Chapter 7: A Lesson

"????" Chu Jian stood there completely dumbfounded!

It took him a good while to come back to his senses and realize that Chu Feng had just slapped him across the face!

"Chu Feng, you worthless trash — how dare you slap me?!"

Chu Jian clutched his badly swollen left cheek, glaring at Chu Feng with burning fury.

His eyes were filled with venomous hatred, as though he wanted nothing more than to tear Chu Feng apart on the spot!

Crack!

Chu Feng delivered another vicious slap across Chu Jian's right cheek, sending him crashing face-first to the ground!

At the same time, Chu Feng shifted his foot and planted it squarely on Chu Jian's head, grinding his face into the floor!

The ground was rough and coarse — just watching his face being scraped across it was enough to make anyone wince in pain!

"You dare mock me — the Young Clan Master?" Chu Feng stared down at Chu Jian beneath his foot, his voice ice-cold.

"Chu Feng, you're dead! I swear I'll kill you!"

Chu Jian's cultivation was only at the ninth level of the Body Tempering Stage. Pinned under Chu Feng's foot, he couldn't move an inch — all he could do was scream and rage with all his might!

"Hmph!"

Seeing that Chu Jian still dared to threaten him, Chu Feng pressed down even harder, grinding Chu Jian's face against the floor.

Soon, the floor beneath Chu Jian's face began to turn red, the color spreading outward.

"Ahhh!"

The searing pain tore a blood-curdling scream from Chu Jian's throat!

"Chu Feng, let go of Chu Jian right now!"

At that moment, Chu Tianqi, the training ground instructor of the Chu Clan, hurried over and urged Chu Feng to release Chu Jian.

Chu Feng raised his head and cast a cold glance at Chu Tianqi.

Chu Tianqi was a collateral-line disciple of the Chu Clan, with a cultivation at the fifth level of the Spirit Entry Stage. However, his age had caught up with him, and he could only serve as an instructor within the clan.

Earlier, when Chu Feng had arrived without bowing, Chu Tianqi had said nothing. When Chu Jian mocked him, Chu Tianqi had not stepped in to stop it either.

Now that things had gone sideways, he wanted to play the peacemaker — but Chu Feng had no intention of giving him that satisfaction!

"I, the Young Clan Master, am disciplining a disrespectful wretch. Does Instructor Chu have any objections?"

Chu Feng swept his gaze over Chu Tianqi, his voice sharp and cold. "And furthermore — how dare you address the Young Clan Master by name directly? Who gave you the nerve?"

From his memories, Chu Tianqi had always sided with Chu Jian's faction.

During childhood training, Chu Tianqi had frequently made things difficult for him on purpose.

This was the perfect opportunity — Chu Feng intended to teach Chu Tianqi a proper lesson as well!

"You..."

Chu Tianqi was the Chu Clan's training instructor. Though a collateral-line disciple, he was respected by everyone in the clan.

Being publicly reprimanded by Chu Feng like this made his face burn with humiliation!

Yet under Chu Feng's icy stare, Chu Tianqi had no choice but to lower his head:

"I was disrespectful earlier. I ask that the Young Clan Master overlook this humble one's fault and release Chu Jian first!"

Boom!

The moment those words left his mouth, Chu Feng delivered a fierce kick to Chu Jian's back, sending him flying over ten meters!

"Ahhh!"

Chu Jian let out a wretched cry, crashed hard onto the ground, and fell unconscious!

"Chu Feng, how dare you?!" Chu Tianqi erupted in furious outrage!

That kick had produced a clear cracking sound from Chu Jian's back — several ribs had likely been broken.

Boom!

Chu Feng's foot shifted, and in an instant he appeared before Chu Tianqi, driving a kick into his stomach that sent him flying over ten meters as well!

"You dared to call the Young Clan Master by name, and even after being warned you refused to change — so let the Young Clan Master teach you a lesson you won't forget!" Chu Feng said coldly.

"You..."

Chu Tianqi coughed up a mouthful of blood, raised a trembling hand and pointed at Chu Feng, his face a mask of disbelief!

"You dare point your finger at the Young Clan Master? It seems your hand has outlived its welcome — then let the Young Clan Master shatter it for you!"

With that, Chu Feng flickered to Chu Tianqi's side once more and brought his foot crashing down onto the man's hand!

Crack!

"Ahhh!"

The excruciating pain ripped a sky-shaking scream from Chu Tianqi!

At that moment, Chu Feng's expression was glacial, his killing intent radiating outward — he looked like a demon god given form.

Everyone present recoiled in fear, slowly backing away, not daring to provoke him.

"What's going on here?"

Suddenly, an old man in green robes came rushing out from deeper within the Chu Clan compound.

"Second Elder, Chu — the Young Clan Master, he..."

A Chu Clan disciple standing near the old man pointed at Chu Feng, stuttering and trembling.

"Chu Feng, you're back?"

The old man in green spotted Chu Feng at once and slowly walked toward him.

"What happened to Chu Jian and Chu Tianqi?"

The old man glanced at the two figures writhing on the ground and asked.

"They showed disrespect to the Young Clan Master. I merely gave them a light lesson." Chu Feng looked at the old man and smiled faintly.

The old man in green was the Chu Clan's Second Elder — Chu Wenshan.

From his memories, Chu Wenshan had treated Chu Feng reasonably well in the past. He also had no love for Chu Jian's faction, making him one of the more neutral figures within the clan.

"Young Clan Master... you broke several of Young Master Chu Jian's ribs. You call that a light lesson?"

One of Chu Jian's lackeys crouched beside him, glaring at Chu Feng with indignation.

"Hiss..."

Chu Wenshan took one look at Chu Jian's face — swollen like a pig's head — and the sunken ruin of his back, and his mouth twitched involuntarily!

"Second Elder, please uphold justice for Young Master Chu Jian!" Several of Chu Jian's followers pleaded with Chu Wenshan.

"Have someone come and treat them immediately!"

"The Clan Master and the other Elders are away on important business today. This matter will be addressed when they return!"

"Chu Feng, go back and rest for now!"

Chu Wenshan found himself unable to deal with Chu Feng directly, so he could only arrange for someone to tend to the injured first.

"Mm."

Chu Feng gave a slight nod, turned, and walked toward his quarters as he remembered them.

"Was that really Chu Feng just now?"

"Didn't they say his cultivation was crippled? How is he still this terrifying — even Instructor Tianqi was no match for him!"

"I don't know. But Chu Feng seems like a completely different person. He was always a bit cold before, but never this ruthless."

"Maybe getting expelled from Qinglan Sect left him with a lot of pent-up rage, and he needed someone to take it out on — that's why he struck so viciously."

"Young Master Chu Jian was hurt so badly. When the Grand Elder returns, he's not going to let this go."

......

After Chu Feng left, the Chu Clan disciples in the training ground broke into a flurry of whispered discussion!

* * *

A short while later, Chu Feng returned to his small courtyard.

The courtyard was quiet and elegant, surrounded by lush green plants and flowers, looking quite comfortable.

The ground was spotless — clearly someone came to sweep it regularly.

"Young Clan Master, please rest a while. I'll go arrange for tea and refreshments to be brought over!"

Uncle Chen had followed Chu Feng the entire way. Only after Chu Feng entered the courtyard did he carefully make his report.

Chu Feng's ruthlessness earlier had startled Uncle Chen as well — but fortunately, on the walk back, he had been nothing but respectful toward Chu Feng.

"Mm." Chu Feng gave a slight nod.

Seeing Chu Feng's nod, Uncle Chen quickly took his leave.

Chu Feng looked around the courtyard for a moment, then stepped inside the room.

From his memories, Chu Feng had no trusted confidants within the Chu Clan, nor anyone he was particularly close to.

After his parents passed away, Chu Feng had become solitary and withdrawn, cutting himself off from social ties and devoting himself entirely to cultivation!

After joining Qinglan Sect three years ago, Chu Feng had only returned to the Chu Clan once a year.

So as things stood, the Chu Clan meant almost nothing to Chu Feng — its presence or absence made little difference.

Chu Feng planned to leave the Chu Clan after some time, venture out to seek Fortuitous Encounters that would help him grow stronger quickly, and then return to the Upper Realm!

Before long, a furious roar suddenly rang out from beyond the courtyard!

"Chu Feng, you bastard — how dare you injure my Jian'er!"

"Get out here right now!"

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Edited by Fat Goose