Chapter 322: Mutual Admiration Among Heroes

“Pa!”

A heavy punch from the brute landed squarely on Chen Fei’s eye socket.

But Chen Fei wasn’t about to back down. He leaned his body backward to dissipate the force of the blow, then snapped forward with a sudden upward flick of his fingers, the movement swift and sharp. The strike slipped past the brute’s blocking hand and landed cleanly on his jaw.

The brute staggered back, turned his head, and spat out some blood from the corner of his mouth.

But rather than anger, his eyes were lit with excitement.

“Satisfying!”

This duel wasn’t exactly a feast for the spectators—there were no flashy techniques or dazzling lights—but for the two fighters involved, it was immensely rewarding.

Chen Fei gained a deeper understanding of the physical body through direct combat, while the brute relished the rare opportunity for a raw, fist-to-flesh battle.

As the saying goes—heroes recognize heroes.

The brute looked at Chen Fei with newfound respect.

“Care for a drink?”

“Since Senior Brother has invited me, I’d be honored,” Chen Fei said with a smile. “I happen to have a stash of Hundred-Year Tianli Wine stored at a tavern I opened in the outer sect.”

“You’ve got taste! Let’s go!” the brute grinned and grabbed Chen Fei by the arm.

Chen Fei paused and looked at the challenge banner still standing.

“About that banner…”

Without another word, the brute leaped into the air, his blood-red longsword clutched in his arms, and landed in front of the banner with a boom.

“I know you’re all itching to challenge him, but my junior brother’s busy today. If you’ve got a problem, come tomorrow! Try any underhanded tricks, and don’t blame me for being impolite!”

With that, he dragged Chen Fei away without waiting for a reply.

As their figures vanished, furrowed brows spread throughout the crowd.

No one doubted the brute’s words—he was infamous for doing exactly what he said.

Now that he was publicly backing Chen Fei, anyone with sinister plans would have to think twice.

Outer Sect – Tianxin Pavilion

Gong Tianshou stood at the entrance, visibly thrilled.

“Senior Brother Chen!”

Chen Fei walked forward and patted his shoulder.

He’d left Tianxin Pavilion in Gong Tianshou’s hands with full trust and had rarely interfered since. Gong Tianshou had dutifully delivered monthly reports and intelligence updates to Shaocui Mountain—even during Chen Fei’s absence.

Chen Fei had originally planned to visit the pavilion before setting up his challenge banner, but Liu Yong’s appearance had disrupted his plans.

Gong Tianshou, ever perceptive, immediately sensed the overwhelming pressure radiating from the red-clad man beside Chen Fei and lowered his head, not daring to look directly at him.

“This is…” Chen Fei started to introduce the brute, then hesitated—calling him “brute” to his face somehow felt disrespectful.

“Titles are just labels,” the brute waved it off. “Can’t believe Tianxin Pavilion’s yours now. The Xu family hasn’t caused trouble?”

“Not yet,” Chen Fei smiled as Gong Tianshou smartly excused himself from the room.

Despite not being targeted directly, the brute’s presence was suffocating. Gong Tianshou had felt like an invisible hand was choking him.

Chen Fei, however, remained completely unaffected.

Gong Tianshou had no doubts now—Chen Fei had truly reached the Profound Realm.

It was a shocking realization.

When they’d first met, Chen Fei had been weak. His meteoric rise in cultivation was beyond anything Gong Tianshou could’ve imagined.

But that only reaffirmed the wisdom of his choice to follow Chen Fei.

Chen Fei pulled out a bottle of Hundred-Year Tianli Wine and placed it on the table.

“They’re probably still watching and waiting,” he said, tossing the bottle to the brute.

Without a second glance, the brute smashed the seal, waved a hand to clear the residue, and took a long swig.

A red flush quickly spread across his cheeks.

“Nice! This is the real deal!”

“If you ever want more, just come to Tianxin Pavilion,” Chen Fei grinned, uncorking another bottle for himself.

The wine, while made from ordinary ingredients, had the perfect balance of flavor and kick. It wasn’t famous yet, but now that Tianxin Pavilion had taken it under its brand, it was rapidly gaining a strong reputation.

“Xu Tianxin’s a proud one. She’ll probably step into the Human Dao Realm soon,” the brute said while munching on freshly served appetizers.

Chen Fei understood he was being warned, and nodded with a smile.

“Some things are inevitable when the time comes.”

“You’ve got a good mindset,” the brute laughed, then leaned in, lowering his voice.

“Has that old coot Wang Situ approached you yet?”

Chen Fei’s scalp tingled.

Now he understood why this guy was called a brute. Calling Wang Situ, a Dao Realm elder, an “old coot” in public?

Did he really think looking around and lowering his voice was enough to avoid getting caught?

For a moment, Chen Fei wanted to just stand up and bolt away from this walking disaster.

“Never mind. Judging by your face, he definitely has,” the brute nodded knowingly.

“That old fox is slick. Watch out—he’s cunning as hell.”

Chen Fei gave him a strange look.

How could someone be so recklessly bold and so tactically sharp at the same time—yet it somehow felt totally natural coming from him?

He was blunt enough to joke about elders, but sharp enough to drop critical intel without asking for anything.

Just as things were getting dangerously loose, Gong Tianshou returned.

“Senior Brothers, the Pavilion’s signature dishes are ready. Shall I bring them in?”

“Do it!” Chen Fei quickly responded, afraid the brute might say something even more outrageous.

The change in ownership of Tianxin Pavilion had come with its own troubles, but Gong Tianshou had handled them all smoothly using available resources. He gave a brief summary afterward, and it only deepened Chen Fei’s trust in him.

Chen Fei knew why Gong Tianshou had chosen to follow him and ensured that he received ample cultivation resources in return.

When the dishes were brought in, the aroma filled the room—flavorful, fragrant, and piping hot.

The brute’s eyes lit up.

Despite being a core disciple of the Sacred Land, he rarely ventured to places like this, focused as he was on training.

“I’ve heard Tianxin Pavilion’s cuisine got even better under new management. Finally, I get to try it!”

He eagerly picked up his chopsticks and reached for a juicy piece of meat.

But just as he lifted it, his chopsticks slipped.

The meat dropped—straight onto a steaming hot plate of fish.

And before anyone could react, the scalding fish and its soup flipped directly onto the brute’s head, splashing across his face in full view of a stunned Chen Fei and Gong Tianshou.

Steam rose in clouds.

And so did a powerful, awkward silence.