Master Chen sighed after a long sigh.
As they spoke, the bald man had already walked up to the stall in front of them.
“Xiuqin, it’s time to pay the management fee. Yours for this month is two thousand three hundred.”
The bald man said, pulling out a receipt. The so-called receipt was just a notebook where he’d written down “two thousand three hundred,” then torn it out and handed it to them.
“Brother Tou, look, the month has just begun. Could I pay you at the end of the month? The vegetables this month are a bit wilted, people aren’t willing to buy them.”
Wang Xiuqin pleaded, her eyes full of supplication. The month had barely begun, and after deducting the cost of acquiring the vegetables, they hadn’t even earned that much money yet.
The bald man frowned, his actions paused, a cold sneer on his lips. “So you’re saying there’s something wrong with our vegetables?”
Wang Xiuqin was startled and quickly shook her head. “No, no. It’s because I didn’t spray them with water that they wilted. It has nothing to do with you, Brother Tou. Brother Tou, could you possibly give me a little more time? I really don’t have it right now. I only have eight hundred. Look…”
The bald man looked up, his gaze fixed on Wang Xiuqin. The scar on his face, combined with his sneer, was enough to send shivers down the spine of any ordinary person.
“Look at what? I’ll give you two minutes. Either pay me, or you can forget about doing business here again! I’ll flip your stall!”
The bald man snorted, lowered his head, lit a cigarette, and glanced at his watch. “It’s five thirty now. At five thirty-two, if you haven’t paid, I’ll flip your stall.”
Master Chen looked up, his eyes icy. “Are you so brazen? Is there no law anymore?”
The bald man sneered. “Law? I am the law. What the hell do you think you are, pointing fingers here? Don’t you want to live!”
Master Chen had never expected that something he thought only happened in the past would still occur, and so audaciously.
They were openly collecting management fees, and not a cent less would be accepted?
Master Chen placed one hand behind his back and extended the other in an eagle-claw shape. His martial energy flowed, transforming into a hand that gripped the bald man by the neck, lifting him off the ground.
“I’ve only killed a little over ten people in my life, and they all deserved to die. You, too, deserve to die.”
Master Chen had no intention of killing, and the times were different now.
Ye Longlin and Yuan Gang felt a fluctuation of martial energy the moment they got out of the car. The two exchanged a glance, then quickly entered the vegetable market.
Upon entering, they saw Master Chen holding a bald man aloft. The bald man’s face was turning purplish, and he looked as if he was about to give up.
“Master, when did you become so volatile?”
Master Chen turned his head and saw Ye Longlin standing by, then snorted and released his grip.
“Hiss, hiss.”
The bald man, gasping for air due to oxygen deprivation, couldn’t stand steady and lay on the ground, drawing in large gulps of air.
He had truly escaped death.
This was also because Master Chen hadn’t intended to kill. Otherwise, with that single move, the bald man would have been gone, let alone be alive now.
“You still remember you have a master?”
It was clear that Master Chen was blaming Ye Longlin for taking so long to find him.
Ye Longlin gave an awkward laugh, then asked what had happened. Master Chen recounted the entire incident.
Turning to look at Qinglong, a hint of killing intent flickered in his eyes.
“Handle this immediately. Deal with those who need to be dealt with, and kill those who need to be killed.”
Yuan Gang had not completely stepped down yet. His retirement application was still in process, but it was almost complete. It was expected to be approved within these two days.
Until the results came out, he was still acting閣主 (Ge Zhu - Pavilion Master/Head).
“Understood.”
“I’ll wait for you outside,” Ye Longlin said, then left.
Wang Xiuqin watched the scene unfold without saying much, merely pursing her lips. She had been present when Master Chen went on his killing spree back then, so she found nothing unusual about this scene, rather, she considered it normal.
After all, he was such a powerful figure.
“You’re leaving?” Wang Xiuqin asked, looking up with a smile on her lips.
“Yes. I’ve waited for so long, and it’s time to handle some matters. After all, he is my disciple.”
Wang Xiuqin nodded. “Perhaps this is goodbye forever. I wish you a long life and good fortune, sir.”
Master Chen didn’t say much, gave a slight nod, and then left.
Watching Master Chen emerge from the vegetable market, Ye Longlin cupped his hands and respectfully called out, “Master.”
Master Chen looked at the seven-foot man before him and nodded with satisfaction.
To have taught a commander of the three armies in his lifetime was already enough to be etched in history. In the future, if anyone were to mention who the master of the commander of the three armies was, they would know there was a teacher named Master Chen.
“The Martial Arts Association, do you have confidence?” On the way to the Commander’s Mansion, Master Chen asked, his tone calm.
“The Martial Arts Association has invited heroes from all over the world to gather at Lingfeng Villa.”
With that sentence, Master Chen already knew what he meant. He pondered for a moment. “I will provide you with support. Let’s see who dares to make a move. Below the Saint realm, I am invincible.”
This was not a statement to be made lightly, but coming from Master Chen, it was essentially the truth.
The Xu family of Huaishui was considered the foremost in the Confucian path.
Huaishui Academy was also the domain of scholars, entering the Dao through literature.
The strongest Confucian was not just a mere saying. A peak Dao realm cultivator could follow their words as law, their power immense, capable of changing the heavens with a single glance, something martial artists who entered the Dao through martial arts could not achieve.
Master Chen was perhaps the only one who entered the Dao through literature and was not from Huaishui Academy.
“With Master here, there will naturally be no problem.”
Master Chen smiled slightly, saying nothing further.
By the time they arrived at the Commander’s Mansion, it was nearly six o’clock.
A long table had already been set up in the courtyard, with people filling both sides.
Mu Ye, Qin Hanlie, Lin Langsheng, Lin Tianai, Xuan Niao, Xuan Wu, and so on… This was the most complete gathering.
“Elder Master Chen.”
“Elder Master Chen.”
“Elder Master Chen.”
This was not a respectful address to his status as a martial arts titan, but a respectful address to a teacher.
Everyone present knew of Master Chen’s deeds. Qin Hanlie himself had even led the team to clean up the aftermath back then.
“I remember you. You were a Three-Star General then, and now you are a Four-Star Commander. Very good, very good.” Master Chen looked at Qin Hanlie, feeling a sense of reunion, as if encountering an old acquaintance. Time waits for no one.
“Yes, back then, you were a distinguished middle-aged man. Now you’ve entered your twilight years. Time truly flies. Who would have thought you could teach such a legend? Two legends from one lineage. Your lineage alone is enough to be remembered in history.”