Chapter 101: Zhong Kai

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Ning Teng departed, leaving behind a single booklet. Gazing at Ning Teng’s cultivation insights, Yang Ze grew pensive.

“It seems there must be someone on Qingyang Peak who holds a grudge against Ning Teng; otherwise, Ning Teng wouldn’t have counted on me to vent his anger. After some consideration, the one most likely at odds with Ning Teng is Xie Yuan!”

A sudden gleam sparked in Yang Ze’s eyes as he quietly pieced together the puzzle. Judging by what had transpired earlier at Qingyang Hall, he was almost certain that was the case.

“I can’t afford to offend either of those two elders, but since such a precious treasure lies before me, I cannot refuse it.”

With that thought, Yang Ze picked up the booklet and began flipping through it. Regardless of anything else, what he needed most now was to strengthen his power, and Ning Teng’s gift was exactly what he required.

Otherwise, according to Ning Teng, he would have to spend contribution points at the Law Transmission Hall seeking guidance from high-level warriors. Ning Teng had helped him; in return, he would help Ning Teng get some payback. What else could he do?

...

Meanwhile, after leaving Qingyang Peak, Ning Teng headed toward Piaomiao Peak.

Situated behind Qingyang Peak, Piaomiao Peak served as the main peak of the Piaomiao Martial Academy. A separate grand protective formation guarded the entire mountain.

Upon arriving at Piaomiao Peak, Ning Teng ascended to a great hall atop the summit. Inside, a man was already standing there.

Seeing him, Ning Teng clasped his fists and bowed respectfully. “Ning Teng pays respects to the Vice Dean!”

The man before Ning Teng, dressed in white and middle-aged, was Xu Zhengkong, the Vice Dean of the Piaomiao Martial Academy.

He looked considerably younger than Ning Teng, yet Xu Zhengkong was a formidable Sixth Rank Divine Palace realm powerhouse, renowned throughout Qingzhou.

“The Dean has been in seclusion for a long time. If you have matters to discuss, just tell me,” Xu Zhengkong said calmly.

“Half a year ago, the Dean entrusted me with a task in Yangzhou, which I have completed. I have returned specifically to report. This is the fated treasure the Dean gave me to return—please deliver it for me!” Ning Teng said, holding up the fishing rod—the very rod that had pulled Yang Ze from the Weiyu River.

“This matter is of great importance. It’s better to wait until the Dean emerges from seclusion before reporting. As for this fated treasure, hand it over to me first. I have no authority to keep it; it must be placed in the treasure vault to ensure its safety,” Xu Zhengkong said, reaching out to take the rod.

Ning Teng did not elaborate further. “If that is so, I shall not delay here any longer. I take my leave.”

“Elder Ning, wait. The Dean left something else for you,” Xu Zhengkong stopped Ning Teng, holding a jade bottle which he handed over.

“Elder Ning, with Elder Wang’s breakthrough, you will temporarily assume the position of Chief Elder of the Outer Academy. However, your current cultivation is still insufficient to formally hold this post. This is the Dean’s Ling Gong Pill—use it wisely and do not disappoint the Dean’s expectations.”

Ning Teng looked at the jade bottle in his hand with emotion and nodded. “Thank you, Dean. Thank you, Vice Dean. I will surely give it my all!”

After speaking, Ning Teng departed.

Once the hall was empty except for Xu Zhengkong, he gazed at the fishing rod in his hand. Suddenly, he gripped it tightly with his right hand, and a glow gathered in his left palm. With a clap, the light struck the rod’s surface.

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The light moved across the rod’s surface, gradually causing a layer of material to peel away. The rod beneath was pristine white, emanating a radiant white glow.

Yet beneath this luminescence, a thumb-length crack appeared on the rod’s surface.

Xu Zhengkong regarded the crack calmly. “Who exactly did the Dean send Ning Teng to find that even this fated treasure has been damaged?”

Damage to a treasure is no trivial matter. This must be reported swiftly.

With that, Xu Zhengkong withdrew his hands, and the combined glow from himself and the treasure vanished. The great hall instantly fell silent and empty...

Inside a nearby room, Yang Ze pored over Ning Teng’s cultivation insights, reading through the entire night before finally stopping.

He had not finished the booklet, only reaching Ning Teng’s annotations on the fundamentals of martial cultivation. Yet even these few notes were an unimaginable boon to him.

After days of travel and an entire sleepless night, his body was beginning to falter; his eyes were bloodshot and filled with veins.

Unable to continue, Yang Ze turned over and collapsed onto the bed, finally resting.

The next morning, while still in slumber, he was roused by the tumult outside his room.

Hearing the commotion, Yang Ze’s face darkened instantly.

The place he stayed at was a quiet spot with no neighbors, arranged by Cai Kun specifically for him. Now, suddenly, all this noise—something must have happened.

Pushing open the door, Yang Ze saw over thirty people standing outside. He was not unfamiliar with them—they had all been around Cai Kun yesterday.

“You must be Yang Ze?”

Before Yang Ze could speak, an arrogant voice called out first.

Yang Ze coldly observed the speaker—also wearing the robe of a registered disciple, a fairly decent-looking man, though his face was etched with arrogance, making him extremely unpleasant. The thirty or so others appeared to follow his lead.

“Senior Brother Zhong is asking you a question. Are you mute or just unwilling to answer?”

Another man beside Zhong Kai shouted angrily as Yang Ze remained silent.

Yang Ze’s expression grew colder. These people not only knew his name but had come in such numbers—clearly they had made preparations.

“I am Yang Ze. Who are you, and what do you want here?”

Yang Ze asked coldly.

“Who are we? Ha! Look at this guy acting tough, yet he doesn’t even know who’s standing before him. Let me tell you—this is Zhong Kai, the famed Senior Brother of the Southern District of Ding Area!”

The man speaking stood beside Zhong Kai; he had been the one scolding Yang Ze earlier.

“You’re a new registered disciple and don’t even know to pay respects to Senior Brother Zhong? You’re in trouble now.”

“Oh? There’s such a thing as paying respects? I just arrived, and no one told me about this,” Yang Ze replied without anger, merely asking.

“Don’t know? Didn’t ask? We have a rule here: newcomers must hand over their monthly stipend and Peiyuan Pills for the first three months. Because of your ignorance, we had to come collect it ourselves. So now, not only do you owe three months, you owe six months—to make up for our loss!” The man snapped, showing no respect.

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“You’re extorting protection money. Aren’t you afraid the elders will find out and punish you?” Even Yang Ze hadn’t expected such rules among the registered disciples of Piaomiao Martial Academy.

“Punish us? We’re called registered disciples as a nice term. To be blunt, we’re nothing in Piaomiao Martial Academy. We’re not even outer disciples; the elders don’t care about us. As long as we don’t kill anyone, they won’t intervene.

“Yang Ze, I won’t beat around the bush. I only learned your name through a relative. If you’re honest and tell me about your relationship with Steward Cai, I might be in a good mood and let you off today. Otherwise...”

This time Zhong Kai spoke himself. As he did, the others stepped forward, making their stance clear.

In Zhong Kai’s eyes, Yang Ze could not have powerful backing; otherwise, he wouldn’t have sunk so low as to be a registered disciple like them.

But according to his connections, Yang Ze had access to Cai Kun, a steward of Qingyang Hall, indicating some relationship. If Zhong Kai could leverage Yang Ze’s connections, he might escape this place and become an outer disciple.

He never considered using gentle means; Yang Ze was nothing but a pushover to him. He always used brute force to intimidate and gain benefits.

Yang Ze looked at them and shook his head, never imagining the registered disciples of Piaomiao Martial Academy to be such ruffians.

“What if I refuse to speak?”

Zhong Kai’s eyes instantly turned cold. “A brash newcomer dares to be so arrogant? Looks like you need a lesson.”

“Arrogance requires skill. From where I stand, you lack any,” Yang Ze retorted mercilessly.

“Yang Ze!” Zhong Kai roared in fury. “Attack!”

At his shout, his men lunged forward toward Yang Ze.

Yang Ze sneered. “Enough talk. Let me show you who really needs teaching.”

Before they reached him, Yang Ze unleashed his true energy in a sweeping kick, blasting several of them flying.

Seeing Yang Ze’s ferocity, Zhong Kai bellowed and stepped forward, his right hand reaching to seize Yang Ze.

Without fear, Yang Ze condensed all his true energy in two fingers of his right hand and pointed them out, sending a surge of energy—his Nine Spiral Finger technique—against Zhong Kai’s grasp.

Their clash whipped up a fierce wind, forcing the onlookers to retreat.

“Stomp, stomp!”

The force erupted as both Yang Ze and Zhong Kai each stepped back three paces.

“What? Who is this man that he can withstand a blow from Senior Brother Zhong, whose cultivation has reached Sixth Stage True Qi?”

Witnessing Zhong Kai fail to defeat Yang Ze with a single move, several bystanders shouted in astonishment.