Chapter Six: The Silent Blow

The Temple of Law was far from Emerald Bamboo Peak. When they came, Mingjian had brought them through the air, covering a hundred miles in barely half an hour. Shen Yu, wanting to return alone, had no choice but to walk.

When was the last time he had traveled such a distance on foot? Three thousand years ago? Two thousand? Shen Yu withdrew from his reverie, turned, and strolled unhurriedly toward the plaza before the Temple of Law.

Upon reaching the plaza, he saw a figure fly from the dueling platform. Jiang Shaoqiu stood proudly atop the stage, arms crossed, casting a provocative glance at the disciples of Misty Peak. He had gone up first in this entrance tournament and had already defeated five disciples from the opposing side. He was flushed with triumph, especially as the admiring cheers and glances from some of the female cultivators left him elated.

Shen Yu glanced up at the sky—the sun hung high overhead, and the scene on the platform showed no sign of ending soon. He went to sit beneath a tall ginkgo tree at the plaza’s right edge.

Beside the platform, Li Hanyue’s expression remained unchanged; even though five Misty Peak disciples had already been defeated, he smiled calmly. “Senior Mingjian, your guidance of disciples is truly remarkable. I am impressed.”

Mingjian’s reply was cool: “I haven’t taught them anything.”

Li Hanyue nodded with a faint smile. “You are too modest, senior. It seems we must take this a bit more seriously.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than a handsome youth leapt up onto the platform from the crowd.

Jiang Shaoqiu remained supremely confident. “And who are you?”

The youth said nothing, merely looked at him, a trace of amusement at the corner of his lips.

Jiang Shaoqiu frowned. “Can you speak?”

“One punch.”

“What did you say?”

“I said, you’re only worth a single punch from me.”

Bang!

The delicate youth bent his knee and shot forward. His right hand formed a fist, and in an instant, he was before Jiang Shaoqiu. The crowd saw only a blur, the sound of air splitting faintly in their ears.

Jiang Shaoqiu’s pupils contracted. He gathered all his spiritual energy to shield his chest.

He was too late.

Boom!

A tremendous force sent him flying. Even in midair, another blur flashed, and the handsome youth appeared on the opposite side of the platform. But then, as if recalling something, he pulled back half of the punch’s force.

Jiang Shaoqiu crashed solidly into the railing of the platform, the impact forcing a muffled groan from him before he lost consciousness.

The youth withdrew his fist, looked down with disdain, and said, “Next.”

No one spoke. The disciples of Emerald Bamboo Peak were stunned. Jiang Shaoqiu, invincible a moment ago, had been knocked out with a single punch—unbelievable.

A hush fell.

But soon, seeing the mocking sneer on the youth’s face, anger rose among them once more.

None of these young men considered that their cultivation was lower than Jiang Shaoqiu’s.

Another youth mounted the stage.

In the space of a breath, he too was sent flying—unconscious before the crowd.

A third, a fourth, a fifth...

“Idiots.”

“Fools.”

“Next.”

With each word, the handsome youth’s voice grew louder, his arrogance more blatant. He showed the disciples of Emerald Bamboo Peak no respect, humiliating them without restraint.

From a distance, Shen Yu watched the scene, finding it rather absurd. He sighed—a rare thing for him. “What’s the point?”

When the ninth disciple had been knocked off the platform, the Emerald Bamboo Peak disciples finally realized the gap between them and their opponent. None dared step up; their earlier anger dissolved into silence.

“Is there anyone else...?” The youth glanced around, snorting at the discouraged faces. “Useless, every one of you.”

Mingjian, standing below the platform, arched his sword-like brows and was about to speak when someone interrupted.

Li Hanyue smiled. “Liang Shi has always been arrogant and blunt. I’ll make sure to discipline him thoroughly later. Please, senior, don’t take it to heart.”

Mingjian snorted coldly but let it go.

At this moment, Shen Yu, who had been sitting quietly in the shade, suddenly stood and walked toward the platform.

Soon, all the disciples from both peaks noticed him, and everyone was surprised.

Mingjian, seeing the laziest disciple in the sect walking straight toward him with such a serious face, had a ridiculous thought.

He’s going to…

Shen Yu stopped before Mingjian and said earnestly, “Just send anyone up and let’s go home. There’s no point in staying.”

Someone couldn’t help but snicker. Soon, the disciples of Misty Peak, who had been watching, burst into laughter as well.

Li Hanyue turned away, shoulders shaking as he tried to suppress his mirth.

Mingjian wished he could slap this brat dead on the spot, but instead took a deep breath, his face dark with anger, and said nothing.

The disciples of Emerald Bamboo Peak blushed with shame. How could this person be on their team? They had all lost face in this entrance tournament.

But Shen Yu remained as serene as ever, turning to leave after speaking, as if waiting for them nearby.

To Shen Yu, this was nothing. If you lose, go back, train hard, and win next time. Why keep going up to be humiliated, wasting time?

A little shame on the long road of cultivation—what of it? These children were too young, unable to endure even minor setbacks.

“Hey you, stop fussing. There’s just one left from Emerald Bamboo Peak—you. What are you running for?”

The mocking voice from atop the platform carried clearly to Shen Yu’s ears.

He didn’t turn around, but it was obvious those words were meant for him. His brows, sharp as a blade, twitched.

“Coward?”

Such vulgar insults—he hadn’t heard them in years. Yet somehow, a faint emotion began to stir inside Shen Yu—a smoldering, oppressive heat.

It was anger.

The meaning behind Jiang Shaoqiu’s glances had been far heavier than the insult, but Shen Yu hadn’t cared. Yet these two words seemed to jab straight into an old wound.

Suddenly, he thought—

This brat really needed to be taught a lesson.

...

Liang Shi, handsome of face and merciless in speech, didn’t bother to look at his opponent after taunting him. He stood on the platform, basking in the glow of victory.

“So this is what it feels like—cultivation can actually bring happiness.”

Soon, though, Liang Shi sensed something amiss. The dejected faces of his opponents had all changed—shock, confusion, and astonishment.

He turned abruptly—only to find that the youth in the green robe he’d just mocked was now standing on the platform.

Shen Yu said calmly, “Begin.”

“Not bad—you’ve got some courage,” Liang Shi replied. He didn’t believe this laughingstock from Emerald Bamboo Peak could threaten him; this wasn’t the legendary junior sister Shang Yingluo, after all.

Once he’d dealt with this one, a ten-to-one record would surely see his name spread among the elders, perhaps even to the four temple lords.

Buoyed by this thought, Liang Shi wasted no time. He bent his knees and charged at the youth in green.

This time, his feet screeched against the ground.

Shen Yu stood motionless, unconcerned by the oncoming fists. He glanced past Liang Shi’s shoulder and said, “Master Dao Xuan?”

Liang Shi’s fist halted five feet from Shen Yu’s face, his handsome features filling with confusion and surprise.

Everyone knew Dao Xuan was the master of the Temple of Law—so why would such a figure appear on the platform?

Curious, Liang Shi looked back.

No one was there.

In that very instant, an unspeakable pain exploded at the back of his head, as if something had struck him.

“It hurts...”

The pain brought him to one knee, his vision blacking out. Only by mustering all his strength did he manage to stay conscious.

Half-dazed, he glimpsed a black bamboo rod, about three feet long.

“What is...?”

Shen Yu stood before him and said seriously, “I picked up this stick out of boredom the other day. In the countryside, they call it a ‘sneak club’ for fighting.”

With that, he struck again, casually.

This time, Liang Shi could make no sound—his eyes rolled back, and he fainted on the spot.

The plaza fell silent but for the distant calls of immortal birds in the woods.

Around the platform, everyone was dumbstruck.

No one knew when Shen Yu had produced that black club, nor how he could act so brazenly and remain so unfazed afterward.

Shameless, wasn’t he?

All the disciples wondered the same thing.

Shen Yu stood on the stage, his expression unchanged.

“Next.”