Silence fell over the grounds.

Everyone watched Tian Boguang and his two disciples leave, completely speechless. Many recalled how the trio had arrived with such swagger, yet now they were leaving in utter disgrace.

At this thought, many eyes turned toward Lin Mu. Who on earth was this mysterious young man, who could defeat even Tian Boguang, a master at the peak of External Strength?

He had to be a master of Inner Strength at the very least! To be a master of Inner Strength at such a young age… his talent could only be described as astounding. What's more, he was even younger than Wang Wu, who had only just now managed to cultivate a single strand of Internal Energy.

Guan Jiaojiao puffed out her chest, her face filled with pride and satisfaction as she glanced around. It was as if she were saying, "All of you who looked down on Lin Mu before, why are you so quiet now?"

As for Song Wenrou, a faint, incredibly gentle smile graced her lips. In her eyes, his figure seemed to have grown even taller.

The most embarrassed were, without a doubt, Jiang Xia, Ye Tong, and their friends. Previously, they had treated Lin Mu with nothing but mockery and disdain. But now, look at them. Jiang Xia couldn't even block a single one of Wang Wu's moves and was beaten like a dog. In contrast, Lin Mu not only crippled Wang Wu but also defeated Tian Boguang—a master at the peak of External Strength—with a single blow. With that kind of power, how could Jiang Xia possibly compete? What right did Gu Can and the others have to mock him?

Jiang Xia's face burned, especially when he recalled Lin Mu's earlier words: "I'm afraid I might accidentally kill you." It felt like an invisible hand had slapped him across the face. At that thought, he could no longer bear to stay.

"Let's go!" Jiang Xia snarled. However, Ye Tong didn't move.

"Tongtong, aren't you coming?" Jiang Xia asked, his expression turning ugly.

Ye Tong looked at him, embarrassed. "Why don't... you go on ahead? I'm going to wait for Wenrou."

"You..." Jiang Xia was furious, but he couldn't unleash his anger here. He could only say, "Fine! If you're not leaving, I am!"

Taking Li Ping and the others with him, Jiang Xia left, looking just as pathetic as the last group.

Ye Tong walked over to Lin Mu. She wanted to say something, but in the end, found she was at a loss for words and could only stand there awkwardly. Guan Jiaojiao's cold snort in her direction only made her feel even more out of place. She wanted to leave, but with Jiang Xia already gone, it felt wrong to depart by herself. Besides, she was overwhelmingly curious. How had Lin Mu become so powerful after all these years?

Time ticked by, yet not a single person in the arena made a sound.

"Tsk tsk. The great River City Martial Meeting… are you really going to hold it up just because of some nobody?"

Just then, a voice filled with mockery rang out. The crowd turned to see a group of a dozen or so people slowly approaching. The speaker was a young man with long hair. He had plain features, but a scorpion tattoo at the corner of his eye gave him a sinister air. Behind him were about a dozen other men and women, all with varying expressions.

"The Zhang Family of River City!"

Seeing the young man, those who recognized him gasped in surprise. The Zhang Family was no ordinary clan in River City. They had made their fortune in transportation and held significant influence. This young man was the representative of their younger generation, Zhang Yan.

"I heard the Zhang Family has connections to Dragon Tiger Mountain. I wonder if it's true," someone in the crowd whispered.

"It's true. Zhang Yan became the disciple of an eminent master from Dragon Tiger Mountain at a very young age, and his talent is said to be exceptional."

A shockwave passed through the venue. All eyes turned to the young man named Zhang Yan, filled with a mixture of envy, jealousy, and respect.

Dragon Tiger Mountain had been the domain of the Celestial Master Mansion since ancient times, a sect that boasted numerous experts. The current Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain was a Martial Way practitioner on the Grandmaster rankings. His Thunder Law was said to shake the heavens, making him unmatched in the world.

A faint sneer touched Zhang Yan's lips. He led his entourage toward the ring, and as he passed Lin Mu, he suddenly flashed a grin. He then cast a strange glance at Song Wenrou but said nothing.

"Young Master Zhang, are you representing the Zhang Family at this meeting?" one of the patriarchs familiar with the Zhang Family asked after Zhang Yan had found a seat.

Zhang Yan nodded faintly. "That's right."

Then, Zhang Yan glanced at a thin man standing behind the patriarch and sneered, "So, this is the specimen the Xiao Family sent out this time? Hardly impressive."

His tone was casual, but the arrogance it contained was unmistakable.

The patriarch looked embarrassed, while a flash of anger crossed the thin man's face, and he looked ready to explode.

Zhang Yan said dismissively, "What? You want to fight? With your meager strength, you'd best not embarrass yourself in front of me."

The man flew into a rage. He shot to his feet, glaring at Zhang Yan. "Brat! Others might fear your Zhang Family, but I don't! If you've got the guts, let's settle this with our fists!"

BOOM!

With a blur of motion, the man landed squarely on the ring.

Zhang Yan raised his eyelids slightly, a mocking smirk playing on his lips. "Since you're so eager to die, I'll grant your wish."

"Besides, all of you are going to die sooner or later anyway."

His gaze lingered for a moment on the faces of several people in the crowd. These were the patriarchs and leaders from the various powers attending the River City Martial Meeting. When they met his gaze, they all immediately lowered their heads in fear, not daring to look him in the eye.

"A bunch of trash." As his voice fell, Zhang Yan's figure shot into the air, and he landed lightly on the ring.

Seeing this display of skill, the members of the Zhang Family erupted in cheers.

"I'll let you have the first move. Otherwise, you won't get a chance once I start," Zhang Yan said to the man, letting out a casual yawn.

"Arrogant brat!" the man roared. His body tensed like a bull, a cold gleam in his eyes. While he wouldn't dare kill Zhang Yan, he was confident he could teach the boy a lesson.

With that thought, the man let out a low growl and charged, throwing a furious punch down at Zhang Yan. The punch whistled through the air with such power that the expressions of many spectators changed.

"Lin Mu, who do you think will win?" Guan Jiaojiao asked. Deep down, she was obviously hoping Zhang Yan would lose, but she had also heard about his training at Dragon Tiger Mountain and knew his strength was not to be underestimated.

"We'll know soon enough," Lin Mu replied, offering no evaluation.

"Tsk." Guan Jiaojiao pouted. Suddenly, a gasp rippled through the crowd. She whipped her head up, her jaw dropping in utter shock.

What just happened? Where did Zhang Yan's opponent go?

"Look! In the sky!" someone in the crowd shouted.

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