Returning to the Servant Peak from Breeze Valley, Yang Ye made his way to the cafeteria. As soon as he entered, he noticed that half of the people in the cafeteria had their eyes fixed on him. Some of the servant disciples gave him friendly smiles, while others wore expressions of schadenfreude.
Nodding to those who smiled kindly at him, Yang Ye was about to get his meal when a cold shout came from behind.
"Yang Ye, stop right there!"
Hearing this, Yang Ye furrowed his brows. He recognized the voice - it was Steward Xu's. He knew trouble was brewing again.
Yang Ye turned to face Steward Xu. In his forties, Steward Xu was obese, with so much facial fat that from a distance, his eyes were barely visible. His large servant's gown was stretched tight over his body, revealing the rosy flesh of his shoulders and back.
In the Sword Sect, Steward Xu had a nickname, "Skin - flayer Xu", because anyone who offended him would be severely punished.
Beside Steward Xu stood Du Xiu and his two lackeys, sneering.
Seeing the four of them, some servant disciples in the cafeteria showed deep fear and resentment. These four had exploited them mercilessly, but everyone could only seethe with anger in silence.
"I knew it. After Yang Ye beat Du Xiu, Skin - flayer Xu wouldn't let him off. Yang Ye is doomed..."
"Yeah. Once someone resisted Skin - flayer Xu and was beaten to death on the spot. Why couldn't Yang Ye just be patient? Young people are so impulsive. That's no good..."
"Shh, stop talking. Or Skin - flayer Xu will whip you."
The four of them approached Yang Ye. When they reached him, Steward Xu, who had a whip in his hand - though Yang Ye didn't notice when he'd picked it up - sneered, "Yang Ye, be realistic. You were an outer - sect disciple, but not anymore. Since you're on my turf, you follow my rules. You beat my nephew. How do you plan to resolve this?"
"Uncle, why waste words? Kill him!" Du Xiu glared at Yang Ye, viciously. He had lost all face today and couldn't swallow this humiliation.
Yang Ye gave Du Xiu a cold look and then turned to Steward Xu. "You tell me, how?"
Steward Xu suddenly burst out laughing. He took out an envelope from his bosom. The seal had been torn, clearly already opened. He took out the letter inside and said, "Yang Ye, I heard you have a sister, just a teenager? Not married yet, right? What do you think of me? I love young girls like her. Let your sister be my concubine, and then kneel to Du Xiu and apologize..."
Suddenly, Steward Xu's voice cut off as a huge fist flew towards him.
Insulted about his sister, Yang Ye's face contorted with rage, and he launched a punch without hesitation. His sister and mother were his Achilles' heel, not to be touched by anyone.
"Bang!"
Caught off - guard, Steward Xu's face met Yang Ye's fist. He let out a scream, fell to the ground, and blood flowed from his nose and mouth.
Yang Ye didn't stop. He charged forward, dodged the whip in Steward Xu's hand, and began pounding on his fat body.
"You piece of trash. You think you're worthy of my sister? I'll kill you..." Yang Ye snarled, whipping Steward Xu mercilessly.
"Ah, Yang Ye, you're dead. How dare you hit me! Ah, stop! Ah, Master Yang, please stop. I was wrong..."
The entire cafeteria was stunned by Steward Xu's screams. No one expected Yang Ye to dare strike Skin - flayer Xu, an officially appointed steward of the Sword Sect! But soon, the servant disciples were engrossed in the scene, as Yang Ye was doing what they'd always dreamed of but never dared.
Many servant disciples in the cafeteria clenched their fists, their eyes shining with excitement.
"Yang Ye, let go of my uncle, or you're doomed..." By now, Du Xiu had regained his senses. He wanted to stop Yang Ye but was afraid of his strength, so he could only shout angrily from the side.
Yang Ye ignored Du Xiu and increased the force of his blows. In no time, Steward Xu had been whipped over a hundred times, his fat body covered in bloody welts, a terrifying sight.
Yang Ye might endure being bullied himself, but when it came to his family, he would turn into a demon. Steward Xu's attempt to target his sister was unforgivable.
"Ah.....Ah......"
Steward Xu's screams filled the cafeteria. Everyone except Du Xiu and his lackeys grew more excited, feeling a sense of great satisfaction.
Skin - flayer Xu had exploited them mercilessly, not only withholding their wages but also whipping them at the slightest provocation. Over ninety percent of the thousands of servant disciples on the Servant Peak had been abused by him.
"Stop!"
Just then, an old man in a cyan - white robe appeared in the cafeteria. His voice, infused with profound qi, made everyone's ears ring.
Hearing this cold shout, Yang Ye tensed. When he turned and saw the old man, a complex look flashed through his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he dropped the whip, ignored the dying Steward Xu on the ground, and walked up to the old man, bowing deeply. "Elder Qian!"
This old man was the one who had recruited him as an outer - sect disciple in Annan City, the one who had changed his fate. If not for this old man's warning to the Liu family in Annan City, his sister and mother might have fallen into the Liu family's hands.
Although this old man had demoted him to a servant disciple, Yang Ye harbored no resentment. Instead, he was deeply grateful. His hard work was also, in part, for this old man, as he had been mocked by the outer - sect elders when Yang Ye failed to absorb profound qi for a year.
He wanted to prove himself, to prove to everyone in the Sword Sect that he, Yang Ye, was no waste.
Seeing Yang Ye, Elder Qian also had a complex look in his eyes. He knew better than anyone about Yang Ye's talent. However, for some unknown reason, Yang Ye hadn't absorbed profound qi for a year and hadn't become a profound cultivator. He'd had no choice but to demote Yang Ye. Now, seeing Yang Ye again, his feelings were mixed.
At this moment, Du Xiu dropped to his knees in front of Elder Qian. Pointing at Yang Ye, he said, "Elder Qian, please seek justice for us. Yang Ye seriously injured me earlier and made me do his work. When my uncle came to reason with him, he was also severely beaten. Elder Qian, please help us!"
Hearing Du Xiu distort the truth, Yang Ye furrowed his brows but remained silent.
The servant disciples beside them were filled with anger. Du Xiu's blatant lie was utterly shameless.
Elder Qian looked at the dying Steward Xu on the ground. Suddenly, a look of surprise flashed through his eyes. He turned to Yang Ye and released a wave of spiritual sense towards him. Moments later, his eyes lit up. "You... You've reached the fourth rank of the profound cultivator realm?"
Yang Ye nodded. Then, circulating the profound qi in his body, he flipped his palm, revealing a faint golden glow. "Reporting to Elder Qian, I can now absorb profound qi!" Saying this, Yang Ye felt a sudden sense of relief. In the past, he had trained desperately to not disappoint Elder Qian, but in the end, he had let him down. Now that he could absorb profound qi, Elder Qian was the first person he wanted to tell.
Seeing the faint golden light on Yang Ye's palm, Elder Qian's eyes widened in shock. He moved in front of Yang Ye, staring directly at him. "Your profound qi is golden?" As he spoke, Elder Qian's hands involuntarily clenched.
Seeing Elder Qian's solemn expression, Yang Ye hesitated for a moment and then nodded. His profound qi might not be of the metal - attribute, but it was surely no weaker.
"Hahaha..."
Seeing Yang Ye nod, Elder Qian suddenly burst into laughter. After a while, suppressing his excitement, he patted Yang Ye's shoulder with his right hand. "Good, very good, excellent." Five - element profound qi emerged in perhaps only one in several million people. Yang Ye not only had five - element profound qi but also the most powerful metal - attribute among them. How could he not be excited?
Hearing Elder Qian's words, Du Xiu, who was standing aside, suddenly had a bad feeling. But when he saw the dying Steward Xu on the ground, he took a deep breath and, plucking up courage, ran to Elder Qian and knelt down again. "Please, Elder Qian, seek justice for us!"
Elder Qian furrowed his brows, gave Du Xiu a cold look, and then turned to look at the people around. "Tell me exactly what happened. Don't worry. With me here, no one can threaten you. But if anyone conceals the truth, don't blame me for being harsh."
Hearing Elder Qian's words, Du Xiu's heart sank. His face turned deathly pale. He knew Elder Qian was about to side with Yang Ye.
The servant disciples beside them didn't dare to hide anything. They told the whole story. Some, recalling Elder Qian's attitude towards Yang Ye, realized this might be a chance to bring down Steward Xu. So they also revealed all the evil deeds Steward Xu had done in the past, and some even exaggerated a bit.
Hearing the servant disciples' accounts, Du Xiu and his two lackeys turned as white as sheets, their bodies trembling. They knew they were in big trouble.
Yang Ye gave the three of them a cold look, walked over to Steward Xu, picked up the envelope and letter from his body, and put them in his bosom.
After listening to everyone, Elder Qian's face darkened. Looking at Du Xiu, who was 瘫倒 on the ground, he said coldly, "I never expected this. The outer - sect elders and disciples are busy with cultivation, neglecting the Servant Peak. And it's become the fiefdom of you two. How audacious!"
"Please, Elder, spare us! Please, we'll never dare again, never..." Du Xiu and the other two immediately knelt before Elder Qian, pleading.
By now, the three of them regretted provoking Yang Ye. If they had known Yang Ye was already a profound cultivator, they wouldn't have dared, even if they had a hundred times the courage.
Elder Qian snorted coldly. "From now on, Steward Xu is no longer the steward of the Servant Peak. The four of you will mine at Star Mine for ten years. All proceeds go to the sect. After ten years, you'll be expelled from the Sword Sect and never allowed to return." With that, he nodded to the silent Yang Ye, then took his shoulder and, with a movement of his body, the two disappeared from the hall.
Hearing Elder Qian's verdict, the servant disciples cheered, while Du Xiu and the other two fainted on the spot.
They were going to be the sect's laborers for the next ten years.