Douluo: A Century-old Legend I Am the Second Uncle Chenxin

Chapter 1918 Dominating the Pace
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's eyes focused on Chen Xiaojun, including Xiaoyi, who had been sitting quietly beside him, whose eyes also flickered slightly.

Zhu Wuneng said even more anxiously, "How can it not be in control? You exposed her secrets, brought up the prospects of that girl Tong's martial soul, and even visited Dou Jing. She agreed to everything you wanted! Isn't this the rhythm you controlled?"

"Controlling the pace?" Chen Xiaojun shook his head slightly, a meaningful smile curving his lips. "In your eyes, what kind of image does this Madam Lin, Ye Sirong, present today?"

Everyone fell into thought.

After a moment, Dugu Fu spoke first: "Powerful, calm in the face of danger, and possesses great courage and control."

Ma Wencai added: "He comes from an extraordinary background, has received a rigorous education, has seen the world, and is loyal and resilient."

Chen Shurui continued, "Composed, calm, with the gentleness of an elder, and emotionally stable and measured."

Su Ningxia said softly, "I could feel the heavy pressure, the huge sense of crisis, the deep worry about her husband, and the deep anxiety about the future that she was under. But she suppressed all of these under her calm."

After a while, Chen Mu summarized: "In summary, she presented herself as a woman who was shocked and in pain after experiencing a huge change. But with the willpower of a Soul Saint, the knowledge cultivated by the Chen family, her maternal instincts, and the resilience honed by her past experiences, she quickly suppressed her emotions. She calmly analyzed the situation and rationally chose a 'cooperative' stance for the safety and future of her daughter."

"She appears tired and restrained on the outside, but is clear-headed and vigilant on the inside. At critical moments, she remains strategic and humane, always striving to maintain the dignity, safety, and future of herself, her daughter, and her husband. She is not a fragile parasitic plant, but a resilient tree that, though broken by the storm, still tries to take root and seek life."

Chen Xiaojun listened quietly to everyone's descriptions and nodded: "A very good summary. So, when did this image... this image that allows people to understand the logic behind all her actions, begin to be implanted in your minds?"

Without a second thought, Zhu Wuneng blurted out, "It all started when she fought off my seventh uncle! Those kicks were so powerful and fierce, they were absolutely amazing!"

"That's the problem," Chen Xiaojun asked slowly and deliberately, "Why did she take action?!"

Everyone was startled.

“Thinking back to the situation carefully, although Steward Wu was at a disadvantage, she was not injured or defeated, and no one else was injured. If she had taken the initiative to call a halt, everyone would have stopped. In that case, the situation would still be under control.”

"So, after years of forbearance, why did she choose to suddenly erupt at that critical juncture, forcefully intervening as a Soul Saint, and choosing this most intense and high-profile way to 'stop' things?"

There was dead silence in the carriage.

yeah why?
……

The inner chamber of the Dou residence.

"Of course, it's Young Master Xiao Jun who's here."

“He said he came for your father, but is your father worth the personal intervention of the dignified young master of the Chen family? Recently, the ground forces of Tiandou have been attacking the underground city area one after another. Combined with the sudden and silent withdrawal of the people monitoring us nearby, I don’t know exactly what happened, but something must have happened to your father, and even to the Bone-Digging Gang behind him, and it must be related to the Chen family.”

Dou Congtong's pupils contracted slightly.

"So..." Dou Congtong murmured, "you deliberately revealed your identity to play the emotional card?"

Ye Sirong nodded slightly: "Shurui's appearance is an unexpected surprise. He is the son of Miss... oh, now we should call him Aunt Surong. But Tong'er, relying solely on emotional appeals is not enough."

Her scholarly brows relaxed, revealing a clear-headedness: "Don't forget, what are we now? We are the family members of the deputy leader of the hostile Bone-Digging Gang, the relatives of prisoners! The Chen family has strict rules. Personal relationships are important, but family interests and rules are fundamental." "If I were just a weak woman, powerless and only able to cling to old ties, even with some connections, how would the Chen family treat us? My daughter and I are alright, but what about your father? Will he be taken in? Imprisoned? Or will he merely spare our lives out of old friendship, leaving us with no freedom or future?"

Dou Congtong's heart sank little by little. She understood her mother's unspoken message: without value, even if she wasn't purged, she would only be at the mercy of others, becoming an insignificant or even marginalized person in the vast Chen family system who needed to be watched over.

“Therefore,” Dou Congtong whispered, “you have demonstrated the strength of a Soul Saint!”

“That’s right,” Ye Sirong readily admitted.

Having come from Chenlin Village, she certainly knew what a Soul Saint meant to the Chen family today.

The Chen family has been developing rapidly in recent years, and its influence has expanded dramatically.

Soul Saints are the backbone of any faction and are a scarce resource.

Back when she was in the Chen family, there were only about thirty people. Now, she must be facing a shortage of manpower.

Her eyes gleamed, and she calmly said, "The strength I've demonstrated is my 'pledge of allegiance,' proof that I can once again serve the Chen family!"

"This is far more convincing than empty words of past affection. Add to that my past achievements, the kinship ties with my family... all of these together form a strong bond."

……

Chen Xiaojun said slowly, "She took action not only to stop us, but also to 'show strength'!"

"Only by demonstrating sufficient strength and courage can we win the right to equal dialogue and gain some initiative for ourselves and our daughter when we don't know the specific circumstances."

"Without those thunderous kicks establishing the image of a 'strongman,' the subsequent 'heaviness,' 'rationality,' and 'cooperation' would be nothing more than the hopeless struggle of a fish on a chopping block. The forbearance 'between the wood and the wild goose' needs the sharp edge of 'dragon and snake transformation' to underpin it!"

"She appeared to be passively responding, but in reality, she was using offense as a form of defense, turning the tide with a single move—creating an image of herself as an old friend who was 'powerful, reliable, and someone to be treated with caution.' This was the cornerstone of her negotiations."

“So,” Chen Xiaojun’s lips curled up slightly, “rather than saying that I had her weakness, it would be more accurate to say that she used the conflict to draw her sword, took the initiative, and gained leverage and dignity through her strength. Only then, within this framework, did she choose the path of ‘cooperation’ that was most beneficial to her and her daughter.”

"Who controlled the pace? The moment she made her move, she set the tone for the conversation and controlled the pace of everything that followed. This Aunt Si Rong, one of the 'Twin Rongs'... is a master of negotiation."

The carriage fell into a long silence again.

Zhu Wuneng was completely dumbfounded. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, but no sound came out.

The faces of the others were also filled with shock and realization.

Mrs. Lin's quick reaction and shrewdness in that instant far exceeded their expectations.

(End of this chapter)