As soon as Elder Qian finished speaking, his hands clenched into fists involuntarily. The excitement in his heart surged, but his outward expression remained composed. He had never anticipated such an extraordinary talent in someone as young as Yang Ye. A genius with Profound Energy that surpassed the norm, one that could possibly even rival the gold element Profound Energy. His belief that Yang Ye was merely a waste had now been completely shattered.
When Yang Ye nodded, confirming that his Profound Energy was indeed something extraordinary, Elder Qian couldn't hold back any longer. He suddenly burst out into loud, raucous laughter, the sound echoing through the canteen. His joy was infectious, but after a moment, he quickly suppressed it, realizing the situation wasn't one for celebration.
He slapped Yang Ye's shoulder with a hearty pat and spoke with a beaming smile, "Good, very good. Extremely good."
A genius like Yang Ye was rare. A person born with gold element Profound Energy was a one-in-a-million prodigy, a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon. Elder Qian couldn't contain his excitement, and it was a feeling that was impossible to hide.
However, Du Xiu, who had been standing by nervously, suddenly felt a sinking premonition in his heart as he saw Manager Xu lying in a pool of his own blood. His mind raced, and his throat tightened with fear. Despite his growing anxiety, he forced himself to take a deep breath. With shaky hands, he knelt before Elder Qian and pleaded, "Elder Qian, please, uphold justice for us!"
Elder Qian's face darkened at the sound of Du Xiu's voice. He gave him a cold, disapproving glance before turning to the others in the room. His tone became stern, carrying an undeniable authority. "Tell me the sequence of events. Don't worry, with me here, no one will threaten you. But if anyone tries to hide anything, don't blame me for being merciless."
The warning was clear, and all the nearby Labor Disciples felt a wave of relief wash over them. They had endured so much suffering at the hands of Manager Xu and his nephew, Du Xiu, and now they finally had the chance to speak the truth without fear. They wasted no time recounting everything that had happened, detailing how Manager Xu had exploited them, withheld their wages, and punished them harshly for the smallest of offenses.
Some went further, even exaggerating certain actions to highlight just how badly they had been treated. As they spoke, the tension in the air grew thicker. Du Xiu's face began to turn an unhealthy shade of pale, while his two companions, also members of the Labor Disciples, couldn't hide their panic.
Yang Ye didn't waste any more time. He walked over to Manager Xu, who was barely conscious, and snatched the envelope from his hands. He placed the envelope inside his own robes, the letter tucked safely within.
As he did so, he couldn't help but glance at the three conspirators who had caused him so much grief. He had no pity for them, not after what they had done. Now, the balance had shifted, and Yang Ye was no longer the powerless boy they could walk all over. He was someone to be reckoned with.
After listening to the accounts of the Labor Disciples, Elder Qian's expression became progressively darker. His eyes flickered with disbelief and anger as he looked at Du Xiu and his uncle, Manager Xu, who was lying near death.
"I never thought this day would come," Elder Qian muttered to himself. "I never imagined the Labor Peak could sink this low, ruled by the tyranny of a pair of uncle and nephew. You two have truly gone too far!"
At this point, the facade of Du Xiu and his uncle had completely crumbled. The weight of their wrongdoings had been exposed, and they could no longer feign innocence. Both men, knowing that their time had come, dropped to their knees, begging for mercy. Du Xiu's voice quivered as he pleaded, "Please spare our lives, Elder. We won't do it again. We won't do it again!"
Elder Qian let out a cold grunt, unmoved by their pleas. His face remained stoic as he gave them a final verdict. "From now on, Manager Xu is no longer the manager of the Labor Peak. You four will be sent to Star Ore Mountain to mine for the next ten years. All the profits from your mining will be handed over to the Sword Sect. After ten years, you'll be expelled from the sect, and you'll never be allowed to return."
Du Xiu and his two companions froze in shock. They knew that the labor at Star Ore Mountain was brutal and unforgiving. A decade of grueling work like that would break even the toughest of men. And after that? They would be cast out of the Sword Sect, stripped of any future prospects. The consequences of their actions had finally caught up with them.
The three men collapsed to the ground, fainting from the sheer weight of the punishment they had just received. They could hardly believe it—ten years of slavery, followed by permanent expulsion from the Sect. It was a fate worse than death.
The moment Elder Qian made his ruling, the Labor Disciples around them erupted in wild applause, cheering and shouting in celebration. The atmosphere was electric as the oppressive weight that had hung over them for so long finally lifted. No longer would they live in fear of Skinner Xu and his nephew.
Yang Ye stood in silence, watching as the scene unfolded around him. The cheering filled his ears, but it did little to change the storm inside his heart. Despite the satisfaction of seeing his enemies fall, he couldn't shake the thought that this was just the beginning. He had much further to go if he was to carve out a place for himself in this world.
With a nod to Elder Qian, who was smiling proudly at him, Yang Ye's figure flickered. The two of them vanished from the canteen, leaving the chaos behind them.
As the door slammed shut behind them, the sounds of jubilation echoed through the halls of Labor Peak, marking the end of an era of tyranny and the beginning of a new chapter in Yang Ye's journey.