Chapter 7: Conflict

"The first move of the Heaven-Shocking Divine Palm: Mountain-Splitting, Sea-Overturning."

"Haa..."

From Chen Yiyi's perspective, Lu Yuan was radiating a faint red glow, and the surrounding air felt nearly frozen. She watched as Lu Yuan struck out with his palm toward the empty sky.

In an instant, a thunderous roar tore through the heavens and the earth. A powerful gale nearly blew Chen Yiyi away. At the critical moment, Old Lu grabbed her, thrust his cane deep into the floorboards with his other hand, and braced against the wind. The powerful palm strike Lu Yuan unleashed pierced through the white clouds in the sky, leaving behind a clear, gigantic palm print.

"Holy cow!"
"Was that an earthquake?"
"What a huge gust of wind! It almost blew me away."
"It’s thundering and raining—hurry home and bring in the laundry!"
"Damn it, where is the rain?"
"Hey, look, everyone! In the sky, look at the clouds—that’s a huge handprint!"
"Is it actually there?"
"Just what kind of divine being is that?"

Exclamations echoed continuously from outside the courtyard. Inside, Chen Yiyi stared with wide, worshipful eyes, fixed intently on Lu Yuan.

So cool. So powerful. Is this the Heaven-Shocking Divine Palm? It truly is Uncle Yuan’s peerless martial art. Hahaha!

Chen Yiyi was already fantasizing in her mind about the scene where she mastered the Heaven-Shocking Divine Palm. Countless people would kowtow to her in worship, shouting the great name of Chen Yiyi. Thinking of this, she couldn't help but plant her hands on her hips and let out a smug laugh.

"Chen Yiyi!"
"Chen Yiyi!"
"Where have you hidden yourself?"
"Don't let me catch you! If I do, you're in for it!"

A girl's sharp, melodious shout came from outside. Chen Yiyi, who had been gloating, was startled into a jump by the voice at the gate.

"Fifth Sister is here. Goodbye, Uncle Yuan. Goodbye, Great Grandfather. Yiyi will come back another day!"

Clutching the secret manual, Chen Yiyi bolted out the back door in a flash.

The courtyard gate was pushed open, and a delicate-looking girl with a face full of fury walked in. Chen Haohao, the eldest daughter of the youngest son, Chen Fei, was the fifth in the line of grandchildren. She was also the most hot-tempered among the Chen family's grandchildren—the sister Chen Yiyi feared most, because Chen Haohao would actually resort to physical discipline.

"Haohao pays respects to Uncle Yuan and Great Grandfather. May I ask if Yiyi is here?" Chen Haohao set aside her angry expression and bowed.

Lu Yuan did not speak; he simply pointed toward the back door. Chen Haohao understood his meaning, nodded, and immediately sprinted toward the back door.

A moment later, the wails of Chen Yiyi begging for mercy drifted from the direction of the back door.

*Sorry, Yiyi. Uncle Yuan didn't mean to betray you. Uncle Yuan only did it for your own good. Surely you can understand Uncle Yuan's painstaking efforts.*

"Little Yuan," Old Lu pulled his cane from the ground and tapped it to shake off the dirt. "One shouldn't be so lacking in principles. If Yiyi finds out you lied to her and sold out her location, she will be very hurt."

"Old Lu, don't spread rumors without evidence. Be careful, or I'll sue you for slander," Lu Yuan retorted with a perfectly serious face. "Where did I lie to Yiyi? Do you have proof that it was fake?"

He would never admit to faking it. If you can't learn it, that’s because your talent is lacking, your comprehension is insufficient, and you are unable to grasp that peerless martial art. If you're bad, you need to practice more. I did it, and you couldn't; doesn't that prove the problem lies with you?

"Bullshit," Old Lu pointed at him, annoyed. "Don't you know in your heart whether it's fake? You don't even have any true energy, so what kind of 'peerless martial art' are you spouting nonsense about? Can you have some shame? Only you would do something like tricking a child."

However, Old Lu had no proof to refute him. After all, Lu Yuan had actually performed the move. If he said it was the Heaven-Shocking Divine Palm, then it was the Heaven-Shocking Divine Palm; if you couldn't learn it, that was your own problem, not the manual's.

"Enough, I'm hungry," Lu Yuan changed the subject.

What Lu Yuan did not know was how much trouble this small act would cause for future players.

...

In the woods twenty miles outside Wuyou County, a black shadow streaked past at high speed. Wherever it passed, wood chips flew.

*Swish, swish, swish...*

Behind the shadow, several people followed closely. No matter how the shadow accelerated, he could not shake them off.

"Damn it, these damned imperial hounds. They're like a plaster—I can't get rid of them!" Black Star Scar fled desperately, not daring to stop for a single step, fearing that a moment's hesitation would cost him his life.

The ones chasing him were constables from the Six Fan School—and they were Earth-rank constables at that. Third-rank martial artists! *Oh, heavens! What did I do to deserve this? I may have had thoughts about the Princess of Nanyang, but I haven't even acted on them yet! Do you really need to send Earth-rank constables to hunt me down? Why use a butcher's knife to kill a chicken? You're not giving me any way out at all.*

Regret—he was filled with regret. If he had known it would come to this, he would never have harbored bad intentions toward the Princess. But alas, there is no medicine for regret in this world.

"We're already at Wuyou County, stop playing around." A voice came from above.

"Another expert?" Black Star Scar looked up and saw a figure descending from the air. At a single glance, he completely panicked. A Second-rank martial artist, a Heaven-rank constable. *Six Fan School, go to hell!*

Black Star Scar felt a blade of light strike behind him. The next second, he felt a void below his waist. He looked down and saw his own lower body fleeing away from him. His consciousness faded instantly.

Soon, Black Star Scar's body was hacked into pieces and discarded in the wilderness, while his head was placed in a box by Bai Ze.

Human activity appeared on the horizon. Wuyou County had arrived.

A group of men left Wuyou County and headed toward them. The leading head constable stopped, observed the Six Fan School constables, and recognized their status after a moment. He immediately dismounted.

"Constable Shi Dawa of Wuyou County pays respects to the superiors."

"Rise. Hmm? Where is Lu Yuan?" The Six Fan School constable scanned the local constables and, not finding Lu Yuan, asked with a frown.

"Reporting to the superior, today is the head constable's day off, so he did not come," Constable Shi replied immediately.

"Insolence!" Luo Zhou shouted angrily. "Knowing that a superior is passing through, the subordinate dares not show up? Does he have any respect for the Imperial Court in his heart at all? What is Lu Yuan playing at?"

The next second, a barrage of hostile gazes turned toward Luo Zhou. This only made him angrier; he felt offended.

"Scoundrels! What are you looking at? Offending your superiors—do you want to die?" Luo Zhou drew his long blade.

"Damn you!"
"You dog, do you think you're something special?"
"You want to fight? Who's afraid of who?"
"Superior? My foot!"
"I am a constable of Wuyou County, not your Six Fan School! Who do you think you are?"