"That's enough."
Suddenly, just as Chen Qing's foot was about to make contact with Mu Rongxuan's face, a figure flashed past, and his attack struck nothing but air. The figure then brought Mu Rongxuan to the Mu Family's rest area. It was none other than the competition's host, Elder Yan.
"Take him away for healing. He's badly wounded. This is a Hemostatic Pill." With a flip of his hand, Elder Yan produced a red pill and handed it to Mu Xiaotian, who was supporting Mu Rongxuan, telling him to have the latter swallow it.
Mu Xiaotian took the pill and handed it to Mu Rongxuan. Since Mu Rongxuan could still move, he took the pill and swallowed it himself, then sat down in the rest area, gasping for breath.
Mu Chen had watched the entire duel. Although it ended in Mu Rongxuan's crushing defeat, his combat prowess was honestly only a sliver weaker than Wang Xihai's. Furthermore, whether intentionally or not, Chen Qing had attacked Mu Rongxuan with his full strength from the very beginning, severely suppressing him.
In the first place, Chen Qing's Cultivation was already a notch above everyone else's. Coupled with the fact that he seemed to be fighting with lethal intent, his assault was all the more ferocious, with every strike aimed at a vital point. This was what threw Mu Rongxuan into disarray, allowing Chen Qing to land several consecutive blows.
"Are you okay?"
Seeing that Mu Rongxuan had been injured for the family's sake, Mu Chen asked out of politeness. But to his surprise, Mu Rongxuan suddenly erupted, roaring, "Get lost, you waste! Are you pitying me? You've completely disgraced the Mu Family! Because of you, we're now saddled with the title 'Family of Wastes'! Who in all of Luofeng City doesn't know?! *Who?!* You... GAH!"
Mu Rongxuan's outburst was so intense it aggravated his wounds. Having just stood up, he collapsed back down again, panting for breath. His furious roar, however, had startled everyone in the plaza, as he had spoken during a rare moment of silence.
"Oh? So that's the Mu Family's waste? Heh, and a cripple at that."
"I never thought I'd see the day. That waste didn't stay cooped up at home; he actually came out. And it's one thing to come out, but to brazenly enter the family rest area? He's got some real nerve."
"Tch. He's just shameless, that's all. I wonder if all the Mu Family Members are this thick-skinned."
At this, even Chen Qing, still on the stage, sneered mockingly. "And here I was wondering who it was. So this is our infamous waste, Mu Chen, right? To call you a waste would be a compliment. Look at that arm... Huh? His eyes are closed, too. Don't tell me he's not only physically disabled, but his senses are crippled as well? Haha, what a cripple!"
"CRIPPLE! CRIPPLE! CRIPPLE!"
It was unclear who started it, but soon all the disciples from the Chen and Li Families began to chant. Even Yan Ruoshui and Tang Hao followed the crowd's line of sight to the young man being called a waste.
"'It's him?'" Another cry of surprise rang out, though this time it wasn't from Yan Ruoshui, but from Tang Hao. A sneer immediately followed. "Well, look who it is. Turns out it's that kid we saw on the street the other day. Haha."
Yan Ruoshui frowned and quietly rebuked him, "Mind your decorum. Control yourself."
In truth, Yan Ruoshui was also quite curious. She was very interested to see what this young man, labeled a cripple, would do next.
Mu Chen's expression didn't even flicker. He remained completely unfazed, the corners of his mouth lifting into a small smile as he said softly, "Heh. It's strange. Why are all of you so fixated on a waste like me?"
Mu Chen was utterly calm. Everyone was stunned silent for a moment by his words. But Mu Chen simply took two steps forward and smiled. "So what if I'm a waste? So what if I'm a cripple? I've never felt that any of you have anything I don't. You ignorant fools. I, Mu Chen, will teach you a lesson today: never underestimate anyone. Today, I have no power, no voice. You can trample on my dignity as you wish. But, you'd better remember this. One day, I, Mu Chen, will make every person who has trampled on me pay the price a hundredfold, a thousandfold, even ten thousandfold! Don't think these are just empty words. In this world... no one is a waste forever!"
With that last sentence, Mu Chen's voice suddenly became raw and hoarse. A piercing aura erupted from him, locking firmly onto everyone present.
Affected by Mu Chen's aura, for a split second, a premonition surfaced in the hearts of many—that this crippled young man before them truly might make them pay the price one day. However, the thought appeared for only an instant before they suppressed it. By the time they came to their senses again, they discovered that Mu Chen, who had been standing in the rest area, was gone.
"Heh heh, interesting." At that moment, the black-robed elder from the Xuanling Imperial Academy, who had kept his eyes closed in silence, suddenly opened them. A sharp glint flashed from his gaze. He smiled faintly before closing his eyes once more.
"Hmph. That little waste from your family may be no good at Cultivation, but he's certainly got a talent for arrogance." Li Zongtang laughed heartily, shooting a contemptuous look at Mu Gu Tian.
Mu Gu Tian, however, felt no anger. He simply stared silently at the spot where Mu Chen had vanished. But just because he wasn't upset didn't mean the several Mu Family Elders shared his sentiment.
In the section where the Mu Family disciples were seated, three elders' faces were ashen with fury. They had heard the insults from the Li and Chen Families. But with even Mu Rongxuan defeated, they had no ground to stand on. The Li and Chen Families, however, had used Mu Chen as an excuse to attack the entire younger generation of the Mu Family. As a result, the elders naturally redirected all their resentment toward Mu Chen.