A Clean Break

Wang Huan froze, instinctively covering his reddened left cheek.

This sudden scene left everyone staring in shock.

In ordinary times, Chen Sanli called him Brother Wang at every turn, more warmly than he would his own father. He was practically a fawning lackey, while his relationship with Xu Yuan had been merely so-so, and they had even clashed before.

It was truly hard to imagine that Chen Sanli would lay hands on Wang Huan because of Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan, however, saw right through him. Chen Sanli simply thought Xu Yuan had more potential than Wang Huan and was more worth investing in and befriending.

Xu Yuan usually could not be bothered with him, so Chen Sanli was now using Wang Huan as a stepping stone to show his loyalty.

After all, whether on the streets or in court, choosing sides had always been the best way to draw closer to someone.

"Chen Sanli... you, I?!"

That slap left Wang Huan dazed. By the time he came back to himself, more than half his drunkenness had evaporated. First came disbelief, then a surge of fury that rolled through his heart and burned all five of his senses to ash.

Chen Sanli had actually hit him?

That guy who usually only knew how to take petty advantages, who had seemed like his own little brother, actually dared to hit him?

"Damn it, you're courting death!" Wang Huan's eyes instantly turned red. He grabbed Chen Sanli by the collar and threw a punch, and the two wrestled onto the floor.

Wang Huan's high talent was no empty boast. His qi and blood had been tempered solidly, making him considerably stronger than the First Meridian martial artists present.

Chen Sanli gradually fell into a disadvantage and was beaten until his nose was bruised and his face swollen.

Li Shan and the others finally reacted and hurried forward to break up the fight, forcibly pulling the two apart amid a tangle of hands and feet.

Wang Huan panted heavily, his chest rising and falling violently as he stared coldly at Chen Sanli.

Chen Sanli looked aggrieved, but a trace of smugness flashed through his eyes. He had made his stance clear and picked the right side; their relationship had suddenly drawn much closer. This beating had been worth it!

Wang Huan made it sound easy, saying he could break through to the Second Meridian by the end of the month. Yet among the sixty people in the training yard, only one had succeeded so far. That showed just how difficult it was.

By comparison, Xu Yuan was the second person in the yard to gain entry into boxing techniques. His comprehension had to be excellent. Chen Sanli was also practicing boxing techniques, and once they became familiar, he might receive some crucial guidance.

After all, the end of the month was drawing near. He did not want to be randomly assigned to one of those dangerous front-line positions.

Xu Yuan's expression remained calm as he slowly took a step forward.

Behind him, Tian Yang also circulated his qi and blood, ready to make a move at any moment.

"Brother Xu, forget it. Cool down... Brother Wang drank too much and has been talking nonsense. If this keeps going, it won't look good for anyone," Li Shan suddenly said, reaching out to stop Xu Yuan.

He truly did not want roommates who had shared a room to end up like enemies, so he instinctively stepped in to stop it.

Tian Yang looked at him in surprise.

Xu Yuan was also taken aback. His gaze fell on Li Shan, and he said nothing. Someone had practically slapped him across the face, yet Li Shan wanted him to stop and swallow this insult whole?

"That's more like it. Whatever you have to say, let's sit down and talk it over slowly," Li Shan said. Seeing Xu Yuan stop walking, he thought Xu Yuan had taken his advice. Relief washed over him, and he smiled.

Xu Yuan gave him a long look, feeling only absurdity and irony.

Chen Sanli, whom he usually looked down on and deliberately kept at arm's length, had stood on his side just now without hesitation, slapped Wang Huan, and taken a beating for it.

Yet Li Shan, the friend who had come here with him, had instead played peacemaker, asking him to swallow his anger and let the matter rest?

Looking at Li Shan's expression, Xu Yuan suddenly chuckled.

Li Shan probably did not even know what his actions meant. He merely thought he was instinctively smoothing things over, and was likely even secretly pleased with himself, believing he had settled a conflict between roommates.

At the request of our many readers, we are now offering ad-free VIP membership.

Click to view

But the truth was that he had completely moved his backside over to Wang Huan's side. Without realizing it, he had chosen a side.

For some reason, Xu Yuan and Tian Yang's gazes made Li Shan feel guilty. But he quickly came to his senses. No, what am I afraid of? I just don't want the dormitory relationship to get worse.

Xu Yuan nodded and said calmly, "Fine, Li Shan. I'll give you this face."

With that, he turned and left.

Behind him, Chen Sanli covered his reddened, swollen cheek and cast a mocking glance at Li Shan, secretly laughing at the fool who did not know his own place.

If he had shared such a close relationship with Xu Yuan, why would he have needed to take such a vicious beating from Wang Huan? What Li Shan had done just now had clearly offended Wang Huan to the bitter end.

Still, if it could keep him from being randomly assigned to certain high-risk places, it was worth it!

Martial techniques were different from stance work.

To put it plainly, stance work relied entirely on physical talent. Aside from tempering qi and blood, everyone's bottlenecks differed slightly, making it difficult for outsiders to help.

Martial techniques were different, though. If one lacked comprehension, any random issue could leave them stuck for ages. If someone offered a few pointers at such a time, it would be like sending charcoal in the snow.

But now that everyone was struggling to look after themselves, who would waste the effort teaching you?

Master Chen could help people solve certain problems, but he would not have answers every time. In his heart, he would naturally favor those with comprehension, those who could gain entry within this month.

After all, he was not your father. How much silver did he earn each month? Why should he worry about every little thing? He needed to practice martial arts too.

These thoughts flashed through Chen Sanli's mind. Calling, "Brother Xu," he chased after him.

Tian Yang looked at Li Shan, opened his mouth, then ultimately shook his head with a soft sigh and followed them out.

Li Shan frowned. It seemed he might have handled things improperly this time, but after thinking it over, he felt there was nothing wrong with what he had done. He simply sat on his bed and ignored it.

Xiao Sheng said, "Brother Wang, you should drink less from now on." Then he left as well.

Gao Yuan wore a strange expression. He looked at the silent Wang Huan, then glanced at Li Shan, who did not know what was what, and shook his head slightly as he thought:

The terrace closest to the water catches the moonlight first, yet he forcibly kicked the relationship farther away. He really can't tell where he stands!

As for that Chen Sanli, I thought he was merely some filthy thing who loved taking petty advantages... I underestimated him.

Having understood the key points, he said no more. After all, he was not familiar with Li Shan, so he went out to wash up on his own.

After that fierce clash, Wang Huan had sobered up completely. Thinking back on what had happened, he felt remorseful and still somewhat afraid.

He had not yet broken through to the Second Meridian. If Xu Yuan had truly stepped forward, he would not have been able to beat him...

So Wang Huan looked at Li Shan and said sincerely, "Shanzi, thank you for what you did just now."

"It was nothing. Brother Wang, just drink less in the future. Find a chance to talk things out with Brother Xu," Li Shan said, waving a hand dismissively.

"Yangzi, thanks to you too," Wang Huan said, looking at Qin Yang.

Qin Yang said nothing, merely shaking his head slightly. His expression was rather ugly. He might like having fun, but he was not completely clueless about the ways of the world.

He had truly stepped in dog shit this time!

He had only shared a little drink with Wang Huan. Who would have thought Wang Huan would suddenly start spouting nonsense without restraint, dragging him into it and getting him marked by Xu Yuan as well?

He felt stifled, and a few traces of resentment toward Wang Huan arose in his heart. Why the hell did you have to drink so blindly? Fine, drink if you want, but why couldn't you keep your mouth shut!

The more Qin Yang thought about it, the more aggrieved he became. He probably would not sleep well tonight.