Chapter 28: Challenging the Hall

“Uncle, that's exactly what Granduncle said...”
Yu Haitao stood before a middle-aged man.
This man was Yu Xingzheng's father, and Yu Haitao's paternal uncle.
Strictly speaking, the Four Symbols Sect Master Gao Yi was Yu Xingzheng’s maternal uncle, but not Yu Haitao’s. Gao Yi was closer to the branch of Yu Xingzheng and his father, while the other branches were more distantly related.
Yu Haitao’s parents had passed away early, and it was thanks to this uncle that he was able to enter the Four Symbols Sect.
So, although Yu Haitao’s talent was superior, it was Yu Xingzheng who received Gao Yi’s favor.
As for Gao Yi’s empty words about treating all of them as his grandsons, Yu Haitao had never believed them.
The middle-aged man laughed bitterly out of rage:
“My son is dead, and the old man still wants to apologize and send gifts? Not a shred of backbone—no wonder he’s so old and still can’t break through to Grandmaster!”
He spoke through gritted teeth, his anger at its peak.
Yu Haitao’s expression was icy: “So uncle means…”
...
Meanwhile, at this very moment.
No one could have guessed that after the Demon-Slaying Conference, Chen Fan had quietly returned home to Feiling County.
With him were his senior disciple brother Fan Zhong and third senior sister Yun Wei.
They had deliberately kept their journey discreet; few knew of it.
The reason the two seniors came was to obey their master’s orders and help Chen Fan resolve any aftermath.
It was no secret that Chen Fan had killed Yu Xingzheng before the Demon-Slaying Conference.
Though the two had agreed to a deathmatch, such a duel could not erase the hatred of others. Once someone died, it was far from a simple matter.
In Yandu City, no one dared to trouble Chen Fan in his own martial hall, but his family was another matter.
Chen Fan knew well how perilous the martial world was, so he immediately informed his master. Dong Guzhi, experienced in the ways of the world, promptly sent Fan Zhong and Yun Wei to ensure any threats to his disciple were eliminated before they could grow.
Inside the room, Yun Wei sat on the bed, watching Chen Fan and Fan Zhong at the table.
“In my opinion, a small county martial hall wouldn’t risk offending you for the sake of a useless disciple... We should just take your family and return to Yandu City.”
Fan Zhong shook his head: “The fuse has been lit; it will explode sooner or later. Better to bring it out in the open and resolve everything now, so there’ll be no worries left behind!”
Yun Wei stuck out her tongue, snorted softly, “Whatever senior brother says, I suppose.”
Though both were fifth-level martial artists, the gap in strength was considerable.
Yun Wei had only recently broken through, while Fan Zhong was close to forming his internal cycle. His talent was formidable, and with true martial skills, he could fight above his level!
Their backgrounds were different, and so were their approaches to problems.
Chen Fan, meanwhile, was silent, harboring his own thoughts.
...
As they chatted idly, a knock came at the door not long after.
His sister-in-law went to open it.
Two men entered, carrying a variety of gift boxes.
“We are disciples of the Four Symbols Sect. These items are sent by our sect master for Chen Fan’s family! There’s been friction between us and Chen Fan, so these are apology gifts.”
The two did not linger and soon departed.
Chen Fan and his companions stepped outside, surveying the array of gifts at the door, each with a different expression.
The gifts were mostly health supplements, not of much use to martial artists, but their value wasn’t insignificant—altogether worth several dozen taels of silver!
Clearly, Sect Master Gao Yi had shown considerable sincerity.
Chen Fan shook his head: “It seems that, though Yu Xingzheng was foolish, there are clever people in the Four Symbols Sect.”
Yun Wei looked smug: “I told you, not everyone dares to offend you, let alone target your family.”
Fan Zhong was speechless, finally saying, “Let’s set out early tomorrow and take your family back to Yandu City!”
Judging by the Four Symbols Sect’s actions, they were indeed conceding.
But Chen Fan’s status was no longer ordinary; others, friends or foes of his master, might target him.
His two female relatives definitely could not remain in the county any longer.
Though his sister-in-law was reluctant to leave Feiling County, she knew the situation was unusual.

Chen Fan was no longer the ordinary youth he once was; those he offended were no longer ordinary either.
That night.
His senior sister stayed in the guest room, while Chen Fan gave his regular room to his senior brother.
He himself made do in his own training room.
...
Around midnight, he suddenly sat up from his bedding.
He heard something in his ear.
He rushed out of the room.
He heard several screams.
Then several figures flew past him.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
They slammed into the walls, rebounding onto the floor.
Chen Fan turned in surprise, and saw on the other side,
Fan Zhong emerging from the darkness, clapping his hands.
“Three fake martial artists—trash!”
Chen Fan’s brow furrowed.
Yun Wei came out as well, her brows knitted: “Someone actually dared to cause trouble…”
Chen Fan immediately went to check the three men.
All were dressed in black and masked—appearing in Chen Fan’s house in the middle of the night, clearly not as guests.
They were injured but not dead—his senior brother had clearly held back.
Chen Fan searched them thoroughly but found nothing to indicate their identities.
“How interesting. The Four Symbols Sect sent apology gifts by day, and at night there’s a raid—are they playing the old ‘first courtesy, then force’ game?”
Chen Fan shook his head, taking the three men captive. “Let me interrogate them…”
He applied harsh methods, but got nothing substantial.
These were not members of the ‘Black Alliance’.
He was unaware of his own current status as a grandmaster’s disciple.
A county-level organization like the Black Alliance would never risk offending someone important, nor would they target someone like him!
But these men were just hired hands, communicating only by letter, with no way to trace their employer.
Their task was simply to seize Chen Fan’s relatives, take them to a designated place—so long as they weren’t dead, nothing else mattered...
Chen Fan frowned, anxiety gnawing at him: “Should we disguise ourselves and lie in wait at that place?”
Fan Zhong shook his head: “No need for such trouble. We’ll go straight to the Four Symbols Sect.”
Chen Fan was startled: “But we have no evidence this is connected to the Four Symbols Sect…”
Fan Zhong shook his head again: “Whether we have evidence doesn’t matter!”
Chen Fan was again surprised.
...
Dawn had not yet broken.
Fan Zhong, carrying his long blade, led Chen Fan to the Four Symbols Sect.
There were only a few martial halls in the county; Chen Fan knew their locations well.
Senior sister Yun Wei stayed behind to watch over Chen Xi and her mother.
“Is this the place?”
Fan Zhong frowned at the martial hall before them.
Its doors were tightly shut—the hall had not yet opened for the day.
Chen Fan nodded.
The doors were metal, secured with a massive iron chain.
Fan Zhong planted his feet, leapt suddenly, and kicked the iron doors with tremendous force.

Boom!!
His kick was like a giant hammer, shattering the doors—pieces flew everywhere, crashing loudly onto the ground!
It was as if thunder had struck, awe-inspiring.
Chen Fan felt the earth tremble, as though an earthquake had occurred.
Clack!
Fan Zhong landed, turned to Chen Fan: “Follow me.”
Chen Fan swallowed hard, amazed by his senior brother’s dominance.
He had thought they would sneak in, but never imagined such directness.
Such a commotion was sure to alert those inside.
Chen Fan followed him through the main entrance. Fan Zhong paused inside, gaze lingering on the large plaque overhead, inscribed with the Four Symbols Sect’s name.
Thump, thump, thump!
Within moments, people began to arrive!
They were tall, armed, with fierce looks: “Who dares trespass in the Four Symbols Sect?”
The Four Symbols Sect lived up to its name—more a sect than a simple martial hall.
Its disciples looked formidable and aggressive.
Chen Fan narrowed his eyes, scanning them, his fists quietly clenched, ready to strike.
Fan Zhong swung his arm, drawing his long blade from his back.
Crack!
He then stood his ground, and with a swift motion, swung his blade!
Snap, snap!
Chen Fan barely saw the flash—the blade moved, and the enormous plaque above split in two, crashing to the floor.
Dust whirled through the vast hall.
Fan Zhong stepped onto the broken plaque, blade in hand, calmly uttered two words: “Challenge hall!”
The tall man who had spoken earlier blanched: “True energy projection—you’ve mastered the Meridian Stage? When did Feiling County gain such a young master?”
Once all meridians are open, one can project true energy externally, greatly increasing martial power!
Fan Zhong was not only at the Meridian Stage, but nearly fifth-level, with bones fully tempered. His talent, though not equal to Li Linliu, was extraordinary, his foundation solid, stronger than Feng Yuancheng.
He was a hair’s breadth from the sixth level.
Fan Zhong sneered, blade flashing downward.
Whoosh!
Though dawn had not yet arrived, the sight was dazzling.
The blade moved like a dragon!
With a single stroke—
Clang, clang, clang!
Seven or eight figures’ weapons snapped in two.
They all spat blood, flying backward!
“What technique is this? What blade art?”
Chen Fan marveled inwardly.
This move was fiercer than ten or twenty others combined—its effect overwhelming!
Fan Zhong narrowed his eyes: “Weak, far too weak!”
Those men struggled to rise, realizing the gap in strength; none dared attack again.
They watched Fan Zhong warily from a distance, threatening: “You dare challenge our hall—just wait, soon a master will deal with you!”
Fan Zhong stood, blade in hand, face cold: “If you’re not fifth-level, don’t come courting death.”