Why Force My Hand

Fang Mo had not realized that Yue Jian had stood up for him in secret, yet it had unexpectedly drawn Hu Yuehua's attention and exposed his whereabouts.

At that moment, he was staring eagerly at the box Ding Zhiyuan had brought.

"Twenty bottles of medicinal bath solution, and ten jin of Exotic Beast Meat!"

Ding Zhiyuan set the box on the table and opened it. The top layer was a foam board lined with twenty green medicine bottles. Beneath it were several bags containing vacuum-sealed chunks of Exotic Beast Meat, along with ice packs that gave off a chill.

"There isn't much fresh Exotic Beast Meat available. Use this for now—I've already asked my father to call in some favors and see if he can get more!"

Ding Zhiyuan spoke helplessly.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Ding. This is already more than enough!"

Fang Mo said gratefully.

Ding Zhiyuan patted Fang Mo on the shoulder and reminded him, "You need to find a stable supply channel. As your consumption increases, your training progress will suffer without a steady supply."

Fang Mo gave a wry smile. "I'll take it one step at a time." With that, he took money from a drawer and handed it to Ding Zhiyuan.

Ding Zhiyuan did not stand on ceremony. After taking the money, he said, "Then I'll accept it. The next batch may not arrive until next month."

"That's fine. Together with the Martial Hall's supplies, it should be enough to last until then." Fang Mo locked the medicinal solution in a cabinet, then put the Exotic Beast Meat into the refrigerator to make sure it would not spoil.

Afterward, the two headed to the front courtyard together.

In the front courtyard, Fang Mo asked Ding Zhiyuan about the underground boxing gym in Yunyang.

"What are you asking about that for?"

Ding Zhiyuan looked at Fang Mo in confusion.

Fang Mo hurriedly said, "I just want to go see it for myself!"

Ding Zhiyuan smiled. "If you want to watch, you can go to the Iron Stone Boxing Gym in City God District. You only need to pay admission. But the matches there are fairly low-level—mostly fights below Bright Force. Only occasionally do they have Bright Force bouts!"

"I can go take a look when I have time."

Fang Mo felt that Iron Stone suited his needs quite well.

He began calculating when he should go give it a try.

The two arrived in the front courtyard and each found a place to train.

In the rear courtyard, Guan Lie was guiding his disciples in their training.

Just then, the phone rang.

He walked to the table, picked up the phone, and glanced at the screen. His brows furrowed slightly, but he answered it anyway.

"What instructions does Vice President Bai have for me?"

From the other end came booming laughter. "Hahaha, Hall Master Guan, you're too polite. How would I dare give you instructions?"

Guan Lie smiled faintly. "Vice President Bai is busy with countless matters. If there were nothing to discuss, you certainly would not be calling me!"

"Nothing can be hidden from Hall Master Guan!"

Vice President Bai gave an embarrassed laugh, then said, "Then I'll be direct. I wanted to ask whether your Martial Hall has taken in a student named Fang Mo."

"Fang Mo?"

Guan Lie raised a brow at that, but then said, "There is such a student. May I ask whether he has caused some trouble?"

The students in the rear courtyard could all hear the voice, and quite a few of them turned to look, pricking up their ears.

"It's not that he caused any trouble."

The voice on the phone paused slightly and lowered a little. "It's like this—I heard that this student is not suited to martial arts. Aren't you afraid that keeping him in your Martial Hall will affect its reputation, Hall Master Guan?"

Guan Lie's brow rose slightly. "Since when did President Bai become concerned with how we recruit our students?"

The caller was Bai Hongsheng, vice president of the Yunyang Martial Arts Association, responsible for the association's daily operations.

This Martial Arts Association mainly coordinated matters between Yunyang's Martial Halls. Though it did not hold much authority over licensing, it was not someone to offend either. If the association made things difficult during the annual review, causing the Martial Hall's license to fail approval, that would be troublesome.

Bai Hongsheng lowered his voice. "Hall Master Guan, you're a sensible man. Since I'm calling you, there must be a reason. He's just one student—why bring trouble upon yourself over him?"

Guan Lie smiled faintly. "Can President Bai tell me who is behind this?"

"Sorry, I can't tell you that!"

Bai Hongsheng raised his voice slightly. "But I can tell you this: every Martial Hall in Yunyang will receive notice that none of them may take in Fang Mo. Now you understand the force behind this, don't you, Hall Master Guan?"

"Hall Master Guan, I'm doing this for your own good. There's no need to seek out trouble!"

Guan Lie's eyes lifted slightly. He was somewhat surprised as well, but then he said evenly, "President Bai, I understand. I'll give it some thought."

Guan Lie hung up the phone, his brows slightly furrowed. He turned and left the rear courtyard, heading to the pharmacy.

Inside the pharmacy, Xie Changmin was reading a chess manual while arranging chess pieces. Without even raising his head, he said:

"I heard it. Which force do you think is applying the pressure?"

"Hard to say. It could be the Yang Family, or it could be the Qin Family!"

Guan Lie shook his head, his expression grave.

"Tang Xiong told me last night that both the Yang Family and the Qin Family had stepped in over at the Great Wind Gang. He can't exert any influence there anymore!"

"He also advised Fang Mo to leave and not get caught up in the struggle between Yunyang's factions. There may even be factors from within the Fang Family involved. He may not be able to help us withstand the pressure!"

"That kid's in a bad spot. Quite a few people want to deal with him!" Xie Changmin said with a smile.

"Senior Brother, do you really intend to take him as your disciple?"

Though Guan Lie was asking, his gaze was not on Xie Changmin.

Xie Changmin set down his book and looked into the courtyard, his gaze landing on Fang Mo, who was practicing his punches. "In all these years, I've rarely encountered a disciple with such talent for the path of Alchemy. I can't take everything I've learned with me into the grave!"

Guan Lie followed his gaze, his brows drawing together slightly. "Senior Brother, with his natural aptitude, Dark Strength may be his limit. If he can't break through to Dan Jin, can he inherit your Alchemy?"

"Advance the pawn!"

Xie Changmin moved the pawn forward one step, his voice calm.

"Though a pawn is weak, once it crosses the river in a single step, perhaps it can create a miracle!!"

Guan Lie looked at the chessboard. With that single step from the pawn, the entire board had come alive. His eyes lifted slightly.

Fang Mo knew nothing of what had happened in the rear courtyard. It was only during lunch that he sensed something was off.

Everyone from the rear courtyard was looking at him strangely, seemingly discussing him.

Fang Mo paid it no mind. After eating, he rested for a while before continuing his training.

Just as he was practicing, Ding Zhiyuan hurried over.

"Fang Mo, stop training for now!"

"What is it?"

Fang Mo stopped moving and looked at Ding Zhiyuan in confusion.

Ding Zhiyuan pulled Fang Mo aside and lowered his voice.

"Fang Mo, just who did you offend?"

"What is it?"

Fang Mo was utterly baffled. Ding Zhiyuan had rushed over just to ask this?

Ding Zhiyuan was sweating profusely with anxiety as he said urgently:

"Chen Minzhong from the rear courtyard just came over and told me that the Martial Arts Association wants the hall master to expel you!"

"Expel me? Why?"

Fang Mo's heart jolted violently at those words, and his expression changed.

Remembering the strange looks from the rear courtyard students at noon, he finally understood why.

His heart tightened sharply as well.

Fang Mo could not help but grow uneasy.

Leaving the Martial Hall now would be a dead end for him. Without its protection, those gangs might not let him go.

Ding Zhiyuan looked deeply anxious as he said:

"I don't know either. They said it was an order from the Martial Arts Association. Also, every Martial Hall in Yunyang has been forbidden from taking you in!"

Fang Mo's heart went cold again. A fierce light burst from his eyes. He already understood who was making a move against him.

Other than Qin Lang, who hated him to the bone, it had to be his stepmother Hu Yuehua, who wished him dead.

However, Qin Lang probably did not have that kind of power, and the Qin Family likely would not do something so pointless. That left only his dear stepmother, Hu Yuehua. With her influence and the Fang Family's wealth and power, she could do it.

Why must you drive me to this?

Anger rose in Fang Mo's heart. He had already left the Fang Family, yet Hu Yuehua still refused to let him go.

First, she had leaked that he had taken five million, drawing the gangs' attention onto him.

And now she had pulled this move. Was she trying to leave him with no way out?

Ding Zhiyuan instantly sensed the anger in Fang Mo's eyes, and his heart involuntarily trembled. Junior Brother Fang's gaze was so cold it made one's heart quail.

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