Chapter 128: Are You from the Profound Sect?

Cheng Kuo, as one of the four great grandmasters of Luocheng, had always held himself in high regard. The number of people in all of Luocheng who could catch his eye could be counted on one hand. From the very beginning, he had never believed that Lin Yang could be a young grandmaster.

Therefore, he had no intention of intervening at all.

When the intense sound of gunfire erupted outside, Cheng Kuo had felt restless, but for the sake of his reputation, he did not step out prematurely.

Until now, he finally made his appearance.

Seeing the corpse of Shi Weijun, Cheng Kuo, filled with murderous intent, found himself forced to re-evaluate Lin Yang.

"He will not have died in vain."

Cheng Kuo’s gaze locked onto Lin Yang once more, his eyes brimming with lethal pressure.

"Grandmaster Cheng, have you finally decided you can no longer sit still?"

Lin Yang responded with a relaxed, mocking tone, showing not a shred of fear.

"You have a lot of nerve, daring to kill my disciple."

Cheng Kuo was furious.

Lin Yang sneered: "Your disciple was arrogant and ignorant, provoking a grandmaster. What does it matter if I killed him? He deserved to die."

Lin Yang’s statement was logically sound; a grandmaster must not be insulted. According to the rules of the martial world, Shi Weijun’s decision to provoke a grandmaster meant his death was truly no tragedy.

"My disciple, even if he was in the wrong, is not for you to kill. You now possess the qualifications to die at my hands."

Having lost his most talented second disciple, Cheng Kuo saw Lin Yang as a dead man.

"Grandmaster Cheng, you are far too confident. We have yet to trade blows; the outcome is far from certain."

Unlike Cheng Kuo’s violent rage and murderous aura, Lin Yang appeared entirely at ease.

"Then go to your death."

Cheng Kuo had not fought anyone in a long time, nor had he harbored such a lethal intent. Lin Yang had successfully provoked that desire in him.

Without further ado, Cheng Kuo assumed the stance of the Bagua Palm and lunged directly into the fray.

Facing Cheng Kuo’s assault, Lin Yang did not dare to be careless. After all, this was a Grade 5 Grandmaster, a rank higher than his own.

However, only an opponent of this caliber made things interesting for Lin Yang; constantly dealing with amateur martial artists was tedious.

The Bagua Palm techniques Cheng Kuo unleashed, whether in posture or force, were far superior to anything Shi Weijun could have mustered. However, having just fought Shi, Lin Yang had fully grasped the variations of the Bagua Palm’s footwork and techniques, effectively knowing both himself and his enemy.

The two grandmasters clashed, trading blows with neither side yielding. Every collision of fists and palms carried the force of thousands of pounds.

"This brat... to think he can trade so many blows with my father without falling behind. Is he also a Grade 5 Grandmaster?"

The Black Widow watched the battle intently, her previous smugness replaced by sheer shock.

A grandmaster in his twenties was already startling; a Grade 5 Grandmaster in his twenties was simply unthinkable.

"It is indeed unexpected. But didn't you look into his background?" Yin Weixiong asked.

The reason the Black Widow had not believed Lin Yang was a grandmaster was precisely because she had sent people to investigate him thoroughly. Aside from the last two years, for which information was scarce, his history from two years prior had been investigated in great detail.

Even if Lin Yang had been distraught over his parents' death and left Luocheng to seek a master, it was impossible for an ordinary person to become a martial arts grandmaster in just two years.

"Could he be a one-in-a-million genius, transforming from a commoner to a Grade 5 Grandmaster in only two years?"

The Black Widow had always been haughty, with few people in Luocheng meriting her attention, but now, the way she looked at Lin Yang had completely changed. For a woman like her, the urge to worship strength was even more pronounced than in ordinary people.

Cheng Kuo grew increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed. He had assumed he could easily handle this arrogant, newly-minted "pseudo-grandmaster."

Yet, once they crossed paths, Lin Yang’s fist strength, agility, and footwork proved so exquisite that Cheng Kuo could not seize any advantage.

Force suppression was the most direct method; regardless of one’s status, the power behind a fist was paramount. Since he could not suppress Lin Yang with raw power, he had to rely on technique and agility to win.

However, in terms of martial arts maneuvers and evasion, Lin Yang had inherited the mantle of the Medicine Saint, which far surpassed Cheng Kuo’s Bagua Palm.

"He... how does he know the Bagua Palm too!"

The Black Widow stared at the battle, frozen, as she saw Lin Yang use the Bagua Palm to counter Cheng Kuo’s offensive. And the technique he displayed was not merely an imitation; it was complete in both form and essence, clearly that of a veteran master who had mastered the very core of the style.

"This 'Embracing the Moon' technique—it’s performed with such perfection, even more fluently than mine. When did he steal the secrets of the Bagua Palm?"

Yin Weixiong was equally shocked, seeing that Lin Yang’s execution of the techniques was purer than his own, despite his twenty years of practice.

Cheng Kuo was also stunned.

The Bagua Palm contained principles of mutual generation and restriction. When he executed "Scooping the Moon from the Water," Lin Yang immediately countered with "Embracing the Moon."

Cheng Kuo grew alarmed. He changed his stance, but his next move was again anticipated and countered by Lin Yang’s Bagua Palm, forcing him to retreat several steps.

"When did you steal my Cheng-style Bagua Palm?" Cheng Kuo barked, clenching his fists.

Lin Yang curled his lips into a smile: "If you call it stealing, then yes, I stole it just now from your disciple. How was it? My performance wasn't bad, was it?"

"Bullshit! Even if you saw my disciple use it, you couldn't possibly have mastered it so quickly, let alone used it with such ease, or understood the principles of mutual restriction within the style."

Cheng Kuo refused to believe Lin Yang’s claim.

"Believe it or not. Today, I shall use your own Cheng-style Bagua Palm against you, and let you be defeated by your own signature art."

With that, Lin Yang finally took the initiative.

He assumed the starting stance of the Bagua Palm, but he paired it with the footwork and agility of the "Three Thousand Thunderous Steps," effectively elevating the Bagua Palm to a higher plane.

Although Cheng Kuo knew the principles of the Bagua Palm, Lin Yang was faster and his movements more erratic. Cheng Kuo was caught off guard, increasingly suppressed, and beginning to panic.

"He is actually suppressing my father using the Bagua Palm... How is this possible!"

The Black Widow had seen many things and was no stranger to bloodshed, but today she had witnessed too many shocks, and her composure was crumbling.

After being struck by two consecutive palms, Cheng Kuo stumbled back in a sorry state. The battle was decided.

"Let me let you try one more move I just mastered."

Lin Yang channeled his inner energy, moving with the speed of the Three Thousand Thunderous Steps. When he was still a meter away from Cheng Kuo, he struck out with a palm through the air.

The Empty-Hand Strike!

Cheng Kuo groaned, retreated several more steps, clutched his chest, and spat out a mouthful of blood. He looked at Lin Yang, who stood before him, with utter disbelief.

"Are you... a Profound Grandmaster?!"