Thoroughly Offended

"Cheng Yang?"

"Qinglin County's greatest genius in history?"

Cai Qingwen's mind buzzed, and for one brief moment, he even suspected he was still dreaming.

Cai Qiming's forehead was already veined with dark lines, his expression so gloomy it seemed water could be wrung from it.

This unfilial son of his...

Of all people to offend, he had chosen to offend a monster like this.

Fortunately, he had come to the Chen Clan Martial Hall as well. The most urgent matter was to turn this major grudge into a minor one, and this minor matter into nothing at all.

"Impossible... This is impossible! This can't be real!" As though his soul had been ripped from his body, Cai Qingwen muttered a few words before suddenly turning to his father, his voice rising sharply. "Father, this isn't real, right? Answer me! Answer me now!"

Seeing his son make such an utter spectacle of himself, Cai Qiming wanted nothing more than to slap him across the face.

But this was the Chen Clan Martial Hall, not his own home. He could only forcibly suppress his anger, grab Cai Qingwen by the arm, and say, "You unfilial wretch! Come with me and apologize to your Senior Brother Cheng!"

Qian Biao silently followed behind them, not even daring to breathe too loudly.

"Look, look! Isn't that Senior Brother Cai? Why does he look like he's gone mad?"

"And why did he bring his father here? What are they trying to do?"

"Who knows? Who cares whether he's Senior Brother Cai or not? In any case, he's nowhere near as impressive as Senior Brother Cheng."

The surrounding disciples' discussions surged over him like a tide, making Cai Qingwen's face alternate between green and white.

"Apologize? Apologize for what?!" He violently shook off Cai Qiming's hand and shouted hoarsely, "Father, I did nothing wrong! Cheng Yang stole my position as a core disciple! He provoked me! He was the one who provoked me first!"

"You wretch, what nonsense are you spouting?!" Cai Qiming roared.

"I'm not spouting nonsense!" Cai Qingwen craned his neck. "It's you who's gone senile, Father! You actually want this young master to bow his head to some mud-legged peasant—"

Cai Qiming's expression changed drastically, and he raised a hand to cover his mouth. The entire martial hall was currently singing Cheng Yang's praises, yet his son was here striking a discordant note. If someone with ulterior motives heard it and passed it on to Cheng Yang, that would truly be adding hatred upon hatred.

Unfortunately, he was too late.

A figure happened to emerge from behind the moon gate, hearing every single word without omission.

Cheng Yang stood several steps away, his cold gaze sweeping over the father and son. His tone carried not the slightest warmth. "So, in Junior Brother Cai's eyes, I am such an unsightly figure.

How disappointing."

"Junior... Brother?" Cai Qiming abruptly turned around. The moment he saw this spirited young man, his heart sank. "You are..."

"I am the mud-legged peasant Junior Brother Cai spoke of—Cheng Yang."

It was over.

Cai Qiming's heart gave a violent thump. This was even worse than he had imagined.

Not only had they slandered someone behind his back, but they had been caught red-handed by the very person involved.

Cai Qingwen saw Cheng Yang as well. As the saying went, when enemies met, their eyes burned all the redder.

His eyes turned bloodshot as fury rushed to his head. "Cheng Yang! Didn't you break through to Flesh Tempering? Aren't you Qinglin County's greatest genius in history? Then let me properly weigh your worth and see whether you truly have the ability to match that title!"

Before his words had faded, his entire body pounced toward Cheng Yang like a fierce tiger bursting from its cage.

"Qingwen, stop!" Cai Qiming reached out to pull him back.

But Cai Qingwen had already gone completely red-eyed. With a savage shake, he broke free from his father's grasp.

Cai Qiming staggered back half a step. Looking at his son's retreating back as he charged at Cheng Yang, his heart turned icy. It was over. The Cai Family had thoroughly offended this core disciple.

Cai Qingwen sprang up fiercely, his right arm bent at the elbow and thrust upward, fist facing the sky. Borrowing the rebound force from his lowered waist and hips, his fist crashed toward Cheng Yang's face like a falling meteor, wrapped in a piercing gust of wind.

Vajra Fist—Vajra Subdues the Tiger.

"Good!"

A sharp light burst from Cheng Yang's eyes. Rather than retreating, he advanced. His feet ground into the earth, his knees slightly bent like the roots of an ancient tree coiling deep into the ground. His dantian sank sharply, his back tightening like a drawn slingshot. In the instant he twisted his waist and turned his hips, his entire right arm wound into a spiral as he met the blow head-on.

Vajra Fist—Vajra Pushes the Mountain.

The instant their fists collided, it was like two enormous boulders crashing together.

Crack, crack, crack—!

The bluestone slabs beneath Cheng Yang's feet split into a spiderweb of cracks that spread in every direction. His body trembled, his blood and qi surged, and he staggered back several steps.

Cai Qingwen suffered even worse. He retreated four steps in a row, tasted blood in his throat, and immediately coughed up a mouthful of it.

The two had exchanged a fist head-on. Cheng Yang's expression remained unchanged, while Cai Qingwen had been beaten bloody instead. The gap left Cai Qingwen humiliated and enraged.

"I actually lost in a contest of strength against someone who just entered Flesh Tempering?"

"Aah!" He roared and was about to charge forward again.

"Enough!" A dignified voice suddenly exploded through the air. "Qingwen! Have you made enough trouble? Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough?"

Cai Qingwen's body stiffened, and only then did he calm down slightly.

Cai Qiming took a deep breath, strode quickly before Cheng Yang, and cupped his hands. "Little Brother Cheng, I am Cai Qingwen's father. Qingwen's actions just now were truly discourteous. I apologize to you on his behalf."

"Junior Brother Cai is no child anymore." Cheng Yang's tone was indifferent. "There is no need for his father to apologize in his place."

Cai Qiming's expression shifted slightly, but he still forced himself to turn toward his son. "Qingwen, come over and admit your mistake to Senior Brother Cheng!"

"Father, I'm not staying at the Chen Clan Martial Hall anymore!" Cai Qingwen spat out a bloody mouthful of saliva and glared viciously at Cheng Yang. "What can he do to me?"

What could he do to him?

A person who had broken through from Skin Tempering to Flesh Tempering in five days, a figure of such talent—his son had offended him just like that, and still dared ask, "What can he do to me?"

Cai Qiming was frantic with anxiety. His son's words and conduct had completely severed any hope he had of repairing the relationship. Since that was the case...

A fleeting killing intent flashed through his eyes, but his face remained calm as he cupped his hands. "Little Brother Cheng, I will take Qingwen to see the hall master and handle the procedures for withdrawing from the hall..."

"Take care. I won't see you out." Cheng Yang did not even raise his head.

Before leaving, Cai Qiming still offered up that decade-old ginseng with both hands. Cheng Yang glanced at it and said blandly, "No need. I am but a mud-legged peasant; I cannot accept such a grand gift from your Cai Family."

Cai Qiming smiled awkwardly, then turned and left with his son.

Cheng Yang watched their retreating backs, his gaze turning cold.

"What a well-disguised old fox." He silently judged. This man was polite on the surface right now, but he was probably already plotting how to kill him.

What a coincidence. Cheng Yang was thinking the same thing.

The Cai Family had already embarked upon the road to death.

Especially Cai Qingwen. Before, he had still put on an act, but now that they had torn off all pretenses, he could not even be bothered to conceal himself. The disgust in his eyes was utterly undisguised.

A person like that could not be allowed to remain.

Cheng Yang had already made his decision. Give himself another two days.

Two days later, he would personally pay a visit to the Cai residence.

After Cai Qingwen and his father completed the procedures to withdraw from the martial hall, they returned to the Cai residence in silence.

"Father... Cheng Yang's talent..." Cai Qingwen had finally calmed down. Though he was unwilling to admit it, he had no choice but to acknowledge that Cheng Yang was stronger than him and better suited for the position of core disciple.

But he simply could not accept it.

"Qingwen, remember this." Rather than blaming him, Cai Qiming instructed him in an even tone, "No matter what happens, do not let your emotions cloud your judgment."

"I will remember, Father," Cai Qingwen answered with lowered head.

"Didn't you want to kill Cheng Yang before?" Cai Qiming abruptly changed the subject. "This time, your father will support you with all his strength."

Cai Qingwen abruptly raised his head, his face filled with delight.

"With talent like his, if he does not die, the Cai Family will never know peace."

A layer of frost surfaced in Cai Qiming's eyes as he began formulating the next step of his plan.