An Explanation

Wu Yi stood with his hands behind his back and slowly stepped out of the martial hall gates.

His gaze was indifferent as he stared at Jackal, whom he had kicked flying to the ground.

"Causing trouble and injuring people before the hall, forcing your way into the martial hall and hurting my disciple, challenging the dignity of this martial hall.

"Today, you must give me an explanation."

Wu Yi spoke slowly, his tone carrying an authority that brooked no argument.

"H-Hall Master..."

Li Kuai, standing nearby, looked at the figure emerging from the martial hall. It was actually his own Hall Master! He was so excited that he could barely speak coherently.

In his eyes, Wu Yi had already swept away his former slovenly appearance. His shoulder-length messy hair was tied behind his head, and although the stubble on his face remained, it had clearly been groomed. Even the pungent smell of alcohol that had once clung to his entire body had mostly faded.

Standing there, he was like a treasured sword with its edge fully bared.

The moment he saw his Hall Master, all his earlier grievance, fear, and pain vanished in one rush, leaving behind only a single thought.

Hall Master is mighty!

Wu Yi naturally noticed Li Kuai beside him and gave him a slight nod, signaling him to relax.

Jackal climbed up from the ground, feeling a dull ache in his chest.

Damn it, True Intent Martial Hall was too underhanded. They kicked the moment they opened the door—who could guard against that? Good thing I've already entered the Skin-Flesh Realm. If an ordinary person took that kick, they'd probably be crippled for life.

Jackal was still dazed from the kick when the voice reaching his ears sounded somewhat familiar.

When he looked up toward its source, his soul nearly fled his body.

"W-Wu Yi? You're not dead?"

Sensing the dangerous edge in Wu Yi's gaze, Jackal hurriedly changed his words.

"Hall Master Wu, what I meant was, so you were in the martial hall after all. What a coincidence—I was just looking for you."

At that moment, Jackal only wanted to curse his mother.

Damn it, didn't the gang say everything had been taken care of and send me here just to tie up loose ends?

So they sent me here to be the loose end tied up instead.

A person's instinctive reaction in a moment of crisis was the truest one.

Jackal's instinctive words had undoubtedly revealed that it was none other than the Wild Wolf Gang who had knocked Wu Yi unconscious last night.

Wu Yi noticed this, yet his face remained unreadable.

"What? You still intend to provoke Wu face-to-face?"

Wu Yi's gaze was icy, his voice low and steady, though a trace of anger could still be heard within it.

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. A misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding, Hall Master Wu."

Ignoring his injuries, Jackal hurriedly got to his feet and waved his hands.

"Hall Master Wu, I actually came to apologize to you in person. My younger brother is young and ignorant. He threw tantrums and made a scene before your hall, disturbing its peace. As his elder brother, I failed to discipline him properly."

As Jackal spoke, he turned and pointed at Pockmarked Sun, who had collapsed on the ground in terror, repeatedly shooting him meaningful looks.

Pockmarked Sun immediately understood. He hurriedly crawled to the martial hall steps, knelt down, and began kowtowing and bowing.

Crying and shouting, he kept calling out, "Hall Master, Hall Master! This disciple was blinded by lard and lost his senses. This disciple knows his mistake, I truly know my mistake..."

Seeing that he had achieved the effect he wanted, Jackal secretly thought that Pockmarked Sun knew how to play along.

He felt around inside his clothes. His right hand lingered for a moment before he cautiously glanced at the expressionless Wu Yi.

He understood that if he did not produce something today, this matter would be impossible to settle peacefully.

Gritting his teeth, he pulled his right hand from his clothes. Along with it came gleaming, silver-white coins.

Jackal bent at the waist and stepped forward, presenting the silver with both hands.

"Hall Master Wu, I, Jackal, offer you my apology. Here are twenty taels of silver, meant as compensation for the medical expenses of Little Brother Li, whom I offended earlier, and for disturbing the peace of your martial hall. Please accept it."

Jackal spoke those words with the utmost respect, but his heart was bleeding.

This was the reward the gang had given him after his breakthrough. He had planned to use it to consolidate his realm, but now that hope was completely gone.

Wu Yi looked at the silver Jackal offered and slightly calmed the anger that had never existed in the first place.

After all, because True Intent Martial Hall had declined over the years, its disciple admission fees had dropped again and again. Now, one only needed two taels of silver to join the martial hall as a registered disciple.

Meanwhile, the minimum admission fee at other martial halls was at least fifteen taels of silver, not including the required food and medicine expenses.

Coupled with Wu Yi's reckless spending over the years, after he had burned through the previous savings, he had begun running tabs everywhere. The martial hall had long been spending more than it earned.

So Wu Yi truly coveted these twenty taels of silver.

For no other reason than that Wu Yi had been poor for too long!

Without showing it, Wu Yi gestured for Li Kuai to accept the silver.

Li Kuai, who had been watching eagerly from the side, immediately stepped forward and took the silver Jackal was offering with both hands. The corners of his mouth were nearly impossible to keep down.

When Jackal saw the silver accepted, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Good, good. Looks like I can escape disaster today.

As for Pockmarked Sun, all I can say is, sorry about that.

Jackal secretly rejoiced as he considered pushing Pockmarked Sun out so that he could get away completely.

"After all, it was my younger brother who offended your martial hall first. Whether you wish to kill him or carve him up is entirely up to Hall Master Wu."

Jackal's casually spoken words scared Pockmarked Sun, who was kneeling on the ground, out of his wits.

Pockmarked Sun looked at Jackal in alarm, seemingly unable to understand why he would say such a thing, only to meet Jackal's threatening gaze.

He could only continue pleading with Wu Yi.

"Hall Master, Hall Master, spare my life..."

Before he could finish, Wu Yi cut him off.

"Enough. Get lost, all of you."

Hearing those words, both Jackal and Pockmarked Sun were visibly stunned. Then, coming back to their senses, they hurriedly gave their thanks.

"Thank you, Hall Master, thank you, Hall Master..."

Then they turned and ran for their lives...

Watching the two flee in panic, Wu Yi finally no longer needed to keep acting.

When he had first heard that someone was causing trouble outside the martial hall, Wu Yi had genuinely intended to teach the troublemakers a lesson.

But after learning that the Wild Wolf Gang was responsible for attacking him last night, Wu Yi changed his mind.

Although he had already recovered to the Meridian-Piercing Realm, and the Wild Wolf Gang only had two Martial Artists at the peak of the Skin-Flesh Realm—little more than stray dogs by the roadside in Wu Yi's eyes—

Anyone daring to lay hands on Wu Yi meant there had to be a hidden hand behind the Wild Wolf Gang.

He simply did not know whether it was one of the other three great martial halls or one of the city's two great families.

Before his strength reached the Astral-Condensing Realm, it was better to remain cautious in all things.

That was why he had not personally dealt with Jackal and Pockmarked Sun. He feared that someone might be watching in the shadows. If they discovered that his injuries had healed, some people would likely be unable to sit still.

As Wu Yi pondered this, Li Kuai came over holding the silver like a little rabbit, seeking credit before him.

"Brother Yi, look! A full twenty taels of silver! That's enough for us to live on for many days."

Seeing Li Kuai bouncing around before him, Wu Yi could not help but smile knowingly.

"Alright, Kuai. Keep the silver safe. Now tell me, what happened just now?"

After listening to Li Kuai's account, Wu Yi's face darkened.

It seemed the Wild Wolf Gang truly believed they had me cornered. They actually wanted to seize the martial hall with such a clumsy trick!

Even a clay Buddha has three measures of fire. No matter who stands behind the Wild Wolf Gang, I, Wu Yi, will settle this account with you sooner or later!

It was as though blazing flames burned in Wu Yi's eyes. When he came back to himself, he discovered Li Kuai looking at him somewhat fearfully.

"Brother Yi, the way you looked just now was really scary."

At those words, Wu Yi's face went dark, and he flicked Li Kuai on the forehead.

"What are you saying, you brat? How dare you slander your Hall Master?"

"Alright, Kuai. The martial hall's rules need to change from now on. We'll discuss the details after I return. Go get two doses of healing medicine."

"Alright, Brother Yi."

Although Li Kuai had received a forehead flick, he wore a smile on his face.

It seemed that the Brother Yi from before had truly returned.

Wu Yi planned to visit Hu Rong's home.

After all, Hu Rong had helped his martial hall just now. Hu Rong had also been injured because of the martial hall, so whether by sentiment or reason, Wu Yi should go and take a look.