C12 Sin

After the two individuals conceded, Ye Qinghui was finally able to continue on his way.

He ascended the mountain!

Upon reaching the summit, Ye Qinghui happened upon Chen Laosan, a notorious master within the Firestriders, who was in the midst of taking on a new disciple.

Chen Laosan had a reputation as a scoundrel among the masters, and no one was eager to become his disciple.

At that particular time, Chen Laosan was the only one willing to take on a disciple.

Thus, Ye Qinghui had a choice: either become Chen Laosan's disciple or descend the mountain.

"Master Chen, I wish to study under you!"

"Have you prepared your tuition fee?"

Chen Laosan's only requirement for taking on a disciple was the tuition fee.

As long as you could pay, he would take you under his wing, regardless of who you were, and teach you in his own lackadaisical way. Under Chen Laosan's guidance, you might not see much improvement in strength, but any progress made would be through self-study. Nevertheless, you would gain the official status of an inner sect disciple of the Firestriders.

Indeed, Chen Laosan currently had no disciples; they had either completed their training or left altogether. They had departed so thoroughly that none remained.

"Oh, there's a tuition fee? Then never mind!"

With that, Ye Qinghui turned to leave.

"Hey, hey, where are you going? What's the meaning of this? I mentioned the tuition fee just as a formality, not that I was actually asking for it, right? How could I possibly be someone who demands a fee? Is that how you see me? What do I need tuition fees for, right?"

Chen Laosan hastily intervened to stop Ye Qinghui, realizing that if he didn't act, Ye Qinghui might indeed walk away, leaving him once again without a single disciple.

Being without a disciple was a significant source of stress for him. The leader and second-in-command would mock him every time they saw him, a feeling he never wanted to experience again—it was simply too dreadful.

"I really don't have any money," Ye Qinghui stated.

"No money needed, I was only kidding!" Chen Laosan replied.

And so, Chen Laosan stubbornly persuaded Ye Qinghui to stay.

Ye Qinghui initially believed he was embarking on a wonderful journey.

Yet, it seems Ye Qinghui may have been overly optimistic.

Cultivation had indeed begun.

But the expected rigorous training was nowhere to be found.

He was provided with a dwelling that was nothing short of a sieve. It was tolerable when dry, but a nightmare during rain. Moreover, there was no daily guidance on his lessons, no assignments given—just a book tossed his way, and he was left to his own devices.

You were free to do as you pleased. The rules were laid out clearly—if you remembered them, good; if not, and you transgressed, well, then the enforcement team would be on hand to apply the sect's discipline. And under such scrutiny, you were bound to have a rough time.

What kind of situation was this?

After three days, Ye Qinghui realized he had been duped.

He was even expected to cater to every mundane need. The cafeteria managed the meals, but Chen Laosan wouldn't go to eat; instead, he insisted on being served hand and foot. And who else would that fall to but Ye Qinghui?

Ye Qinghui was utterly disheartened.

Today, after just having attended to his master, he stepped out of the room only to be immediately bossed around by a senior brother.

"Ye Qinghui, fetch me a bucket of water!"

"Oh, alright!"

Ye Qinghui figured, when under someone else's roof, just go with the flow.

He grabbed a bucket and filled it with water for the other person.

In such circumstances, that should have settled the matter, right?

Wrong. It wasn't that easy.

The senior brother blocked Ye Qinghui's path.

"You haven't poured the water into my tank yet!"

So, he poured it in, thinking it's best to avoid making a fuss.

"You spilled it on the ground!"

No sooner had he finished pouring than the senior brother found another nit to pick.

"Why don't you do it yourself if you're so capable, instead of just complaining!" Ye Qinghui retorted.

The senior brother's eyes narrowed into slits, aware that several of his peers were watching the spectacle. He was being upbraided by the worthless apprentice of the worthless Chen Laosan.

If word got out, how would he ever hold his head up again?

We cannot allow such things to happen.

Today, it's imperative to make the other party grasp the gravity of the situation.

"Listen to me, if you apologize now, we can put an end to this. But if you keep messing around, you're asking for trouble. Keep it up, and I swear I'll take you down," he warned, pointing at Ye Qinghui.

"Wow, look at you, so threatening. Where do you get off thinking I feel threatened? Acting so childish, really? Grow up!" Ye Qinghui retorted.

"Great, just great! You never took me seriously, did you?"

The senior brother had already drawn his bamboo sword, a tool specifically designed for sword practice.

Ye Qinghui just shrugged.

Whoosh!

The sword flashed as it was brought down towards Ye Qinghui.

This tool was excellent not only for sword practice but also seemed quite effective for discipline.

At that moment, the strike seemed to convey an unmistakable message—it wouldn't be painless.

He was resolute in his approach.

Then, Ye Qinghui seized the bamboo sword from his opponent.

With a swift pull towards himself, he followed with a slap across the other's face.

Smack!

The slap landed with such precision that the opponent was left in a daze.

Smack!

And another!

Smack!

The slaps continued, unambiguous and relentless.

Smack! Smack! Smack!

The unyielding barrage seemed almost enough to draw blood.

How had things escalated to this point?

At this moment, the senior brother was at a loss.

He didn't need to look to know that his peers were enjoying the spectacle.

Whoosh!

In a flash, the senior brother retreated, creating distance between himself and Ye Qinghui.

He eyed Ye Qinghui with a fierce determination.

But Ye Qinghui was unfazed. He was ready to act if the senior brother dared to advance, without a moment's hesitation.

Now, the senior brother was visibly embarrassed.

What to do now? His attempt at intimidation had fallen flat.

Damn, if things kept going this way, they were headed toward an irreparable outcome.

He must atone for his own misdeeds.