Chapter 172: Let It Go

'Mu Lin's foul mouth is absolutely disgusting!'

Elder Chu retorted fiercely, "Impossible! That was a solid steel plate! Why would I ever cut corners?!"

With that, he rushed toward Mu Lin, his figure blurring into an afterimage.

In truth, he had started to move even before he began speaking.

This doubling of motion, one blur layered upon another, allowed him to seize a crucial time advantage.

Mu Lin had to admit, it was a pretty good move.

Elder Chu raised a hand, bringing it down directly toward Mu Lin's skull.

Mu Lin took a quick step aside, creating just enough space to angle his body before raising his own palm to intercept Elder Chu's descending hand.

They collided in an instant.

CRACK!

The blow was incredibly heavy, producing an explosive effect.

A sonic boom ripped through the area, and everyone's ears began to ring.

The ringing was deafening.

Elder Chu felt as if his hand was about to shatter, and a torrential, tide-like force threatened to surge through him.

He was at a disadvantage and completely unable to evade.

If that force truly made impact, he would be done for in an instant.

'I never would have expected Mu Lin to be such a powerful expert!'

'I've miscalculated!'

Just as Elder Chu, filled with utter despair, closed his eyes and awaited death, the torrential force vanished into thin air.

'To control his Inner Strength with such freedom, retracting it at will... what terrifying power!'

A sudden realization dawned on Elder Chu. Drenched in sweat, he felt an overwhelming urge to fall to his knees before Mu Lin.

But with a flick of his hand, Mu Lin held him up with an unseen force. It was as if Elder Chu had hit an invisible wall, completely unable to kneel.

Terror surged in Elder Chu's heart, but he didn't dare try to kneel again.

Mu Lin said calmly, "Are you all right now? Have you figured it out? If not, I'm happy to continue."

"No, no, no! I've figured it out!" Elder Chu said hurriedly.

"So, can I go now?" Mu Lin asked.

"Yes! Of course, you can!"

Master Bai, standing at the back, had expected Elder Chu to vent his anger on his behalf and deal with Mu Lin and the Zhao grandfather-grandchild duo once and for all.

But he never imagined that Elder Chu would just... chicken out.

"Elder Chu, why are you doing this?!"

But Elder Chu paid him no mind, for he had just spotted Wei Jianjun in the window of the car behind them.

The color drained from his face, his expression changing several times in an instant.

He pushed Master Bai aside, walked straight over, and bowed humbly. "Grandmaster Wei, is that you?"

The Wei Jianjun before him was hale and hearty, with a sharp glint in his eyes. He looked nothing like the listless, dispirited man he once was.

"Who else could it be?" Wei Jianjun possessed a natural air of authority. Though he might be polite to Mu Lin, his status was enough to crush almost anyone, anywhere.

"Greetings, Grandmaster Wei!" Elder Chu dropped to his knees with a thud, immediately kowtowing three times.

'What a joke. If I'd known Wei Jianjun was backing Mu Lin, I wouldn't have dared to get involved, not even on pain of death.'

Master Bai thought he had misheard. "Grandmaster?!" he exclaimed in shock.

Although he was also a VIP client, there were ranks among them, and someone of his stature couldn't break into the absolute top tier.

Wei Jianjun glanced at Master Bai. "What, you don't believe it? Shall I give you a demonstration?"

The words jolted Master Bai to his senses. He hurriedly gave Wei Jianjun a solemn bow. "Greetings, Grandmaster Wei!"

Wei Jianjun said slowly, "Master Chu..."

Elder Chu quickly scrambled to his feet and answered, "This junior is here!"

"Do you realize that if Mu Lin hadn't held back, you'd be nothing but a pile of mangled flesh by now?"

Elder Chu was already well aware of this. He immediately replied with even greater sincerity, "I was arrogant and overestimated my own abilities. It is my just deserts to have crossed Grandmaster Mu... Grandmaster Mu is benevolent and merciful, pulling his punch at the last moment. This junior is eternally grateful!"

Wei Jianjun waved his hand dismissively, and Elder Chu, letting out a long sigh of relief, hastily retreated several steps.

Wei Jianjun then beckoned Master Bai over. "I had some dealings with Elder Bai back in the day. I, too, regret his passing. However, a person needs to look forward, not drown in the past. You, on the other hand, are completely consumed by revenge. What's the point?"

Master Bai said, "My father's death is inextricably linked to Zhao Yang. Naturally, I must seek justice from him!"

"Foolish!" Wei Jianjun boomed. "He's spent years healing the sick and saving lives, building up quite a network of connections in the process. If you kill him, do you think his former patients won't come looking for payback against the Bai Family?"

"A broken window today, a slashed tire tomorrow—how would you live your lives? What if you provoke someone truly powerful? Do you think any of the hundred-plus members of your Bai Family would survive?"

Hearing this, Master Bai broke out in a cold sweat.

He had always assumed he had Zhao Yang completely under his thumb, that a mere doctor would have no way to retaliate.

But after hearing Wei Jianjun's words, he realized that Zhao Yang was a far more terrifying figure than he could have imagined.

A thought struck him, and he asked, "Then, Elder Wei, your illness..."

"My illness was cured by the joint efforts of Divine Doctor Mu and Divine Doctor Zhao. Let me put it this way: if you can't see your way to dropping this grudge for my sake, well... you can deal with the consequences."

Master Bai's first thought was of his own family's resident masters. They were Grandmasters, too, and very powerful, but the gap between them and Wei Jianjun was undoubtedly vast.

'For now, I'll just play along,' he thought. 'Later, I'll recruit more experts, bring a few more Grandmasters to my side, and then I'll take care of Wei Jianjun, too.'

"But I'm guessing you're already thinking about finding more masters to deal with me," Wei Jianjun said slowly. "It's fine. I'm just making an observation. What you ultimately decide is up to you."

The casually spoken words made another wave of cold sweat break out on Master Bai's skin.

Mu Lin said, "If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving. Elder Wei, what do you say?"

Wei Jianjun smiled. "I'll follow your lead. Let's go!"

The two cars sped off, leaving a dejected Master Bai and his men scattered across the ground.

Master Bai was in a daze. 'What just happened? How did things end up like this?'

Seeing Mu Lin and Wei Jianjun leave, Master Chu let out a long sigh of relief.

"Elder Chu, how could you..." Master Bai was genuinely unconvinced. He wanted to know what had really happened in the clash between Master Chu and Mu Lin. How could someone so powerful surrender so easily?

Master Chu shot a glance at Master Bai, his heart filled with resentment. 'If it wasn't for his money, I never would have gotten into this mess.'

It had been a scare with no real harm done, but... what if there had been?

"Patriarch Bai, I know about your issue with Zhao Yang, but I'm telling you, let it go! Grandmaster Wei already warned you, and now I'm warning you again! If Grandmaster Mu hadn't done me the favor of pulling his punch, my meridians would have been shattered, my bones pulverized, and I would have been reduced to a puddle of gore—and that's not an exaggeration..."

"Mu Lin is no ordinary Grandmaster. His skill... I suspect it might even surpass Grandmaster Wei's..."

"How is that possible?! He looks like he's only in his twenties! A common martial artist would be lucky just to achieve a basic rank at that age!"

"Did you see how deferential Grandmaster Wei was toward him? Do you really think that's just because he saved his life? Is that likely?" Master Chu pointed out.

"The Bai Family has been built up over a century of struggle. You should cherish that! Heed my advice and stop, now!"

With that said, Master Chu turned and left.

Master Bai's heart was burning with anxiety, but he had no idea how to win Elder Chu back over.

"Elder Chu, you..."

Suddenly, Elder Chu turned back around. Master Bai was overjoyed, thinking he had changed his mind.

But all he did was toss a gold card at Master Bai. "Take this back. I haven't touched a single penny. Our business is concluded. Understand?"

A torrent of curses flooded Master Bai's mind. 'Was it really necessary to go this far?'

'Just what kind of terrifying monster is Mu Lin, that he could make Elder Chu avoid me like the plague?'

With that, Master Chu activated his Qinggong and departed as if taking flight.

As if his ass was on fire.

Master Bai looked up at the sky, feeling as if the heavens themselves were laughing at him.

On the ride back, Mu Lin frowned. "Even after all those threats from Elder Wei, I can tell Master Bai has no intention of giving up."

Zhao Yang lifted his head, gazing at the streams of traffic on either side.

"With his personality, it would be a miracle if he gave up. If he wants to make a move, let him," Zhao Yang said, opening a window to let in some air.

In truth, Mu Lin found Zhao Yang's reaction even stranger.

"Grandmaster Zhao, you don't seem like a stick-in-the-mud, but why are you being so stubborn about this... You don't have an assassination fetish, do you? Like Elder Zhou?"

Zhao Yang actually laughed at that. "What kind of comparison is that! Do I seem that masochistic to you? I was simply entrusted with a task, and I must see it through. Things are not always so simple."

Mu Lin mulled it over for a moment but still couldn't figure it out. "I'm a little slow. You'll have to spell it out for me. What's really going on?"

A faint smile touched Zhao Yang's lips. "Old Bai is alive and well. The grave is empty."

What!

Zhao Ling'Er cried out in shock.

Mu Lin was dumbfounded. Now *that* was a bombshell.