Chapitre 5: Chapter 5: Fishy Situation
It's been a month in the sect. Waking up, training, eating, training, eating, and sleeping.
It's a monotonous but progressive month. My internal energy has grown considerably and my body is getting stronger.
Master Feng has not taught me the Broken Fist yet advising me to first reach the 1st level of Tri-Fold Body Forging Arts, or my body will not be able to handle the power produced by the offensive technique.
Opening my eyes, I exhaled the turbid air in my lungs and stood up. I'm currently in front of a cliff bathing in the morning sun, absorbing its yang essence.
It's been a month since I became a disciple of the Pure Might Sect and all this time I haven't gone down the mountain, solely focusing on improving my strength.
"Time to hunt for breakfast."
Even though my teacher is the 3rd elder of the sect, he does not have any servants. Not because he can't but for the reason he just doesn't want to.
"What an eccentric character, now I have to do all the chores." Sighing, I hunt around the periphery of the mountain for some wild hares or a wild boar that will serve as our food for the day.
I'm not really against hunting every morning because it develops my hunting skills and even fighting skills when I encounter a powerful beast. But washing my and my master's clothes every day is really tiring.
I can't do anything about it considering we train every day.
Time passes by and I haven't encountered any animals yet. "Have I hunted all the animals in this area?" I could not help but wonder when suddenly I heard a commotion below the mountain.
Walking towards the sound I heard a loud shout.
"Hu Lin, I have come to avenge my nephew!"
Huh?
Since when did I create myself an enemy?
Thinking about this deeply, I have a recollection.
"Don't tell me It's Qin Zhu's uncle." Hu Lin whispered while approaching the middle-aged man at the bottom of the mountain.
"Hu Lin, come down I'm Qin Zhu's uncle!"
"..."
It really is Qin Zhu's uncle.
"What do you want?" I said with a laid-back tone, coming face-to-face with the man.
This man has an eagle-like nose and a balding head. Wearing a black robe, he looks like a mountain bandit.
I can't believe this man is a member of this sect. His face looks kickable.
Qin Zhu's uncle saw me and quickly pointed his finger at my face, "You bullied my nephew, of course, I'm here to seek retribution!"
Saying that he released his 1st rate aura.
Hu Lin frowned.
"You only seek revenge now? You've grown balls because Master went out on a trip?" Hu Lin sneered and quickly pointed out the reason for only coming this time.
His master went on a trip, saying he needed to gather herbs and explore the world, leaving Hu Lin all alone on this mountain for almost a week.
And now with the absence of the tiger, the monkey starts stirring trouble.
"So what exactly do you want?" Hu Lin questioned, his tone casual but with an underlying edge. He wasn't afraid of a fight, but something about this situation felt off. Why would Qin Zhu's uncle, a man of this caliber, risk the wrath of Master Feng by challenging his disciple? The sect was built on a foundation of respect and hierarchy—directly targeting a core disciple was tantamount to provoking the master himself.
Qin Zhu's uncle sneered. "It's simple. I want a duel. I want you to pay for the insult you've inflicted on my family."
Hu Lin frowned, the gears in his mind turning rapidly. A duel? Here, without witnesses or the protection of the sect's rules? Something wasn't adding up. If he accepted, he'd be playing right into this man's hands. There was no way Qin Zhu's uncle wasn't aware of the consequences of attacking him—unless there was something else at play, something more sinister.
"What makes you think I'd agree to that?" Hu Lin asked, his voice measured. "Are you not ashamed of bullying the weak? I am your junior."
"Don't try to worm your way out of this," Qin Zhu's uncle retorted, his voice laced with contempt. "This isn't about seniority, this is about the honor of the Qin family. Your actions have stained our name, and I intend to wash that stain away—with your blood if necessary."
Hu Lin's frown deepened. There was no honor in this, only a thinly veiled excuse for violence. He had no intention of playing into the man's hands, but the situation was delicate. If he refused outright, it might be seen as cowardice—something that could harm his master's reputation within the sect. But if he accepted, he could be walking into a trap.
"What a pathetic excuse," Hu Lin said coolly, his voice cutting through the tension. "You talk about honor, but what honor is there in attacking someone of lower status? If you want to make this about the Qin family's face, then take it up with my master. If you're so confident in your abilities, you shouldn't be afraid of Master Feng's retribution when he returns."
Qin Zhu's uncle's face twisted in anger, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "You insolent brat. You dare to question the honor of my family?"
Hu Lin stood his ground, his gaze unwavering. "I question anyone who hides behind their family name to justify their actions. You're nothing but a bully trying to exploit a moment of weakness."
The man's aura flared, but Hu Lin remained calm, his mind racing. This wasn't just about a grudge. There had to be more to this. Perhaps Qin Zhu's uncle was trying to provoke him into a rash decision, one that could have severe consequences for him—or even for Master Feng.
"Enough with the posturing," Qin Zhu's uncle snapped, his patience wearing thin. "If you're too cowardly to fight, then just admit it. But know that the Qin family won't forget this insult."
Hu Lin narrowed his eyes, assessing his options. He could refuse the duel outright, which might damage his reputation in the short term but would likely save him from whatever trap was being laid. Or he could agree to the fight and risk being caught in something far more dangerous than a simple grudge match.
But then, another thought occurred to him. What if he used this situation to his advantage? Instead of fighting on Qin Zhu's uncle's terms, he could force the man into a situation where any underhanded tactics would be exposed. He just needed to find the right angle.
"Fine," Hu Lin said, at last, his tone deliberate. "I won't give you the satisfaction of a duel today. But if you're so intent on proving your strength, then let's do it properly. I'll fight you in front of the sect elders, in the Grand Hall, with the entire sect as witnesses, in three weeks. That way, when I defeat you, there won't be any doubt about who the true coward is."
Qin Zhu's uncle's eyes flashed with surprise and fury. This wasn't the outcome he had expected, and it was clear that the idea of a public duel—under the watchful eyes of the sect—was far from appealing to him. But Hu Lin had left him with little choice. If he backed down now, he'd lose the opportunity given to him by that mysterious figure.
"Very well," Qin Zhu's uncle hissed through clenched teeth. "We'll settle this in the Grand Hall. But mark my words, Hu Lin. I'll make you regret ever crossing the Qin family."
With that, the man turned and stormed off, leaving Hu Lin standing alone at the edge of the cliff. He watched the man's retreating figure, his mind still racing.
"Something is fishy about this situation, I don't even know if he is truly Qin Zhu's uncle. Could this be related to the attempted assassination?"
Hu Lin mused, but that would not change the fact that I needed to fight him.
I need to get stronger.
"I was thinking of taking it slowly and steadily, striving to reach 1st rate by the end of the year. But now in 3 weeks, I need to reach it."
This would have not been possible normally, but Hu Lin is nothing but normal.
L’AVIS DES CRÉATEURS 
Im_Asian
Im_Asian Yo, sorry for the extremely late update. Got busy with college, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to continue this story, but I will update here and there.
Anyway please enjoy!
Have some idea about my story? Comment it and let me know.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone