Martial Universe (Wu Dong Qian Kun)
chapter-21

Under the attentive gazes of the crowd, Lin Zhentian stood up and cupped his hands together as a sign of respect to the VIP booth. With a bright smile, his clear voice rang out: “Today is the Family Competition of my Lin Family. Thank you everyone for coming to support us. Everyone here is a familiar friend so this old man shall not tarry any further, let us go straightaway to the main event.”

As the last word fell from his mouth, Lin Zhentian looked to Lin Ken who was beside him. The latter also smiled and nodded before walking to the huge open space in the training chambers and taking out a bamboo tube. Many smaller sticks with words inscribed on them filled the bamboo tube.

“Old rules, draw lots to determine your opponent. All of the little brats who want to participate in the Family Competition come out and draw your lots.”

Hearing Lin Ken’s instructions, one after another, tens of figures appeared in the open space and drew a bamboo lot from the bamboo tube in Lin Ken’s hand.

“There are five platforms here, those who drew the front five numbers will start first.” When all the participants had drawn a lot, Lin Ken smiled as he pointed towards the five stone platforms behind him.

Lin Dong glanced at the bamboo lot in his hand, painted on it was the white figure of the number ‘four’. Without the slightest hesitation, he straightaway walked to the fourth stone platform. After he had stepped onto the platform, a round thing also climbed up, at which Lin Dong could not help but roll his eyes.

“Lin Changqiang, why is it you.” Lin Dong helplessly gazed at the tubby Lin Changqiang before him.

“I didn’t want this either……” Lin Changqiang scowled miserably. After Lin Dong had defeated Lin Shan previously, Lin Changqiang understood that the current Lin Dong could not be compared to before. It was most likely that Lin Changqiang was not even considered an opponent for Lin Dong. Yet the lots had already been drawn, and Lin Changqiang could not withdraw either else his father would never let him off when he returned.

Lin Dong shook his head, pity on his face: “Don’t worry, I will go gentle on you.”

“……” Lin Changqiang was speechless, a little bit of bitterness in his expression.

The two resigned themselves to their fate as they exchanged a glance. Below, seeing that the first batch were all on stage, Lin Ken waved his hand and shouted: “Let the Family Competition begin!”

As Lin Ken’s shout faded, the mood in the training chambers abruptly erupted in a frenzy. On the few stone platforms, figures flashed before finally colliding together in sudden ferocity.

“Heh heh, I had also advanced to Tempered Body 4th Layer two months ago. Lin Dong, you’d better take care too!”

Hearing the signal, Lin Changqiang chuckled as his body suddenly jolted. The folds of originally soft blubber unexpectedly hardened substantially. Following which he stamped ferociously off the ground and flew forward like a huge meat bullet.

As that amusing sight was reflected in Lin Dong’s eyes, he involuntarily broke into a laugh. In this moment, Lin Changqiang’s rapidly approaching body suddenly turned and a thick right leg rather violently lashed at Lin Dong.

“Level 1 martial art, Rock Splitting Leg?”

Lin Dong was somewhat surprised as he felt the wind from Lin Changqiang’s decently renowned leg style. To think that this guy had actually practised martial arts! Yet to the current Lin Dong, just this little was of no threat at all.

Lin Dong’s arm agilely stretched forward and bypassed Lin Changqiang’s whipping leg before lightly tapping on his thigh.

“Ah!”

Lin Changqiang cried out as his now unstable self fell and landed on his butt.

After striking down Lin Changqiang with one palm, Lin Dong once again lifted his fist as if he were preparing to send it chopping down at his opponent. Lin Changqiang immediately held his hands over his head and called out: “I admit defeat!”

“Lin Dong wins.”

Below the stone platform, Lin Ken grinned while shaking his head. Soon after, he shifted his somewhat astonished gaze to look at Lin Dong. Although Lin Changqiang could not be considered outstanding in the Lin Family, he had still managed to reach Tempered Body 4th Layer. Though the palm from Lin Dong had looked casual enough, the fact was that it had landed on the spot where Lin Changqiang’s strength was the most scattered. If it was just a fluke, then nothing can be said, however if it was intentional, then Lin Dong who was already armed with such discerning eyes at a young age was truly a force to be reckoned with.

After hearing Lin Ken’s declaration, some of the gazes in the training chambers also turned to rest upon Lin Dong. Although they were slightly flabbergasted, in the end they did not pay too much attention to what had happened. After all, Lin Changqiang’s strength was only average in the Lin Family. Winning over him was not a very huge achievement.

Lin Dong did not take much notice of these gazes, his own eyes turned towards another stone platform just in time to see Lin Hong absent-mindedly blowing his opponent off the stage with a single strike of his palm.

Easily dispatching his opponent, Lin Hong also sensed Lin Dong’s gaze and turned to lock eyes with the latter, the corners of his mouth raising to form a sneer.

Lin Dong shot one last glance at Lin Hong before withdrawing his gaze and dragging Lin Changqiang off the stage.

Lin Dong did not meet any problematic opponents in the first round, thus after Lin Changqiang, Lin Dong once again won the match. Advancing to the top ten with nothing to write home about. Due to his easy victories in both matches, Lin Dong did not reveal his excessively astonishing strength, thus many people believed that good luck was all there was to Lin Dong.

In contrast to Lin Dong’s dull matches, Lin Hong and Lin Xia had become the main stars in the training chambers. From start to end, the two had beaten their opponents in a single move. These overwhelming victories made everyone understand that the strength that these two possessed had by far exceeded the rest of the younger generation of the Lin Family.

“I’m afraid that Lin Hong has really attained Tempered Body 7th Layer……” Seated in the audience, Lin Xiao concluded while nodding after seeing how easily Lin Hong had fared in both of his matches.

At these words, concern surfaced on Qing Tan’s tiny face. She still remembered that what Lin Hong had said that day: If he achieved a good result in the Family Competition, he would ask grandfather to be engaged to her. When that time comes, if father was not willing, maybe he would once again part on bad terms with grandfather.

“Don’t worry, nothing will happen.”

Seeing the worry on Qing Tan’s tiny face, Lin Dong smiled as he lightly patted her arm to console her.

“En.” Qin Tang slightly inclined her head. A while later, she asked: “Who do you think Lin Dong-ge’s will face next? If you win the next match, you will advance to the top five……”

Lin Dong grinned though he did not really care. His current strength was more than enough to face any of the younger generation in the Lin Family.

“Let the second round of the competition begin, Lin Dong.”

Lin Ken’s eyes turned to gaze at Lin Dong before indicating to the big stone platform in the middle. Because they had already reached the selection of the top ten, no matter what, it would be more exciting than the previous round. Thus there were no longer five matches occurring simultaneously. Instead, competition would go match by match, allowing the audience absolute clarity.

At Lin Ken’s voice, Lin Dong lightly sighed before quickly walking towards the stone platform.

“Lin Dong-ge, you can do it.”

Behind him, Qing Tan waved her tiny fists in the air while aiding him with a rallying cry of support.

Within the training chambers, several other gazes also turned towards Lin Dong, a hint of curiosity and expectation in their eyes. Although Lin Dong’s reputation in the Lin Family was incomparable to the brilliance of Lin Xia and Lin Hong, his father was after all once the most talented in the whole Lin Family. As they thought back to the past Family Competition, they recalled that Lin Xiao had effortlessly been crowned number one. Exactly how much of that capability will his son show in today’s competition?

From the VIP booth, Lin Zhentian and the rest also locked their eyes onto Lin Dong. A similar curiosity in their hearts.

Under the attentive watch of the crowd, Lin Dong walked up the stone platform. When he reached his spot, Lin Ken looked to the competition list in his hands as his brows slightly furrowed. After a little hesitation, he read out the second name: “Lin Yun.”

Hearing this name, a small uproar emerged in the training chambers. Some of the younger generation of the Lin Family turned to look at Lin Dong with sympathy.

Lin Dong was also stunned by this name, evidently somewhat astonished at the thorny problem his opponent will be.

Like Lin Xia and Lin Hong, Lin Yun was considered as one of the elite among the younger generation of the Lin Family. Both parents were from the Lin Family but had died at the hands of bandits. Thus he had become uncommunicative since a young age, yet he was quite gifted. It was heard that two months ago, he had condensed a Yuan Power Seed in his body, becoming the third one, after Lin Xia and Lin Hong, to reach Tempered Body 6th Layer among the younger generation of the Lin Family.

This opponent was going to be somewhat troublesome.

Lin Dong licked his lips as a fire gradually burned in his eyes. This was exactly the kind of opponent he needed!