An Explanation

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

His gaze was indifferent as he stared at Jackal, who had been sent flying to the ground by his kick.

"Making trouble and injuring people before the hall, forcing your way into the martial hall and hurting my disciple, challenging the martial hall's dignity.

"You will give me an explanation for what happened today."

Wu Yi spoke slowly, his tone carrying an authority that could not be questioned.

"H-Hall Master..."

Li Kuai stared 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 completely shed his former dispirited appearance. His somewhat long, messy hair was tied behind his head. Though the stubble on his face remained, it had clearly been groomed. Even the pungent smell of alcohol that had once clung to him had faded considerably.

Standing there, he was like a treasure sword with its edge fully exposed.

The instant he saw his Hall Master, all his previous grievance, fear, and pain vanished at once, leaving behind only a single thought.

The Hall Master was mighty!

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

Jackal climbed to his feet, feeling a faint ache in his chest.

Damn it, this True Intent Martial Hall is too underhanded. They kicked me the moment they opened the door—who could guard against that? Good thing I've entered the Skin-Flesh Realm. If an ordinary person took that kick, he'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 toward its source, his soul nearly fled his body.

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

Sensing the slightly dangerous look in Wu Yi's eyes, Jackal hurriedly changed his words.

"Hall Master Wu, I meant to say that you were in the martial hall after all. What a coincidence—I happened to be looking for you."

Right now, Jackal only wanted to curse his mother.

Didn't the gang say everything had been handled and tell me to come clean up the loose ends?

So they sent me here to be the loose end getting cleaned up?

A person's instinctive reaction in a crisis was always the most genuine.

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

Wu Yi noticed this, but his expression remained unchanged.

"What? Do you intend to provoke Wu again to his face?"

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

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

Ignoring his injuries, Jackal hurriedly got up and waved his hands.

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

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

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

Crying as he shouted, he continuously wailed, "Hall Master, Hall Master! This disciple was blinded by greed for a moment. This disciple knows he was wrong, he truly knows he was wrong..."

Seeing that he had achieved the desired effect, Jackal secretly praised Pockmarked Sun for catching on quickly.

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

He understood that if he did not offer something today, this matter would not end peacefully.

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

Jackal bent forward and presented the silver with both hands.

"Hall Master Wu, I, Jackal, offer you my apologies. There are twenty taels of silver here, to serve as compensation for offending Brother Li earlier, as well as for disturbing the martial hall's peace. Please accept it."

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

This had been the gang's reward after his breakthrough. He had planned to use it to stabilize his realm, but now there was no hope of that.

Wu Yi looked at the silver Jackal offered and slightly eased the anger he did not truly possess.

After all, due to the True Intent Martial Hall's decline over the years, its fees for accepting disciples had been lowered again and again. Now, it only took two taels of silver to join the martial hall as a registered disciple.

Other martial halls, on the other hand, required at least fifteen taels of silver just to accept a disciple, not including the necessary food and medicine expenses.

Furthermore, Wu Yi had spent recklessly over the years. After exhausting the hall's savings, he had begun running up debts everywhere. The martial hall had long been unable to make ends meet.

So Wu Yi truly coveted these twenty taels of silver.

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

Without changing his expression, Wu Yi gestured for Li Kuai to accept the silver.

Li Kuai, who had been staring at it eagerly, immediately stepped forward to take 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 this disaster today.

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

Jackal secretly rejoiced as he considered pushing Pockmarked Sun out to ensure his own complete escape.

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

Jackal's casual words left Pockmarked Sun, who was kneeling nearby, utterly panic-stricken.

Pockmarked Sun looked at Jackal in alarm, seemingly unable to understand why he would say such a thing, only to see the threatening look Jackal cast his way.

He could only continue begging Wu Yi for mercy.

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

Before he could finish, Wu Yi interrupted him.

"Enough. Get lost, all of you."

Hearing those words, both Jackal and Pockmarked Sun were visibly stunned. Then they came to their senses and hurriedly thanked him.

"Thank you, Hall Master! Thank you, Hall Master..."

Then they turned and ran for their lives...

Watching the two flee in a 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 had been responsible for attacking him the previous night, Wu Yi changed his mind.

Though he had already recovered to the Meridian-Piercing Realm, while the Wild Wolf Gang had only two martial artists at the peak of the Skin-Flesh Realm, both of whom Wu Yi could now treat like stray dogs by the roadside.

But anyone who dared move against Wu Yi must have a hidden hand behind them.

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

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

That was why he had not personally taught Jackal and Pockmarked Sun a lesson. He feared 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 up to him like a little rabbit, clutching the silver and seeking praise.

"Brother Yi, look! A full twenty taels of silver! It'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 seems the Wild Wolf Gang truly thinks they have me in the palm of their hand. They actually wanted to seize the martial hall with such a clumsy trick!

Even a clay figure has some anger. No matter who stands behind the Wild Wolf Gang, I, Wu Yi, will settle this score with you sooner or later!

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

"Brother Yi, you looked really scary just now."

Hearing that, Wu Yi's face darkened as he flicked Li Kuai on the forehead.

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

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

"Right away, Brother Yi."

Though Li Kuai had received a flick on the forehead, he wore a smile.

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 Wu Yi ought to go see him, both emotionally and morally.