The catch inspired my entry: Persistence will eventually lead to invincibility.

As he spoke, the bald young man reached out to grab another fish.

How could Chen Shi do as he wished?

He gripped the other man's wrist with one hand, his voice suddenly turning cold:

"Brother, if you're not going to buy the fish, please don't cause trouble. You can take this fish for 120 coins, and we'll call it even."

"Give up?" the bald youth scoffed. "Ha!"

"Just because you're stronger, you think you're someone important?"

"Senior Brother Xu Yong, why waste your breath on him?!" Before the words were finished, a person slowly walked out from behind the three of them.

Upon seeing that familiar face, Chen Shi instantly understood everything before him.

Because the person who came was none other than Li Ran, the young master of the Li family with whom he had a dispute a few days ago, who was also an apprentice at Zhengyi Martial Arts School.

The bald, burly man and his two companions weren't there to buy fish at all; they were clearly there for revenge, so they made up some excuse to humiliate him in a legitimate way.

"What's meant to happen will happen; there's no way to avoid it." Chen Shi had anticipated this situation, so he wasn't surprised.

He slowly rose, his gaze falling on Li Ran, his eyes like knives:

"Young Master Li, I have no grudge against you, why must you be so ruthless? If you really want to eat fish, I can give you a few."

"No grudge against you?" Li Ran's face suddenly contorted into a ferocious expression. "Bullshit!"

"My arm is crippled because of you! My path in martial arts is completely cut off! You're the one who stole my treasure fish, and you're the one who destroyed my cultivation! You lowly wretch, how dare you say we have no grudge against each other?!"

He whirled around and growled at the bald youth, "Senior Brother Xu, don't forget what Master told you!"

"You don't need to say anything." The bald young man named Xu Yong picked his nose with his finger and glanced at Chen Shi with an arrogant expression.

"Young fishmonger, kneel down and kowtow three times to me now, and I'll spare your life, otherwise..."

boom!

Before he could finish speaking, a fist slammed into his face.

Click!

The crisp sound of the nasal bone breaking was clearly audible.

This scene was so sudden that Li Ran and the others were stunned.

They never expected that Chen Shi would dare to attack Xu Yong!

Xu Yong is the senior disciple of the martial arts school and a direct disciple of his master. He has already honed his skills to the point of "muscle and tendon strength" and his punches have a force of several hundred pounds! An ordinary person would break their bones and tendons if hit by his punch.

No one expected that Chen Shi would actually knock Xu Yong down with a single punch.

Where did he get the courage, and where did he get the strength?!

Chen Shi did this out of desperation.

You can't really kowtow and admit your mistake, can you?

Anyway, the fact that he was incredibly strong was already known to many merchants and pedestrians in the market, so as long as he didn't reveal the Canglang Sword Technique, it wouldn't be a problem.

"Ugh—!"

Xu Yong endured the pain and got up. He touched his nose and found it was a bloody mess, collapsed, and even his breath was mixed with blood foam.

"Good...good lad!" He laughed instead of getting angry, and was about to open his fist stance when Chen Shi's second punch was already at his chest.

Xu Yong wasn't sent flying by the punch, but he took full force of it.

Seven hundred pounds of force penetrated through the body.

His internal organs felt as if they were being pounded by an iron hammer. A sweet taste rose in his throat, and he staggered backward. He clutched his chest, gasping for breath in pain, his body swaying unsteadily.

"Pfft!" Xu Yong suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Senior Brother Xu!" Upon seeing this, Li Ran and the others hurriedly stepped forward to help him up.

Upon seeing this, Chen Shi immediately packed up his belongings and fled.

On the way back to Ludang Village, a sudden downpour began.

Shake—shake—shake—

Chen Shi stopped and opened his palms, letting the rain hit him.

Suddenly, he looked up at the golden characters that had materialized.

[Water Control (Level 4): Controls 500 kg of water at will, completely at your disposal. Can clearly sense water within a three-meter radius and vaguely sense water within a ten-meter radius, slightly reducing your movement within the water.]

He suddenly had a flash of inspiration, as if he had sensed something, and his eyes gleamed.

............

Baishui Town, Li Family Residence.

Li Ran sat in the hall, veins bulging on his forehead.

"What a piece of trash!" He clenched his fist and slammed it on the table.

"What senior brother of the martial arts school? He's just relying on the fact that he joined the school earlier. In terms of talent and skill, how am I any weaker? He's always arrogant and looks down on everyone, but in the end, he can't even handle a fishmonger."

The person Li Ran was referring to was Xu Yong, who had been injured not long ago.

Even Master Zheng of the Zhengyi Martial Arts School was shocked when he learned that his eldest disciple had been injured by a fishmonger. Master Zheng's subsequent decision infuriated Li Ran so much that he stomped his feet in anger.

What's even more infuriating is that even Master Zheng of the Zhengyi Martial Arts School, after learning about this, actually became interested in Chen Shi, the fishmonger. And the old man's subsequent decision made Li Ran almost grind his teeth to dust.

"Damn old man... he actually wants to take that bastard as his disciple?" Li Ran angrily slammed his fist on the wooden table again.

"Ugh—!"

My fist turned bright red instantly, and I felt a piercing pain.

"Even you're going against me?!"

Li Ran flew into a rage, stood up, and kicked over the wooden table.

He simply couldn't understand why that old man would try to persuade him to reconcile with Chen Shi, make him apologize, and even plan to recruit him into the martial arts school!

Meanwhile, Chen Shi was lying on the roof eavesdropping on everything.

It's unrealistic for him to clearly hear what's being said in a room during a noisy, dark, rainy day, relying solely on his normal hearing. However, with the effect of [Water Control], he can do it with ease.

Being in water can enhance one's senses.

Of course, it's not limited to underwater; it works just as well in the rain. Wherever the moisture reaches, it becomes his eyes and ears.

That's why he turned back halfway.

Chen Shi must eliminate the root of all problems, otherwise he will continue to be entangled in trouble.

Thinking of this, he drew the long sword from his waist.

Although Chen Shi could use Water Control to kill Li Ran in this rainy weather, just like he killed the water thief, he couldn't do that. Using Water Control to kill would inevitably cause a considerable disturbance in the town. Killing Li Ran with the Canglang Blade Technique was the best solution at the moment.

Not only will they not be suspected, but they can also draw trouble to the Canglang Gang.

As he was pondering this, Li Ran, holding an umbrella, left the courtyard.

Chen Shi followed silently until they reached a deserted alley. Once he was sure no one was around, he jumped down from the wall and appeared before Li Ran.

"Who goes there?!"

Li Ran was startled and quickly glanced behind him. Now that his cultivation was completely destroyed and he was powerless to even kill a chicken, how could he not be afraid?

Chen Shi remained silent, only drawing his sword and slashing instantly. The blade flashed, then silently returned to its sheath.

laugh--

The bright red blood clinging to the blade flowed down the edge due to gravity, then gathered at the tip, turning into droplets that fell onto the stone slab.

............

About an hour later, Li Ran's body was discovered.

This matter naturally reached Zhengyi Martial Arts School.

"Master..." Xu Yong struggled to sit up in bed, his voice hoarse, "The one who killed Li Ran... could it be that fishmonger Chen Shi?"

Master Zheng shook his head: "It wasn't him."

"Li Ran was beheaded in the alley with a knife, and the knife technique seemed familiar, as if it came from a gang in Sanli Town."

"Then... should we investigate the murderer? And what about Chen Shi...?" Xu Yong asked again.

"No need," Master Zheng replied without hesitation. "This matter ends here."

"His current predicament is entirely his own fault. Besides, the Li family has made quite a few enemies over the years, and the martial arts school has no need to get involved in this mess."

How could his master not understand this disciple?

He was arrogant at first but obsequious later, two-faced and treacherous. He often stirred up trouble and didn't even respect his own master.

Furthermore, the reason Li Ran was accepted as a personal disciple in the first place was not because of his martial arts talent, but simply to gain the support of the Li family and obtain more cultivation resources. Now that what was due has been obtained, the Li family is no longer of any greater use, and severing ties is the perfect opportunity.