This martial saint is too cautious.

Chapter 74 I'm optimistic (9,000 words)

courtyard.

"Please thank Brother Hai for me. I'll remember what Brother Hai said."

Lin Yan saw off the servants from the third branch of the family and then closed the courtyard gate.

No sooner had he returned to the courtyard after defeating Lin Kang than Hai Ge arranged for a servant to bring him two bottles of Bone Tempering Pills, along with a few words relayed from Hai Ge.

"They didn't disgrace the third wife's family!"

"Focus more on your cultivation and reach the fourth level of skin polishing as soon as possible. Don't get carried away after winning once."

"If you find the disciples' quarters too noisy, you can take on an outing mission to the Yangtian Mountains."

Reflecting on Hai Ge's words, Lin Yan also smiled.

In this light, the third branch of the family seemed to be a little more humane than he had imagined.

He had brought honor to the third branch of the family. If the third branch had only focused on suppressing the fourth branch, Hai Ge would never have sent him this message. Instead, after sending the commendation, he encouraged him to continue his efforts and bring honor to the third branch again.

He was tempted to continue opposing the fourth branch of the family.

Just like the fourth branch, all the branch clansmen had no interest in cultivation and wandered around outside every day, just waiting for the people from the third branch to go out.

But Hai-ge didn't do that. Instead, he focused on his cultivation and didn't get too involved in the struggles with the fourth branch of the family. This was a way of protecting himself.

Is it a mission in the Yangtian Mountains?

Lin Yan narrowed his eyes slightly. He believed that Brother Hai wouldn't have mentioned this mission for no reason, and he could go to the Mission Hall to take a look.

The Lin family's mission hall is not far from the library. As soon as Lin Yan stepped into the hall, he was immediately drawn to the walls.

Various tasks are posted on these walls, and many people are currently looking at them. Some are even peeling off the papers on the task walls and heading towards the long table at the front where registration is being done.

Lin Yan walked over and started looking at the leftmost wall, one wall after another.

The tasks were varied, ranging from gathering medicinal herbs to protecting caravans, and patrolling mines and docks.

Each task sheet indicates the requirements and contribution points. Some tasks are simple and have low contribution points; others take longer and have higher contribution points.

However, after scanning through them once, Lin Yan didn't see anything that really appealed to him.

Finally, on the fifth mission wall, he saw the Yangtian Mountain Range mission that Hai Ge had mentioned.

[Mission: Guard the entrance to Yangtian Mountain Range]

[Requirements: At least three levels of skin smoothing; requires three months of monitoring]

[Contribution points: 50]

Three months, fifty contribution points?

Lin Yan frowned. The contribution point reward was a bit low. Could it be that he had made a mistake?

However, after reviewing all the missions, Lin Yan realized that Hai Ge was referring to the mission related to Yangtian Mountain Range, since he didn't see any other missions related to Yangtian Mountain Range.

Could there be some hidden perk in this mission?

Guarding the Yangtian Mountains —

After reading the mission description several times, Lin Yan thought of a possibility: if it was really as he suspected, he could accept the mission.

It seems unlikely that Hai Ge would do something so foolish as to harm himself.

Holding the task sheet, Lin Yan walked towards the registration desk.

After showing his identification card and registering his mission, he quickly received a document containing more detailed information about the mission.

As Lin Yan walked out of the mission hall and headed back towards the disciples' quarters, he encountered many members of the branch clans and received a lot of attention.

Yesterday's battle didn't even cause a ripple in the entire Lin family, but it still caused quite a stir among the branch clansmen.

"This is Lin Yan from the third branch of the family. Apart from being fairly good-looking, he's just average in every other way."

"A true master doesn't reveal his abilities. Being able to send Lin Kang flying with three punches makes him one of the top performers among the three skin-smoothing sessions."

"This is going to be interesting. Someone from the fourth branch of the family has appeared again. Does this mean they're going to challenge us again?"

Lin Yan stopped and looked at the five people in front of him, all wearing the same yellow belt, blocking his way.

"You're Lin Yan?"

Lin Yuming looked at Lin Yan. Yesterday, Lin Kang was defeated, and the fourth branch lost face, which also caused him to be scolded by the master.

"What is it?"

Lin Yan looked at the other person, and from the person's aura and the half-body distance between the other four members of the fourth branch and the other person, he could tell that the other person was a fourth-level skin-grinding martial artist.

"You injured four members of my family yesterday, do you think you can just let it go like this?"

Lin Yan tilted his head slightly, as if seriously considering the question. After a moment, he nodded seriously: "So what do you want? Are you going to stand up for Lin Kang and attack me here? Fine, I won't fight back."

The four people behind Lin Yuming all changed their expressions. Some clenched their fists, and some took half a step forward, but none of them dared to actually make a move.

The clan rules are right here!

Seeing Lin Yan's calm demeanor and lack of any defensive posture, Lin Yuming's face tightened. He really wanted to slap Lin Yan's current face to pieces.

Hold back. Lin Yan is deliberately provoking me, trying to force me to take action.

Lin Yuming took a deep breath, suppressing his anger: "Lin Yan, don't be too smug. You only won one game by luck after three rounds of skin-sharpening."

Lin Yan countered, "So?"

These words immediately silenced Lin Yuming.

He didn't come looking for Lin Yan on purpose; he just happened to run into him. Since he had run into him, he couldn't just pretend he hadn't seen him and leave.

But now he didn't know what to say. In his heart, he naturally hoped that Lin Yan could go up to the fighting stage with him, but he couldn't say it. There were other branch clansmen present. If word got out that he had asked to fight Lin Yan after only four attempts at the Skin Polishing Realm, he would be the one who would lose face.

Most importantly, Lin Sheng and the other three people around him also fell silent at this moment.

Lin Sheng and his three companions were even weaker than Lin Kang. They were afraid that if they spoke up, Lin Yan would directly invite them to the dueling arena. Refusing would be embarrassing, and going to the dueling arena would be even more embarrassing.

"I understand what you mean. You want to go up to the dueling arena with me, right?"

Lin Yan took the initiative to speak, and Lin Yuming's eyes lit up. He couldn't ask Lin Yan to the fighting arena on his own initiative, he couldn't lose face, but if Lin Yan asked him to, then if he agreed, no one would gossip about him.

To be honest, Lin Yan became arrogant and overconfident after winning a match.

"What, you dare challenge me to a duel on the fighting stage, with your mere three-times-level Skin Polishing Realm cultivation?"

In his words, Lin Yuming deliberately feigned contempt, hoping to provoke Lin Yan into falling into his trap.

"Inviting you to the dueling arena is not out of the question."

Lin Yan nodded and said seriously, "You can do it when your blood and qi decline to the point where you need three skin resurfacing sessions."

"Lin Yan!"

The calculating glint in Lin Yuming's eyes completely transformed into rage. By now, he understood perfectly well that Lin Yan was deliberately mocking him with her words.

He was only twenty-three years old and had already undergone four rounds of skin retouching. How could his blood and energy have deteriorated to the point of only three rounds of retouching? Lin Yan's words were clearly a curse upon him.

"Alright, a good dog doesn't block the way. I have things to do."

Ignoring the fury that seemed to consume Lin Yuming, Lin Yan simply walked past them.

"Lin Yan, don't think you can rest easy just because you've reached level three skin smoothing. Unless you never step into level four skin smoothing in your life, I, Lin Yuming, swear that I will guard your door every day the day you reach level four skin smoothing," Lin Yuming shouted angrily as he looked at Lin Yan's back.

However, Lin Yan didn't even turn his head, let alone respond, and walked straight ahead as if he hadn't heard what was said at all.

Not far away, several members of other branches of the clan couldn't help but sneer when they heard Lin Yuming's hysterical roar.

"It seems that Lin Yuming has been completely enraged by Lin Yan, as he can say such mindless things."

"Haha, even if the clan rules don't prohibit us from mocking and challenging others, Lin Yan has already entered the fourth level of the skin-grinding stage, which is later than Lin Yuming. If we really go to Lin Yan's door to challenge him, it will only be Lin Yuming and the fourth branch who will lose face."

The Yangtian Mountains stretch for 500 miles outside Qingzhou Prefecture, extending for thousands of miles and spanning three counties, with no end in sight.

One man and one horse headed towards the mountains.

Boshan County!

Upon seeing the boundary marker on the official road ahead, Lin Yan tightened the reins and gazed at the distant mountains.

Towering peaks and sheer cliffs.

The closer he got, the more he understood how the Lin family had managed to protect the Yangtian Mountains.

On the Boshan County side alone, the edge of the mountain range is a large area of ​​steep cliffs, more than a hundred feet high, with sheer walls.

Such a height is beyond the reach of ordinary people, and even martial arts masters with sculpted skin would have to be extremely careful to climb it, as they would be easily spotted in broad daylight.

The cliffs stretch for dozens of miles, almost sealing off the entire foot of the mountain. Only a few places with gentler terrain can be used as paths into the mountain, but these are all guarded by people sent by the Lin family.

Lin Yan's destination was the entrance to Boshan County.

Lin Yan arrived at an entrance at the foot of the mountain at noon.

Contrary to his expectations, the entrance at the foot of the mountain was not desolate; instead, there was a cluster of houses.

The walls are made of bluestone, and dozens of rooms of different sizes are scattered on both sides of the mountain path.

A few wisps of smoke rose from the rooftops, drifting away in the twilight, creating a charmingly pastoral scene.

In the open space in front of the house, a number of people were sitting together. Some were sharpening knives, some were repairing animal traps, and two people were practicing fist fighting, while several people nearby cheered them on.

Upon seeing Lin Yan riding over, the men stopped what they were doing, their gazes sweeping over him before settling on his belt, their eyes narrowing slightly.

One of them clasped his hands in greeting and said, "Greetings, Young Master Lin."

Lin Yan dismounted and returned the greeting: "I am Lin Yan, and I have come to Yangtian Mountain Range to guard the area on the orders of my clan."

The man smiled and said, "Please wait a moment, I'll go and inform Master Yuan right away."

After the man left, the others secretly glanced at Lin Yan, but no one went up to talk to him.

No one approached to chat, and Lin Yan didn't mind, looking up at the hundred-foot cliff not far away.

The cliffs, as if carved by a knife and axe, pierce the sky, and the sunlight shines obliquely down from the top of the cliff, casting a huge shadow at the foot of the mountain.

"Are you a member of my third branch of the clan?"

A voice came from beside me.

Lin Yan turned his head and saw a young man walking out of the mountain path around the corner.

Upon hearing the words "I am from the third branch," Lin Yan's eyes lit up, and he quickly replied, "I am Lin Yan, from the third branch."

""

"Don't call me 'junior.' It's hard to distinguish people by seniority among you from different branches. Let's just go by age. I'm a bit older than you, so just call me Brother Yuan."

"Brother Yuan," Lin Yan readily agreed.

Lin Mingyuan laughed and patted Lin Yan on the shoulder: "You took on this mission yourself?"

"Hai Ge gave me a reminder."

As Lin Yan answered, he sensed the height of the opponent's martial arts tree in his mind.

Good guy!

That's really thick!

That's long!

Lin Yan was speechless; Yuan Ge's martial arts tree was the highest he had ever seen.

It's a full eight feet seven inches tall!

The martial arts tree was more than twice as thick as his own.

Compared to the other two, I'm practically a greyhound.

What level of attainment does this level represent?

Blood Transformation Realm?

"Minghai reminded you?"

"Yes, Hai-ge relayed it to me through his servants."

Lin Yan composed himself and explained the situation, including his defeat of Lin Kang, a member of the fourth branch of the family.

"The people in the fourth branch are really jumping around and causing trouble. The main family is like this, and the branches are just the same."

Lin Mingyuan sneered. He understood why Minghai had reminded Lin Yan.

"Let's go, I'll show you around first, so you can get familiar with it."

He turned and walked up the mountain path, with Lin Yan following behind him.

Lin Mingyuan remained silent throughout the journey until they had left the area of ​​houses and were close to the road leading up the mountain. Only then did he speak: "The Yangtian Mountains stretch for nearly three hundred miles from east to west in Boshan County. The mountains are steep, and there are only five roads leading into the mountains. I will be in charge of all five roads, and each road will be guarded by one or two fourth-level skin-grinding martial artists."

"Brother Yuan, are all these martial artists from our Lin family?"

Lin Mingyuan shook his head: "With the strength of our Lin family, it is certainly not a problem for us to guard the Yangtian Mountain Range alone. However, we should not go too far. We should still share some benefits with the martial artists of Boshan County. Letting the martial artists of Boshan County participate in guarding the mountain is also a way to share some benefits with them. They are even more attentive to guarding the Yangtian Mountain Range than our Lin family, which will also prevent the other three families from taking advantage of the situation."

Lin Yan understood what he meant.

Unlike Dengzhou, where the Xuantian Sect holds absolute power, Qingzhou is jointly controlled by four major families. Even though Boshan County is the territory of the Lin family, if the Lin family is unpopular, the other three families might secretly sow discord.

That's one reason. The second reason is that local martial artists would not be willing to guard the treasure mountain and not be able to enter. I'm afraid there will be quite a few who will take the risk.

Now, by delegating some of the power to guard the mountain to the local martial artists, they are trying to win them over so that they can better protect the Yangtian Mountain Range for the Lin family.

"Lin Yan, Ming Hai sent you here not for those contribution points, but to give you the opportunity to enter the mountain. As long as the guards want to enter the mountain, the clan will turn a blind eye and won't care too much. Besides, I am in charge of Boshan County."

"Thank you, Brother Yuan, I understand."

Lin Yan suddenly realized that although the contribution points were not many, the opportunity to enter the mountain was a huge temptation for him, and the Earth Vein True Understanding would have a better place to be used.

"This time, the fourth entrance to the mountain is short-staffed. Once you reach the fourth entrance, don't worry too much about the mountain guards entering the mountain as long as it's not too frequent. But remember one thing—never allow them to let outsiders in. If you discover anything suspicious, don't act rashly. Report to me immediately. Old Zhao is a four-times-skin-penetrating martial artist. If you expose him on the spot, he might become desperate and attack you."

"Okay, I'll listen to Brother Yuan."

After lunch, Lin Yan bid farewell to Lin Mingyuan, and led by a martial artist, the two rode to Eagle Beak Gorge.

At the entrance to Eagle Beak Gorge, it was clear that they had been notified. When Lin Yan arrived on horseback, there were already dozens of people standing at the entrance. The leader was a middle-aged man who clasped his hands and smiled before Lin Yan even dismounted, saying, "Young Master Lin, you must be tired from your journey."

It turned out that after Lin Yan arrived at Lin Mingyuan's place, Lin Mingyuan had already sent someone to deliver a message.

Lin Yan dismounted and returned the greeting, saying, "You flatter me. May I ask how I should address you, senior?"

"My name is Zhao Tieshan." The middle-aged man had a hearty smile, a burly build, a broad back and thick waist, and a square face tanned dark. He spoke with a strong voice, "Young Master Lin, just call me 'brother,' calling me 'senior' would be too formal."

9

"My name is Brother Zhao, but you can just call me Brother Zhao."

Zhao Tieshan laughed heartily: "Thank you for your kind words, Young Master Lin. Then I'll take the liberty of calling you 'brother' and introducing you to the others."

He stepped aside, and the dozens of people behind him were neatly arranged in front of Lin Yan.

These people were dressed in different ways, but without exception, they all had symbols embroidered or engraved on their chests to indicate their territory.

Lin Yan glanced at them and got a general idea of ​​what was going on.

Only Zhao Tieshan had his skin smoothed four times, four people had it smoothed three times, eight people had it smoothed twice, and the rest had it smoothed once.

"This is Zhou Yuanqing." Zhao Tieshan pointed to a lean man standing at the front, who was in his thirties and had a steady gaze.

Zhou Yuanqing clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute, a smile on his face: "Young Master Lin."

Lin Yan smiled and extended his hand. Zhou Yuanqing was stunned and did not understand what this meant.

"This is a greeting custom in my hometown, also known as the hand-grabbing greeting."

Upon hearing Lin Yan's explanation, Zhou Yuanqing extended his hand to shake Lin Yan's, but his expression was somewhat strange. The etiquette of this young master Lin's hometown was truly unusual.

He was three and a half feet tall and skilled in knife work.

Looking at the information displayed on the Martial Arts Tree, Lin Yan silently memorized it.

"This is Qian Wanli." Zhao Tieshan then pointed to another person, who was in his thirties, with an ordinary face and a smile that always lingered on his lips.

This time, Qian Wanli took the initiative to extend his hand: "Young Master Lin."

Lin Yan smiled and grasped it; it was three feet four inches long and the man was skilled in leg techniques.

"This is Sun Desheng."

Zhao Tieshan pointed to the third person, who looked to be about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, with a sturdy build and thick arms.

Sun Desheng gruffly extended his hand: "Young Master Lin."

He is 3 feet 7 inches tall and is skilled in the Heart-Slaying Palm technique.

"This is Zixuan." Zhao Tieshan finally pointed to a young man standing at the very edge, around twenty years old, tall and slender, with a hint of arrogance in his eyes: "My nephew, who just broke through to the third level of skin refinement two years ago."

Zhao Zixuan extended his hand, his tone indifferent: "Young Master Lin."

His expression wasn't very warm; it even carried a hint of indifference.

Lin Yan's expression remained unchanged; he still held the other person's hand with a smile.

He is 3 feet 6 inches tall and skilled in Tiger Style Fist. His skill level is quite good, but he hasn't even reached the minor mastery stage of Tiger Style Fist.

Of these martial artists who have undergone three skin-sharpening processes, Sun Desheng should be the strongest.

Zhao Tieshan seemed to have noticed his nephew's coldness and said with a smile, "Zixuan is a cold person and doesn't like to talk. Young Master Lin, please don't take offense."

"How could that be?" Lin Yan smiled.

Zhao Tieshan then introduced the remaining eight second-stage skin-sharpening martial artists one by one. Lin Yan noted them down one by one, his face remaining expressionless, but he was silently calculating in his heart.

There are five people with the surname Zhao alone. It seems that Brother Yuan was right. Most of the martial artists at this entrance come from the Zhao family.

"Brother Lin, it's getting late. Let me arrange some accommodations for you first, and then we'll have a welcome dinner for you tonight." After saying this, Zhao Tieshan waved to someone behind him, "Ziming, take Young Master Lin to his accommodations to rest."

"Yes, Second Uncle." Zhao Ziming responded and walked to Lin Yan's side. "Young Master Lin, please come with me."

The two walked through the crowd and headed towards the back of the house.

The houses in Eagle's Beak Gorge are built on the left and right sides, numbering thirty or forty. Zhao Ziming led Lin Yan directly to a separate courtyard on the far left, with blue bricks and gray tiles, clearly a grade higher than the other stone houses.

"Young Master Lin, only members of the Lin family are allowed to live in this courtyard. It's a quiet place to live."

Zhao Ziming offered an explanation before pushing open the courtyard gate.

The courtyard was not large, but it was clean and tidy. There were three rooms, one main room and two side rooms. There was also a pomegranate tree in the courtyard, and a tea set was placed on the stone table under the tree.

"Young Master Lin, please see if there's anything you're missing. I'll have someone procure it."

"That's good."

Lin Yan walked into the main room and looked around. Although the furniture was simple, it was all newly made, and the bedding was also brand new.

Seeing Lin Yan's gaze fall on the furniture, Zhao Ziming smiled and said, "I was notified yesterday that Young Master Lin was coming, and these pieces of furniture and bedding were delivered by my second uncle early this morning. They are all brand new."

"Thank you for your trouble, Brother Zhao."

"Then Young Master Lin, please rest for now. I'll come to invite you at 5 PM. My second uncle has prepared a feast in the kitchen to welcome you back." After saying this, Zhao Ziming clasped his hands in farewell and turned to leave.

Lin Yan escorted Zhao Ziming to the courtyard gate and watched him walk away before closing the gate.

Instead of resting, he took a walk around the yard and then opened the back door to look at the terrain outside.

Standing in the front yard, if the sun rises the next day, you can see the sunrise at a glance. From a viewpoint perspective, this is indeed the best location.

The only problem is that it's about a kilometer away from the entrance to the mountain.

As dusk deepened at the hour of You (5-7 PM).

Zhao Zixuan appeared at the courtyard gate on time. Lin Yan changed into a clean robe and followed him toward the kitchen.

The kitchen, a large building in the middle of the house, already had three tables set up inside, steaming hot and filled with the aroma of wine.

Zhao Tieshan was sitting at the main table. When he saw Lin Yan come in, he stood up and waved, "Brother Lin, come, sit here."

Lin Yan walked over and sat down at the main table. At the same table were Zhou Yuanqing, Qian Wanli, Sun Desheng, and Zhao Zixuan, all of whom were three-time skin-smoothing martial artists.

"Brother Lin, since you're the host, I won't stand on ceremony with you." Zhao Tieshan picked up his wine bowl. "This first bowl is for you, to welcome you to Eagle Beak Gorge."

After saying that, he tilted his head back and gulped it all down.

Lin Yan also picked up his wine bowl and drank it all in one gulp.

The liquor was a local strong liquor from Boshan County, spicy on the palate and burning in the throat, but given Lin Yan's constitution, which had undergone three skin-smoking treatments, this level of alcohol was nothing.

"Good!" Zhao Tieshan's smile widened as he saw Lin Yan drink it all so readily. "Brother Lin is a man of principle!"

He waved his hand, signaling everyone to start eating.

Although the dishes don't include tiger or bear meat, they are all wild game that has nourishing and blood-tonifying effects.

After several rounds of drinks and several dishes, the atmosphere at the table gradually became lively.

Zhou Yuanqing and the other two also toasted Lin Yan. When it was Zhao Zixuan's turn, Zhao Zixuan suddenly asked, "How old is Young Master Lin this year?"

"Just turned twenty," Lin Yan said.

Zhao Zixuan hummed in agreement: "When did Young Master Lin receive the three skin-smoothing treatments?"

This time, Lin Yan did not answer.

"Zixuan, what are you doing?"

Zhao Tieshan, who was sitting next to Lin Yan, suddenly stood up: "Brother Lin, this is someone from the host family. What kind of attitude is this?"

"Second Uncle, you always tell me that the martial artists of the main family are very strong. I am the same age as Young Master Lin, and we have both achieved the third level of skin polishing. I would like to have a match with Young Master Lin."

The atmosphere at the table suddenly froze upon hearing this.

Zhou Yuanqing put down his chopsticks, Qian Wanli's smile faded slightly, and Sun Desheng's wine bowl stopped in mid-air.

Zhao Tieshan's face darkened completely.

"Nonsense!"

He slammed his hand on the table, causing the wine bowl to jump up: "Apologize to Brother Lin right now!"

Zhao Zixuan remained unmoved, simply looking at Lin Yan: "If Young Master Lin feels that I am not worthy to spar with you, then let's call it quits. I'll offer Young Master Lin a toast."

His words were polite, but everyone could hear his indomitable spirit.

Zhao Tieshan was so angry that his beard was trembling. Just as he was about to explode, Lin Yan put down his wine bowl, looked at Zhao Zixuan, and said calmly, "Since Brother Zhao is interested, then let's have a match."

Zhao Tieshan was taken aback: "Brother Lin, this—"

"Don't worry, Brother Zhao, we'll stop here." Lin Yan smiled. "Just consider it a bit of fun."

Zhao Tieshan wanted to say something more, but seeing Lin Yan's calm expression, he swallowed back the words he was about to say.

He glared at Zhao Zixuan and snorted coldly, "You don't know your place."

Zhao Zixuan did not respond, but got up and walked to the open space outside the kitchen.

Lin Yan also got up and followed him out.

Seeing this, the other people in the kitchen put down their bowls and chopsticks and rushed out, forming a circle.

Zhou Yuanqing and Qian Wanli exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes.

This one has a good temper.

Any other member of the Lin family would have been enraged and humiliated by such a public challenge.

But Lin Yan remained calm and composed throughout, and even took the initiative to agree.

Either because they come from a branch family and lack the arrogance of the main branch of the Lin family, or because they are truly confident.

On the open ground, Zhao Zixuan had already taken his stance.

He stood still, his feet neither too far apart, his right hand in front and his left hand behind, his ten fingers slightly bent, vaguely resembling tiger claws.

The Zhao family's fierce tiger claws.

Mid-grade martial arts techniques are known for their power and ferocity, and are especially adept at close-quarters combat.

Zhao Zixuan broke through the skin resurfacing barrier three times at the age of eighteen, and it has been two years since then. He has abundant energy and blood and a solid foundation.

Among the younger generation in Boshan County, few can surpass him.

"Young Master Lin, please."

Zhao Zixuan spoke, his tone carrying a hint of determination.

Lin Yan walked to the opposite side of him, without putting on any airs, just standing there casually.

"You go first."

Zhao Zixuan frowned slightly.

Is this a sign of disrespect?

He no longer held back, and with a leap, he pounced on Lin Yan like a tiger descending a mountain.

Its right claw extended, its five fingers like hooks, heading straight for Lin Yan's face.

The claws were sharp and fierce, carrying the sound of air being torn apart.

The onlookers gasped in surprise.

This claw strike was swift and ruthless, showing no mercy whatsoever.

Zhao Tieshan's brows furrowed into a knot.

However, Lin Yan only turned slightly to the side.

The movement was small and minimal, yet it perfectly avoided the claw.

Zhao Zixuan's first claw missed, but his left claw followed closely, sweeping across Lin Yan's ribs.

Lin Yan sidestepped again, avoiding it once more.

Zhao Zixuan's expression changed slightly.

He made two moves in a row, but couldn't even touch the hem of his opponent's clothes.

This is not normal.

He let out a low shout, and his claws shot out simultaneously, his movements suddenly accelerating, the claw shadows overlapping, covering Lin Yan's vital points.

The essence of Tiger Style Boxing lies in "pouncing" and "tearing". Once the attack is launched, it is like a tiger pouncing on its prey, continuous and relentless, giving the opponent no chance to breathe.

But Lin Yan deliberately sidestepped, slid, stepped back, and turned around —

She dodged his attacks perfectly each time, as if she had anticipated the landing point of each of his moves.

Zhao Zixuan grew increasingly anxious as the fight progressed.

Ten moves.

Twenty moves.

His attacks grew increasingly fierce, but his breathing became heavier and heavier.

In contrast, Lin Yan's breathing remained steady and his steps were still composed.

Zhou Yuanqing and the other two exchanged glances; this young master Lin's footwork was truly exquisite.

"The Lin family, supposed to be powerful, only knows how to hide and dares not make a move. If you have the guts, then confront them head-on!"

Zhao Zixuan roared, clasped his claws together, and struck Lin Yan's chest again. He used all his strength in this move, the claws whistling, carrying an unstoppable momentum, as if he wanted to tear Lin Yan in two.

Lin Yan laughed. He was just testing the subtlety of the Stepping Smoke Step. Zhao Zixuan thought he was trying to exhaust him with his exquisite footwork.

"I'll grant your wish!"

This time, Lin Yan did not step back. He took a half-step back, but this half-step was not a retreat. Instead, it was a gathering of strength, like a bowstring being slowly drawn back, taut to its limit.

The bowstring was released the next moment.

Lin Yan's right fist burst out from his waist, without any fancy moves, just a simple straight punch.

However, the moment this punch was thrown, everyone felt an invisible pressure.

Before the punch arrives, the wind comes first.

The force of the punch exploded like a physical force, making a muffled "whoosh" sound, as if something heavy had been violently thrown out.

The few martial artists who were nearby felt a jolt in their eardrums and involuntarily took a half step back.

A glint flashed in Zhao Tieshan's eyes as he stood in the crowd. He slightly raised his right hand from under his sleeve, but then lowered it again.

Zhao Zixuan's pupils shrank as he saw Lin Yan's fist. He tried to change his move and dodge, but found that he couldn't avoid it at all.

Fists and claws clashed.

"Bang!"

A dull, loud thud, like a heavy hammer striking a large cowhide drum, made everyone present tremble.

The moment Zhao Zixuan's claws touched the fist, he felt an overwhelming force pouring down on him. His fingers felt like they were gripping an iron mountain, and his finger bones were piercingly painful. His entire arm instantly went numb and weak, as if his bones were about to be shattered.

What's even more terrifying is its penetrating power.

The force of the punch traveled through his claws and straight to his chest, causing his internal organs to tremble, his blood to surge, and a metallic taste to rise in his throat.

With a spurt, he coughed up a mouthful of blood and staggered backward, unable to control his body any longer.

He took one step, two steps, and more than a dozen steps in a row, until he was about 30 feet away before he could barely stop. He clutched his chest with his right hand, his face deathly pale.

The entire venue was deathly silent.

The martial artists who had undergone secondary skin refining stared blankly at Lin Yan, their eyes filled with shock.

One punch.

Just one punch.

Zhao Zixuan, one of the most outstanding young talents in Boshan County, was defeated; he couldn't even catch a single punch from Lin Yan.

"Fist stance".

Sun Desheng licked his lips, but stared intently at Lin Yan's fist.

He cultivates the Heart-Shattering Palm technique, which emphasizes the power of fists and palms. He clearly understands what Lin Yan's punch just now represented.

This is "momentum". He had been practicing the Heart-Shattering Palm for ten years, and what he had always longed for was to be able to develop the palm momentum, but he was always a step behind.

Lin Yan's punch was so powerful that not only Zhao Zixuan, but no one present except Zhao Tieshan could withstand it.

"You flatter me!"

Lin Yan broke the silence with a calm voice, and Zhao Zixuan's face turned pale and extremely embarrassed.

He provoked first, yet he couldn't even withstand a single punch from Lin Yan. The shocked looks from the others around him were a silent humiliation in his eyes.

Zhao Tieshan was the first to react: "Brother Lin is indeed remarkable. To have grasped the essence of 'momentum' at such a young age is truly worthy of the Lin family."

First, he praised Lin Yan, then Zhao Tieshan looked at Zhao Zixuan and said, "You bastard, now you know the difference between yourself and a true genius. You two help him get out of here."

The two martial artists beside him quickly stepped forward to help Zhao Zixuan leave.

"Brother Lin, let's go back and continue drinking."

Zhao Tieshan showed no anger at the fact that his nephew had been injured. He stepped forward, took Lin Yan's hand, and led him into the house.

"I will give you an explanation for this. This bastard is not someone who can be let off with just a minor injury."

Lin Yan smiled but did not reply.

The banquet continued, and this time even more people came to toast Lin Yan, and they were much more humble than before.

In particular, the three skin-smoothing martial artists, Zhou Yuanqing, had previously maintained respect for Lin Yan, but that was mainly due to Lin Yan's status. Now, however, they respected him because of his strength.

In martial arts, strength is what truly matters.

The banquet ended when the moon was high in the sky, citing that he was too drunk to continue.

"Ziming, escort Young Master Lin back."

"Yes."

Zhao Ziming led the way, with Lin Yan blushing as she followed behind, heading towards the east courtyard under everyone's watchful eyes.

Once Lin Yan's figure disappeared, Zhao Tieshan glanced at Zhou Yuanqing and the other two, and the four of them walked westward in tacit agreement.