“So it’s Young Master Chen of Righteous Virtue House making such a grand show!”

In the hall, the apprentices saw only a young man with a face like polished jade descending the stairs.

A faint smile played at his lips, but his expression carried a hint of disdain.

The apprentices were all startled—this young master of the Qi family was a household name in the apprentice compound.

Setting aside his astonishing martial talent, the mere words “Qi family” were already a colossal entity beyond ordinary reach.

Even Chen Jiang’s bloated, dark face stiffened at the sight.

Yet

Little Ma, crouching on the ground, felt his heart tighten upon seeing this former classmate.

For some reason, tears slipped from his eyes.

Over a month ago, he had failed the skin membrane trial, scoring only a “B,” and could only slink out of the apprentice compound dejectedly to become a miscellaneous court disciple.

He had volunteered for the busier outer miscellaneous court precisely to avoid these old classmates and friends.

He hadn’t expected that on this one trip back to the apprentice compound, Young Master Qi would run into him.

And in such a scene.

A thousand humiliations twisted in his heart like needle pricks.

The flatbread in his hand—he could neither put it down nor throw it away.

It was like a scalding hot potato.

—

“What, Young Master Qi, you know this kid?”

Chen Jiang still wore his ferocious look, but his tone had softened noticeably.

Facing the Qi family of the western city, he truly lacked the guts to be arrogant.

Qi Ruiliang smiled and clasped his hands. “This one was once my classmate. I hope Brother Chen will grant me this small favor!”

With this as a step down, Chen Jiang relaxed inwardly and forced a smile. “Oh, the flood has washed away the Dragon King Temple—if you’d said so earlier…”

“No problem. I’ll owe Brother Chen for this. Another day, I’ll host a table at Deyun House.”

“No need for Young Master Qi to pay—it’s on me, Chen Jiang!”

Qi Ruiliang’s smile remained unchanged, but inwardly he felt disgust for that dark, bloated face.

Still, this man’s elder brother Chen Hai held no small status in the outer sect. Over trivial matters, it wasn’t worth offending the habitually overbearing Chen Jiang.

Qi Ruiliang naturally knew far more about the Chen family behind Righteous Virtue House than most.

On the surface, it was merely a gambling den that issued usurious loans and drank human blood, but in truth, it was the white glove of that Chen family mine owner in Forty-Nine City.

Many of the old mine owner’s unsavory deeds, the ones that couldn’t see light, passed through Righteous Virtue House.

—

Qi Ruiliang and Chen Jiang chatted amiably.

Little Ma, still crouching, was at a loss.

Suddenly, a large hand extended toward him.

“Junior Brother Little Ma, didn’t you say you still had to run to the Hundred Herbs Court for me today?”

A warm voice sounded.

Little Ma looked up, saw a familiar face, hurriedly wiped his own, and forced a smile. “Master Xiang, I’ll go right now.”

Xiangzi nodded with a smile, his gaze shifting to Chen Jiang.

Chen Jiang felt that gaze like needles. For some reason, fear welled up in his heart, and he involuntarily stepped back half a pace.

He wasn’t stupid—he naturally knew what status this once-unremarkable big fellow now held in the martial hall!

Xu Xiaoliu and Jiang Wangshui stood behind Xiangzi, faces cold.

Seeing the two, a vicious glint flashed across Chen Jiang’s face.

But with Qi Ruiliang and the big fellow present, Chen Jiang didn’t dare act rashly. He could only snort coldly and turn his fat face away.

Qi Ruiliang seemed to sense something amiss and patted Xiangzi’s shoulder. “Brother Li, it’s just a small matter. Let’s go upstairs and drink.”

Xiangzi smiled, about to turn and ascend.

Having lost face in public and seemingly wishing to regain it before his cronies, Chen Jiang glanced at the miscellaneous servant’s back and sneered.

“This mud-legged rickshaw puller from the southern city sure is lucky to know someone like Young Master Qi. He got off easy today.”

“I hear his grandfather was a stinking rickshaw puller. To send him to Baolin Martial Hall, he even sold the family house.”

The words cut like knives, stabbing deep into Little Ma’s heart.

He stood frozen, his spine as if stripped of bone, slightly hunched, shoulders sagging heavily.

—

Hearing this, Xiangzi, already on the steps, suddenly halted.

Southern city rickshaw puller?

Grandfather a puller?

Even sold the house?

In that instant, realization dawned—he now understood why Junior Brother Little Ma seemed so familiar.

It turned out Little Ma was Old Ma’s grandson.

Outside the window, the night was thick, the wind chill.

Xiangzi’s brows furrowed slightly.

A sharp chill spread from his knife-like brows.

That “stinking rickshaw puller” and Chen Jiang’s current arrogant, overbearing face finally unleashed the emotions Xiangzi had long suppressed.

Thus,

He turned, walked a few steps, and stared quietly at the dark, bloated face. “Dead fatty, what did you just say?”

The words stunned the entire room.

Not to mention Qi Ruiliang and his friends were dumbfounded—even Chen Jiang seemed unprepared. This big fellow, who usually minded his own business, what had gotten into him today?

Seeing Xiangzi, the fatty still stuck out his neck. “W-what did I say? Isn’t this kid just a stinking rickshaw puller?”

“You’re the unreasonable one—cursing me ‘dead fatty’ for no reason.”

Xiangzi smiled without speaking, walked to a table, and said to an apprentice enthusiastically gnawing on an oven flatbread while watching the show, “Junior Brother… mind lending me two flatbreads?”

The apprentice blinked, nodding hurriedly.

Xiangzi picked up two steaming flatbreads and slowly walked before Chen Jiang.

Every apprentice in the hall was stupefied—what? Was this outer sect senior brother planning to choke Chen Jiang with flatbreads?

Suddenly—

Slap. A crisp sound—the flatbread fell to the ground.

Xiangzi frowned. “This junior brother, you’re so careless—knocking over my flatbread? What am I supposed to eat now?”

Everyone was stunned—these were exactly Chen Jiang’s words when bullying the miscellaneous servant!—

“S-senior brother, if you want flatbreads, I’ll treat you,” Chen Jiang stammered.

Xiangzi smiled and shook his head, saying softly, “Pick it up.”

Chen Jiang’s dark, bloated face instantly flushed purple, comical against his swarthy skin.

Accustomed to bullying, he had never suffered such a loss—especially with his cronies watching!

Even now, he didn’t understand why this big fellow was targeting him.

He had already given a way out—why force him further!

For a moment, Chen Jiang even felt aggrieved.

After a long pause, the fatty finally bent slowly, gritting his teeth, and picked up the flatbread from the ground.

Before he could hand it over—

Slap. Another sound.

The second flatbread hit the floor.

Xiangzi smiled wryly. “You’re so unreasonable, junior brother—knocking over my flatbread again?”

Chen Jiang’s lips trembled, his face turning liver-purple, veins bulging at his temples. He forced a cold sound through clenched teeth. “What did you say?”

Xiangzi smiled. “Dead fatty, are you deaf?”

Suddenly, the black-robed disciple who had been watching from the door approached with a smile, about to speak.

Before he could, Xiangzi’s cold gaze swept over, freezing the outer sect disciple in place.

“When he was rude earlier, you didn’t intervene.”

“Now that I’m rude, you step in. Let me ask, senior brother—are you looking down on me?”

His words were icy, merciless.

The black-robed disciple’s expression stiffened. He could only laugh awkwardly, retreat outside, and resume his nose-to-heart contemplation.

Within the martial hall, under the rules, fists ultimately spoke loudest.

As long as this newly promoted ninth-grade genius didn’t kill anyone, it wasn’t the doorman’s negligence.

Though both wore black robes, he was merely a gatekeeper.

This junior brother, however, had made a name with the court masters.

Pleasing Chen Hai was fine, but offending such an aggressive, clearly vindictive junior brother was not worth it.

—

“Good kid, you bully too much.” Chen Jiang’s throat bobbed, eyes bulging. He raised his fist and punched straight at Xiangzi.

“Do it. I’ll bear all consequences.”

Hearing this, his cronies froze.

But behind Xiangzi, Jiang Wangshui and Xu Xiaoliu, long unable to hold back, leaped forward, kicking over Chen Jiang’s lackeys and roaring, “Fuck his mother—bullying dog relying on others!”

These two were top in the second-class compound. After the Lu Qi incident, they already harbored resentment toward Chen Jiang and showed no mercy.

A playful smile curved Xiangzi’s lips.

Yet his body didn’t budge.

Thud. A muffled groan.

The fist struck Xiangzi’s chest. Chen Jiang felt a sharp pain in his wrist—as if punching refined steel.

Staggering back, he nearly lost his footing, only stopping after crashing into a long table.

His oily, bloated face turned purple-red—backlash from the fist force.

Horror filled Chen Jiang’s eyes.

The opponent was ninth grade, but how could his full-strength punch elicit no reaction?

Even Qi Ruiliang, watching, felt a jolt—rumors said ninth grade transformed a martial artist, but such tough skin, muscles, and bones were too terrifying!

The Qi family had ninth-grade martial artists. Qi Ruiliang, at the Blood Energy Barrier, had sparred with many.

But… what ninth-grade martial artist was like this?

A full blow from a Blood Energy Barrier martial artist was mere itching?

Just this blood energy and skin toughness alone wouldn’t lose to ordinary ninth-grade accomplished martial artists.

At this thought, Qi Ruiliang was even more shocked. He suppressed any urge to intervene and instead stood behind Xiangzi with hands clasped.

Seeing the situation, Chen Jiang’s cronies deflated, daring not move.

—

“Junior brother, you’re interesting—daring to strike me first?”

“How should the court rules handle this?”

“Fine. For your brother’s sake, I’ll let you off this time.”

Hearing this, joy flashed in Chen Jiang’s heart—his brother’s face still carried weight.

But

The next moment, his joy froze.

Slap.

Xiangzi’s figure flashed, arm swinging in a wide arc, slapping Chen Jiang’s face hard.

Even holding back, with Xiangzi’s current blood energy, he knocked out one of the fatty’s front teeth.

Blood trickled from the dark face.

Then—slap.

Another slap. The fatty’s massive body spun like a top in midair before crashing down.

Chen Jiang clutched his cheek with trembling hands, silent and still, fearing any word would further offend this fiend.

Xiangzi turned leisurely, clapped his hands, and sighed to Qi Ruiliang with regret. “A fine banquet, ruined by this dead fatty. Please don’t be angry, Brother Qi.”

Qi Ruiliang’s mouth twitched—I’m angry? Angry about what?

Even this socially adept young master of the Qi family was at a loss for words.

You beat the man senseless—how are you the aggrieved one?

Then Xiangzi pointed at the stunned miscellaneous servant by the door and said softly to Chen Jiang,

“This Junior Brother Little Ma is under my protection. If I hear of you doing anything again… you know the consequences.”

Chen Jiang nodded frantically, face earnest.

—

“Brother Li… forgive my bluntness, but today’s affair… was a bit reckless. After all, behind Chen Jiang is Chen Hai.”

“Not to mention Chen Hai is a ninth-grade accomplished martial artist—his status in the outer sect alone demands some face.”

In the night, Qi Ruiliang sighed lightly, unable to hold back.

Xiangzi smiled. “Chen Hai has always overseen the apprentice trials and has the old Chen mine owner behind him—I know this naturally.”

“See, today was just a light punishment.”

Qi Ruiliang blinked—you call beating that black fatty like that a light punishment?

Were you planning to kill him otherwise?

Sensing Qi Ruiliang’s thoughts, a gentle smile curved Xiangzi’s lips. “Not long ago, a respected elder taught me many principles.”

“I don’t really understand them all.”

“But one sentence stuck with me.”

Xiangzi stopped, gazing quietly at this classmate of over a month, and said softly, “The world shouldn’t work like this!”

The big fellow smiled again, then said out of nowhere, “To be honest with Brother Qi, I have an old matter buried deep in my heart. Because of it, I despise those mine owners outside the city most. Whenever I encounter them, rage boils up.”

Qi Ruiliang paused, taking it as Brother Li’s excuse.

Yet the young master of the western city Qi family smiled faintly—rumors said that graceful Third Miss Li had lowered herself days ago to personally recruit this big fellow as a guest elder.

Unexpectedly, Brother Li had refused on the spot.

Could it relate to this old matter he mentioned?

This man was indeed interesting.