A storm was brewing

As the fellow disciples left the inner courtyard hall, the atmosphere was somewhat subdued. Chen Tie noticed that Shen Yan and Xu Da kept half a step behind him.

The two were clearly much more restrained now.

In the past, they had been his senior brothers, with greater seniority and more years of cultivation, and had often looked after Chen Tie and offered him guidance.

But things were different now.

Chen Tie had broken through to Bone Forging, becoming an expert second only to Mo Hong in the martial hall. His strength, standing, and say in its affairs now stood firmly above those of every other disciple.

Standing beside Chen Tie, the two unconsciously reined in their usual casual manner, holding themselves straight and watching their words and actions. Their expressions were complicated when they looked at him, and they could no longer be as relaxed and close with him as before.

Even when speaking, they instinctively weighed their words, no longer joking and teasing him freely.

Li Shan, Yu Shi, and the others likewise felt a sense of reverence, faintly beginning to regard Chen Tie as the martial hall's new pillar.

Chen Tie keenly sensed his two senior brothers' distance and restraint, and sighed softly inwardly.

He knew well that in the world of martial arts, strength determined rank.

His own cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds, breaking the martial hall's original balance. A barrier of hierarchy had quietly arisen between fellow disciples.

But deep down, he still remembered the support, care, and tolerance his two senior brothers had shown him when he first joined the martial hall.

To him, fame, profit, cultivation, and status were merely foundations for protecting himself, not reasons to distance himself from his fellow disciples.

Chen Tie stopped and addressed Shen Yan and Xu Da, his tone just as it had always been.

"Eldest Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, I only broke through today by a stroke of luck. Let's keep treating each other as we always have. You're all still my senior brothers, and I'm still the martial hall's junior brother. There's no need to be so restrained and distant."

Shen Yan froze briefly, then managed a smile. "To be honest, we're still a little dazed. Before we knew it, you'd already gone so far ahead of us."

Xu Da also sighed softly.

"I always used to think you still needed us to look after you a little. Only after today's fight did I understand that you no longer need our protection. Instead, our cultivation has stalled, and we have to rely on you to protect the martial hall."

Chen Tie felt a little warmth in his heart at those words, along with some helplessness.

"Eldest Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, cultivation is one thing, and the bonds between fellow disciples are another. Breaking through to Bone Forging doesn't mean my place among you has changed."

"Here in the martial hall, you'll always be my senior brothers. Things will stay just as they were before. You don't need to be restrained, much less distant with me."

Chen Tie's words were candid and sincere.

The restraint on Shen Yan's and Xu Da's faces finally faded.

"All right! Since you put it that way, Junior Brother, I'll be thick-skinned and keep treating you just as I always have."

"Junior Brother Chen, come over to my house sometime. That wife of mine is a fine cook. Eldest Senior Brother has visited several times, but you've been practicing martial arts all this time and haven't tried her food."

Chen Tie smiled. "Then let's make it today."

"Great!"

Their exchange softened the delicate atmosphere considerably.

Blazing Mountain Martial Hall, in the inner hall's treatment room.

Several physicians took turns examining him for a long time, then finally shook their heads at Yue Zhengshan.

"Hall Master Yue, the tendons and bones in both of Yue Feng's arms have shattered, his dantian and sea of Qi have collapsed and ruptured, and the circulation of his Qi and blood is obstructed. There is no possibility of recovery. He will never practice martial arts again."

Yue Zhengshan clenched his fists, veins bulging on the backs of his hands and knuckles cracking. His entire face was livid and twisted, his eyes filled with murderous intent and venomous hatred.

Yue Feng was the genius he had spent over a decade painstakingly nurturing, the future pillar of Blazing Mountain Martial Hall.

Yet today, Chen Tie had crippled both his arms and shattered his dantian in front of everyone, reducing him to a cripple!

"Chen Tie!!"

Yue Zhengshan ground his teeth, his voice hoarse and his hatred bone-deep.

He sat upright in his chair, his chest heaving violently and fury surging to the heavens within him, yet he had not lost his reason and gone mad.

After a while, he forcibly suppressed his rage. His gaze turned sinister and vicious as he instructed a trusted disciple.

"Send men to keep a close watch on Fierce Tiger Martial Hall's every move. Report back immediately once they've reached a decision on whether to join the bandit suppression!"

"Yes, Hall Master!"

Not daring to delay, the disciple immediately bowed and withdrew.

In less than an hour, word came back.

"Hall Master! Fierce Tiger Martial Hall has made its decision. They'll send elite disciples to join the citywide martial halls' joint bandit suppression!"

The instant he heard the news, a flash of icy murderous intent crossed Hong Shan's eyes. A cold smile curled his lips. "Heaven is helping me."

"Heaven is helping me."

Inside the city, he had no way to make a move and could not lay a finger on Chen Tie.

But outside the city lay wild mountains, dense forests, treacherous terrain, and rampant bandits.

When the disciples of dozens of martial halls mingled amid the chaos of battle, no one would pay particular attention to who lived or died.

A bandit suppression campaign was the perfect killing trap!

"As long as Chen Tie dies in the wilderness while suppressing bandits, who could suspect me!"

Yue Zhengshan sneered.

Meanwhile, at the City Guard's main camp inside the city.

Within the solemn hall, Deng Guang, commander of the City Guard, stood clad in iron armor, his build imposing and his presence fierce, quietly listening to his trusted subordinate Du San's report.

"Commander, this year's Martial Hall Grand Competition for the five major wards has concluded. Chen Tie of Fierce Tiger Martial Hall emerged out of nowhere, newly advanced to Bone Forging, and took first place."

"In addition, the twenty-five martial halls have committed most of their fighting strength. Most have now essentially decided to take part in the joint bandit suppression outside the city, with only a handful still waiting to see."

Du San reported every detail of the competition and each hall's strength, without the slightest error.

Two sharp gleams burst from Deng Guang's previously placid eyes, and his expression instantly sharpened.

"One more Bone Forging practitioner makes no difference, nor does one fewer."

Having guarded the city for years, he knew well that these private martial halls were growing increasingly powerful. Their disciples filled the streets and alleys, forming cliques in private and showing faint signs of slipping beyond control.

Ordinarily, the martial halls occupied their respective wards and markets, checking one another and holding separate territories, making it difficult to catch them all in one net.

But now, the elites of all twenty-five martial halls would leave the city and gather in the mountains.

This was a golden opportunity that came once in a hundred years!

Deng Guang lightly tapped his fingers on the desk. Deep calculation flashed through his eyes as he ordered coldly:

"Keep watching them closely. Confirm their final departure date, gathering point, and route into the mountains. Track them throughout and await my orders at all times."

Du San cupped his hands.

"Yes, Commander!"

"But under our agreement, we need to distribute resources to the martial halls. Are we really giving them those?"

Deng Guang swept his broad hand, his imposing presence surging.

"Give them. Why wouldn't we? Give them even more!"

"That band of mountain bandits outside the city is no simple lot. Even if the martial halls win, they'll probably suffer a severe blow to their strength."

"Once I take the entire city, I'll make these martial halls spit back out everything they've swallowed!"

Du San answered loudly.

"Yes, Commander!"

At the very heart of the city stood a residence belonging to the Chu Family, one of the Five Great Aristocratic Families.

Amid serene, elegant pavilions and towers, Chu Lin stood by a railing in a brocade robe, his figure handsome and his bearing distinguished.

As the young man overseeing the affairs of the Chu Family, one of the Five Great Aristocratic Families, he coldly surveyed the balance of power throughout the city, everything within his grasp.

His subordinate bowed and finished reporting the details of the twenty-five martial halls' competition, along with the movements of their elites preparing to leave the city to suppress bandits.

At the report, a trace of utter coldness flashed through Chu Lin's previously gentle eyes.

This was the only opportunity to seize power, take control of the city, and completely overturn its existing order!

All the martial elites from the city's streets would be drawn away, leaving the martial halls empty.

Only the City Guard would remain, the sole armed force currently in the city and the final obstacle to the aristocratic families' control over it.

Chu Lin turned around.

"Send word to the other four great aristocratic families at once."

"Keep a close watch on when the martial halls leave the city to suppress the bandits. Proceed according to plan."

"The moment all the martial halls' elites leave the city and enter the deep mountains to suppress the bandits, launch our forces simultaneously across the city!"

"While the city is empty, swallow up the City Guard in one stroke!"

"Root out the military's power within the city. From then on, this city will belong to our five families, and this land will be ours!"

His subordinate's heart jolted. He immediately knelt to accept the orders and hurried to contact the other four aristocratic families.