C15 Blood

Wu Shanbao had no idea that he was the target. Caught off guard, he was kicked squarely, sending the firewood he was carrying scattering across the ground. He toppled forward uncontrollably, crashing down onto the wood he had gathered. Soon, fresh blood seeped from his arm.

"Ugh..." Wu Shanbao let out a low moan, feeling a sharp pain shooting through his arm. He quickly rolled to the side and got to his feet, his gaze settling on the group of youths whose expressions had turned sour.

"May I ask... what have I done to offend you all?" Wu Shanbao asked through gritted teeth, his hands clasped in a gesture of respect.

"If you're looking for someone to blame, blame your own poverty for upsetting Boss Ye," came the taunting voice of Liu Yun, the ringleader, who stood with his arms crossed, sneering.

Boss Ye? Wu Shanbao didn't know who Boss Ye was, but the other's arrogant and disrespectful demeanor triggered a memory. He realized these were the same people who had secretly mocked him on the steps earlier.

Wu Shanbao hadn't expected his forbearance to invite further aggression. Did they really think he was a pushover?

Seeing the defiance in Wu Shanbao's eyes seemed to give Liu Yun a twisted sense of satisfaction. These people, following Ye Lang, thrived on the power they derived from him and the thrill of their misdeeds. Liu Yun didn't believe for a second that this poor kid could stand up to them.

"Hey, you poor kid, kneel down and kowtow a few times, then shout out some apologies. Do that, and we'll let this slide. How about it?"

A gentle breeze wafted through the courtyard, easing the pain in Wu Shanbao's hand. Liu Yun watched as Wu Shanbao's face went through a rapid succession of emotions – defiance, fear, and finally, a resolute stubbornness.

Wu Shanbao stepped forward, his hand balled into a fist, his expression one of icy indifference that belied his young age, "In your dreams."

The words burst from him, and Wu Shanbao's will to fight soared to new heights. No matter his current destitution, he once had a happy family and had been brought up with love, education, and resources. He had his own dignity that he would not let be trampled upon.

"Still think you're tough, you poor kid? Hahaha." Liu Yun sneered cruelly, "Well then, allow me to teach you a lesson in respecting your elders!"

With that, he stepped forward, his left hand balled into a fist, and delivered a vicious punch that cut through the air, aiming for Wu Shanbao's shoulder.

Wu Shanbao stepped back, his face etched with concentration, and threw a punch of his own, though it lacked the force of Liu Yun's.

Their fists met with a crisp sound of bone on bone. Wu Shanbao felt as if he had punched a slab of iron, his body uncontrollably retreating. He stumbled about ten steps before he managed to steady himself.

"You've got guts to take me on, kid. I'm at the pinnacle of the Body Refining Realm," Liu Yun scoffed with contempt, not giving Wu Shanbao a sliver of a chance to fight back. He charged forward and unleashed a barrage of powerful punches onto Wu Shanbao.

Wu Shanbao groaned lowly. Despite possessing the profound Breeze Fan Technique, he hadn't even reached the Body Refining Realm and thus couldn't tap into any of its secrets. Against Liu Yun, he was utterly powerless to retaliate.

Liu Yun pinned Wu Shanbao to the ground, pummeling him without mercy. Wu Shanbao could do nothing but shield his head with his arms.

Eventually, Liu Yun grew tired from the assault. He stood up quickly, panting, "You got it now, kid? Are you convinced?"

"Not convinced," Wu Shanbao murmured, his consciousness fading. Yet, upon hearing Liu Yun's question, he responded almost instinctively.

His words carried on the wind to everyone present, shifting their expressions. As they looked at Wu Shanbao, their eyes held a mix of sympathy and something more.

Feeling the shift in the crowd's mood, Liu Yun's anger flared. He stamped his foot and gestured to his companions, "Keep hitting him! I want him beaten to a pulp! I refuse to believe this kid can't be taken down."

"Understood!"

Before Wu Shanbao had a chance to recover, a fresh onslaught of punches and kicks rained down on him. Overwhelmed, he finally couldn't hold on any longer and vomited a mouthful of fresh blood.

As Wu Shanbao coughed up blood, the others paused in their actions, seemingly recalling Ye Lang's words. They exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of what to do next.

With the fresh blood expelled, Wu Shanbao's vision cleared enough to make out Liu Yun's position. Bracing his hands against the ground, he leaped with all the force he could muster.

"What do you think you're doing, you poor fool!" Liu Yun hesitated, debating whether to continue his lesson. He hadn't anticipated Wu Shanbao still having the energy to pull him down to the ground.

The hatred in Wu Shanbao's eyes intensified. With his mouth still oozing blood, he viciously bit down on Liu Yun's right hand.

"Ah! My hand!" Liu Yun's scream echoed like that of a pig being slaughtered. His face went white as he yelled, "Get this kid off me, now!"

Wu Shanbao clung to Liu Yun, his bite unrelenting. It took several others a good while to pry him off before he finally released his grip, collapsing to the ground.

The taste of blood filled his mouth, indistinguishable as his own or Liu Yun's. Wu Shanbao turned over, looking disheveled. After a struggle, he managed to stand once more.

Liu Yun, staring at his bloodied hand, regarded Wu Shanbao with a newfound apprehension. He had no doubt that had Wu Shanbao been pulled away later, he might have lost a chunk of flesh.

"You... you're asking for it," Liu Yun spat out, his eyes still filled with malice but lacking his earlier confidence. Despite Wu Shanbao's shaky stance, Liu Yun felt a twinge of fear and hesitated to approach.

But Wu Shanbao just cracked a smile and said in a low voice, "I don't know your name, but I want you to remember this: I, Wu Shanbao, am not a troublemaker, nor am I a pushover. If anyone lays a hand on me, I'll fight to the death to take a piece of them with me. I mean what I say!"

His resolute voice reverberated through the courtyard. Over twenty people stood there in silence, so quiet that the whisper of leaves in the breeze was clearly audible.

Liu Yun's face was etched with indecision as he found himself caught between a rock and a hard place.

He no longer dared to approach and harass Wu Shanbao, yet the thought of simply walking away and becoming the butt of the joke among the onlookers was unbearable.

Wu Shanbao's energy had been sapped away, leaving only his indomitable spirit to keep him upright. As Liu Yun hesitated, Wu Shanbao's legs began to buckle, nearly causing him to collapse.

Just then, a surge of support from behind steadied him, preventing his fall.