Chapter 20: Trouble Comes

Chu Yang was taken aback. When he raised his head again, Meng Chaoran’s figure, hands behind his back, had already quietly disappeared from in front of him. Before leaving, he did not say a single word or a single character to him.

But that heavy and oppressive aura seemed to linger here, not dispersing for a long time.

Chu Yang was stunned for a moment, vaguely sensing that Meng Chaoran was very bitter, even bitter to a degree he could not imagine. What could have happened to turn this former genius of the Sky Tower into such a state?

If there’s a chance, I must resolve this knot in my master’s heart!

Chu Yang took a deep breath, his eyes narrowed, and he drew his sword with a reverse grip, the sword energy piercing the sky!

This time, he practiced from beginning to end, repeatedly and painstakingly, from the moment of drawing the sword to the moment of sheathing it. Now, he was practicing the fluidity and the effect of mixing the moves in any order, carefully pondering and experiencing it...

Whether it’s to protect the Sky Tower, find Mo Qingwu, or fulfill my master’s unspoken wish, strength is essential!

Without enough strength, I will only become a tool for others to achieve their goals.

Chu Yang casually hung the purple crystal jade marrow around his neck. As long as he didn’t use true qi to activate it, it would be no different from an ordinary jade pendant.

Chu Yang’s plan was to not use the restorative power inside the jade marrow unless he had completed a stage of cultivation. As Meng Chaoran said, it would not only be unhelpful but harmful. Over-relying on external forces is not a good thing...

Only by building with sweat, accumulating bit by bit with a focused mind, can one reach the most stable realm and gain the deepest insights! If one relies solely on external forces, even if their power increases, their realm will never reach the desired level! That would become a lifelong regret, impossible to make up for!

A martial artist has a certain mental and spiritual realm. Staying in it, comprehending it, and thoroughly integrating it, is the only way to naturally progress to the level of a Martial Venerable.

Even if a martial artist, by chance, suddenly gains ten thousand years of pure power, without the corresponding mental and spiritual state, they will not become a Venerable, but will remain a martial artist!

Just a more perverted martial artist.

So every step must be solid! Being thrown to the peak by others is different from climbing to the peak oneself... Being thrown up means certain death.

Time passed quickly. At lunchtime, Chu Yang saw Shi Qianshan again. The current Shi Qianshan had a gray and haggard face, no energy or spirit, a worried look, and was extremely uneasy.

Anyone could tell that the matter with Li Jianyin would not just pass. The disciples under the Second Master would come to avenge Li Jianyin, even if just to curry favor with their master.

If they haven’t come yet, it only means they are planning intensely, not that the matter is over...

Tang Tan was heartlessly gnawing on a chicken leg, his hands greasy. Chu Yang was in a good mood, sat down, and started to eat voraciously, like a whirlwind. Only Shi Qianshan had no appetite, forcing himself to eat, finding it tasteless, and sighing after a few bites.

His eyes, filled with a dark and sinister look, kept glancing at Chu Yang, the hidden anger in them almost bursting out.

"Shi Qianshan! I hear you’re very impressive? They say you’re the top young genius? Hehe, come out, come out, let’s see, let’s spar." At this moment, a voice of provocation came from outside, followed by a burst of laughter. By the sound of it, there were about seven or eight people.

"Right, right, this Shi Qianshan even claims to be the top young genius of the Sky Tower, not knowing what the word 'death' means!"

"Top genius? Does he, Shi Qianshan, even deserve it? Come out and beg for mercy on your knees!"

The troublemakers have finally arrived. The evil consequences Chu Yang planted for Shi Qianshan erupted so soon, even he didn’t expect it.

Shi Qianshan’s face changed, turning pale. Then, he glared at Chu Yang fiercely.

The words "top young genius" were exactly what Chu Yang shouted that day. At the time, Shi Qianshan was still smug, but later realized it was a quagmire he couldn’t escape from. But it was too late...

Hearing these words now felt like a knife cutting into his heart.

A perfect irony!

And also the biggest trouble for the Sky Tower. Which of the current eighth-generation disciples isn’t overly sensitive to the word "top"? The position of the eldest brother! The归属 of the Seven Yin Gathering Place...

Li Jianyin’s fellow disciples didn’t dare to openly come to cause trouble and seek revenge, but the title "top young genius" provided them with an excellent excuse.

The sect always tacitly allows such internal ranking disputes. Shi Qianshan could imagine that endless trouble would come his way...

Chu Yang lowered his head to eat, seemingly not hearing the insults outside or noticing Shi Qianshan’s hateful gaze. In his heart, he sneered: Damn, if I don’t play you, this fake gentleman, to death in this life, I’ll really be sorry for being reborn...

The eight young men outside were all dressed in green, but they had a red sash around their waists and a red band around their sleeves. This was the mark of the Cloud Lock Peak disciples. Just like Chu Yang and the others, who had a purple sash in the Purple Bamboo Garden.

At this moment, the eight people looked at Shi Qianshan, their eyes filled with anger.

Li Jianyin was Li Jinsong’s only son, spoiled and pampered, and not very harmonious with his fellow disciples. But being bullied by outsiders was a different matter. Although they might secretly be happy, it didn’t stop them from using this as an excuse to avenge Li Jianyin.

This was a great opportunity to curry favor!

"Originally, it’s Liu Senior Brother and Qu Senior Brother’s personal visit. I failed to welcome you properly, Senior Brother Shi Qianshan." Although Shi Qianshan’s face was ugly, he still respectfully bowed and said.

"Shi Qianshan, you calling me Senior Brother is too much for Liu Mou to bear." Liu Senior Brother sneered, saying sharply, "You are the top young genius of the Sky Tower. With Liu Mou’s meager skills, how can I dare to be called your senior brother?"

Indeed, they were using the "top young genius" to make trouble!

Shi Qianshan’s face became even uglier. He already hated Chu Yang to death, suddenly remembering: Could it be that when Chu Yang said those words that day, it was to give them an excuse to cause trouble?

This Liu Senior Brother was about thirty years old, named Liu Yunyan, the eldest disciple under Li Jinsong. The other Qu Senior Brother was named Qu Ping, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, ranking second. The remaining people were their fellow disciples. Hearing Liu Yunyan’s words, they all burst into laughter.

"Shi Qianshan, come, come, let me see your skills as the top genius!" Qu Ping stepped forward, pressing his sword and looking at Shi Qianshan.

"I am no match for Senior Brother Qu..." Shi Qianshan hurriedly humbly declined. Joking, how could he dare to fight now? There were eight of them, Liu Yunyan ranked higher than him, and Qu Ping and the other six, although slightly lower, were not much behind. They were deliberately looking for trouble, how could he get off easily?

Once he fought, he would probably be beaten to a pulp!

As for Tang Tan and Chu Yang... their skills were too low, and they couldn’t be relied on... He was essentially facing eight of them alone!

Shi Qianshan wanted to cry.

Shi Qianshan not fighting didn’t mean Qu Ping would just wait. Suddenly, a clang sounded, the long sword was drawn, and in a flash of white light, there was a slap, followed by a thud, and then a thump...

It turned out that Qu Ping, without any explanation, struck Shi Qianshan with a heavy slap, then kicked him in the stomach. Both the slap and the kick were quite forceful. Shi Qianshan, not dodging, took the hits, feeling his abdomen twist in pain, and fell to the ground.

Shi Qianshan knew that as long as he didn’t fight back, being beaten once or twice wouldn’t be a big deal. But if he fought back, whether he could survive today would be uncertain. So, he gritted his teeth and endured the blows.

"This bastard dared to hit me!" The one who hit, Qu Ping, was the first to shout, furious: "Damn, it hurts! Truly worthy of being the top young genius of our Sky Tower, brothers, we’re in danger, come and save me..."

"Trouble, Second Senior Brother is at a disadvantage! Attack!"

"Quick, go save Second Senior Brother..." Liu Yunyan’s eyes flashed, and he shouted in a very "panicked" manner.

With a shout, six people rushed over, pummeling Shi Qianshan on the ground like a punching bag, the wind whistling, each punch landing, and shouting: "How dare you hit our Second Senior Brother!"

"Agreed to a fair sparring, this Shi Qianshan used dirty tricks!"

"Beat this shameless one to death..."

Some even shouted while beating: "Shi Qianshan, relying on being in the Purple Bamboo Garden, you are so arrogant and tyrannical... You, you, you, stop... Second Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, are you okay?"

Hearing this, it sounded like Qu Ping was about to be beaten to death...

Qu Ping, gritting his teeth, kicked Shi Qianshan repeatedly, and cried out pitifully: "It hurts! It hurts so much... Shi Qianshan, you are so cruel..."

Shi Qianshan, on the ground, initially screamed and begged for mercy, but as the sound of bones cracking echoed, his body curled up, and he fainted...

The seven people were still not satisfied, and continued to beat him for a while before stopping, all panting heavily. Qu Ping, wiping the sweat, said: "It was close, almost got killed by Shi Qianshan..."

"Yes, yes, this Shi Qianshan is truly vicious!" someone agreed.

Tang Tan’s eyes turned red, but just as he was about to rush out, Chu Yang held him back. With so many of them, Tang Tan rushing out would be futile. He would only end up like Shi Qianshan... Besides, seeing Shi Qianshan beaten was such a satisfying sight, how could he ruin it...

In the shadows of the distant bamboo grove, Meng Chaoran sighed deeply, looking at the unconscious Shi Qianshan on the ground, his eyes as cold as ice and snow, bone-chillingly cold!

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