Chapter 172: Martial Alliance? What is that!
Several people were standing outside the villa.
Guan Jiaojiao had a furious expression. She was shouting something, her face flushed red with anger. Guan Chengye’s expression was just as grim, his eyes holding a heavy look.
In the courtyard stood a young man with an arrogant demeanor. With his hands clasped behind his back and his chin tilted high, he exuded an air of haughtiness, looking down on everyone. Behind him were two companions—middle-aged men who looked like bodyguards, but not quite.
The young man said coldly, "If that Lin Mu doesn’t show his face, I’ll tear this place down!"
He scoffed. "With my status in the Martial Alliance, I refuse to believe he’d dare to do a thing!"
Just as Guan Jiaojiao was about to say something, a cold voice suddenly interjected.
"The Martial Alliance? Is it that impressive?"
Everyone turned to see Lin Mu standing on the steps, looking at them with an indifferent expression.
"Lin Mu!"
Seeing Lin Mu brought a flash of joy to Guan Jiaojiao’s face, which was quickly replaced by worry. Guan Chengye, for his part, looked as though he wanted to speak but held his tongue.
The young man glanced sideways at Lin Mu. "So, you’re that Vermilion Bird of the Three Rivers Area, Lin Mu?"
Vermilion Bird?
This was a profound insult to Lin Mu. The youth thought very highly of himself and had insulted Lin Mu right from the start, intending to put him in his place.
"Young man, watch your tone!" Guan Chengye’s face darkened, his gaze turning hostile.
However, the youth looked completely indifferent. One of the men behind him stepped forward, his powerful aura flaring to intimidate Guan Chengye. The man’s presence was powerful; he was a Martial Artist who had achieved Internal Energy Mastery.
"What? You want to make a move against me?" the youth asked, looking at Guan Chengye with disdain. "You should recognize your own station. You may be the guardian of River City, but don’t forget that the Martial Alliance also falls under the jurisdiction of the Military Department."
Guan Chengye’s expression shifted, but he ultimately just let out a cold snort.
The youth then turned back to Lin Mu, sizing him up before commanding, "Lin Mu, the Martial Alliance summons you for questioning. Come with us."
After speaking, he produced a purple token and flashed it before them.
The Martial Alliance Command!
The Martial Alliance Command could command all Martial Artists under heaven. Those who saw it were required to kneel!
However, Lin Mu didn’t kneel.
The youth’s face turned cold as he bellowed, "How presumptuous! Who gave you the courage to see the Martial Alliance Command and not kneel?"
Lin Mu finally spoke. "What is this Martial Alliance? You expect *me* to kneel?" His voice was cold and devoid of emotion.
"Daring to disregard the Martial Alliance is courting death!" the youth roared in fury. He turned to the two men behind him. "Elder Chen, Elder Zhou, if you please."
The two Martial Alliance Elders stepped forward in unison, their eyes locked on Lin Mu.
"Boy, seeing the Martial Alliance Command and not kneeling will bring you a world of pain."
As soon as the words were spoken, Elder Chen unleashed his aura, sending it sweeping toward Lin Mu in a suppressive wave. He actually intended to use his imposing presence to force Lin Mu to his knees.
However, Lin Mu remained completely unfazed.
Elder Chen’s expression flickered as he pushed his aura even further. And yet, Lin Mu simply stood on the steps above, looking down on him with a mocking gaze.
"Insolent fool!" Elder Zhou shouted coldly, his clothes billowing as a formidable aura erupted from him.
Guan Jiaojiao and Guan Chengye’s faces paled, and they both retreated. The aura was incredibly powerful. With both men acting together, even the aftershocks that washed over them made their blood churn and their hearts pound with fear.
What kind of pressure, then, was Lin Mu, who faced it head-on, enduring?
But Lin Mu’s expression didn’t change in the slightest. On the contrary, he slowly took a step forward.
BOOM!
As his foot landed, a dull thud echoed out of thin air.
The two Martial Alliance Elders grunted in unison and staggered back several steps, staring at Lin Mu in utter shock.
"You..."
Lin Mu took another step. The two men’s faces turned deathly pale, and their knees buckled. With a THUD, they collapsed to the ground. An invisible pressure radiated from Lin Mu, pressing down on their shoulders with a weight they simply could not bear.
"You are not the first to act so arrogantly before me."
With each step Lin Mu took, the Elders’ faces grew paler. Their gazes were now filled with profound shock.
"But every single one has paid the price for their ignorance and audacity!"
Taking one more step, Lin Mu stood just three paces away from them.
BOOM!
A vast, ethereal aura erupted from Lin Mu like a volcano, crashing down on the two men as if the very sky were falling.
PFT!
The two could no longer hold out. They each coughed up a mouthful of blood, their auras instantly weakening.
"A Martial Arts Grandmaster!"
They exchanged a glance, and each saw sheer, abject terror in the other’s eyes.
"Master, spare our lives!"
All traces of disdain and mockery had vanished, replaced by looks of bitter despair as they kowtowed to Lin Mu.
A Martial Arts Grandmaster could see the Martial Alliance Command and not kneel. But disrespecting a Grandmaster was an offense punishable by death!
At that moment, the two elders were filled with both dread and resentment. They dreaded that Lin Mu would punish them, and they resented the youth for his blinding arrogance.
"Spare you?" Lin Mu’s eyes narrowed, his voice dangerously low. "If I were not a Grandmaster, would you be acting this way?"
The two men’s expressions fell, knowing that Lin Mu had no intention of letting them off so easily.
"Master Lin, this was our mistake. I, Chen Yong, apologize to you. I hope..."
BANG!
Before he could finish, an invisible force sent him flying.
"Lin Mu, you mustn’t—"
The other, Elder Zhou, cried out in alarm, but he too was sent flying before he could finish.
Their bodies slammed against the villa’s wall. Crying out, they spit up more blood, their faces ashen and their appearances wretched.
"If apologies were useful, then this Grandmaster title would be worthless."
With that, Lin Mu turned his gaze to the youth, whose legs had long been trembling and whose face was a mask of terror.
"What was that you said? Say it again."
His words were calm, but to the youth, they boomed like thunder.
"I... I..." The young man’s voice trembled as he forced a smile that was uglier than a grimace. "Master... Master Lin, it was all a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding?" A corner of Lin Mu’s mouth curled up. "I don’t think it was a misunderstanding at all."
THUD!
The youth could no longer stay on his feet. His legs gave out and he collapsed to his knees, crying, "Master Lin, I was wrong! I’m just a messenger! Please don’t make things difficult for me!"
SLAP!
Lin Mu’s hand flashed out, striking the youth across the face.
"Ah!"
The young man screamed as he flew through the air. A spray of blood and teeth flew from his mouth before he slammed onto the ground with a heavy THUD. He lay there like a dead pig, unable to even crawl.
"If you’re just a messenger, then you should have known your place," Lin Mu said, clasping his hands behind his back and looking down coldly at the three. "At the very least, you are not qualified to speak to me."
The young man struggled to his feet, glaring at Lin Mu with a mixture of resentment and fear.
"Make the call. Tell your steward to come see me," Lin Mu said, his tone flat. "Of course, I could pay him a visit myself... but then, he’ll have to face the consequences."