Zhang Long stretched, his knuckles cracking loudly. A smug grin spread across his broad, rather brutish face as he surveyed the Outer Sect training grounds. He was Qi Condensation Level 3, not a genius by any means, but strong enough among the dregs of the Outer Sect to enforce his own hierarchy through intimidation and violence. His usual targets – the weakest and most timid disciples – were his primary source of amusement and occasional small 'donations' of spirit stone fragments or meager rations.
Lately, however, things had felt… off.
Lin Fan, that sniveling worm he'd personally 'disciplined' a couple of weeks ago, wasn't looking quite so pathetic. He moved with a bit more energy during chores, and the limp he should have had for weeks seemed to have vanished remarkably quickly. Yao Fei, another favorite punching bag, actually managed to block one of his casual shoves yesterday, his stance surprisingly steady. And Mei Ling, usually easy to corner and 'borrow' fragments from, had somehow found the energy to consistently avoid him, completing her tasks with unnatural speed.
It wasn't just them. A subtle shift was occurring among the lowest tier of disciples. They seemed less cowed, less prone to absolute despair. They still feared him, yes, but the crushing hopelessness that made them such easy targets seemed slightly diminished.
Then came the whispers. Initially dismissed as nonsense, the rumors persisted, always circling back to one name: Kai. That useless piece of trash who should have been crippled, if not dead, after their last 'session'. Apparently, Kai was selling things. Strange things. Noodles that healed, drinks that gave unnatural energy, patches that mended wounds overnight.
Zhang Long scoffed. Elixirs? Mending Kits? From Kai? Impossible. The boy was talentless, penniless, barely clinging to life. He must have stumbled upon some minor lucky chance, found a forgotten low-grade herb, or perhaps was simply running a scam, preying on the desperation of fools. But the fact that these fools seemed better after dealing with Kai, and that Kai himself was still walking around, even looking slightly less starved than before… it irked Zhang Long immensely.
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Where did Kai get these supposed goods? More importantly, where did he get the spirit stones he was allegedly charging? Fragments, even low-grade ones, were valuable. If Kai was accumulating them, then by Zhang Long's logic, they rightfully belonged to someone stronger. Someone like him.
He decided it was time to pay Kai a visit, remind him of the natural order of things in the Outer Sect, and relieve him of whatever 'treasures' and earnings he possessed. It would be easy. Kai was still just Qi Condensation Level 1, a walking twig. Even with Lin Fan or Yao Fei possibly feeling slightly better, they wouldn't dare interfere when he made his move.
He gathered his two usual lackeys, Wang Tao and Li Chen, both Qi Condensation Level 2 and utterly subservient to his whims. "We're going to have a chat with Kai," Zhang Long announced, cracking his knuckles again. "I hear he's come into some interesting things. It's time he shared his good fortune."
Wang Tao snickered. "About time, Boss. Heard he sold Mei Ling some weird drink. Maybe he has more?"
"Whatever he has, it belongs to us now," Zhang Long declared. "He seems to have forgotten who runs things around here."
They found Kai near the edge of the woods behind the dormitories, the same area where he’d first met Lin Fan. He seemed to be counting something – small, dull grey fragments – before carefully tucking them into a pouch. Spirit stones! Zhang Long’s eyes gleamed with greed.
"Well, well, look what we have here," Zhang Long drawled, stepping out from behind a large tree, his lackeys flanking him, effectively blocking Kai's escape routes. "Counting your ill-gotten gains, Kai?"
Kai looked up, his eyes widening slightly in surprise, but Zhang Long didn't see the abject terror he expected. There was caution, yes, but also a flicker of something else… calculation? Annoyance? It angered Zhang Long further.
"Zhang Long," Kai acknowledged, his voice surprisingly steady. He slowly stood up, subtly shifting his stance. "What do you want?"
"What do I want?" Zhang Long laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "I want to know where a piece of trash like you got spirit stones. I want to know what little tricks you're playing, selling snake oil to idiots. And then," he stepped closer, looming over Kai, "I want everything you have. The stones, the 'miracle goods', whatever secrets you think you're hiding."
He gestured to Wang Tao and Li Chen. "Empty his pockets. And if he resists… remind him how he got those injuries he seems to have forgotten about."
The two lackeys grinned maliciously and started moving towards Kai. Zhang Long crossed his arms, anticipating Kai's inevitable pleading or pathetic attempt to flee. This would be quick. He’d beat the information out of him, take his things, and re-establish his dominance. Simple.
But Kai didn’t plead. He didn’t try to run. He just watched Zhang Long’s cronies approach, his expression hardening, a strange light entering his eyes. Zhang Long felt a fleeting, inexplicable sense of unease, quickly dismissed as ridiculous. What could this Level 1 weakling possibly do?
