Standing Up for Someone

"Improving my Comprehension and Bone Root will have to wait."

I'd finally saved up so many points. The best use for them was to improve my Comprehension or Bone Root.

Wind-Thunder Force was powerful, but once my Comprehension reached the top grade, I was sure to understand it. Spending points now would be like killing the goose that laid the golden eggs.

But as someone who lived by the cautious path, playing it safe was in my nature. I had to prepare for the worst.

Glancing at Zhang Hong and the others beside him, Xu Yang silently channeled all his points into Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist.

A flood of insights surged through him. It was as if he'd practiced the fist for months on end, and countless new understandings of Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist filled his mind.

[Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist · Minor Success (242/500)]

"Wind-Thunder Force. I've got it!"

Delight filled Xu Yang's eyes. In that instant, he understood every profound principle behind Wind-Thunder Force.

With a thought, his qi obeyed his every command. It vanished from his meridians and dispersed into his flesh, lying dormant.

"So the secret of Wind-Thunder Force is to free qi from the constraints of the meridians, allowing it to erupt at will..."

His eyes shone. The improvement had not only taught him Wind-Thunder Force, but also deepened his mastery of Explosive Bear Force.

His cultivation hadn't changed at all, but his combat strength had climbed to a new level.

"Dad, I've brought someone. Guess who it is?"

They soon arrived at the Qiu Family home. Qiu Yongqiang's gaze swept over Zhang Yong and the others, trying to figure out which of them was the expert Qiu Wenjie had invited.

"Uncle Qiu, there's no need to guess. I've reached Minor Success in Qi Gathering. It's time for me to repay your kindness." Xu Yang clasped his hands solemnly.

Even after Qiu Wenjie had reached Qi Gathering, Qiu Yongqiang had continued supporting him. That had moved Xu Yang deeply.

Qiu Yongqiang was overjoyed. "You've reached Minor Success in Qi Gathering? Good! Very good! Uncle Qiu knew I hadn't misjudged you."

He had actually been worried all along that Qiu Wenjie wouldn't be able to find anyone.

Things had been urgent earlier, so he hadn't given it much thought.

Only after Qiu Wenjie hurried to Wei Yuan Hall and considered the matter carefully did he realize how difficult it would be to find someone willing to intervene. The Martial Exam Dragon Ascent was imminent. Who would risk getting hurt?

If an injury delayed their Martial Exam Dragon Ascent, their whole life would be ruined.

After Qiu Wenjie introduced them, Zhang Yong and the others exchanged greetings with Qiu Yongqiang, who invited them into the main hall.

"Second Brother, did Wenjie invite talented young fighters from Wei Yuan Hall?" Qiu Yongjian came over, his face deathly pale.

"Big Brother!"

"Uncle!"

Qiu Wenjie went over to support Qiu Yongjian. Qiu Yongqiang stood up too and said, "He did. These are Wenjie's senior fellow disciples from Wei Yuan Hall."

He introduced Zhang Yong and the others, then pointed to Xu Yang. "This is Xu Yang, the one I told you about. He's reached Minor Success in Qi Gathering and can hold his own against Hong Feng."

He let out a long breath. With Xu Yang here, the worry weighing on him had finally eased.

"Hero Xu, thank you for putting the past behind us and coming to help the Qiu Family. I, Qiu Yongjian, am deeply grateful!" Qiu Yongjian bowed deeply to Xu Yang, shame in his eyes.

After Qiu Wenjie reached Qi Gathering, he had used the excuse of cultivating an expert of their own to make Qiu Yongqiang stop supporting Xu Yang. He'd thought his brother was wasting money and that Xu Yang wouldn't help the Qiu Family if they ever ran into trouble.

Yet now that disaster had struck, Xu Yang had come to stand up for them without holding a grudge.

Xu Yang: ...

"Big Brother, I didn't listen to you. I never stopped supporting Ah Yang. I've been using my own money to help him," Qiu Yongqiang whispered in Qiu Yongjian's ear.

Only then did Xu Yang understand why Qiu Yongjian had said he'd put the past behind him. The Qiu Family had supposedly stopped supporting him, but Qiu Yongqiang had continued paying for him out of his own pocket.

The brothers were both a little embarrassed. This was hardly the time to bring something like that up.

Xu Yang didn't hold it against them. "Uncle Qiu, let's not waste time. We should go to the Hong Family now."

"Good!"

At the mention of the Hong Family, the Qiu brothers forgot their embarrassment and headed out first.

The group left the Qiu Family home and saw a crowd of Inner Courtyard disciples waiting there.

"Senior Brother Xu, may we come along and watch the fight?" Xue Fangsheng asked.

"Suit yourselves!"

Xu Yang glanced at these senior brothers with whom he had little acquaintance, then followed the Qiu brothers.

After crossing two streets, they reached the Hong Family home.

Qiu Wenjie strode forward and shouted, "Hong Feng! You injured my uncle and tried to seize the Qiu Family's property. Get out here and answer for it!"

Compared with the powerful families of the inner city, the Hong Family was a small household. They didn't even have a servant to watch the gate, and the whole courtyard was only a corner of the Liu Family's estate.

After a short wait, the Hong Family's front gate opened, and more than a dozen people poured out. There were men and women among them.

Standing beside Xu Yang, Qiu Yongqiang leaned over and murmured, "The one in front is Hong Xu. He's not a martial artist. The burliest man beside him is his eldest son, Hong Feng. There's another martial artist in the Hong Family, but he's only just entered Qi Gathering and isn't here."

Xu Yang's gaze settled on Hong Feng, ignoring the others.

Hong Feng was powerfully built, with broad shoulders and a thick waist. A scar between his brows lent him a menacing look. His eyes swept over Xu Yang, his expression shifting unpredictably.

Though Hong Feng didn't recognize him, he had clearly guessed that Xu Yang was the Qiu brothers' hired help, since he was standing with them now.

At last, Hong Feng's gaze landed on Qiu Wenjie. "I'm here. What do you want?"

"Compensate my uncle and apologize. Otherwise, you'll be lying here by the end of the day," Qiu Wenjie said grimly.

Hong Feng glanced at Zhang Yong and the others behind Qiu Wenjie. "Wei Yuan Hall sent so many people. Are you planning to gang up on me? Does Tiger Roar Martial Hall have no one to stand up for it?"

With his Minor Success in Qi Gathering cultivation, his perception was naturally exceptional. At a glance, he could tell that all the people behind Qiu Wenjie were Inner Courtyard disciples from Wei Yuan Hall.

But he'd dared to scheme against the Qiu Family's property, so he wasn't afraid of all these Wei Yuan Hall disciples. If they really wanted to gang up on him, Tiger Roar Martial Hall wouldn't take it lying down.

"Don't mind us. We're just here to watch."

"Stop dragging Wei Yuan Hall and Tiger Roar Martial Hall into this. You don't speak for Tiger Roar Martial Hall."

Xue Fangsheng and the others spoke up, making their position clear.

Hong Feng secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then turned his gaze to Xu Yang. "So you're the one standing up for them. May I ask your name?"

Xu Yang stepped forward. "Xu Yang, of Wei Yuan Hall."

"So you're Xu Yang!" Hong Feng's smile spread at once.

Since the Hong Family intended to seize the Qiu Family's property, they had investigated Qiu Wenjie's connections at Wei Yuan Hall. Their findings suggested that Qiu Wenjie couldn't summon any real experts there. He was merely friendly with people like Xu Yang and Zhang Hong.

Of the people they'd looked into, Xu Yang was the one closest to Qiu Wenjie. The Huang Family had taken him in and helped him reach Qi Gathering, but after Lu Ren intervened, the family had cast him aside. He now served as an Attendant for the Liu Family.

So when Hong Feng heard that Xu Yang was the one stepping forward, he immediately smiled.

This lucky nobody had changed his fate, yet still didn't value his life. He was playing at brotherhood and honor like some wandering fighter. Didn't he know that sticking his neck out could get him killed?

"Come on. Words are useless. We're martial artists; only what we do with our fists counts. If I lose, I'll apologize to Qiu Yongjian and compensate him."

As he spoke, Hong Feng strode forward.

You won't lose. You'll die!

Xu Yang moved too.