Chapter 15: Little Shrimp… My Favorite!

  Huang Huo stood in the middle of the square with arrogance; his disdainful gaze also encompassed Huang Fu, who was bowing obsequiously before him. The crowd gathered around them, their enthusiastic shouts supporting the duo and further igniting the atmosphere. Most of the onlookers wore a derisive smirk on their faces.

  An man shouted from within the crowd, his voice echoing mockingly: "You coward! If you want a painless death, come out immediately and offer your dog collar to the Respected Master Huang Huo! Otherwise, the Exalted Huang Clan will never reward you with an easy death!"

  Huang Huo’s lips curled upward ever so slightly at these words, and his eyes shone with arrogance as they swept over the crowd. Next to him, Huang Fu nodded and laughed as if savoring his master’s praise.

  The crowd’s excitement grew even more.

  "YES! Bring that dog collar and present it to Respected Master HUANG HUO!"

  "YES, YES!"

  "ALL WHO CHALLENGE THE HUANG CLAN ARE DOOMED TO LOSE THEIR LIVES!!"

  Huang Huo, emboldened further by the crowd’s words, folded his arms over his chest. The smile on his face widened in a manner that further provoked the onlookers. Yet, no one appeared ready to act beyond mere words.

  Just then, a mocking voice cut through the atmosphere, its tone cold yet threatening: "Do these little shrimps dare to challenge Patron Jin? You are flirting with death!"

  In an instant, the crowd fell silent and turned their attention to that voice. Xinxi Jia Ren looked toward its owner and murmured with slight astonishment on his face: "This is Lin Feng! Recently, the fame of this stray cultivator has been growing! Yet, despite being a stray cultivator, his combat skills are by no means inferior to the geniuses of the Huang Clan! Moreover, he quickly ascended from the 9-Star Martial Novice level to the 0-Star Martial Apprentice level!"

  This explanation sparked a flurry of mixed reactions within the crowd.

  "What? This is nonsense! How can a stray cultivator like Lin Feng be compared to the geniuses of the Huang Clan?"

  "To even mention him in the same sentence as the Huang Clan is an insult to the Huang Clan!"

  "Lin Feng, know your limits!"

  Huang Fu stepped forward with a laugh and shouted in a mocking tone: "Lin Feng, who do you think you are to dare speak the name of the Huang Clan? We represent the power of the Huang Clan. If you do not apologize immediately, do not blame me for treating you rudely!"

  Huang Huo added in an arrogant voice: "A stray cultivator in the face of the Huang Clan! What nerve! Wasting time with someone like you is an insult to me!"

  Lin Feng narrowed his eyes, a hard and cold expression settling on his face. Despite the mocking looks of those around him, the determination in his voice filled the square as he declared: "Since when did the sycophantic Huang Huo and his cousin Huang Fu begin representing the Exalted Huang Clan? Are you even aware of what you have said?!"

  These words left the crowd dumbfounded. Stepping forward, Lin Feng continued: "Furthermore... rest assured, anyone who dares attack Patron Jin will find me standing in their way! It matters not who you are!"

  Lin Feng’s words brought a heavy silence over the scene. The mocking laughter on the faces of the crowd slowly faded, replaced by astonishment and doubt. For a moment, Huang Fu’s expression froze; he opened his mouth to speak, only to be silenced by Huang Huo’s cold glare.

  In an instant, Huang Huo’s face hardened. After silencing the crowd with his words, he sought to regain control. However, the menacing gleam in Lin Feng’s eyes made it difficult for him to begin speaking again.

  He then fixed his gaze on Lin Feng’s determined eyes. The arrogance on his face had slightly faded, though he strove not to show it. Deep inside, an unsettling feeling had taken root in his heart.

  (“Who is this now? Why do I feel as if he might pose a threat?!”) he thought. Yet, projecting such thoughts would be a sign of weakness, so he continued to maintain a confident expression.

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  Just then, a voice rose from within the crowd: "How dare a simple stray cultivator like you threaten someone from the Huang Clan!"

  These words rekindled the courage that had been bottled up inside Huang Huo. A confident smile reappeared on his face. Feeling the support of the crowd behind him made him feel superior once more.

  He gave a slight nod in the direction of Huang Fu—a glance that clearly signified what needed to be done.

  Huang Fu immediately understood his master’s intention. (“He wants me to test Lin Feng,”) he thought. He knew that this was an opportunity both to prove himself to Huang Huo and to demonstrate the power of the Huang Clan to the crowd. Grinning mockingly, he stepped forward.

  When the crowd saw this move, a wide space quickly opened up. Now, the stage for battle had been clearly set. People whispered excitedly, though most expressed their support with shouts:

  "Destroy him!"

  "Show this whelp the power of the Huang Clan!"

  "Huang Fu, get him!"

  Bolstered by these cheers, Huang Fu grew even more confident. His eyes looked down on Lin Feng with condescension. He was convinced that this battle would be as easy as taking candy from a baby. Thus, he was in no hurry. Everything was proceeding according to his plan. By defeating Lin Feng, he would not only win favor in Huang Huo’s eyes but also demonstrate his strength before the crowd, upholding the honor of the Huang Clan.

  However, contrary to Huang Fu’s thoughts, a strange unease resided within Huang Huo. Despite the crowd’s cheers and Huang Fu’s arrogant demeanor, an inner voice whispered that this fight would not be so easy. His brows furrowed slightly, and he began to watch Lin Feng even more intently: (“When I uncover what he is hiding, killing him will be as simple as crushing an ant!”)

  Amid all the chaos, Lin Feng seemed utterly unaffected by the surrounding clamor. His eyes remained fixed, his gaze unwavering. The energy in his body was so calm that an ordinary person might think he was just an ordinary man. Yet, anyone who looked carefully into his eyes could see the fighting spirit burning deep within.

  The silence that had filled the square before the battle had created an atmosphere laden with tension.

  Lin Feng shifted his gaze first to Huang Huo, who stood arrogantly in the rear, and then to Huang Fu, who was poised for attack. A mocking smile appeared on his lips as he boldly stepped forward and declared: "Don't you dare regret that move!"

  These words once again set the square ablaze. Several women standing beside Huang Fu trembled in surprise at Lin Feng’s confident stance and words. Unintentionally, their eyes lingered on his face. One of them blushed slightly as she thought: (“For some reason, this man is beginning to look rather handsome to me…”)

  However, Huang Fu was oblivious to the fact that the crowd’s opinions were slowly changing. His face still bore a scornful expression. In a cold voice, he mocked: "Less talk, more action! I have no time to wait for you here all day. Do you think everyone is a stray cultivator like you?"

  As he finished speaking, he raised his hand and mockingly signaled an attack toward Lin Feng. The crowd held its breath, eager to see how Lin Feng would respond to this gesture.

  Lin Feng bowed his head slightly, a cold smile appearing on his face. His eyes shone with determination.

  V?nn!

  A move faster than anyone had anticipated occurred. In an instant, the sound of a sharp gust of wind was heard, and then blood began to drip along a thin cut on Huang Fu’s cheek.

  Huang Fu’s pupils narrowed, and for a moment he was frozen between astonishment and anger. The crowd, unable to immediately comprehend what had happened, fell silent. But shortly thereafter, several people began reacting in astonished voices:

  "What?! How did this happen?!"

  "What was that all about?!"

  One of the women who had earlier glanced at Lin Feng and thought he suddenly looked handsome murmured involuntarily: (“He really is very handsome.”)

  Yet, she did not dare voice this thought aloud; her whisper was so faint that she wasn’t even sure it had reached her own ears.

  At that moment, in a corner of the square, Xinxi Jia Ren watched Lin Feng’s move intently. Unable to hide his astonishment, he began to explain: "This is the Flame Spark Technique! Each spark can create a massive explosion! And he’s controlling five sparks simultaneously! Such control at this level is unbelievable! Each of these sparks could incinerate someone at the 8-Star Martial Apprentice level!"

  Upon hearing these words, the crowd was once again thrown into shock. Some shook their heads in disbelief, while others began shouting excitedly:

  "How is that possible?! Isn't this man just a simple stray cultivator?!"

  "To wield the Wind Cut Technique with such precision... This is truly terrifying!"

  "Huang Fu has encountered a serious opponent this time!"

  "Doesn't this show that Lin Feng is toying with Huang Fu like a cat plays with a mouse?!"

  "Ha! Huang Fu was merely testing him. Had he wanted, he could have easily parried this attack!"

  "Yes, yes!"

  Amid the cheers directed at both sides, the square soon descended into a verbal uproar. However, Huang Huo was cautious enough not to be easily swayed in such situations. He narrowed his eyes slightly and began to scrutinize Lin Feng intently.

  (“How can a stray cultivator wield the Wind Cut Technique with such precision?!”) he thought quickly, his mind racing. Yet his face still bore an arrogant expression, for as a representative of the honor of the Huang Clan, he must never show any hesitation.

  Huang Fu, on the other hand, burned with anger. As he wiped the blood from his cheek with his hand, the condescending look in his eyes had completely vanished. His face tightened with fury, and as he gritted his teeth, a single thought echoed in his mind:

  (“He dared to humiliate me! He will pay for this humiliation! I will kill him!”)