Free Web NovelChapter 47: Chapter 46: Backbone
Gong Tianshun’s eyebrows shot up. He stopped Lu Hongfei, looked at Wen Qingye, and said, "As the East Mountain Master, I am deeply sorry for this incident. This is my failure, and I bear great responsibility. I apologize to you on their behalf, and I apologize to you and your disciple on my own."
"Mountain Master!"
"Mountain Master!"
The surrounding East Mountain students, teachers, and staff all cried out, their voices filled with emotion.
Gong Tianshun was humbling himself to apologize. For *their* sake, he was actually bowing his head and admitting fault. They couldn’t help but feel a surge of shame. Their own Mountain Master was apologizing to a North Mountain student because of them.
"My East Mountain students stole your cultivation resources; East Mountain will compensate you in full. We will also provide compensation for the injury to your disciple. As for the students who went to North Mountain to cause trouble, I hope you can let the matter go after they apologize to your disciple. But if you demand that they all kneel, I will not agree." Gong Tianshun’s tone grew firm by the end.
Wen Qingye saw Gong Tianshun’s resolute expression and gave a nod of approval. He pondered for a moment. ’I’ve already beaten Shii Jie half to death, and the East Mountain Master, Gong Tianshun, has already conceded this much. It’s impossible to make all the troublemaking students kneel.’
Wen Qingye relented with a nod, his eyes sweeping coldly over the East Mountain students. "Fine. I hope you students of East Mountain remember this. Otherwise, next time, there will be no one to protect you."
The faces of the East Mountain freshmen paled, but no one dared to say a word.
Everyone knew that with Gong Tianshun’s arrival, the confrontation between Wen Qingye and the East Mountain freshmen was over.
Wen Qingye stood tall against the wind, unflinching even before the East Mountain Master. Everyone present was secretly amazed by his imposing aura.
For his disciple’s sake, Wen Qingye had taken on all of East Mountain by himself, a feat that filled everyone with admiration.
Afterward, all the students who had caused the trouble apologized to Xiaxia. Gong Tianshun personally handed Xiaxia a pouch filled with pills and Primordial Stones. Although Wen Qingye didn’t know exactly what was inside, Xiaxia was smiling the whole way back, so he figured the items must be quite valuable.
After Wen Qingye and his group departed, Gong Tianshun watched his retreating back and sighed. "That young man is far from simple. Among the freshmen, he is outstanding in both strength and character."
Just then, an East Mountain student spoke up in shame, "Mountain Master, we..."
"This incident is also a result of East Mountain’s poor discipline. Your actions have brought shame upon East Mountain and disgraced me," Gong Tianshun snapped, whirling around in anger. "However, I bear the greater responsibility. I hope you will refrain from such things in the future. If you want to issue a challenge, then issue a challenge. Do not resort to such despicable tactics. We people of East Mountain must have integrity!"
With that said, Gong Tianshun flicked his sleeve, rose to his feet, and left.
He left behind the crestfallen crowd from East Mountain, who could only look at each other in dismay.
Lu Hongfei gazed in the direction of North Mountain and said slowly, "Sooner or later, I will contend with Wen Qingye, Guu Xiong, and Xia Moyu."
......
Back at the thatched hut, Wen Qingye’s expression turned stern. He said to Xiaxia, "Tell me, why did you hide this from me? If not for Luo Tang, who knows how long you would have kept me in the dark."
"That idiot Luo Tang," Xiaxia muttered under her breath. freёwebnovel.com
Wen Qingye’s brow furrowed. "What was that?"
"Nothing! Master, I was just afraid you’d get angry. Besides, I didn’t know you were so strong. I won’t do it again, Master," Xiaxia said, hugging Wen Qingye’s arm with a placating smile.
Wen Qingye looked at Xiaxia helplessly. He really was a sucker for her cute act.
Xiaxia’s eyes widened. "Master, when will you teach me some Martial Arts? If I knew how to fight, I wouldn’t get bullied anymore."
Wen Qingye thought for a moment before nodding. "Alright. I’ll teach you a little when I have time."
"Great!" Xiaxia jumped for joy.
Watching her, Wen Qingye couldn’t help but smile.
The news that Wen Qingye had single-handedly taken on an entire mountain quickly caused an uproar throughout Qig Mountain Academy. It was only then that people learned North Mountain had a disciple named Wen Qingye, whose strength was on par with the top geniuses of the other mountains.
The thrilling, passionate scene of Wen Qingye single-handedly stopping all of East Mountain’s freshmen, in particular, became a favorite topic of conversation among the students of the other two mountains.
For a time, Wen Qingye’s fame skyrocketed. No one dared to come to North Mountain to issue a challenge, and Xiaxia’s name became taboo among the Outer Courtyard freshmen.
.....
One day, as Wen Qingye was teaching Xiaxia the Spiritual Snake Sword, Luo Tang stood by, listening intently and trying to pick up some pointers. All paths of the Martial Dao are connected, and listening to the principles of the Sword Dao gave him significant insights as well.
Listening to Wen Qingye, Luo Tang realized just how formidable his friend was. He found Wen Qingye’s explanations exceptionally clear and easy to grasp—even more so than the lectures from his own West Mountain teachers.
Luo Tang rubbed his hands together and said, "Big Bro, when are you going to teach me some Saber Technique?"
Xiaxia wrinkled her nose. "It’s only right that my master teaches me. If you want to learn Saber Technique, go find your own teacher on West Mountain."
Wen Qingye smiled. "Saber Technique isn’t exactly my specialty, but I can give you some pointers when I have time."
Luo Tang was overjoyed at this and hurriedly thanked Wen Qingye.
Xiaxia pouted, making her displeasure clear.
After Luo Tang left, Xiaxia said, "Master, that dense forest east of North Mountain feels really hot today. It’s like something’s burning in there. Do you think...?"
Wen Qingye frowned. "What were you doing over there? That place is completely deserted."
Xiaxia said in a small voice, "I wanted to see if I could find any medicinal ingredients. I saw a Second-Grade Medicinal Herb there last time."
Wen Qingye sighed in resignation. "With your level of strength, you shouldn’t be wandering around aimlessly. I’ll go take a look this afternoon. And in the future, stay away from the North Mountain area, especially the mountain peak itself. I have a feeling that place isn’t as simple as it looks; it holds secrets."
"Okay, I understand," Xiaxia said, nodding obediently.
That afternoon, Wen Qingye headed toward the forest Xiaxia had mentioned.
Before he even reached the forest, Wen Qingye was hit by a wave of heat. A scorching aura billowed toward him, and he quickly raised a barrier of Primordial Qi in defense.
’Someone is performing Alchemy here?’ Wen Qingye immediately understood the source of the heat. ’They’ve been at it since Xiaxia mentioned it. The pill they’re refining must be extraordinary.’
Wen Qingye proceeded cautiously. The heat rolled in waves, growing more intense with every step. The dead leaves and twigs on the ground trembled faintly.
The ambient temperature was astonishingly high, several times hotter than when Wen Qingye himself used his Pill Fire for Alchemy.
’This fire must be Yang Fire, refined from a cultivator’s own body,’ Wen Qingye thought. ’It’s likely at the Second-Grade level. That means this person’s strength is by no means ordinary within Qig Mountain Academy.’
Yang Fire is divided into nine grades, with First Grade being the lowest and Ninth Grade the highest.
Gradually, through the foliage, Wen Qingye spotted a roaring fire ahead, its flames shooting toward the sky. Hovering above the fire was a black Pill Furnace. It was engraved with ancient, elegant patterns—clearly no ordinary artifact.
