Chapter 88

"Good! Lin Zheng, you are a man! At the third watch of the sun tomorrow, we will meet on the Duanjin Platform! At that time, I will invite the elders of the Bai, Feng, and Dou families to witness the battle!" After saying this, Zhao Lao Da left, as if everything would be resolved perfectly as long as Lin Zheng agreed. It seemed that Zhao Lao Da had a great deal of confidence!

"Lin Zheng, you should be able to see that this is a trap, why are you still jumping into it?" Li Daoyuan was quite puzzled by Lin Zheng's actions. Clearly, Zhao Lao Da had been incited to challenge him, and he must have some backup plan!

"Uncle Li, this matter must be handled by me. If I retreat here, not only will my reputation be damaged, but Ruo Shui's reputation will also be ruined. I will tell everyone openly that only I am worthy of Ruo Shui, and Ruo Shui's judgment is absolutely correct. Moreover, I will tell everyone that the Zhao family is merely a stepping stone for my rise to power!"

"Good! Well said!" A few elders from the Li family wobbled into the hall. One of them walked straight to the center and said, "Good boy, this is the kind of spirit and momentum that young people should have. Rest assured, the entire Li family is your support!"

"Thank you, Elder!" Lin Zheng bowed to the elder. The old man smiled and said, "No need for formalities. I am Ruo Shui's great-grandfather. Since you are Ruo Shui's husband, calling me Great-Grandfather is not a loss."

"Great-Grandfather, what are you talking about? Lin Brother, don't pay attention to him, just call him Old Man!" Li Ruo Shui said with a playful scold.

"Ha ha, you're already taking his side before you're even married?" Another elder said with a smile, his face full of wrinkles but his eyes calm, as if he had seen through the world.

"Hmph! You old men continue chatting. We won't join you!" With that, Li Ruo Shui pulled Lin Zheng and the others out.

"Daoyuan! This Lin Zheng might be the key to our Li family's rise. Ruo Shui is truly blessed! You must fully support Lin Zheng and his group, no matter what!" After Lin Zheng and the others left, the leading elder said.

"Yes, Grandson will remember!" Li Daoyuan stood respectfully before the elders, his expression serious. These people were the ultimate strength of the Li family. If they truly re-emerged, it would cause a huge upheaval in Zeshui City.

After seeing off the elders, Li Daoyuan waved his hand, and a person appeared in the hall, completely shrouded in black mist, making it impossible to discern their gender or age, and even their voice was indistinct.

"What does the family head want?"

"Go and investigate the Feng and Dou families, and find out who is behind the Zhao family! Also, warn the Li family to be on full alert! And warn the restless small families to behave themselves!"

"Yes!" As the voice disappeared, the black mist dissipated, as if it had vanished into the sunlight. Li Daoyuan sat back down and picked up a book, but this time he didn't turn the pages.

By the afternoon, the entire Zeshui City was buzzing with a piece of news: "The fiancé of the Li family's eldest daughter, Li Ruo Shui, will engage in a life-or-death battle with the Zhao family on the Duanjin Platform tomorrow!" Of course, this was the surface-level news that the general public heard. Those with power, however, saw through the entire situation. The whole city was abuzz with discussion, and at this time, information about Lin Zheng and his group was quietly leaked.

"What? This Lin Zheng is from Wushuang City?"

"Not only that, he is also one of the representatives of Wushuang City in the Seven Heroes Competition!"

"Are they bullying Zeshui City? Even if the Zhao family is despicable, it's still our city's affair. It's not for a young upstart to meddle!"

"Right, I want to see what this Lin Zheng is like tomorrow!"

"Apparently, Lin Zheng offended the Feng and Dou families as soon as he arrived. This is a rare opportunity!"

"Right, let's go visit those two families!"

While countless people were discussing Lin Zheng and his group, an invisible black hand was slowly pushing Lin Zheng to the opposite side of Zeshui City.

"Family head, everything is clear. The Zhao family was incited by the Dou family. Moreover, the Dou family seems to have made some promises to the Zhao family. The head of the Zhao family appears to be fearless and is currently staying at the Dou family. The Feng family is also spreading rumors, pushing Lin Zheng and his group to the opposite side of Zeshui City. Many of the forces participating in the Seven Heroes Competition have already joined the Feng and Dou families!"

"Alright, I know. You may leave!" Li Daoyuan's expression remained calm, seemingly unconcerned by these matters.

At the same time, in the Dou family's secret room, the head of the Zhao family was sitting face-to-face with Dou Xuanqiu.

"Head of the Zhao family, this is our Dou family's Great Saint Sacrifice technique, which can instantly boost a person's strength. The more lives sacrificed, the greater the strength gained. This is a Heavenly Destiny Frenzy Pill, which can also increase a person's strength, but it will leave them weakened for a while. And this is a Nine-Nine Transformation Pill, which can save your life." As he spoke, Dou Xuanqiu handed over two pills and a jade slip with a divine technique to Zhao Lao Da.

Without hesitation, Zhao Lao Da took everything. He clearly knew what the Dou family was planning, but he couldn't refuse. Moreover, they were playing a transparent game, openly offering a deal that he couldn't resist.

"All of this is your fault, Lin Zheng. Tomorrow, I will kill you in front of everyone! When the Li family's reputation falls, the Feng and Dou families will certainly take advantage of the situation. This is our Zhao family's opportunity to rise and become one of the major families in Zeshui City!" Zhao Lao Da's eyes were filled with madness, and he clenched his fists, his face twisted with a grim expression as he walked out.

In the Li family, Lin Zheng and the others were discussing the events of the next day. They had heard the rumors outside, and Li Daoyuan had already provided them with detailed information. Many people stayed up late that night, knowing that the next day would bring a huge upheaval in Zeshui City. On the surface, it was a battle between Lin Zheng and the Zhao family, but deeper down, it was a confrontation between Lin Zheng and the two major families of Zeshui City.

The next day, as the sky began to brighten, Lin Zheng woke up from his cultivation. After a night of cultivation, he felt no discomfort, and his body was at its peak. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Li Ruo Shui walking towards him. They smiled at each other, and before they could speak, the doors of the courtyard opened, and Lin Wen and the others came out, even Pizi Lang got up early.

Seemingly sensing the impending battle, Pizi Lang was even wearing an unusually bright pair of shorts. No one knew how many such shorts he had made from Tianyu Nishang, but Lin Zheng and the others had never seen him wear the same pair twice.

The group gathered in the hall for breakfast. Pizi Lang even had the kitchen prepare some pastries, saying he wanted to eat them while watching the fight. He didn't take the battle or the conflict seriously, thinking it was like a child's play, and that two bottles of good wine would be more enjoyable!

Lin Qin was quite annoyed because she hadn't prepared any snacks or pastries, but when she learned how many pastries Pizi Lang had the kitchen prepare, she smiled in satisfaction. Li Wen, with a stern face, pulled Lin Qin aside and started lecturing her, while Lin Dao and Lin Qian stood quietly nearby. Lin Zheng and Li Ruo Shui were talking quietly, and the atmosphere was very relaxed.

When Li Daoyuan and the others saw this scene, their originally anxious hearts gradually calmed down. They didn't think Lin Zheng was someone who would underestimate his opponents. From this, it seemed that he was confident and had a plan.

As the sun fully illuminated Zeshui City, the gates of the Li family estate slowly opened. Li Daoyuan and Lin Zheng led the way, followed by Li Ruo Shui and the others. Behind them, the young generation of the Li family formed a long line. The usually empty road was now filled with groups of martial artists. When the Li family group appeared, people made way for them, but they didn't disperse after the group passed; instead, they followed closely behind.

The Duanjin Platform was one of the famous arenas in Zeshui City, alongside the Tianfa Platform and the Tianxing Platform. However, the latter two had not been used for a long time, and it was not easy to step onto them. The Duanjin Platform was where the major families decided matters of life and death. Today, the battle between the Zhao family and Lin Zheng would take place here.

When the group arrived at the Duanjin Platform, the other three major families were already seated. Li Daoyuan led the group to their seats, and the four major families were seated in the four directions. Lin Zheng looked at the massive Duanjin Platform, which was made from a single piece of red-refined gold. Red-refined gold was usually used to enhance the strength of weapons and equipment, but now it had been condensed into an arena!

However, those who could fight on the Duanjin Platform were not ordinary people. A regular stone arena would not withstand the battle, and even a sub-saint level expert would find it difficult to destroy a red-refined gold arena.

Lin Zheng stepped onto the Duanjin Platform as if walking up a staircase, one step at a time. This move changed the expressions of many in the crowd, and many were surprised. It seemed that Lin Zheng was not an ordinary person!

On the Duanjin Platform, Zhao Lao Da looked at Lin Zheng with a cold, disdainful expression and said, "Just a trick, a show to win the crowd. It won't stop you from dying today!"

Lin Zheng looked at Zhao Lao Da with a gentle smile and said, "Heh, do as you please. But after today, your Zhao family will lose a head. I wonder if you have written a will?"

"Boy, stop your empty talk. Soon, you won't be smiling. I will make you wish you were dead!" Zhao Lao Da's face twisted with anger, and a wave of resentment rose from him.

"Since that's the case, let's get to it!" Lin Zheng took his stance, looking calmly at Zhao Lao Da.

The next moment, the red-refined gold bell on the Duanjin Platform rang, its buzzing sound enveloping the entire platform. The two figures on the Duanjin Platform instantly became the focus of everyone's attention!

PS: First update of the day! More to come! While jogging this morning, I saw a young girl, who I think is a high school student. I wish all the students preparing for their middle school and high school exams good luck! May you all achieve great success! And please give me a red ticket and a follow!