Chapter 61: Chapter 57: Trouble

With a sickening CRUNCH, Tian Yaosong’s Adam’s apple shattered like a dried date. His eyes bulged, instantly turning bloodshot.

A desperate, gurgling wheeze escaped his shattered throat, spraying viscous, bloody froth onto the back of Chen Qing’s hand, where his veins stood out.

Chen Qing’s eyes were icy. He let go and stepped back.

He knew Tian Yaosong had completely lost the ability to fight. His life now hung by a thread.

The reversal of life and death had been so swift and sudden that it left most of the onlookers completely stunned.

Tian Yaosong’s three consecutive killing blows had been like Furious Waves, a perfect demonstration of the Windbreaker technique’s ruthless power. He had lived up to his reputation as a master at the level of Great Success in Dark Force.

Yet Chen Qing had proven to be even more ruthless and cunning, precisely seizing a fleeting weakness amid the deadly assault to finish his opponent in a single strike.

“I… I…”

With his throat crushed, Tian Yaosong’s voice was as faint as a mosquito’s drone, leaving only a wheezing hiss.

“Quickly, get a doctor!” Wu Manqing’s slender brows furrowed as she barked out the order.

Two men from the Wu Family Nursing Home scrambled forward and clumsily lifted the limp form of Tian Yaosong.

Tian Yaosong’s unfocused gaze turned with difficulty to Wu Manqing. His throat bobbed as he struggled to force out a few words, “Three-year… son… five-year… daughter… take… care…”

“I understand.”

Wu Manqing took a deep breath, suppressed her turbulent emotions, and said urgently, “Get him to a medical hall! Spare no cost!”

The men from the Wu Family Nursing Home carried away the blood-drenched Tian Yaosong, hastily vanishing into the crowd.

Chen Qing secretly shook his head. ’Tian Yaosong’s chances of survival are slim.’

’In that duel, neither of us held back. My final move, the White Ape Throat-Cutter, was a true killing technique. The Dark Force has utterly destroyed the vitality in his throat.’

’Even if by some miracle he survives, he’ll be a cripple.’

’But Wu Manqing has to try her best to save him. Tian Yaosong is an expert she hired for a fortune. If she were to appear even slightly ungrateful or cold-hearted at a moment like this, the Wu Family’s reputation and honor would be completely ruined.’

Only then did the frozen air around the fighting stage seem to thaw, and the crowd burst into a long-suppressed uproar!

Tian Yaosong was defeated by Chen Qing!

The people of the Cheng Family felt as if they were in a dream, then a tide of ecstasy washed over them.

This unbelievable scene before their eyes was actually real!

“We… we won?!”

Cheng Huan’s eyes were wide, his voice trembling with excitement as if he was still trying to confirm this unreal fact.

Cheng Ming’s joy was written all over his face. He slapped his thigh hard. “We really won! Ah Qing! Well done!”

He had only held a sliver of hope for Chen Qing and had never imagined they could turn the tables in such a desperate situation.

In stark contrast to the Cheng Family’s jubilation, the members of the Wu Family had ashen faces, looking as if they’d lost their parents.

Tian Yaosong’s crushing defeat meant that their long and carefully planned scheme had completely collapsed. This loss was crippling.

Even though the Wu Family’s power had expanded in recent years, today they had taken a major tumble.

Defeated in a duel under the watchful eyes of all, the Wu Family had no way to go back on their word, no matter how unwilling they were.

Doing business in Gaolin County inevitably led to friction. To avoid constant bloodshed, settling disputes with “duels” had become an ironclad rule.

Top-tier experts like Tian Yaosong—below the Transmutation Force realm but willing to fight in such duels—were rare.

His fall was a stinging blow to the Wu Family.

The surrounding shopkeepers and wealthy merchants watched the direction Tian Yaosong was carried off in, all sighing in lament.

When they looked again at the calm-faced young man, Chen Qing, on the stage, a trace of unconcealable fear and apprehension had crept into their eyes.

This young man looked so green, yet his methods were so vicious and sharp.

Although Tian Yaosong hadn’t reached Transmutation Force yet, he was still a reasonably famous expert.

And today, he had been defeated by Chen Qing.

“The duel’s victor—the Cheng Family!”

A high-pitched declaration, ringing out like Gold Stone striking the ground, echoed throughout the entire dock.

“Ah Qing!”

Cheng Ming leaped onto the collapsed stage in a single bound, quickly steadying the slightly swaying Chen Qing. “How are your injuries?”

“I’m alright.”

Chen Qing’s voice was a little low.

’Good thing I cultivate Fishing Toad Force,’ he thought. ’Otherwise, I really couldn’t have taken that punch from Tian Yaosong.’

But of course, Chen Qing wouldn’t reveal this, so he pretended to be weak and drained.

“This is not a place to linger. Let’s go.”

Cheng Ming said in a low voice, helping Chen Qing as they prepared to leave the stage.

“Stop! Don’t go!”

A clear but angry cry suddenly rang out, aimed directly at Chen Qing.

Chen Qing followed the voice with his eyes. It came from the Wu Family’s camp, but the speaker wasn’t Wu Manqing, but a young woman in plain white clothes behind her.

The girl was plain-looking, but her eyes glittered with a sharp light, and they were now fixed intently on Chen Qing.

“Hm!?”

Chen Qing’s gaze sharpened.

The young woman took a step forward and questioned sharply, “It was just a duel to see who was better, yet you were so vicious! Every one of your moves was fatal, and you ended it with a killing blow! And now you think you can just walk away scot-free? There’s no such easy way out in this world!”

Chen Qing sneered inwardly.

’Martial arts are fundamentally Killing Techniques. In a proper duel, there’s no need to sign a life-and-death waiver, because both sides go all out. Death and injury are common.’

’After all, in a life-or-death situation, anyone who holds back is just courting death!’

’On the Martial Arts Examination stage, death and crippling injuries are common. Didn’t Gao Sheng from Songfeng Martial Arts Hall try to kill Qin Lie on stage back then? He just barely failed to achieve his goal.’

’Risking your life on this stage and leaving life and death to fate is as normal as it gets.’

Chen Qing’s face was calm, but his voice carried a hint of ice. “The rules of the duel state that life and death are irrelevant. What? The Wu Family can’t afford to lose and wants to use this as an excuse to seek revenge?”

“Lian’er! Stop this insolence! Come back!”

Wu Manqing’s face darkened. She gave a low shout, then turned to Chen Qing and clasped her fist in a salute. “Brother Chen, my apologies. Lian’er is not of my Wu Family. She is young and impetuous, and speaks rashly. The Wu Family wins with honor, and we know how to lose with grace. As for your skill today, Brother Chen, I, Manqing, am truly impressed. Our paths will cross again!”

With that, Wu Manqing said no more and led the Wu Family members, their faces a mixture of emotions, in a swift departure.

Only after the Wu Family’s figures disappeared from sight did Cheng Ming lower his voice, a trace of lingering fear in it. “That girl is named Zhu Lian’Er, a disciple of the Songfeng Martial Arts Hall! Her jumping out just now was definitely not just to protest on Tian Yaosong’s behalf. I think she wanted to take advantage of your injuries and unstable state after a hard fight to provoke you and use you as a stepping stone to make a name for herself!”

Songfeng Martial Arts Hall!?

Hearing this, Chen Qing’s brow furrowed.

The head of Songfeng Martial Arts Hall and Zhou Liang had a deep-seated grudge. Qin Lie was crippled by Gao Sheng of the Songfeng Martial Arts Hall.

The moment he learned that Zhu Lian’Er was a disciple of the Songfeng Martial Arts Hall, he understood everything.

’That Wu Manqing seems like a smart woman. She would never suddenly cause trouble just because I killed Tian Yaosong in a duel. That would only bring embarrassment to herself and the Wu Family.’

’I passed the Martial Arts Examination and even defeated Tian Yaosong. I’ve already made something of a name for myself.’

’Add in the grudge between the Songfeng Martial Arts Hall and the Zhou Institute, if that disciple, Zhu Lian’Er, managed to win even a single exchange, I would undoubtedly become her stepping stone.’

’Especially since I’m injured and weak right now.’

A cold sneer formed in Chen Qing’s mind.

’Does she really think I’m injured and she can pick up an easy win!?’

’If that’s what Zhu Lian’Er is really planning… it doesn’t matter.’

’I, Chen Qing, am not one to show mercy just because she’s a woman.’

…..

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep