The instructor's doom

Lin Fan pulled Yang Kuan over and introduced him to Wang Wu and the others. "Brothers, this is Senior Brother Yang Kuan, my direct senior brother and a member of the martial academy's Law Enforcement Court."

Wang Wu and the others grew reserved, their expressions unnatural. Yang Kuan's status filled them with awe, and they each greeted him cautiously.

Yang Kuan had foreseen this scene, which was why he had not come inside earlier.

Lin Fan could do nothing about it either. This was the effect of the gulf in their status. As he grew stronger, Wang Wu and the other three would probably treat him this way too.

Looking at their battered bodies, Lin Fan had an idea. "Senior Brother Yang, after dealing with Hu Gao, you must make sure these brothers of mine receive compensation," he suggested again.

"Junior Brother Lin, rest assured. However much Hu Gao took, I'll make him cough up twice that amount, then give it all to these brothers of yours as compensation," Yang Kuan promised.

Wang Wu and the others' eyes grew wet at his words. They had thought they could only suffer the instructor's and Li Feng's abuse for the rest of their lives. Now, at last, someone was helping them seek justice.

Before leaving, Lin Fan remembered someone. "Right, Wang Wu, where's that fellow Jiang Tong?"

Wang Wu curled his lip. "He failed to get started with Iron Cloth Shirt in ten days, so the instructor threw him out. He left covered in wounds. His days probably won't be easy."

Lin Fan felt a little regretful at that. He had wanted to show off in front of Jiang Tong. He really wanted to know what expression Jiang Tao would wear upon learning that the head steward had taken him as a disciple.

Lin Fan patted his brothers on the shoulders. "Train hard and try to enter the outer courtyard soon. If anyone bullies you, remember to give them my name."

"All right."

"We will."

Then Lin Fan bid Wang Wu and the others farewell and left, following Yang Kuan toward the nearest market.

According to Wang Wu and the others, Hu Gao had just gone out with the medicinal meals he had embezzled, presumably to sell them.

The two walked quickly. Upon reaching the market entrance, they hid in the doorway of a nearby shop and waited quietly.

Lin Fan scanned the entrance, paying particular attention to people wearing straw hats that concealed their faces.

Before long, Lin Fan noticed someone whose build closely resembled Hu Gao's. He wore a straw hat edged with black gauze and carried a bundle on his back. Judging by its shape, it probably contained earthenware jars or similar objects.

"Senior Brother Yang, I see him. I'll go out and face him first. Come out once he attacks, then use the opportunity to give him a good beating and vent some anger for me and my brothers," Lin Fan said, laying out his idea.

Yang Kuan gestured his understanding. As a member of the Law Enforcement Court, he could not simply attack someone who did not resist. That would amount to an unauthorized use of corporal punishment, which was forbidden.

But if Hu Gao attacked Lin Fan, it would be a different matter. He would then have grounds to give the man a thrashing.

Lin Fan walked up behind the man and called, "Hu Gao."

The man instinctively turned around. When he saw Lin Fan, he visibly froze, as though his brain had crashed.

Then he jolted and darted into an alley on the left. Lin Fan hurried after him.

The two wound their way through the alleys, eventually entering a dead end. The wall, only about three meters tall, naturally could not stop Hu Gao, but he halted and turned to stare coldly at Lin Fan.

"What, not running anymore?" Lin Fan asked mockingly.

Hu Gao took off his straw hat, revealing a vicious expression. "Lin Fan, I never expected you to become an inner courtyard disciple. But you should never, ever have meddled in my affairs, much less chased me here. It seems greater mastery of Iron Cloth Shirt has made you forget yourself."

As he spoke, he advanced on Lin Fan, making no attempt to conceal his killing intent.

Panic appeared on Lin Fan's face, and he backed away repeatedly. "Hu Gao, killing a fellow disciple is a capital offense. Do you want to die?" he demanded, fierce in appearance but weak within.

"Heh..." Hu Gao gave a disdainful laugh. "Do you really think you're Li Feng? You're just an ordinary disciple. If you die, you die. Why would the martial academy waste so much effort investigating? Blame yourself for sticking your nose where it doesn't belong!"

With that, he unleashed Gale Leg and rapidly closed in on Lin Fan. His Gang-Breaking Fist smashed toward Lin Fan's face with a fierce gust. He had already reached lesser body tempering and believed he could easily smash Lin Fan's head apart.

His fist drew closer and closer, but the panic vanished from Lin Fan's face, replaced by mockery and derision.

Hu Gao sensed something was wrong. He felt a startling surge of killing intent descend from above.

He looked up and saw a foot rapidly expanding in his pupils.

He instinctively withdrew his fist and crossed his arms to block the foot, but tremendous force crashed down like a great river bursting its banks. Unable to withstand it, he slammed into the ground, crushing the blue bricks beneath him as a mouthful of blood burst from his lips.

He stared at the newcomer in terror, his face deathly pale. "S-Senior Brother Yang..."

Yang Kuan's eyes widened with fury. "Hu Gao, how dare you! You falsely reported the number of Human Stake candidates, withheld and embezzled medicinal meals, and abused the Human Stake candidates. Now you even tried to kill a fellow disciple. Your crimes are unforgivable!"

The more Yang Kuan spoke, the angrier he became, and he rained punches and kicks on Hu Gao. Lin Fan naturally joined in, first kicking him savagely, then delivering one final vicious kick to his manhood.

"Aah!"

Hu Gao clutched his crotch and let out an utterly harrowing scream. His body curled like a shrimp, convulsing all over, the veins standing out on his forehead.

Lin Fan felt refreshed from head to toe. Hu Gao's earlier arrogance had disgusted him, and now he had finally avenged himself and washed away his resentment.

The two escorted Hu Gao back to the martial academy's Law Enforcement Court. Hu Gao knelt on the ground like a dead dog, awaiting the court's judgment.

Yang Kuan had intended to continue teaching Lin Fan the Body Tempering Art, but Lin Fan said he needed to bid Young Master Tang farewell first.

Young Master Tang was his benefactor, and he had always kept that kindness in his heart.

Lin Fan had only just reached Young Master Tang's training room when Young Master Tang arrived right after him.

Seeing Lin Fan in an inner courtyard disciple's robes, Young Master Tang was first surprised, then delighted.

"Lin Fan, congratulations," Young Master Tang said.

"Thank you, Young Master Tang." Lin Fan cupped his hands. "Young Master Tang, today may be my last day serving as your Human Stake. From now on, I need to focus on cultivating the Body Tempering Art with my senior brother. I'm very sorry," he said, explaining why he had come.

Young Master Tang raised his eyebrows, a faint smile curling his lips. "Perfect timing. I've already reached greater mastery in both my martial techniques, and improving them further will be difficult. I was planning to focus on the Body Tempering Art too. I might as well join you."

"Uh..." Lin Fan froze, then brightened. "That would be great."

Young Master Tang had powerful backing, and Lin Fan was more than happy to spend more time with him.

"By the way, who did you take as your master?" Young Master Tang asked.

"Head Steward Yue Shan."

Young Master Tang was surprised again. "You're lucky. Come on, let's go pay your master a visit."

Lin Fan led Young Master Tang to the entrance of Yue Shan's courtyard. "Young Master Tang, please wait a moment. I'll check whether my master is here."

"All right."

Lin Fan entered the courtyard. Yue Shan was not outside, so he went to the sitting room and found him drinking tea.

"Greetings, Master."

"Ah, Lin Fan. Do you have any questions about your cultivation?" Yue Shan asked.

"Master, Young Master Tang Yan said he wished to pay you a visit. Would that be agreeable?"

"Quickly, invite him in. Next time Tang Yan comes, there's no need to ask. Just bring him straight in," Yue Shan said hurriedly.

Lin Fan gained a clearer understanding of Young Master Tang's status. He hurried outside and brought him in.