Chapter 39: Me, Simple and Honest!

Upon hearing Su Yuwei's words, a look of distinct astonishment surfaced on Lin Chen's face.

In the realm of the Five Nations, several major sects held an annual test, and according to the rules, the top three finishers of this test were required to participate in the Dragon Gate Assembly.

The so-called Dragon Gate Assembly gathered the most talented prodigies from the major sects to compete against one another!

During the event, they would wager numerous treasures in their bouts.

The strong would grow ever stronger.
The weak would grow ever weaker.

Over the years, this tradition had remained unchanged.

In this upcoming Dragon Gate Assembly, the opponent Su Yuwei would face was none other than Feng Yu of the Gale Sword Sect!

Su Yuwei was well aware of the bitter feud between Feng Yu and Lin Chen, which was why she had taken the initiative to ask him this question before leaving.

"Just defeat him normally."

Lin Chen slowly raised his head, a flash of calm resting in the depths of his eyes. "The next time we meet, I shall sever his head with my own hands. Blood feuds must naturally be paid in blood!"

"Very well."

Without lingering, Su Yuwei turned, walked out of the room, and vanished into the vast, boundless night.

Lin Chen closed the door and went straight into the practice chamber to cultivate.

The next day.

Yet another piece of news exploded across the sect.

He Guan had been ambushed on his way back to the sect.

His state of death was utterly gruesome!

His face had been smashed to a pulp by a single punch, and his brain shattered into pieces!

Just how terrifying must the power of that punch have been to cause such devastation?

After a thorough investigation by the outer sect elders, the conclusion reached was that both He Guan and Chen Han had died at the hands of the very same person!

Whether that person was a disciple of the Blazing Fire Sect was hard to say.

Within the outer sect, no one possessed such a formidable physique!

Meanwhile, the number of inner sect disciples was limited, and since everyone was immersed in cultivation, they rarely showed their faces.

Who on earth would target two insignificant outer sect ants?

The sole eyewitness had been sent flying by a single punch right in the middle of that night, crashing to the ground and remaining dazed for ages before he could recover.

By the time he finally opened his eyes again, half an hour had already passed.

Consequently, he was completely clueless about everything.

This incident was once again left unresolved.

On this day, no one came to provoke Lin Chen outside his courtyard.

Everyone felt deeply suspicious.

Could it be that Lin Chen was the one who made his move?

Both He Guan and Chen Han had been the most relentless instigators of provocation!

They had stood outside the courtyard hurling insults incessantly, something no one could possibly endure.

If it truly was Lin Chen, why had he refused their challenges only to ambush them in the dead of night?

No one could offer a clear explanation!

"Lin Chen, are you inside?"

Xu Kun knocked on the door of Lin Chen's courtyard.

A moment later, Lin Ning'er came out to open the door. "Oh, it's Elder Xu. My younger brother is currently undergoing grueling cultivation inside his room. Is there something you need?"

"I... do indeed have a few matters to discuss with him."

Xu Kun smiled and stepped into the courtyard.

"Please take a seat, Elder Xu. I'll go call him."

Lin Ning'er served Xu Kun a cup of tea before gently knocking on Lin Chen's chamber door.

"Elder Xu is here?"

Lin Chen emerged from inside, a distinct trace of surprise flashing across his gaze.

"Come, sit down."

Xu Kun gave a wry smile, took a small sip of tea, and said, "Over the past few days, Chen Han and He Guan were successively ambushed and killed within the city. Was that your doing?"

"Elder Xu, you mustn't accuse an innocent person!"

Lin Chen wore an expression of utter astonishment. "I have been cultivating inside my room all along and haven't paid any attention to these matters. Even He Guan was killed?"

Perhaps Lin Chen's acting was simply too convincing, leaving even Xu Kun momentarily stunned.

Could it be that I really wronged him?

Xu Kun furrowed his brows, carefully pondering the beginning and end of the entire affair.

Prior to this, Chen Han and He Guan had no connection whatsoever; their only point of intersection was gathering outside Lin Chen's courtyard to scream curses at the top of their lungs.

And yet, the ones who ended up dead happened to be the two of them.

This made it truly difficult not to suspect Lin Chen.

"Elder Xu, you know what kind of person I am. I have always been cautious and prudent in my conduct, rarely daring to offend anyone. Besides, I am good-natured by nature; how could I possibly ambush others in the middle of the night?"

Lin Chen wore a look of profound grief and indignation. "For you to suspect me like this truly makes me feel deeply distressed."

At his side, Lin Ning'er also nodded in agreement. "Indeed, Elder Xu. I know my brother's character better than anyone. His mind is filled solely with cultivation, and he would never proactively stir up trouble. Perhaps the real killer is someone else entirely?"

"I've considered that as well, but why did it have to be those two!"

Xu Kun sighed. "It's all simply too much of a coincidence, which is why I couldn't help but suspect Lin Chen."

"The reason I shut myself away isn't because I couldn't defeat them, but because I wish to avoid unnecessary trouble."

Lin Chen said with an earnest and solemn oath, "Elder Xu, think about it—someone like me who detests trouble so much, why would I deliberately go and ambush them in the middle of the night? That clearly goes against my style of doing things!"

"That is true."

Xu Kun nodded slightly, accepting Lin Chen's rationale.

"Alas, I can only say this: the ways of heaven are cyclical, and good and evil will ultimately be rewarded!"

Lin Chen took a sip of tea and murmured softly, "When someone as kind-hearted as me is subjected to frequent bullying, even the heavens can no longer stand idly by."

Xu Kun's expression shifted.

If anyone else had said such words, it would have been fine, but coming straight from Lin Chen's mouth, why did it sound so terribly strange?

Are you... kind-hearted?

Back on the battle arena, you slaughtered Zhao Long and Su Cheng without a second word!

For a cold-blooded killer who blinks not an eye to claim he is kind-hearted...

Well, the sense of dissonance was indeed exceptionally strong.

After leaving Lin Chen's courtyard, Xu Kun felt his head spinning, his mind filled entirely with those very words:

"Treating others with kindness," "Cautious and prudent," "Pure and upright," "Honest and down-to-earth."

"Perhaps I really misjudged him?"

"Is he truly, at his core, a kind person?"

Lost in thought, Xu Kun walked further and further away.

The host city for this year's Dragon Gate Assembly was the Great Xu Nation.

Throughout this period, both inside and outside the Blazing Fire Sect, everyone was engaged in heated discussions about the event.

After all, the Dragon Gate Assembly represented the honor and prestige of the sect!

Whichever side produced the strongest prodigies would claim the future.

As disciples of the Blazing Fire Sect, they had long grown accustomed to the taste of victory.

And this time would be no exception.

"Have you heard? The very first battle is our Junior Sister against Feng Yu!"

"I heard about it! That was a complete, unconditional suppression from start to finish!"

"Feng Yu reached the seventh layer of the Earth Spirit Realm and possessed immense strength, yet under Junior Sister's hands, he couldn't put up any meaningful resistance at all. Junior Sister truly deserves to be the pride of our Blazing Fire Sect and the premier prodigy of the Five Nations!"

"I was actually present at the scene today. I don't know why Junior Sister was so merciless, directly shattering all four of Feng Yu's limbs right on the arena. Those miserable screams echoed through the nine heavens—I'll never forget them!"

"At that moment, Feng Bumie's face turned completely green!"

"Hahaha, deeply satisfying!"

Numerous outer sect disciples gathered together, chattering excitedly about the matter.

Although Lin Chen was inside his courtyard, he heard every single detail clearly.

He couldn't help but offer a wry smile.

He had specifically instructed Su Yuwei beforehand to treat it as a normal battle.

He hadn't expected that she would still vent his pent-up fury so ruthlessly!

Had it not been for his sake, Su Yuwei would have had no reason to strike with such overwhelming brutality.

Doing so was essentially making an unprovoked enemy!