In the Martial Arena, Sun Tian rushed toward Sun Chen like a fierce tiger pouncing on its prey, his fists whistling through the air with utter contempt and murderous intent.
Unflustered, Sun Chen sidestepped and deftly avoided Sun Tian's fierce strike. Sun Tian lunged into empty air, startled to find that Sun Chen could be so agile.
"Humph, you've got some skills, but that's as far as you go!" Furious and humiliated, Sun Tian launched an even more ferocious attack.
Sun Chen's eyes narrowed as he channeled his inner spiritual energy, forming hand seals to instantly conjure a spiritual barrier. Sun Tian's strike landed on the barrier, stirring up nothing more than a ripple.
"How is this possible?" Sun Tian stared in wide-eyed disbelief.
Seizing the opportunity, Sun Chen launched a counterattack. Moving like lightning, he closed in on Sun Tian in an instant and delivered a heavy punch. Caught off guard, Sun Tian was forced back several steps.
The onlookers around the platform were dumbfounded, unable to believe their eyes. Sun Chen—whom they had always regarded as a cripple fit to be bullied by anyone—was actually trading blows evenly with Sun Tian in the Martial Arena, and even holding a slight upper hand.
Giving Sun Tian no chance to catch his breath, Sun Chen unleashed a continuous flurry of attacks as spiritual energy surged forth. Unable to keep up his defense, Sun Tian exposed an opening. Seizing the moment, Sun Chen kicked him squarely in the chest, sending Sun Tian crashing heavily to the ground.
"Sun Tian, today is your doomsday!" Sun Chen roared, preparing to deliver the final, fatal blow.
Right at that moment, a senior member of the family spoke up to stop him: "Enough! In this martial match, Sun Chen wins!"
Though filled with reluctance, Sun Chen had no choice but to hold back for now. He cast a cold glance at the battered Sun Tian on the ground. "This is only the beginning, Sun Tian. Your good days are numbered."
Sun Chen's outstanding performance in the match caused everyone in the Sun family to look at him in a new light. Yet he knew this was only a small step on his path of revenge, and Sun Tian would never let the matter rest.
Sure enough, harboring even deeper resentment after his defeat, Sun Tian began secretly plotting a new conspiracy against Sun Chen.
Meanwhile, with Sun Yue's help, Sun Chen continued to practice diligently and strengthen his abilities.
One day, Sun Chen decided to leave the Sun family to hone his skills through real-world travel and combat. He knew deep down that only through constant tempering in actual combat could he grow faster.
Sun Chen arrived at a bustling town filled with a constant stream of pedestrians and an extraordinary lively atmosphere. He strolled down the street, taking in the worldly ambiance.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out ahead. Following the sound, Sun Chen saw a group of thugs besieging a carriage. The driver had already been injured and fallen to the ground, while a woman's cries for help echoed from inside the carriage.
Sun Chen had originally intended to mind his own business, but hearing the terror and helplessness in the woman's voice stirred a spontaneous sense of justice within him.
With a flash of his figure, he charged into the crowd. Seeing someone meddle in their affairs, the thugs brandished their weapons and attacked Sun Chen.
Composed as ever, Sun Chen unleashed a flurry of blows, sending the thugs sprawling in all directions. Before long, the villains took to their heels in utter panic.
Sun Chen walked up to the carriage and gently said, "Miss, you're safe now."
The carriage door slowly opened, revealing a lovely woman. Her brows were like distant misty hills, her eyes like autumn waters, and her white robes were purer than snow, though her face still bore traces of lingering terror and exhaustion.
"Thank you, young master, for saving my life," the woman said, bowing gracefully with a voice as sweet as an oriole issuing from a valley.
Sun Chen hastily helped her up. "Think nothing of it, miss. When one sees an injustice on the road, it is only natural to help."
Through conversation, Sun Chen learned that the woman was named Lin Yuyao, the daughter of the premier noble family in the Imperial Capital. She had ventured out for leisure, never expecting to be ambushed by thugs.
"If you hadn't intervened, young master, I'm afraid I would have met a grim fate today," Lin Yuyao said with gratitude.
Sun Chen smiled. "You are blessed with great fortune, miss, and it was also a matter of fate bringing us together."
Taken with Sun Chen's bravery and integrity, Lin Yuyao invited him to a restaurant to express her gratitude.
Inside the restaurant, the two conversed most cordially. Lin Yuyao discovered that Sun Chen was not only formidable in martial arts but also possessed vast knowledge, which made her admire him all the more.
At the same time, Sun Chen was captivated by Lin Yuyao's intelligence and kindness.
However, little did they know that danger was quietly closing in.
As it turned out, those thugs were members of a local criminal gang. Having suffered losses at Sun Chen's hands, they had returned to report to their gang leader. Furious upon hearing that someone had ruined his plans, the leader decided to take matters into his own hands and teach Sun Chen a lesson.
When Sun Chen and Lin Yuyao emerged from the restaurant, gang members were already lying in wait all around them.
"Punk, how dare you ruin our business! Today we'll make sure you don't leave alive!" the leader shouted, charging forward with a band of subordinates.
Protecting Lin Yuyao behind him, Sun Chen calmly said, "In broad daylight, how dare you act so lawlessly!"
The gang leader laughed uproariously. "In this territory, I am the law! Boys, get them!"
A fierce battle broke out once more. Fighting a multitude of foes single-handedly, Sun Chen showed no trace of fear. However, the opponents were numerous and vicious, and Sun Chen gradually began to feel the strain.
At that crucial moment, Lin Yuyao suddenly pulled a signal flare from her robes and launched it into the sky.
Before long, a squad of elite guards rushed to the scene. As it turned out, to be safe, Lin Yuyao had arranged for guards to follow and protect her in secret before leaving home.
With the arrival of the guards, the tide turned instantly. The gang members were utterly routed, and their leader was captured.
"Young master, we owe this entirely to you," Lin Yuyao said gratefully.
Sun Chen wiped the sweat from his brow. "As long as you are unharmed, miss."
Following this incident, the bond between Sun Chen and Lin Yuyao grew even closer. Lin Yuyao invited Sun Chen to accompany her to the Imperial Capital, and he readily agreed.
In the Imperial Capital, Sun Chen witnessed a much broader world and far more complex factions, while his romance with Lin Yuyao continued to heat up.
Meanwhile, having learned of Sun Chen's presence in the Imperial Capital, Sun Tian colluded with certain underworld forces there, plotting a fresh conspiracy against Sun Chen...