Crisis

Although no servant dared escort Luo Zheng, he still made his way to the Martial Arts Practice Hall of his own accord.

Luo Zheng was deeply dissatisfied with the Luo Family's current Rules. Second Uncle and Third Uncle themselves could not uphold the laws and regulations, while their sons behaved with such outrageous, unrestrained abandon. Take Luo Peiran and Luo Chengyun, for instance—when had they ever taken the clan rules seriously? That was also why a few insignificant servants dared make such a ruckus.

But others trampling the clan rules and scorning them did not mean Luo Zheng would refuse to abide by them. It was not stubborn pedantry; it was a matter of conviction.

The atmosphere in the Martial Arts Practice Hall was somewhat different from usual.

Word that Luo Zheng had beaten Chief Steward Huang Ge and Steward Fang Cong had already spread throughout the entire Luo Family.

Two years ago, Luo Zheng had become a condemned man and been demoted to a Family Slave, becoming a Meat Target in the Martial Arts Practice Hall. He had always endured whatever came his way. No matter how the Luo Family Disciples beat him, he bore it, yielded to it, and never uttered a word, like a docile sheep.

Everyone had forgotten that he had once been the young family head of the Luo Family. They had also forgotten that Luo Zheng himself possessed the strength of the Flesh Refining Realm.

Now, these Luo Family Disciples finally understood that Luo Zheng had not simply endured without end. The Luo Family Disciples could beat him as they pleased only because his surname was Luo.

Outsiders had no such right!

For that very reason, the Luo Family Disciples in the Martial Arts Practice Hall looked at Luo Zheng with a faint sense of awe today. When the Luo Family instructor told them to choose their Meat Targets, not a single one chose Luo Zheng.

Luo Zheng revealed a helpless, bitter smile. This was not the outcome he wanted...

What he needed most right now was to temper his physical body, yet these Luo Family Disciples were simply ignoring him. How could that do?

He could hardly go up and say outright, I really deserve a beating. Come hit me!

As the Meat Targets around him were led away one after another, leaving only him alone in a corner of the Martial Arts Practice Hall, Luo Zheng grew thoroughly displeased. Luo Family Disciples should not be this cowardly!

He walked straight toward Luo Dalong, who was fiercely hammering a Stone Man, and said, "Dalong, what is so satisfying about hitting a lump of stone? I'll practice with you."

"Th-this..." Even someone as reckless as Luo Dalong showed hesitation on his face.

"I'm a Meat Target, so naturally I should practice with you! Don't worry, this leather armor of mine is sturdy. You won't break it," Luo Zheng said, patting his chest.

Since Luo Zheng had put it that way, Luo Dalong found it awkward to refuse again. Otherwise, he would look far too cowardly, even though what he truly wanted was to avoid provoking Luo Zheng.

With reservations in his heart, Luo Dalong's punches no longer felt right. In the past, he could exert ten parts of his strength, but now he could only bring out five or six.

These limp, weak punches had poor tempering effects. The Warm Current they produced upon striking Luo Zheng was far too little, leaving him very dissatisfied.

"Put more strength into it! Hit hard right here!"

"Your punches are too slow. What are you holding back for?"

"That punch was somewhat decent, but it was nowhere near as good as yesterday's."

Watching a Meat Target patiently teach someone how to beat him, the Luo Family Disciples in the Martial Arts Practice Hall were so shocked their jaws nearly dropped. They truly could not guess what Luo Zheng was thinking.

Luo Dalong, however, did not think much more about it. Under Luo Zheng's gradual guidance, he slowly adjusted his state. His hands and feet loosened up, and his strength gradually returned to normal.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Blow after blow, fists of raw force hammered Luo Zheng's body wildly. Strands and streams of Warm Current flowed into his body, drawing out the impurities in his bones strand by strand, like unraveling silk from a cocoon.

Every punch made his bones a little purer, while their strength and resilience rose another level.

Being beaten was like swallowing a Heaven and Earth Creation Pill. The joy brought by this qualitative transformation was beyond words. Pain showed on his face, but in his heart he wanted to cry out: Let the fists come even harder!

The bronze clepsydra used to keep time in the Martial Arts Practice Hall had drained three full pots of water. Three hours had already passed.

At that time, the Luo Family servants brought food. Both Luo Family Disciples and Meat Targets needed to replenish their strength, but the disciples ate exquisite delicacies, whereas the Meat Targets received only plain water and hard steamed buns...

After three hours of tempering, Luo Zheng was starving as well. Tempering his body had consumed an enormous amount of stamina. He did not mind the poor food, and grabbed a bun, about to stuff it into his mouth.

Just then, a porcelain bowl was suddenly held out before Luo Zheng. It was filled with finely prepared fragrant meat that gave off an enticing aroma.

Luo Zheng looked up and saw that Luo Dalong had handed over his own meal bowl. Luo Dalong smiled and said, "Let's eat together."

Luo Zheng did not stand on ceremony. He began eating, taking huge bites of bun and huge bites of meat.

"You beat Huang Ge. Second Young Master will deal with you," Luo Dalong said quietly.

Luo Zheng wolfed down the food. Ever since becoming a Meat Target, he had not eaten such delicious fare in a long time. He nodded; he understood Luo Dalong's well-meaning warning.

After all, he had once been the young family head. He saw these affairs of the Lineage far more clearly than collateral disciples like Luo Dalong did.

The greatest reason Second Uncle and Third Uncle had allowed him to live for so long was not kindness. It was because he was too weak, like an inconsequential ant that posed no threat to them.

But if Luo Zheng, this ant, were to bite them and make them feel even a trace of pain, they would crush him to death without the slightest hesitation.

"Still, it was damn satisfying. We've disliked that old bastard surnamed Huang for a long time," Luo Dalong said with a laugh.

It was not only Luo Dalong who found it satisfying. Apart from those from the Second Branch and Third Branch, every Luo Family Disciple felt the same way.

The Luo Family Disciples on the Martial Arts Practice Field did not say it outright as Luo Dalong had, but their Eyes already said everything.

Over the past two years, the actions of the Second Branch and Third Branch could only be described as walking backward against the tide. They had drastically withheld the various monthly allowances of collateral disciples, cutting even their cultivation pills again and again. Even a few servants could climb onto the heads of those surnamed Luo—why?

Nearly all resources were tilted toward Luo Peiran and Luo Chengyun. How could those collateral disciples possibly feel balanced about it?

Now everyone missed the days when Luo Zheng's father had been family head. Back then, the clan rules were strict, but the Luo Family did not have so much scheming and intrigue. No servant dared bully others by relying on power, and there was not so much unfairness!

Unfortunately, those good days were gone and would never return.

Even such longing could only be hidden in the hearts of the Luo Family Disciples. None dared openly discuss it, afraid they might leave behind some handle to be punished by the "clan rules."

This Luo Family was already rotten to the core! Luo Zheng sighed inwardly. If I get the chance, once my strength grows, I will surely carve away the Luo Family's festering sores!

Before the magnificent residence of the Luo Family Third Branch.

Layer upon layer of bandages wrapped Huang Ge's head, leaving only his nose, eyes, and mouth exposed. He no longer even looked human.

With a thud, he dropped to his knees and wailed in a shrill voice, "Young Master Chengyun, you must uphold justice for this lowly one!"

Directly in front of Huang Ge, a young man in Green Clothing reclined sideways in a chair. His features were handsome, yet an arrogant, ruthless air lingered between his brows. He was the Luo Family's Second Young Master, Luo Chengyun.

"I heard you wanted to take Luo Zheng in as a servant to attend to your daily needs?" Luo Chengyun asked with a tilted head and a smile.

"Young Master Chengyun, that's not what happened..." Huang Ge denied it with a crying tone.

Luo Chengyun did not listen to Huang Ge's explanation at all. Smiling, he said, "Although Luo Zheng was demoted to a Family Slave, he is still a Luo, and he was once the young family head of the Luo Family. Even I would find it inappropriate to take him as a servant. Your brain must have been fried to do something so pointless. You deserved that beating."

Huang Ge kowtowed and continued crying, "Young Master Chengyun, this time this lowly one was wrong, but you still have to uphold justice for me..." As he wailed, he discreetly made a gesture toward the side.

A middle-aged woman of about forty standing nearby walked over to Huang Ge without a word and knelt down beside him.

This middle-aged woman was Huang Ge's wife and also Luo Chengyun's wet nurse. She had cared for Luo Chengyun since he was young. Luo Chengyun had lost his mother in childhood, so he shared an exceptionally close bond with this wet nurse, as intimate as mother and son.

"Second Mother need not kneel. Huang Ge, you get up as well," Luo Chengyun said, waving his hand.

Huang Ge's voice trembled. "Young Master Chengyun, you agree?"

Luo Chengyun stood from his chair and took two steps forward. "Cousin Peiran previously said to spare Luo Zheng's life, meaning he should live on and watch. But Luo Zheng is no important figure. Since Cousin Peiran will soon depart for the Azure Cloud Sect, I'll help Cousin Peiran deal with him!"

Hearing that, Huang Ge's misshapen mouth split into a grin. "Many thanks, Young Master Chengyun!"

"But this must wait a while," Luo Chengyun said, rubbing his head. "I just swallowed the Lineage's last Heaven and Earth Creation Pill. This month, I must also enter seclusion and refine its effects to cleanse my body. Let's wait until Clan Training Day in a month. That day, I'll choose him as my Death Duel opponent and beat him to death with my own hands."

As he finished speaking, layers of Baleful Intent spread across Luo Chengyun's face.

Clan Training Day was the day when the Luo Family Disciples displayed their strength. On that day, Luo Family elders would appear to inspect the fruits of the disciples' cultivation.

At the same time, Clan Training Day was also an opportunity for Meat Targets.

As long as they could survive the environment of a Death Duel on Clan Training Day, they could regain their freedom.

Even the lowliest Meat Target had the right to yearn for freedom. If they could not see even a glimmer of freedom's dawn, they would soon be unable to bear the pressure of being beaten every day and would quickly die.

This rule was established to give every Meat Target a thread of hope: hope that if they endured the Death Duel on Clan Training Day, they could walk out of the Luo Family and never again serve as such a lowly Meat Target.

Yet the very environment of a "Death Duel" was unfair. Meat Targets were frequently beaten in daily life and plagued by all manner of wounds and illnesses. How could they possibly duel Luo Family Elite Disciples who had received proper training?

No one knew how many Meat Targets had been beaten to death on Clan Training Day. That day was when the Luo Family elders inspected the strength of the Luo Family Disciples, granting certain rewards according to their performance. Every Luo Family Disciple went All Out, and that was also when they struck hardest and most viciously.

"Good, Young Master Chengyun. Then let that Kid Luo Zheng live for one more month!" Huang Ge kowtowed several more times before scrambling to his feet. Beneath the bandages, his eyes gleamed with the savage light of hatred.

After Luo Chengyun left, the middle-aged woman tried to persuade Huang Ge. "That young Luo Zheng is rather pitiful. Why must you insist on driving him to his death? It was wrong of him to hit you, but giving him a lesson would have been enough."

But Huang Ge said, "What the hell does a woman like you know besides a woman's softheartedness?"

Scolded by her own husband, the middle-aged woman mumbled a couple of words. Finally, she merely sighed and said nothing more.