Death… and me

If Meng Chao Ran was Shi Qian Shan's master, then how could he have stood there and watched as the situation unfolded? At that moment, he was filled with disappointment. Meng Chao Ran had always taught his disciples to never let others solve their problems for them. However, if they failed to do so, he would come and aid them. Today, if Shi Qian Shan had at least some dignity to stand up and fight with his opponents, then Meng Chao Ran would come to his aid and protected his disciple.

This was true to the extent that even if he had to fight straight into Locking Clouds Peak, Meng Chao Ran would do it! If your family gets beaten up, at least they have someone to rely on. Would it not be the same with disciples?

Meng Chao Ran had already prepared everything carefully!

However, he saw Shi Qian Shan's taking a beating and refusing to fight back as cowardice. An act simply to preserve his life. This was no different from having to have no pride and dignity at all! What would then happen if one day a formidable enemy attacked? Would you kneel and surrender to him just to spare your own life?

Patience must also have its limits!

I can fight for you but first, you have to show that you are worthy of my efforts. I might be able to cover for you once, but I wouldn't be able to for your entire life. The choice is yours.

Such was the main principle taught by Meng Chao Ran. Though others might found it difficult to understand, however, this was a method he employed to help his disciples survive in Jiang Hu.

Enthusiasm and courage – these are two qualities often viewed as the impulsiveness of youth and also the cause of tragedy, however, it is undeniable that without these two virtues, an individual would never become powerful even with a thousand years of cultivation.

Although enthusiasm and courage were considered defects, these two qualities were quintessential to becoming powerful.

Therefore, Meng Chao Ran felt extremely disappointed with Shi Qian Shan and decided that he would not intervene even in his situation any longer.

In the Purple Bamboo Forest, two people stood lost in their own thoughts a great distance from Meng Chao Ran was. They were watching the comedy which was unfolding in the yard. These two people were the Sect Master of the Beyond the Heavens Sect, Wu Yun Liang, and Master of Dream Clouds Peak, Kong Jing Feng. It was not known why these two individuals were there or if they were even excited to watch these youths fighting against one other.

If Chu Yang were to see these two, he would surely be surprised.

When they saw Shi Qian Shan lying curled up and unconscious on the ground, covered in dirt and blood, Qu Ping and Liu Yun Yan suddenly lost all interest and stopped. They previously thought that Shi Qian Shan who was so arrogant and challenged to fight with Li Jian Yin would at least put up a decent fight.

Much to their surprise, they watched as Li Jian Yin trashed Shi Qian Shan. For the entire fight, Shi Qian Shan not only didn't retaliate but instead stood there and let Li Jian Yin beat him to a pulp.

They were worried that the one-sided fight might end up killing Shi Qian Shan and immediately prepared to leave.

Just as they were about to leave, a voice spoke slowly, "Hey, are you guys just leaving like that?"

Liu Yun Yan and his group immediately stopped.

The other person continued, "Eight elder martial brothers get into a fight with Shi Qian Shan and he suffers so much. It does not seem right that you leave like that."

Liu Yun Yan turned around and stared coldly at the speaker and said, "What do you want?"

The seven others turned back as well, surprised to see this stranger. When they were giving Shi Qian Shan a beating, that guy didn't say anything. Now that it was over, he showed his face.

Perhaps he wanted a beating as well!

Chu Yang smiled peacefully and said, "Elder Martial Brother Qu has come to our Purple Bamboo Garden and suffered such a big grievance. Junior Martial Brother feels very guilty."

His face had always been cold. But now, he was smiling and talking so friendly, leaving Tan Tan's mouth agape as though he had just seen the devil.

"Oh my god! I have known you for so long, yet today is the first time I have seen you smile. I have not lived my life in vain!" Tan Tan was filled with an unspeakable joy.

As for Liu Yun Yan's people, they were very annoyed. Just then, the eight men who beat Shi Qian Shan to the brink of death, while screaming that Shi Qian Shan was beating them.

Chu Yang was from the Purple Bamboo Garden, yet he was now following suit and also began to twist the truth.

Somehow this made the eight people even more upset.

However, Chu Yang did not stand up for Shi Qian Shan's sake. If this happened elsewhere, he would have surely pretended as though he had not seen anything and left. But since this had happened at Purple Bamboo Garden, he simply could not let them leave comfortably like that!

This was his Master's sanctuary, it was also his master's pride.

The disciples of Locking Clouds Peak came to beat up Meng Chao Ran's disciple right at Purple Bamboo Garden and then calmly left; if such a thing were made known, Meng Chao Ran's reputation would suffer tremendously.

Even though Meng Chao Ran never minded such things, Chu Yang could not help but care.

From the previous life to now, Meng Chao Ran has always been the person Chu Yang respected the most.

Shi Qian Shan's beating was exactly as he had planned, but those who dared to come to Purple Bamboo Garden to beat up people, they should too suffer the consequences!

As he saw it, these were two different things.

Should I kill with a borrowed knife? Chu Yang asked himself. Feeling a little dishonest, he unconsciously rubbed his nose.

Surely it is okay? Even though I'm throwing stones with a hidden hand, these idiots are just a bunch of donkeys.

Moreover, I can use Shi Qian Shan to shield from disaster. With the current situation, I must quickly gain the sword point fragment of the Nine Tribulations Sword, then I can truly overwhelm them with my prowess.

If it was a matter of time, then why not do it a little earlier?

"In the end, what can you even do?" Liu Yun Yan signaled for his junior martial brothers to stop. Looking haughtily at Chu Yang, he thought, This kid is at best a Martial Artist at second or third grade. How good could he possibly be? No need to bother!

"What I meant was, this is Purple Bamboo Garden, not Locking Clouds Peak." Chu Yang smiled peacefully but his gaze was as sharp as a knife.

"So what if it is Purple Bamboo Garden?" Liu Yun Yan said.

"You are from Locking Clouds Peak, even though we are from the same sect, Locking Clouds Peak is Locking Clouds Peak and Purple Bamboo Garden is Purple Bamboo Garden." Chu Yang said blandly. "You guys dare to come to cause trouble in Purple Bamboo Garden, has an elder in the sect granted you permission?"

"What do you mean to cause trouble?" Qu Ping glared angrily. "We were only here to have a friendly competition with Junior Martial Brother Shi Qian Shan. Aren't such competitions common in the sect?"

"That's right, only a friendly competition!" The rest yelled out. They absolutely could not accept the words 'making trouble'.

"Oh? Friendly competition? The rules of the Beyond the Heavens Sect states that friendly competition amongst disciples must have an elder present. Can I ask where that elder is?" Chu Yang smiled coldly and continued, "Besides, the Heavens Sect rules state that friendly competition should be used to encourage disciples to prove themselves, but there must be an elder to watch over. So I ask you, where is the elder? Beyond the Heavens Sect also has a rule that states friendly competitions need an agreement, so can I ask you what and where is that agreement?"

"You…" Qu Ping was tongue-tied.

When they arrived there, they already knew that Meng Chao Ran was at Purple Bamboo Garden. They figured they only had to ask him for permission for a friendly competition, then everything would go smoothly.

Moreover, it also would have boosted the great reputation of Locking Clouds Peak. "If You guys think about this, we come in the name of friendly competition, but it is, in fact, to avenge our junior martial brother. The place of our competition is Purple Bamboo Garden, so we can have Junior Martial Uncle Meng preside over the competition." Everything was open and upright conduct, the plan was perfect and without any flaws.

It would actually have been strange if Li Jian Yin had come home injured and Locking Clouds Peak did not react.

However that being said, they did not expect to come and find only three people. So they made an informal agreement and immediately began sparring.

Surprisingly, after the fight, someone began asking about the rules.

Nonetheless, without an elder there, there was no way they could win this argument.

"Gibberish! It was Shi Qian Shan who provoked a fight and hit Elder Martial Brother Qu first. Elder Martial Brother Qu fought back in self-defense." as he said this, one of the youth's eyes opened widely in surprise.

Chu Yang coldly looked at him and said, "If so, then Elder Martial Brother Qu's injuries must be pretty serious?"

"Of course!" The youth's face suddenly turned red, but he continued speaking boldly. "Look, not only does Elder Martial Brother have a wound on his rib but also in the front of his chest. His whole body is covered with injuries!"

"Oh, then today was not a friendly competition then?" Chu Yang delighted, tilted his head. "Why is your face so flushed? Did you do something against your conscience?"

"Of course… of course, it was not a competition." Qu Ping continued to babble.

The eight of them had just said in unison that it was a friendly competition. Now, under Chu Yang's sharp questioning, they immediately changed their minds and said it was not a competition.

"Then, when you get back, you will report that then?" Chu Yang smiled and asked.

"Of course, we have to be honest. The sect trusts us so much, how could we tell a lie?"

When everyone heard Qu Ping say these words, they could not help but feel embarrassed themselves.

"But this doesn't seem to fit too well. Elder Martial Brother Qu, if you have suffered such great injustice, but your body shows little injuries, would it not be hard to convince the elders?" Chu Yang spoke sincerely. "Elder Martial Brother Qu, how about you let me help you? What do you think?"

"You? Help me?" Qu Ping eyes narrowed as he spoke. "You help me with what?"

"I will help you create a few injuries on your body." Chu Yang said with a sincere smile. "Elder Martial Brother Qu, I am only thinking of you! When you tell the elders about this incident, but they don't see any injuries, they will think that you are lying. According to the traditional rules, surely you will be punished. Wouldn't it be better if I give you a few cuts, some light punches, and kicks? What about it?"

"Ha, ha," Qu Ping laughed loudly and gave Chu Yang a condescending look. "So you are Chu Yang? Junior Martial Brother Li told us that we could deal with Shi Qian Shan, but we must save you for him to deal with. Ha, ha… that was why we did not touch you. Surprisingly, you want to help us? Ha, ha, with your abilities, how would you help us?"

"Let's give it a try and see!" Chu Yang said intimately. "Perhaps Elder Martial Brother Qu will see if I'm speaking the truth, stand still and let me make a few wounds. Wouldn't that be easy?"

Qu Ping smiled and said casually, "Our Beyond the Heavens Sect, in the nine peaks and one garden, there are a total of 796 disciples, males, and females. We are being ranked annually. I, Qu Ping, although am untalented, but am still ranked nineteen. May I ask what rank you are, Chu Yang?"