https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-551-The-True-Face-of-a-Gentleman/12536862/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-553-Lian-Chenbi-on-the-Moral-High-Ground/12536864/
Chapter 552: Li Gang Couldn't Resist
Chapter 552: Li Gang Couldn't Resist
Li Gang's expression changed, and his eyes suddenly cleared. He leaped into the air and, with agile light footsteps, crossed the mountain path in an instant.
However, just as he extended his iron palm, he saw Shen Bijun covering her mouth, and Lian Chenbi smiling at him.
Li Gang abruptly retracted his palm and stood still, his face turning from green to red in an ugly display of emotions.
After a moment's pause, he spoke, "The virtuous couple is suppressing bandits in Huaiyin. Why have you come to Siyang?"
Lian Chenbi smiled, "We eradicated the water bandits in Huaiyin and happened to encounter an elderly couple seeking help. They said their daughter came to Siyang this morning, and they were very worried, so they asked us to come and find her."
Li Gang's cheeks twitched as he wondered if Lian Chenbi was telling the truth or not.
Shen Bijun gave him a complicated look before turning to Lian Chenbi. Seeing her husband nod in agreement, she used her light footsteps to bypass Li Gang and approached the young woman, offering words of comfort.
The two women quickly began talking about the elderly couple, and upon hearing that her parents were safe, the young woman also relaxed and, with Shen Bijun's help, used the remnants of her torn clothes to cover herself. She slowly stood up.
Li Gang also had keen ears and clearly heard the conversation between Shen Bijun and the young woman. He never expected that Lian Chenbi was telling the truth.
"Hahaha!" Li Gang burst into laughter, skyward.
The young woman was startled and quickly looked towards Li Gang.
"The virtuous couple's timing is impeccable!"
Li Gang turned to Lian Chenbi, speaking sincerely, "When I killed that man in black just now, I was affected by his mesmerizing fragrance, and my consciousness became blurred. Fortunately, you arrived in time to wake me up and prevent me from making a grave mistake!"
Lian Chenbi chuckled, "So that's what happened. I said, Brother Li, known for your unwavering integrity and detachment from worldly desires, is a true gentleman who would never suddenly lose control like a beast. It must have been the influence of some aphrodisiac, which explains everything."
Li Gang nodded repeatedly, indicating that this was indeed the case.
Shen Bijun furrowed her brows, confused as to why Lian Chenbi was being so accommodating towards Li Gang.
Previously, he had said that they didn't have any evidence against Li Gang, but now that they had witnessed him lying blatantly, why was he still playing along?
Could this be the mask her husband was wearing? Shen Bijun felt a bit displeased, but she didn't refute him at the moment. Instead, she decided to ask him privately later.
As Shen Bijun remained silent, the young woman, who had just escaped death, naturally didn't speak either. She just held onto Shen Bijun's hand, trembling and hiding behind her, keeping her distance from Li Gang.
Li Gang glanced at the young woman and Shen Bijun, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes before quickly disappearing.
He then turned to Lian Chenbi and earnestly said, "Li has truly lost face in this matter, and I apologize for the embarrassment it has caused you both. If this were to spread throughout the martial arts world, I would have no face left."
Lian Chenbi raised an eyebrow, "Brother Li, under the influence of an aphrodisiac, it's understandable. Besides, we weren't the victims here, but you seem to have picked the wrong target."
"Yes, yes, yes, indeed!"
Li Gang nodded repeatedly and then turned his back to them, facing the young woman.
She was startled and quickly hid behind Shen Bijun.
Li Gang bowed and greeted, "Miss," but the next moment, his body suddenly flipped backward, and a pair of iron palms flipped out, carrying a gust of wind as they struck towards Lian Chenbi's chest and ribs.
Shen Bijun's face drained of color, and she cried out, "Husband!"
But what reached her ears was Lian Chenbi's delighted laughter, "I knew it! Just as I expected, Li Gang, you couldn't resist after all!"
Hearing Lian Chenbi's laughter, Li Gang's expression changed drastically. He flipped over, using one palm to protect himself and the other to wildly strike, his open hand resembling a mountain-splitting, stone-breaking force as he aimed for Lian Chenbi's face.
At this moment, he didn't care about saving face anymore. This palm strike was aimed directly at Lian Chengbi's abdomen.
But at the same time, Lian Chengbi released Li Gang's right hand and lightly countered with a palm strike, seemingly intending to meet Li Gang's attack head-on.
A hint of a crazed smile flashed across Li Gang's face as he gathered all his internal energy into his left palm.
In the next instant, Li Gang's left palm suddenly expanded, resembling an iron hammer, as if it was about to crush everything in its path.
However, just as the two palms were about to collide, Li Gang suddenly felt Lian Chengbi's palm force retract, becoming as soft as cotton, neutralizing his own attack.
Li Gang was shocked and let out a loud cry, "Mian Zhang?" (Cotton Palm)
Mian Zhang was a type of martial art that used softness to overcome hardness, borrowing force to counter force, with a hidden needle-like attack.
But as the saying goes, "softness can overcome hardness, but hardness can also suppress softness." Li Gang had already mastered the "Da Kai Bei Shou" (Great Opening Hand)
to a level where it was both hard and soft, and he was not afraid of Mian Zhang-type martial arts.
There were already several Mian Zhang experts who had fallen to his palm.
However, Li Gang discovered that Lian Chengbi's Mian Zhang was different from others. Not only did it perfectly neutralize his own palm force, but it also seemed to have a chilling, bone-piercing force that seeped into his hand, moving upwards.
Li Gang let out a loud roar, and his palm force surged wildly, finally breaking free from Lian Chengbi's grasp. He retreated, his body arched back, and simultaneously kicked out with a Northern-style stabbing kick to block Lian Chengbi's pursuit.
Lian Chengbi did not pursue, instead stopping in place with a smile.
Li Gang gnashed his teeth, looking at Lian Chengbi with a fierce expression, "You've been hiding your true abilities well!"
He had just used a series of actions, including language, expressions, and movements, to lower Lian Chengbi's guard, and then suddenly attacked, intending to prevent Lian Chengbi from drawing his sword.
Li Gang indeed didn't have the confidence to defeat Lian Chengbi if he were to use his sword, but in close combat, he was confident that he could take on two opponents.
But then he was caught off guard.
Li Gang didn't expect Lian Chengbi's close combat abilities to be even stronger than his own. His grappling skills and strange Mian Zhang caught him off guard, not only surprising him but also making him feel like his two arms had lost all sensation.
Li Gang took a deep breath, knowing that to recover, he would need to find a skilled martial artist to help him restore his qi and blood flow, and then rest for several months.
So, without waiting for Lian Chengbi to respond, he turned and fled into the forest, disappearing from sight after a series of rustling sounds.
Lian Chengbi still didn't pursue, remaining in place with a smile.
But Shen Bijun came to Lian Chengbi's side, looking worried, and asked, "Husband, did you get hurt from the palm strike?"
"No, don't worry." Lian Chengbi patted Shen Bijun's hand and looked in the direction Li Gang had escaped, saying with a smile, "I'm waiting for his screams of agony."
(End of Chapter)
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