Never Offend Me! . . .
The middle-aged man chose to remain silent, his frustration lingering in the air.
"Mufei! Come with me," Zhan Yunfei declared firmly.
"The others, stay here," he instructed the remaining disciples. With a grim countenance, Zhan Yunfei made his way to the main hall, and Xiao Mufei followed closely.
It wasn't long before the middle-aged man reemerged from the hall, raising his voice, "Who is Cha Chongxiao?"
Cha Eun Xiao stepped forward and confirmed, "I am."
However, the middle-aged man didn't appear pleased, retorting, "You should answer, 'Yes, master!'"
Evidently, his discontent was directed not at Cha Eun Xiao but at Zhan Yunfei's earlier rebukes. Cha Eun Xiao felt somewhat unjustly subjected to this outpouring of anger.
Perplexed, he replied, "Well... I haven't officially joined the sect yet, so it doesn't seem right to answer as a disciple."
The middle-aged man's temper flared. "How dare you, you impudent brat! You will suffer for your audacity. I guarantee it."
Cha Eun Xiao, feeling wrongly accused, attempted to justify himself, stating, "I haven't done anything wrong. I'm just speaking the truth."
The man angrily responded, "You're just spouting nonsense. What are you waiting for? Come with me!"
Maintaining his composure, Cha Eun Xiao replied coolly, "I intended to follow you, but I've changed my mind. Look at your demeanor; I won't accompany you in this state."
This further infuriated the man. "What did you say? Do you dare to defy me? Do you comprehend that the elders and the Prime Master are waiting for you? You have crossed the line, and you will be punished!"
Without looking back, Cha Eun Xiao turned away, ready to depart. "People as audacious as myself are likely unsuitable for discipleship here. I am weak, lacking in talent, and ill-behaved. I will leave this place and seek solace in a smaller sect, content to spend the rest of my life there."
He couldn't accept being unjustly accused, thinking, "[I'm highly talented and sought-after. People from your sect begged me to join. Now you're daring to antagonize me...]"
"[I won't let you off the hook so easily.]"
Wang Yushu, the middle-aged man, was left fuming, unsure how to proceed. He rushed to grab Cha Eun Xiao's arm, knowing that everyone in the main hall awaited Cha Eun Xiao's arrival. They all viewed him as the future of Cold Moon Palace, an exceptionally gifted disciple they all wanted to recruit.
Cha Eun Xiao wasn't merely talented; he had ingested the inner core of a Golden-scaled Dragon Fish, endowing him with ten thousand units of cultivation. He was also skilled in alchemy, possessed remarkable insight, an impeccable personality, and a keen sense of the secret organization that had targeted Xiao Mufei.
Cold Moon Palace couldn't afford to let such a remarkable talent slip through their fingers. The leaders, aware of his worth, were eager for him to stay, love the sect, and thrive within it.
Zhan Yunfei, in particular, was eager for this outcome. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, he flew out of the main hall and delivered a resounding slap to Wang Yushu. The force of the blow sent Wang Yushu tumbling several dozen meters away, his face bloodied and bleeding from his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. While severe, Zhan Yunfei held back from delivering a fatal blow, for he had no intention of killing a fellow disciple.
In a fit of anger, Zhan Yunfei erupted, "Bastard! Who do you think you are! You are nothing! All we want you to do is to watch the gate for the sect. Where the hell did you get that stupid pride from? You want to bully your brothers? You want to tease our people? I am going to beat you to death!" With swift fury, he rushed towards Wang Yushu and unleashed a powerful kick, propelling him dozens of meters into the air. In mid-air, Zhan Yunfei pummeled him with a rapid barrage of punches, all the while cursing relentlessly, "Bastard! Bastard! Bastard!..."
He continued his assault, delivering seventeen punches and sixty kicks. Although his blows were intense, Zhan Yunfei didn't intend to kill Wang Yushu. In fact, it was the initial slap that inflicted the most damage on his subordinate. Had Zhan Yunfei aimed to kill, Wang Yushu would have met a far grimmer fate.
Zhan Yunfei seethed with anger, having spent considerable effort to bring Cha Chongxiao, a promising disciple, to the sect, only to be denied the chance to mentor him personally. Wang Yushu's reckless behavior had almost driven Cha Chongxiao away, further fueling Zhan Yunfei's fury.
However, his ruthless assault was interrupted by a sudden voice, "Stop!" A white-bearded old man materialized on the scene, grabbing Wang Yushu and shielding him from further harm. Wang Yushu had lost consciousness, his head grotesquely swollen and bleeding. The old man was furious as he berated Zhan Yunfei, "How vicious! How dare you do this to my grandson."
Furious and unapologetic, Zhan Yunfei retorted, "I did! So what! What are you going to do? Say one more word, and I will beat you too! I dare you!"
The old man shook with anger but dared not press further. Zhan Yunfei's cultivation surpassed his own, rendering him powerless to act.
An authoritative voice from the main hall finally commanded, "Are you done with the stupid game? Bring him in. What are you waiting for?"
Zhan Yunfei turned his attention to Cha Chongxiao, his demeanor suddenly gentle and inviting. He beckoned for Cha Chongxiao to follow, asserting, "Young man, come with me! Let's get in! We don't have to talk to fools. That lowers our standings!"
In contrast, the elderly man struggled to maintain his composure. "You!" he seethed, his face reddened with frustration. "Zhan Yunfei, this is not done yet!"
Ignoring the old man's threats, Zhan Yunfei strode confidently and guided Cha Chongxiao into the main hall.