Chapter 24

Translator: Larbre Studio  Editor: Larbre Studio

“Great! Just great! So, this is the kind of talent that my Qingyun Dojo cultivates. You really didn’t disappoint Master and me. Even a seven-year-old little girl can distinguish between what’s wrong and what’s right and voluntarily admit to her mistakes. You bunch of trash cannot even compare to a young lady! What’s the point of Master keeping all of you behind? Return the money you’ve received to the gentleman. From today onwards, all of you can find your paths. Qingyun Dojo no longer has room for all of you!”

Hearing his words, the faces of all the disciples lost their colour, and they hurriedly collapsed on their knees.

“Eldest Senior Brother, we know our error! Please forgive us just this once!”

“Master, please don’t kick us out!”

He Ziyun could only sigh helplessly.

“You don’t have to beg me. After going to the capital, I’ve already made your eldest senior brother the Master of the dojo. Originally, I wanted to spread the joyous news today, but to think… This matter, I give your eldest senior brother full jurisdiction to manage it.”

“Eldest senior brother…”

Another chorus of wails filled the courtyard.

At that point, Ling Chen, who had been watching the whole show from the side, suddenly noticed Ye Liangyong looking towards him, a sincere plea within his eyes. Ling Chen, being as astute and intelligent as he was, immediately guessed that Ye Liangyong did not actually want to kick out his junior brothers, but merely to use the opportunity to establish his prestige. Seeing that his junior brothers had been scared to a sufficient extent, he thus wanted Ling Chen to play along and put an end to the act.

Thinking of this, Ling Chen lightly cleared his throat. “Mr Ye, to err is human, to forgive divine. Everyone makes mistakes at some point. You shouldn’t determine their nature just based on this one error and strike them off. I say, why not give them another chance and observe if they repent.”

Ye Liangyong sighed heavily and nodded his head in agreement. “Alright, I’ll show Mr Ling some face and temporarily spare you guys. If anyone dares to commit the same mistake, I definitely will show no mercy next time. As for the two of you…”

He coldly glanced at Gao Wei and Song Yi.

“Immediately pack your stuff and scram out of here! My dojo doesn’t accept scum who have no sense of shame.”

Gao Wei and Song Yi both bowed their heads and slinked off inconspicuously, not daring to even let out a squeak.

“All of you get out of my sight! Or don’t tell me you want to continue making a fool of yourselves?”

After waiting for all the disciple to disperse, Ye Liangyong walked over to Ling Chen and clasped his fist. He then apologetically said, “My young friend, I cannot even begin to express our apologies. Our dojo is unlucky to have this kind of trash as disciples.”

“It’s fine. Mr Ye, if there’s nothing else, then we’ll be taking our leave.”

“Young friend Ling, please wait.”

Watching He Ziyun walking to his front, Ling Chen asked curiously, “Elder He, is there anything else?”

“Young friend Ling, why don’t you call over the rest of your friends and we can speak then.”

“Alright.”

After giving a call to Jiang Hao and Zhao Zhengxiong to beckon them over, Ling Chen followed He Ziyun into the great hall adjacent to the courtyard.

When the three were seated, the little girl called Xiao Hua obediently served them tea, directly placing it into Ling Chen’s palm.

“Young friend Ling, can I ask, who exactly did you learn your martial arts from? I saw that the origins of your moves were very jumbled and they do not seem orthodox.”

“I picked up these moves and refined them myself. No one taught me martial arts.”

Ling Chen had no falsehood in his statement. His martial arts were the inheritance of a long-lost secret manual. He had comprehended its contents on his own and learnt the moves. While experiencing many near-death experiences and staining his hands with the blood of countless enemies, he had gradually honed his martial arts to their limits, eliminating all excessive movements. He only pursued efficiency: the efficiency to kill his enemy as fast as possible. Hence, his blows were all unorthodox and did not adhere to a strict form, designed only to rob lives.

“So young friend Ling is actually a martial arts genius.”

“My young friend, your martial arts are really formidable. However, I feel that the murderous intent behind it is simply too strong. I advise you to be more cautious in the future.”

“I’m aware of this.”

“Xiao Hua, it’s time for your medicine.”

Right at that time, a young woman walked in.

Ling Chen’s attention was sucked in by the appearance of the woman, not even wavering from her figure at all.

The young woman looked to be a similar age to him and she was wearing a plain dress. Her lustrous hair flowed past her shoulders, and she had a delicate frame.

As for temperament and looks, Ling Chen could only describe her with one word: ‘gentle’.

If Nanrong Wanqing was the unreachable snow at the peak of a lofty mountain, then this woman could be said to be the refreshing water in a crystal-clear spring lake, exuding an otherworldly gentleness and beauty. A glance at her felt like a mother’s caress across one’s cheek, immediately bringing calm and tranquillity.

As if sensing his searing hot gaze, the young woman turned her head and revealed an embarrassed look, sheepishly saying, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know that we had guests today.”

Holy crap, even her voice is so gentle and angelic. Ling Chen exclaimed inwardly in astonishment.

He had always believed that Nanrong Wanqing’s beauty and refined temperament was impossible to surpass. However, to think that there exists such a gentle and beautiful angel as this woman in front of him.

“Xiaozhu, let me introduce you. This gentleman here is Ling Chen. Young friend, this is Zhu Xiaozhu, she is a doctor.”

“Miss Zhu, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Just as Ye Liangyong completed his introduction, Ling Chen instantly stretched out his hand in greeting. A fragrant aroma tickled his nostrils and left his heart in a turmoil.

Seeing as Ling Chen was so courteous, Zhu Xiaozhu naturally could not decline and gently placed her hand in his, shaking it slightly. But in this exceedingly short time frame, Ling Chen could acutely feel the tender and silky softness of her palm.

Exquisite! I won’t be washing my hands when I get back!

“Xiao Hua, it’s time. Hurry and follow me back.”

“Coming, Big Sis Xiaozhu!!”

Xiao Hua interlaced her fingers with Xiao Zhu’s hand and exuberantly skipped out of the door.

“Elder He, is Miss Zhu also a disciple of yours?”

This encounter with the exquisite beauty naturally left Ling Chen, curious about her background.

“Haha, I do not possess such fortune as that.”

He Ziyun smiled and continued. “Xiaozhu’s Master is a longtime friend of mine. She’s only temporarily staying at my place.”

“She’s not a local then?”

Ye Liangyong answered in He Ziyun’s stead. “Her family home is in the capital. Young friend, seeing that you are so concerned about Xiaozhu, could it be that you are interested in her?”

Ling Chen could hear the teasing undertone in Ye Liangyong’s sentence and he grinned. “A virtuous beauty is the aspiration of all good gentlemen. A beauty like her is hard to come by, who wouldn’t be interested?”

“Haha, this young friend has a discerning eye! They say the East has Nanrong, and the North has Xiaozhu. Xiaozhu is one of the ‘great’ beauties that everyone acknowledges. Alas, it’s a pity that she has many things on her plate these days, else I could properly introduce you to her.”

“No no, it’s fine.” Ling Chen hurriedly waved him off. “Mr He, I’m just kidding around, please do not take my words seriously.”

He still had some semblance of self-awareness. Such beauty could only be viewed from afar, one could never get close to them. Nanrong Wanqing and this Zhu Xiaozhu whom he just met were such examples.

After sitting around for a few more minutes, Ling Chen rose to his feet and prepared to leave.

Ye Liangyong escorted Ling Chen and the others out and said, “Young friend, I have a request for you, but please don’t overthink it. I hope that you can come and visit more often in the future and accompany my Master. My Master often stays here alone. We only have these disciples normally, but few outsiders come to visit. You are so skilled in martial arts, so I’m sure there are many common topics of conversation with my Master.”

“Mr Ye, aren’t you here to accompany him?”

“Young friend, I’m ashamed to say that I seldom dwell in Donghai City, rather I spend most of my time in the capital as I need to manage my company. Hence, I have very few opportunities to come back.”

“I see, so Mr Ye is a businessman. Alright, if I have the chance, then I’ll definitely visit Elder He.”

“Sorry to trouble you and thank you.”