The sudden sound caused the entire Training Hall to fall silent, and countless astonished gazes converged on Lin Dong.
"Dong-er, what are you doing?"
Lin Xiao, sitting to the side, was also stunned by Lin Dong's actions, then quickly shouted. Although Lin Dong's performance today had exceeded his expectations, with only this much strength, Lin Dong still had a small gap to close before he could match Lin Hong. If he only relied on his Sixth Layer Body Tempering and Nine Echoes Through-Back Fist, there was no way he could defeat Lin Hong, who had already reached the Seventh Layer.
"Lin Dong Ge, you shouldn't do that!"
Qing Tan, after recovering her wits, immediately had a face full of worry. She knew that Lin Dong's sudden outburst was deeply rooted in his concern for her future.
"Everyone, please rest assured! Father, I just want to spar a bit with Cousin Lin Hong. Even if I lose, there's nothing shameful about it...!" Lin Dong said with a smile.
Hearing this, Lin Xiao was momentarily stunned. He hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly nodded and said, "Then you must be careful."
Lin Dong nodded, then ruffled Qing Tan's hair. Under the scrutinizing gazes of the crowd, he turned and stepped into the arena. As he turned, a cold smile flashed in his eyes. If Lin Hong had just quietly held onto the first place, he wouldn't have wanted to expose too much of his strength. What a pity, this person had already taken the top spot, yet still wanted to push his luck even further!
"Since that's the case, I'll just have to beat you until you have no face left to speak..."
Lin Dong stopped at the stone platform, then looked towards Lin Zhengtian, who was seated, and said with a smile, "Grandpa, I wonder if I can propose a spar?"
Lin Zhengtian had by now recovered his senses. He looked at Lin Dong with astonishment. Having clearly witnessed Lin Hong's strength, yet Lin Dong still dared to challenge him—if he wasn't a blockhead deliberately inviting humiliation, then he must possess absolute confidence.
"It seems I still underestimated this little brat..."
Deep in Lin Zhengtian's eyes, a fervent anticipation suddenly emerged. Many years ago, at the Clan Gathering, Lin Xiao had shone in a similar way, igniting a flame of hope within the elder's heart for the family's resurgence... He wondered if Lin Dong could be like Lin Xiao back then, bringing him a great surprise?
"This is perfectly normal, of course you can!"
Seeing Lin Zhengtian nod, Lin Dong finally broke into a satisfied smile.
"This fellow, why would he deliberately invite trouble? That Lin Hong, even I would have a hard time dealing with him now."
Lin He quickly walked towards the stone platform and said resentfully to Lin Dong:
"Now is not the time to be arrogant."
Seeing Lin He's resentful expression, Lin Dong merely smiled, not saying another word. He leaped onto the stone platform, where Lin Hong stood with his arms crossed, looking at Lin Dong with a cold smile.
"Lin Dong, it seems after reaching the top three, your confidence has become incredibly strong, hasn't it?"
"That's why I want to ask Cousin Lin Hong to help me calm down." As if not hearing the mockery in Lin Hong's words, Lin Dong replied with a faint smile.
"That's easy!" Lin Hong said smugly.
"Eldest Uncle, shall we begin?" Lin Dong glanced at him, then said to Lin Keng below the platform.
"You..."
Lin Keng opened his mouth to speak, but ultimately let out a helpless sigh, then waved his hand: "The spar begins!"
As soon as Lin Keng’s voice faded, Lin Hong’s previously smug expression instantly turned icy cold, and a faint glow immediately enveloped his entire body. Seeing him like this, it was clear he had no intention of holding back.
“Lin Dong, now I’ll show you just how vast the gap between us is!”
Yuan Power surged through Lin Hong’s meridians, spreading throughout his body. He let out a cold laugh, and in just two blurs, he appeared before Lin Dong, his sharp, heavy palm strike blasting straight forward.
Facing Lin Hong’s incredibly powerful palm strike, contrary to everyone’s expectations, Lin Dong showed no intention of dodging. Witnessing this, many people secretly shook their heads, thinking that this match would be decided very quickly…
“Heh heh, he’s just asking for trouble, daring to challenge him proactively.”
Outside the arena, Lin Shan gloated with a loud laugh. Lin Mang, beside him, also smiled faintly, leisurely leaning back in his chair and slowly savoring sips of fragrant tea.
“Bang!”
The sharp palm strike instantly reached Lin Dong’s chest. Just as the palm strike was about to land, Lin Dong finally made his move. He simply extended his right palm, meeting Lin Hong’s strike head-on.
When the two palms collided, the scene everyone had expected did not occur. Everyone was astonished to see Lin Dong’s figure standing firm like an unyielding iron tower. His relaxed demeanor made it easy for others to mistakenly believe that Lin Hong’s previous palm strike hadn’t been able to budge him at all.
“How… how is this possible?”
This scene left many people feeling incredulous. How could Lin Hong, with his Seventh Layer Body Tempering strength, fail to shake Lin Dong, who only possessed Sixth Layer Body Tempering strength?
It wasn’t just the spectators who were astonished; even Lin Hong’s expression changed. He felt Lin Dong’s right palm was like an impenetrable, thick wall.
At this moment, he finally sensed that something was amiss.
“You’re not the only one at the Seventh Layer Body Tempering stage!”
Lin Dong gloated, watching Lin Hong’s changing expression, and enunciated each word. With each word, a brilliant glow enveloped his body, a fluctuation of Yuan Power. This fluctuation was even more powerful than Lin Hong’s.
Seventh Layer Body Tempering!
“What?!”
Seeing the dazzling Yuan Power flickering around Lin Dong’s body, waves of astonished gasps suddenly erupted throughout the Training Hall. So Lin Dong’s true strength wasn’t Sixth Layer, but Seventh Layer!
No wonder he dared to challenge Lin Hong! So he had the capital to challenge him after all!
“That little brat…”
Lin Xiao stared blankly at the figure on the stone platform, his face filled with excitement. The previous shock Lin Dong had given him hadn’t even fully settled, and now there was another heavy blow…
Lin He stood below the stone platform, her jade-like hand involuntarily rising to cover her small mouth. Her eyes were wide with shock.
“Seventh Layer, how can this be?”
Lin Hong’s expression changed even further. He finally let out a cold laugh, his arm trembling as he unleashed a double palm strike. Powerful, sharp palm winds, like blades, swept forward.
“The Eight Desolations Palm?”
Seeing Lin Hong’s palm strike hurtling straight towards his face, Lin Dong let out a cold chuckle. He moved both palms, forming an arc that cut through the palm shadow, striking Lin Hong’s hands. His strike appeared casual, yet the formidable power of the Eight Desolations Palm unleashed by Lin Hong was instantly dispersed, its strength greatly diminished.
“The Eight Desolations Palm, you’re not the only one who knows how to use it!”
Having shattered Lin Hong’s palm strike, Lin Dong smiled faintly. From his palms, countless wind blades erupted, creating a tearing sound as they sliced through the air. The formidable power was many times stronger than the Eight Desolations Palm unleashed by Lin Hong.
“You know the Eight Desolations Palm too?”
Seeing the familiar palm technique erupt from Lin Dong’s hands, Lin Hong cried out in alarm. Before his voice faded, he noticed a crucial difference in the technique. Lin Dong’s Eight Desolations Palm seemed far more powerful than his own.
“How can this be?”
This realization turned Lin Hong’s face ashen. He had been cultivating the Eight Desolations Palm for over half a year; how could there be such a disparity between him and Lin Dong?
“I don’t believe it!”
His face pale, a vicious glint appeared in Lin Hong’s eyes. He unleashed the Eight Desolations Palm to its absolute limit, Yuan Power surging wildly from his body into both palms, forming a full-force strike that slammed straight towards Lin Dong.
That razor-sharp palm strike carried a resounding, wailing sound, enough to make anyone’s expression change upon hearing it.
Facing the incoming full-force palm strike, Lin Dong remained as calm as ever. His palm strike, initially as formidable as a blade, suddenly transformed, becoming soft and yielding, adhering tightly to Lin Hong’s incoming palm.
The moment their palms connected, Lin Dong’s arm gave a strange tremor, and an incredibly formidable power, like a surging tide, poured into Lin Hong’s body.
“Bang!”
As the formidable power erupted, under everyone’s watchful eyes, Lin Hong’s body was sent flying into the air like a kite with a snapped string, before crashing onto the stone platform, collapsing in a heap.
The moment Lin Hong fell onto the stone platform, the atmosphere in the Training Hall suddenly became deathly silent. No one could have imagined that the person considered the top contender in this Clan Gathering would be defeated by Lin Dong, and so effortlessly…
“Good… Very good…”
Lin Zhengtian stared in astonishment at the young man on the stone platform, muttering after a long moment. In his eyes, a look of wild joy was impossible to conceal.