I Tame Beasts by Feeding

If Wang Guohui hadn’t stepped in, he would have stayed out of today’s incident entirely, content to let Yu Changsheng handle it himself.

As Lu Ruikai departed, Wang Guohui’s gaze faltered for a moment. He shot Yu Changsheng a final, meaningful glance before looking down at the unconscious Zhang Chengming, his face a mask of profound disappointment. He gave the boy a light kick, snorted coldly, and then addressed the three disciples who had accompanied Zhang Chengming.

"Take him away to recover. Afterward, he is to write a hundred-thousand-word self-criticism and work in the sect’s Department of Miscellaneous Affairs for a season. This matter is now closed."

With that said, Wang Guohui flicked his wide sleeve and returned to his Heaven-grade room on the fourth floor without a backward glance.

Wang Guohui felt helpless about the situation. Zhang Chengming had been at fault in the first place, and more importantly, Yu Changsheng had shown impeccable control. He had humiliated Zhang Chengming, and while the boy’s injuries looked dreadful, they weren’t actually severe.

All he needed was a period of rest to recover completely. To put it bluntly, although Yu Changsheng had slapped him repeatedly, the blows carried zero attack power but maximum insult. His only real injury was the mouthful of blood he had coughed up in a fit of rage.

Therefore, Wang Guohui had nothing to say about Yu Changsheng’s actions, nor any grounds to reprimand him.

Once the two seniors had left, the previously silent crowd slowly erupted into a clamor once more.

This time, however, the way everyone looked at Yu Changsheng had changed—from disdain to serious consideration.

From Zhang Chengming’s initial attack to his current pathetic state, Yu Changsheng had utterly shattered their perception of him.

’Interesting. A man like that shouldn’t be so low-key. I’ll have to look into him later. It seems this trip to the Secret Realm will be far more exciting than I thought.’

’I never thought the Wanxiang Sect had a disciple like this. Looking at Zhang Chengming, it’s clear the man wasn’t even taking the fight seriously.’

’Yu Changsheng, hmm... He’s worth keeping an eye on.’

From within the crowd, the lead disciples of the various sects watched Yu Changsheng from a distance, each lost in their own thoughts. They finally broke into faint smiles, a flash of fighting spirit glinting in their eyes before vanishing.

Yu Changsheng paid no mind to the crowd’s reaction. He simply swept his gaze across the room. Anyone who met his eyes immediately fell silent, not daring to utter a word.

His gaze finally landed back on the "unconscious" Zhang Chengming. Yu Changsheng shook his head with a slight smile, choosing not to expose the fact that the boy was already awake. He simply watched as Zhang Chengming’s companions carried him back to his room.

Yu Changsheng sat down again, smiled at Zhang Tianwen and his two companions, then raised his wine cup and drained it in one go.

"Nice one, Changsheng! A piece of work like him deserved a thorough humiliation. So satisfying! That was so damn satisfying!"

Li Minghan clinked his cup with Yu Changsheng’s, giving him a thumbs-up and a wide grin.

"It was nothing. Just a small matter."

Yu Changsheng waved his hand dismissively and continued eating with his friends. The other guests, in turn, gradually averted their gazes, though their eyes glinted as each became lost in their own thoughts.

In fact, several disciples even took the initiative to approach Yu Changsheng’s table, wine cups in hand. They would toast him with a smile, exchange a few words, and then return to their seats.

In the Cultivation Realm, strength begets influence. Yu Changsheng’s powerful display naturally made others want to befriend and get to know him.

Yu Changsheng, for his part, refused no one. With a faint smile, he returned each toast and, in the process, learned a fair bit about the identities of those who approached him.

Soon, the small interlude passed. The great curtains on the stage drew apart. High above the inn’s dome, a full moon hung in the sky, its light spilling down like water. Graceful figures emerged on the stage as heavenly music began to flow through the air.

The melody washed over them, creating ripples in their hearts. Captivated, everyone turned their collective gaze to the stage.