Chapter 2212 by Marina Vittori
An Understated Dominance
âHuh?â Dustin was taken aback by the sudden outburst and felt a bit bewildered.
He glanced around the living room and noticed the intense glare from the burly man, Donny Zedd. Then, he asked tentatively, âAre you talking to me?â
âWho else would I be talking to?â Donny shot back.
He glared at Dustin and shouted, Donât you have any manners? You waltz in here without so much as a â helloâ and plop yourself down like you own the place. Do you have no respect for us?â
âManners?â Dustin arched an eyebrow skeptically.
He replied icily, âDo we even know each other? Why should I bother with pleasantries? And even if I donât hold you in high regard, whatâs it to you?â
âHey! Are you looking for trouble, kid?â Donny bristled with anger, ready to throw a punch, but was intercepted by a man in white, Lucian Whitman, with a sly grin.
âEasy there, donât get all worked up. This kid just seems clueless about etiquette. Letâs show him the ropes. No need for violence, especially with the host around. We wouldnât want to cause any awkwardness.â
Lucian motioned for Donny to take a seat, then turned his gaze to Dustin with a friendly smile.â You must be new around here. Let me fill you in on the customs.
âYou know, in these circles, itâs customary to show a little respect to your elders. A nod, a greeting, nothing too demanding, right?â
Dustin responded calmly, âIf you truly are martial world veterans, a simple greeting would suffice. But your actions lack the dignity one would expect. The way you intimidate others, one might mistake you for bandits.â
Lucianâs smile faltered at Dustinâs words, and a glint of annoyance flickered in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Donny slammed his hand on the table. He rose to his feet and roared, âYou disrespectful bastard! Time to learn some manners the hard way!â
âIf you donât know how to show some basic respect, then youâre on your own. âLucian shook his head and returned to his seat.
The others chuckled, and they were enjoying the spectacle.
In the past, a rookie had swaggered in, exuding the same cocky arrogance.
However, in the end, he was unceremoniously dragged out by his heels.
âIâd advise you to tread carefully. Otherwise, youâll regret it,â Dustin warned.
He had intended to keep a low profile and observe if there were any conspiracies within the Hall of Gods. But as soon as he walked in, he encountered these troublemakers.
âRegret? Ha! I bet you wonât change your tune until youâre six feet under!â
Donny sneered, wasting no time as he lunged forward with a punch aimed straight at Dustinâs face.
The punch came fast and furious, and the air whistled with force. Dustin remained unfazed. He easily caught the incoming fist just before it could make contact with his face.
âHuh?â Donnyâs eyes widened in surprise. Though he hadnât gone all out just now, he had still put about 70 percent of his true energy into that punch.
Such a blow would have seriously injured most ordinary martial artists. Yet, Dustin effortlessly caught his fist, which struck him as rather strange.
âWith such limited skill, youâre still bold enough to be so cocky. You really donât know your own limitations.â Dustin snorted coldly.
With a sudden, forceful grip of his fingers, he twisted Donnyâs fist, and all his bones were shattered.
âAh!â Donny froze momentarily before releasing a blood-curdling scream that pierced the air.
âGet lost!â Dustin shouted and kicked him in the abdomen.
Donny was sent flying several yards. He crashed into the wall, coughing up blood and wailing in agony.
âWhat?â
Everyoneâs expression changed as they witnessed this scene.
No one expected Dustin to be so formidable that he could send Donny flying with just one blow.
It was worth noting that Donny was at the advanced-level divine martial artist stage, which made him quite a prominent figure in the martial world.
âPunk! How dare you act so recklessly! Who gave you the courage to attack someone?â
After a moment of shock, everyone rose from their seats. Their expressions were filled with anger and resentment.
Although they didnât have a deep bond with Donny, they were at least acquaintances.
Now, a newcomer who didnât know his place dared to challenge their authority. It was something they couldnât tolerate.
Dustin sneered. âWhen he attacked just now, you all turned a blind eye. Now that Iâve defeated him, youâre all here cursing and jumping around. Whatâs this? You only allow me to be beaten but not to fight back?â
His words angered them.
âLook at the way you talk! I think you need a lesson!â
âEveryone, letâs not waste any time. Letâs take this kid down!â
Several hot-tempered martial artists shouted and were ready to make a move.
âHold on.â
At this moment, a dignified voice suddenly rang out. The speaker was an elderly man with a white beard seated at the head of the table on the left.
The elder was thin, had piercing eyes, and looked imposing. Just uttering two words made the previously hot- tempered martial artists immediately stop in their tracks.
They stood respectfully by the side without daring to utter another word. After calming everyone down, the elder picked up a cup and leisurely took a sip of tea.
He said lightly, âYoung man, too much aggression can easily lead to downfall. Since youâre still young and inexperienced, I wonât hold it against you too much. Now, apologize to everyone, and weâll let this matter slide.