“Madam, please allow me to explain,” Chen Yu said, stepping forward first. He lifted his head to meet Kang Min’s gaze and spoke clearly, “A few days ago, Ma Er injured me. After learning I survived by chance, he came today with this vile woman to kill me. Left with no choice, I could only fight back.”
“Liu Hui and I grew up together. After I joined the Beggar Sect, I gave everything to secure her a position serving you. Yet she changed her affections, secretly consorting with Ma Er, even attempting to kill me! The poison is still in the temple. If you doubt me, you can have it examined!”
His voice rang firm and resolute. No matter where this matter was taken, he stood on the side of reason.
The Beggar Sect prided itself as the greatest sect under heaven, valuing loyalty and brotherhood above all. Disciples were treated as brothers.
Acts like Ma Er’s… stealing another’s beloved, abusing his position, even attacking fellow disciples… were utterly despised by the sect.
That was why, despite being the sworn brother of Vice Sect Master Ma Dayuan, he had to wait until the disciples of the northern temple went out begging before daring to come here to silence him.
“You’re talking nonsense! It’s clearly you who rebelled and harmed fellow disciples!” Ma Er shouted, panic creeping into his voice as he noticed the increasingly disdainful gazes from the surrounding Beggar Sect disciples.
Yet Chen Yu’s words were grounded in reason. No matter how Ma Er tried to argue, his defense sounded weak and hollow. After all, Chen Yu had physical evidence.
Whether Liu Hui’s medicine was poisoned could be determined easily by someone knowledgeable.
Moreover, Ma Er already had a bad reputation. Relying on his connection to Ma Dayuan, he had committed many acts of bullying and wrongdoing.
This time, he had even attacked a fellow disciple. The severity was far worse.
“Madam, should we report this matter to Elder Bai?” a middle-aged five-bag disciple beside Kang Min asked cautiously.
Disdain aside, Ma Er was still connected to Vice Sect Master Ma Dayuan. If this matter reached the Enforcement Elder Bai Shijing, it would spiral beyond control.
Kang Min had little interest in such matters. At this moment, her mind was entirely occupied with how to eliminate Ma Dayuan and Qiao Feng.
She herself was no virtuous person. Naturally, she had no intention of upholding justice for Chen Yu.
What interested her was something else.
Ma Er was a five-bag disciple. While not top-tier, his martial arts were respectable within the sect.
Her husband had once said Ma Er’s skills were decent, having practiced both the Chaos Heaven Art and Lotus Palm.
So how had he been reduced to such a miserable state by a mere one-bag disciple? His arm had even been severed.
“Ma Er, tell your sister-in-law… how did you lose to him?” Kang Min’s gaze shifted as she spoke lightly. “Have one-bag disciples become this strong now?”
“I…” Being questioned, Ma Er felt utterly humiliated.
How would he know? Just three days ago, he had beaten Chen Yu like a dead dog.
Seeing him unable to answer, Kang Min covered her mouth and chuckled softly, then walked toward Chen Yu with graceful steps.
A faint fragrance brushed past him. Up close, the seductive charm in her features became even more apparent.
No wonder she could stir storms with her beauty in the novels. She truly was captivating.
A seductive allure etched into her very bones.
Kang Min naturally noticed Chen Yu’s gaze. The corner of her lips curved slightly. She had never doubted her own charm.
Even a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old boy being captivated by her was only natural.
She deliberately stepped closer before smiling and asking, “Little brother, what’s your name?”
“Madam, my name is Chen Yu,” Chen Yu replied, cupping his fists. His attitude was neither humble nor arrogant.
He knew the original host’s appearance was only average.
Far inferior to Kang Min’s former lover Duan Zhengchun, and even lacking the rugged presence of Ma Dayuan. His only advantage was his youth.
Someone of such ordinary looks and low status would never attract Kang Min’s special attention.
But clearly, she wasn’t interested in his appearance. She was curious about how a one-bag disciple could defeat Ma Er.
So Chen Yu said, “I joined the Beggar Sect with prior training. When I was young, I was taught by a mysterious expert, an old man with a white beard named Elder Yao. I don’t like fighting, so I rarely display my skills. This time, I had no choice. Dealing with someone like Ma Er is more than enough.”
“You… you’re lying! We grew up together. How come I’ve never heard of this?” Liu Hui, her face swollen, shouted in panic from the temple entrance.
Before Chen Yu could respond, Kang Min turned around first. Her smile was faint yet cold as she looked at Liu Hui. “Since you grew up with him, why have you never mentioned Chen Yu during all this time you’ve been by my side? Instead, you’ve been flirting with Ma Er. Do you think I’m blind?”
She continued, her tone sharp, “A woman like you, unfaithful, ungrateful, heartless… do you even deserve to remain in the Beggar Sect, the most righteous sect under heaven?”
Impressive…
Hearing such words come from Kang Min left Chen Yu unsure how to react.
But it made sense. According to the original setting, before her crimes were exposed, Kang Min always presented herself as delicate and pure.
She was a master of acting.
With just a few words, she had chosen to stand on Chen Yu’s side. Liu Hui’s face turned ashen, while Ma Er’s face grew pale as well.
“So she wants to recruit me,” Chen Yu thought.
Sure enough, the next moment, he noticed the change in her malicious thoughts.
[Malicious Thought 1: Ma Dayuan, useless trash, daring to defy me. He deserves death. Kill him!] Advanced reward
[Malicious Thought 2: Qiao Feng, you ignored me at the Hundred Flowers Gathering. You deserve death. I’ll ruin you completely!] Special reward
[Malicious Thought 3: This Chen Yu has some skill. Perhaps he can be useful to me… a decent tool.] Initial reward
“Thank you, Madam, for standing up for me. I will remember this kindness and am willing to follow your lead,” Chen Yu said immediately, cupping his fists.
“Oh? Did I say I would stand up for you?” Kang Min laughed softly.
She had already determined that this tall, lean one-bag disciple was clever. She felt quite satisfied.
[Malicious Thought 3: This Chen Yu has some skill. Perhaps he can be useful to me… a decent tool… Completed.]
[Reward obtained: Inner Strength Growth Rate x1.15. Critical bonus triggered. Additional reward: 1 Beauty-Nurturing Pill (improves appearance).]
No new technique this time.
Chen Yu wasn’t disappointed. Increasing inner strength growth was just as valuable.
With two growth boosts stacked, his inner strength was improving every second automatically.
If he accumulated a few more, the effect could surpass even top-tier inner cultivation methods.
As for the Beauty-Nurturing Pill, he could take it later. The original host’s appearance was, after all, quite average.
Yang Guo had conquered the martial world with nothing but his handsome face.
In the end, whether in his previous world or this martial world, looks still mattered. Being more handsome always brought advantages.
“Let’s not make this matter too big. Ma Er is, after all, Dayuan’s sworn brother. Cutting off one of his arms is punishment enough. I’ll have Dayuan discipline him properly later,” Kang Min said, resting her chin on her hand.
Her gaze shifted to Liu Hui, who was trembling in fear. “As for her, I’ll leave her to you. Hehe…”
She wanted to see how this young man would deal with his “childhood sweetheart” who had betrayed him.
Naturally, she didn’t want Chen Yu to be soft-hearted. After all, as her subordinate, he would have to do many dirty tasks in the future.
Before her words had even finished, a gust of wind brushed past her.
Startled, she turned around. Chen Yu had already disappeared.
A faint sound of flesh being cut echoed from the distance.
Only then did Kang Min react. She turned sharply and saw Chen Yu already standing at the temple entrance.
A blade in his right hand.
A head in his left.
This was Phantom Ripple Steps.
In an instant, Liu Hui had become a headless corpse.
Chen Yu raised his head, standing tall and silent.
Everyone in the temple couldn’t help but gasp.
What kind of skill was this, to be so swift and unfathomable?
“What ruthless methods…” Even Kang Min, a woman as vicious as she was, was shaken by his decisiveness.
A hint of admiration flickered in her eyes, though she covered them as if distressed. “You… you’re still so young. Why is your killing intent so heavy? No matter what, she was your childhood sweetheart.”
Chen Yu knew she was merely acting. He replied calmly, “I only wished to exchange sincerity for sincerity. I have no regrets toward her. Yet she betrayed me, abandoned me, even conspired with her lover to kill me…”
“In the martial world, if she had truly succeeded, I would have accepted it. But since I survived by chance, there is no reason to spare her. She had to die.”
Original host… your revenge is complete. Rest in peace.
Chen Yu tossed Liu Hui’s head aside, his heart utterly unmoved.
“Young man, a personality like yours will bring disaster sooner or later. Sigh… forget it…” Kang Min said with a sigh, though inwardly she was very pleased with his actions.
Raising her brows slightly, she continued, “I came here on Dayuan’s orders. In a few days, he will lead some brothers to assist the authorities in suppressing bandits outside the city. Concerned for my safety, he asked me to find a few capable men to act as guards… Chen Yu, I’ll take you to meet the Vice Sect Master and the elders later and put in a good word for you.”
Chen Yu understood her intention to recruit him and cupped his fists. “Many thanks, Madam.”