Chapter 013: Keep Hitting Until He Yields

Seeing that new companions had arrived, the group gathered around, intent on getting acquainted. Once everyone was present, a mysterious smile spread across the handsome, fair face of Number Ten. He leapt gracefully onto the eleventh bunk that he’d just exchanged with Lin Zhan, and announced in a resonant voice, “Fellow cultivators, greetings! I am Ten. From today on, I’m your big brother. If anyone disagrees, come and fight me!”

Numbers One through Nine were instantly dumbfounded. Their expressions mirrored Lin Zhan’s reaction when he’d first heard those words—not quite able to believe that the newcomer could be so audacious.

The atmosphere immediately turned fervent; everyone was eager for action. How could they let this newcomer swagger about alone?

Lin Zhan had long since gauged the combat prowess of Numbers One through Nine. Even if they ganged up on Ten, the outcome would be the same—they’d be soundly defeated.

“Eleven, step back and let us brothers teach this reckless fellow a lesson!” Number One shoved Lin Zhan behind him, the bony arm knocking Lin Zhan so hard it hurt.

Lin Zhan couldn’t bear to watch the disaster about to unfold. He knew trying to persuade them would be useless. Even if he sided with his old friends, ten against one, they would still be at a disadvantage.

Let them fight, then. He was curious to see how Ten would wrap up this farce.

“Take him down!”

“Surround him!”

“Daisy Hall Squad C, initiation begins—brothers, attack!”

Ten snorted. “What a bunch of ugly fools!”

It was unclear how he moved, but with a sudden crackling commotion, Numbers One through Ten flew apart like petals bursting open, their faces twisted in pain as they crashed into the surrounding walls. The force was tremendous—if the room hadn’t been fortified by some kind of ward, it might have collapsed.

Lin Zhan crouched in a corner, shielding his head from his brothers’ collisions. The scene was truly pitiful.

“Impossible!”

“Damn, he’s strong!”

“I thought his cultivation was sealed—how can he still be this overbearing?”

“Hell with it! I refuse to bow to him! If we call him big brother, what kind of life will we have? Brothers, don’t just take it, fight back! Crush him if we have to!”

The tragedy continued. Again and again, Numbers One through Nine were sent flying, only to pick themselves up and charge at Ten once more.

They were exactly like Lin Zhan—stubborn and unyielding. Would it kill them to bow their heads and acknowledge a leader?

The stubbornness and fighting spirit of the scene left Ten feeling powerless. He glanced at Lin Zhan, who watched the spectacle with an idle air, and sighed. Raising his hand at the next wave of attackers, he called out, “Hold on a second!”

Battered and bruised, swollen and welted from head to toe, Numbers One through Nine finally paused, all glaring at him indignantly.

“Are you done yet? I could squash you all with a finger!”

He had every right to say so.

“But must you be so stubborn? Must you be so stubborn? Must you be so stubborn? I—”

As a talented inner disciple, specially trained by his master, even with his cultivation sealed, his footwork, physical strength, and control far surpassed anything these ordinary laborers could muster. It was a complete and utter rout.

He’d come here, his belly full of anger from being punished, hoping to find some comfort by being top dog among these mortals and passing the time. Who could have guessed he’d run into such a pack of thickheaded, death-defying idiots? Lin Zhan was one; now Numbers One through Nine were all the same. What a bleak fate.

So Ten stammered for a while, at a loss for words, nearly brought to tears by frustration.

“Brothers, this guy’s provoking us. What should we do?”

“Take him down—don’t stop till he’s scared!”

“All together—!”

Numbers One through Nine, despite their injuries, staggered back into the fray, shouting as they went. Their battered faces were even uglier for the pain, some so dizzy they could hardly tell direction—Lin Zhan kindly set one straight—but nothing could dampen their indomitable spirit.

“Damn it!” Ten roared, leaping from his bunk into the midst of the melee.

After a while, even Lin Zhan grew bored of the spectacle. He squatted in the corner, fiddling with his storage ring, taking out the bottle of longevity pills, then putting it back, taking it out again, back and forth for his own amusement.

He then turned to the room’s furniture, stowing tables and chairs into his storage space, then summoning them out one by one.

Meanwhile, the fierce battle inside the room raged on.

Eventually, both sides were exhausted, collapsing in heaps across the floor.

“Ah, I knew it would end like this.” Lin Zhan stood up and shook his head at Ten, whose face was flushed and whose energy was spent.

Then he dragged Numbers One through Nine, one by one, back to their bunks.

Along the way, he heard one senior brother mumble, “Eleven, if that bastard tries anything, wake me up!”

Ten sat on the floor, leaning against the wall, that mysterious smile still on his lips as he quietly watched Lin Zhan go about his work.

Finally, Lin Zhan came to Ten, offering a hand. “Are you alright?”

“Get off, I can manage!” Ten smacked Lin Zhan’s hand away and, stubborn as ever, forced himself up and flopped onto bunk eleven.

Lin Zhan was the last to climb into bed. He looked at his battered brothers sleeping on his right and felt a certain satisfaction. Then he glanced left, where Ten lay on his side, glaring wide-eyed at him, and couldn’t help thinking, “What a pitiful fellow.”

Because he was channeling spiritual energy through his badge’s inscription, Lin Zhan didn’t sleep that night, and he knew perfectly well that Ten kept those wide eyes open for the entire night.

He really had fought until he dropped from exhaustion.

The next day was the monthly rotation of duties for the laborers—a day when the woodcutters might be sent to dive for water, the herb garden watchmen might become beast caretakers, and so on.

This great reshuffling allowed all the laborers to become familiar with every kind of work, cultivating versatility.

This time, Daisy Hall would be exchanging duties with the disciples of Plum Blossom Hall. This meant Lin Zhan’s team would be sent to Scarlet Refining Valley, a place filled with all kinds of spiritual herbs, to tend the plants and flowers.

“Hurry up, the guys from Plum Blossom Hall will be here soon. Let’s get ready to hand over our duties.”

Due to old grievances, Daisy Hall and Plum Blossom Hall had little love lost between them, and there was a notable rift. Moreover, the laborers’ Alpha Team from Plum Blossom Hall had a reputation for being an untouchable force.