Lin Yun, a fourteen-year-old member of the Lin Family, lost both parents at a young age. He was resolute and independent, spoke little, and cultivated with diligence and focus. He had reached the Sixth Stage of Body Tempering.
The moment the grey-clothed youth stepped onto the arena, information about him surfaced in Lin Dong's mind.
"Lin Dong, I know you've entered the Seventh Stage of Body Tempering, but I'd still like to seek instruction in your Martial Art." The instant Lin Yun stepped onto the arena, he fixed his eyes on Lin Dong and spoke with utmost seriousness.
"Come!" Lin Dong said little, raising his forearm.
"Hah! Lin Dong, please guide me!"
After the low shout, Lin Yun shot toward Lin Dong like an arrow loosed from a bowstring. His fists swung like scattered stones flying through the sky, creating tremendous momentum.
The First-Rank Martial Art, Falling Stone Fist!
"Since you're asking for instruction, I should take this more seriously. This is how the Falling Stone Fist should be used."
Lin Dong smiled and withdrew from his Penetrating-Back Fist stance. He set his frame and unleashed the same Martial Art with his palm—the First-Rank Martial Art, Falling Stone Fist. Fist shadows layered over one another like endless meteorites raining upon the earth, their menacing force impossible to withstand!
"Boom!"
Before Lin Yun could make out the attack, a sharp pain struck his chest, sending his entire body flying backward.
"Cough, cough. I lose."
Lin Yun scrambled up from the ground, then showed himself to be a good sport. He cupped his fist in salute and leaped straight off the platform.
Lin Dong nodded in acknowledgment. Lin Yun carried himself with grace and accepted defeat.
Lin Dong defeated his opponent cleanly and decisively, leaving Lin Ken, the Referee, astonished. The rumors of Lin Dong's extraordinary Cultivation were true after all. His third brother had raised quite a son.
Lin Ken thought this to himself, but continued without missing a beat: "Next match, Lin Ting versus Lin Dong."
Several more rounds followed. At last, the competition reached the final two rounds of the Final Match, and the matches proceeded swiftly.
After Lin Dong effortlessly crushed his opponent, the match between Lin Hong and Lin Xia ended in a draw. Both had reached the Seventh Stage of Body Tempering, and their combat strength was evenly matched.
As Lin Ken pondered how these three should proceed to the Final Match, Lin Xia spoke first: "I don't think I can beat Cousin Lin Dong, so I'm withdrawing."
After speaking, Lin Xia ignored the countless questioning gazes from the arena and walked off the Combat Arena with considerable poise.
"Ah, this daughter of mine..."
Lin Ken gave a silent, wry smile, but this arrangement simplified matters. He announced at once: "Now for the Final Match—Lin Hong versus Lin Dong!"
At Lin Ken's command, the two competitors climbed onto the same Combat Arena.
"Well, my cousin Lin Hong. We haven't seen each other in several months, and you've made quite a bit of progress."
Lin Dong stood with his arms crossed. Though his words were praising Lin Hong, anyone could hear the mockery laced through his tone.
"Hmph, Lin Dong, don't get too pleased with yourself. Don't think you're the only one who's reached the Seventh Stage of Body Tempering—I entered it successfully a month ago too. Besides, I've cultivated Martial Arts longer than you. I refuse to believe I can't beat you."
"Last time, I was careless and let you catch me off guard. This time, I'll defeat you cleanly and decisively, so you'll accept your loss wholeheartedly."
Lin Hong puffed out his chest. A faint sheen spread across his body—the fluctuation of Yuan Power.
The Seventh Stage of Body Tempering!
"Seventh Stage of Body Tempering. So impressive, so impressive."
Lin Dong lowered his arms and gave a few listless claps.
"Heh heh, Lin Dong, believe it or not, once I defeat you, I'm going to propose to Grandfather on the spot, asking him to betroth Qing Tan to me."
Lin Hong ignored Lin Dong's mockery. Instead, he cast a burning glance toward a particular spot among the seats below, where Qing Tan sat.
"Lin Hong, you're courting death."
The smile on Lin Dong's face faded, and a trace of killing intent spread across the Combat Arena.
"Haha, angry because you've been humiliated, are you? Go ahead—be furious and wail. I love watching you want to kill me but lack the power to do it."
Lin Hong broke into a triumphant smile and burst forward. He swept his palm horizontally, driving an exceptionally fierce gust of force straight toward Lin Dong's face.
"Idiot, you've truly angered me. And another thing—the Second-grade Martial Art, Eight Desolations Palm, isn't meant to be used like that. Your technique is a complete mess."
Lin Dong's expression remained unchanged. He flipped his palm and executed the same palm technique at great speed. Yet his palm force combined hardness with softness, displaying a level of mastery far beyond Lin Hong's Eight Desolations Palm.
"Boom!"
A sharp pain shot through Lin Hong's wrist, and Lin Dong swiftly neutralized the attack he had been so proud of—but it wasn't over yet!
"Crack, crack, crack, crack..."
Lin Dong's wrist spun. One crisp snapping sound after another rang out, like cloth being struck, as his blows pounded Lin Hong's chest. One strike, two strikes, three strikes...
Nine crisp strikes rang out in all. The tide-like assault left Lin Hong stunned. No—not nine strikes. Where the crowd could not see, the bones and muscles within Lin Dong's body worked in perfect coordination to deliver a tenth strike.
"Boom!"
This concealed tenth strike sent the ashen-faced Lin Hong flying off the Combat Arena. He collapsed onto the ground, limp as a heap of mud.
"First Layer of the Strange Gate Seal..."
Fury raging in his heart, Lin Dong's hand had already formed a strange Seal Formation.
Indeed, this was the Third-Rank Martial Art, Strange Gate Seal. The Lin Family possessed only its incomplete cultivation method—the First Layer of the Strange Gate Seal—while the complete Strange Gate Seal had four layers.
Because the Strange Gate Seal had only its first layer, its power ranked among the lowest of Third-Rank Martial Arts. Few in the Lin Family cultivated it; it was little more than a chicken rib.
After entering the Earthly Yuan Realm, Lin Dong took the initiative to learn this incomplete Third-Rank Martial Art from his father, Lin Xiao. He then used an Ancestral Stone to restore the remaining three layers.
The First Layer of the Strange Gate Seal was a low-tier Third-Rank Martial Art; the second layer was a top-tier Third-Rank Martial Art; the third layer was a Fourth-Grade Martial Art; and the fourth layer could rival a Fifth-Grade Martial Art.
This Martial Art required a particular Seal Formation to draw upon the Yuan Qi within the body. When the Yuan Qi combined with the Seal Formation, it unleashed formidable power.
The highest-Grade Martial Art currently in the Lin Family was only the mid-tier Fourth-Grade Martial Art, Pure Yuan Finger. Family Head Lin Zhentian treasured it as a prized possession and allowed only core clan members to cultivate it.
Of course, Lin Dong had also learned Pure Yuan Finger from Lin Xiao in secret.
"Hmph, I'll let you off this time."
Seeing Lin Hong tumble off the Combat Arena, Lin Dong felt much of his anger drain away and dispersed the Seal Formation in his hand. Otherwise, the Third-Rank Martial Art, Strange Gate Seal, would have left Lin Hong bedridden for a month.
"Look, quick! Nine strikes — a full nine strikes of the Penetrating-Back Fist."
"Yes. Who would have thought that Lin Dong could cultivate the First-Rank Martial Art, Penetrating-Back Fist, to Perfect Mastery at such a young age? How old is he, anyway? He truly has extraordinary talent."
"Tsk, tsk, Lin Dong's future is immeasurable. Lin Xiao truly raised quite a son."
One look from a true expert was all it took to tell the difference.
When the nine crisp strikes—"crack, crack, crack"—rang out from Lin Dong's hand, they drew the admiration of the Lin Clan members watching from the stands.