"Bastard! You will regret talking to us like that!" They charged Zhang Jian, who stood still. A wide sneer from his face.
The one who led the gang of boys, the same guy who confronted Zhang Jian, was the first one to strike him. Sorry, he was the first one to attempt to strike Zhang Jian.
Swinging his fists wildly, Zhang Jian took a step back and smashed his jaw out of place with a right hook. Now dizzy from that hit, he stood back while the others continued to attempt to hurt Zhang Jian.
Moving all over the place, Zhang Jian evaded each and every one of their hits, sometimes stepping forward to land heavy blows on them. The worst part was sometimes, he would step forward but not attack, tricking them into dodging or flinching.
He was bamboozling and embarrassing each and every one of them. "Hold still coward!" one of them yelped in frustration.
"Even if I did hold still, you couldn't hit me if your mothers life depended on it!" Zhang Jian laughed, even on this gloomy day, he could always count on beating children to lighten his mood.
One of them got particularly enraged by this comment, he shouted in anger and charged straight at him. Zhang Jian spun from his right foot and hit a back kick, his left sandal smashing directly into the boy's face.
He fell over backwards, dirt was now on his face. Before he could do anything, Zhang Jian jumped high into the air and landed straight onto the boy, one foot crushing his ribs and the other on his abdomen.
The others watched as he screamed out in pain, Zhang Jian stepped off him, a ear-to-ear smile on his face. "You monster! you could have killed him!" one of the boys had shouted. Zhang Jian turned around and kicked the boy again, He flew a few feet ahead, yet another scream could be heard.
"This isn't even close to killing. If you all wish for death so dearly, come attack me again. I will not spare a single one of you." Zhang Jian turned around, one of the remaining 5 boys punched him in the face.
With the energy coursing through his body, Zhang Jian tried to remember the feeling. That burst of energy, he needs to experience it again. Zhang Jian's hand erupted in a orange flame, he has learnt how use his Spirit energy.
With one swift and terrifying motion, Zhang Jian landed an uppercut on the boy with his left hand, forcing his head up.
With his right hand, the one with the Spirit Energy Coating, Zhang Jian smashed his fist into the boys stomach. Sending the boy careening into a nearby tree. "I could get used to this." he stared at his own hand, it burned bright orange yet he felt nothing but proper warmth.
The remaining 4 stared at him in fear, wondering if they should grab the others or just turn tail and run for it, trembling and sweating, they did not know what to do. "To any of you thinking about leaving, I will track you down and kill you. Stay here and fight me, otherwise I will make sure you regret turning away right now."
Zhang Jian glared at all of them, the smile on his face turned into a cold, hateful expression. His jade eyes pierced them like a blade, no amount of courage could let them even try to escape.
The green bamboo trees that seemed to prop up the sky, the fresh grass that cushioned the ground, came together to paint a green picture. The Spirit doves flew across the land to deliver letters, the clouds covered and uncovered entire mountains. Every single living being works together somehow to create a harmony of life.
It is Zhang Jian who understands this harmony perfectly.
***
Zhang Feng walked with his head low. The servants knew that he was disappointed with himself. Before he could even enter the house, they told Zhang Feng that his parents were waiting for him in the hall. "I just want to play Go" he wished to say, but Zhang Feng couldn't. Entering the hall, he didn't look at his parents faces.
"What Grade did you get?" Father had the most serious expression, devoid of any love for his children. Mother was worried, like she always was when it came to her boys. "I-I.." Zhang Feng stuttered, he had a pained expression all over his face. "I got a D Grade" he looked at the ground.
Father's eyes widened, he raised his hand and slapped Zhang Feng across the face. Mother screamed at him "What are you doing!?" Father did not listen to her. "You waste of space, all this time we spent raising you only for it to be worthless." Father was disgusted. "What did Zhang Jian get?"
Zhang Feng could take a slap, what he couldn't do was humiliate his brother. Zhang Feng looked at his father, his eyes furrowed and pupils widened "why?" Father then slapped him again. "Is this how you talk to your parents?" Mother then put herself between the two "Stop it! Cant you see the boy has had a long day? He anyways has to see Grandfather so why are you pressing him so badly?"
If she had said something like this a few years ago, Father would have beat her into submission. For Mother was Mortal and Father was not, she was a slave and he was the master.
Father stopped beating his wife when Grandfather ordered him not to. Father, no longer able to hurt his wife, turned his rage towards young Zhang Jian, leaving the boy helpless for years.
Father raised his hand once again, Mother flinched out of reflex. Father remembered Grandfathers words and put down his hand. "Fine then, let the boy go to Grandfather."
Father used to be in line for Family head, but then he got F grade, Grandfather ordered him to marry some mortal and have an heir who would become family head instead. It was pitiful, it fueled his rage for many years to come. The most progress Father could ever make in his life would be the initial stage of Rank 2.
Zhang Feng was worried about his brother, knowing Zhang Jian, if push comes to shove he will fight Father. That was a thought that he pushed to the back of his mind.
***
Dusting himself off before nearing his house, Zhang Jian had won flawlessly. The servants did not look at his face, they told him coldly "Your parents are expecting you in the hall."
He turned to ask them about his brother, but their expressions told him more than that. All the proudness that he felt for himself a few seconds ago had faded.
"Father, Mother, what is the matter?" He entered the hall, Mother had a grim look on her face, her eyes unable to meet his. Father's face looked like it was boiling. Zhang Jian already knew what the matter was "Father must have heard about our scores, he's going to hit me now." Zhang Jian thought to himself.
Father stuttered with rage "What score did you get?!" he said very, very loudly. Mother could not stop him when it came to Zhang Jian, as he was not under Grandfathers protection like Mother was.
Zhang Jian stood there for a few seconds, thinking about all the things he wanted to tell his father, mainly just slurs. He tilted his head "And you should know because?" fueling and fanning the flames further.
With a loud "Crack!" Zhang Jian had a red imprint across his cheek, his eyes widened in shock. "You ungrateful child! Answer me now!" Father grabbed Zhang Jian by the hair and ragged him.
"Don't touch me, Ill kill you." Zhang Jian looked back at his father with hateful eyes. His left hand grabbed Father's wrist and Spirit energy flowed out of his left hand, coating it in a orange flame.
"You imbecile bastard! How dare you speak to me that way!" Father tried to free his hand, Zhang Jian gripped onto it. With a loud "Crack!" Father's hand now hanged from his forearm, lifeless and limp. Father yelped in pain.
Zhang Jian raised his head, looking at his pained father with cold, dead eyes. Mother was shocked at the sight. "Mother, leave the room." She tried to protest but Zhang Jian glared at her, it scared Mother to her very core. She had no choice but to leave.
"Father, for years you have tormented me and this family. Tonight, I will end it all." He waited for his father to look back at him.
When he took too long, Zhang Jian grabbed him by his hair, forcing him to face Zhang Jian. With hate flowing throughout his mind and Spirit "I am going to kill you" Zhang Jian had said, his teeth gritted and his blood boiling.