Chapter 16: Relying on Power

Ye Tianxing looked at Yin Tianfang with smug satisfaction, thinking to himself, So what if you’ve become a disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect? So what if Master favors you? I’m still stronger than you; you’ll always be beneath me, always at my mercy. This was his very first battle since becoming a cultivator, and he had suppressed Yin Tianfang right from the start—his sense of triumph was palpable.

But just as Ye Tianxing was about to lose himself in his pride, Yin Tianfang suddenly let out a furious roar. Within his dantian, the azure lotus leaf trembled lightly, and a far mightier aura erupted from him. With a sudden burst of strength, he broke free from the invisible grip restraining him and, before Ye Tianxing’s stunned eyes, shot forward to stand before him.

A fist appeared in Ye Tianxing’s vision, growing larger in an instant, and with a resounding crash, it smashed into his face. The punch was laden with rage, sending Ye Tianxing flying, and he crashed heavily to the ground.

“So you like bullying me? I’ll beat you to death!” Yin Tianfang roared, leaping forward and pinning Ye Tianxing beneath him. His fists rained down like a storm, pummeling Ye Tianxing relentlessly. Ye Tianxing could do nothing but cover his head and scream in agony. At that moment, neither of them looked anything like dignified cultivators.

Not far away, a servant who had yet to leave stood frozen in shock, staring blankly at the scene. Internally, he thought: These two are inner disciples, for heaven’s sake; how can they be so unruly?

Ye Tianxing was pinned beneath Yin Tianfang, the pain from the beating no match for the humiliation piercing his heart. He had never imagined that the wild boy he used to torment would one day surpass him in strength. The double blow of anger and shame was too much for Ye Tianxing to bear; after a short struggle, he promptly passed out.

Seeing Ye Tianxing lose consciousness, Yin Tianfang got up, gasping for breath, a sense of elation surging within him. The resentment he had nursed toward Ye Tianxing for so long had finally erupted in full force.

He glanced at the basket of spiritual herbs and materials and unceremoniously swept all of Ye Tianxing’s spoils into his own storage pouch.

“I advanced through my own efforts, not with Master’s help. Hmph, look down on me, will you!” With that, Yin Tianfang gave Ye Tianxing a few more solid kicks before leaving, finally satisfied.

As he passed the servant, Yin Tianxing fixed him with a look. “Next time, deliver my things directly to me—and his as well,” he added, nodding toward the unconscious Ye Tianxing. “If he gives you any trouble, just say I told you to do it. If there’s a problem, let him come to me.”

“Yes, sir, I understand,” the servant replied hastily. Once Yin Tianxing was gone, he took a wary glance at Ye Tianxing, still lying unmoving, and quickly made himself scarce from North Peak.

“Zhang Ping, Lin Fan!” Back at his cave, Yin Tianfang called out loudly. The two hurried over, puzzled by his obvious good mood.

“Come, let me show you something,” Yin Tianfang said mysteriously, ushering them inside. He took out his storage pouch, tipped it over, and a heap of spiritual herbs and materials spilled out, filling the cave with a refreshing fragrance.

“Where did all this come from, young master?” Zhang Ping and Lin Fan stared in astonishment at the pile before them.

“I took it from Ye Tianxing,” Yin Tianfang laughed heartily. “Someone was supposed to bring these to me, but that brat Ye Tianxing intercepted everything. If I hadn’t stumbled upon it today, I’d still be in the dark.”

Hearing this, unease began to creep onto their faces.

“Young master, I think some of these were meant for Lords Qingfeng and Qingyue. If we’ve taken everything, what if they find out and blame us?” Zhang Ping said, worry etched into his features.

“Hmph, they've bullied me time and again, even stealing my herbs. So what if they come looking for trouble? Don’t worry, they wouldn’t dare lay a hand on me. If they try anything, next time Master returns, I won’t be so polite.”

Since Yin Tianfang was so unconcerned, there was no reason for them to hesitate. “Fortune favors the bold,” as they say. Zhang Ping and Lin Fan quickly packed the herbs and materials away, then left the cave in high spirits—at last, they wouldn’t have to subsist on dry buns.

“Yin Tianfang, come out here!” At dawn the next day, an angry shout outside the cave roused Yin Tianfang from sleep. Zhang Ping and Lin Fan rushed in, panic on their faces. “Young master, it’s bad! Lords Qingfeng and Qingyue are here, and Ye Tianxing too!”

“So, they’ve come to accuse me, have they? Fine, let’s see what they want.” Yin Tianfang was ready to face them. Ever since arriving at North Peak, Qingfeng and Qingyue had done everything in their power to make life difficult for him. This time, Ye Tianxing was clearly in the wrong, yet they had come to find fault with him—how obvious could it be that they were siding with Ye Tianxing? If they didn’t treat him as a junior brother, why should he show them respect as senior brothers?

Outside the cave, Qingfeng and Qingyue stood with dark expressions, Ye Tianxing behind them, his face bruised and swollen, glaring at Yin Tianfang with venom as he emerged.

“As a junior, you dared assault your senior brother. Yin Tianfang, do you realize your mistake?” Qingfeng demanded sharply, not even waiting for Yin Tianfang to speak. Yin Tianfang was somewhat surprised; clearly, they’d left yesterday and only returned this morning. Upon seeing Ye Tianxing’s battered face, they’d pressed him for answers and learned that it was Yin Tianfang who had beaten him.

Already displeased with Yin Tianfang due to their master’s favoritism, Qingfeng and Qingyue were not about to let this go. So they brought Ye Tianxing along to punish him.

“Yin Tianfang, with such behavior, do you even acknowledge us as your senior brothers?” Qingyue’s gaze was icy as he questioned him.

A cold chuckle escaped Yin Tianfang, his smile tinged with mockery. “When I respected you as senior brothers, when I treated you with courtesy, what did you do? Ye Tianxing stole my herbs and you turned a blind eye; he bullied me, and you did nothing. Did you ever once treat me as your junior?”

“If you don’t acknowledge me as your junior brother, then why should I acknowledge you as senior brothers?”

“How dare you!”

“Insolence!”

Qingfeng and Qingyue’s faces darkened simultaneously, their voices thundering. Qingyue took a step forward, raising a hand as if to strike Yin Tianfang across the face.

Yin Tianfang lifted his chin defiantly, “Go ahead, hit me if you dare. But if you do, when Master returns, I’ll tell him everything—and I’ll make sure you pay back double!”

“I know I’m not your match, so I won’t resist. But you’d better think carefully: if you lay a hand on me, can you withstand Master’s wrath when he finds out?”

Qingyue’s hand froze mid-air, his expression shifting uncertainly. He truly wasn’t sure—if he struck Yin Tianfang, would their master’s anger be worth it? If their master were enraged, the consequences would be unbearable.

“Don’t think that just because you have Master’s backing, you can ignore us as your senior brothers!” Qingfeng snapped coldly.

“Today, I am relying on Master’s support. What can you do to me?”

Yin Tianfang stood his ground, utterly unafraid, his resolve unwavering even as Qingfeng and Qingyue glared at him. Today, he would use his master’s protection to confront them head-on.

“I respected you as senior brothers, but did you ever think of me as your junior? Since you didn’t, why should I hold you in any regard? If you have the guts, go ahead and punish me—let’s see if Master will let you off!”

“You…”

“What? I’ve done nothing wrong. What right do you have to hold anything against me? Is it just because you’re stronger—that gives you the right to oppress others? If I had the same time and resources as you, I, Yin Tianfang, would not be inferior to anyone!”