bookbashuk Chapter 123 Former subordinates retaliate by kidnapping trainees!
Chapter 123 Former subordinates retaliate by kidnapping trainees!
On the third floor of the Jiangzhou University gymnasium, shouts of battle filled the air.
Thousands of martial arts association students, dressed in uniform white training clothes, stood in neat square formations, practicing Bajiquan following Lu Jingchen's commands. Their punches were powerful and their kicks were swift and forceful, a far cry from the group of novices who couldn't even stand firmly in a horse stance just a few months ago.
Ma Xiaodong, carrying a small notebook, strolled back and forth in the line, pretending to give pointers: "Hey, you there, when you throw a punch, you need to extend your waist! Bajiquan is all about 'shaking the shoulders to knock down the sky, stomping your feet to shake the nine provinces,' yours is so soft and weak, it's like a tickle!"
"And you! Stand firm in your horse stance! Stop wobbling around like a roly-poly toy! One more wobble and you're out of a job doing an hour of horse stance!"
Shi Lei sidled up to Lu Jingchen, a smug look on his face, and said, "Big brother, look how fast our trainees are improving! In another six months, not only in Jiangzhou, but in the entire Jiangnan Province, no one will be our match!"
Lu Jingchen nodded, looking at the students practicing diligently, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes: "Hmm, the foundation is good, but they lack practical experience. In a couple of days, I'll organize a provincial university martial arts exchange competition so they can go out and practice."
Just then, Lu Jingchen's phone rang. It was Lin Zhengxiong calling, his voice tinged with panic: "Master Lu! Something terrible has happened!"
Lu Jingchen frowned: "Chairman Lin, don't panic, tell me slowly, what happened?"
"The Genting Hotel was just attacked! More than a dozen men in black stormed in, smashed the lobby, and injured several security guards! They left a message saying you have three days to go to Kunlun Mountain to apologize, or they'll bomb the Genting Hotel!"
Lin Zhengxiong, panting, continued, "And... there are three more members of the martial arts association who were just kidnapped at the school gate! They left a note that read, 'A blood debt must be paid in blood!'"
"What?!"
Lu Jingchen's eyes instantly turned cold. Ma Xiaodong and Shi Lei, who were standing nearby, also heard this and immediately erupted in anger:
"Which blind fool dares to mess with our martial arts association members! They're asking for trouble!"
"Big brother! We have to go save them right now! We must tear those bastards to pieces!"
Su Muyue quickly walked to Lu Jingchen's side, her expression grave, and said, "It must be the remnants of the old Xuanmen. When we disbanded the Xuanmen last time, several elders fled with dozens of people, and we haven't been able to find them since. I didn't expect them to dare to come back for revenge."
"That's right." Lu Jingchen nodded. "They didn't dare to come directly to me, so they targeted the people around me. How despicable."
He took out his phone and opened a location tracking app. It turned out he had anticipated this day would come, and had equipped every core member of the martial arts association with a badge featuring location tracking.
"Found them. They're in an abandoned factory on the outskirts of the city." Lu Jingchen put away his phone, his eyes cold. "Mu Yue, you stay here and protect the other trainees. Ma Xiaodong, Shi Lei, you two come with me."
"Yes, brother!"
The three drove straight to an abandoned factory on the outskirts of the city.
The factory was pitch black and reeked of rust. Three trainees were tied to pillars, their mouths gagged, trembling with fear.
A dozen or so former members of the Xuanmen sect, dressed in black trench coats and holding long knives, stood around smoking.
The leader was a man with a scar on his face, who was none other than Elder Qinglong of the Xuanmen Sect who had escaped last time.
"Hmph, that brat Lu Jingchen probably didn't expect us to dare come back, did he?" Elder Qinglong exhaled a smoke ring and said with a sinister smile, "When he comes, we'll tear him to pieces to avenge our sect leader! Then we'll blow up the Cloud Top Hotel and make the entire Jiangzhou pay for our deaths!"
"Elder is wise! That brat Lu Jingchen must have thought we'd already run away, and he won't be on guard at all! We're sure to succeed this time!"
"Yeah?"
A cold voice suddenly came from the factory gate.
Lu Jingchen led Ma Xiaodong and Shi Lei in slowly. Moonlight streamed through the broken window, casting a cold shadow on his face.
"Lu Jingchen! You really came!" Elder Qinglong's expression changed, then he grinned maliciously, "Perfect timing! Today is your death day! Brothers, charge! Kill him!"
A dozen or so former members of the Xuanmen sect roared and charged forward at the same time, their long swords gleaming coldly in the moonlight.
"act recklessly."
Lu Jingchen snorted coldly, and in a flash, he rushed into the crowd.
His movements were as fast as lightning, and every punch and kick carried immense force.
"Ah! Ah! Ah!"
Screams echoed throughout the room.
Within seconds, more than a dozen former members of the Xuanmen sect collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Throughout the entire process, Ma Xiaodong and Shi Lei didn't even have time to make a move.
Elder Qinglong turned pale with fright and turned to run away.
"Trying to run? Too late."
Lu Jingchen flashed and appeared in front of him instantly, grabbing his neck and lifting him up.
"Speak! Who sent you back? How many of you are there?"
"I... I won't tell you!" Elder Qinglong stubbornly retorted, "Our Dark Pavilion Master will not let you go! You will die at the Dark Pavilion Master's hands sooner or later!"
"The Dark Pavilion?" Lu Jingchen frowned. "What is the Dark Pavilion?"
"Hmph, you don't even know about the Dark Pavilion? You're truly ignorant." Elder Qinglong's face revealed a smug glint. "The Dark Pavilion is the most powerful and mysterious organization in the world. Even our sect leader was just an outer member back then. By destroying the Xuanmen, you've gone against the Dark Pavilion. The Dark Pavilion's leader will soon come to deal with you personally. Then, you and everyone around you will die!"
Lu Jingchen's eyes grew even colder. He hadn't expected that there was an even larger organization behind the Xuanmen.
"Where is the Dark Pavilion? What do they want?"
"I... I can't say..." Elder Qinglong was about to retort when Lu Jingchen tightened his grip slightly.
"Uh..." Elder Qinglong's face instantly turned purple, and he struggled to breathe. "I'll talk... I'll talk... The Dark Pavilion's headquarters are in Europe... They want the ancient inheritance in the Dragon's Lair... Not just Kunlun Mountain, there are seven more in the world... They've already found three..."
"Seven more dragon lairs?" Lu Jingchen was startled. He had always thought that there was only one dragon lair in Kunlun Mountain, but he didn't expect there to be seven more.
"That's right..." Elder Qinglong said, panting, "The Dark Pavilion Master said that as long as you collect the inheritances of all eight dragon lairs, you can gain immortality and rule the world... The dragon lair jade pendant in your hand is the key to unlocking all the dragon lairs..."
Lu Jingchen's eyes narrowed, and he suddenly exerted force on his hand.
With a snap, Elder Qinglong's neck was broken, and he collapsed limply to the ground.
"Brother, what do we do now?" Ma Xiaodong asked worriedly. "This Dark Pavilion sounds really powerful."
Lu Jingchen released his grip, wiped the dust off his hands, and said calmly, "We'll meet force with force and water with water. No matter who they are, if they dare to mess with me, I'll make sure they never leave alive."
He walked to the pillar and untied the ropes binding the three trainees: "Don't be afraid, it's alright now, let's go home."
The three trainees were terrified, their faces turning deathly pale. Upon seeing Lu Jingchen, they immediately burst into tears: "Brother Lu! Thank you for saving us!"
Lu Jingchen chuckled and patted them on the shoulder: "Alright, stop crying. If you encounter something like this again, call me immediately."
On the way back, the car was silent.
Looking at Lu Jingchen's solemn profile, Su Muyue gently took his hand and said, "Lu Jingchen, don't worry, no matter what happens, I will be with you."
Lu Jingchen turned to look at her and smiled, "I know. Don't worry, it's just a Dark Pavilion, it can't scare me."
He looked up at the dark night sky outside the window, his eyes becoming incredibly determined.
The Dark Pavilion.
No matter who you are.
As long as you dare to come.
I'll show you that messing with me, Lu Jingchen, is the biggest mistake you've ever made.