Chapter 40 - Rumors

Lin Feng stood up and moved towards a dining table surrounded by the group talking. Their expression immediately changed when they saw him approach. 


After all, Lin Feng hadn't behaved in a friendly manner towards the girls who tried to join him. He had offended Na Lan Feng who was idolized by everyone.

"Is there a problem?" asked one of the guests in an unfriendly tone way while staring daggers at Lin Feng.

Lin Feng took out two silver coins and threw them on the table. He smiled and said: "May I take a seat with you?"

"You can. Of course, you can." The expression of the people on the table immediately changed. They had quickly become friendly and cheerful to have Lin Feng join them. In the Nine Clouds Continent the currencies consisted of precious stones alongside gold, silver and bronze coins. Extremely rich families had precious stones but they still needed silver and gold coins for daily expenses. 
Considering that a cultivator had lots of expenses, nobody would refuse silver or gold coins that were easily available. 
They quickly made room and prepared a chair for Lin Feng to sit and asked him: "Brother, what do you need help with?"

"Eh, it may sound a bit weird, Na Lan Feng and some other outstanding cultivators have gathered together, what are they doing exactly?" asked Lin Feng.

"Brother, this is something everybody knows. The senior cultivators of the City are preparing for the annual meeting in Yangzhou City. Na Lan Feng invited a few people to come so that she could pass on some information to the most outstanding young clan members and explain what her clan wishes to gain from the tournament. Of course, Na Lan Feng has other things in mind…"

That person stopped talking in order to keep Lin Feng in suspense: "As everybody knows, every year, the clan in control of Yangzhou City organizes a tournament to which a myriad of young cultivators participate and engage in battles. This year is no exception. Na Lan Feng is a representative figure in the clan of the city master. She invited all these outstanding disciples to explain them a few things but also… to get information on her enemies."
Lin Feng laughed at the information. The Yangzhou City tournament was obviously no secret. He had come back to Yangzhou City precisely because the tournament was about to take place. This is why he hadn't returned to the Yun Hai Sect and decided to stay longer in Yangzhou City.

"I heard that the meeting was going to be different from the past ones. I heard that they were going to invite outstanding disciples from clans which are not established in Yangzhou City. I don't know if it's true or if it is just a rumor?" Lin Feng continued to ask.

"That's right. There is indeed such a thing. Qiu Lan is very famous in Yangzhou City. The master of the City wanted her to gather all these people for that reason. All of the outstanding disciples who want to join the Yangzhou City tournament will need to meet with Qiu Lan."

"I understand. Thank you so much for all of the information. It has helped me greatly." said Lin Feng politely. He had already learnt everything he wanted to know. 
Lin Feng hurried to finish his alcohol and his pickles. The atmosphere of the restaurant had become too noisy for him and was giving him a headache.

"Na Lan Feng, is that the boy over there, who surprisingly dared to talk to you in a disrespectful way, we should go and cripple him." said a voice in an evil tone which suddenly made everyone in the restaurant go silent. Right after that, everybody saw people standing on the stairs leading to the first floor. Two silhouettes were slowly moving down. It was the girl wearing light green robes who had just accompanied Na Lan Feng as well as Na Lan Hai who had just went upstairs.

"That young boy is out of luck." The crowd couldn't help but look at Lin Feng. They all felt sorry for the fate which was about to befall Lin Feng.

"That guy acted too recklessly. He caused unwanted trouble. I hope he can fix his mistakes. You must be careful who you offend as the world is vast and there are many hidden dragons that you cannot offend."

Everybody in the restaurant was whispering while looking at Lin Feng. These were going to be his last moments for having offended Na Lan Feng. Asking for forgiveness wouldn't give him any mercy.

However, Lin Feng hadn't noticed everybody's reaction. He had a headache and was too tired to think. He had drunk alcohol and couldn't see other people's faces clearly, he was actually quite drunk.

"Argh, he should die for his insults." Na Lan Hai was grinning and his expression looked ice cold. He was slowly walking towards Lin Feng.

"You have too much self confidence, daring to act so indifferently." said Na Lan Hai who had arrived next to Lin Feng while looking down at him. "You offended Na Lan Feng, the princess, prepare to bear the consequences."

"Why are you wasting time with words? Just cripple his cultivation, immediately." said the young girl in light green robes impatiently.

"Hehe, alright." replied Na Lan Hai moving his fan. That fan made him look smart and elegant but it was also as sharp as a blade.

Lin Feng finally sobered up slightly on seeing this. He evilly glanced at Na Lan Hai. His cold expression made Na Lan Hai shiver. It was Lin Feng, indeed, it was him.

The force abruptly vanished. Na Lan Hai hadn't expected that the one who had offended Na Lan Feng would be the person at the focus of all the rumors: Lin Feng.

Na Lan Hai obviously knew all these rumors were not true. Not so long before, he had witnessed Lin Feng's strength with his own eyes in the Whistle Wind Restaurant. Not only was he strong but he was also ruthless and showed no mercy to those who offended him, not caring about their background. Maybe strong and ruthless were not the right words, it was more like he was actually a monster in human form, he wasn't strong or ruthless, it was just his nature to overpower and kill weaker animals.

Na Lan Hai had also heard that Lin Feng's father had been expelled from the Lin Clan. However, he hadn't heard that it was because Lin Ba Dao was extremely strong but because it had required the Honorable Elder to stop him from exterminating the clan. He had also heard that Lin Feng made a shocking display of power and it had required an elder and two disciples of the Ling Qi Layer to stop him.

"Get lost." said Lin Feng in an ice cold tone which sent shivers down Na Lan Hai's spine. Lin Feng was exactly as he had imagined, he was terrifying. Lin Feng's words cut him like a knife and the thought of angering Lin Feng had made Na Lan Hai take a step back.

"Na Lan Hai, Are you not attacking yet?" said the young girl wearing light green robes seeing that Na Lan Hai hadn't crippled Lin Feng's cultivation yet and had instead stepped back. She couldn't help but be furious at the events. 
Not only did it seem that Na Lan Hai hadn't heard what she was saying but he had also turned around and said: "Let's leave, quickly!" While saying these words, he immediately started to leave.

"Is it Na Lan Feng who asked you to come?" asked Lin Feng in a cold and detached tone which made Na Lan Hai slow down in his retreat. He didn't reply. He continued to walk and pulled the young girl wearing light green robes as a sign that he wanted her to leave as well. 
Lin Feng smiled inside. It was very clear to Lin Feng at that moment what had happened. Those people who thought so highly of themselves, once finding out his identity, they didn't dare attack. Even if they still looked dominant, were they still talking with the same arrogant tone as before? 
Lin Feng hurried to drain his cup in one gulp and stood up. He then put on his black rain cape and a straw hat then immediately left. The entire crowd had only looked at his figure as he confidently walked out unharmed.

The crowd in the Whistle Wind Restaurant looked at that strange young man. They had so many questions they wanted to ask him.

"Who is that young man who made the arrogant Na Lan Hai retreat and look scared?" asked people in the crowd. They had thought Lin Feng would die. They hadn't expected that his opponent would cower upon the sight of him. Na Lan Hai's expression when looking at Lin Feng had obviously been one of complete terror. His actions showed that he did not dare provoke that young boy.

"Na Lan Hai, what was that?" asked the girl in light green robes while furiously shaking Na Lan Hai's hand off of her.

"That was Lin Feng." replied Na Lan Hai.

"The piece of trash of the Lin Clan?"

"Lu Er, what piece of trash of the Lin Clan? Do you believe all these lies? Do you really believe he was expelled from the Lin Clan for being weak? According to what we know from our clan reports, Lin Feng made Lin Wu crawl down on the ground like a worm. He had almost killed Lin Hong, who has broken through to the Ling Qi layer. Lin Qian interrupted the fight and with both their powers they could not stop Lin Feng's attack. If it wasn't for an Elder who interrupted the fight, Lin Hong would have already taken his last breath."

"What? Are you saying that he was able to defeat Lin Hong who has broken through to the Ling Qi layer? How is that even possible? You must be mistaken" said the young girl.

"Everything I'm telling you is absolutely true. If you don't believe me, wait a moment, we can ask the young Miss." said Na Lan Hai with a wry smile on his face. Before seeing Lin Feng at the Whistle Wind restaurant the last time, he would have also thought that those were all fake rumors about Lin Feng, that he was only a piece of trash, the disgrace and shame of the Lin Clan. He would have thought the rumors were spread by the other clans to cause the Lin Clan to lose face. However, he had eventually found out that those rumors were voluntarily spread by some Lin Clan members who had witnessed the events. It was clear that Lin Ba Dao had spread counter rumors to achieve his own goals. 
 Lin Hai had also been wrong about his son. He did not know that Lin Feng wasn't the same weak willed and cowardly person that he was before. 
Lin Feng walked out of the Whistle Wind Restaurant and jumped onto Qian Li Xue, He didn't travel very far from the restaurant. He went to an inn which was near the Whistle Wind Restaurant. He went to an inn because he couldn't go back to the Lin Clan and had nowhere else he could stay. There was no other place to stay in Yangzhou City other than an inn.

He immediately selected one of the best rooms: spacious and quiet. So that nobody would disturb him. He sat down and immediately started to meditate. He could feel a hunger within his body after suffering that near fatal wound. It was as if his body was yearning for more power and the strength to rule over all. He only needed more power and then no one could treat him the way they had treated him and his father. With their own strength, Lin Feng and Lin Hai would make their own reputation and crush those who had belittled them in the past.

One day, Lin Feng would make the Lin Clan members regret the treatment they had given him and his father at the annual meeting. Lin Feng would make the Lin Clan regret from the bottom of their hearts, he would make them wish they could change their actions. With his own strength he would have his revenge and that day, was not that far in the future.