Chapter 50 Cripple Me?
Holding Lei Linger’s hand, smooth and jade-like, Yun Yi strolled into the Refining Pavilion of Yingtian Academy.
The Refining Pavilion was the poorest among the academy’s four great pavilions. Although the spiritual weapons crafted here shared the same rank as those from the Exchange Hall, their quality was noticeably inferior.
Yet the Refining Pavilion still persisted because many disciples from prominent and wealthy families preferred to have weapons custom-made here, tailored specifically to their needs.
Naturally, the cost of crafting a weapon here was exorbitant. For those with modest means, the Exchange Hall was a better option.
After all, the Exchange Hall only required contribution points, which could be earned by completing sect tasks, allowing anyone to exchange for their desired spiritual weapon.
Before Yun Yi even stepped through the door, a wave of heat hit him.
“Clang! Clang! Clang!”
The rhythmic sound of hammering grew more frequent as Yun Yi entered.
“Senior Brother! What do you need?”
A refined, slender man quickly approached, his tone polite.
“Hm... I want to craft a spiritual weapon.”
After pondering the pros and cons of crafting versus buying, Yun Yi stated his desire.
Upon hearing this, the refined man’s eyes brightened instantly.
“Please wait a moment!”
Before the slender man could leave, a brazen voice rang out, causing the man named Zhang Yuan to freeze.
“Hey! Zhang Yuan! You better come out and greet me when I come to refine a spiritual weapon!”
“Ah, Master Liang! What wind brings you here?”
Recognizing the newcomer, Zhang Yuan’s face immediately lit up with a servile smile, bowing slightly as he hurried to the young man’s side.
Yun Yi glanced over.
There stood a man holding a folding fan, clad in richly embroidered satin robes, wearing an arrogant expression.
“Enough talk! I want to refine a spiritual weapon, so get moving!”
“Yes, yes, yes!”
Startled by Liang Heng’s roar, Zhang Yuan’s legs went weak as he hastily agreed and ran toward the back hall.
“Wait!”
“Something wrong?”
Zhang Yuan stopped, his face showing impatience as he asked.
“We came first, didn’t we?”
“He’s the latecomer!” Yun Yi pointed at Liang Heng with a calm voice.
“Pfft!”
“You brat, who do you think you are? You can’t compare to Master Liang!”
Before Zhang Yuan could respond, one of Liang Heng’s underlings snarled fiercely at Yun Yi.
At that moment, Liang Heng looked up toward Yun Yi.
“What a lovely girl!”
Of course, Liang Heng hadn’t noticed Yun Yi; his gaze was completely captivated by Lei Linger standing beside him.
Swallowing nervously, a smug smile spread across Liang Heng’s face.
“Boy, lend me your partner for a few days, and I’ll overlook your offense!”
“Ha ha ha!”
“You’re in luck today!”
“I, Master Liang, am in a good mood and won’t hold it against you. Hurry up and hand over your partner!”
Hearing the ridicule from Liang Heng’s men, a playful smile appeared on Yun Yi’s face.
“Is that all you’ve got?”
“Who do you think you are?”
Looking disdainfully at Liang Heng in the distance, Yun Yi smiled faintly.
“Who am I?”
Liang Heng was momentarily stunned; it had been years since anyone dared speak to him like that.
“Oh dear! Another reckless fool!”
Liang Heng laughed instead of getting angry.
“Erzi, take your men and deal with him!”
“Got it!”
The underlings behind Liang Heng instantly grew excited and charged at Yun Yi with three men.
“Yi Ge...”
Lei Linger, clearly worried the situation would escalate, tugged at Yun Yi’s sleeve and whispered.
“It’s alright.”
Yun Yi patted Lei Linger’s head and smiled.
“Next time, be more careful!”
A man named Erzi drew a long blade and struck first, aiming at Yun Yi’s shoulder.
He was well practiced in crippling others.
“Hmph!”
Yun Yi let out a low snort, assessing Erzi’s Foundation Building level four strength, wondering where such confidence came from.
Yun Yi stood firm, sidestepping Erzi’s strike, then glanced at the other three attackers approaching.
He grabbed Erzi’s long blade behind his back and suddenly exerted force.
“Crack!”
“Ah!”
Erzi’s right arm instantly shattered, and the blade was wrested from his grasp.
Watching the three assailants close in, Yun Yi’s lips curved into a smile. Three quick strikes repelled them, then he slashed at the nearest man.
“No!”
He could only watch helplessly as Yun Yi’s blade came down. Being only Foundation Building level two, his stance was already faltering from Yun Yi’s earlier blow—there was no way to evade this one!
“You dare, brat!”
Liang Heng, now seeing the situation clearly, shouted sternly to intimidate Yun Yi.
But Yun Yi was not so easily frightened.
His long blade swung with a sharp “shhhk!”
An arm fell along with the blade.
“Ah! My hand!”
A scream pierced the hall.
Kicking the three attackers away, Yun Yi used his left hand to shove Erzi to the ground.
Placing a foot on Erzi’s head, Yun Yi smiled and looked at Liang Heng.
“Who do you think you are?”
Liang Heng’s face darkened with anger as he gazed at Erzi beneath Yun Yi’s foot and the bloodied blade.
When had the Liang family of this academy ever suffered such humiliation?
Inhaling the faint scent of blood in the air, Yun Yi smiled and addressed Liang Heng.
“Three thousand lower-grade spirit stones to buy his hands and feet.”
“You brat! You’ve gone too far!”
Liang Heng was on the edge of fury, his tone deep and menacing.
“Looks like your master doesn’t want to buy your hands and feet.”
Yun Yi smiled down at Erzi.
“Master Liang, please save me! Save me!”
“I, Erzi, have been loyal to Master Liang, if not for merits then for hard work!”
Erzi turned his head, tears and snot streaming as he desperately pleaded with Liang Heng.
Erzi was truly terrified, especially with the bloodied blade hovering over him.
“Erzi, I will avenge you!”
Liang Heng said coldly, his eyes staring down Yun Yi.
He clearly refused to spend spirit stones to buy Erzi’s limbs.
Three thousand spirit stones could buy a top-quality first-rank spirit weapon; he was unwilling to part with them.
“Your master has abandoned you!”
Yun Yi smiled at Erzi beneath him, then raised his blade.
“No!”
“No...”
“Shhhk!”
Before Erzi could finish his cries, his tendons were severed in one stroke, leaving him crippled.
“I... I...”
Bleeding heavily, Erzi fainted before he could speak.
Yun Yi kicked him toward Liang Heng, still smiling.
He felt no guilt for crippling Erzi—for cultivation was a matter of survival: if you didn’t kill others, others would kill you.
Had Yun Yi been defeated today, he would be lying on the ground instead. Who then would pity him?
The hall fell silent, the metallic scent of blood thick in the air. Zhang Yuan’s legs trembled uncontrollably.
He was frightened.
Now, all he could hope for was that Liang Heng would win this battle.