Betraying the Master

At that very moment.

"Bang!"

The two heavy, iron-clad gates of the Inner Sect were rudely shoved open from the outside.

The Inner Sect disciples, who had been whispering amongst themselves, fell silent instantly, their heads snapping in unison toward the entrance.

Several figures strode across the high threshold.

Leading them was Zhang Lei, who had vanished from the martial arts hall for the entire day.

However, he was no longer flanked by the usual sycophantic junior disciples; instead, he was accompanied by a young woman in expensive Western-style dress, her expression haughty.

Behind the woman followed a middle-aged man in a silk long gown, flanked by four burly guards with bulging temples and vigorous blood-qi.

It was the head of the White Family, Bai Jingye!

Seeing this formation, Yan Tieqiao's hand, holding his purple clay teapot under the eaves of the main hall, froze mid-air. His weathered face turned grim in an instant, a chilling, icy aura radiating from his clouded eyes.

"Master!"

Xiong Yue and the other disciples, having guessed the situation, felt their eyes burn with rage. They gathered around Yan Tieqiao, glaring at the intruders with shared hatred.

As Zhang Lei stepped into the Inner Sect, he met the piercing gazes of those around him. Even with his Seven-Sound Limit Break cultivation, he couldn't help but feel a wave of trepidation.

Yet, he gritted his teeth and forced himself to step forward.

"Disciple... greets Master." Zhang Lei's body was stiff as he offered a dry, perfunctory fist salute.

Yan Tieqiao remained seated in his grand armchair, not even lifting his eyelids. "Making such a scene—what is the meaning of this?"

Zhang Lei's Adam's apple bobbed violently; he opened his mouth, but couldn't squeeze out a single word.

"Are you mute?" Seeing this, the White Family's young lady, Bai Zhi, arched her willow-leaf brows. She stepped past Zhang Lei without ceremony, chin tilted upward, and chirped, "Senior Brother Zhang Lei is here today to sever his ties with the martial arts hall!"

A deathly silence descended upon the courtyard.

"Insolent! How dare a girl interrupt when elders are speaking!" Bai Jingye offered a low, seemingly dissatisfied reprimand, though not a hint of genuine reproach could be heard in his tone.

After scolding his daughter, Bai Jingye stepped forward unhurriedly and cupped his hands toward Yan Tieqiao.

"Greetings, Hall Master Yan."

Yan Tieqiao remained in his seat, silent, save for a single, heavy, muffled snort of cold disdain.

Bai Jingye was not offended, continuing with a smile that didn't reach his eyes:

"Hall Master Yan, the marriage of the younger generation shouldn't be allowed to cause such a rift. My daughter and Zhang Lei are deeply in love, and I have grown quite fond of this young man myself. I intend to bring him into the White Family as a son-in-law."

"I come today to fulfill this wish. Whatever foundation Zhang Lei possesses today is entirely due to your cultivation, Hall Master Yan."

With that, Bai Jingye waved a hand behind him.

"Bang! Bang!"

The four guards stepped forward, slamming two heavy rosewood chests onto the bluestone floor and flipping open the lids.

One chest was filled with gleaming silver dollars, the other with neatly arranged, aged medicinal herbs.

"A small token of appreciation to buy out this master-disciple bond. I hope Hall Master Yan will be accommodating."

Yan Tieqiao didn't even glance at the two chests.

He suddenly raised his head, his sharp, hawk-like eyes locking onto Zhang Lei as he demanded, word by agonizing word:

"I am asking you—is this your own intent?!"

Crushed by the pressure of a veteran Bright Force Martial Master, Zhang Lei felt his resolve crumble, his legs trembling slightly. But knowing there was no turning back, he stiffened his neck and insisted:

"Master... Zhi'er and I are in love. I beg for your blessing!"

"Blessing my foot!"

Before Yan Tieqiao could speak, Yan Shanshan, standing to the side, was already trembling with rage. She pointed a finger at Zhang Lei's nose and cursed, "What love! You are clearly just coveting the White Family's immense wealth!"

"You consumed the three-hundred-year-old Earth Dragon Blood Vine my father risked his life to obtain just yesterday, and today you turn around to become a kept son-in-law for the White Family! You ungrateful, treacherous dog!"

Zhang Lei's face cycled between pale and green, but he bit his lip and remained silent.

Yan Tieqiao slowly stood up and slammed his purple clay teapot onto the table. With a sharp "crack," a fissure split the base of the pot.

He looked down at Zhang Lei, his lips curling into a frigid sneer:

"I forbid it."

The three words were as final as a nail driven into wood.

The martial arts world has its own iron laws!

A master for a day is a father for life.

For a disciple to establish their own sect or switch allegiances without the master's consent is a grave taboo—one that warrants punishment from all!

The courtesy on Bai Jingye's face vanished instantly, his gaze turning icy.

"Since Hall Master Yan is so unreasonable and insists on blocking the path of the youth..."

Bai Jingye brushed off his cuffs and said coldly, "Then I shall handle this according to the rules of the martial arts world. Three months from now, I will have Zhang Lei deliver an Expulsion Notice to you!"

The moment these words were spoken, the air in the inner courtyard seemed to freeze instantly.

Xiong Yue stood with her hands on her hips, her nose hair visible.

An Expulsion Notice!

It was a death-match contract used in the martial arts circle when a master and disciple completely tore off their masks and faced each other on the Training Ground!

The master could enter the arena personally or designate another Inner Sect disciple to act on his behalf.

The two sides would settle their differences with fists and kicks; the winner would be king, and the loser would be the villain.

Once things reached this point, regardless of who won or lost, the situation would be ugly to the extreme.

The disciple who delivered the notice would inevitably bear the infamy of betraying their master and ancestors, becoming despised by their peers in the martial arts world; yet, the master's reputation would be similarly trampled into the mud!

If they were unfortunate enough to lose, their dignity would be completely swept away, and the century-old signboard of the Iron Arm Martial Arts Hall would be smashed to pieces!

Such a desperate, mutually destructive move would never be used unless one was pushed to the very brink.

Lu Zhen stood behind the crowd, watching this scene with cold eyes.

The White Family had finally revealed their true intentions; they were determined to use a massive amount of medicinal resources to force Zhang Lei to reach the Bright Force realm within three months, only to turn around and challenge Yan Tieqiao!

Fists fear the young and strong.

Although Yan Tieqiao was a veteran of the Bright Force, he was advanced in age, his vitality was waning, and he had suffered a hidden injury to his leg in his early years. If he were to be defeated in public on the Training Ground by the disciple he had once valued most...

That would be more soul-crushing than killing him!

Watching Bai Jingye lead Zhang Lei and his group out of the courtyard gate without looking back, Lu Zhen knew.

The White Family and Zhang Lei were now locked in an irreconcilable, life-or-death feud with this Iron Arm Martial Arts Hall!

In the inner courtyard, Yan Tieqiao sat in his armchair, saying nothing.

His chest heaved violently.

Bang!

The cracked purple clay teapot on the table was smashed to powder by a single palm strike, tea and clay shards splattering across the floor.

He did not look at anyone, flicked his sleeves, and stood up, walking toward the back hall with a dark expression.

His back revealed a rage suppressed to the extreme.

"Father!" Yan Shanshan's eyes reddened as she hurriedly chased after him.

The fellow disciples left in the courtyard kept their faces tense, unable to utter a single word, all feeling as if a heavy stone were pressing down on their hearts.

Gu Yanzhi shook his head slightly.

He walked over to Lu Zhen's side and lowered his voice.

"Brother Lu, you should wait a few days before speaking to the master about your matter."

He glanced toward the direction of the back hall.

"The master is currently in a fit of rage; it is not appropriate to bring it up now."

"I know." Lu Zhen understood that it would be unwise to court trouble at such a time.

"I will go back first and help you organize the details of the major forces in Ocean City, then bring over some information that might be useful to you," Gu Yanzhi said earnestly.

"Many thanks, Brother Gu."

The two chatted casually for a few moments before bidding each other farewell and dispersing.