"Oh my god! Vice Master Zhao lost so decisively? It's only been a few minutes!"
A teenager in a blue training uniform gaped, forgetting to drink the water in his hand, spilling it all over the floor.
"Who is that guy? He looks about eighteen, but his strength is terrifying!" A middle-aged instructor nearby furrowed his brows, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the hilt of the sword at his waist, his eyes full of gravity.
"I heard from the coach who ran to report it earlier—his name is Chen Chen, from the Chen family!"
"I heard he gained the favor of the Association. In just one week, he broke through from the low-tier to the high-tier of the Initial Stage!"
"No wonder he's so strong! The Association's resources aren't something we can compare to. He must have used some heavenly treasures to increase his strength so quickly!"
Standing in the center of the arena, Chen Chen lowered his eyelids slightly, looking down at Zhao Hongbin on the ground.
He felt a burst of pleasure in his heart.
The corners of Chen Chen's mouth curled into a smile that looked gentle but was actually filled with contempt.
"Vice Master Zhao, thank you for the match."
His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, carrying the calm confidence of a youth who had achieved success.
It was as if defeating Zhao Hongbin was just a trivial matter he had done in passing.
Chen Chen had fantasized about this moment countless times in his heart.
ever since the Awakening Ceremony, he had been defeated by Chen Yu twice.
The first time was at the Awakening Ceremony.
He had just awakened an SS-Rank Talent and was hailed as a genius, basking in the limelight.
It was him!
It was Chen Yu who kicked him unconscious!
The second time was at the Chen family's coming-of-age ceremony! That piece of trash actually stepped on him in front of everyone! He made him lose all face in public!
Originally, he could have had a beautiful fiancée, but Chen Yu, that trash, interfered, causing the Ling family to break off the engagement.
These events caused his hatred for Chen Yu to rise continuously.
Finally, the Eastern Awakener's Association extended an olive branch to him.
That was an official organization that stood above ordinary families, possessing resources beyond imagination.
They valued him.
The SS-Rank Natural-type Swamp-Swamp Fruit talent was extremely rare.
As long as he worked hard, he would definitely become a High-Rank Awakener in the future.
They gave him a massive amount of resources and taught him how to develop his abilities.
The pills he took daily were enough for an ordinary Awakener to use for a month, and the spiritual liquid he soaked in could directly scour his meridians.
In just one week, his strength soared like a rocket from the low-tier to the high-tier of the Beginner Stage, and his internal breath was more than three times thicker than before.
The Association even bestowed upon him this famous sword named the "Seven Star Sword."
This sword originated from an ancient secret realm.
The blade was three feet and seven inches long, forged from deep-sea dark iron, and inlaid with seven crystals emitting a faint green fluorescence.
It could drastically amplify the user's swordsmanship power.
A Steel-Cutting Swordsman, achieved instantly just by holding the sword!
Suppressing the joy in his heart, he slowly sheathed the Seven Star Sword. The scabbard and blade collided with a soft click.
(Note: The Seven Star Sword originates from the One Piece Movie 5: The Cursed Holy Sword.)
He had finally crawled out of the valley.
He wanted to defeat Chen Yu and wash away his previous humiliation!
He wanted to take back everything that belonged to him. He wanted to tell everyone that what he lost, he would definitely take back with his own hands!
And it would start with this broken dojo!
He came to kick the dojo intentionally.
Since Wei Tianyi valued Chen Yu, he would defeat Chen Yu here and slap Wei Tianyi in the face! He would crush Chen Yu's dignity completely in front of everyone.
He would let everyone see that he, Chen Chen, was the true genius!
Just then, the sound of footsteps came from the entrance of the training ground, interrupting Chen Chen's thoughts.
He looked up.
He saw Chen Yu wearing a simple white training suit, hands in his pockets, a sword slung diagonally across his waist.
He walked out slowly, a carefree and unrestrained smile on his face.
Behind Chen Yu followed three people.
One was Zhou Mingxuan.
The others were Ling Wenhe, dressed in a black suit with a calm expression, and Ling Yue, wearing a white dress with her long hair cascading over her shoulders.
Ling Yue's skin looked as white as snow under the lights, and the hem of her skirt swayed gently with her steps, looking like a fairy who had accidentally wandered into the mortal world.
As soon as she walked in, the discussions in the training ground quieted down significantly. Many eyes subconsciously fell on her, filled with awe and admiration.
Chen Chen's eyes lit up instantly, but were immediately drowned by thick jealousy.
Ling Wenhe brought Ling Yue to see Chen Yu?!
'Why?! Old geezer, are you blind?'
He had inquired about Ling Yue's appearance long ago. Seeing her in person, she was even more beautiful than in the photos.
Such a favored daughter of heaven should have stood by his side, enjoying everyone's envy.
But Ling Wenhe just had to value that trash Chen Yu, even bringing Ling Yue to see him! This was simply an insult to him!
Seeing Chen Yu standing next to Ling Yue, accepting everyone's amazed gazes, he felt as if a ball of fire was blocking his chest.
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the hostility churning in his heart.
He put on a harmless smile and actively walked toward Ling Wenhe, bowing slightly. "Uncle Ling, you're here too? What a coincidence."
His tone was respectful and enthusiastic, as if it were truly just a chance encounter.
Then, he turned to Ling Yue, revealing a smile he thought was gentle, his eyes holding a deliberate attempt to curry favor.
"This must be Miss Ling Yue. It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Chen Chen, the Young Master of the Chen family."
Ling Yue just nodded faintly, not saying much, her eyes holding a hint of distance.
Ling Wenhe had told her everything. She never had a good impression of people like Chen Chen, who appeared gentle on the surface but were calculating underneath.
Chen Chen didn't get angry and continued, "It is truly an honor. You and I originally had an engagement, unfortunately..."
"Unfortunately, you are not me, Chen Yu. You were just impersonating my identity," Chen Yu, standing aside, rolled his eyes and interrupted Chen Chen.
Ling Wenhe glanced at Zhao Hongbin on the ground, then looked at Chen Chen, his tone clearly displeased.
"Chen Chen, this is Elder Wei's dojo, not a place for you to run wild. Vice Master Zhao has no grievances with you, yet you struck so heavily. Isn't that a bit too excessive?"
The smile on Chen Chen's face didn't change, but his tone carried a hint of grievance, as if he had been wronged.
"Uncle Ling, you've misunderstood. I only heard that the teaching level of the dojo was very high, so I came specifically to spar and exchange pointers to improve my strength."
"During the fight just now, I deliberately held back. I didn't expect Vice Master Zhao to accidentally disrupt his internal breath. I feel very apologetic about it too."
His words turned black into white, yet were spoken with such sincerity. Even his eyes held just the right amount of "guilt," perfectly interpreting what a "hypocritical green tea" was.
Chen Yu leaned back strategically.
"You really have inherited the true teachings of that b*tch Zhang Li."
Facing Chen Yu's sarcasm, the contempt in Chen Chen's eyes could no longer be hidden.
It stabbed toward his opponent like a poisoned knife.
"Chen Yu, the last two times you won against me by luck, it was just because I wasn't in good condition! This time, do you dare to compete with me again?"
"Let everyone see who is the true genius of the Chen family!"
(To be Continued)