Chapter 377: Lu Chong's Gratitude

"I am his teacher..."

These words were ordinary, simple, without any embellishment or sentimentality, yet Lu Chong felt as if enveloped in warm water, his blood boiling throughout his body.

Having come from a wealthy family, he knew the value of the poison powder his teacher had prepared for him and the preciousness of the cultivation technique he had taught...

Asking for nothing in return, making no demands, giving everything good, even risking offending the Lin family for his sake...

All because he had called him "teacher"!

All because he was his student!

Teacher, do you know that by acknowledging this, you have completely broken with the Lin family, and they will not let you off...

For a student you've known less than six days, who has contributed nothing and only seeks revenge, it's not worth it...

It is the student who has implicated you...

Lu Chong trembled all over, his eyes reddening.

"Zhang Xuan, you..."

Mo Yu was also stunned.

She had thought the two were unrelated, but it turned out he was his student. Yet... even if he was a student, he must have just been accepted recently. To offend the Lin family for such a reckless fellow... was it really worth it?

"Your student?" Lin Hui was taken aback, also finding it hard to believe.

This President Liu was only at the initial stage of Tongxuan realm, yet he had taught a student at the intermediate stage of Zongshi?

However, he soon realized that such a situation was not impossible.

A student is not necessarily inferior to a teacher, nor is a teacher necessarily more virtuous than a student. Learning has its order, and skills have their specializations—that is all.

This President Liu was so skilled in medicine that it was highly likely this person was his student in medicine, not in cultivation.

"Indeed!" Zhang Xuan nodded, clasping his hands behind his back.

Since the other had called him teacher, he could not abandon him at this moment.

Even if it meant offending the Lin family, even if it meant offending the whole world, if he was his student, the teacher would protect him!

"Very well!"

Seeing him accept, Lin Hui calmed down, looked at him coldly, and curled his lips: "Since you admit it, tell me, how did our young master offend you, that you would send your student to ambush him..."

"Elder Lin, what do you mean by that? Even if he is a teacher, it's impossible for him to know everything his student does, right? He's not a nanny or a servant..."

Mo Yu's face darkened.

Even if he was a teacher, did that mean if a student killed someone, the teacher was the instigator? What kind of logic was that?

A teacher imparts knowledge and resolves doubts; it's unheard of for a teacher to take charge of a student's life and be responsible for it. Even parents have no such obligation!

"Teacher Mo, this is a matter between the Lin family and President Liu. You have no say here!"

Waving his hand to cut off Mo Yu's words, Lin Hui looked up at Zhang Xuan and sneered: "President Liu, I respect you as a person of status. Will you come with me willingly, or shall I take you by force?"

He had thought the one who assassinated the young master was a small fry, but now a big shot had emerged. A good lesson would be enough to intimidate the kingdom and make everyone know the cost of offending the Lin family!

"I haven't finished reading my book yet, so I don't have time to go with you!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Since Lu Chong had burst in, he had only read a small portion of the book and still had some time before finishing it. He had no time to waste with this fellow.

"Reading?"

Lin Hui was taken aback, then his face darkened: "Are you asking for trouble? No matter the reason, you must come back with me today and accept punishment. For daring to harm our Lin family's young master, at the very least, your cultivation will be废ed, and at worst, you will be killed on the spot! I warn you, don't force my hand. Although you are the president of the Physician Guild, your true strength is only at the initial stage of Tongxuan realm, far inferior to mine. Killing you would be no harder than killing a chick!"

"Teacher..."

Lu Chong stepped forward to shield Zhang Xuan, clenching his fists.

He had just experienced Lin Hui's strength; it was indeed terrifying. His teacher's strength was even inferior to his own, so how could he be a match?

"Zhang Xuan..."

Mo Yu was also full of worry.

She knew that the man before her was Zhang Xuan, whose strength was not weak, but he was only at the initial stage of Zongshi, having just broken through during the master teacher examination a few days ago. He would certainly not be able to withstand it.

"Force your hand? Then go ahead..."

Motioning Lu Chong to step aside, Zhang Xuan looked at him with pity and shook his head.

"Since you're seeking death, don't blame me for being rude!"

With narrowed eyes, Lin Hui snorted coldly, flipped his palm, and struck down fiercely.

Crash!

As before, before the palm force arrived, the air seemed to solidify, as if sealing off the surrounding atmosphere.

"Teacher..."

Clenching his fists, Lu Chong was about to risk severe injury to protect his teacher when he saw President Liu shake his head, his hands still behind his back, looking lazy as he lifted his foot and kicked.

This kick was like a shadow, so fast that it was hard to see clearly. Even Mo Tianxue, standing to the side, couldn't see what happened before it landed between the other's legs.

"Crack!" A sound like an egg breaking rang out.

"Ah..."

With a miserable cry, Lin Hui flew up, a piercing sound ringing out as if to puncture eardrums.

Then, the once arrogant and domineering fellow curled up like a shrimp, lying on the ground, foaming at the mouth and convulsing all over.

"Ah..."

Lu Chong and Mo Tianxue stood frozen, utterly stunned.

This...

They had clearly seen Lin Hui's move just now—worthy of the seventh-ranked peerless expert in the kingdom. Before he even moved, his pressure was already upon them... Even Mo Hongyi would need over a hundred moves to defeat him, yet...

This Teacher Liu kicked him once, and he was rolling on the ground... like a dead dog!

Since when was dealing with an expert of this level so easy?

Was this a joke?

Aren't you at the early stage of Tongxuan?

One kick and a Grandmaster peak loses combat ability? This...

Mo Yu was also dumbfounded.

This Zhang Xuan had broken through to Grandmaster a few days ago in public, and she had witnessed it clearly! The difference in combat power between early and peak Grandmaster was several times—impossible to contend with. Yet one kick sent him down, screaming in agony...

How did he do it?

The guards standing behind Lin Hui were all stunned too.

They thought the Third Elder would surely succeed with ease, but never expected that before he even reached the opponent, he was kicked into a state of utter ruin, foaming at the mouth...

"Combat doesn't require pitting strength against strength; it's about finding weaknesses and exploiting them! His whole body was sealed tight, with no leakage of aura, but this one spot was a flaw. Once broken, it yields twice the result with half the effort!"

Ignoring everyone's gaping mouths, Zhang Xuan turned to Lu Chong and explained.

The opponent's true energy circulated smoothly, his strength not to be underestimated. In a real fight, even with his own 5,000 ding of immense power, he couldn't settle it in one move.

However, with his Insightful Eye, he saw at a glance the direction and speed of the opponent's true energy flow, found the flaw, and kicked straight at the vital point.

And then... the guy was doomed.

"Yes!"

One kick nearly killed the Lin family's Third Elder, and the teacher was still explaining as if nothing had happened. Lu Chong's face was full of embarrassment; after a moment, he came to his senses and quickly nodded.

"Good that you understand!"

Satisfied, Zhang Xuan nodded and instructed: "Since you know, go try it!"

This guy had been fighting head-on just now, his techniques far too crude. Since there was time, he gave some pointers.

"Try it?" Lu Chong hesitated.

"Yes, cultivation and combat require constant honing. How can you surpass others without practice?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

So-called martial skills are just empty talk without practice; only by combining with real combat can they unleash greater power and effect.

"Yes!"

After hesitating, Lu Chong gritted his teeth, walked up to Lin Hui, who lay on the ground like a shrimp, aimed at a certain spot, and kicked again!

"Ah..."

Already broken, kicked again, Lin Hui's eyes rolled white, knowing that this time even the root was gone. Unable to bear it, he immediately fainted.

After kicking, Lu Chong turned to look at the teacher, expecting some evaluation, only to see the latter glaring angrily: "I told you to try it on those guards, who told you to kick him..."

No wonder Zhang Xuan was angry. His explanation was simple: to make him understand combat techniques, not to use brute force...

His meaning in telling him to try was also simple: Lin Hui was down, but there were still many guards. Fighting them might give him inspiration... They were all enemies anyway; beating a few would also vent his anger...

But... damn it, why did he go kick Lin Hui?

That guy was already foaming at the mouth and about to die. What could he learn from kicking him?

It's like stabbing a corpse on the battlefield—does that prove you've killed someone?

"Yes..."

Finally understanding the teacher's meaning, Lu Chong's face reddened, and with a movement of his body, he charged straight at the group of guards.

Most of these guards were at the Tongxuan stage, not weak by any means, but before a Grandmaster mid-stage powerhouse like him, they were nothing. Soon, all were beaten to the ground, foaming at the mouth like Lin Hui.

"Hmm!" Seeing that his attacks, though still stiff, were much better than his earlier reckless charges, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

"..."

Watching this scene, Mo Yu and Mo Tianxue felt dizzy, their hearts nearly frantic.

Teacher Liu, do you know what you're doing?

This is the Lin family's Third Elder and their guards. One kick left him incapacitated, life unknown; the guards all beaten to the ground... This means a complete break with the Lin family, with no room for reconciliation.

The student is reckless, but how can you be so reckless too?

"Teacher..."

After knocking these people out, Lu Chong came to Zhang Xuan, knelt again, and looked up at his teacher, his eyes filled with excitement and adoration.

Having been hunted, living incognito, he had seen too many people and too much betrayal. He had thought that when he revealed his enemy, this teacher would hand him over to the Lin family. Instead, not only did he not do that, but he also didn't hesitate to offend the Lin family to help him!

This kindness was truly immense!

Knowing what he was grateful for, Zhang Xuan did not refuse. He nodded and was about to speak when suddenly his spirit stirred, and the library within him churned violently.

A golden book appeared again.

"This..." Zhang Xuan was stunned.

He had only thought to save his student, but unexpectedly gained his gratitude, forming another golden page!