"We're not trying to do anything. We just saw the Tiger Instructor reward you with a Nourishing Essence Pill. We figured you wouldn't need it right away, so we came over to borrow it for a bit," Hongyan said with a grin.
A Nourishing Essence Pill was a single-use Spirit Medicine. If it were truly "borrowed," it would be swallowed, refined, and absorbed. There wouldn't even be a chance for it to turn into a fart, let alone be returned.
This was clearly a case of Hongyan trying to take it by force!
"Look, Hongyan's throwing his weight around again!"
"Isn't that Hong Yu? Tsk, tsk. To think a commoner from a side branch is the reason we get chewed out all day. It's good that Hongyan is teaching him a lesson!"
"Hong Yu is only at the Fourth Layer of the Essence Realm, but Hongyan is at the Fifth Layer. He's in for it this time!"
"They should just cripple him. Let's see how he cultivates then."
"Stop gossiping and let's go! If the Tiger Instructor sees us, we'll get dragged into it and get a harsh lecture!"
Hearing this, the students who had planned to stick around and watch the show all shrank back. Unlike Hongyan, they didn't have the Shelter of Hong Lin and the Seventh Elder, so they didn't dare to disregard the Tiger Instructor's authority.
Hong Yu acted as if he hadn't heard the discussions, merely frowning. "Sorry, I only have one Nourishing Essence Pill. I can't lend it to you. Please let me pass, I'm going home."
Hong Yu then tried to walk around them.
"Block him."
Hongyan's expression turned cold. At his command, the other two men blocked Hong Yu's path, one on the left and one on the right.
Hongyan crossed his arms, staring arrogantly at Hong Yu and sneering. "Hmph, who do you think you are? Daring to tell us to get out of the way? You really don't know your place... Hong Yu, I'm taking that Nourishing Essence Pill from you today. If you hand it over obediently, you can save yourself a beating. Otherwise, don't blame me for being merciless!"
...
Hong Yu felt a little helpless.
For certain reasons, Hong Yu had always kept a low profile and never actively sought trouble, so he had always tolerated Hongyan's provocations. "Sorry, I need this Nourishing Essence Pill for myself. Please, let me pass!"
But Hongyan, refusing to yield an inch now that he had the upper hand, said cockily, "Use it? Are you going to trade the precious Nourishing Essence Pill for medicine for your sick little sister again? Don't you know the purpose and value of a Nourishing Essence Pill? To think you'd trade something so valuable for common medicinal herbs just to prolong that little bitch's worthless life. You're a real idiot!"
"What did you say?"
Hong Yu stopped in his tracks, his gaze fixed on Hongyan.
This wasn't the first time the Tiger Instructor had rewarded Hong Yu with a Nourishing Essence Pill. Every time he received one, Hong Yu would trade it for medicine to treat his sick sister.
This was a well-known fact, yet Hongyan was still trying to snatch his Nourishing Essence Pill!
And he dared to speak so insolently about his sister?!
'Isn't he courting death?'
Hong Yu's face gradually darkened. "Say that again, if you dare!"
Hongyan froze. Stared at by Hong Yu's eyes, he suddenly felt a chill run through his body.
The feeling vanished in an instant. Hongyan immediately flushed with embarrassment. 'I was actually frightened by a single glance from a piece of trash at the Fourth Layer of the Essence Realm?'
You have to understand, the gap between the Fourth and Fifth Layer of the Essence Realm was a full one hundred catties of force. This meant that if they clashed fist to fist, Hongyan could easily shatter Hong Yu's arm.
Given such a stark contrast in power, he had been so frightened by a mere Fourth-Layer practitioner that he'd held his breath. This was the ultimate humiliation!
Humiliation turned to fury for Hongyan. "You dare speak to me with that attitude? You're courting death!"
"Little Thunderbolt Palm!"
At the first sign of disagreement, Hongyan attacked.
There weren't many Martial Skills that a Martial Artist in the Essence Realm could cultivate, and they were generally categorized as Low, Middle, High, and Top Level. This Little Thunderbolt Palm was a Middle-Level Martial Skill. The palm strike was as swift as a bolt of lightning.
Hongyan was already at the Fifth Layer Cultivation of the Essence Realm, with the strength to lift five hundred catties. Coupled with the swift and decisive Little Thunderbolt Palm Martial Skill, his power was immense. Dealing with Hong Yu, a mere practitioner at the Fourth Layer of the Essence Realm, should have been effortless!
"Brother Yan is mighty!"
"That kid Hong Yu is a dead man."
"Isn't that obvious? Brother Yan is at the mighty Fifth Layer of the Essence Realm. Him fighting Hong Yu is like an adult fighting a child. If Hong Yu somehow survives despite these odds, I'll eat my hat!"
The two lackeys Hongyan had brought with him were putting on a perfectly coordinated show at the side.
Hongyan could already picture himself beating Hong Yu to a pulp. "Hong Yu, a lowlife should know his place. You actually dared to talk back to me. If I don't show you the massive gap between us today, you'll never understand what it means to overestimate yourself!"
As his words fell, the wind from Hongyan's fist was already upon Hong Yu.
However...
Hong Yu stood motionless. He looked up slightly at the airborne Hongyan, his gaze cold. "Hongyan, you've gone too far. Do you really think I'm some kind of pushover?"
Hong Yu dropped into a horse stance, his feet gripping the ground tightly. He drew his fist back to his waist, then suddenly punched forward.
His entire being seemed to transform into an immovable Wisdom King, as steady as Mount Tai. His Basic Boxing Technique whistled through the air, brazenly meeting the Little Thunderbolt Palm!
BOOM!
The two fists met in a sharp, explosive impact.
Hong Yu was as steady as Mount Tai, not moving an inch.
But Hongyan's body was thrown backward in mid-air. He was tossed high before flying back and crashing heavily to the ground with a BANG. Hong Yu retracted his fist and exhaled, looking at the pale, disbelieving Hongyan lying on the ground. He shook his head and said faintly, "Weak. So weak."
After speaking, Hong Yu ignored the dumbfounded trio and strolled away.
Behind him...
"How is that possible? Brother Yan actually lost?"
"Isn't Hong Yu only at the Fourth Layer of the Essence Realm? How could he possibly defeat Brother Yan?"
"B-Brother Yan, don't die..." one of them wailed.
"Get lost! Your whole family could die and I'd still be alive!"
Furious, Hongyan slapped the man across the head. His face alternated between pale and ashen as he stared at the boy's receding figure, his eyes dark with disbelief. 'That burst of power just now... it had to be at the Sixth Layer of the Essence Realm. How could he possibly possess such profound strength? And...'
'His Basic Boxing Technique has actually produced Fist Momentum. That requires cultivating a Fist Technique to the Perfection Realm! Even the Seventh Young Master hasn't managed to master the Basic Boxing Technique to Perfection. How could he possibly have done it?'
Hongyan's gloomy expression grew colder and more venomous. 'Before the Seventh Young Master went into seclusion, he said he would reach the Eighth Layer of the Essence Realm by the time he came out. I'll go back and nurse my injuries. When the Seventh Young Master emerges, I'll have him deal with Hong Yu. With the Seventh Young Master's methods, taking care of Hong Yu will be a piece of cake...'
A cruel glint appeared in Hongyan's eyes as he stared in the direction Hong Yu had left...
'Enjoy your arrogance for a few more days. Your death will come when the Seventh Young Master emerges from seclusion.'
[Author's Note: Qiye's new book, "Heaven-Burning Evil God," has been uploaded! It's an absolute thrill ride, full of hot-blooded action! Please search for "Heaven-Burning Evil God" by author An Qiye on channels like QQ Reading, Mobile QQ, Creation Chinese Website, or Qidian Chinese Website! We also have a book group: 99581565. The group will regularly hold events to give away Q-Coins, Reading Coins, and red envelopes! Everyone is welcome!]