Betraying His Master

Just then.

Bang!

The two heavy iron-studded gates of the Inner Courtyard were shoved open from outside.

The Inner Sect disciples, who had been whispering among themselves, fell silent at once and turned to look in unison.

Several figures strode over the tall threshold.

At their head was Zhang Lei, who had just disappeared from the martial arts hall for the entire day.

But now, instead of being surrounded by the junior disciples who usually fawned over him, he was accompanied by a young woman dressed in expensive Western clothes, her expression haughty.

Behind her followed a middle-aged man in a silk changshan and four sturdy bodyguards with bulging temples and vigorous blood and qi.

The head of the White Family, Bai Jingye!

At the sight of this procession, Yan Tieqiao's hand froze as he held his purple clay teapot beneath the main hall's eaves. His weather-beaten old face darkened at once, and a chilling light shone in his cloudy eyes.

"Master!"

Xiong Yue and the other disciples had more or less guessed what was happening. Their eyes blazed with fury as they gathered around Yan Tieqiao, glaring at the newcomers in the courtyard as one.

Zhang Lei stepped into the Inner Courtyard, facing the piercing glares all around him. Even though he had reached the Seven-Sound Limit Break, he couldn't help feeling uneasy.

Still, he gritted his teeth, steeled himself, and stepped forward.

"Disciple... pays his respects to Master." Zhang Lei's body stiffened as he awkwardly cupped his fists.

Yan Tieqiao sat in his grand armchair without even lifting his eyelids. "What's all this commotion about?"

Zhang Lei's Adam's apple bobbed violently. He opened his mouth, but for a long while, he couldn't force out a single word.

"Cat got your tongue?" Seeing this, the White Family's young lady, Bai Zhi, arched her brows. She strode past Zhang Lei without a hint of courtesy, lifted her chin, and said crisply, "Senior Brother Zhang Lei came today to leave the martial arts hall!"

The entire courtyard fell deathly silent.

"Impertinent! What right does a girl like you have to interrupt your elders?" Bai Jingye chided her in a low voice, feigning displeasure, though there wasn't a trace of real reproach in his tone.

After reprimanding his daughter, Bai Jingye leisurely took two steps forward and cupped his fists toward Yan Tieqiao.

"Greetings, Master Yan."

Yan Tieqiao remained seated and said nothing, giving only a muffled, icy snort.

Bai Jingye didn't take offense. With a false smile, he continued:

"Master Yan, a marriage between youngsters shouldn't have to end on such bad terms. My daughter and Zhang Lei are mutually devoted, and I'm quite fond of the young man myself. I intend to take him as a live-in son-in-law of the White Family."

"I've come today to bring this wish to fruition. Zhang Lei owes the foundation he has today entirely to your instruction, Master Yan."

As he spoke, Bai Jingye waved to the people behind him.

Bang! Bang!

The four bodyguards stepped forward and set down two heavy redwood chests on the flagstones with a thud, then lifted the lids.

One chest was filled with gleaming Silver Dollars; the other, with neatly arranged medicinal herbs that had been aged for many years.

"A modest gift, to buy out this bond between master and disciple. I hope you'll make things convenient for us, Master Yan."

Yan Tieqiao didn't so much as glance at the two chests.

He abruptly raised his head and fixed his sharp, hawklike eyes on Zhang Lei, pressing him with each word:

"Tell me—is this what you want?"

Under the pressure of an old Bright Force Martial Master, Zhang Lei felt even more uneasy. His calves trembled faintly. But he knew there was no turning back now, so he stiffened his neck and stood his ground.

"Master... Zhier and I love each other. I beg you to give us your blessing!"

"Bullshit!"

Before Yan Tieqiao could answer, Yan Shanshan, standing nearby, trembled with rage. She pointed at Zhang Lei's nose and cursed him furiously: "What do you mean, you love each other? You're just coveting the White Family's boundless riches!"

"Yesterday, you took the three-hundred-year-old Earth Dragon Blood Vine my father risked his life to get for you. Today, you turn around and become the White Family's live-in son-in-law! You ungrateful wretch, betraying your master and ancestors!"

Zhang Lei's face turned from pale to flushed and back again, but he clenched his teeth and said nothing.

Yan Tieqiao slowly rose to his feet and slammed the purple clay teapot in his hand onto the table. With a sharp crack, a fissure split the bottom of the pot.

He looked down at Zhang Lei, the corners of his mouth twisting into a chilling sneer.

"I forbid it."

Those three short words landed like nails driven into iron.

The martial world had its own iron-clad laws!

Once your master, your father for life.

If a disciple wanted to set up his own school or switch to another, doing so without his master's approval was a grave taboo. Anyone could condemn him for it!

The courtesy vanished from Bai Jingye's face in an instant, and his gaze turned cold.

"Since Master Yan is so unreasonable, insisting on blocking the young people's future..."

Bai Jingye brushed at his cuffs and said coldly, "Then I'll follow the rules of the martial world. Three months from now, I'll have Zhang Lei deliver you an Expulsion Notice!"

At those words, the air in the Inner Courtyard seemed to freeze.

Xiong Yue stood with her hands on her hips, her nostrils flared.

An Expulsion Notice!

It was a contract for a mortal fight in the Training Ground, where a master and disciple completely severed ties and faced off!

The master could enter the ring personally or appoint another Inner Sect disciple to fight in his place.

They would settle their differences with their fists, and the victor would reign supreme.

Things had grown so ugly that no matter who won or lost, the scene would be an utter disgrace.

The disciple who delivered the notice would surely bear the infamy of betraying his master and ancestors, earning the contempt of everyone in the martial world. But the master's dignity would be trampled into the mud as well!

And if he lost, his reputation would be utterly ruined, and the martial arts hall's century-old name would be smashed to pieces!

No one would resort to such a ruthless, all-or-nothing move unless they were driven to the brink.

Lu Zhen stood at the back of the crowd, watching coldly.

The White Family had shown its hand. They were determined to pour a vast fortune in precious medicines into Zhang Lei and force him to reach Bright Force within three months, so he could turn around and challenge Yan Tieqiao!

Fists feared the young.

Yan Tieqiao was an old Bright Force practitioner, but he was advanced in years, his blood and qi in decline, and he had suffered a lingering leg injury in his youth. If he were defeated in the Training Ground in front of everyone by the very disciple he had once valued most...

That would cut deeper than killing him!

Watching Bai Jingye and Zhang Lei's group leave the courtyard without looking back, Lu Zhen knew:

The White Family and Zhang Lei had made enemies of the Iron Arm Martial Arts Hall for life. There would be no peace between them!

In the Inner Courtyard, Yan Tieqiao sat in his grand armchair without saying a word.

His chest heaved violently.

Bang!

He brought his palm down on the cracked purple clay teapot, smashing it to pieces. Tea water mixed with clay and sand splashed across the ground.

Without looking at anyone, he swept his sleeve and rose, striding toward the rear hall with a dark expression.

His retreating figure radiated rage, suppressed to its breaking point.

"Father!" Yan Shanshan's eyes reddened, and she hurried after him.

The senior and junior disciples left in the courtyard stood with tense faces, unable to utter a word. They felt as if a massive stone weighed on their hearts.

Gu Yanzhi shook his head slightly.

He went over to Lu Zhen and lowered his voice.

"Brother Lu, wait a few days before you talk to Master about your matter."

He glanced toward the rear hall.

"Master's furious right now. This isn't the time to bring it up."

"I know." Lu Zhen knew it would be unwise to go and provoke him right now.

"I'll head back first and help you sort out the backgrounds of Ocean City's major factions. I'll pick out some information that suits your needs and bring it over," Gu Yanzhi said earnestly.

"Thanks, Brother Gu."

The two chatted briefly before taking their leave and going their separate ways.