Facing the young woman's challenge, Lin Feng frowned slightly.
The only reason he had spoken up just now was that he simply couldn't stand her dismissing Dragon Kingdom martial arts. He had genuinely had no intention of actually fighting her. After all, it was their first meeting, and they had no prior grievances. Resorting to a brawl over a war of words would be entirely absurd.
However, the young woman clearly had no intention of letting the matter rest.
Seeing Lin Feng remain silent, she let out a sneer and said, "A martial arts expert, you say? Well then, shall we begin? I'd love to see just how much skill this so-called martial arts expert of yours actually has."
With that, she turned her head to look at the brawny man behind her and smiled. "Uncle Jie, I'm sorry to trouble you, but please open this so-called martial arts expert's eyes. Let him see that Dragon Kingdom martial arts are nothing more than that."
"Xiaorou, stop messing around!"
Just as the young woman's voice trailed off, the old man frowned and reprimanded her. "A spar has to be fair! Asking A-Jie to step in—what kind of spar is that?"
The young woman curled her lips in dissatisfaction and muttered, "Didn't he claim to be a martial arts expert? Naturally, we have to let Uncle Jie handle him."
The old man glared at the young woman before turning to Lin Feng with an apologetic look. "Young man, my granddaughter is spoiled and often lets her tongue run away with her. I hope you won't take offense."
Seemingly afraid that Lin Feng's youthful pride would get the better of him, the old man pointed at the brawny man behind him and added, "My bodyguard used to be a combat instructor. Most people are truly no match for him, so any talk of a spar is just a joke. You don't need to take it seriously."
Clearly, in the old man's eyes, although Lin Feng's Taijiquan looked decent, that was the extent of it. If they actually fought, it would probably turn out just as his granddaughter had said—he would become a human punching bag.
"Forget it."
Seeing that the old man had put it that way, Lin Feng could only nod slowly, turn around, and prepare to leave.
However, as he reached a large tree, Lin Feng stopped in his tracks once more.
"Your understanding of Dragon Kingdom martial arts is merely skin-deep. The reason I said you were wrong is because true martial arts experts have mastered lethal techniques within their arts," Lin Feng said in a deep voice. "When facing a martial arts expert who has mastered lethal techniques, Taekwondo and combat sports are indeed no different from flashy routines."
As his voice fell, Lin Feng abruptly raised his hand and struck the trunk of the nearby tree with his palm.
In delivering this strike, Lin Feng seemed to use no force at all. When he swung his arm, it was as calm and effortless as when he had been practicing his forms earlier.
The tree, however, seemed entirely unaffected; not even a single leaf fell.
Without offering any further explanation, Lin Feng gave the young woman a deep look and briskly strode away from the open-air park.
"What's this? And here I thought he had some real skill—turns out he's all show and no substance! Just as I thought, people who practice Dragon Kingdom martial arts are all talk and no real ability."
Watching Lin Feng's retreating figure, the young woman curled her lips in utter disdain.
"Enough! Xiaorou, you really need to change this habit of yours."
The old man glared at her with displeasure. "How many times have I told you not to be so overbearing, lest you offend people with your words? Look at today—didn't you end up offending him? We're only lucky the young man had a good temper; otherwise, there's no telling how this would have ended!"
"If someone's useless and still puts on airs like a big shot, then offending them is no big deal. What's the fuss about?" The young woman rolled her eyes and replied dismissively.
"You, oh you..." The old man sighed helplessly. "Yes, offending ordinary people like that doesn't matter much. But if you don't change this habit, what happens if you offend some major figure one day? The Ding Family may be one of the Four Great Families of Nancheng, but making enemies left and right is never a good thing!"
"There's a saying: 'The more friends you have, the easier the road.' That's an eternal truth."
Sighing helplessly, the old man tried to persuade her. "Take tomorrow's banquet, for instance. All the prominent figures in Nancheng will be attending. If you go around offending people with your words like you did today, wouldn't you just be making unnecessary enemies for the Ding Family?"
"People are willing to show us respect and attend the banquet because of the Ding Family. If you manage to offend them with just a few words, wouldn't that—"
Seeing that the old man was about to launch into another lecture, the young woman stuck out her tongue, quickly grabbed his arm, and shook it.
"Oh, Grandpa, alright already, I know I was wrong!" the young woman coaxed playfully. "I promise, next time, even if someone points at my finger and tells me Dragon Kingdom martial arts are amazing, I won't argue back. How's that?"
"I'm not talking about martial arts!" The old man was caught between laughter and tears, but looking at the young woman's spoiled, coquettish appearance, he finally sighed, waved his hand, and said, "Even three repetitions lose their flavor; don't ever pull a stunt like this again! Alright, it's getting late. Let's head back early and get ready for tomorrow's banquet!"
With that, the old man waved his hand and began walking forward.
The young woman giggled, supported his arm, and chattered as they walked, "Grandpa, it's not that I'm being unreasonable, it's just that I can't stand people who refuse to see reality, so I just couldn't help wanting to set things straight."
"You..."
The old man shot her a sideways glance of exasperation.
The very next second, however, something caught the corner of his eye, and he abruptly stopped in his tracks.
"Grandpa, what's wrong?"
Seeing the old man freeze like that, the young woman was taken aback.
Instead of answering, the old man pushed the young woman aside and walked briskly up to the tree Lin Feng had struck earlier.
There, embedded deeply in the tree trunk, was a clear, distinct palm print that had nearly pierced all the way through.
"This... A-Jie, come take a look!"
The old man drew in a sharp breath, turned to the brawny man, and asked in a grave tone, "Could you do this?"
By now, the brawny man had clearly seen the distinct palm print on the trunk, and his expression shifted subtly.
After studying it carefully for a moment, he shook his head with a solemn expression.
"Sir, I'm afraid... I cannot."
"Even you can't?"
Hearing this, the old man's expression changed instantly.
As his personal bodyguard, the old man was well aware of A-Jie's skills.
Across the entire Dragon Kingdom, A-Jie might not rank among the top tiers. But right here in Nancheng, A-Jie's martial prowess was easily in the top five!
Yet now, even A-Jie admitted he couldn't pull this off. Did that not mean the young man from just a moment ago surpassed A-Jie in pure strength?
"Grandpa, was this left by that guy just now?" The young woman finally snapped back to reality, her eyes filled with a trace of disbelief.
Weren't Dragon Kingdom martial arts all just flashy showmanship?
She had seen the palm strike the guy delivered earlier; it had looked entirely ordinary.
How could it possibly pack such terrifying power?