Money represents how far a martial artist can go on the Martial Path, at least in his view.
But the recent exchange made him wary of Lin Chen.
"Lin Chen must have obtained the Opening Acupoints Pill, and then the villagers of Linhu Village pooled money for him to catch up with me. However, I think he's probably spent it all, and I'll eventually leave him behind. Let's let him go for now."
This time, going back to the village to intervene in the two villages' water dispute was a strategy he had discussed with his grandfather.
The news that Linhu Village pooled money for Lin Chen to attend the martial arts school couldn't be hidden from the people of Liu Village.
His grandfather had an idea after learning the news.
Since Linhu Village could raise money for Lin Chen to attend the martial arts school, Liu Village could also pool money for him.
In the dispute over the fishing waters between the two villages, he intervened to suppress Linhu Village, so the villagers realized that having a martial artist like him was beneficial for the whole village.
Then his grandfather would discuss with the villagers, urging them to raise money for him to continue learning martial arts, presumably able to raise one hundred taels of silver.
Although he hadn't managed to suppress Linhu Village yet, the goal was still achieved.
Now, with Liu Village and Linhu Village at odds, the people of Liu Village have also seen Lin Chen's strength. If they don't raise money to help him improve his Martial Arts Realm, next year it will be Linhu Village's turn to bully Liu Village.
Zhou Fei turned to leave, but Lin Chen squinted his eyes slightly: "You hit someone and now want to leave? There's no such good thing in the world."
"What, do you want to fight me?"
Zhou Fei halted his steps, looking coldly at Lin Chen: "I didn't use my full strength just now."
"You made a move, so either leave money or leave yourself."
Listening to Zhou Fei's words, a hint of mockery appeared at the corner of Lin Chen's mouth; another bully who picks on the weak.
Uncle Hai is Gu Fei's father, and Gu Fei is his brother!
For this reason alone, he couldn't let Zhou Fei leave so easily.
"Alright, well done, Lin Chen; we can't let them just walk away like that!"
Villagers from Linhu Village cheered excitedly upon hearing Lin Chen's words.
Zhao Canghe glared at the villagers with dissatisfaction, "What's all the fuss about?"
Then he looked seriously at Lin Chen, "Chen, don't be too impulsive. Whatever you do, we're all supporting you."
"Just a bully who picks on the weak, Chief, just relax."
Lin Chen did not lower his voice. As soon as he said this, Zhou Fei immediately became furious: "So arrogant. Since you want to court death, I'll oblige!"
Zhou Fei shouted angrily, his hands adopting a mantis-like posture, and the next moment, his figure sprang up like an agile mantis, his fists flying toward Lin Chen's vital points.
The villagers watching from both villages showed two extreme expressions upon seeing Zhou Fei's punching speed.
The villagers of Liu Village had smiles on their faces, believing that Lin Chen wasn't Zhou Fei's match and that the earlier exchange was merely because Zhou Fei underestimated his opponent. In contrast, the faces of Linhu Village villagers showed worry.
"Not fast enough!"
Lin Chen's expression remained unchanged. Though Zhou Fei's punch appeared fast, it was nothing significant in his eyes, only fast to ordinary people.
When Zhou Fei's fist approached, Lin Chen leisurely struck out with a palm strike,
Slap!
With an effortless smack, Lin Chen's palm lightly grazed through the air. In the eyes of the villagers watching, Lin Chen seemed to execute the palm casually.
But it was this seemingly casual palm strike that precisely landed on Zhou Fei's arm.
At this moment, Zhou Fei's pupils widened in shock. As Lin Chen's palm hit his arm, he felt a terrifying power surge, even more frightening than the strength he'd felt in their prior contact.
His arm instantly lost all strength, and he couldn't even make a fist!
Seeing the astonishment in Zhou Fei's eyes, a trace of a smile appeared at Lin Chen's lips. The power of Small Success Clear Wind Palm was beyond Zhou Fei's comprehension.
In one move, Lin Chen rendered Zhou Fei's right hand incapable of further combat, but Lin Chen did not stop. With a step, he quickly appeared behind Zhou Fei, moving so fast that Zhou Fei couldn't react.
Another palm strike followed.
This palm landed on Zhou Fei's back.
Since Zhou Fei wanted Uncle Hai to lie in bed for a year, Lin Chen would make Zhou Fei lie for a year too.
Crack!
This time, all the villagers present heard the sound of bones cracking.
It was this bone-cracking sound that made the villagers realize Lin Chen's seemingly casual strikes held immense power.
Bang!
Zhou Fei, whose back bone was broken by Lin Chen's palm, spewed a mouthful of blood, falling swiftly to the ground.
"Fei!"
Zhou Quan glared angrily as his grandson fell, "In a village dispute, how could you be so heavy-handed, your heart is..."
Shush!
Lin Chen's sharp gaze swept over him, the intense look making Zhou Quan shiver, his lips quivering, unable to utter another word.
"I used heavy hands? Had I not arrived on time, Uncle Hai would have been crippled. He who kills must be prepared to be killed. Those who are malicious should bear such consequences."
Seeing Lin Chen defeat Zhou Fei in two moves, Zhao Canghe didn't react at first, but when he heard Lin Chen's words, he immediately pointed at Zhou Quan and cursed outright, "Zhou Quan, you old thing, your grandson couldn't match his skill, and he brought this upon himself."
"I... I won't argue with you. I'll just take him and leave." Zhou Quan snorted lightly.
Lin Chen smiled, looking at Zhou Fei lying there like a dead pig, squinting his eyes, "Taking him away is possible. Zhou Fei injured seven of our villagers, each person must be compensated with three taels first."
Taking him away wouldn't come so easily.
Since they were already at odds with Liu Village, Lin Chen might as well make the grudge more thorough. If not for fearing that leaving Zhou Fei completely crippled might cause trouble, he would have shattered his bones entirely, instead of just breaking them.
"Compensate three taels, that's impossible!" Zhou Quan's face filled with anger at these words.
"You don't have to pay, but then you'll wait, and I can't guarantee your grandson can still practice martial arts in the future."
Lin Chen stepped on Zhou Fei's back. Since he was to play the villain, he might as well be ruthless. With all the young and strong of Liu Village present, they should remember this scene today and be fearful!
"Dad, saving Fei is more important."
"Dad, let's get Fei treated first, or he really might be ruined."
Hearing the words of his two sons and seeing Lin Chen's cold eyes, Zhou Quan took a deep breath, "I can pay, but I don't have that money on me, I need to go back to the village to get it."
After all, the village wasn't the town, and even being the village chief, Zhou Quan wouldn't carry twenty taels of silver tickets on him.
"You can only take him after paying the money. I won't let him go without seeing the silver, or you can try taking him by force, see if you can snatch him from me!"
The young and strong from Liu Village took a step back upon hearing this, an instinctual move.
Seize him?
Didn't they see that Zhou Fei had already been beaten down? Going up there was just seeking death.
"Eldest son, go home and fetch the money, second son, go to town and find a doctor!"
Zhou Quan instructed his two sons gritting his teeth. Lin Chen didn't bother further with the old man, instead turning his gaze toward the people of Linhu Village.
"Chen, well done!"
"Haha, that's the way to do it. Liu Village thought with Zhou Fei, they could act recklessly, but he turned out to be useless."
"Three taels compensation, if only I'd let Zhou Fei hit me once." A villager showed a regretful expression.
"Wang Erzhi, you'd better drop it. You were the one who dodged the fastest when Zhou Fei rushed over."
...
...
The villagers of Linhu Village were jubilant, forming a striking contrast to the silence of Liu Village.
The villagers of Liu Village couldn't understand why the difference became so significant, despite Zhou Fei going to the martial arts school two years earlier than Lin Chen.
Perhaps due to the urgency to save his son, Zhou Fei's father retrieved the money quickly, making a round trip in just a quarter of an hour.
"Here's your money, now let him go."
Zhou Fei didn't dare approach Lin Chen but handed the money over to Zhao Canghe instead.
"Carry him away."
Lin Chen exerted a little more force with his foot, unnoticed by the unconscious Zhou Fei, but enough to worsen his injuries by a few degrees