Sharing Tribulations

After selling last night's spoils, the four brothers enjoyed a hearty breakfast at a stall on Academy Street.

Pancakes, fried dough sticks, milk tea, soy milk, steamed buns, and dumplings—the meal cost them nearly a hundred Demon Spirit Coins.

However, this amount was pocket change to them.

What's more, money is a fickle thing; if it's gone, we'll just earn more.

The second Warrior practical class of the morning.

All the students in the beginner Warrior class were, just like yesterday, practicing the Iron Sand Palm in sandpits.

Xian Wu was also present.

He hadn't caught a cold at all; wearing a cloak and mask was merely to hide his shame.

Tie Kuang, arms crossed, swept past Xian Wu, a hint of apology on his face.

When you're under someone else's roof, you have to bow your head. He, a mere noble's son, couldn't afford to offend a Sacred Family member.

Besides, offending a noble student for a commoner student wasn't a wise move by any means.

"Report, I'd like to test my abilities!" someone suddenly called out.

Tie Kuang looked towards the voice and saw Shen Yue raising his hand.

"Very good, the class representative shows commendable courage. Let's give him a round of applause," Tie Kuang began clapping first.

The students followed suit, though the applause from Xian Wu's group was sparse, almost nonexistent.

Lu Piao muttered quietly, "Sacred Family disciples are something else. They need everyone to applaud for a simple test."

Lu Piao disliked Shen Yue, especially his smug sense of superiority, acting all high and mighty every day, as if he were the bee's knees. What was there to be so proud of? It was all thanks to his influential father.

"It's mainly because our instructor likes to suck up to him, can't be helped," Xian Wu shrugged. He also detested Shen Yue. Not only had Shen Yue stolen his wife Ning'er's seat, but he had also snatched his position as class representative. It was infuriating.

Nie Li nodded, "What's so great about a pampered brat who only grew strong with elixirs fed by his family? Nie Li doesn't even need Xian Wu to lift a finger; I could beat the piss out of him with one punch."

He also disliked Shen Yue.

Firstly, Shen Yue was a lapdog of the Sacred Family.

Secondly, in his previous life, Shen Yue had relentlessly mocked and humiliated him, relying on his privileged background and exceptional talent.

Lastly, Shen Yue was engaged to Ye Ziyun in the previous life, making him Nie Li's love rival in this one.

Therefore, Nie Li intensely disliked Shen Yue, to the point where he wanted to beat him up every time he saw him.

The three brothers whispered amongst themselves nearby. Meanwhile, Shen Yue left the ranks and proceeded with the test, assisted by Tie Kuang.

"If you can pierce this wooden board I'm holding with your finger, you'll pass. Begin," Tie Kuang said, holding the board horizontally with both hands.

"Understood, Instructor Tie Kuang," Shen Yue replied, hands behind his back, chin tilted up arrogantly.

His strength was a formidable 68. Breaking a two-fen thick wooden board was child's play.

Shen Yue extended his 'dragon claws' and confidently poked at it.

Amidst the expectant gazes of the crowd, only three nail marks appeared on the board.

"Hey, Brother Wu, did anything just happen?" Lu Piao asked with a sly grin.

Xian Wu shrugged and deliberately spoke loudly, "It looks like the class representative just gave the wooden board a few dimples."

"Great technique, great technique. Seems like you practiced a lot at home," Nie Li teased, clapping sarcastically.

Seeing Shen Yue embarrass himself, the three brothers were overjoyed.

Hearing their words, Shen Yue turned green with anger. His chest heaved violently, and he raised his hand to try again.

This time, Shen Yue exerted twelve points of effort, stabbing the board with a "thump."

Although the nail marks were deeper than before, the board still wasn't pierced.

Just as the three brothers were about to mock him further, the wooden board in Instructor Tie Kuang's hands "cracked" and broke in two.

All the students who had been watching the test were stunned. They hadn't expected Shen Yue to be able to pierce the board in half with a single strike.

"Hasn't Shen Yue's strength already reached Bronze Rank?"

"So strong! Is this the power of a Peak Family disciple?"

"Hooray, we can learn the Tiger Form Fist now."

Instructor Tie Kuang held up the two pieces of the board and announced loudly, "Good! The class representative has successfully passed the challenge."

An arrogant smile reappeared on Shen Yue's face. He lifted his chin, shot a provocative look at the three brothers, and swaggered over.

"Who was it that just said I was making dimples? Step forward!" Shen Yue's voice was laced with anger.

Xian Wu slowly stood up, looking down at Shen Yue from above, and gruffly retorted, "I did. What about it?"

As the two stood side-by-side, Lu Piao suddenly noticed that Xian Wu had grown considerably taller, now about two inches taller than Shen Yue.

Was that an illusion? Lu Piao scratched his head.

He remembered that when they first enrolled, Xian Wu had been quite short.

"What about it! You dare to ask what about it?" Shen Yue suddenly grabbed Xian Wu's collar, his eyes chilling.

"I broke the wooden board, can you? What right do you have to say that, you lowly commoner trash."

He had wanted to find an opportunity to teach this guy a lesson for talking back to his aunt in public for a long time. He didn't expect this good-for-nothing to walk right into his trap today.

"Trash?" Xian Wu frowned, smiling and saying, "Are you introducing yourself?"

"Anyone with eyes can see that Instructor Tie Kuang helped you break the wooden board. You should just take that as a way to save face, but you actually came here to humiliate yourself..."

"Nonsense! I broke that wooden board myself." Shen Yue, enraged, threw a punch at Xian Wu's face.

Under his cloak, Xian Wu's left hand twitched restlessly.

If this kid dared to lay a hand on him today, he swore he would make him stand in front of everyone with his pants down.

"Stop!" Instructor Tie Kuang grabbed Shen Yue's arm.

He glared at Xian Wu and gruffly ordered, "Xian Wu, you're disrupting class order, get out and run a hundred laps around the training ground, right now!"

"Why should I?" Xian Wu retorted stubbornly, unconvinced.

"You have two choices: first, you go yourself; second, I'll kick you there." Tie Kuang said, prying open Shen Yue's other hand.

Xian Wu patted his dirty collar, snorted coldly, and turned to run towards the training ground.

Shen Yue stared intently at Xian Wu's retreating back, like a venomous snake.

His lackeys would be gathered in two days, and by then he would definitely make this arrogant bastard pay!

If he didn't make him cry and beg his mommy by then, he'd write his name backward.

"Where are you two going? Come back!" Tie Kuang suddenly roared.

Shen Yue looked up and saw Nie Li and Lu Piao also running towards the training ground, joining Xian Wu in the punishment run.

"You guys..." Xian Wu felt a lump in his throat.

Nie Li nodded and smiled, "Good brothers, share fortune, share hardship!"

"My legs are just a little numb from squatting, I wanted to stretch them," Lu Piao said insincerely.

"I understand," Xian Wu nodded heavily, "Good brothers, loyal!"

What Tie Kuang didn't expect was that, led by Nie Li and Lu Piao, Du Ze, Wei Nan, Zhang Ming, and Zhu Jun Xiang also followed and ran.

On the training ground, the sight of seven people running side-by-side was truly spectacular.

Shen Yue narrowed his eyes. It seemed he would need to recruit at least seven Bronze Warrior followers.