Chapter 127: Master Cheng, it is your turn to strike!

The eighty-one moves of the Cheng-style Baguazhang, when executed by Shi Weijun, were even more formidable than when performed by Zhao Weiming, with the transitions between his maneuvers being exceptionally refined.

Lin Yang, however, defended with only one hand. Relying on the footwork of the Three Thousand Thunderous Steps, he moved with ease. No matter how fiercely Shi Weijun attacked, he could not lay a finger on Lin Yang.

Lin Yimo watched the duel with wide eyes. While she was not a martial artist and could not decipher the specific techniques, she could see that the combat was spectacular, much like a scene from an action movie. Though the other members of the Lin family cursed Lin Yang under their breath, deep down, they were desperate for him to win. They knew that only if Lin Yang prevailed would they stand a chance of survival; otherwise, their fate was sealed.

The Black Widow and Yin Weixiong also watched with intense focus.

"Senior Brother, this man can't possibly be a Grandmaster, can he? Otherwise, how could he be suppressed by the Second Junior Brother?" Cheng Wanqing asked. Although she also practiced Cheng-style Baguazhang, her attainments were clearly inferior to those of Yin Weixiong and Shi Weijun, and she currently only held the strength of a fifth-grade practitioner.

Yin Weixiong shook his head, remaining silent as he kept his eyes fixed on the fight.

It was Cheng Wanqing’s personal secretary—a quiet girl wearing black-rimmed glasses—who spoke up: "He is not using his full strength. In fact, one could say he hasn't truly attacked at all."

Cheng Wanqing frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I suspect he is observing Second Master Shi’s techniques," the secretary replied. "Although Second Master Shi’s offense is fierce, he hasn't suppressed him in the slightest. I have a bad feeling—he really might be a Grandmaster."

Yin Weixiong then spoke: "Keiko is right. I never imagined that Luocheng would actually produce such a young Grandmaster! This boy must not be allowed to live."

A cold glint appeared in the Black Widow's eyes. "It is a pity. If he cannot be used, then he must indeed be destroyed."

Lin Yang was intentionally dragging out the fight. By allowing Shi Weijun to demonstrate the entire eighty-one-move sequence of the Baguazhang, he had imprinted every move into his mind, allowing him to identify the flaws within them.

"I’ve had enough of playing. You can die now."

A cold sneer tugged at the corner of Lin Yang's mouth. Suddenly, his aura surged, and he shifted from defense to offense. Shi Weijun, having exhausted his repertoire, had his entire offensive structure shattered in an instant as Lin Yang exploited a fatal opening.

*Crack!*

Shi Weijun’s arm was snapped by Lin Yang on the spot, the bone protruding through the skin. Lin Yang immediately seized his shoulder and, with his other hand, unleashed a series of three palm strikes using the Baguazhang technique. The final strike channeled a burst of "inch-power," sending Shi Weijun flying through the air until he rolled to a stop at the feet of Yin Weixiong and the Black Widow.

*Pfft!*

Shi Weijun spat out a mouthful of blood. His face turned as pale as a sheet, his eyes bulged, and his mouth hung open, unable to utter a sound.

"Second Brother!"

Yin Weixiong and the Black Widow hurried to kneel and inspect his injuries.

"Don't bother looking. His life force is severed; he is beyond saving." Lin Yang clapped his hands. He was certain of the force he had used: two strikes had shattered several of Shi Weijun’s ribs, and the final palm had struck his heart, extinguishing his life.

Indeed, even as Lin Yang finished speaking, Shi Weijun could not get out a single word before he stopped breathing.

"Second Brother!" Yin Weixiong shook Shi Weijun’s body violently, but there was no reaction. His pulse and breath had stopped completely; he was dead.

Shi Weijun had been Cheng Kuo’s most valued disciple, the one in the Cheng school with the greatest potential to reach the Innate True Realm by the age of thirty-five and become the school's second Grandmaster. No one had expected him to die at the hands of a young man in his early twenties.

Enraged, the Black Widow stood up, drew a silver handgun from her secretary, and opened fire on Lin Yang, emptying the entire magazine in one burst.

Yet, not a single bullet struck Lin Yang. Only one grazed his arm, leaving a shallow scrape. Instead, several of the Black Widow’s own men were hit by stray bullets, collapsing to the ground; those who didn't die immediately shrieked in agony.

"I will kill you and avenge my Second Junior Brother!" The Black Widow, seeing that she had missed, was driven to a state of frantic, hideous rage.

"If you want revenge, you are looking at the wrong person. It wasn't me who killed him—it was you who caused his death. I told you earlier: those who attack will die. You didn't believe me, so I had no choice but to follow through," Lin Yang said coldly.

"Shoot him! Kill him!" Following the Black Widow’s command, her remaining men pulled out their guns and fired at Lin Yang.

With a dozen or so people firing simultaneously in such a confined space, even a Grandmaster would struggle to withstand the assault; no matter how good one's agility or light-body skills were, dodging was nearly impossible.

But Lin Yang had been prepared. He immediately grabbed the bodies of two of the Black Widow’s men to use as shields, backing toward the wall to avoid being attacked from both front and rear. As he moved, he kicked two other men—one dead and one wounded—toward the others. The impact sent a dozen more of the Black Widow’s subordinates crashing down.

With fewer than ten men left, they no longer posed a threat. Lin Yang threw the two makeshift shields forward, knocking the remaining men to the ground. In the blink of an eye, the Black Widow’s entire group was either dead or incapacitated.

There were only four men left, each holding a member of Lin Yimo’s family hostage. Lin Yang flicked his wrist, and four silver needles flew out, instantly neutralizing them.

The entire sequence took place in a blur, lasting no more than a minute or two. The top floor of the Celebrity Nightclub was thick with the scent of blood, the floor covered in bodies and echoing with cries of agony.

Lin Yimo had never witnessed such a scene; she turned deathly pale and began to vomit uncontrollably. Her family was in the same state, retching in terror.

Lin Yang leaped over and tapped two points on Lin Yimo’s body to stop her nausea, then helped her stand. "It’s alright. I’m here; don’t be afraid."

As he spoke, Lin Yang opened a nearby door. He had already confirmed it was a lounge and was unoccupied. "Take your family and hide in there. I will handle the rest."

Lin Yimo hurriedly helped her mother into the room, while Lin Yuanzhi and Lin Dehai scrambled inside on their hands and knees, still retching. Lin Yang closed the door behind them, feeling a sense of relief now that the family was safe.

The Black Widow looked at the carnage before her, her beautiful features twisted into a mask of murderous, distorted rage. She had never expected such an outcome; even if she managed to kill Lin Yang, her losses were catastrophic.

"Grandmaster Cheng, can you still sit still at a time like this? Come out and fight!" Lin Yang shouted in a deep voice.

Shi Weijun was dead, Yin Weixiong was no match for him, and the Black Widow’s men were either dead or incapacitated. Now, their only remaining trump card was the Grandmaster, Cheng Kuo.

As Lin Yang’s voice faded, Cheng Kuo opened a door and stepped out.

"Father, the Second Junior Brother is dead," the Black Widow said.

Cheng Kuo glanced at Shi Weijun’s body, his eyes twitching slightly.