Every astonished gaze fixed on Xie Ting's crimson cheek, freshly slapped by Lin Dong. In an instant, the previously boisterous area fell into a deathly silence.
The silence lasted only a blink before a few people recovered their senses, looking at Lin Dong with peculiar gazes, clearly taken aback by his decisiveness. Xie Ting, after all, was considered a delicate beauty. Yet, this status didn't seem to make Lin Dong hesitate even a little before striking her.
"Ruthless, utterly decisive." Some people secretly evaluated Lin Dong in their hearts. This recently rising genius of the Lin family seemed to employ somewhat unusual methods.
Lin Xia and the others were similarly stunned by Lin Dong's actions. As they watched Xie Ting clutching her cheek, her face still blank and recovering, an inexplicable sense of satisfaction welled up within them. This vile woman had long looked down on the Lin family. Lin Dong's slap was truly timely, bringing gratification to many.
After delivering a slap to Xie Ting's face, Lin Dong suddenly extended his hand. A steady surge of energy firmly caught a rock shard that had suddenly shot towards him like an arrow. However, the force behind the rock shard didn't make Lin Dong's arm tremble in the slightest.
"You hit me... You dare to hit me!"
As Lin Dong turned his hand to catch the flying rock shard, Xie Ting finally recovered her senses. The burning pain on her face made her body tremble. She looked up, glaring fiercely at Lin Dong, her previous arrogance gone.
"Careless words come with a price," Lin Dong said indifferently, glancing at her.
"What gives you the right to hit me?" Lin Dong's words almost drove Xie Ting mad. From childhood to adulthood, no one had ever dared to hit her!
Her beautiful face twisted slightly. Immediately after, she raised her five fingers, fiercely bringing them down towards Lin Dong's face.
"Smack!"
Lin Dong spread his palm, easily catching Xie Ting's hand. Just as he was about to flick it away, an icy cold shout echoed from afar.
"I said, that's enough, didn't you hear me?"
The force contained in his palm gradually receded. Lin Dong turned his head and saw a young woman in a fox fur coat striding closer from not far away. The young woman exuded an air of nobility, her appearance somewhat similar to Xie Ting's, but outwardly, she didn't possess Xie Ting's harsh arrogance. Yet, for some reason, despite her seemingly approachable demeanor, the young woman still made Lin Dong frown.
"Sister!"
As soon as the young woman appeared, Xie Ting's eyes turned bloodshot, and she cried out.
"Xie family's Xie Yingying." The moment the young woman appeared, Lin Dong had already guessed her identity. She was said to be the most outstanding junior of the Xie family – Xie Yingying.
"You are Lin Dong, aren't you? Your previous actions were not very good. Sometimes, being too reckless might make your family pay a heavy price." Xie Yingying, her eyes clear as autumn water, looked at Lin Dong. Her voice remained calm, but held a hint of coldness.
"Just now, when they were bullying my Lin family members, where were you?" Lin Dong released Xie Ting's hand, looking at the graceful figure of Xie Yingying before him, and said with a cold laugh.
Xie Yingying furrowed her brows, as if about to speak, but Lin Dong continued: "Don't bother with those useless platitudes. Ultimately, it all comes down to whose fist is stronger. Your Xie family has long been displeased with my Lin family. If you truly had the capability, you would have driven my Lin family out of Qingyang Town long ago. The reason you haven't is because you couldn't, or perhaps you knew that even if you did, you'd pay an extremely heavy price!"
"She hit a member of my Lin family, so my hitting her back is only natural and right. If you want to demand justice and say such things, it only makes you look ridiculous."
Lin Dong's words, though sharp, were grounded in reality, causing several onlookers to nod subtly in agreement. In recent years, the Lin family had developed rapidly. Although they had never directly clashed with the Lei and Xie families, anyone in the know understood that the Lin family's true strength was comparable to either of the Lei or Xie families; they wouldn't lose to any single one.
If the two families allied, they would certainly be stronger than the Lin family. However, if they tried to become the sole dominant power in Qingyang Town, the Mad Blade Martial Hall would surely not allow it. After all, once the Lei and Xie families dealt with the Lin family, their next target would likely be the Martial Hall itself.
Therefore, until now, these four major powers had maintained an unstable balance. As for who would destroy whom, that seemed a bit childish.
Xie Yingying's words were completely suppressed by Lin Dong's sharp retort, and her expression immediately turned ugly.
"Hmph, well said. The biggest fist makes the rules."
While Xie Yingying was speechless, a burst of laughter suddenly rang out, and immediately after, a figure leaped directly down from the second floor. His tall stature made the younger generation present feel a sense of pressure.
"Lei Li!"
Seeing the dashing young man's splendid attire, Lin He and the others' expressions immediately changed. They quickly gathered behind Lin Dong, a hint of worry in their eyes.
"Brother Lei Li!" The Xie family members rejoiced upon seeing him, and Xie Ting even more excitedly called out.
"Lei Li, he's Xie Yingying's fiance, the one known as the top talent among the younger generation in Qingyang Town, isn't he?"
At this moment, Lin Dong frowned, his gaze fixed on the figure. The man appeared to be around seventeen or eighteen years old, tall and somewhat handsome, with a confident smile gracing his face. He clearly possessed a charm that other youngsters lacked.
"Yingying, leave this to me," Lei Li said with a gentle smile, his eyes on Xie Yingying.
"Alright," Xie Yingying replied with a faint smile upon seeing Lei Li. She then turned to look at Lin Dong, the corners of her lips involuntarily curving upwards.
"Lin Dong, isn't it? Haha, I actually agree with what you just said. However, you first need to understand that if it weren't for the restrictions imposed by the Mad Blade Martial Hall, the Lin family would have long ago been driven out of Qingyang Town like stray dogs," Lei Li said, smiling as he looked at Lin Dong.
"If the Lei and Xie families hadn't joined forces, you wouldn't be saying these words either... You know, that's 'if'," Lin Dong said with a smile.
"Alright, you're quite eloquent..."
Lei Li's eyes narrowed, he shrugged, then clenched his fists. His bones crackled. He then smiled at Lin Dong and said, "I agree even more with what you just said. In the end, it all comes down to whose fist is stronger. Right now... perhaps my fist is stronger than yours. That slap you gave Ding Ni earlier, I think it's time to repay it."
Hearing Lei Li's words, the expressions of Lin He and his group immediately changed. It was said that Lei Li had long since stepped into the Body Tempering Ninth Layer. Even if Lin Dong had displayed the strength of the Body Tempering Eighth Layer just now, he would still be no match for Lei Li.
Bang!
Lei Li clearly had no intention of giving Lin Dong any chance to refuse. So, as soon as he finished speaking, he stomped his foot on the ground, moving instantly before Lin Dong. A dense, radiant glow rapidly gathered on his fist, and the sharp force made the faces of Lin He and his group turn pale.
"Get back!"
Seeing Lei Li strike with lightning speed, Lin Dong's eyes narrowed. He forcefully pushed Lin He and his group behind him, sending them all retreating far back. Then, a series of crisp, almost continuous ringing sounds echoed across the square.
Thump thump thump thump...
"Connecting Back Fist's Nine Resonances?" Hearing the familiar sounds, many people were stunned, looking at Lin Dong with some surprise. They clearly hadn't expected someone so young to have cultivated the Connecting Back Fist to such a peak level. However, relying on this alone to stop Lei Li would likely still be quite difficult.
Thump.
As if knowing what those around him were thinking, after the ninth resonance rang out, an extremely faint, firm sound once again emanated from within Lin Dong's body. This sound was not something outsiders could hear.
Bang!
Under everyone's tense gazes, the two fists, imbued with sharp force, finally collided. An invisible wave of energy spread out and erupted.