Chapter 48: Strength is the Rule

"Law Enforcement Elder, you are going too far! The battle between the Fifth Elder and Chu Fengmian was decided right in front of everyone," the Third Elder couldn't help but interject from the side.

"Furthermore, the Fourth Elder's recent interference with the Life-and-Death Stage already violated the family rules. Law Enforcement Elder, we are all members of the Lin Clan; we should treat everyone equally."

"Lin Yan, enough! The two Elders are the foundation of our Lin Clan. We absolutely cannot allow them to die in the hands of this brat for nothing!" The Law Enforcement Elder's gaze turned cold as he looked toward Chu Fengmian.

"Chu Fengmian, this is your final chance. Hand over the Haofeng Spear and withdraw. You are still the Great Steward of the Lin Clan's Outer Estate. Otherwise, I shall cleanse the clan's ranks today!"

"Lin Shi, how dare you!" the Third Elder, Lin Yan, roared in fury.

"Uncle Lin, don't say any more," Chu Fengmian said calmly, stopping the Third Elder before he could continue.

He turned his head to look at the Law Enforcement Elder, his eyes flashing with a hint of coldness. "Lin Shi, isn't what you call 'rules' simply a matter of strength?"

"Correct," the Law Enforcement Elder responded coldly.

Rules were nothing more than an excuse. In reality, he was only speaking up because he relied on the fact that his strength was superior to Chu Fengmian's to pressure him. Now that they had completely dropped the facade, he no longer felt the need to hold back.

"Chu Fengmian, if you obediently withdraw now and hand over the Haofeng Spear, you might avoid some physical suffering," the Law Enforcement Elder said arrogantly.

His cultivation had reached the eighth level of the Body Tempering Realm, making him one of the top experts in the Lin Clan—a full seven levels higher than Chu Fengmian. Even though Chu Fengmian had been capable of defeating the Fourth and Fifth Elders, the Law Enforcement Elder did not take him seriously in the slightest.

"Fine. Since we are speaking in terms of strength, then let strength decide it," Chu Fengmian said, his eyes filled with killing intent as he spoke word by word to the Law Enforcement Elder. "Lin Shi, do you dare to step onto the Life-and-Death Stage!"

Standing on the stage, Chu Fengmian stared fixedly at the Law Enforcement Elder.

"Arrogant!"

The words escaped the lips of many Lin Clan disciples subconsciously. It was indeed arrogant! Who was Lin Shi? He was the Law Enforcement Elder of the Lin Clan. To hold such a position, one had to be one of the clan's top experts. Among the current elders of the Lin Clan, he likely ranked second, surpassed only by the Great Elder who had been in seclusion for a long time. A figure at the eighth level of the Body Tempering Realm was considered a powerhouse even within the thirteen surrounding cities. And now, Chu Fengmian was actually challenging him.

"You want to challenge me?" A chill entered the Law Enforcement Elder's eyes as he looked at Chu Fengmian. He had never imagined that a mere disciple would dare to challenge him.

"Lin Shi, kill this brat!"

"This boy is too arrogant; leaving him in the Lin Clan will only bring disaster! The Chu family members are all a plague upon our clan!" the Fourth and Fifth Elders shouted from the ground, their faces flushed with rage. Their bones had been crushed by Chu Fengmian, leaving them unable to move, forced to rely solely on their voices.

"You two useless wastes, you couldn't even withstand a single move from me, yet you dare to speak?" Chu Fengmian glanced at the Fourth Elder lying on the ground and kicked out at him.

"Stop!"

A figure suddenly rushed onto the stage to block Chu Fengmian, but Chu Fengmian's movement was faster. In an instant, he bypassed the figure and stepped firmly onto the Fourth Elder's chest. Immediately, a spray of blood erupted from the man's mouth; the kick had nearly caused his internal organs to churn.

"I'll leave you alive for now, but remember: a waste has no right to speak," Chu Fengmian said coldly to the Fourth Elder. This was a warning; if the man continued to babble, it would be the end of him.

"Chu Fengmian, do you truly wish to make an enemy of the Lin Clan!" Seeing Chu Fengmian's actions, the veins on the Law Enforcement Elder's body bulged. He was furious. Right before his eyes, Chu Fengmian had stepped on the Fourth Elder, showing that he didn't respect the Law Enforcement Elder at all.

"Junior, I will give you half an hour to rest and recover your spiritual energy. I have no interest in taking advantage of you while you are weak," the Law Enforcement Elder said arrogantly.

Chu Fengmian had just fought the Fourth and Fifth Elders and had naturally consumed some spiritual energy. While recovering after battle was necessary for ordinary martial artists, it meant nothing to the current Chu Fengmian. Having opened his Divine Veins, his spiritual energy recovered almost constantly. The energy he had just spent had already replenished itself; he was currently in peak condition.

"No need. If you want to fight, then come," Chu Fengmian said, glancing at the Law Enforcement Elder.

"You!" Killing intent surged in the Law Enforcement Elder's eyes.

"What an ignorant brat! Do you truly think that because you've had a few fortuitous encounters, you are invincible? Today, I shall show you what it means to be a frog in a well! With your meager strength, you dare to act insolently in the Lin Clan!"

Before his voice had even faded, the Law Enforcement Elder moved. In an instant, he lunged toward Chu Fengmian and threw a punch. From their previous exchange, the Law Enforcement Elder had realized that Chu Fengmian's movement speed and explosive power were astonishing, even surpassing some martial artists at the fourth or fifth level of the Body Tempering Realm. Therefore, rather than letting Chu Fengmian strike first, he chose to use overwhelming force to suppress him.

*Bang! Bang!*

He rained down punches on Chu Fengmian one after another. The Law Enforcement Elder did not practice with weapons, but with bare-handed fist winds. His fists were strong enough to shatter refined steel, earning him the title of "Iron Fist." The sheer power of each strike forced Chu Fengmian into a purely defensive stance, unable to counterattack.

"Haha, Chu Fengmian is far too arrogant! A mere first-level Body Tempering practitioner dares to challenge the Law Enforcement Elder. Now, he likely won't even get a chance to fight back!" Lin Ye laughed loudly from the sidelines. Chu Fengmian's initial rise to fame had startled him, but seeing the Law Enforcement Elder suppress him, he was the first to jump in to mock him.

"Young Master, it seems there is no need to trouble you. The Law Enforcement Elder will settle this brat today," Lin Chengyun, the Young Master of the Lin Clan, said with a mocking smile. "Indeed. If the boy had bowed his head earlier, I wouldn't have been able to do much to him. He would have certainly become a major threat to me later."

"A pity. This boy is simply too arrogant, provoking the Law Enforcement Elder. It seems today is his day of death."

"Once he is dead, who in the entire Lin Clan will dare to disobey me!"