C13 You Reap What You Sow!

Lei Bao and his henchmen wasted no time in recounting to Zhao Yiming the events of the previous day. Through their narrative, Yang Fann was portrayed as an irredeemable scoundrel, guilty of every conceivable wrongdoing.

"Yang Fann?" Zhao Yiming's brow furrowed, a flicker of doubt crossing his gaze. Luo Cheng was no pushover, his skills honed to the peak of the Third Empyrean, just a step away from earning the right to challenge the Bronze Warriors' Lane. Lei Bao was even more formidable, nearly reaching the Fifth Empyrean himself. For someone among the Seven Stars Sect's servant disciples to inflict such harm was unheard of. Yet, as Zhao Yiming mentally reviewed the top warriors from each Servicemen's Peak, Yang Fann's identity eluded him.

"Manager Zhao, it wasn't an expert from another peak; it was our own Ink Bamboo Peak's Yang Fann!" Lei Bao exclaimed, his excitement aggravating his wound and drawing a sharp intake of breath from the pain.

"What? From our peak, Yang Fann?" Zhao Yiming's eyes bulged, his expression one of sheer incredulity, as though he had just encountered a specter from folklore. He had a vague recollection of Yang Fann: a meek young man with modest talent, surely on the list to be expelled this year. Any ordinary servant disciple could topple him with ease!

"Manager Zhao, it was that little brute. You must stand up for us!" Lei Bao implored, his voice laced with desperation.

"Is it truly him? But how could that be?" Zhao Yiming's reason told him that Lei Bao's account was likely true—there was no honor in their tale, and they wouldn't dare fabricate such a story to deceive him. Yet, he struggled to come to terms with it.

Yang Fann was known as the dregs of Ink Bamboo Peak, his expulsion all but certain. In contrast, Lei Bao was the peak's top contender, the one Zhao had pinned his hopes on. The gap between them was vast, akin to the divide between heaven and earth. In theory, not even a hundred Yang Fanns could best Lei Bao.

"Manager Zhao, I speak only the truth, without a shred of falsehood!" Lei Bao insisted, seeing doubt linger in Zhao Yiming's eyes, "I swear it!"

"It appears this is all true!" In that moment, despite his reluctance to accept it, Zhao Yiming had to believe that Lei Bao and his crew had indeed been bested by Yang Fann. "I never imagined such a worthless one could rise to this stature!"

"Please, you must act on my behalf. Yang Fann showed no regard for our brotherhood, injuring us grievously. His actions are utterly deranged!"

No sooner had Lei Bao finished than his followers erupted in fervent agreement...

"Indeed! We implore you, Manager Zhao, to take action on our behalf!"

"If Yang Fann goes unpunished, I will not stand for it!"

"If Yang Fann escapes justice, it would be an affront to the very heavens!"

"Silence, all of you!" Zhao Yiming's voice turned icy, "Someone fetch Yang Fann at once!"

At Zhao Yiming's command, a smug grin spread across Lei Bao's lips, his satisfaction palpable. Little brute, your reckoning awaits.

Soon after, Yang Fann arrived at the peak's summit courtyard, escorted by a servant.

With each step Yang Fann took closer, Lei Bao and his group glared with venomous contempt. Lei Bao and Luo Cheng, looking like bandaged mummies, had eyes blazing with fury. If glares could be lethal, Yang Fann would already be lying in pieces.

This Little Brute had mercilessly maimed his limbs, ensuring he'd never be able to practice martial arts again in this lifetime.

Yang Fann gave Lei Bao and his group a fleeting, indifferent look before respectfully bowing to Zhao Yiming, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of caution. He had a growing suspicion of their motives. His fists clenched; if Manager Zhao intended to retaliate on behalf of Lei Bao and his crew, Yang Fann was not about to go down without a fight.

"Yang Fann, was it you who injured Lei Bao and the rest?" Zhao Yiming asked, urgency lacing his tone.

"Is Manager Zhao actually considering taking Lei Bao's side?" Yang Fann pondered, a hint of tension gripping him. Nevertheless, he nodded, owning up to the fact that he had indeed severely injured Lei Bao and his companions. With so many witnesses to the previous night's fight, denial was futile.

"Hahahaha..." Zhao Yiming burst into laughter upon Yang Fann's admission. "Excellent! Defeating Lei Bao with a single punch means there are few among the servant disciples who can best you. In ten days, at the Bronze Warriors' Lane battle, you're sure to secure a notable victory for our peak, and breaking into the top ten is well within reach. When that happens, the rank of our Ink Bamboo Peak's Servicemen's Peak will surely rise by at least one level!"

After chuckling to himself, Zhao Yiming couldn't contain his laughter. "An upgrade for Servicemen's Peak means more peaks under my control and better benefits. I'm about to strike it rich, hahaha..."

"Manager Zhao, you didn't summon me here to advocate for them?" Yang Fann was momentarily baffled. Manager Zhao didn't seem to be looking for trouble.

"Yang Fann, our sect has always allowed competition among servant disciples. Their current plight is a result of their own incompetence; they have no one else to blame. I'm certainly not one to misjudge the situation!" Zhao Yiming said with a light laugh. He was far more inclined to reward Yang Fann than to fault him for the downfall of a few failures.

"There are just ten days until the Battle of Bronze Warriors' Lane. I'm granting you leave for this period; you're relieved from your servant duties so you can fully prepare for the battle and aim for even greater achievements!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Fann's spirits soared. Freed from menial tasks, his cultivation was bound to leap forward. Conversely, Lei Bao and his companions' complexions turned deathly pale.

Yet, it was clear that wasn't the end of it.

Zhao Yiming's gaze shifted to Lei Bao and the others, his demeanor chilling from a warm breeze to an icy gale. "Lei Bao, Luo Cheng, and the rest of you, listen well. Despite your injuries, work must be done. Figure it out yourselves!"

With that, Manager Zhao gave Yang Fann a knowing glance, a mysterious smile playing at the corner of his eyes.

Yang Fann got the message—Manager Zhao was extending an olive branch.

"You!" Lei Bao glared at Zhao Yiming, overwhelmed by the relentless setbacks. A mouthful of blood escaped him, and with a roll of his eyes, he collapsed, unconscious.

"What are you all standing around for? Got nothing better to do? Get moving and attend to your chores!" Manager Zhao's bellow sent Lei Bao's lackeys scattering in all directions, leaving the unconscious Lei Bao alone and pitiful on the stretcher.

"Someone get this piece of garbage out of my sight!"

Time passed before Lei Bao groggily came to, only to find himself outside his own courtyard, utterly alone with just a few crows circling ominously overhead—a bleak picture indeed.

After a dazed stare at the gate, Lei Bao's expression twisted into one of vicious hatred, like a vengeful specter from the deepest abyss. "Yang Fann, I won't rest until I've avenged this affront. I swear it! Ah! You despicable Little Brute, your death is certain!"