Chapter 12: When Endurance Reaches Its Limit, There Is No Need to Endure Further

"Well, well, if it isn't Junior Brother Zhuge, the top scorer of the assessment? Why didn't you go register at Lingxiao Sect? What are you doing here?"

"I heard from the Steward that you looked down on the Heavenly Dao Sect and even mocked us as trash?"

"Heavenly Dao Sect? What a pathetic sect. You'd pass up Lingxiao Sect for this dump?"

"Senior Brother Zhuge, that outfit looks sharp — must've cost quite a few silver taels, huh? I remember you used to struggle just to afford meals. Don't tell me you joined one of those dual cultivation sects as a furnace cauldron?"

A group of people walked over, and upon seeing Zhuge Feng, they launched into a barrage of mockery, every word dripping with sarcasm.

From their sneering expressions, it was clear they already knew Zhuge Feng had failed the assessment and had come specifically to taunt him.

Hearing these words, Zhuge Feng looked over, and his expression shifted slightly.

Senior Brother Gan, Senior Brother Lin, Junior Brother Han, Junior Sister Liu…

Every one of them came from wealthy, well-connected families. They had all passed Lingxiao Sect's assessment and become official disciples.

Back when they were all Menial Disciples, he had outperformed every single one of them by a wide margin — yet now they had succeeded while he had failed.

And now, they had come to laugh at him.

"Stay calm. Stay calm."

Zhuge Feng reminded himself inwardly, drawing a deep breath to settle his turbulent emotions.

"Senior Brother Zhuge, why don't you say hello when you see us? Have you gone mute?"

"Hahaha! Does the Heavenly Dao Sect really practice dual cultivation arts? Don't tell me we actually guessed right!"

"Wait, wait — now that we're official disciples, shouldn't we be calling him Junior Brother Zhuge?"

Seeing that Zhuge Feng remained silent, the group grew even more brazen, piling on the insults without restraint.

"You can insult me all you want, but don't you dare insult my sect!" Zhuge Feng clenched his fists.

"Oh? Getting a temper now, are we?"

"Zhuge Feng, heh — I won't hide it from you. Your spot was taken by me, Gan Hua!" one of them declared with smug satisfaction.

This was none other than the Senior Brother Gan that Zhuge Feng had mentioned — the one whose father was at the Foundation Establishment Stage!

Hearing those words, Zhuge Feng snapped his head up and locked his gaze onto Gan Hua.

His spot had been stolen by this man.

His grip tightened further, his fingernails digging into his palms until thin lines of blood seeped through.

He desperately wanted to charge forward and beat them half to death.

But reason held him back — because he was now the head disciple of the Heavenly Dao Sect, and he represented the sect's face!

"I can't stand watching this anymore!"

Xiao Lingxi's pretty face was frosted with fury as she moved to step forward and teach these people a lesson, but Su Bai held her back.

"This is your Senior Brother's matter. He can handle it himself."

Su Bai's eyes also turned faintly cold. His own disciple — how could he be allowed to suffer such humiliation?

"When endurance reaches its limit, there is no need to endure further!"

"Go ahead and strike. If anything comes of it, your Master will bear it all!"

He spoke up, transmitting his voice directly to Zhuge Feng, telling him not to hold back — to hit hard and hit without hesitation. A person could be poor in wealth, but never poor in spirit!

Hearing his Master's words, Zhuge Feng trembled all over. A surge of warmth flooded through every inch of his body, filling him with boundless courage and resolve.

Whatever happens — his Master would bear it all.

He drew a deep breath, steadied his chaotic breathing, and slowly raised his head to look at the people before him.

"Say what you want about me — but speak ill of my sect, and you deserve a beating!" His eyes gleamed with a cold light as he spoke in a low, firm voice.

"Hahaha! That's hilarious! Zhuge Feng, do you actually think you're something special?"

"The Heavenly Dao Sect — never even heard of it. If it's not a trash sect, what is it?"

"Thirty silver taels a month? A sect that's worse than garbage thinks it deserves that?"

The group burst into contemptuous laughter, not taking Zhuge Feng seriously in the slightest.

After all, they were now official disciples of Lingxiao Sect — they were no longer in the same world as Zhuge Feng.

Bang!

In the next instant, Zhuge Feng made his move. He launched a fierce kick straight at Gan Hua, who stood at the front of the group — the speed was terrifying!

Gan Hua's expression changed drastically. He tried to dodge, but it was already too late.

Although they had become official disciples of Lingxiao Sect, they had not yet been exposed to any immortal arts. At this moment, they were still Mortals.

But Zhuge Feng had already reached the Third Level of the Qi Refining Stage!

"Ahhh!"

Gan Hua let out a wretched scream and crumpled to the ground, both hands clutching his groin, writhing in agony.

Zhuge Feng paused for just a brief moment.

This was the first time he had ever truly struck someone with the intent to harm.

From childhood, his parents had taught him to be a kind and good child — to be polite and respectful. So he had always held to that line, never provoking others.

Later, he grew up. His parents were beaten to death, and when he went to reason with their killers, he was beaten half to death himself.

From that day on, he learned to endure.

He could not die.

He still had to avenge his parents.

During his half year as a Menial Disciple at Lingxiao Sect, he had endured more injustice than he could count.

Because he excelled in his results, because he was poor, because he had no backing — he became a target for bullying.

The spirit herbs he had painstakingly cultivated were destroyed overnight. He was punished with the dirtiest and most exhausting chores. His clothes were stolen. He was kicked to the ground…

He endured it all.

Because he wanted to enter Lingxiao Sect and learn immortal arts.

But finishing first in the assessment only to have his spot stolen had shown him the darkness of this world.

As his Master had said —

When endurance reaches its limit, there is no need to endure further.

The long-dormant volcano had finally erupted. He had finally awakened!

The timid, restrained youth was gone. In his place stood a young man of unyielding resolve.

Though he had not used his full strength in that kick, it was still no small force. Even though Gan Hua had trained in martial arts and had a certain physical foundation, that kick was more than enough to permanently ruin him.

This sudden turn of events left everyone present utterly stunned.

"Zhuge Feng, you dare injure Senior Brother Gan!"

"You've got some nerve — striking an official disciple of Lingxiao Sect!"

"Zhuge Feng, you're dead!"

The others snapped out of their shock and began shouting furiously.

Crack!

In the next instant, a resounding slap sent the first person who had provoked him flying. That person's cheek swelled up instantly, teeth scattered, blood streaming freely, as they lay on the ground wailing.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

In the blink of an eye, the entire group was beaten to the ground, crying out in pain.

A handful of Mortals — in Zhuge Feng's eyes now, they were no different from chickens and dogs.

"You… you succeeded in Qi Refining?"

Gan Hua still clutched his groin, blood dripping onto his trousers, his face twisted in pain as he stared at Zhuge Feng in disbelief.

To have defeated them so effortlessly, at a speed they couldn't even react to — it was obvious. Zhuge Feng was no longer a Mortal.

He had succeeded in Qi Refining!

But how was that possible?

It had only been five or six days since he left the Heavenly Dao Sect!

Everyone knew his background. Before he left, he had absolutely never practiced any immortal arts.

Five or six days, and he had already succeeded in Qi Refining — was that even possible?

Gan Hua simply could not believe it.

Neither could the others.

The Zhuge Feng they had looked down on, mocked, and considered a spineless pushover — he had succeeded in Qi Refining before any of them!

The sense of reversal was utterly suffocating.

"You… are you a monster?!" one of the young men said, trembling.

This was too terrifying.

"Let's go — tell the Steward, tell the Elder!"

The group helped Gan Hua to his feet and scurried away in disgrace, leaving those parting words behind.

All that remained were the onlookers around the square, staring blankly at Zhuge Feng in stunned silence.

A moment later, the entire square erupted into an uproar!

That was awesome!

He even dared to beat up disciples of Lingxiao Sect — was the Heavenly Dao Sect trying to shake the heavens?