Chapter 127: Taking Action

Lin Zhifa let out a cold snort, almost too faint to be heard.

Luo Binghui stepped forward to introduce himself, and as he drew near, his heightened senses—sharpened by the moment—seemed to pick up on something profound. Compounded by the lingering frustration of having been played for a fool earlier by Zhang Pu and Zheng Lan, his anger flared.

"You call yourself the 'Master of Metal and Wood,' but do you realize these resources belong to the Jinmu region? They are not anyone’s private property!" Luo Binghui’s voice carried a sharp edge of reproach. For a junior to address a senior like Lin Zhifa in such a manner was a grave breach of etiquette.

"By that logic, I suppose the saying holds true: 'Under the vast heavens, is there any land that is not the sovereign's?' Hahaha—" Lin Zhifa burst into mocking laughter.

Was he ridiculing Luo Binghui for being a naive, arrogant rich kid? Unfortunately for him, Luo Binghui was not as shallow or uneducated as the typical scion of a wealthy family.

"You demon!" Before Luo Binghui could lash out, his close friend Liu Yuhuang, who had accompanied him, beat him to it, shouting crudely at Lin Zhifa, "Stop occupying this public forest! I give you until tonight to get out—"

*He’s even more of an idiot than Luo Binghui,* Zhang Pu thought, just as a crisp, sharp *slap* echoed through the air.

No one had even seen Lin Zhifa move. In a flash, Liu Yuhuang had been sent somersaulting through the air, crashing down several paces away. Under the moonlight, everyone saw blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Luo Binghui, though a volcano capable of great restraint, was now on the verge of erupting. He stepped back without another word, casting a meaningful glance toward Old Master Zhao, a martial arts expert at his side who was also smoldering with rage. Luo Binghui knew Liu Yuhuang’s skill level; it was comparable to his own. Yet, before this demon, Liu Yuhuang had been sent flying as if by a phantom, without the man even raising a hand. How could Luo Binghui dare to rush forward and humiliate himself? A terrifying thought struck him: challenging Lin Zhifa would be like an ant trying to shake an elephant.

He knew, however, that while Old Master Zhao was much older, his martial arts were truly solid and powerful. Luo Binghui had trained diligently, unlike other pampered heirs, but due to a lack of natural talent, he had never grasped the essence of the Zhao family style.

Old Master Zhao understood the signal. Dispensing with pleasantries, he launched into his Zhao family kung fu, his strikes whistling with force as he lunged at Lin Zhifa. From the way Lin Zhifa had effortlessly swatted away Liu Yuhuang without moving his feet, Zhao knew he had met a formidable enemy. This half-human, half-demon creature was undoubtedly his superior.

In martial arts, the amateur watches the excitement, while the expert watches the technique. Lin Zhifa’s casual strike had served as a warning to the rest of the group, forcing even the masters among them to view him with newfound caution.

Usually, the sight of Old Master Zhao’s powerful strikes would have filled Luo Binghui with admiration and awe, but tonight, he was consumed by dread. He feared his master might be defeated. Even Zhang Pu silently praised the 108 Arhat Fists being displayed, estimating that if Old Master Zhao hadn't reached the level of a Grandmaster, he was at least at the pinnacle of martial excellence.

Yet, Lin Zhifa moved like a ghost. By the time Old Master Zhao completed his sequence, he hadn't even grazed the hem of his opponent’s robe. Zhang Pu was astonished: *What kind of demonic art is this? It resembles the wind-element spiritual energy of the cultivation world—his speed is incredible!* Because Old Master Zhao’s style relied on brute force, his speed was naturally compromised, making him an easy target. Zhang Pu concluded that even if Zhao threw another hundred punches, he wouldn't even touch the man.

Old Master Zhao seemed to realize this too. His complexion, initially calm, had shifted to a deep, liver-like purple.

"Begone!"

Zhang Pu had expected Lin Zhifa to toy with the old master longer, but at that shout, Lin Zhifa made his move. Old Master Zhao was no Liu Yuhuang; taking him down would require more than a flick of the wrist. It was clear to everyone present that the old master was completely outmatched, struggling desperately to hold his ground.

But Lin Zhifa’s patience had run out.

"This is..." As the shadows of Lin Zhifa’s palms appeared, Zhang Pu felt a sense of familiarity—a technique he had encountered before, though he couldn't quite place it. He noticed a faint white mist clinging to Lin Zhifa’s palms—the same substance he had seen the lackeys use when he played tricks on them with minor cultivation spells.

*This mist,* Zhang Pu mused, *it is remarkably similar to a dark-arts derivative from a star system that specializes in abyssal spiritual energy.* In the grand scheme of the heavens, all paths of spiritual energy led to the same destination. Zhang Pu was certain that Lin Zhifa’s demonic arts belonged to the dark-element lineage, known for being as insidious as the arts of the undead. In many star systems, practitioners of these arts were branded as heretics.

Before the mist could even reach Old Master Zhao’s nostrils, it seemed the old man would collapse. However, just as the vapor coiled, a sudden gust of azure energy swept in from the side.

"I have heard of the demonic arts you employ, and today, I have come specifically to test them!"

The voice belonged to an old man in green robes. Known as Qing Yuanzi, he was a peer of Old Master Zhao among the senior experts of the Jinmu region. Though they shared a deep bond, Qing Yuanzi lived in seclusion, unlike the more publicly prominent Old Master Zhao. While many in the region saw him as merely an ordinary old man in green, to those who knew the truth, he and Zhao were equals.