Chapter 33 : Chapter 33
Chapter 33. The Unexpected
“There’s no need for everyone to spend money on me. This is still just the beginning for me, and with the end of the month approaching, it’s a critical period. It wouldn’t be wise to get distracted.”
Xu Yuan politely declined. Then he cast a deep glance at Chen Sanli, suddenly realizing something.
Although Chen Sanli loved taking advantage of small gains, he was not shortsighted nor someone who acted without boundaries.
On the contrary, he had a very shrewd side. When dealing with others, he always adjusted his behavior based on the person.
Toward easygoing and generous people like Li Shan and Qin Yang, he would take advantage without restraint.
But toward people like Wang Huan and Gao Yuan, he behaved more cautiously. Now that Xu Yuan thought about it, it was likely because he valued Wang Huan’s potential, choosing instead to maintain a restrained and calculated approach.
“And now, he is probably treating me the same way. Inviting me to a meal is a way to build goodwill, aiming for greater benefits in the future.”
Xu Yuan saw through Chen Sanli completely.
Meanwhile, as the others were congratulating Xu Yuan—
Wang Huan stood off to the side, watching Xu Yuan being surrounded and praised. Compared to his own solitary figure, he felt a bitter sense of neglect.
“What is there to be so proud of? He only got started with Benlei Fist. It is not like he broke through in cultivation. Yet you are making such a big fuss, even talking about pooling money for a meal…”
Watching Chen Sanli and the others crowd around Xu Yuan, a surge of jealousy rose within him. Suddenly, he felt as if someone were mocking him:
So what if you have the highest talent in the dormitory?
Right now, Xu Yuan has already completed one of the assessment requirements, while you have not accomplished anything. Do you not feel ashamed?
The more Wang Huan thought about it, the worse he felt. Suddenly, as if possessed, he shouted, “Can you keep it down? Just because you are not training does not mean others are not!”
His sudden outburst silenced the lively group. Everyone turned to look at him, confused.
The moment he spoke, Wang Huan regretted it. Seeing their puzzled expressions, he knew his anger had come out of nowhere. Yet he could not reveal his true thoughts. Embarrassed, he hurried into a quiet chamber.
But no matter how one looked at it, his retreating figure appeared somewhat disheveled.
“What is going on with Brother Wang?” Li Shan scratched his head, puzzled.
“Who knows?” Chen Sanli’s eyes flickered slightly, though he still wore a smiling expression.
Qin Yang, who loved excitement, lost interest after watching the scene. His mind drifted back to the lingering impressions of the opera he had recently watched. Xiao Sheng also had no interest in getting involved.
Only Gao Yuan and Tian Yang seemed thoughtful. Gao Yuan showed a hint of amusement, while Tian Yang felt a sense of déjà vu.
Xu Yuan watched as Wang Huan reentered the quiet chamber. Raising an eyebrow, he quickly understood the reason.
Wang Huan had always been arrogant, believing himself to have the highest talent. As long as others did not surpass him, he was fairly generous and upright.
But the moment someone overtook him, and his self-proclaimed superiority was shattered, his pride collapsed and turned into jealousy.
“Just reaching entry in a fist technique has already shaken him this badly. If I break through in cultivation as well, will he not completely lose control?” Xu Yuan thought to himself.
However, unless necessary, Xu Yuan would simply follow his own pace. He would neither act deliberately nor avoid action intentionally.
The reason he reported his entry in Benlei Fist to Instructor Chen was simply to see whether being the first brought any additional benefits. If there were, all the better. If not, it did not matter.
As for Wang Huan, they were never on the same path to begin with. There was no need to concern himself with him.
“Still, to avoid repeating Tian Yang’s mistake, I should remain cautious these next few days.”
In truth, with Xu Yuan’s current abilities, as long as he remained vigilant, he would not suffer the same fate Tian Yang once did.
Even though the force from Benlei Fist was still weak, that was only in comparison to Zhao Qiusheng. Against ordinary martial artists, it was still quite formidable.
“I will not provoke others unless provoked. Some people would do well not to seek trouble…”
Xu Yuan’s gaze turned cold as he entered a quiet chamber and began refining his qi and blood.
…
Xu Yuan’s successful entry brought considerable pressure to the others in the dormitory.
From that day on, everyone trained even harder. Although Qin Yang also put in effort, he still retained a hint of laziness compared to the others.
Wang Huan, however, grew increasingly distant. When others called him to eat or wake up, he ignored them and left ahead on his own.
After dinner, even Chen Sanli and Li Shan began joining Xu Yuan and the others for extra evening training. Qin Yang, who had never had the habit of training at night, naturally returned to the dormitory.
Wang Huan, confident in his talent, also chose to train only during the day.
As night deepened—
When the group returned to the dormitory after training, they found Wang Huan and Qin Yang sitting by the bed, drinking and eating cold dishes they had brought from outside, chatting animatedly.
Wang Huan was clearly in a bad mood, drinking to drown his sorrows. His face was flushed, and his eyes were unfocused.
Qin Yang was still relatively sober. Seeing the heavy atmosphere, he casually brought up a topic. “Speaking of which, Brother Xu’s training speed is truly impressive. At this rate, I doubt I can ever catch up to him.”
This was meant as a casual remark, but it struck precisely at Wang Huan’s most sensitive nerve.
Wang Huan waved his hand drunkenly and sneered, “Xu Yuan? What is he supposed to be? Back when we were in the outer courtyard, who knows where he was hiding, watching from some corner. I, Wang Huan, was the first to become a martial artist! The instructors valued me the most!”
“Now he has only just gotten started with a martial technique. What is there to be proud of? Look at all of you, acting so cheaply—especially that Chen Sanli, wagging his tail like a lapdog…”
“Brother Wang, they are back.” Qin Yang, still somewhat clear-headed, saw Xu Yuan and the others entering and quickly signaled him, feeling embarrassed.
“So what if he is back?” Wang Huan squinted drunkenly and patted the empty spot beside him. “Come, Brother Xu, have a drink with us.”
“I will pass,” Xu Yuan said calmly. He glanced at Wang Huan and walked straight toward his bed.
“So slow and hesitant… You do not even dare to drink. How will you achieve anything in the future?” Wang Huan grumbled.
Hearing this, Xu Yuan stopped in his tracks.
“Brother Wang, you’ve had too much. Let’s call it a night,” Qin Yang said quickly, his face burning with embarrassment. Speaking ill of someone behind their back, only to have them hear it, was truly awkward.
“I’m not drunk!” Wang Huan refused to listen and continued loudly, “You do not know—back when we were servants, when Xu Yuan first arrived, he got scared and knelt on the ground just because he looked around carelessly. He nearly got beaten by the cook. That scene—”
“Where is that confidence now? He only has a bit of talent in fist techniques. I bet that second meridian bottleneck will trap him for the rest of his life!”
These words were extremely excessive, practically a blatant curse.
Xu Yuan suddenly turned around, staring coldly at him.
Tian Yang’s brows shot up in anger. Xu Yuan had saved his life, and the two had been inseparable this past month as part of the same group. Hearing such words, he felt personally insulted.
At this moment, as long as Xu Yuan made a move, he would immediately follow.
“My dear Brother Wang…” Qin Yang felt even more embarrassed than before, wishing he could disappear into the ground.
Wang Huan sobered slightly at this moment. Seeing everyone looking at him with different expressions, he realized something was wrong. But now, he was stuck in an awkward position. With alcohol clouding his judgment, he forced himself to maintain his stance.
“Was I wrong? Some people are just—”
A cold gleam flashed in Xu Yuan’s eyes as he was about to step forward—
But someone else moved even faster.
SLAP!
Chen Sanli struck Wang Huan across the face with a solid slap. His expression was filled with anger and disappointment as he said,
“Wang Huan, what kind of person are you? Talking behind Brother Xu’s back like this—I truly misjudged you!”
…